Colours of Costa Rica

Fly to San José, Costa Rica's capital, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel. Depending on your flight time, the rest of the day is yours to start soaking up the local culture, and in the evening you will enjoy a welcome dinner.

This morning, get to know San Jose by exploring the main streets, theatres, museums and downtown neighbourhoods. After this, head to the outskirts of the city, to the town of Escazu where vestiges of the colonial lifestyle still can be found on every corner. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, visit a local artisan to learn about the traditional “mascaradas” and finish your visit at a sugar cane mill.

Depart San Jose and pass through a landscape of rural agriculture towns of banana and cocoa plantations towards the Caribbean coast. Board a boat and cruise along rivers and waterways to reach the jungle-encompassed town of Tortuguero. This afternoon, spend time with a local elder who will introduce you to the area's history.

Spend the morning quietly cruising the lush, rainforest-lined canals of Tortuguero National Park, discovering the rich array of flora and fauna that inhabits the area. Return to Tortuguero for a wander around the town and lunch at a floating restaurant. The rest of the day is at leisure.

Leaving the Caribbean behind, your exploration continues crossing mountains, rivers and different kinds of forests, as you continue to one of the landmarks of Costa Rica, the Arenal Volcano. You will stop at the town of Sarapiqui to visit with a local farmer, tasting the delicacy of fresh cut Heart of Palm.

This morning you visit Eco Centro Danaus, one of the most important projects for wildlife protection and preservation in the area. In the afternoon visit the Arenal 1968 Park, for a walk that offers spectacular panoramic views of Arenal Volcano and Arenal Lake. You will end the day with a stop at the hot springs to relax and enjoy the peaceful and beautiful scenery.

Board an inflatable boat and paddle or float peacefully through the scenic landscapes of Río Peñas Blancas. A naturalist guide will be on hand to point out a wide variety of trees, birds, monkeys and other wildlife. Go on to visit a cacao farm, where you will learn about the chocolate-making process before delighting in some tasting. The remainder of your day is at leisure before dinner at a local restaurant in town.

Today you leave the imposing Arenal Volcano and its rain forest behind as you move to the cloud forest area of Monteverde. In the late afternoon experience a forest walk at night, learning about the various species that rule at nightfall, to the symphony of frogs and insects.

Embark on an adventure through the canopy as you walk the Monteverde Hanging Bridges, a unique way to view the flora and fauna at every level, and ecosystem of the cloudforest. The afternoon is at leisure with an evening talk by a local host on Monteverde's Quaker roots.

Travel over to Costa Rica's wild Pacific coast to the spectacular Manuel Antonio, a national park that incorporates a richly biodiverse area of forest and a large area of protected sea. En route you'll get breathtaking views of the Gulf of Nicoya as you descend from the Tilaran Mountains. On arrival, the rest of the day will be at leisure.

Wake up to explore the pristine natural beauty of this National Park filled with exotic wildlife such as monkeys, sloths, birds, reptiles and butterflies. A picturesque walk will take you along the beach, lapped by crystalline waters, considered one of the most beautiful in the world, and through the lush rainforest behind.

Morning at leisure to relax before exploring the local flavors of the area this afternoon with a stop at the local farmers’ market in Quepos, to pick out ingredients for dinner. Continue to a private ranch in Londres to choose the finishing flavours, colours and textures for your meal, before the preparation guided by the expert local cooks.

Transfer to the airport and fly to New Zealand. Arrive home in 2 days due to crossing the International Date Line once again.