COSTA RICA ECOSYSTEMS

This is a rare opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich tropical nature of Costa Rica with the full time assistance of your own private naturalist guide, the flexibility and exploratory advantage of private 4x4 transportation, along with the use of comfortable, quality lodging. Costa Rica Ecosystems takes you into the heart of Costa Rica’s tropical dry forest, wetlands, cloud forest and rain forest. The staggering biodiversity of this tiny country is never more apparent than on this two week journey off the beaten path that visits 7 national parks, 3 private nature reserves and 3 active volcanoes. Our native naturalist guide will help you to view the diverse wildlife of Costa Rica as you travel from the misty heights of the cloud forests through the highly specialized flora of the tropical dry forest and into the green lungs of the rain forest. Few countries in the world can offer this kind of experience and even fewer ecotour outfitters permit you to uncover the secrets of nature’s splendor through expert-guided, first-hand experience. We invite you to live the richness of Costa Rica’s mesmerizing biodiversity.

Costa Rica Eco Tour Itinerary

DAY 01: SAN JOSÉ
Airport greeting by bilingual naturalist guide and private transport for transfer to the Hotel Grano de Oro in San José.
DAY 02: POAS VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK – BOSQUE DE PAZ
Breakfast at hotel and private transfer with your naturalist guide north through the lush mountains of the central valley to the active Volcano Poás National Park for a visit to the crater before the crowds arrive. Poás Volcano is 2,708 meters above sea level and has one of the most spectacular craters, almost 2 kilometers in diameter and 300 meters deep with a very hot lagoon inside. Continue to the 3,000 acre private cloud forest reserve of Bosque de Paz on the continental divide. This private nature park is an important biological corridor that connects the Poás Volcano and Juan Castro Blanco National Parks. Lodging at the reserve’s charming and exclusive 12 room lodge.
DAY 03: BOSQUE DE PAZ - PRIVATE CLOUD FOREST RESERVE
Breakfast at hotel and hiking with your private naturalist guide on some of the 22 km of trails that exist in the cloud forest. Excellent bird watching with 331 species documented to date, including the Collared Trogan, Blue-crowned Motmot, Long-tailed Manakin and Emerald Toucanet along with numerous species of hummingbirds and great diversity of orchids, which have been studied at Bosque de Paz by scientists from around the world. Lodging at Bosque de Paz.
DAY 04: BOSQUE DE PAZ - ARENAL VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK
Breakfast at hotel and private transfer with your naturalist guide north through the lush mountains active volcano of Arenal, one of Latin America’s most spectacular volcanoes. Afternoon hike around the very active Arenal Volcano in rainforest to a crater lake on an adjacent extinct volcano with our expert guide. Lodging at the Arenal Observatory Lodge.
DAY 05: ARENAL VOLCANO – RINCÓN DE LA VIEJA NATIONAL PARK
Breakfast at hotel and private transfer with your naturalist guide north to the tropical dry forest of the Rincón de la Vieja National Park for lodging at the Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin. Plenty of opportunities to stop in route for wildlife viewing with your guide.
DAY 06: RINCÓN DE LA VIEJA NATIONAL PARK
Breakfast at the lodge and exploring this unique ecosystem with your naturalist guide either on foot or horseback as you prefer. This volcano rises to over 6,000 feet above sea level, but the park has a variation of elevations and flora and fauna adopted to each elevation, including Costa Rica’s national flower the orchid Guaria Morada, three species of monkey, the talented Montezuma oropendula and the red trogon. Lodging at the Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin.
DAY 07: SANTA ROSA NATIONAL PARK – CARARA NATIONAL PARK
Early breakfast and departure with naturalist guide to visit the Santa Rosa National Park one of the finest tropical dry forest reserves in the world. The park has an abundant and varied wildlife, though no decent lodging, so this visit will be in the morning only to take advantage of prime hours for wildlife viewing and our 4x4 access. Late morning private transfer with guide south to the transition from tropical dry to wet forest of the Carara National Park and overnight at the riverfront Villa Lapas Hotel.
