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Costa Rica Wildlife Holidays: Arenal Volcano + Sea Turtles, Ostional Beach + Osa Peninsula

Costa Rica (Turtles): Arenal + Nosara + Osa Peninsula
RRU14S

14 NIGHTS

FROM $5,979

Per person sharing

Flights quoted separately

Costa Rica Wildlife Holidays Sea Turtles Ostional Beach Osa Peninsula

Out tailor made Costa Rica wildlife holidays combine the hot springs & rainforest wildlife around the Arenal Volcano (including sloths, frogs, anteaters, toucans & so much more), with the opportunity to view sea turtles nesting or hatching on Ostional Beach. Also visit the magnificent Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula, before returning via Manuel Antonio & San Gerardo de Doto in the Central Highlands. All transfers included.

▲

• Costa Rica Wildlife Holidays	• Arenal Volcano	• Hanging Bridges	• Nosara
• Ostional Beach	• Sea Turtles	• Osa Peninsula	• Corcovado National Park
• Manuel Antonio National Park	• San Gerardo de Doto

▲

• Costa Rica Wildlife Holidays	• Arenal Volcano	• Hanging Bridges
• Nosara	• Ostional Beach	• Sea Turtles
• Osa Peninsula	• Corcovado National Park	• Manuel Antonio National Park
• San Gerardo de Doto

Day 1

You will be met at San Jose Airport and transferred to this capital city in the Central Valley, surrounded by the Talamanca Mountains to the south and the volcanoes of Poas, Irazu and Turrialba.

Check in to your hotel and relax in this modern city.

Day 2

Today transfer 3.5-hours from San Jose, travelling through beautiful Costa Rican mountain scenery towards Arenal Volcano - one of the most active in Central America, with a perfect cone that on a clear day is visible from almost anywhere in the area.

After driving through the mountains on narrow roads, your route crosses a large cattle and agricultural area, where chocolate is grown. Cacao was very important in the ancient Mayan and Aztec civilizations and today it is enjoyed throughout the world. Continue to La Fortuna, where you can relax surrounded by rainforests, waterfalls and thermal hot springs.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

Day 3

This morning enjoy a shared visit to the Mistico Hanging Bridges - a series of ten fixed and six suspension bridges, located in a natural corridor followed by migratory birds travelling between North and South America and offering wonderful views of the lake and volcano.

This 2-mile (3-km) trail will allow you to enjoy the great diversity of flora and fauna found inside this mountainous zone, as well as outstanding bird watching. Keep an eye out for howler monkeys, sloths, anteaters, coati, racoons and other rainforest wildlife. Birds you can hope to see include the Yellow-throated toucan, Crested guan, Grey-headed chachalaca, Baltimore oriole, Clay-coloured thrush and Red-throated ant tanager, amongst others.

Later in the day you will be transferred to Ecotermales Hot Springs, where you can relax surrounded by rainforest and enjoy an included dinner.

Note: Group size 2 to 12 per guide. The Hanging Bridges trail is not suitable if you have a fear of heights. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring binoculars & rain gear. Also sun hat, sunscreen, insect repellent, swimwear and water shoes for the hot springs.

Day 4

At leisure to explore more of the magnificent surroundings of La Fortuna and Arenal National Park, with its many natural hot springs (pay any entrance fees locally).

Optional activities include waterfall hikes, a visit to Arenal Observatory to walk its trails and photograph wildlife, river tubing, mountain biking, zip-lining, horse riding or a gentle cruise down the Penas Blanca River. If you are adventurous, you can try waterfall canyoning or white water rafting down the Rio Balsa (grade 2 & 3 rapids) or Rio Toro (grade 3 & 4 rapids).

Day tours are available to the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, the rainforests of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, the turquoise waters of the Rio Celeste, or across the border into Nicaragua to view the Penas Blancas Massif.

In the evening you can enjoy an optional guided night trail in search of nocturnal wildlife.

Day 5

Today leave La Fortuna and transfer 5-hours, travelling around Lake Arenal and through the beautiful landscapes of Guanacaste province to Nosara.

Check into your hotel in this small surfing town situated on the Nicoya Peninsula, with its stunning Pacific Ocean beaches and amazing sunsets.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

During the turtle nesting season, on arrival at your lodge you should immediately book your turtle tour for the following night, as these cannot be pre-arranged (pay locally - approx $60 pp).

Day 6

At leisure to enjoy the laid-back town of Nosara on the Pacific Coast, where access to the beach is through a 200 m strip of coastal forest where howler monkeys live, as well as armadillos, porcupines, green iguanas, squirrels, wild cats, crabs, pelicans and other wildlife. The Surf Club offers a convenient beach base for a daily fee (pay locally).

With its long wide beaches and consistent easy waves, this is one of the best places in the world to learn to surf. It is also a well-known yoga centre. Optional horse riding, snorkelling, fishing, canopy tours or kayaking through the mangroves of Nosara Reserve can be arranged (pay locally).

