Costa Rica Quest

Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive San José

Arrive in San José at any time. There are no planned activities so check into our hotel and enjoy the city.Located in the central highlands, San José enjoys a moderate climate. The heat and humidity of the coast and lowland areas may affect you, with a general sense of lethargy and/or loss of appetite. This is no cause for alarm, it is simply your body’s reaction to the heat. Be sure to drink plenty of water (bottled water is available everywhere) and do not attempt too much in any given day. We prefer fan-cooled rather than air conditioned rooms to avoid having to acclimatize to the heat and humidity every time you go outside. This is also a more eco-friendly approach.Like most cities, San José has its good and bad sides. It is the centre of government, theatre, and art, as well as of air pollution and congestion. It has beautiful parks and museums, and a few beggars on the streets. It is big and often noisy, but even from its crowded downtown streets, you’ll often enjoy a view of the surrounding lush mountains. Start your exploration of the city in the main plaza, a great place to people-watch. A mime, juggler, marimba band, magician, or storyteller may be performing for whatever is collected when the hat is passed. Artisan booths are common, creating a regular arts and crafts fair atmosphere. A source of pride for the ticos (as Costa Ricans are known) is the National Theatre. Inaugurated in 1897, the building was paid for by coffee growers through a voluntary tax on every bag of coffee exported. The National Museum, housed in the Bellavista Fortress, offers exhibits on pre-Columbian art, colonial art and furniture and religious art within a 19th century building that was converted from a military fortress after the army was abolished. The Museum of Costa Rican Art, located in La Sabana Park, was once the international airport; the museum is now housed in the old terminal building. The Jade Museum is on the 11th floor of the Instituto Nacional de Seguros building. In addition to the marvellous collection of jade objects, there are pre-Columbian ceramic and stone works as well as displays with archaeological and ethnographic information. The Gold Museum is located underneath the Plaza de la Cultura. Its spectacular collection of indigenous gold art belongs to the Central Bank of Costa Rica.The best and least expensive places to buy souvenirs in San José are the markets. The two main ones are the ones in Plaza de la Cultura, which is an outdoor open market, and the Central Market, where handicrafts are sold along with boots, fish, flour, herbal remedies, shirts and everything else you can imagine. Always watch your belongings and be ready for crowds. If you plan on spending a few days in San José after your tour, there are a number of activities within the city and area that you can participate in, many of them outdoors.Probably the hardest thing you will do in San José, other than get safely across busy streets, is keep the street numbering systems straight. Street and avenue numbers are posted on buildings at the corners of some intersections. Keep looking as you walk, and you will eventually find one. NOTE: Like any city where tourism is on the increase, crime also tends to increase and while San José is not a noticeably dangerous city, there are certain precautions you should take. Make sure that you are aware of your things at all times and don't go out carrying expensive gear or jewellery.

Day 2-3 La Fortuna / Arenal

La Fortuna, the town near the foot of Arenal Volcano is an excellent base for adventure. Optional activities in this area abound! Take an unforgettable hike around the base of the volcano to see the top glowing an eerie red, accompanied by a soundtrack of monkeys and the rumblings of the volcano in the distance. Hike the area’s nature trails, swim in chilly La Fortuna waterfall or go canyoneering (rappelling) and catch a bird’s eye view of the forest greenery. Other optional activities include full-day white water rafting on the Toro or Balsa Rivers, mountain biking, caving, horseback riding, or a tour of the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge. Like much of Costa Rica, the area is a birders’ paradise, with over 600 species as permanent residents. Finally, after a long day of exploring, take a relaxing soak in the lush, cascading hot springs of Tabacón Resort or Baldi Hot Springs. Soak in one of the natural thermal baths and rivers under the shade of the surrounding canopy.Set on the northern plains of Costa Rica, Arenal Volcano sits on the southeast shore of artificial Lake Arenal (77 square kilometres, or 48 square miles). Separating the mountain ranges of Guanacaste and Tilarán, the lake was created by a hydroelectric dam. Winds sweeping off the Caribbean Sea reach speeds of 48 to 72 km/hr (30 to 45 mph), across Lake Arenal you can find one of the best locations in the world to go windsurfing. The volcano is quite active and occasional eruptions make it a natural wonder to be respected. Arenal is especially impressive at night, when the glowing molten lava is blasted into the ink-black sky. Even during the day, its reflection on Lake Arenal is truly enchanting.Estimated Travel Time: 5 hoursApproximate Distance: 150 km

