DAY    1            DEPARTURE FROM NORTH AMERICA -
                          ARRIVE SAN JOSE (1 NIGHT)
We will be met at the airport by our tour manager/guide, where we will board our own private coach and transfer to our hotel in San Jose.  
Meals Included: Dinner

DAY    2            SAN JOSE - AERIAL TRAM - HELICONIA ISLAND -
                          SARAPIQUI (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we leave San Jose to enjoy an Aerial Tram Tour through one of Costa Rica’s most unique eco-tourism and research facilities.  The tram takes us on a 90-minute, one-mile-long excursion through the rain forest canopy and reveals details of everyday life in the treetops where 75 percent of all rain forest species dwell.  We will be able to see eye-to-eye with monkeys some 200 feet above the forest floor and view an abundance of plants and animals hidden at the tops of the tall rain forest trees.  Our afternoon includes a visit to Heliconia Island, which features over 70 different species and varieties of Heliconias. In addition to the Heliconia species that are native to Costa Rica, the garden also has an unusual variety of species native to other tropical zone countries around the world.  These species are rarely seen any other place in Costa Rica.  During our tour we will view and learn about other botanical treasures of Costa Rica, including fruit trees, bamboo groves, ferns, bromeliads, philodendrons, orchids, and the unusual triangular palm and the traveler's palm (native to the Island of Madagascar).  We will also have an opportunity to view a variety of colorful and exotic tropical bird species - as the region features over 400 species - as well as the beautiful blue morpho butterfly.  
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

DAY    3            LA SELVA, PINEAPPLE PLANTATION &
                          CULTURAL CONNECTION
This morning we will visit La Selva Biological Station, one of the most important sites for Tropical Ecosystem Research in the world. It is comprised of 3,988 acres of old growth and disturbed tropical wet forest and a pioneer site in education, research, conservation, and ecotourism in Costa Rica since 1963.  In fact, it was one of the first private protected areas in the country and part of a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.  Species diversity is spectacular; including more than 1,850 species of vascular plant flora, 350 species of trees, more than half of the 886 species of birds in Costa Rica, five of the six species of felines in the country, more than 70 species of bats, approximately 500 species of ants, and thousands of reptiles, amphibians, and other insects.  A knowledgeable bilingual naturalist guide will lead our tour.  During our nature walk, we will learn about the amazing natural history (flora and fauna) of the tropical forest.  Our day continues as we take the Original Pineapple Tour led by a specialist guide.  The tour will take us through the active operating Corsicana pineapple farm and will provide interesting information on the history, cultivation, and all the phases of pineapple growth; from sowing and harvest, to the packing plant, ornamental pineapple projects, and organic pineapple review.  At the conclusion we will enjoy a piña colada drink with fresh fruit, fresh pineapple, and freshly made pineapple juice. Late this afternoon we will enjoy Costa Rican Cooking Classes, where we will learn how to make a traditional meal and then enjoy our creation.  This evening we will embark on a guided Bat Tour.  Bats represent 50% (110 species) of Costa Rica’s mammals; this tour will dispel many myths you may have heard about these wonderful mammals and provide a wonderful education on the world of the bats.  We begin our adventure by watching a multi-media presentation on the history of bats, their classification system, diversity, adaptations, reproduction methods, and threats.  Next, a trained guide will lead us on a safe tour where we will have an opportunity to touch, feed, and release safely captured bats.  We will also take a short guided walk to see the mist nets used to gently catch the bats.  They are kept in captivity for less than 2 hours and the professional methods used assure the well-being of the animals. 
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

DAY    4            SARAPIQUI - ARENAL (1 NIGHT)
This morning we will transfer to the Arenal area.  This afternoon we will enjoy a pleasant afternoon of Kayaking on Lake Arenal.  Our relaxing tour will provide breathtaking views of Arenal Volcano and we will have the opportunity to observe different species of birds, including the Flycatcher, Kingfisher, Great Blue Heron, and magnificent Anhinga.  Late this afternoon, we will visit the Eco-Termales Hot Springs and have the opportunity to submerge ourselves in the natural medicinal waters.  The springs include several pools with varying water temperatures in a natural setting.  Tonight we will travel around Arenal Volcano to a viewing spot where, if we are lucky, we will witness Arenal Volcano hiss and spray lava.
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

