NORTHERN REGION
ARENAL & LA FORTUNA
 ARENAL
VOLCANO TOUR & HOT SPRINGS: A visit to the Arenal
Volcano (active since 1968) is a must! From time to time loud
explosions can be heard and, if the sky is clear, clouds of
gases and rolling rocks can easily be spotted. At night the
explosions becomes even more impressive, as the red-orange
lava flows down the volcano’s perfectly shaped cone. The tour
takes travelers through the west side with a relatively simple
hike along the park’s trails. After your trek, wind down with
a visit to the nearby hot springs, where you can relax your
muscles while enjoying phenomenal views of the volcano.
 BOAT
TOUR IN THE CAÑO NEGRO WILDLIFE RESERVE: Caño Negro
is a birdwatcher’s paradise located 25 Km (20 miles) Southwest
of Los Chiles Town, near the Nicaraguan border (approximately
2 hours from La Fortuna). Caño Negro protects a large variety
of bird species, both migrating and resident, that gather
in the reserve. This is also home to a significant number
of endangered mammals, and reptile species, including crocodiles,
turtles, monkeys, and tapirs. The tour through the rivers
and mangroves usually includes lunch.
 ARENAL
HANGING BRIDGES: Visitors who love nature can enjoy
15 bridges from 5 to 100 meters long, along a 3 km rain forest
circuit of interpretive trails built within a 250-hectare
reserve of primary forest. The bridges are built to ensure
maximum security for their visitors. Guided by a naturalist,
you will be introduced to the fascinating and colorful natural
history of the Tropical Rain Forest world. The imposing vistas
of the Volcano from the hanging bridges over the forest make
for an unforgettable experience. The tour lasts about 4 hours.
 SKY
ADVENTURE: The tour begins with a ride on the Sky
Tram, which is ideal for people of all ages (wheelchair access
makes it suitable for those with disabilities as well). Knowledgeable
guides accompany you pointing out breathtaking views of the
forest, lake and Arenal Volcano. You can choose from the Sky
Tram or the Sky Trek to descend from the platform; both of
them depart from the front desk of the main building. The
Sky Trek is a zip line tour where you will enjoy breathtaking
views of the volcano and the Arenal Lake. You can also take
the long walk to the waterfall of the Arenal Reserve by footpaths
and bridges on the Sky Walk, (leads back to the main building).
 HORSEBACK
RIDE TO LA FORTUNA WATERFALL: This unforgettable
adventure begins with a 1 ½ hour horseback ride through the
beautiful countryside. Finally, after a short hike you will
get to the base of the waterfall, where a refreshing natural
pool will welcome you. Afterwards you will return to the hotel.
This tour lasts 4 hours and is recommended for visitors in
relatively good physical condition due to the demanding hike
and horseback ride.
 MOUNTAIN
BIKING: What better way to explore the beautiful
lush rainforest around Lake Arenal than by pedaling by it!
Gear yourself up for a challenging ride on a quiet country
road that begins at the lake’s dam, and continues through
the gravel roads on the border of Arenal Volcano’s National
Park. Upon request, the tour can end at the nearby hotsprings
(entrance fee not included). This tour is recommended for
moderately fit travelers.
 HIKE
TO CERRO CHATO: Hidden within the forest lies Arenal’s
dormant neighbor. On this tour, you will have the opportunity
to hike up to the very rim of the Chato Hill, a lagoon-filled
extinct crater at an elevation of 1,400 meters (4,594 ft.).
The trek takes place on natural trails, passing by primary
forest on a 4-hour steep walk up to the crater. Once in the
lagoon, you will have time to enjoy a box lunch. The end of
the walk will be in La Fortuna Waterfall. After a refreshing
swim, you will be taken back to your hotel by car. This tour
is recommended for people in good physical condition.
Other activities
available upon request are horseback riding tours in the area
or from La Fortuna to Monteverde, and canopy tours. Contact
us for more information on these tour options!
Enquire now for prices and details!
MONTEVERDE
 TREKING
IN THE PROTECTED FORESTS: The different private reserves
in the area (Monteverde, Santa Elena, and the Children’s Eternal
Forest) offer great walking options for nature lovers. These
forests are home to over 100 species of mammals, 120 species
of amphibians & reptiles, and more than 400 species of birds,
including the Quetzal and 30 local hummingbird species. A
well-developed system of trails of varying levels of difficulty
leads visitors throughout the primary forests. Lookout points
are established on several trails for visitors to appreciate
the mountain views. Contact us for guided tour options.
