Arenal Volcano and Monteverde Costa Rica - Desafio Adventure Company
4 Day Whistle-Stop Excitement (Monteverde, Arenal and More)
Overview:
On this fun-packed adventure package you'll spend 4 days exploring the beautiful areas of Monteverde and Arenal Volcano. See amazing cloud forests, waterfalls, nature reserves, local farms, wildlife, volcanoes, hot springs and waterfalls. Enjoy the thrill of horseback riding Costa Rican style, white-water rafting,canyoneering (rappelling) and canopy zipline tours.
Itinerary:
Day 1.
7.00am Pick-up from your hotel in San Jose or the airport by private transport. Enjoy the scenery as you make your ascent to the beautiful green mountains of Monteverde (3 - 4 hours). There will be a stop along the way for a bathroom stop and a snack. The views of the distant Monteverde Cloud Forest are amazing as well as the Gulf of Nicoya. Now with the road improvements to Monteverde the journey is less of a challenge and more of a wonderful photo opportunity!
12.20 pm. Selvatura Canopy Tour.
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In the afternoon you will have a chance to enjoy the forest from a whole different perspective, high in the canopy of the cloud forest. It is a private park located near the Santa Elena Cloud Forest in Monteverde where you can do the Monteverde Canopy tour, one of the most thrilling and safest adventures in Costa Rica. The
canopy tour is entirely built inside virgin and secondary cloud forest
with a total of 15 ziplines and 18 platforms. Plus one amazing (and
optional) tarzan swing! Visitors will travel between 2 miles of cables
attached by a secure harness and a maximum weight support pulleys plus
other security gear to ensure safety. At all times guides will assist
you on the tour. The tour takes about 2.5 hours. Afterwards you can the canopy walkways which are a series of suspended bridges, high in the canopy of
the rain forest connected by hiking trails
that wind between the bridges. In total, these trails cover 3.3km.
There are eight different bridges which have lengths and heights that
vary between 50 to 170m long and 12 and 60m high.. Every bridge is
1.5m wide and has a capacity for 60 people. The hanging bridges are
designed for people of every age and reasonable physical condition. The
duration of the tour is usually about 1.5 hours |
Day 2.
7.45am. Taxi-Boat-Taxi: A scenic way of travelling to Arenal Volcano. The tour consists of 1.5 land transport (the taxi-boat-taxi service picks up at various hotels and you'll be with a group of people), though rolling countryside until you reach the picturesque village of Rio Chiquito and then onto Arenal Lake on the foot of the Volcano. There will be a quick bathroom stop before setting off on a covered boat to take you to the dam at Arenal Lake - about 30 minutes. Be sure to have your camera ready for some very great photo opportunities! After reaching the dam you will be taken to your hotel. The whole journey takes about 3.5 hours.
ALTERNATIVELY (FOR $50PP EXTRA ON THE PACKAGE PRICE) You can go by horseback:
Horseback Ride to Arenal Volcano. A wonderful alternative way to travel to see Arenal Volcano, one of the  most active volcanoes in the world! We travel along Arenal Lake from Rio Chiquito to the Cano Negro River (near El Castillo). The route follows a beautiful lakeside trail and rural farm traffic road with good safe trails in ALL weather and is suitable for all levels of riders.
Along the Lake Trail there are many tropical birds, views of the volcano and scenic jungle parts. The horses are well cared for and healthly, and there is a work rotatation so that none of the horses do the trail too often. Helmets are provided and rain ponchos if it rains. Luggage goes by boat.
This wonderful journey includes a boat ride on Arenal Lake and a fruit fiesta. The horseback ride is about 3 hours and total tour takes approximately 5 ½ hours with land transport, boat and breaks. This tour is broken up as follows:
a) 1 ½ Hours by car from Monteverde to Rio Chiquito
b) 3 ½ Hours by horse from Rio Chiquito towards the volcano with a break
c) ¼ Hour boat ride across the lake
d) transport ride from the Arenal side of the Lake to your hotel
Read more about this trip in an article by the the Tico Times:
3.30pm. Volcano Hike and Baldi Hot Springs. Arenal Volcano Hike: Lava Viewing
A visit to Costa Rica is not complete without seeing Arenal's exciting live volcano! Hike through lush rainforest with an experienced naturalist, bilingual guide who will point out flora and fauna in the primary and secondary rainforest that lines the base of the Arenal Volcano. You'll then arrive at the observation point - the closest you can get to the base of Arenal Volcano and wait for the sun to set. As it starts to get dark, on clear nights you can see the amazing lava flow of Central America's most-active volcano and if you're lucky, you may be able to hear explosions or big lava rocks tumbling down the side of the volcano on your Arenal Volcano night hike.
