SHORE EXCURSIONS

Your sightseeing drive through rolling hills, high mountains, plains, valleys, and riverbeds is just part of the gorgeous landscape that will make you think of paradise. Costa Rica’s topography is one of the world’s most diverse. You’ll start by heading east to Esparza, a town that has become one of the most picturesque in Costa Rica’s Central Pacific region. The central park and its church are emblematic of Costa Rica’s hardworking rural towns.

Local dancers in colorful dresses will greet you at the park and you’ll enjoy masquerades and handmade souvenir exhibitions while you learn about their traditions. Your scenic drive includes some stretches along the Pacific Ocean passing by mango and cashew plantations, farming areas and most certainly seeing some birds along the way, all examples of sustainable living. Take the opportunity to capture unique pictures, while traveling down to sea level, admiring the most breathtaking views.

Enjoy the most exciting adventure in the natural wonderland of Costa Rica. Board the Pacific Tropical Forest Aerial Tram and literally fly through the forest canopy and take an exhilarating jungle cruise on the Tarcoles River.

The Pacific Tropical Forest Aerial Tram is the only tour that provides a unique exploration of the canopy in the Transitional Tropical dry Forest on Costa Rica’s mid-Pacific coastline. Dry upland forest meets humid coastal dry forest with unique species colonizing the treetops and the canopy in this 222-acre eco-tourism park, dedicated to conservation.

Embark on a gondola designed for 8 passengers and a bilingual naturalist guide to safely glide through a living backdrop of giant trees, hanging gardens and lush green landscapes. Panoramic ocean views and sightings of exotic flora and fauna will introduce you to this unique transitional dry forest.

Your experience includes a guided walk through trails deep into the forest. A visit to the medicinal plant and Butterfly Garden will complement a fascinating winding tour past a snake, frogs and turtle’s exhibit.

After your tram ride, enjoy a Costa Rican lunch at the park in a lush natural setting. You can also shop at the Congo shop where you can find a variety of local and handmade arts, crafts and designs as well as Costa Rican souvenirs before transferring to Tarcoles for a jungle river journey.

Upon arrival at the Visitor Center you will board comfortable roof covered open boats to explore the world famous Tarcoles River. This river tour usually takes 2 hours. It will provide a great understanding of the life and death of the mangroves and swamps that constitute one of the most important ecosystems in Costa Rica. Noted for its mangrove forests the Tarcoles River is a wonderful and crucial habitat for hundreds of species and a wide variety of sea and shore birds as well as colonies of the largest crocodiles in Central America.

During the tour, our naturalist guide will help you identify a great variety of birds and wildlife. This habitat is also vital for the preservation of the endangered Scarlet Macaw.

Tour sequence may vary.

OVERVIEW

Watch an entertaining folkloric dance performance and observe crocodiles and other wildlife on a riverboat cruise. In both cases, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy. The dance show will be held in Esparza, which the Spaniards founded in 1575, making it the second-oldest city in Costa Rica. Cultural traditions flourish there and none is so celebrated as dance, as you will see firsthand. To the south, the Tárcoles River meanders through the jungle-like countryside on its way to the Gulf of Nicoya. The scenery will be extraordinarily picturesque as you cruise onboard a covered boat that offers uninterrupted views of the flora and fauna along the mangrove-lined riverbanks. You can expect to see plenty of colorful tropical birds and American crocodiles, as one of the country’s largest colonies of these primeval-looking reptiles lives there. Afterwards, you can listen to marimba music while enjoying local fruits and coffee.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Watch brightly costumed dancers put on a folkloric show in the city of Esparza.
• Cruise the Tárcoles River, home to countless birds and a huge colony of crocodiles.
• Shop for handmade crafts that reflect the creativity of the local artists.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Visit the world’s only animal sanctuary devoted solely to sloths and explore another wildlife center with a huge variety of indigenous Costa Rican animals. As you will discover, sloths are slow-moving, long-clawed animals that spend almost their entire lives in trees. When seriously injured or orphaned, their chances of survival are slim. However, the animals taken to the Sloth Sanctuary for rehabilitation are often able to be released back into the wild. The sanctuary’s success is inspirational, as are the similar efforts of the Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center. There, you will observe injured animals recovering from physical and psychological wounds with the goal of re-introducing them into their natural habitats. If that isn’t possible, the animals become permanent residents of the rescue center. As you walk through the facility, you will see all sorts of animals, including monkeys, coatis and kinkajous, which are also known as honey bears. Parrots such as yellow-naped Amazons also reside there.