 SKY
TREK CANOPY TOUR: Sliding from one treetop to another
on a system of wires, harnesses, and pulleys – best known
as Canopy Touring – has become one of the most popular soft
adventure activities to do in Costa Rica, and the Sky Trek
clients do just that. A system of trails, canopy platforms,
one treetop platform, one suspension bridge and two zip lines
built within the cloud forest, the Sky Trek offers the opportunity
to experience the forest from a different point of view. The
tour lasts between 2 ½ to 3 hours. The option of walking only
in suspended bridges (and not sliding on the canopies) is
available at the Sky Walk for the less adventurous ones who
nonetheless wish to enjoy the vegetation from above.
 SKY
WALK: The Sky Walk is a combination of suspension
bridges and platforms built in the cloud forest to offer an
opportunity to explore the forest canopy in a safe and easy
manner. The tour includes 2.5 Km of trails and six treetop
level suspension bridges across deep canyons. The longest
bridge is about 243 meters (800 feet) in length.
 SELVATURA
PARK: Located in Monteverde, Selvatura Park, is
a cloud forest conservation project that hosts a number of
activities and educational programs to introduce visitors
to the wonders of the cloud forest. Visitors can explore the
forest canopy while they swing through the treetops on the
canopy tour, or take a slower approach on the 1.9 mile Treetop
Walkway. To learn more about the ecology of this facinating
ecosystem visitors can go on a Cloud Forest History walk,
explore the Hummingbird and Butterfly gardens, or visit the
Selvatura Education Center which bosts of the world’s largest
private insect collection.
 BUTTERFLY
GARDENS: Located near the town of Santa Elena, the
butterfly gardens introduce visitors to the world of these
fascinating creatures while walking through gardens filled
with hundreds of butterflies. The gardens are geared to research
rather than to export of pupae. The farm features a nature
center, 4 gardens and 3 greenhouses. More than 40 species
of butterflies are raised within the property.
 FROG
MUSEUM: This living nature museum offers the opportunity
to view 26 varieties of toads and frogs. The tour lasts approximately
45 minutes and is given by bilingual guides. The Frog Pond
has both diurnal and nocturnal frogs, and their activities
can thus be observed during the day or night (opening hours
are from 8:30 am to 8:30 pm). A portion of the funds raised
in the museum go towards research and recovery of amphibians.
 SNAKE
FARM: This marvelous amphibian and reptile zoo is
perfect for learning about Costa Rica's fauna. With modern,
spacious facilities, it creates a natural environment for
the animals and at the same time offers high comfort and security
to visitors. Here you can appreciate more than 40 species
of snakes, reptiles, lizards, iguanas, amphibian and turtles.
Guided tours and informative talks are available (for groups
of 6 or more) upon prior request.
 DON
JUAN COFFEE TOUR: During this unique tour of Don
Juan Coffee farms you can experience the age-old coffee tradition
and gain an appreciation for how coffee has shaped the history
and development of Costa Rica. Specialized guides will point
out the most important aspects of coffee, its harvest and
processing. Aside from these details, you’ll also gain insight
into the vital role that Coffe has played in Costa Rica’s
social, economic, and cultural development as the guides take
you through the history of this crop from its beginnings in
the Arab African countries. At the end of the tour you’ll
enjoy the delicious and seductive aroma of one of the best
coffees in the world. You will have the rest of the time to
browse through the gift shop where you can purchase a wide
variety of fresh roasted and packaged coffee.
 TRAPICHE
TOUR: Get a glimpse into Costa Rica’s agricultural
sector by taking a tour of this farm which produces some of
Costa Rica’s most important crops such as coffee, sugarcane,
macadamia nuts and bananas. This 2-hour tour starts with an
introduction to the farm and the production of these crops.
Visitors will then get a chance to participate in coffee production
as they collect the coffee and transport it to the grinding
machines where it is transformed into the world’s best coffee.
You will also get to observe the process of producing sugar
from sugarcane. The tour will end with a nice cup of coffee
and a tasting of a traditional dish made with some of the
products from the farm.
Other activities
available upon request: horseback riding tours in
the area from Monteverde to the Arenal Region, and visits
to the Cheese Factory and hand craft cooperative. Contact
us for more information on these tour options!
