Arrival in San Jose: Welcome to beautiful Costa Rica! ¡Bienvenidos a Costa Rica! Once you arrive in beautiful Costa Rica, a representative will be waiting for you at the airport and will provide all the travel documents you need. Transportation service will take you to your hotel located in the heart of the metropolitan area of San José.  If you arrive early, we have some suggestions for you to experience the cultural attractions of Costa Rica's capital city. Be sure to explore Barrio Amón, a historic neighborhood home to cafetalero (coffee grower) mansions built during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Many of this area’s historic buildings have been converted into hotels, restaurants, and galleries, making Amón a popular bohemian district.  For dinner, opt for a restaurant in the hills of Escazú. This elevated region on the western edge of the city offers panoramic views of the valley below. That said, San José is filled with great restaurants serving everything from traditional to forward-thinking fusion cuisine.

Today, at the appropriate time,  you will meet a representative of the rental car company to pick up your vehicle. Then, you will start traveling from the capital to Sarapiqui, it is known throughout Costa Rica for its amazing and rich biodiversity as well as for being the dream destination of adventurous seekers. Free afternoon to explore the surroundings of your hotel. If you want to hike in the afternoon, we recommend the following sites: Selva Verde, nestled within a 500-acre private reserve. Join, on-site one of Selva Verde's naturalists for an exciting nighttime tour along the trails with a naturalist, who will help you spot nocturnal animals including tree frogs, leaf-mimicking insects, kinkajous, and bats.  La Tirimbina Rainforest Center, you can take a walk, during the walk you go through the trails. In addition, enjoy the different characteristics of the unique vegetation in the rainforest, as well as sightings of different species of wildlife. You can also visit the Serpentarium, where you can get up close to more than 60 different species of reptiles and amphibians like the poison dart frog and a Burmese python. Or, opt for a tour through Tirimbina’s rainforest. You'll cross the longest hanging bridge in the region to a traditional cacao plantation where you'll have the chance to taste the cacao bean at its different stages in the process of chocolate making.

Today you will explore at your own pace the trails of our Tirimbina Rainforest Reserve, living the adventure of hanging bridges and discovering the exuberant flora and fauna in the rainforest of Sarapiquí. Tirimbina staff will provide you with a map to plan your trip, as well as safety instructions. Tirimbina Biological Reserve is a 345-hectare tropical forest located in La Virgen, Sarapiqui. With 9km of trails throughout the Reserve, guests can enjoy night walks, bird watching, natural history walks, and self-guided trails. Another highlight includes crossing two suspension bridges: one that crosses the Sarapiqui River as well as another one that leads to the canopy. There you can also attain an environmental education on the area’s biodiversity, that is based on scientific research.

Today it is time to leave the tropical rainforest of Sarapiqui, I recommend leaving early to enjoy your 3.5 drive to your next destination, the Turrialba Valley, you will pass many pineapple and banana plantations, and will enjoy great views. After 2.5 hours, you will arrive in Siquirres, and from there you will take route 10 to Turrialba. This lively region is distinguished by its green rolling hills and fertile volcanic farmland. Turrialba's rich volcanic soil is ideal for the growth of coffee, sugar cane, macadamia, and other crops. The town is also famous for offering the best river for white water in the country, its fresh cheese, manufacturing hand-sewn professional baseballs used in the World Series, and its open-air fruit and vegetable markets with some of the best products available in Costa Rica. Once you arrive at your hotel the rest of the day is to rest and relax.

It is time to learn a lot about our ancestors, you will drive to the Archaeological Site in Guayabo to explore the mysteries of one of the most fascinating archaeological sites in Costa Rica, the Guayabo National Monument.  Veiled in the shadow of the Turrialba Volcano, like a mythical “lost city” from a storybook, lies the remains of an ancient city. Believed to have once been home to over 10,000 people, the town and its inhabitants seem to have mysteriously vanished just before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century. Geographically, the town just so happened to be situated on the exact center-point of all of the Americas. Once there, you will pay the entrance fee of $5. After arriving at the park, you can decide if you get a local guide ($20 per person), to discover and learn all about the archeology of Guayabo, the tour lasts 1 hour and 30 minutes, and guides are certified by ICT-trained in archeology and knowledge of the flora and fauna of the region who will show you all the hidden details of this wonderful place. As you walk amongst the ruins, your guide will explain what has been uncovered so far about the town's history and fate. Despite the archaeological work which has been carried out, a mere 10% of the entire site has been excavated. For this reason, you'll see quickly that there are more questions than answers to be found here. Walking among the ancient ruins and learning about the seemingly endless list of mysteries and unanswered questions is an experience that will leave you both fascinated and curious to know more! **In case you want to book a local guide, let us know to confirm availability in advance** **This tour is payable on-site only**

Today you will continue your adventure from Turrialba to the Talamanca Mountain Range to reach San Gerardo de Dota. On the way, you can make an optional visit to the highest active volcano in Costa Rica, the Irazu Volcano, when visibility is good, you can see both oceans at the same time from an altitude of 3432 meters and perhaps even take a look at the smoking vent of the twin volcano Turrialba.  You stroll along the various hiking trails over one of the three volcanic craters. You can also take a look at the other two craters. One of them even has a pretty turquoise lagoon in it.  Afterward, continue to the old capital, Cartago, where you can visit the most famous church in the country, the Nuestra Señora de Los Ángeles Basilica. In the late afternoon, you will reach San Gerardo de Dota, a small community located in the heart of Talamanca.  Enjoy the cool mist in this valley surrounded by wonderful cloud forests and full of huge oak forests, which are the habitat of one of the most beautiful birds in the world, the Quetzal.

The small town of San Gerardo de Dota sits next to a quiet road in the Talamanca Mountains. One of the main attractions here is Los Quetzales National Park, famous among the world’s birding enthusiasts as one of the best places to view the resplendent quetzal. With its vivid green and red plumage, it has an earned reputation as one of the world's most beautiful birds. In the morning you'll embark on an early morning (5 a.m.) birding tour in search of the Quetzal. You stand a good chance of spotting one, as the cool climate in this higher-altitude region is attractive to the quetzal, as are the berries produced by the many aguacatillo trees here. With its metallic green plumage, crimson breast, and long, flowing tail feathers, watching a quetzal soar through the air is a unique and breathtaking experience. After the tour, you'll go back to your hotel for breakfast, and then you'll have the entire rest of the day free. You can choose between several leisure activities, be it hiking around the trails around the hotel, lazing by the pool, or simply relaxing on the restaurant patio and looking for more birds.

It is time to leave the stunning mountains of Talamanca, and back to the city. At the appropriate time, you will Check out from the hotel to drive back to the Capital for your last night in the country, the drive back to San Jose takes around 2.15 hours, so you will not get rushed, once in San Jose, you will deliver your car at the lobby of your hotel and will rest at your hotel before your flight back home tomorrow.

Hasta Luego & Pura Vida Today at the appropriate time, you will check out from the hotel and will take a transportation service to the Juan Santamaria International Airport, once you arrive at the airport, you will catch your international flight to your onward destination. Have a safe flight and be sure to come to visit the beautiful country of Costa Rica again soon.