• 4 Dinner (D)
• 7 Breakfast (B)
• 3 Lunch (L)

• San Isidro: Meet master chocolatiers, Julio Fernandez and George Soriano, to learn about the history of chocolate and how it is produced at this small workshop.
• Tortuguero National Park: Join Cloied, a charismatic community member from one of Tortuguero’s pioneer families, and hear the story of his village as you help prepare a traditional coconut dessert. It’s a lively, hands-on experience that connects you to the flavors and spirit of the neighborhood.
• Tortuguero: Cruise through Tortuguero’s canals and lagoons both in the morning and in the evening, seeking out incredible tropical wildlife species such as monkeys in the treetops, toucans and egres flying through the air and crocodiles in the cool waters.
• Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park: Explore the rainforest canopy with a Local Specialist. Cross hanging bridges as you spot howler monkeys, hummingbirds and blue morpho butterflies.
• Monteverde: Meet Monteverde’s Quaker descendants and Local Specialist to learn about Old Town Monteverde and the fascinating history of the American Quakers who settled in the area in the 1950s. 
• Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve: Join a local Specialist for a guided hike through the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve will astound you with its beauty, bounty, and biodiversity. Wind-sculpted elfin woodlands give way to rainforests where tall trees, orchids, bromeliads, ferns, vines and mosses rise high into the sky.
• Monteverde: Join Maricela and her mother Edith Santamaría in Monteverde’s cloud forest, where they welcome you into the kitchen to shape and cook traditional Costa Rican tortillas. Then share picadillo, beef in sauce, grilled pork kebabs, vegetables, mashed potatoes, homemade bread and wine beside the stove.

• Standard regional accommodation
• Selected hotel dinners plus a locally hosted meal
• Deluxe coach travel

Follow a Local Specialist to cross hanging bridges suspended between forested ridges in Mistico Park. At canopy height, scan for sloths and tanagers, admire blue morpho butterflies, and savor sweeping view[s] of Arenal Volcano framed by emerald hills.

Steel pathways and forest trails reveal multiple layers of tropical life—ferns, orchids, and bromeliads beading with cloud mist. This gently paced walk balances thrilling perspectives with rich natural interpretation along well-maintained routes.

Enter a world of vapor and vines to join a Local Specialist on a naturalist hike through Monteverde’s famed reserve. Walk mist-draped trails beneath epiphyte-laden oaks, listen for hummingbirds, and search for the resplendent quetzal amid mossy boughs.

Learn how cloud interception nourishes countless orchids and ferns, and how elevation and wind create unique microclimates. Boardwalks and forest paths reveal a living tapestry of biodiversity conserved through decades of community stewardship.

Trafalgar

Step into a local home in Ciudad Colón for a warm home-hosted welcome dinner that pairs family recipes with the Pura Vida spirit. Try on brightly painted masks during a hands-on mascaradas workshop and feel the rhythm as a lively cimarrona brass band fills the garden with festive beats.

Learn how papier-mâché giants and masks animate Costa Rica’s neighborhood celebrations, while regional dishes simmer on a wood-fired stove. Between orchids in bloom and convivial conversation, this evening reveals the humor, hospitality, and folkloric traditions at the heart of Costa Rican culture.

Visit an intimate cocoa atelier in San Isidro to meet master chocolatiers Julio Fernandez and George Soriano and trace the journey of bean-to-bar cacao. Roast, grind, and temper with expert guidance, then taste freshly tempered chocolate that captures the terroir of Costa Rica’s volcanic soils.

Hear how indigenous communities revered cacao as currency and ritual drink, and how shade-grown cacao today supports birds, pollinators, and smallholder livelihoods. Aromas of roasting nibs and warm vanilla set the scene for a rich, educational tasting.

Board an open boat to cruise the canals of Tortuguero National Park, where mirror-still waters reflect misty rainforest. With a Local Specialist, spot howler monkeys and toucans, glide past basking caimans, and watch herons and egrets stalk the shallows.