Experience the thrill of a zipline canopy tour without missing out on the Tropical forest’s rich wildlife. This innovative ‘Tranopy’ tour combines the in-depth forest view of an aerial tram with the excitement of a canopy tour. Your naturalist guide will accompany you to point out some of the secrets of the primary and secondary Tropical forest that surrounds you. Your Tranopy tour starts with a ride on the famous tram where you’ll experience all the different layers of the Tropical rainforest, from the floor up to the treetops.

Silently glide through the colorful, complex beauty of the Tropical forest canopy. The 30 minute tram ride will bring you through the forest, over tumbling cascades and to the beginning of your canopy adventure. You’ll experience canopying though ten cables – five of which are over 200 meters long. To your right, you’ll find the dense Tropical forest, and to your left is an extensive view of the valley all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Over 1.5 kilometers of cables will take you through everything from the rich Tropical forest ecosystems to sweeping views high above the forest floor.

A comfortable air conditioned bus ride passing a variety of landscapes including mango and watermelon farmlands, lush forests and mountain views will take you to the highlands of Alajuela Province where the hacienda is located.

Rancho San Miguel is a school of high equestrian arts as they have been exhibiting horse fiestas for over 30 years and is famous throughout the Americas for their pure breed of Andalusian horses. Upon arrival to the ranch you will be greeted by a local expert who will introduce you to the equine world of mares and stallions.

The show combines training of the magnificent Andalusian horses with the mastering ability of the riders, a group of talented young ladies in acts that require many months of hard team-work, training and discipline. You will see the mares and their offspring, the hacienda carriage, the stallion, the long pole and the “equestrian fantasy”, a synchronized choreography of the mares.

Every act will be presented and explained by the expert while you also enjoy the sounds of the Spanish flamenco music in a spectacular amphitheater.

Your last stop will be at El Jardin souvenir market in Orotina where you will have plenty opportunity to browse around the shop, sample their delicious fruits or taste a Costa Rican cup of coffee.

Walk through an expansive forested garden with several animal exhibits and a series of waterfalls that can be reached on a hike of about two miles. After departing from the pier, you will settle in for a leisurely and circuitous drive inland, passing through some of the most spectacularly scenic countryside in Costa Rica. In time, you will arrive at La Paz Waterfall Gardens, which lies between two national parks.

To reach the waterfall, you will hike about two miles along a nature trail that initially winds through an aviary, a serpentarium and exhibits devoted to indigenous animals such as jungle cats, hummingbirds and monkeys. The hike alone provides a fascinating introduction into the spectacular biodiversity within the surrounding rainforest and cloud forest.

You may encounter rainbow-billed toucans, capuchin monkeys, two-toed sloths and blue morpho butterflies. The animals within the exhibits have been rescued or rehabilitated but can’t be released back into the wild because of injury or not having the skills to survive on their own.

The trail continues along the river that is the source of the numerous cascades in the gardens, with La Paz being the last and highest waterfall. Follow boardwalks and pause at lookouts that offer the most panoramic views of the river and beyond. It will be well worth the effort, as La Paz couldn’t be more naturally beautiful.

A hearty lunch at a restaurant within the gardens follows.

Discover the wonders of San Jose on this full day adventure on this guided motorcoach tour in Costa Rica’s vibrant capital city, San Jose. Visit the famed National Theater which was constructed in the late 19th century. The front of the theatre features statues of Calderón de la Barca and Ludwig van Beethoven. There are several monuments by the entry walkway including Frédéric Chopin. The inside features the mural Allegory of Coffee and Bananas by Milanese artist Aleardo Villa, which is featured on the five colón bill.

