7-Day Costa Rica Adventure Tour from San Jose: Pacuare River White Water Rafting and Bay Island’s Cruise to Tortuga Island

Arrive in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica, known as the "Switzerland of Central America". Upon arrival, the driver will pick you up at the airport and take you to the hotel to rest.

【VIP City Bus Tour of San Jose, Costa Rica】 - Afternoon City Tour and Dinner (Exterior) (15:15pm - 19:00pm)

The VIP City Bus tour has the best city tour in Costa Rica at your disposal. Our unique sightseeing double decker bus will take you to downtown San Jose from your hotel to witness the city's main historical landmarks for an immersive and panoramic cultural experience and a better understanding of Costa Rica's evolution. Our favorite places to visit for a guided walk in San Jose include Costa Rica's cherished National Theater (lobby), Art Museum, Metropolitan Cathedral, the old and authentic Central Market, the impressive Gold Museum (dinner tour), an in-depth description of the National Monument, and the influential historical episode that took place at the Democracy Plaza. Our VIP City Bus tour will take you comfortably and safely through San Jose's narrow and busy streets driving by beautiful outdoor city attractions. The living city is our museum.

  

Departure time: 6:00am - 7:00am

Duration: 14 hours

Location: Puntarenas, Central Pacific

You will experience a day full of beautiful skies, great ocean views and live music. On board the yacht tropical fruits and natural drinks will be served and at the island there will be time to explore the surroundings, sunbathe, swim, take an optional tour like kayaking and canopy; and enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by the crew.

This excursion departs from San Jose very early in the morning to Puntarenas, where you will board a yacht to Isla Tortuga (Turtle Island), a beautiful island located in the Gulf of Nicoya.

At Tortuga Island you will experience a day full of beautiful skies, great ocean views and live music. On board the yacht savory tropical fruits and refreshing natural drinks will be served. Then, you will explore the island, immersing yourself in the calm clear waters and lush landscape, where you can take a swim, sunbathe, and/or take an optional tour like kayaking or canopy. Then a delicious lunch will be prepared by the crew.

Tortuga Island is composed of 120 hectares of gorgeous terrain, with 4 main hills; not to mention a 500 meter beach which is a recipient of the blue flag certification. On the way to Tortuga Island you will see the San Lucas Island which in the past was a security prison where no human rights existed and thus a dark age in Costa Rica´s history.

The journey to Tortuga Island will be on board a yacht equipped with 2 Cummins Marino 300 HP motors, radar, satellite navigation systems, VHF marine radio, clean bathrooms, and palatable drinking water.

A very experienced and international maritime license yacht captain and well trained crew will make sure you have a safe, enjoyable and unforgettable journey.

Departure Time: 6:00am - 7:00am

Duration: 10 hours

We will visit the Doka Coffee Estate. Then we will be treated to a coffee tour in an actual coffee plantation where we will learn the ancient techniques used by the experts to produce some of the best coffee in Costa Rica and around the world. The careful process involved in the cultivation, harvesting and roasting of the Golden Bean will then be illustrated, very hands-on, and then we will savor the delectable product.

After the coffee tour, we will continue to Poas Volcano National Park, where there is a noticeable change in temperature and exuberant vegetation of the cloud forest.

The Poás Volcano, is an active 2,708-metre (8,885 ft) stratovolcano. The crater of the volcano is over a mile across and 1050 feet deep. It has erupted 40 times since 1828, including April, 2017.

At the Volcano we will have time to enjoy the impressive main crater with its sulfur fumaroles, and hike on a trail to the beautiful Botos Lagoon as we learn about the different ecosystems in the park.After Poás, we will continue to La Paz Waterfall Garden, where we will enjoy a buffet lunch (rated 4 Forks by the Costa Rican Tourism Council) that includes multiple selections of Traditional Costa Rican dishes and much more.

