Welcome to Costa Rica! Upon arrival at the San Jose International Airport, proceed past Immigration and Customs. In the exit terminal, you will be greeted by a local representative and driven directly to your hotel, for a smooth and comfortable start to your adventure!

At the hotel, your guide will present you with all of the necessary documentation for your trip and answer any questions you may have, before you are left to enjoy the rest of the day as you desire.

San Jose

Historic neighborhoods in Costa Rica are laced with delicious international restaurants and bustling shopping streets. The city's art scene is popping and huge colorful murals blend harmoniously beside small unique art galleries. Like many Latin American capitals, it's the colonial architecture that truly gives the streets of San Jose their charm, and is a welcome break from the ever-modernizing city attributes. As a city that primarily hosts travelers arriving and departing from Costa Rica specifically, San Jose fills its role perfectly. An introduction, a gateway and a welcoming!

This morning, you'll be picked up at your hotel for a shared luxury bus transfer from San Jose to the boat launch near Tortuguero National Park. From here, you will take a boat shuttle to your eco-lodge in the jungle. The whole journey by minibus and boat takes about 5-6 hours. All meals are included at the lodge due to the isolation of the location.

Evergreen Lodge Tortuguero Lodge Activities

Your stay at Evergreen Lodge includes a guided visit to the Sea Turtle Conservancy Museum, where you can learn more about the different species of sea turtles that nest and lay their eggs on the beaches of Tortuguero. A guided tour of the picturesque town of Tortuguero is also included, where you can learn a bit about the customs and daily life of the local people. You can also take a guided tour of the lodge's private nature trails or take walks along the beach searching for nesting turtles. Tall trees and leafy nature surround this sustainable lodge and their bilingual guides are experts at finding and explaining the jungle's flora and fauna. The Penitencia Canal flows in front of the lodge and a series of canals can be navigated to enjoy Tortuguero National Park, Costa Rica's version of the Amazon. (This service is on a group basis.)

Tortuguero

This national park is the world's most important breeding ground for the green sea turtle, which lends its name to this region's moniker. With over 240 inches of rain every year, this is also one of the wettest places in the country. The canals that form most of the protected land flow into the Caribbean, which is also protected, forms hundreds of square miles of aquatic national park in this region. Other than the canals, most travelers will come here for the turtles, whose hatching grounds are closely monitored, insuring the continual growth of the green sea turtle population.

National Park Boat Exploration

Today, you will enjoy a wildlife-rich Tortuguero adventure, touring the navigable rainforest canals by boat. This excursion will allow you the chance to see a large diversity of bird species, monkeys, sloths, crocodiles, and iguanas. You will want to have your camera ready at all times!

Tortuguero National Park is known as Costa Rica’s "little Amazon". There are no roads - travel is by boat along a series of rivers and canals or by foot on forest paths. The park consists of a network of waterways surrounded by a vast tropical rainforest and is one of the best places to observe wildlife in Costa Rica. This region is a must for those who want to experience the amazing wonders of the tropical rainforest! During your explorations here, you will likely see 2 or 3 species of monkeys, iguanas, crested basilisk lizards (they look like miniature dinosaurs!), sloths, lots of water birds, toucans, parrots, parakeets, caiman (cousins of alligators), and possibly crocodiles, as well as colorful tropical forest birds. (This service is on a group basis.)

Today you will say goodbye to Tortuguero and transfer by boat and car to the Tortuguero airstrip. From here, you will take a charter flight back to San Jose, where a private driver will meet you and escort you to your next destination, the Rio Perdido Hotel & Thermal River in the Guanacaste region on the western side of Costa Rica. The drive takes about 4 hours.

Rio Perdido was designed to be in perfect harmony with its surroundings. Spend your days swimming in the abundant, completely natural hot springs, along a mile of thermal gorge that cuts right through the spectacular, 600-acre reserve. Witness a seemingly endless variety of exotic flora and fauna throughout 20 plus miles of hiking trails. Enjoy zip-lining, mountain biking and white water tubing, or if you prefer to relax, lounge by the pool, savor true Costa Rican cuisine prepared by local culinary artists, do some yoga on our cliff-side pods or visit our spa, for the region’s best treatments.