DAY 08: CARARA NATIONAL PARK - PIEDRAS BLANCAS NATIONAL PARK
Breakfast and visit to the Carara National Park, home to more than 350 species of birds, including the rare Scarlet Macaw, which is very common here in this gallery forest and wetlands reserve. Continue with your naturalist guide south along the southern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica to the seldom visited Piedras Blancas National Park and the Esquinas Rain Forest Lodge.
DAYS 09-10: PIEDRAS BLANCAS NATIONAL PARK
While Corcovado has gotten all the press (and thousands of tourists) the precious 35,000 acre reserve called Piedras Blancas has been preserving a natural splendor that has a even higher rate of flora biodiversity than Corcovado and includes Jaguar, Ocelot, and Puma cats and near the lodge the Northern Tamandua, White-face Capuchin and Squirrel Monkeys are often seen and this dense rain forest is also home to 37 species of amphibians and 42 reptiles, including spectacularly colored frogs such as the red-eyed leaf frog or poison-arrow frogs, tree frogs, glass frogs, rain frogs and cane toads. The nightly concert of frog calls is unforgettable and basilisks and iguanas frequent the streams, anole lizards are found in the garden, and geckos can be seen chasing insects in the main lodge building at nighttime. With the assistance of your naturalist guide you will explore this hyper-diverse rain forest on days 3 and 4, hiking in search of wildlife from this serious wildlife ecolodge engulfed in the rain forest of Costa Rica. Lodging in cabin at the Esquinas Rain Forest Lodge.
DAYS 11-12: TALAMANCA MOUNTAINS
Private transfer with your naturalist guide out of the heat of the rain forest and up into the cool air of the Talamanca Mountains. In the shadow of the Cerro del la Muerte peak and the Quetzal National Park is the private biological reserve of the Chacon family and great biodiversity, but most of all excellent birding. The Resplendent Quetzal tops a list of more than 300 exotic birds that live and visit this precious Costa Rica cloud forest that includes numerous other beautiful birds such as the Collared Trogon, Volcano Hummingbird, White-throated Mountain-gem and the Silvery-fronted Tapaculo. After settling in on day 5 with a short hike, day 6 is dedicated to bird watching and nature hiking with your naturalist guide in this, one of Costa Rica’s most underrated natural areas home to Costa Rica’s highest mountains, numerous streams, lush cloud forest that is punctuated by waterfalls. Lodging in Jr. Suite at the Savegre Mountain Hotel.
DAYS 13: LOS QUETZALES NATIONAL PARK – SAN JOSÉ
Private transfer with your naturalist tour guide to San José with a visit to the Los Quetzales National Park in route. Lodging in San José at Hotel Grano de Oro.
DAY 14: SAN JOSE
Private transfer to airport for your flight home.

Costa Rica Ecosystems Ecotour includes:

• All transfers in private vehicle with a/c and driver
• Full time assistance of an expert English speaking naturalist guide
• 2 nights lodging at Hotel Grano de Oro in San José
• 2 nights lodging at Bosque de Paz Cloud Forest Lodge
• 1 night lodging at Arenal Observatory Lodge
• 2 nights lodging at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
• 1 night lodging at Villa Lapa Hotel at Carara National Park
• 3 nights lodging in Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
• 2 nights lodging at the Savegre Mountain Lodge 
• All breakfasts
• Admissions to Costa Rica national parks

All eco tours tours are private and can begin any day of the year assuming hotel space availability.

Costs for eco tour depends on the number of travelers in your party
Please specify target visit dates and number of people when requesting a quote.

Custom Costa Rica Eco tour itineraries are available upon request.
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Eco Tour does not include: Drinks, lunch or dinner. International flights or airport taxes. Travel insurance, tips, visas, or medical treatment.
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Please Contact Us
info@tourscostarica.net