Day 4-5 Monteverde

From La Fortuna travel by jeep to the shores of Lake Arenal for the half hour boat ride across, where horses will be waiting for the two hour journey by horseback. When we arrive at the town of El Cruce, we transfer to waiting vans to drive the final leg up into the cool, misty mountain air of the Monteverde cloud forest. Spend two days exploring Monteverde and the Forest Reserve, truly a nature lover's paradise. Local guides are extremely knowledgeable about the area and passionate about conservation of this precious ecosystem. The unique community has several local co-operatives worth visiting including artist collectives and a cheese factory. If you're there at the right time of year, you may be lucky enough to see the Resplendent Quetzal, one of the most beautiful and elusive birds in the world. Optional activities include the Sky Walk, a series of suspension bridges through the jungle canopy, a butterfly garden and a thrilling canopy zip line.Monteverde or Green Mountain, is exactly what you find at the end of the long, rutted dirt road through the mountains. The surrounding pastures were once covered with dense forest, but today only a small piece of it remains. That piece of forest has been preserved as the Reserva Biologica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. Cloud forest is much like a rainforest, but much of the moisture comes not from falling rain but from the condensation left by the nearly constant cloud cover that blankets the tops of mountains in many parts of the tropics. Monteverde Reserve covers 1600 hectares of forest and is home to a great variety of wildlife. More than 2,000 species of plants, 320 bird species and 100 different species of mammals inhabit this small area. The Santa Elena Reserve, another park contiguous with Monteverde, is less well known and visited but also worth seeing. All proceeds from this park profit the local community.Quakers from the United States founded the village of Monteverde in the 1950s. Looking to leave behind the constant fear of war and objecting to being forced to support continued militarism through their taxes, the Quakers chose Costa Rica because of its commitment to a non-militaristic economic path—Costa Rica’s army was dissolved in the 1940s. Since its founding, Monteverde has grown slowly as others who shared the original Quaker founders’ ideals moved to the area. Although the Quakers came here to farm the land, they recognized the need to preserve the rare cloud forest that covers the mountain slopes above their fields. The community is very different from those on the coast, and offers several souvenir shops and the Quaker cheese factory, which is definitely worth a visit. Make sure to try their ice cream! Estimated Travel Time: 7 hoursApproximate Distance: 50 km

Day 6-7 Quepos / Manuel Antonio National Park

This small town on the Pacific coast is a great place to relax and enjoy the sun and nearby sea. A short distance away, Manuel Antonio National Park offers excellent hiking, spectacular views, and abundant wildlife viewing. As well as beautiful white sand beaches and the warm turquoise water is ideal for swimming, fishing, kayaking, boogie boarding, sailing or surfing.Quepos sits on the outskirts of the Manuel Antonio National Park (about 20 min drive) and is a great introduction to the laid-back “Tico” lifestyle. This town is very popular with the younger set of international travellers, and the nightlife in the area is also some of the best in the country. If you have the jungle in mind, then we recommend that you head into the National Park. Although this is Costa Rica’s smallest National Park, it is also one of the most popular and it won’t take you long to see why. This park has fabulous beaches, abundant wildlife, and a great trail system for those who want to spend the day hiking. Look for monkeys, armadillos, coatimundis, sloths and some of the over 350 species of birds that are present in the park! Estimated Travel Time: 7 hoursApproximate Distance: 220 km

Day 8 San José

A day's travel on local buses takes us back to the capital, San José, in time to shower and head out for a final night on the town.Estimated Travel Time: 5 hoursApproximate Distance: 190 km

Trip Details

Accommodation	Simple hotels (8 nts).
Departure	Departs Saturdays and Wednesdays, departures vary
DepEnd	Sat-Sun, Wed-Thur
Group Size	Max 15, Avg 12
Included Highlights	- Horseback riding trip from La Fortuna to Monteverde (weather permitting)- Guided visit to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Local Payment	USD200
Meals Included	No meals included.
Recommendation	Want to see more of Costa Rica? - see code CRA.
StartFinish	ex San José
Testimonial	"I had an excellent time with G.A.P Adventures. The trip exceeded my expectations in every way possible. Our tour guide was wonderful, and made the trip a unforgettable experience." - Jessica Tell travelled on Costa Rica Quest
Transport	Public bus, van, horseback.
Brochure Intro	An action-packed tour of some of Costa Rica's must-see highlights, with amazing wildlife, intense volcanic landscapes and superb Pacific beaches. If you are a traveller with limited time and a desire to explore Costa Rica's lush interior, this is the tour for you.

