This is one of our favorite options for those who want to explore the magic of a wonderful tropical cloud forest but without having to drive a long way to get there. This protected area is located less than one hour away fom San Jose, in the County of Vasquez de Coronado, and borders the exuberant Braulio Carrillo National Park. Along the way, there will be a stop at the famous Neo-Gothic Church of San Isidro de Coronado, the only one of its kind in all Central America. Once you reach the “Refuge”  a rustic cottage at the entrance of this private property, you’ll enjoy an energizing Costa Rican style breakfast. Just after, your adventure is about to begin: Escorted by your experienced guide you’ll hike at a comfortable pace more than five kilometers of trails along this majestic, primary forest. An excellent opportunity to spot the great diversity of birds native to this particular region, year-round green pastures with dairy cattle, different forest landscapes, impressing views of Braulio Carrillo National Park and Irazu Volcano and a hidden waterfall that will appear right before your eyes when you least expect it. The terrain is basically irregular, although not very steep, so participants should be in moderate physical shape. After returning to the “Refuge” a delicious lunch will be served and you’ll have some time to rest and enjoy the surrounding views after lunch, just before starting your way back to the Capital City of San Jose.

Recommended: Warm clothing, hiking shoes or boots, sweater, raingear, insect repellent and bottled water. Rubber boots can be supplied to you upon request.

This Tour departs from Don Carlos Hotel approximately at 6:30 a.m. and you should be back by 3:30 or 4:00 p.m. Both breakfast and lunch are included.
A minimum of 02 participants are required.

Coronado Highlands Hiking Tour    $65.00 - RESERVE

One of our very favorite tours, combining coffee plantations, an active volcano, cloud forest hiking, hummingbirds and butterflies and five unbelievable waterfalls. After an early departure, you’ll stop at a coffee plantation and processing plant where you’ll be able to learn about the entire process of coffee elaboration and off course taste different varieties of premium exportation coffee. A Costa Rican style breakfast is next, before visiting Poas Volcano National Park. This volcano boasts one of the widest craters in the world, and you can get right next to it and witness the sulfuric fumes as they are carried away by the wind. Hiking the trails of the Park’s protected cloud forest is another one of the highlights of this trip. A short ride will then take you to a dream place: La Paz Waterfalls Gardens. Five spectacular waterfalls await hikers to approach them and experience their magic sounds and sights. And this is not all; the place has one of the largest Butterfly Farms in the world and the Hummingbird Gallery gives you the opportunity of having dozens of these tiny, colorful birds flying all around you as they come to get the nectar from the strategically placed feeders. After all this activity you’ll be ready for a delicious buffet lunch while you observe the impressive mountain views visible from the restaurant area.

This spectacular tour departs Hotel Don Carlos at 6:15 a.m. and returns back to the hotel around 4:30 p.m. depending on traffic.

Note: Both breakfast and lunch are provided on this tour.

This tour takes visitors to the misty forest of the Talamanca Range in search of the most beautiful bird in the neo-tropics. The Quetzal, sacred to the Mayans and admired for centuries, was an important element of early Central American mythology. Mayan royalty wore headdresses with two foot long, red and green feathers, which were removed from live male Quetzals.

This private reserve, located at 2,600 meters (8,400 ft.) above sea level, is home for 80 different species of birds and the best place in Costa Rica for spotting the magnificent Quetzal. Chances of finding Quetzals are high and visitors will most surely have a lovely journey into this unique area of Costa Rica. This Tour departs from Don Carlos Hotel at 5:30 a.m. Breakfast and lunch are included.

Quetzal Search Expedition Tour $92.00 p/p - RESERVE

                     ( Beginning and Ending in San Jose)

   A fun and easy-going three day and two night tour into this unique
environment is always a favorite attraction for tourists visiting Costa Rica.