Venture to the artist colony of Sarchi. This town offers more than 200 stores and small family-operated woodworking factories producing wooden bowls and other tableware, and a wide variety of kitschy items. The most popular items on sale are "carretas", elaborately painted oxcarts that traditionally carried coffee from the highlands down to the port on the Pacific coast. Lunch at a local restaurant completes your exciting day.

After a short drive from the Puntarenas pier enjoy a 90 minute boat ride through the beautiful and small charming islands that adorn the Gulf of Nicoya. In the Gulf of Nicoya, there is a heavenly archipelago of several islands with lush natural beauty and a sanctuary that is home to seabirds, white sandy beaches and the flora and fauna of our Central Pacific region. Tortuga Island is located in this beautiful archipelago. Situated 12 nautical miles from Puntarenas, Tortuga Island (called by local indigenous people “Tolinga”) has an area of 120 hectares and is maintained as a protected forest which has been awarded the Ecological Blue Flag for more than five years. This distinction is awarded to beaches in our country that have pollution-free waters. Due to its geographical features, Tortuga Island’s waters are clear turquoise, which are optimal for swimming.

A delicious lunch will be waiting for you. Explore the island and enjoy the beach, relax or play beach volleyball. Optional activities such as snorkeling and banana boat rides are available at an extra cost.

Discover the complexities of growing, harvesting and roasting coffee at Café Britt, an esteemed plantation where you will sample coffees with different characteristics.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for a meandering drive inland to Barva, a city established in the fertile land that lies in the shadow of Barva Volcano. Here, you will visit Café Britt, which became Costa Rica’s first gourmet coffee roaster when it opened in 1985.

As you will soon discover during a behind-the-scenes tour, the people at Café Britt are passionate about coffee. Their experts will explain how they select, collect, roast and package their beans for export. It is a fascinating process and thoroughly enjoyable when described in detail as the aroma of freshly roasted coffee wafts through the air.

Café Britt grows organic coffee using sustainable agricultural techniques that reduce the impact on the ecosystem. They also produce Fair Trade coffee that ensures that fair prices are paid to the local workers.

Costa Rica’s unique climate and diverse landscapes produce different coffee characteristics. Through “cupping,” the term for tasting coffee, you will learn to identify and grade the characteristics that qualify the coffees as gourmet. You will also discover firsthand how delicious Café Britt’s coffee are.

Following the tasting, you will enjoy lunch at a restaurant in the Central Valley and watch the local band Mascarades and Cimarrona perform traditional music.

Emerge yourself and see first-hand how Costa Ricans have integrated their “Pura Vida” lifestyle into what has been considered one of the 100 best breweries in the world. See the process and learn how quality beer is developed. Above all enjoy a beer tasting session with these fine brews and complete your tour with a hearty lunch with food cooked and stewed in the beer itself. There is a short stop for shopping before you are returned to the ship.

Get immersed in an incredible adventure of the tropical rainforest environment just 60 minutes from Puntarenas. Travel through luscious landscapes crossing the crystal waters of Tarcolitos River several times on a tractor-drawn wagon while your tour guide acquaints you with this unforgettable rainforest experience at the Villalapas Private Reserve.

As you ride, keep your camera ready and discover some curious inhabitants such as the colorful toucans, scarlet macaws, rare spiders whose cobwebs are compared to steel cables, lizards, howler and spider monkeys as well as exotic plants from ancient times.

During this adventures journey, you will have some time at leisure to enjoy the sounds of the nature, take pictures or even dip into the clear waters of this beautiful river if weather allows. Continue to Santa Lucia, a unique little town.

Newly constructed, architects were careful to use old building techniques and materials in order to show exactly how Costa Ricans lived in previous centuries. Here, you will be greeted with a tropical fruit buffet, and cold drinks that you enjoy as you wander around this small, old-style village.