Duration: 1.5-2 hours of an easy hike (although there are some muddy sections and a little uphill)
After the night hike we will take you to Baldi Hot Springs where you can soak any aches away from the past few day's activities. Located near La Fortuna, these Arenal hot springs is a place where you can really relax and pamper yourself. Baldi's has a series of pools and hot springs fed by Arenal Volcano which are set amid glorious tropical gardens so that you can relax in the water, while enjoying the surroundings. The pools vary in temperature, from the temperature of a swimming pool to the warmest at around 39C (102F). It's a place where, on a clear night, you can sit in a warm pool, sipping the cocktail of your choice, while watching the fireworks as Arenal Volcano erupts.
You might also decide to pamper your body by opting for one of the many body treatments which are available such as massage, reflexology, body polish, volcanic mud wraps and facials (these are not included on the tour).
Includes: bilingual guide, transportation, entrance to private reserve and volcano viewpoint with beverages. Entrance to Baldi Hot Springs.
Day 3.
8.30am White-water Rafting. 
The hottest full day white water rafting trip in the country on the mighty Rio Toro! 2 ½ hours of non-stop whitewater action. The river canyon includes exotic wildlife and continuous rapids. The tour run by the very experienced and safety-conscious, Desafo Adventure Company, departs from your hotel about 8:30am and returns around 4:00 pm. The tour Includes tropical fruit fiesta and hot 'casado' lunch. If the river is too high we have alternative rivers to choose from and for those who like a little less action there is the option of a the Class 2/ 3 Rio Balsa or the half-day Safari Float, which is a gentle float down a Class 1 river, with opportunities to see monkeys and other wildlife.
Day 4.
7.30am Canyoneering (Rappelling Down Tropical Waterfalls) or Canyoning!
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Go Big! Lost Canyon Adventures Canyoneering!
Imagine yourself in the midst of the cloud forest at the top of a series of tropical waterfalls. Prepare to get wet as our guides put you into your safety harnesses and assist you as you rappel through a magical canyon full of waterfalls with surprises at each step. There are 8 tropical waterfalls of which 5 you repel down.
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Or for those who want a little less adventure and don't wish to do the canyoneering you can opt for a walk to the La Fortuna Waterfall. This is an opportunity to swim in the refreshing waters of the famous La Fortuna falls. You'll be picked up after breakfast and taken to the entrance where a 40 minute descent will bring you to the base of the waterfalls. You'll have time to relax and swim before beginning the climb back up.
After the visit we'll stop for a short while at the hotel to freshen up, collect your bags before setting off back to San Jose (or you can opt for a shuttle bus to one of the main beaches).
Details: NOTE FOR AN EXTRA COST WE CAN UPGRADE THE HOTELS
Monteverde Hotels: 2 nights.
In Monteverde we use Hotel Montana Monteverde whenever possible. Monteverde Montana is historically the first hotel in the Monteverde area and has since been remodeled to modern standards. The hotel has wonderful views of the Golf of Nicoya and its own trails. It is ideally located in an area called Cerro Plano, situated between the small town of Santa Elena and the Monteverde Reserve, . It is not far from the Ecological Sanctuary and a short walk to various restaurants in the area.
The hotel offers very comfortable rooms with private bathroom. Breakfast is included in the package. There is also a restaurant with a wide menu and a jacuzzi which clients are able to use.
Arenal Volcano Hotels: 2 nights
Located on the edge of the town La Fortuna, Hotel San Bosco is a good-sized hotel with about 34 rooms. Rooms are very comfortable with A/C, private bathrooms with plenty of hot water and cable television There is a swimming pool, 2 jacuzzis and some gym equipment. While lava flow is very rarely seen from La Fortuna, the volcano is plainly visible from the hotel San Bosco on a clear day.
Beach Extensions! Ask for details about adding some days at the beach - we can arrange all transport, hotels and tours. Manuel Antonio beach and Samara beach are popular choices. We have many contacts with Manuel Antonio hotels.
We can also arrange hotels and transport in San Jose and other parts of Costa Rica. Please let us know if you need our help. info@monteverdetours.com
Details:
Minimum 2 people (Double occupancy): $573 per person
Dates of trip: We can schedule dates by request.
Included on Trip: All accommodation except in San Jose (which can arrange for an additional cost), all transport, all tours in the itinerary, all breakfasts and 2 lunches, guides
Not Included:Flights to Costa Rica, hotels in San Jose*, evening meals and some lunches, optional tours or transportation to other places not included in the schedule. The horse ride part of the journey to Arenal - this is $50pp extra if you wish to do this.
What to Bring: T-shirts, shorts, long pants for riding, sweater or light jacket, sandals, light hiking boots, rain jacket, sun screen, insect repellant, any personal medication, swimming wear, towel, traveler's insurance (to include white-water rafting and horse riding, full passport, traveler's checks if a back up wanted and a credit card (VISA and MC, other cards are difficult to use in Monteverde).
NOTE: Adventure tours such as whitewater rafting, horse riding, kayaking, canyoneering and hiking require physical effort. Clients should be in good condition. For client safety and enjoyment, Desafio Adventure Company reserves the right to offer a substitution, postpone, change or cancel any tour due to unfavorable conditions. Full refund is given if (on rare occasion) a tour is cancelled. Desafio Adventure Company and its affiliates are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items
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