Duration: 9 days/8 nights
From $3470 per person, on deluxe hotels (based on double occupancy) single supplement $1610 and $2150 per person, on standard hotels (based on double occupancy) single supplement $870
Departs: Daily with a minimum of 2 participants
Destination: San José,Pacuare river, Arenal, Manuel Antonio
To Download PDF Itinerary Click Here
Arenal Volcano
Costa Rica Sun Tours offer you the Costa Rica Explorer Itinerary. This tour combines three natural highlights of Costa Rica: the Pacuare River, the Arenal Volcano and the beautiful beaches of Manuel Antonio. Your eco-adventure begins with a river rafting trip down Costa Rica´s wildest and most scenic river. Get a different perspective of the rainforest as you literally fly through the canopy (a concept pioneered in Costa Rica)! Your certified naturalist guide will lead you as you venture into the highlands, to Arenal Volcano, whose steep conical slopes rise majestically out of the vast surrounding rainforest. After adventuring, a soak in the hot springs will feel wonderful. Conclude your ecotourism experience in wildlife rich Manuel Antonio and unwind on a beautiful tropical beach.
Day 1: Arrival in San Jose. Hotel Grano de Oro or similar (1 night).
Day 2: Pacuare River Rafting class IV. Pacuare Lodge or Pacuare River Camp.
(BLD)
Day 3: Canopy Tour (BLD)
Day 4: Pacuare River rafting. After the take out, transfer to Arenal Volcano.
Hotel Arenal Nayara or the Arenal Observatory Lodge (2 nights). (B)
Day 5: Guided hike Arenal National Park and Arenal Hanging Bridges,
late afternoon visit Ecotermales Hot Springs. (B)
Day 6: Transfer to Manuel Antonio. Hotel Arenas del Mar or the Hotel Si Como
No (B)
Day 7: Morning guided tour Manuel Antonio National Park. (B)
Day 8: Free day in Manuel Antonio. Optional activities: surfing,
horseback riding, snorkeling. (B)
Day 9: Transfer to San José. (B)
Day 1: ARRIVAL TRANSFER
Upon your arrival in San Jose, Costa Rica and after clearing customs and immigration, exit the airport terminal to your right where you will meet a representative of Costa Rica Sun Tours. Our transport representative will give you your land portion vouchers and transfer you to your hotel.
Day 2: Pacuare River Rafting class IV. (BLD)
Rafting Pacuare
Early morning pick-up at your hotel in San José for a journey into the Caribbean lowlands. There will be a stop for breakfast en route at a typical Costa Rican restaurant. After an orientation and safety talk by the bilingual river guide, you will ride down in rafts the exhilarating Pacuare River, one of the planet´s top white water rivers. Raft through pristine rainforest environment, heart pumping class III and IV rapids, and scenic canyons with crystal clear waterfalls. Arrive mid-afternoon at the riverside Pacuare Lodge with time to relax and enjoy a rainforest hike or swim in the falls.
Day 3: PACUARE LODGE (BLD)
Pacuare Lodge
Get a different perspective of the rainforest as you literally fly through the tree top canopy. You will face the exotic beauty of the rainforest head on, feeling the adrenaline of dramatic views, rappelling down towering trees and zipping along cables from tree to tree as you descend the jungle toward the Pacuare Lodge for a final thrilling rappel that leaves you just steps away from the main lodge! Safely anchored with a safety harness, you may experience unique sensations that no other tour of this type offers.
Day 4: PACUARE RIVER RAFTING-TRANSFER RIVER TAKE OUT TO ARENAL (BL)
After a delicious buffet breakfast, prepare to paddle down the Pacuare gorge for approximately 3.5 hours. The second section of the river is truly the most spectacular. At the take out you can change clothes and have lunch. Your local driver will meet you for a 4 hour transfer to Arenal.
Day 5: ARENAL NATIONAL PARK- ARENAL HANGING BRIDGES-ECOTERMALES HOT SPRINGS (B)
Arenal Hanging Bridges
Hike a trail with your bilingual naturalist guide through the forests of the Arenal Volcano National Park. On your hike enjoy spotting a large variety of wildlife, view the volcano from a safe vantage point while your guide explains its fascinating history and points out the volcano’s current activity.
Later visit the Arenal Hanging Bridges, suspended bridges and trails through a beautiful rainforest. As you walk through, you may encounter a variety of wildlife, including: toucans, motmots, trogons, poison dart frogs, howler monkeys, spider monkeys and white-faced capuchin monkeys. Here you may learn about the complexity and beauty of the rainforests of Arenal.
For some relaxing time, enjoy the hot springs at Ecotermales. The family-run hot springs feature four volcanically heated pools ranging from 91 to 105 degrees Fahrenheit. The facility offers separate changing rooms for women and men, each equipped with hot showers, lockers and toilets. The subtle landscape includes regenerating forest and beautiful tropical plants.
Day 6: TRANSFER ARENAL – MANUEL ANTONIO (B)
Manuel Antonio National Park’s
This day our driver will take you from Arenal to the beaches of Manuel Antonio. Manuel Antonio is a community of beach homes, hotels and restaurants, surrounded by lush rainforests on a mountain top overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Manuel Antonio National Park. The rainforest is home to a variety of wildlife that is easily seen including sloths, monkeys and birds. The temperature of the ocean is great for swimming and many water sports. The region offers numerous activities such as boating, river rafting, snorkeling, diving, canopy tours and more.