Rio Perdido: Canyon Adventure

There are hundreds of zip line tours throughout Costa Rica, but none are quite like the ones offered at Rio Perdido! The main stage of any zip line tour is the view and nothing compares to sailing through the Rio Blanco canyon. This tour includes 15 platforms, including 6 rock-based platforms and 9 suspended from the canyon walls. Other features of this zip line include: a pendulum cable; a 15-meter Tarzan swing; a 27-meter challenge bridge; 4 via ferratas and 5 zip lines with varying lengths from 80 meters to over 245 meters. (This service is on a group basis.)

Rio Perdido: Las Tumbas Panoramic Hike

This afternoon you will join a guided group hike to the panoramic lookout point known as Las Tumbas. This a 5km (3 mile) hike out and back with the option for an 8-10 km (5-6 mile) loop for those wanting a more challenging hike. The views from the top are impressive, as you gaze over the eroded volcanic rock formations in this area. You'll begin with a gentle ascent through a dry forest, crossing some bridges and creeks along the way, and then some steeper sections just before the top, but the views are worth it. On a clear day you can see Tenorio Volcano and Mitavalles Volcano in the distance. (This service is on a group basis.)

Rio Perdido: Blanco River Tubing

Rio Perdido's white water tubing is beyond compare! Picture yourself surrounded by white canyon walls as you glide through on the magical waters of Rio Perdido. We use the most modern equipment available to assist you in safely traversing the river while the magic of the canyon teases your senses. There are parts of the canyon where the rock walls narrow, and daylight is scarce for just long enough for your heart to race with excitement. Echoes grow louder as you continue through the canyon, and if you remain quiet for a bit, you will find that you are not alone. Birds, monkeys, and, occasionally, some larger mammals will announce their presence. Be sure to look for the hot water spouts along the eastern rock walls. This is a nearly indescribable and rare experience to be at one with nature.

**Please take note that this activity is not suitable for everyone. While a slow float will take you through most of the trajectory, there are several intense rapids along the way. There is always a chance of making contact with some of the exposed rocks, resulting in bruising and even minor cuts. This is more likely to occur in the dry season, when the current slows and the water level drops, as more rocks become exposed. (This service is on a group basis.)

Today, after breakfast and check-out time at Rio Perdido, your private driver will transfer you to your next hotel on Playa Carrillo. The drive should take about 3 hours. Spend the rest of the day relaxing at the beach.

Guanacaste: Chora Island Kayak & Snorkel Tour

Kayaking and Snorkeling at Chora Island is an excellent combination tour to kayak to a beautiful tropical island near Playa Samara and Playa Carrillo where you can then go snorkeling. On this tour, your will be picked up from your hotel and driven down to the beach at the town of Samara circling a sandy cove and shaded by tropical palm trees. Upon arrival, your guide will launch the open sea kayaks into the water, and with a partner you will settle into the kayak seats with lifejackets and paddles. Riding in a double kayak is more fun and a lot easier than a single kayak because you’ll move more powerfully through the gentle waves. Plus it’s fun to share the experience with a fellow traveler or loved one. Your guide will paddle along with you to ensure your safety and show you where to go. When you make it across the bay to Chora Island you can pull up onto the beach and your guide will help you out of your kayak. Next you will receive high quality, well maintained snorkeling gear for your underwater journey. The turquoise ocean water in this area is typically crystal clear and calm, with excellent visibility for snorkeling during most times of year. Your guide will swim along with you and point out the marine life living in this seemingly quiet world. Many varieties of colorful tropical fish, sea turtles, star fish, octopus, eels and interesting looking blowfish, to name a few, make their home here. Depending on the time of year and visibility, you may also stop at a coral reef along the way to do some snorkeling in that area before heading to the island.

The white sandy beach on Isla Chora is beautiful and provides a great spot to relax and stretch your legs. After snorkeling, if time allows, feel free to lay in the sand or walk the beach. Your guide will be busily chopping up tropical fruit so that you can refuel before your paddle back to the mainland. Bottled water and fruit juice will also be provided.

Due to the time you’ll be spending out in the tropical sun you’ll want to be sure to wear sunscreen, a hat and sun protective clothing. Ocean kayaking is a moderate activity and participants should know how to swim. All snorkel and kayak gear is provided. (This service is on a group basis.)

Enjoy this free time at your leisure on Playa Carrillo.

Today, you will be met and transferred to the Liberia (LIR) airport for your international departing flight. The drive takes about 2 hours and you should allow at least 2 hours for check-in time before you schedule your flight. We hope you enjoyed your birthday experience in Costa Rica and we wish you a safe and pleasant flight home.