Costa Rica budget vacation
| country: | Costa Rica |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 25 Nov, 23 Dec 2009: 20 Jan, 3 Mar, 24 Mar, 14 Apr |
| price: | From £310 (10 days) excluding flights plus US $200 local payment. Prices include transport and accommodation, meals are not included. We can arrange flights from the UK |
read 2 travellers reviews
the amazing things you'll be doing
This tour offers a snapshot of one of Central America's friendliest and most beautiful countries. With twenty five percent of the country devoted to national parks and reserves, this is a nature lover's paradise and the sheer quantity and diversity of wildlife is staggering. Mix this in with some stunning Caribbean beaches and some impressive volcanoes and you are in for a sensational holiday.
This operator gives clients the option of offsetting carbon emissions on all of its holidays. In conjunction with Climate Friendly we have established an appropriate cash amount for each of our holidays, based on the type of transportation used and the distances travelled. This amount is donated to Climate Friendly and used to support new renewable energy projects that prevent greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. The amount required to offset this holiday is £1 - this does not include your international flight.
This operator gives clients the option of offsetting carbon emissions on all of its holidays. In conjunction with Climate Friendly we have established an appropriate cash amount for each of our holidays, based on the type of transportation used and the distances travelled. This amount is donated to Climate Friendly and used to support new renewable energy projects that prevent greenhouse gases from entering our atmosphere. The amount required to offset this holiday is £1 - this does not include your international flight.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1-2: | San Jose. Your time is your own in San Jose so you may arrive at anytime on Day 1. Nestled in a fertile valley, most of the city's colonial buildings have been rebuilt following a series of earthquakes over the years, however, the beautiful National Theatre is a must see, and the city has some excellent museums waiting to be discovered |
| Day 3-4: | Monteverde. We climb into the mountains to the village of Monteverde. The world-renowned Monteverde Cloud Forest is home to more than 100 species of mammal, over 400 species of birds and 2500 species of plants. The area is acclaimed as one of the most outstanding wildlife refuges in the New World Tropics. You have the option here of taking to the giant 'sky walk', a series of suspension bridges in the canopy, over 40 metres high |
| Day 5-6: | La Fortuna & Arenal. Next stop is the town of La Fortuna, whose main attraction is the nearby Arenal Volcano. This active volcano is a spectacular sight, especially at night, as molten lava can often be seen discharging from the crater. During our stay we will take a hike around the volcano and we can enjoy a dip at the beautiful Fortuna waterfalls. You can also enjoy some optional activities such as horseback riding and whitewater rafting |
| Day 7-8: | Cahuita National Park. We continue on to the small town of Cahuita, located on the Caribbean coast. Here the sandy beach is perfect for swimming and snorkelling. In the National Park wildlife abounds and there are great opportunities for glimpses of coatis, sloths, armadillos, iguanas, howler and capuchin monkeys and a host of other wildlife |
| Day 9-10: | Puerto Viejo & San Jose. The wonderful beach town of Puerto Viejo holds many surprises. With its laid back attitude and Afro-Caribbean lifestyle, you can be assured of a fun time here. Long walks on pristine beaches, snorkelling or diving among the many reefs in crystal clear waters, world-class surfing and mountain biking are just some of the activities that await you. On our final day we return by bus to San Jose where our Costa Rican holiday ends |
travellers' tales
It's no surprise that the most fantastic part of the trip was being close to the animals without bars between us. We visited amazing creatures in their "homes" without harming their surroundings. (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.
award winner how this holiday makes a difference
|
By participating in this trip you are making a difference in two key ways. Costa Rica is 25% national park and we spend a great deal of time in these parks, spotting a wide range of wildlife. A progressive, sustainable approach to wildlife-based tourism in Costa Rica means that by visiting these parks, we are supporting them financially and ensuring their success.
This trip is focused on respecting and benefiting the local people and the environment of this country. On this trip you will be lead by an experienced local leader passionate about their country's history, heritage and natural beauty that will help you to get 'under the skin' of their country and see it through the eyes of a local. This trip stays at locally run accommodation; we eat at local restaurants and travel on local transport. This ensures the financial return to the local economy opens up training and employment opportunities - and allows for informal and meaningful interaction between our travellers and local people. We are constantly seeking new and innovative ways of neutralising our impact on the environment. We will become the first Australian adventure tour operator to offer a voluntary carbon offsetting option on the land component of all its tours, as well as the accompanying flights. Our Community Trust provides funds for local community projects and initiatives that promote responsible and sustainable tourism development in the destinations in which we operate. First and foremost, but not exclusively, the Trust supports projects and initiatives that advance education and employment within the tourism and hospitality industry. The Trust operates on a not-for-profit basis, with every cent of funds donated by us, our staff and our travellers, going to the nominated projects. The maximum group size on all of our adventures is 16 passengers – with exception of some African trips (24 max) and in the Polar Regions, where our ship carries a maximum of 110 passengers. Travelling in small groups ensures we make significantly less impact on the natural environment, as well as breaking down many of the communication barriers presented by a larger group. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |