Discover something unexpected and unforgettable in the special way only Globus can share—with sightseeing highlights to off-the-beaten-path surprises to out-of-this world moments you’ll remember for a lifetime!
Costa Rica Escape Vacation
Get back to the garden with an escape to Costa Rica’s natural paradise. From heart-stirring suspension bridges through rainforest canopies to the lava trails emerging from the depths of the earth. See Arenal Volcano and explore the wild places where pumas and jaguars prowl. Look skyward to spot hundreds of multi-hued birds, butterflies, and a dizzying diversity of wildlife in the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
Find your head in the clouds in a primeval forest blessed by trade winds, rain, and fog by day, and unfettered stars above by night. Go where monkeys and macaws make your day with mischief and count yourself charmed to see some of the 160-plus reptile species—from tiny amphibians to titan snakes. Get civilized too, with visits to an artisan village and a tour of Costa Rica’s largest city and cultural capital of San José.
There are All Access
Special features on this tour include:
•Scenic drive to Arenal with a visit to La Fortuna Village
•Arenal Hanging Bridges with a Naturalist
•Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve hike with a Naturalist
•A guided visit to the artisan village of Sarchi
•San Jose orientation tour to see downtown, the National Theater, and the Metropolitan Cathedral
Itinerary
1 ARRIVE IN SAN JOSÉ, COSTA RICA
2 SAN JOSÉ–ARENAL
Welcome to San José!
Meet your Tour Director at your hotel.
Lava Love
Depart on a scenic drive past banana groves and pineapple and sugar cane fields en route to Arenal.
Visit to La Fortuna Village in the shadow of mighty Arenal Volcano (currently dormant but known for
consistent lava flows before 2010). Arenal is home to cascading waterfalls, thriving rainforests,
abundant wildlife, and a wealth of outdoor activities with nearby nature trails and 400-year-old trees.
Watch for frogs, monkeys, birds, and native wildlife
.3 ARENAL
Breakfast
TOUR HIGHLIGHT
WONDERS OF NATURE For 42 years, Arenal Volcano was Costa Rica’s most active volcano until
2010 when entered a passive phase. This area is one of the most bio-diverse areas in the
world and is home to more than 850 species of birds and other wildlife. Time here can be
spent hiking the trails around the volcano or relaxing in the many thermal hot springs.
Make the Most of Your Free Time
While we include select excursions and must-see sights on your trip, you may wish to explore other options to
enhance your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour.
Eco Termales Hot Springs and Dinner
Eco Termales Fortuna is an escape to natural paradise, filled with the peace and serenity of the tropical
rainforest, and impressive views of the Arenal Volcano. You will have the pleasure of the natural ener…
Bird’s Eye View
Today, take a guided excursion with your Naturalist to Arenal Hanging Bridges. Explore the jungle
canopy atop 15 bridges suspended in the treetops to see various species of plants, birds, butterflies,
monkeys, sloths, and other local wildlife. On a clear day, get a 360-degree view of the tropical
rainforest and stunning views of Arenal Volcano. Free time the remainder of the day.
PICTURE PERFECT Explore the rainforest from a bird’s-eye perspective high above the jungle
floor from the Arenal Hanging Bridges. This Naturalist-guided tour introduces you to the flora
and fauna of the Costa Rican rainforest. With some bridges spanning over 700 feet long and
200 feet high, this is truly a unique way to admire the forest’s canopy.
enhance your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour.
Peñas Blancas Safari Paddle Trip
Enjoy the sights and the sounds of the rainforest and experience its peacefulness as you quietly paddle
the Peñas Blancas river. Monkeys, sloths, iguanas, crocodiles and numerous tropical birds await you!…
Horseback Ride to La Fortuna Waterfall
The La Fortuna waterfall tour starts traveling horseback for 5.5 kilometers until you arrive to the horses
rest site. Once here you will receive a quick introduction before setting off on your exciting horseback…
Adventure at Sky Tram & Sky Trek
You will be able to fly among the trees inside a comfortable and spacious gondola while you watch
local wildlife nearly at your fingertips. As you move among the forest, you will see how it starts…
4 ARENAL–MONTEVERDE
Breakfast
Heads in the Clouds
This morning, depart Arenal on scenic drive to Monteverde for the next two nights. Arrive in the cloud
forest of Monteverde, situated on the continental divide under misty cloud coverage in one of the
world’s most bio-diverse areas. Enjoy an afternoon and evening at leisure.
WILD & WONDERFUL Explore Monteverde Cloud Forest, home to over 3,000 species of plants,
400 species of birds, 60 species of bats, 1,200 species of amphibians, and 700 species of
butterflies in one of the last remaining natural habitats of all six Costa Rica wildcat species—
ocelots, jaguars, jaguarundi, pumas, oncillas, and margays. Perhaps you’ll catch a glimpse of
one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful birds, the resplendent quetzal.
enhance your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour.
ADD OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS:
Evening Monteverde Reserve Walking Tour
Embark on an unforgettable adventure through the El Enigma Reserve as night falls. This guided
evening tour offers a unique opportunity to witness the forest’s nocturnal wonders come to life.…
Creatures of the Cloud Forest
This morning, take a Naturalist guided walking tour of Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve home to
forest fauna such as sloths, jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, coatis, and numerous species of birds. With
almost 100% humidity throughout the year, the cloud forest experiences almost 12 feet of rain per
year. Free time this afternoon.
PARADISE FOUND This unique, high-elevation ecosystem of Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
is constantly enveloped in moisture-rich clouds formed from the warm winds from the Atlantic
Ocean as they sweep over the Continental Divide, creating one of the most bio-diverse and
rich ecosystems in the world. Prolific in many animal and plant species, this is a nature lover’s
paradise.
enhance your free time. Below is a selection of excursions that may be available for purchase on your tour.
Sky Walk Tour
The Sky Walk is the perfect walk through the forest’s sky, being able to truly see this region’s abundant
flora and fauna. The Sky Walk is made of a trail of 2.5 km, which includes 6 hanging bridges of differe…
Cultural Farm Tour
This tour will give you the opportunity to visit a Costa Rican family-run business. The main portion of
the tour is a walk through a farm that will offer you beautiful views of sugar cane, coffee, banana…
6 MONTEVERDE–SARCHI–SAN JOSÉ
Breakfast
ADD OPTIONAL EXCURSIONS:
Sky Tram & Sky Trek
You will be able to fly among the trees inside a comfortable and spacious gondola while you watch
local wildlife nearly at your fingertips. As you move among the forest, you will see how it starts…
The Sloth Sanctuary Tour was born through cooperation with Caribbean Sloth Sanctuary, a foundation
that has worked on the rescue, conservation, reintroduction (if it may be an option), and monitoring o…