But the reason this town is most famous is because every year on nearby Ostional Beach hundreds of thousands of Olive Ridley sea turtles return to lay their eggs, the second largest nesting site in the world. Turtles nest all year, but for one or two nights every month between June to December an amazing natural phenomenon occurs known as the 'arribadas' (or 'arrival') – when tens of thousands of turtles come ashore simultaneously to nest and lay their eggs. This lasts for only a few days and usually occurs around new moon, but can never be guaranteed. Seeing a huge sea turtle lumbering ashore to dig a nest and lay her eggs, before returning to sea is an unforgettable experience, with the whole process taking about 1-hour.

Note: Nocturnal turtle tours set out at 8 pm and include a 30-minute transfer to Ostional Beach. Wear dark clothing to ensure you do not disturb the turtles, closed shoes and long trousers to protect your legs from mosquitos. Flashlights are not permitted. The best time to visit is around new moon (avoid full moon, as the turtles like the camouflage of darkness).

Day 7

A full day on the road today as you transfer 6.5-hours from Nosara to Manuel Antonio, a busy tourist town known for its sandy Pacific beaches surrounded by lush coastal rainforest.

Along the way we stop at the bridge over the Tarcoles River, one of four rivers flowing out into the Nicoya Peninsula and home to one of the world’s largest populations of American crocodiles, with some up to fifteen feet long. There are also over 50 different bird species here, including the rare scarlet macaw and a great variety of resident and migrant waterfowl, iguana and Jesus Christ lizards.

On arrival in Manuel Antonio, check into your hotel and relax in your verdant surroundings.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

Day 8

Rise early this morning to avoid the heat of the day for a 2-hour privately guided hike with a naturalist, through the tropical humid rainforest of Manuel Antonio National Park - the oldest and most visited national park in the country.

Situated on the Pacific Coast, this wildlife sanctuary consists of four protected white sandy beaches bordered by verdant tropical jungle. A series of boardwalks offer two main routes - either a direct 2-mile (3.2 km) hike to the main beach, or a longer 3.5-mile (5.6 km) circular hike that includes a second spectacular beach.

Over 100 mammals can be found here, as well as over 350 different bird species. You can hope to spot an adorable sloth - a tree-dwelling animal that sleeps for over 15 hours a day, whilst hanging from the branches of trees. The two-fingered sloth is largely nocturnal, so you are more likely to see the three-fingered sloth, although both species have excellent camouflage so can be hard to spot. These cute creatures move so slowly that algae grows on their fur. Look out for white-faced capuchins and cute squirrel monkeys and listen out for howler monkeys calling across the trees. You should see hermit crabs scurrying across the sands, halloween crabs (with their bright orange & black colouring) and may even see a bullfrog, Jesus Christ lizard (the brown basilisk that 'walks on water'), helmet basilisk, black spiny-tailed iguana, green anole lizard, caiman, American crocodile, fish moth, wax-tail hopper, rainbow grasshopper or spectacular blue morpho butterfly.

Birds you can hope to see include the Brown pelican flying in formation over the sea, Yellow-throated toucan, Tendin fruit bat, Long nosed bat, Mangrove hummingbird, Yellow-crowned night heron, Crowned woodnymph and Bananaquit amongst many others.

At the end of your hike you will be given the opportunity to relax on the beach for about an hour, before returning to your hotel. Your afternoon is at leisure.

Note: Manuel Antonio Park is closed on a Monday. Wear swimwear, comfortable walking shoes, shorts & T-shirt, as it will be very hot & humid. Bring water, binoculars, rain gear, sun hat, sunscreen, towel & insect repellent and expect this park to be very busy.

Day 9

Today is free to relax in Manuel Antonio.

Many activities are available in this bustling town - from returning to Manuel Antonio National Park for a second visit (pay locally) to relaxing on the beach. Optional activities include catamaran trips with snorkelling, boat rides to search for dolphins, boat rides or kayaking through the mangroves, deep sea fishing and surfing. You can also transfer to nearby Biesanz Beach, where you can snorkel (pay locally).

If you are adventurous you can participate in exciting zip-lining, or enjoy white river rafting down the Rio Naranjo (grade 3 & 4 rapids) or Rio Savegre (grade 2 & 3 rapids).

Day 10

This morning transfer 2.5-hours by shared shuttle from Manuel Antonio to the small town of Sierpe.

From here you will take a scenic shared 1.5-hour boat ride to reach your lodge situated near Drake Bay on the spectacular Osa Peninsula. Half of this ride will be through the mangroves of the Sierpe River delta and the other half will be along the Pacific Coast, with a wet landing at your lodge.

With the Golfo Dulce ('Sweet Gulf') to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west, the Osa Peninsula is a paradise of primary rainforest, empty beaches and backwater settlements. Check into your lodge surrounded by the lush vegetation and wildlife of Corcovado National Park.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish. When travelling by shuttle, your luggage is restricted to one suitcase and one item of hand luggage.

