Itinerary Details
MT Sobek: Costa Rica Tortuguero, Pacuare & Arenal Multi-Adventure
Day 1 Arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica
Arrive at the airport in San Jose, Costa Rica. Meet your guide and transfer to your comfortable hotel in town. End the day with a delicious welcome dinner.
Accommodation: Studio Hotel Boutique
(D)
Day 2 Kayak in Tortuguero National Park
3-hour private van transfer, 1-hour motorboat transfer
2 hours kayaking
Take a scenic drive across the Continental Divide to the remote North Caribbean Coast of the country and then continue by motorboat to Tortuguero National Park, considered "the little Amazon in Costa Rica" and accessible only by water or by air. Arrive at your waterfront lodge, a beautiful resort on a strip of land between the beaches of the Caribbean and the canals of the Tortuguero Lagoon. Set out by kayak this afternoon to explore jungle waterways and hidden lagoons, and see howler monkeys, basilisk lizards, morpho butterflies, and tropical birds. Also enjoy time to walk on the beach, swim in the pool, or have cocktails on the sunset deck.
Accommodation: Mawamba Lodge—Tortuguero
(B, L, D)
Day 3 Wildlife of Tortuguero National Park
Short motorboat transfers for kayaking and town visit
Optional early morning 2-hour canal cruise by motorboat; 2 hours kayaking
Set out on an optional early morning tour of the canals by motorboat, for a different perspective on these rich waterways and the chance to spot birds and other wildlife when they're most active. Return to the lodge for breakfast, then journey by motorboat to a secondary channel in the national park, where you'll board kayaks and paddle through a narrow waterway to look for wildlife. After lunch back at the lodge, paddle to some more areas only accessible by kayak, explore the town of Tortuguero, or simply relax at the pool.
Accommodation: Mawamba Lodge—Tortuguero
(B, L, D)
Day 4 Whitewater Rafting on the Pacuare River
1-hour boat ride & 3.5-hour private van transfer
1.5 hours/8 miles rafting
After breakfast, take a one-hour boat ride to La Pavona and then drive for about 3.5 hours south to your put-in on the Pacuare River, Costa Rica's most remarkable river corridor and one of the world's top whitewater rafting destinations. Raft eight miles of exciting Class II and III rapids down this beautiful river, past cascading waterfalls, and through lush rainforest. Keep an eye out for sloths, river otters, monkeys, and an incredible variety of birds, such as toucans, egrets, herons, kingfishers, sun bitterns, and trogons. Paddle downstream to your riverside eco-lodge on the 2,400-acre private rainforest reserve. In the evening, exceptional cuisine accompanies the vibrant sounds of the jungle and river.
Accommodation: Rios Lodge
(B, L, D)
Day 5 Pick Your Adventure at Ríos Lodge
Full day for optional hiking, bird-watching, or horseback riding
Enjoy a full day of relaxation or activities at the Ríos Lodge. Rise early for an optional guided birdwatching hike to see toucans and many other species, before returning for breakfast and gearing up for a day of adventure. Set out on a guided nature walk to explore some of the lodge property's 40 miles of trails, stopping to enjoy magical waterfalls and pools and walk across a dramatic suspension bridge, go horseback riding, visit a butterfly garden, and plant trees at a reforestation project.
Accommodation: Rios Lodge
(B, L, D)
Day 6 Second Day of Whitewater Rafting on the Pacuare River, Transfer to Arenal
2.5-hour private van transfer
3 hours/12 miles rafting
Continue on your whitewater rafting adventure through Class III and IV rapids down the lush, magical gorge of the Río Pacuare. Paddle through "Bobo," "Huacas Arriba," "Huacas Abajo," and "Dos Montañas" as you journey downstream and find yourself surrounded by exotic wildlife, jungle, and waterfalls tumbling into the river. In the afternoon, reach the town of Siquirres to enjoy a shower and lunch before transferring to La Fortuna and the Arenal Volcano area, one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica.
Accommodation: Arenal Manoa Resort Hotel & Hot Springs
(B, L, D)
Day 7 Morning Hike or Zip Lining, Afternoon Hanging Bridges Hike and Hot Springs
AM 2-3 hours/2.4-3 miles hike or zip line adventure plus PM 2.5 hours/2 miles hanging bridges hike
Choose this morning between a hike on the Arenal 1968 Trail or a zip line adventure. The Arenal 1968 trail takes you through lava fields around the base of the volcano, created during the dramatic eruptions of 1968, and affords some of the closest possible views of the volcano as well as fascinating volcanic boulders, craters, and old lava flows now hardened into rock. For those who prefer a zip line adventure, head up the mountain by motorized cart, then ride a series of seven exhilarating zip lines back to the base. Feel the adrenaline as you sail up to 2,460 feet between canyons and the treetops, admiring incredible views of waterfalls, Arenal volcano, Cerro Chato, and an impressive diversity of flora and fauna. After lunch, hike through the rainforest on a series of hanging (suspension) bridges. Marvel at the wealth of wildlife in the rainforest layers, from the treetops to the understory and forest floor. Late in the afternoon, take a relaxing dip in natural hot spring baths at Eco Termales. The thermal springs here are of magmatic origin—ranging in temperature from 90°F to 105°F, and filled with magnesia and other minerals with therapeutic benefits.
Accommodation: Arenal Manoa Resort Hotel & Hot Springs
(B, L, D)
Day 8 Depart San Jose, Costa Rica
3-hour private van transfer
After breakfast, transfer by private van to the San Jose airport for homeward-bound flights departing 2:00pm or later.
(B)