Day 7: MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK TOUR (B)
This day enjoy a half day tour of the Manuel Antonio National Park. The Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the country´s smallest but most famous parks because of its unique mix of beaches and forest trails.
Day 8: FREE DAY IN MANUEL ANTONIO (B)
While in Manuel Antonio take advantage of the activities offered in the area (at your own expense) such as ocean & river kayaking, world class sport fishing, horseback riding, canopy tours, sunset sailing, Isla Damas Estuary Tour, Rain Maker Reserve, white water rafting or simply relaxing on the beautiful beaches or at your hotel.
Day 9: TRANSFER MANUEL ANTONIO-SAN JOSE (B)
This day you will be picked up at your hotel for a transfer to the International Juan Santamaria Airport in San Jose. Check in must be at least 3 hours prior to the departure time. Driving time from Manuel Antonio to the International Juan Santamaria airport is approximately 2.5hours, plus any stops along the way.
Featured Hotels Superior Deluxe category
Hotel Grano de Oro
Converted from a Victorian mansion and maintains the warmth and comfort of a private home while offering the amenities of a fine hotel. The restaurant at the Grano de Oro is one of San Jose’s finest. It is located on a quiet street close to the city center, near restaurants, theaters and shops. All rooms are equipped with free Internet, fully equipped mini-bars, safety deposit boxes, cable TV, ceiling fans, telephones with direct access to international calling.
Pacuare Lodge
Pacuare guest bungalows and lodge seem as much a part of this rainforest setting as do the jungle´s fauna, frequently seen scampering within the jungle undergrowth or ascending through the rainforest canopy. The award winning Pacuare Lodge combines touches of luxury with an obligation to exemplary sustainable tourism practices. The palm-thatched bungalows are roofed in the time honored Cabecar style and evocative of their ancient jungle dwellings. Settle down for a nap on your private veranda, or unwind with fellow travelers in one of the lodges hammocks and experience the camaraderie that adventure travel invariably provokes. Before you know it you will be drawn inexorably deeper into this exotic wonderland.
Nayara Hotel Spa and Gardens
An oasis of tranquility that provides a unique natural experience. Surrounded by lush tropical rainforest, each individual bungalow provides an exclusive retreat in which guests can relax and take in the breathtaking view of the volcano. The hotels tropical architecture mirrors the beauty of Costa Ricas natural wonders. Every one of its large suite-size bungalows has been designed to provide the utmost in comfort and style while maintaining a close connection with the natural surroundings, each, with a private backyard and outdoor shower facing the private front balcony.
Arenas del Mar
Beach and nature resort located next to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Unique and spectacular beach and nature experiences combined with highest levels of comfort and sustainability in a local Costa Rican setting define the concept of Arenas del Mar. The resort caters to tourists that are looking for more than just another high end resort experience. Arenas del Mar offers a luxurious lodging experience in harmony with nature in a spectacular beach and rainforest setting. Guest rooms, apartments and suites offer ocean views, upscale dining in two hotel restaurants with a focus on fresh local products and personalized service.
Featured Hotels moderate Superior category
Aurola Holiday Inn
Conveniently nestled in the midst of the lively Costa Rican city within view of the beautiful Central Valley. Discover a hotel where technology and hospitality come together in perfect harmony, where you can stay connected with modern Internet wireless access, and disconnect with a “Tico” ambiance and modern luxuries. Whether visiting for a leisure getaway or a business connection, our San Jose hotel offers a peaceful, productive atmosphere where you can get the most out of your San Jose experience.
Hotel Amenities: 196 Rooms, 2 Restaurants, Swimming Pool, Fitness Center, Meeting Rooms, Business Center, Wireless Internet
Pacuare River Camp
Located along the Pacuare River, offers a haven for relaxation and immersion in tropical sights and sounds. The clean energy, sustainable lodge offers you a variety of accommodation and activity options. If you close your eyes and imagine what a genuine eco-lodge deep in the rainforest could be like, you might think of beautiful tropical gardens framing native wood lodge rooms, open air gathering pavilions with thatched roofs and comfortable hammocks swinging in a gentle breeze, ample viewing decks for watching the toucans fly overhead and the river dance along its rapids.
Arenal Observatory
The Arenal Observatory Lodge offers guests spacious rooms with picture windows that enable them to admire the impressive and unequalled vision of an active steaming volcano rising out of the wilderness. The forests surrounding the Observatory are now protected in Arenal Volcano National Park and teem with tropical wildlife. The Observatory offers guests a restaurant, Jaccuzi, swimming pool, excellent birding on its own grounds, and daily guided hikes into the forests of the national park and onto a lava flow from 1992.
Si Como No
Si Como No, which means Yes, why not? is a treasure of natural beauty surrounded by lush tropical rainforest. The hotels rooms are distributed within ten separate terraces located on ten acres of protected tropical forest. Each room has well-appointed bathrooms, fully stocked mini-bars, most with private balconies, direct dial telephones, and energy efficient air conditioning. There are two pools – the adult pool, and a family pool with a toboggan slide. Also, two restaurants, a 1600 square foot tropical spa facility, internet terminals located in the Gift Shop, and a 46 seat private THX movie theater. There is also a 30 acre wildlife refuge located directly across from the hotel which features a multi-level butterfly botanical garden.