¡Pura Vida!

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: San Jose

Depart from the USA. Arrive in the Costa Rican capital of San José, meet your ACIS Tour Manager, and begin to discover the country's famous Tico hospitality.

Day 2: Tortuguero

Begin today with an early drive through the spectacular cloud forest in Braulio Carrillo National Park, one of the few places in Costa Rica where a road winds through the rain forest. Keep your eyes peeled for sloths and quetzals as you go. Continue on a riverboat journey, which will take you to your lodge in Tortuguero. Enjoy spotting the wildlife as you travel, looking out for the West Indian manatee, caimans or spider monkeys hanging down over the river! All meals are included while in Tortuguero.

Day 3: Tortuguero

Wake up in Tortuguero National Park, home to the most important green sea turtle nesting ground in the Western Caribbean. Today's sightseeing adventure within the park includes boat tours and hiking. The park is comprised of a series of canals, mangroves, swamps and lagoons that create perfect opportunities to study not only the vegetation but also the multitude of wildlife.

Day 4: San Carlos

Leave Tortuguero and drive inland to the northern plains region of San Carlos. Arrive in the small town of La Fortuna, a sunny and charming little town a mere 4 miles from the Arenal Volcano. The volcano is a perfect cone more than 5,000 feet high.

Day 5: San Carlos

Today discover the beautiful La Fortuna Waterfall and hike to the swimming hole below. The water here is clear and cold, so in the evening, visit the nearby hot springs where you can take a dip in the hot pools. As you relax in the therapeutic, geothermal waters, look up at their source, the Arenal volcano, above!

Day 6: Monteverde

Today we travel to Monteverde and explore this important and intriguing cloud forest. Originally settled in the 1950s by a group of Quakers from Alabama, Monteverde Cloud Forest is home to more than 400 species of birds, 100 species of mammals and 2,500 species of plants including the jaguar, ocelot, Baird’s tapir, three-wattled bellbird, bare-necked umbrellabird, and the famously elusive resplendent quetzal. Once we arrive, you’ll have time to get settled and learn more about your natural surroundings.

Day 7: Monteverde

Today get ready for a different perspective on the forest as you will swing far above the forest floor on the world famous Monteverde Canopy Tour. You will have views from a series of platforms, suspension bridges and thrilling zip-lines.

Day 8: Puntarenas Region

Journey to the Carara Biological Reserve where the dry tropical forest meets the northern, greener forest. It was founded as a biological reserve in 1978 and remains one of the best sites for bird spotting in the country. Then arrive in on the Pacific Coast and spend the rest of the day getting a feel for the local culture and relaxing in beautiful natural surroundings.

Day 9: Puntarenas Region

Today explore Manuel Antonio National Park. Your guide leads you on a hike along the trails and introduces you to the park's numerous untouched beaches and local wildlife, like its friendly, white-faced Capuchin monkeys who play in the forests just behind the beach.

Day 10: Puntarenas Region

Today is free. Why not soak in more of the local culture during a relaxing day on the Pacific coast? There are shops to look for local handicrafts and a long sloping beach with inviting waves and warm water.

Day 11: San Jose

Enjoy a free morning on the beach today. Return to the capital and celebrate your last night in this beautiful country with a Costa Rican folklore show and dinner. You will experience the traditional songs, stories, dances and customs of the native Tico people.

Day 12: Departure

Depart for the USA.



Optional Extensions and Extra Nights:

Further immerse yourself in the culture and wonders of Costa Rica with an extra night in San José, including the services of your ACIS Tour Manager.