At La Paz Waterfall Gardens we will go through walking trails surrounded by lush tropical rain forest. Here we will appreciate flowing white rivers, spectacular waterfalls, birds, butterflies, monkeys, and hummingbirds. There are also, educational animal exhibits to enjoy such as the Aviary, the Butterfly Observatory, Hummingbird Garden, Serpentarium, Jungle Cats Exhibit, and the Frog Exhibit. This is definitely a tour enjoyed by nature lovers from all ages.

Due to the altitude and activity of the Poás Volcano, this tour is not recommended to any person with heart conditions, high blood pressure, people who have had a recent surgery, pregnant women or children.  As we ascend the mountain, we will notice a change in temperature and vegetation; we will see coffee plantations as well as fern, flower and strawberry farms along the way, creating a beautiful array of colors and visuals.

 

Departure Time: 5:30am - 6:00am

Duration: 12 ½ Hours

Location: Sarapiqui Caribbean Side 

If you dream about rafting on a wild tropical river with warm water, the celadon-colored Pacuare is a dream come true! Rated one of the top rivers in the world, you'll experience the intimate nature of the rainforest as you raft right through it on 19 miles of Class III-IV white water.

The warm water, cascading waterfalls, and opulently lush rainforest with its brilliantly colored plants, animals, and birds indulge your senses on every level.

Located on Costa Rica's Caribbean slope, the Pacuare River borders the Talamanca Mountain Range, home to native Cabecar Indians and an incredible variety of wildlife, including parrots, toucans, deer, jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, butterflies, and more. Add in the exciting Class III-IV white water rapids and you have a tropical adventure packed with rich experiences that last long after you've returned home.

 

Departure Time: Between 6:00am - 7:00am

Duration: 10 hours

Location: Cartago, Central Valley

This tour is the combination of the Irazu Volcano National Park and Lankester Garden tours. With this excursion you will see an impressive volcano, visit important historical and cultural places in our country and also will have the opportunity to see beautiful plants. To that end, the tour offers the mystique of the Irazu Volcano, and the enchantment of the lush gardens in Orosi.

The tour will begin with us trekking south along the Panamerican Highway until we reach the base of the behemoth "Iztaru" (a name of an indigenous village that was situated on the flanks of the volcano, and a likely candidate as a possible origin for the current name of the Irazu Volcano).

The winding road traverses fertile lands in which all types and forms of vegetation are cultivated, all the while affording us a spectacular panoramic view of the surrounding hills and valleys. And, at the very top of the summit, on a clear day, one can be privy to an unforgettable bird's eye view of both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

As we descend to the city of Cartago we will stop at the Virgin of the Angels Basilica - a famous peregrination site for many believers, some of which travel for days or even weeks on foot, in a pilgrimage of faith, to the site. The Basilica has large vaulted ceilings and exquisite examples of stained glass windows, and is a must see.

Next, after we visit the Basilica we will stop at the Lankester Gardens, a University of Costa Rica Center for investigation that protects more than 800 species of orchids, bromeliads and countless species of other plants.

Then, we will continue to the Valley of Orosi, an area that overflows with unparalleled beauty. We will be able to visit one of the few remaining colonial churches and we will stop to enjoy a tasty typical lunch at one of the local restaurants.

Departure Time: 7:30am - 8:30am

Duration: 13 hours

Location: Arenal Area, Northern Region

Depart San Jose to Saatchi Folk Village, the handicraft center of Colombia, and enjoy the dazzling array of wood carvings, handmade leather goods and hand-painted colored ox carts. On the way to the volcano, you will pass by a small town called La Fortuna for lunch.

Then head to the 1968 Observation Deck to admire the Arenal Volcano and the volcanic lake. Finally, head to Baldi Hot Springs for a dip and dinner.

Located at the foot of the Arenal Volcano, Baldi Springs is one of Costa Rica's most famous tourist and leisure destinations. At the end of the tour, return to San Jose.

  

Transfer out.