Day 1:Departure from San Jose will be at 7:40 a.m.  After a scenic drive through our Central Valley, you’ll arrive in Monteverde at midday, just in time for lunch. Your hotel options in Monteverde include either one of the cozy and Costa Rican owned: Hotel Belmar or Hotel Poco a Poco.  In the afternoon you have scheduled a guided visit to the Hanging Bridges. This tour gives you a very different perspective of the forest, observing different parts of its canopy and watching the different relations between plants and animals which cannot be appreciated from the ground. Excellent  for filming and taking pictures. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 2:After an early breakfast, Monteverde’s main attraction awaits you: A half day guided hiking tour in Costa Rica’s most famous private cloud forest reserve. Exuberant vegetation, incredible variety of birds (including the famous quetzal) reptiles, amphibians, etc. Back to your hotel for lunch. After all that physical activity you might want to take the afternoon off, or if you are the active kind you might like to take an optional tour, like for instance a Canopy Tour (zip lines)
Optional Tours are not included in your package but can be arranged through your hotel’s Front Desk. Once it gets dark (around 6:00 p.m.) you have included a guided visit to the Frog Pond. A short but very interesting experience where you will be able to see closely these tiny but elusive inhabitants of the cloud forest. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

Day 3:Breakfast at your hotel. The rest of the morning is yours to explore the area on your own and at your own pace. You can take a taxi cab and visit the Town of Santa Elena, the Cheese Factory, the Serpentarium , the Butterfly Farm, the Coffee Factory, etc. Make sure that you get back to your Hotel in time for your return transfer to San Jose that departs at 1:10 p.m.  Estimated arrival time: 6:00 - 6:30 p.m.  Note: Lunch on the third day is not included.

Price per person:  $ 310.00
( Minimum: 02 participants )

Monteverde Cloud Forest Tour $310 per person - RESERVE

 A combined 4 Day Package of two of Costa Rica’s favorite tourist attractions:
The famous Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and Arenal, our most active volcano, with its thermal water springs, where a very nice resort has been built.

Day 1: Departure at mid-morning towards Arenal with a stop at the Town of Sarchi, well known due to its souvenir stores and factories and another stop for a delicious Costa Rican style lunch. Rest of the afternoon will be for your enjoyment at the relaxing hot spring pools of Baldi Resort.  This place has an excellent view of the Volcano. Buffet dinner and overnight stay at your scheduled Hotel. Depending on availability, hotel choices are: Arenal Volcano Inn - Volcano Lodge or Hotel Lavas Tacotal.

Day 2: After an early breakfast, around 7:20 a.m. you’ll depart towards Río Frio and Caño Negro on the northern zone of the country. This river and wetlands boat-tour offers you the opportunity of spotting a great diversity of aquatic birds and many resident animal species of the area. A box lunch will be provided. Return to your Hotel  to pick-up your luggage. At 4:00 p.m. a local transportation company will transfer you to Monteverde, saving time cutting through Lake Arenal. This takes some 2½ - 3 hours. Your staying place in Monteverde is either one of the cozy and Costa Rican owned Hotel Belmar or Hotel  Poco a Poco. Dinner and overnight at selected Hotel.

Day 3:  Your day begins early with a half-day guided hiking tour into Monteverde Private Cloud Forest Reserve, just after breakfast. Return to your Hotel for lunch. Depending on weather, this Hiking Tour can be shifted from the morning to the afternoon. Rest of the day is free for you to rest and relax or to take an optional tour if all you are there for is non-stop action. After dark ( around  6:00 p.m. ) you’ll be taken to the Frog Pond Tour. This is a short but very interesting experience and you’ll be able to appreciate closely enough the intriguing and tiny poisonous frogs, among other amphibians. Dinner at your Hotel.

Day 4: After breakfast, the Hanging Bridges Tour awaits you. Literally you walk along the treetops. Spectacular views of the cloud forest canopy are there for you to take pictures or film them. You’ll also be visiting the local Butterfly Garden, another one of the nice attractions of this privileged location of our country. Back to your Hotel for lunch. At 1:15 p.m. you’ll be picked-up to return to San Jose. Approximate arrival time: 6:00 - 6:15 p.m.

All transportation, meals, lodging and entrance fees are included.

This package includes visiting Baldi Hot Springs Resort but it is also available visiting Tabacon Hot Springs Resort, at a slightly higher price.

Arenal - Monteverde 4 Days (with Baldi Hot Springs)	$ 550.00 p/p
Arenal - Monteverde 4 Days (with Tabacon Hot Springs)	$ 580.00 p/p

RESERVE