These blackwater waterways thread through lowland Caribbean wetlands, a mosaic of lagoons and forest sheltering extraordinary biodiversity. As engine murmurs fade, listen for wingbeats and distant surf, and understand why this remote area is a vital sanctuary for wildlife along Costa Rica’s northern coast.

Stroll the wooden walkways of this boat-access community to visit Tortuguero Village, meeting Cloied, a beloved local from a pioneer family. In a cheerful kitchen, help prepare a traditional coconut dessert as you hear stories from pioneer families who built a life beside the canals.

Absorb the village’s Afro-Caribbean rhythms and conservation spirit while learning how coconut, spices, and fresh produce shape daily cooking. This convivial encounter supports local traditions and keeps Tortuguero’s flavors and oral histories alive.

Meet a Tico family on their forest-fringed farm to learn about sustainable heart-of-palm cultivation. Walk among palms, see careful harvesting that protects regrowth, and sample tender palmito in simple, bright preparations that showcase its delicate sweetness.

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experience advances Responsible Consumption and Production by valuing low-impact methods and local supply chains. Hear how mindful farming preserves biodiversity in Sarapiquí while providing dignified rural livelihoods.

Enter the green pastures of Hacienda Pozo Azul to meet the Quintana family and discover how this riverside property has become an eco-conscious retreat. Learn how they reduce their carbon footprint through reforestation, waste management, and community partnerships in the Sarapiquí River valley.

As you explore trails and orchards, hear how a family vision grew into a model for responsible tourism, supporting local jobs and conservation. The ranch’s farm-to-table ethos and wildlife-rich setting reveal a working landscape in thoughtful balance.

Gather in Monteverde to meet Monteverde’s Quaker descendants and hear first-hand stories from the 1950s migration from Alabama. Learn how a peace-minded farming community took root in these misty hills, shaping local conservation and cooperative traditions.

Personal recollections bring to life cheese-making beginnings, pacifist ideals, and the decision to protect the cloud forest that sustains the town. This intimate conversation illuminates Monteverde’s character beyond its trails and treetops.

Roll up your sleeves with Maricela and Edith to shape and cook traditional tortillas on a hot comal. Grind masa, press warm rounds, and share a home-style dinner of hearty Costa Rican classics beside a warm kitchen stove.

Stories flow as easily as coffee while you learn tips for perfecting texture and char. This convivial meal celebrates seasonal ingredients, family recipes, and the simple pleasures of cooking together in Monteverde’s highland air.

Rise to the forest roof to tread lightly along suspension bridges with panoramic canopy-level views. Watch for howler monkeys, emerald toucanets, and bromeliads glowing in diffuse cloud light as you move between platforms set high in the trees.

This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour. It pairs gentle adventure with superb photography opportunities, offering a different perspective from ground-level trails.

Slip into stable sit-on-top kayaks to paddle on Lake Arenal, tracing quiet coves and open water with broad views of Arenal Volcano. Glide past reed edges where herons and kingfishers hunt, feeling the serenity of calm morning waters or late-day light.

Offered at additional cost and bookable on tour, this outing includes gear, guidance, and a safety briefing—ideal for beginners and active travelers alike.

Soothe travel muscles as you soak in mineral-rich thermal pools naturally heated by Arenal’s volcanic energy. Linger beneath jungle foliage before an inviting dinner surrounded by rainforest, where lantern light and soft steam set an unhurried mood.

This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour. Towels and on-site facilities are typically available for comfort between pools and dining.

Join a local expert for a guided nature walk in the La Fortuna area, learning to learn about native wildlife from sloths and leafcutter ants to jewel-bright frogs. Gentle trails and interpretive stops turn the forest edge into an open-air classroom.

Available at additional cost and bookable on tour, this relaxed excursion suits curious travelers keen to sharpen wildlife-spotting skills and deepen their understanding of Arenal’s ecosystems.