When can I go?

Start Date	Finish Date	Places Available
2008-09-03	2008-09-11	7+
2008-09-13	2008-09-21	4
2008-09-17	2008-09-25	6
2008-09-27	2008-10-05	7+
2008-10-01	2008-10-09	7+
2008-10-04	2008-10-12	6
2008-10-15	2008-10-23	7+
2008-10-18	2008-10-26	7+
2008-10-25	2008-11-02	7+
2008-10-29	2008-11-06	7+
2008-11-01	2008-11-09	7+
2008-11-08	2008-11-16	7+
2008-11-12	2008-11-20	7+
2008-11-22	2008-11-30	4
2008-11-26	2008-12-04	7+
2008-11-29	2008-12-07	7+
2008-12-06	2008-12-14	6
2008-12-10	2008-12-18	7+
2008-12-13	2008-12-21	7+
2008-12-18	2008-12-26	7+
2008-12-20	2008-12-28	2
2008-12-24	2009-01-01	4
2009-01-03	2009-01-11	7+
2009-01-07	2009-01-15	7+
2009-01-10	2009-01-18	7+
2009-01-14	2009-01-22	7+
2009-01-17	2009-01-25	7+
2009-01-21	2009-01-29	7+
2009-01-24	2009-02-01	7+
2009-01-28	2009-02-05	7+
2009-01-31	2009-02-08	7+
2009-02-04	2009-02-12	7+
2009-02-07	2009-02-15	7+
2009-02-11	2009-02-19	7+
2009-02-14	2009-02-22	7+
2009-02-18	2009-02-26	7+
2009-02-21	2009-03-01	7+
2009-02-25	2009-03-05	7+
2009-02-28	2009-03-08	7+
2009-03-04	2009-03-12	7+
2009-03-07	2009-03-15	7+
2009-03-11	2009-03-19	7+
2009-03-14	2009-03-22	7+
2009-03-18	2009-03-26	7+
2009-03-21	2009-03-29	7+
2009-03-25	2009-04-02	7+
2009-03-28	2009-04-05	7+
2009-04-01	2009-04-09	7+
2009-04-04	2009-04-12	7+
2009-04-08	2009-04-16	7+
2009-04-11	2009-04-19	7+
2009-04-15	2009-04-23	7+
2009-04-18	2009-04-26	7+
2009-04-22	2009-04-30	7+
2009-04-25	2009-05-03	7+
2009-04-29	2009-05-07	7+
2009-05-02	2009-05-10	7+
2009-05-06	2009-05-14	7+
2009-05-09	2009-05-17	7+
2009-05-13	2009-05-21	7+
2009-05-16	2009-05-24	7+
2009-05-20	2009-05-28	7+
2009-05-23	2009-05-31	7+
2009-05-27	2009-06-04	7+
2009-05-30	2009-06-07	7+
2009-06-03	2009-06-11	7+
2009-06-06	2009-06-14	7+
2009-06-10	2009-06-18	7+
2009-06-13	2009-06-21	7+
2009-06-17	2009-06-25	7+
2009-06-20	2009-06-28	7+
2009-06-24	2009-07-02	7+
2009-06-27	2009-07-05	7+
2009-07-01	2009-07-09	7+
2009-07-04	2009-07-12	7+
2009-07-08	2009-07-16	7+
2009-07-11	2009-07-19	7+
2009-07-15	2009-07-23	7+
2009-07-18	2009-07-26	7+
2009-07-22	2009-07-30	7+
2009-07-25	2009-08-02	7+
2009-07-29	2009-08-06	7+
2009-08-01	2009-08-09	7+
2009-08-05	2009-08-13	7+
2009-08-08	2009-08-16	7+
2009-08-12	2009-08-20	7+
2009-08-15	2009-08-23	7+
2009-08-19	2009-08-27	7+
2009-08-22	2009-08-30	7+
2009-08-26	2009-09-03	7+
2009-08-29	2009-09-06	7+

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