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DESCRIPTION of TOURS - COSTA
RICA
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One Day Tours in San José City
As we travel through the Costa Rican capital, we will discover
many great attractions: the majestic National Theatre, built
between 1890 and 1897 and the National Museum, a former garrison
for the now nonexistent army. Further East, we will visit the
campus of the University of Costa Rica, one of the most prestigious
institutes in Latin America.
Irazu Volcano
The Irazu Volcano in the province of Cartago, offers many scenic
and beautiful sites of impressive contrast. Such is the case
when we visit the ruins of a church destroyed in the earthquake
of 1910. The ruins presently house a tropical garden. In Cartago
the Church of the Virgin of Los Angeles (La Basilica), the Patron
Saint of Costa Rica. Our objective is to ascend to the summit
of majestic Irazu Volcano, to an altitude of 3,432 meters. The
crater of the volcano is similar to a lunar landscape.
Orosi Valley
Orosi Valley is a place with marvelous views which can be appreciated
all along the course of the valley. The 300 foot waterfool,
Bride's Veil is a wonderful sight. Inside the valley we will
see the Ruins of Ujarras, the Cachi Dam which causes the formation
of the lake which is a major feature of the Valley. There is
also a colonial era church built by Franciscan monks in the
seventeenth century. The church is called San Jose de Orosi
and is now restored to function as a museum of religious objects
and paintings of the colonial period. On our return to San Jose
we will climb to a perfect vantage point that will allow us
to see the entire valley.
Charles H. Lankester Botanical Gardens
The Lankester Botanical Gardens is located in Dulce Nombre,
in the province of Cartago. These wonderful gardens was the
creation of the noted English botanist Charles Lankester. The
gardens show a natural setting in which flora and fauna develop
freely. Orchids are a major attraction at the Gardens. More
than 800 species are found there. The main flowering months
are March, April and May, although some species flower throughout
the year.
Whitewater Rafting
One of the most exciting experiences in Costa Rica! Our route
will take us by the old capital of Costa Rica, Cartago, where
a visitor can observe the colonial beauty of that city and the
ruins of the Cathedral. A delicious Costa Rican breakfast will
be waiting for us this city. After breakfast, we will drive
through beautiful valleys, rich in coffee, sugarcane and heart
of palm. We will arrive at the small town of Tucurrique, next
to the Reventazon River. Professional guides will teach us the
basics of safe whitewater rafting and put us through the paces
before heading down the river. The guide will then take you
down to shoot the rapids in the wildest ride of your life! We
will stop halfway for a cold lunch served buffet style surrounded
by beautiful rainforests. And then back we go for more action!
This is one great day and probably the most exciting way to
enjoy Costa Rica's natural wonders.
Sarchi - City of Crafts
The folkloric city of Sarchi, with its mountains, plantations
of sugarcane and coffee is a mecca for woodcrafts and leathercrafts
lovers. The route there will reward us with wonderful countryside
views. Once there we can appreciate the fine tradition of craftmanship
that dates to the times when oxcarts "carretas" were
built as the major form of transportation in Costa Rica.
La folcklórica ciudad de Sarchí, montañas,
plantaciones de caña de azúcar y café son
parte de los atractivos turísticos que han hecho famosa
a Costa Rica y son estos escenarios los que tendremos la oportunidad
de contemplar en esta ruta. Sarchí es un pueblo dedicado
a la agricultura y reconocido por sus artesanías multicolores
en madera, tradición que se inició a pricipios
del siglo, cuando un talentoso campesino pintó su carreta
con diseños geométricos y colores muy vivos debido
ha esto se ha incrementado la industria a nivel familiar de
artículos típicos.
Poas Volcano
The Poas Volcano National Park is at an altitude of 2,708 meters
and is considered one of the largest and spectacular in the
country. It is considered moderately active and white fumaroles
that contrast with the minerals in the lagoon in the crater.
Although this volcano is not as high as the Irazu Volcano, we
will be able to observe the Northern parts of Costa Rica and,
visibility permitting, the Lake of Nicaragua. Their is a trail
in the park that will lead us to the Lagoon of the volcano,
which is surrounded by a beautiful cloudforest with giant ferns.
Arenal Volcano
Northeast of San Jose, a picturesque journey will lead us through
the beautiful forests and a great number of ecosystems as we
pass Zercero, Laguna, Tapezco and Zapote. Our final destination
will be San Carlos, which is a cattle ranching area. The Arenal
Volcano is located here. It boasts an almost perfect cone. It
is presently active and it is possible to hear the eruptions
and see them too. At the foot of the volcano there is the Arenal
Lagoon, which was man-made. Fishing and windsurfing are popular
activities here. Later we will relax in the thermal waters of
a beautiful stream heated by the nearby volcano.
The Braulio Carrillo National Park
The Braulio Carrillo National Park is one of the most abundant
and exhuberant areas of rainforest in Costa Rica. The park is
named after a former president of Costa Rica who tried unsuccesfully,
to open a passage between San Jose and the Atlantic Coast. The
park has two active volcanoes, the Cacho Negro and the Barva.
The Park is virgin in its majority and has over 6,000 species
of plants. We will also visit two plantations, one of banana
and the other of cocoa beans. We will enjoy a Costa Rican lunch
in the Atlantic Port city of Limon where the natural beauty
of the country is evident.
In PUNTARENAS
Carara Biological Reserve
We will drive along the old Spanish route that since 1606 will
lead us to the Pacific Coast. Beautiful scenery will accompany
us on the way. The Carara Biological Reserve is a protected
area that covers 4,700 hectares. It is comprised of two climate
zones, the Arid North Pacific and the Humid South Pacific. There
are a great number of avian species that can be readily observed.
In addition, reptiles and amphibians such as the crocodile,
the iguana and multi-colored frogs are very common. Flora is
equally interesting and abundant. We will travel to Hotel Jaco
Beach at the popular tourist destination of the same name to
enjoy a delicious lunch. After a rest we will visit other interesting
areas of the Reserve. We will return in the afternoon to San
Jose.
Cruise to Tortuga Island (Gulf of Nicoya)
We will travel in a luxury bus from San Jose to the Pacific
port of Puntarenas. We will stop along the way for a snack.
Once we get to Puntarenas we will begin our cruise. The Gulf
has many islands that provide great scenery and there are also
many marine birds and aquatic life to see. The islands of San
Lucas, Guayabo, Aves and Negritos are all protected and offer
refuge to many different species of birds and sea life species.
As we arrive to Tortuga Island we will be able to see why it's
crystal clear waters are so famous. The white sand beach and
the calm water make it perfect for swimming, snorkelling or
just relaxing. Live music will accompany us in a buffet style
lunch on the beach. We will return to San Jose in the afternoon
after this marvelous journey.
In LIMON
Tortuguero National Park (Canals)
Our adventure to the Atlantic Zone will begin on a trip to the
Port of Limon. There we will travel through the inland waterways
to get to the Tortuguero National Park. In the park, we will
be able to observe a natural system of navigable canals and
lagoons of great scenic beauty that cross the park from Southeast
to Northeast. Wild animals in the park include 7 species of
land turtles, which can be seen sitting on logs or on islands
of floating vegetation. The endangered manatee is another of
the species in the park. A great diversity of crustaceans and
30 other species of freshwater fish, including the garfish,
the eagle and the bullshark. Over 309 species of birds have
been observed here.
July to September has the added wonder of the seaturtles' egglaying.
A nightwalk on the beach will reward you with this spectacle
of nature.
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