Day
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En route to San Jose, Costa Rica
Our Costa Rica adventure begins with an evening flight from Houston to San Jose, bustling capital of Costa Rica. Hotel Bougainvillea, our home for the next two nights, sits north of the city on a mountain slope commanding excellent views over the valley.
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Day
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Activities in the San Jose area (B,D)
Escazu Barrio Meander 5 km, rated 2+
Escazu, a charming San Jose suburb, provides our morning walk through a typical, laidback Costa Rican barrio (neighborhood). The afternoon in downtown San Jose offers a sample of fascinating Costa Rican history at their National Theater and National Museum, plus shopping along the pedestrian mall, at the Artisan’s Market, and in the photogenic Central Market. You’ll be back to the hotel in time to explore several acres of their wonderful tropical gardens!
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Day
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San Jose–La Fortuna (B,D)
Today begins with a tour of the Doka Estate Coffee Farm, where the Vargas family has been growing coffee on the fertile slopes of the Poas Volcano for two generations. In a setting that can only be described as idyllic, we’ll learn about the small yet potent bean that revolutionized the economy of Costa Rica in the 19th century. Later, we’ll see the most dazzling of Costa Rica’s 1000+ species of butterflies on a stroll through the Butterfly Farm. From there, we’ll drive through Costa Rica’s beautiful Central Highlands to our hotel in the vicinity of Arenal Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes on the planet.
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Day
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Activities from La Fortuna (B,L,D)
Lake Arenal Rainforest Walk (distance and rating to be announced)
Today’s walk takes us through the Costa Rican jungle to Lake Arenal, an area rich in the biodiversity for which Costa Rica is famous. Watch for raucous howler monkeys, stealthy coatimundi, a rainbow of hummingbirds, and brilliant Blue Morpho butterflies. The optional afternoon activity is a thrilling passage through the rainforest canopy on a zipline ride. We’ll finish our day with a relaxing experience in the renowned hot springs of Tabacón Lodge after another delicious Tico dinner.
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Day
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La Fortuna–Alajuela (B,D)
Sarchi Homesteads & Oxcarts Trek 8 km, rated 2+
Rural Costa Rica delights us this morning as we walk along country roads past small farms growing coffee, bananas, and a host of other fruits and vegetables. Following a break for lunch in Sarchi, we’ll take an enchanting glimpse into the past with a visit to Taller Eloy Alfaro, the only oxcart workshop in the country still building them in the traditional manner, by hand. Oxcarts were the primary means of transporting the coffee harvest over the trails and primitive roads to ports on the Pacific coast in the mid 19th century. Dinner tonight is a unique cultural experience at Delicias del Maiz, a popular local eatery with lots of atmosphere and few tourists.
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Day
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Alajuela–Cahuita (B,L,D)
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Another full day of exploring Costa Rica offers two options:
Rio Reventazon Whitewater Rafting: You’ll be in the care of top-notch professionals rafting in Class 3 waters. Prior groups (including first-time rafters) have been enthusiastic about their experience.
Rainforest Aerial Tram: On the edge of the Braulio Corillo National Park, our tramcar glides slowly through the rainforest canopy, allowing time for photos and your guide’s explanation of this complicated ecosystem.
In the afternoon, the two groups will rendezvous and continue toward Cahuita on the Caribbean coast.
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Day
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Activities in Cahuita area (B,D)
Cahuita Nat’l Park Dry Jungle Journey 10 km, rated 1+
The wide, natural, palm-lined trail through Cahuita National Park parallels the crystalline sapphire sea and offers opportunities to see sloths, brilliant butterflies, and two species of monkey. This afternoon you are free to wander the funky Caribbean village of Cahuita, relax by the pool at the hotel, or join us for a visit to a banana plantation to learn about this giant member of the herb family.
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Day
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Cahuita–Tortuguero (B,L,D)
As our jungle riverboat navigates a labyrinthine network of canals and rivers to Tortuguero National Park, we’ll be on the watch for crocs and a limitless array of birds en route to Mawamba Lodge, nestled in the Caribbean jungle and accessible only by boat or plane. Following lunch, we’ll explore the surrounding jungle with our guide in search of toucans, iguanas, and whatever else is wandering through this stretch of paradise.
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Day
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Activities in Tortuguero (B,L,D)
Tortuguero Humid Jungle Jaunt 6/10 km, rated 1+
Lizards, leafcutter ants, and more of our feathered friends are a few of the critters along this morning’s jungle trail. The afternoon is free to participate in the second part of our walk in the national park, visit the neighboring village of Tortuguero, or relax by the pool at the Lodge.
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Day
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Tortuguero–Alajuela (B,D)
An unforgettable wildlife cruise early this morning takes us in search of toucans, sloths, iguanas, monkeys, and other local residents. After lunch, we’ll board a charter flight and return to San Jose. Our local representatives will transport you to your hotel near Alajuela with a lovely valley view for your last night in Costa Rica, while the WAI guide accompanies travelers continuing on to Panama.
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Day
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Alajuela–Hometown, USA (B)
You leave Costa Rica this morning on a return flight to Houston with fond memories of our adventures in this land of tremendous beauty and diversity!
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Day
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Tortuguero–Panama City, Panama (B,D)
Arriving in San Jose from Tortuguero, we fly south to neighboring Panama for four nights at our Panama City hotel.
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Day
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Activities in Panama City (B,L,D)
Panama Canal Zone & Casco Viejo 8 km, rated 2
Our walk through the historic Canal Zone links neighborhoods of the U.S. personnel involved in administering the epic project and includes a visit to the impressive Canal Administration Building. An early afternoon visit to the Miraflores Locks and the impressive new visitor center there will further enhance our understanding of this ambitious feat of engineering. Later this afternoon, Casco Viejo (colonial Panama City) offers an intriguing stroll past restored colonial grandeur, contrasting with cramped colonial era apartments.
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Day
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Activities from Panama City (B,L,D)
The saga of the Canal becomes a reality today as we cruise from the Balboa Pier through the Miraflores Locks, then the Pedro Miguel Locks, and into the infamous Gallard Cut, the 9 mile trench blasted through the shale and solid rock of the Continental Divide at the cost of many lives. The significance of the Canal to international shipping is illustrated by the fact that ships worldwide are built to the dimensions of Canal locks – 305 meters long and 33½ meters wide.
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Day
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Activities from Panama City (B,L,D)
We’ll step from our air-conditioned coach into the pages of National Geographic this morning when our Embera Indian guides take us upstream in motorized dugout canoes for an immersion in Embera Indian culture, including crafts, food, dress, and dance. This native tribe struggles to balance their Stone Age era cultural heritage with the materialism and convenience of the 21st century readily available to them in nearby Panama City. Explore a jungle trail with the medicine man or perhaps join the children swimming in the crystal clear waters of the river.
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Day
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Panama City–Hometown, USA (B)
Our intriguing sojourn in Panama ends with a morning flight back to Houston. We’ll return home enriched by our new connection with the history, culture, and scenery of Panama, a land rich in colonial history, lush rainforests, and fascinating indigenous tribes that all leave a mark on the planet much larger than that of the Canal.
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