As your boat departs at a set time, arrive in good time to change into shorts and water shoes for your wet landing. Each lodge has a specified pick-up point & departure time (eg for Casa Corcovado, arrive at La Hacienda by 11.00 for the 11.30 boat departure). Most Corcovado lodges are closed from the beginning of October to mid November.

Day 11

We set off early this morning on a shared excursion to explore Corcovado National Park, a virgin tropical rainforest that is home to over half of all wildlife species found in Costa Rica.

National Geographic magazine has called Corcovado "the most biologically intense place on earth", with more than 500 different trees, over 400 birds, 140 mammals, 117 reptiles/amphibians and over 40 species of freshwater fish. Depending on the location of your lodge, it will take about 1.5-hours by speedboat to reach the Sirena ranger station (with a wet landing), followed by a guided nature hike, crossing many small streams as we discover the park's varied flora and fauna.

Wildlife you can hope to see here include endangered species such as the Scarlet macaw and Squirrel monkey, as well as the iconic sloth. Keep an eye out for magnificent birds such as toucans, parrots, tanagers and manakins. These rainforests are also home to the howler monkey, white-faced monkey, spider monkey, white-lipped peccary, collared peccary, poison dart frog, tyra, coati, agouti, American crocodile, caiman and the shy and secretive tapir. If you are very fortunate you may even see a small wild cat such as the ocelot or jaguarundi. Puma (also known as mountain lion or cougar) and jaguar also live here but are rarely seen.

After an included picnic lunch on the beach, we return 1.5-hours by boat to our lodge. In the warm ocean you can hope to see dolphins and whales, as there are two whale watching seasons. From mid July until mid October, humpback whales travel up from Antarctica to breed, whilst from December to March northern hemisphere whales travel down from Alaska, but these are much harder to see. Although not often seen, three species of sea turtles nest on this side of the Osa Peninsula - the small Olive Ridley turtle that you will see most often (year round, but best seen July to November at new moon), the endangered Green turtle (July/August) and the vulnerable Leatherback (September to March).

Note: Wear shorts & water shoes for the wet landing and good walking shoes. Also take water, swimsuit, towel and rain gear. Not recommended if you are pregnant or have back, respiratory or heart problems, as the boat ride can be rough at times.

Day 12

It is not necessary to leave the grounds of your lodge to enjoy the wildlife of the Osa Peninsula, as birds and rainforest wildlife are all around you.

There are many nature trails for you to explore, as well as miles of pristine beaches. Birdlife is colourful and abundant with scarlet macaws, toucans, parrots, tanagers and so much more. Other wildlife you can hope to see include the sloth, howler monkey, white-faced capuchin, spider monkey, squirrel monkey, poison dart frog, tyra, coati and agouti. It is rare to see tapirs, but December to February offer the best opportunities.

Optional activities vary by lodge (pay locally) but usually include nature walks, bird watching, night walks to discover nocturnal wildlife, kayaking in the mangrove, horse riding, fishing, boat rides to search for dolphins and two seasons of whale watching (mid July to mid October for humpback whales migrating from Antarctica; and December to March for northern hemisphere whales travelling down from Alaska, but they tend to pass much further offshore so are much harder to see).

You can also book a snorkelling or diving excursion to Caño Island and additional visits to Corcovado National Park - but these require wildlife permits, so must be booked in advance.

Day 13

This morning take the 1.5-hour boat ride from Drake Bay along the mangrove-lined river back to Sierpe.

Here will be met and transferred 3.5-hours to San Gerardo de Dota, nestled in a pristine steeply walled mountain valley high in the Talamanca Mountains at 7,200 ft (2,200 m).

The cloud forests of Los Quetzales National Park and Savegre Reserve are filled with massive oaks and other native highland species and this is the best birding spot in the country for regional endemics, with more that 50 found in these central highlands. This area is also part of the Los Santos Forest Reserve, a biological corridor for a large number of wildlife - some in danger of extinction. It is a haven for both bird watchers and walkers.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

Day 14

Rise early for a private morning birding walk with a guide from your lodge.

This region is famous for its large population of Resplendent Quetzal - a bird that is sacred to the indigenous people and is one of the most beautiful birds in the Americas. We start the day looking for this bird, but over 175 other birds have also been identified in this small town.

While seeing a quetzal will be our main goal, this valley is also an excellent place to see all the specialty birds of the region. Some of the regional highland endemics we are likely to see include the Highland tinamou, Red-tailed hawk, Black guan, Sulphur-winged parakeet, Ruddy treerunner, Silvery-fronted tapaculo, Sooty robin, Ruddy pigeon, Scintillant hummingbird, White-throated mountaingem, Purple-throated mountaingem, Emerald toucanet and many flycatchers, trogons, tanagers, sparrows and hummingbirds such as the White-throated mountaingem, Scintillant hummingbird and Purple-throated mountaingem.

As you are at a fairly high altitude (7,000 ft / 2,400 m), remember to not to exert yourself.

Day 15

Transfer 3-hours to San Jose Airport for your flight home.

Note: Your driver will only speak Spanish.

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