10-Nights Ultimate Costa Rica: San Jose, Tortuguero, Arenal, Monteverde, Guanacaste

San Jose (C.R.)

The sophisticated capital of Costa Rica, San Jose, has been endowed with a vibrant street life as well as a refined cultural life. You'll see contemporary structures of glass and steel, as well as colonial, Victorian, and classical architecture, exotic birds, giant butterflies, and picturesque scenery. Costa Rica offers some of the world's most thrilling sights to those who seek a new adventure.

Tortuguero

The small village of Tortuguero (translated as "Region of Turtles") lies on the northeastern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, approximately 50 miles north of the principal Port of Limon. The village is comprised of a variety of cultures: Hispanic, Miskito Indian (Nicaragua), and Afro-Caribbean. Both Spanish and Creole English are spoken. The region surrounding Tortuguero is called the Tortuguero Plain, which is a vast low lying area of little topographic relief still covered by a large expanse of tropical rainforest.

Arenal

Arenal, in Costa Rica, is the site of one of the most active volcanoes in the world.

On almost a daily basis, red-hot rocks crash down its steep slopes and volcanic grumbles produce huge ash columns above the crater.

In addition to the volcano, the area features exciting attractions such as, rafting, hot springs, pristine beaches, and rainforest expeditions.

 

 

Monteverde

The Monteverde rainforest area, which comprises ten towns with 8,000 people, is situated on the Continental Divide at an elevation of 5,600 feet. A walk through a Costa Rica Monteverde cloud forest reveals a lush green garden of mosses, ferns, flowers and epiphytes growing thickly on every tree. Clouds drift in and settle among the slopes, giving the continuous moisture required for such exuberant plant growth. Dangling roots and vines sweep across the trails. The air is rich with the sounds of birds and the occasional scurrying of small mammals on the forest floor. In the distance a howler monkey roars.

Guanacaste

Here you can drive to the very edge of a volcanic crater, hike through the heart of a mountain jungle and explore a cherished rainforest in the same day. The Guanacaste region is a beach lover's paradise with its unforgettable white sand beaches and remarkable salt and pepper shores. Costa Rica has become a mecca for travelers seeking to immerse themselves in the beauty and peacefulness of nature. With more of its land protected in natural parks, biological preserves and wildlife sanctuaries than any other nation on earth, excursions are a must.