Luxury in the Jungle: Monteverde, Arenal & Islita

Upon arrival to Juan Santamaría International Airport in San Jose, please proceed through Customs, collect your baggage and proceed to Arrivals. Once in the Arrivals hall, please look for a representative holding a sign with your name on it. This representative will lead you to your awaiting private vehicle, which will then transfer you to your hotel. Approximate transfer time is 3 hours. Upon arrival, check-in to your room and enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Koora Hotel at Monteverde

This two and a half hour tour begins with an introductory video about the Monteverde Cloud Forest, during which you will be briefed on the hike ahead, the park rules, and receive a flashlight to start the walk. The tour begins at the El Colibrí Gallery, where you are likely to see flying bats. Afterwards, the trails extend for approximately 1.8 kilometers (1.1 miles) surrounded by lush vegetation and where there is wide array of different animals including insects, birds and nocturnal mammals. This tour provides an excellent opportunity to experience the true nightlife of the forest, to appreciate the different perspectives of the jungle when it gets dark, and to observe the behavior of some animals and plants during the night, with fluorescent mushrooms and fireflies playing a feature role in the show. After experiencing the magical nature of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve by night, you will be returned to your hotel in Monteverde.

Following breakfast, enjoy a scenic trip from Monteverde to Arenal. You will leave your hotel in a minibus and drive for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes to Lake Arenal. Upon arrival, you will board a comfortable and safe pontoon-type boat, and after a 30-40 minute journey, arrive on the other side of the lake. Lake Arenal is the largest and most important in Costa Rica. It is of artificial origin – built in 1974 in order to obtain hydroelectric power for the country – and is also a place where you can spot a variety of resident and migratory birds, and often times mammals like monkeys and sloths. You will also take in excellent views of the Arenal Volcano when it is not cloudy. After disembarking the boat, continue onward by land for approximately 30 minutes to your hotel in Arenal. Total travel time is approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes. On arrival, the balance of the day is at leisure.

Accommodation: Arenal Glamping Boutique Hotel

Discover the beauty of Lake Arenal and the National Park on this full-day tour. The tour begins with a 20-minute drive from your hotel to the Peninsula section of the National Park, near Lake Arenal. Here you will begin a 1.5 km (roughly 1 mile) long walk along an easy trail for about an hour. Throughout the tour, you can enjoy excellent views overlooking Lake Arenal and the Tilaran Volcanic Mountain Range from the bays that are found along the trail. At the end of the walk, you will have the opportunity to climb to an observation platform approximately 12 meters (40 ft) high for an amazing view of the volcano and receive a full explanation of its history, activity cycles, and geological formation. At the end of the trail, you will enjoy a snack of fresh fruit before boarding a boat for a tour along the forested shores of Lake Arenal and islets to try and spot some wildlife. This is the ideal place to take scenic photographs of the volcano if it is clear. You will cross the lake and soon reach the town of El Castillo, a small developing community where a family business will welcome you with open arms to share a snack of traditional food accompanied by typical drinks; café chorreado, agua dulce, or natural juice, all while enjoying the view of Lake Arenal. After this relaxing break, you will take the boat again to navigate the lake to the pier where a minibus will be waiting to return you to the hotel.

The Arenal area is well known for the diversity of its fauna, however, one of the most popular species is the sloth. During this activity, you will have the opportunity to admire two or three fingers sloths, these being the most popular species in the region, and you will also learn about their many unique quirks. Your guide will look for the best places to observe them in their natural habitat, leading you through beautiful open areas in La Fortuna and, with a little luck, you will spot many more species such as the multicolored toucan, the poison dart frog, iguanas, and monkeys, among others.

Following breakfast, settle in for a private transfer from Arenal to Punta Islita. Approximate travel time is 5 hours and 30 minutes through winding roads. Upon arrival to Punta Islita, check-in and take stock of the simply spectacular scenery surrounding you; this is your home for the next two nights. Surrounded by the ocean though nestled in the forested cliffs above the break, this resort also is host to a selection of complimentary adventures and experiences that you are invited to join.

Accommodation: Hotel Punta Islita, Autograph Collection

On your full day here at Punta Islita, consider setting out in search of the Scarlet macaw, or perhaps take a leisurely paddle through the mangroves on a kayak. Alternatively, perhaps you'll wish to spend the day soaking in the various pools; by the beach, at the club, or in the infinity pool overlooking the ocean (guests must be 16 and up to access the infinity pool). Or maybe you would prefer to indulge in a soothing spa treatment (available at additional cost, purchased on-site). Whatever you choose, you're sure to enjoy your time at this stunning eco-resort.

After a final breakfast at the resort, you will be transfered to the Liberia Airport in time for your onward flight. Approximate transfer time is 2 hours and 45 minutes.