Enquire now for prices and details!
SARAPIQUÍ
 RAFTING
ON THE SARAPIQUI RIVER: This rather calm trip (more
like a boat float) along the II-III class rapids will offer
you a good chance to appreciate the surrounding nature along
the riverbanks. Your tour guide (there is one for every 6-person
raft) will hand you your life jackets, and will give you a
brief orientation talk before getting into the river. During
the trip you will stop for a snack, and you will very likely
spot some birds or monkeys!
 TOUR
TO LA SELVA BIOLOGICAL STATION: La Selva, which belongs
to the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), is a well-known
center for researchers and students from around the world.
A specialist guide will walk you along the different trails,
where you will have the chance to learn about the region’s
ecological characteristics; for instance, that the reserve
(with and extension of 1,600 hectares / 3,900 acres) protects
more than 1,900 species of plants, 436 species of birds, and
450 species of ants. We recommend that you bring a raincoat
since the average annual rainfall is 4 m (over 13 feet).
 LA
TIRIMBINA RAINFOREST CENTER: This 300 hectare / 750
acre mid elevation rainforest is a non-profit project sponsored
by the Milwaukee Public Museum and the Riveredge Nature Center.
Yearly, groups of students, researchers, and natural history
lovers walk along the property’s 6km of trails. Whether you
are traveling with a group or wish to visit La Tirimbina on
your own, let us know and we can organize a visit for you.
Feel free to inform us whether you wish to do this tour with
a private guide or not.
 HACIENDA
POZO AZUL RAPPEL: Located in La Vírgen de Sarapiquí,
Hacienda Pozo Azul is a 2000-acre family ranch that has been
turned into an adventure center. Upon arrival to the site,
a tractor will take you for a 15 minute ride to the edge of
the Sarapiquí river canyon, where the 90-ft wall falls to
the river. There is a parallel line to hold onto a guide on
the way down. You can do the descent up to three times. There
is a trail around the hill that will take you back up every
time.
 CANOPY
TOUR, HACIENDA POZO AZUL: Located in La Virgen de
Sarapiquí, Hacienda Pozo Azul is a 2000-acre ranch that has
been turned into an adventure center. Upon arrival to the
site, you will sign a waiver, and immediately after that,
you will get your equipment. Afterwards, a tractor will take
you to the starting point, where your guide will give you
a safety talk and explain the function of your equipment.
The adventure takes you through 12 cables and 17 platforms,
at heights of up to 90 feet from the ground. If you decide
to do the tour in a combo version, you might go just through
9 cables. The forest that you will be exploring is one of
the most biodiverse, so you might have a chance to see some
birds and monkeys.
 HORSEBACK
RIDE, HACIENDA POZO AZUL: A 2000-acre family ranch,
located in La Virgen de Sarapiquí, has been turned into an
adventure center, where you will go horseback riding. When
you arrive to the site, you will register and sign a waiver.
Afterwards, your guide will take you to the stalls to put
your equipment on and he will assign you a horse according
to your experience. Also, he will explain to you the basics
of horseback riding, especially for those with little or no
experience. You will start riding through cattle pastures,
regenerating land and patches of forest. With Sarapiquí being
one of the best places in our country for birdwatching, there
is always a possibility of spotting wildlife during the ride.
The tour ends back at the stalls, after a relaxing time in
the presence of nature.
 CHOCOLATE
& PINEAPPLE TOUR : Aside from eating chocolate, what
better way to enjoy cacao than to visit a chocolate plantation?
As you tour the plantation you will discover cacao’s natural
and cultural history and the process used to transform it
into chocolate. You will see the intire process first hand
starting with the cacao plant, flowers, fruit, seed extraction,
and finally the creation of the chocolate. Not only will you
see the process, but you’ll also get a chance to make your
own. After you’ve had your fill of chocolate, the tour continues
with a tour of the Corsiana Pineapple Farm where you’ll get
an overview of the fruit’s history and see how the fruit is
packaged and grown.
BIKE TOUR: Hacienda Pozo Azul’s many internal trails and solitary back roads in the area are just what you would like for real adventure on mountain bikes. They will provide the ideal route and length of ride for you; trained guides with radio communication
and support vehicle will provide a safer ride on this beautiful and wild scenery.
Contact us for more information on these
tour options!
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