DAY    5            ARENAL - EL TRAPICHE - MONTEVERDE (2 NIGHTS)
This morning we travel around Lake Arenal to our hotel in Monteverde, which has earned its fame as one of the most outstanding wildlife sanctuaries in the world.  Positioned atop the Continental Divide in Western Costa Rica, the preserve extends down both the Caribbean and the Pacific slopes.  The resultant combination of climatic and geographic factors creates temperature and humidity gradients that change dramatically over relatively short distances.    En route we will stop for a tour of the El Trapiche Sugar Cane Plantation.  We will enjoy some free time in the small town of Santa Elena before we visit the Frog Pond of Monteverde, where we will enjoy a tour to view and learn about a variety of species housed in a series of glass terrariums.  
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

DAY    6            BUTTERFLY GARDEN, CLOUD FOREST RESERVE &
                          SERPENTARIUM
This morning we will begin with a visit to the Monteverde Butterfly Garden, which displays many of Costa Rica's most beautiful species.  In addition to the hundreds of preserved and mounted butterflies, there is a garden and a greenhouse where we can observe live butterflies. Next we will enjoy the Monteverde Cloud Forest. We begin with a Trail Walk in the Monteverde Reserve, where we will view the diverse selection of flora and fauna, as the reserve is home to six different vegetation communities, over 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, 120 species of amphibians and reptiles, and 2,500 species of plants (among them 500 different kinds of orchids).  Our day concludes with a visit to the Monteverde Serpentarium, which features many of the snake species found in the region.   
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

DAY    7           MONTEVERDE - COROBICI RIVER TOUR -
                         LAS PUMAS CAT ZOO-HACIENDA GUACHIPELIN(2 NIGHTS)
This morning we depart Monteverde and travel to the province of Guanacaste.  En route, we will stop experience close-up more of Costa Rica’s spectacular wildlife as we take a Corobici River Float.  We will head down the river on a rubber raft - wearing life jackets - and enjoy spectacular and exotic sights of flora and fauna.  We are very likely to spot numerous bird species, turtles, iguanas, monkeys, and small crocodiles.  After lunch we make a brief visit to nearby Las Pumas Cat Zoo, where Costa Rica’s six different cat species (cougars, jaguars, jaguarondis, margays, ocelots, and “tiger” cats) prowl safely behind chain linked fences.  The zoo takes in orphaned, injured, and confiscated cats.  We continue to the Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin, a truly eco-touristic lodge for adventure travelers and nature lovers.  The hotel is surrounded by lush gardens with native trees, exotic flowers, and many bird species; it features wonderful views of both the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano and the Pacific Ocean.  Natural hot springs, rivers, natural pools, virgin forests, jungle waterfalls and thermal waters, tropical forests with birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, and volcanic mud pots are just some of the many natural attractions we will enjoy during our stay at the Hacienda.  
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

DAY    8           DAY OF ADVENTURE AT HACIENDA GUACHIPELIN
Today we will enjoy an amazing day of adventure on the grounds of Hacienda Guachipelin.  Our day begins as we embark on the Rio Negro Tubing Adventure, where we take a 45-minute Horseback Ride through the dry forest and then a short walk to the base of La Victoria Waterfall.  After a safety briefing, we will each get our own personal round raft and begin our tour (1 hour 30 minutes) down the white water rapids in the Rio Negro.  At the conclusion of the rafting excursion we will take the horses back to the lodge.  Next we will take the Canyon Canopy Tour; it is a must-do as one of the finest canopy tours in Costa Rica.  This tour combines the traditional canopy tour zip lines with rappelling, rock climbing, Tarzan swings, and the via ferrata (hanging bridges); all set in a majestic canyon formed by millions of years of erosion from the Blanco River. Our next stop will be the Simbiosis Spa in Rincón de La Vieja Volcano and National Park.  Here, we will benefit from the mysterious forces and healing energy of nature as we experience the exciting and impressive activity of the volcano.   Hidden in the middle of the forest we will find the thermal volcanic mud water pools (approx. 104°F) that receive water directly from a volcanic mud pool; they have both therapeutic and cosmetic properties.  We begin with a Mud Bath, by applying natural mud from the hot boiling ponds all over our bodies and then going out into the sun to let the mud dry.  Afterwards, powerful hoses will remove the mud and we can take a dip in the relaxing Thermal Water Springs.  Those that choose can also receive a relaxing massage from a professional therapist.  All of this relaxation takes place in the middle of the jungle, near the soothing sounds of a flowing river.   
Meals Included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner

DAY    9           DEPARTURE FROM LIBERIA
Our rewarding tour will come to an end as our tour manager/guide accompanies us to the airport for the return flight home.
Meals Included: Breakfast