Caribbean Treasures & the Sea Turtles of Tortuguero
September 2008 - 9 Days, 8 Nights
Travel at the best time of the year to visit the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. This time of year on the Caribbean coast is magical with few travelers, calm ocean waters, and bountiful wildlife. Witness one of Earth's true natural wonders – giant sea turtles coming to shore to lay their nest and new hatchlings struggling to make it to sea. Tortuguero is the largest nesting grounds on the Caribbean for the green sea turtle and has been a biological research station for over 50 years. Enjoy the best that Costa Rica has to offer the adventurer right on this small strip of jungle coast.
Pizotes Adventure Tours’ Package Price $1,525 pp
Single supplement: $250
Description of Itinerary
B – Breakfast L – Lunch D – Dinner
Day 1 Arrival – San José
Your flight will arrive at Juan Santamaria International Airport and met by your trip planner and leader, Terri Peterson. Overnight at the quaint Hotel Don Carlos in downtown San José.
Day 2 San José - Tortuguero
After enjoying the complimentary buffet breakfast, we’re off to the Caribbean Coast by motor coach with Fran Watson. She and her husband, Modesto, will be our guides for our 3 day Tortuguero adventure. We’ll stop in Moín, load up on their riverboat for a 3 hour wildlife-viewing cruise of the canals on the way to our hotel on the Caribbean side. Lunch will be at a family-run restaurant along the way and a stop at the Caribbean Conservation Center will prepare you for your evening turtle excursion. Enjoy the hotel pool, a walk on the coast, or a relaxing hammock. After dinner at the lodge, we’ll follow turtle guides into the Tortuguero National Turtle Refuge where we’ll hope to respectfully witness the nesting of giant female sea turtles. Accommodations at Laguna Lodge. B,L,D
Day 3 Tortuguero
After an early morning riverboat trip up some of the smaller canals, you’ll eat breakfast at the lodge. Then we’re off to the Tortuguero pueblo to complete a community assistance project especially designed for your group. This is a wonderful chance to interact with the local community and leave more than just your footprints behind. After lunch at the lodge, enjoy more free time to explore or go out once again in the canals till sunset. After dinner at the lodge, we’ll have an informal presentation by a Tortuguero resident on Caribbean life. Accommodations at Laguna Lodge. B,L,D
Day 4 Tortuguero
After breakfast at the lodge, we’ll board the riverboat for a day boat cruise to Barra del Colorado Wildlife Refuge. This northeast corner of the country is accessible only by boat and plane and is the second largest in Cost Rica. Dinner will be at the lodge after which there will be an option to take a second turtle walk. Accommodations at Laguna Lodge. B,L,D
Day 5 Tortuguero – Punta Uva
After breakfast at the lodge we’ll board the riverboat one last time for our trip back to Moín. We meet our bus and driver and continue south to our next destination. Along the way we’ll stop at the Sloth Sanctuary for a tour, personal sloth visits, and lunch. We’ll continue on our way south to a very special eco-lodge carefully located in the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. Enjoy a fantastic buffet dinner and plan your adventures for the next few days. Accommodations at Almonds and Corals. B,L,D
Day 6 Punta Uva
After a hearty buffet breakfast, our guide will join us for a trip to the Kekoldi indigenous village. This is an adventure just getting there with a river crossing in a dugout canoe (driver included). Lunch is on tour and we’ll get back in time to relax before another fabulous dinner. Accommodations at Almonds and Corals. B,L,D
Day 7 Punta Uva
After another breakfast feast, we’ll board our bus for a visit to a local iguana project and cacao farm. We’ll have lunch in town and return in time for the Crazy Monkey Canopy Tour, an exhilarating and professional cable flights through the jungle. Enjoy another scrumptious dinner buffet and relax in the lodge Jacuzzi. Accommodations at Almonds and Corals. B,D
Day 8 Punta Uva – San José
After an early breakfast we’ll board our bus and leave the Caribbean for San José. Lunch will be along the way with the afternoon free for last minute shopping or sightseeing. Dinner will be with your fellow travelers at an outdoor banquet facility in the hills of Escazú including a delightful private show be a traditional dance group. Accommodations at Hotel Don Carlos. B,D
Day 9 San José - Home
Transfer to Juan Santamaria International Airport to make your flight back to the U.S.
Minimum number of paid travelers: 18
Maximum number of paid travelers: 24
Trip Includes:
- One complementary trip (Costa Rican itinerary as described) included with minimum number of paid travelers
- Group accompanied by guide and Costa Rican resident, Terri Peterson, from arrival to departure
- Two Caribbean destinations
- Guided hikes to turtle nesting sites in Tortuguero National park
- 3 nights in a lodge on the Tortuguero canals
- 3 nights in an eco-lodge with a ‘jungle elegance’ style
- Adventurous, fun, and educational tours that include river and canal boat trips, forest hikes, visit to an indigenous village, bird watching, zipline cable rides, and more
- Local, expert bi-lingual guides
- Participation in a service project in the Tortuguero community
- In-country bus transport by comfortable motor coach
- 17 meals 7 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 6 dinners
- Most tips