COSTA RICA WONDERS WITH TORTUGUERO and MANUEL ANTONIO (ILAF2012)

Day 1:
Arrive San José, Costa Rica. Arrive in San José, where you will be met by your Local Host. (B)

Day 2:
San José–Tortuguero National Park. Early this morning, travel east to the northern Caribbean’s lowlands. In the first part of the trip, admire beautiful evergreen mountains and beautiful landscapes of Braulio Carrillo National Park. Once on the Caribbean side, continue to the Caño Blanco Dock, where you will board a BOAT to take you to TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK. A 2.5-hour boat ride will take you through the canals sheltered in the jungle of the rainforest. From the boat you will be able to admire the unique flora and fauna of this area. Upon arrival at your hotel there will be short briefing followed by lunch. In the afternoon, visit the village of Tortuguero, where you learn the lifestyle of local residents and the significant conservation efforts developed to protect the sea turtles that come to spawn each year along the 22 miles of nearby protected coastline. (B,L,D)

Day 3:
Tortuguero National Park. Your guide accompanies you on a leisurely BOAT RIDE along remote, unspoiled sections of the park’s waterways, explaining the bountiful flora and fauna. Later, enjoy a fascinating STROLL through an accessible portion of the nearby rainforest and learn how the different animals, insects, and birds interact with forest plants, thus achieving a perfect balance of each species. During the peak nesting season (mid-July to mid-October) you may be lucky enough to observe an endangered green turtle laying her eggs under the starlight. (B,L,D)

Day 4:
Tortuguero–Arenal. Take an early morning flight back to San José. From here, journey to the artisan town of Sarchi before stopping for a typical Costa Rican lunch in La Fortuna. Continue to the Arenal Volcano area, where you will stay two nights. In the afternoon, take a guided WALK through the lava trails of the volcano and appreciate how nature has found a way to recover from past lava flows. After the walk, visit the famous TABACÓN HOT SPRINGS and take a dip in the natural springs and pools of mineral waters surrounded by lush, tropical forest. Enjoy dinner at the Hot Springs. (B,L,D)

Day 5:
Arenal. Today is at your leisure to explore on your own. Perhaps visit the Arenal Hanging Bridges, a network of suspension bridges, platforms, and trails built in the cloud forest. From here, explore the forest canopy with a bird’s-eye view, giving you a different perspective of the forest’s wildlife. Alternatively, you may choose a rafting adventure, horseback riding, or spelunking in nearby Venado Caves. (B)

Day 6:
Arenal–Monteverde. This morning, begin with a short BOAT ride across Arenal Lake and admire different species of birds that visit and call the area home. Continue through incredible mountain scenery and MONTEVERDE CLOUD FOREST, home to over 3,000 plant species as well as approximately 120 mammal species, 400 bird species, and 1,200 species of amphibians and reptiles. This afternoon, visit SELVATURA PARK and take a walk on the suspension bridges through the cloud forest canopy. A great opportunity for nature lovers and birdwatchers! Also, don’t miss the butterfly and hummingbird gardens. (B)

Day 7:
Monteverde. Enjoy a day to do as you please. Maybe wake up early and visit Santa Elena Cloud Forest to best experience the animals in their natural forest habitats. Discover this misty and surreal wildlife sanctuary full of mosses, ferns, flowers, and other indigenous plant life. Also notice how the combination of climatic and geographic factors create temperature and humidity gradients, changing dramatically over just a short distance, or you could visit a local family’s farm to learn about sugarcane, coffee, and tilapia farming. (B)

Day 8:
Monteverde–Manuel Antonio. Today, transfer to one of the most popular destinations in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio. This trip will take you through the scenic mountains toward the majestic shores of the Pacific Ocean. Notice the beauty of the landscapes and appreciate how vegetation and weather change from the dry forest to rainforest. In Manuel Antonio you will discover a beach destination that offers the opportunity to interact with Mother Nature in magnificent Manuel Antonio National Park. (B)

Day 9:
Manuel Antonio. Take a Naturalist guided walking TOUR to MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK, considered one of the most beautiful areas in Costa Rica. It combines a beach of crystal-clear waters with coral reefs bordered by exuberant tropical vegetation and rainforest. Once in the park, your Naturalist guides you along different trails to observe the abundant flora and fauna of the tropical forest. In particular, several species of monkeys, iguanas, birds and possibly even the three-toed sloth can be seen. One of the trails borders Cathedral Point, where the view of the park and the sea is spectacular. During the afternoon you can relax at your hotel or you can participate in one of the optional activities offered in the area. (B)

Day 10:
Manuel Antonio. Spend today exploring at your leisure. For the more active, consider a jungle hike suited to all abilities. Other activities include horseback riding, canopy tours, snorkeling, deep-sea fishing, and much more. (B)

Day 11:
Manuel Antonio–San José. Return to San José today. (B)

Day 12:
San José. Your vacation ends after breakfast this morning. (B)

Touring Date	Land Only	Land + Air	Single (Land Only)	Single (Land + Air)
5/19/2012 - 5/30/2012	$1,549
5/20/2012 - 5/31/2012	$1,549
5/21/2012 - 6/1/2012	$1,549
5/22/2012 - 6/2/2012	$1,549
5/23/2012 - 6/3/2012	$1,549
5/24/2012 - 6/4/2012	$1,549
5/25/2012 - 6/5/2012	$1,549
5/26/2012 - 6/6/2012	$1,549
5/27/2012 - 6/7/2012	$1,549
5/28/2012 - 6/8/2012	$1,549
5/29/2012 - 6/9/2012	$1,549
5/30/2012 - 6/10/2012	$1,549
5/31/2012 - 6/11/2012	$1,549
6/1/2012 - 6/12/2012	$1,549
6/2/2012 - 6/13/2012	$1,549
6/3/2012 - 6/14/2012	$1,549
6/4/2012 - 6/15/2012	$1,549
6/5/2012 - 6/16/2012	$1,549
6/6/2012 - 6/17/2012	$1,549
6/7/2012 - 6/18/2012	$1,549
6/8/2012 - 6/19/2012	$1,549
6/9/2012 - 6/20/2012	$1,549
6/10/2012 - 6/21/2012	$1,549
6/11/2012 - 6/22/2012	$1,549
6/12/2012 - 6/23/2012	$1,549
6/13/2012 - 6/24/2012	$1,549
6/14/2012 - 6/25/2012	$1,549
6/15/2012 - 6/26/2012	$1,549
6/16/2012 - 6/27/2012	$1,549
6/17/2012 - 6/28/2012	$1,549
6/18/2012 - 6/29/2012	$1,549
6/19/2012 - 6/30/2012	$1,549
6/20/2012 - 7/1/2012	$1,549
6/21/2012 - 7/2/2012	$1,549
6/22/2012 - 7/3/2012	$1,549
6/23/2012 - 7/4/2012	$1,549
6/24/2012 - 7/5/2012	$1,549
6/25/2012 - 7/6/2012	$1,549
6/26/2012 - 7/7/2012	$1,549
6/27/2012 - 7/8/2012	$1,549
6/28/2012 - 7/9/2012	$1,549
6/29/2012 - 7/10/2012	$1,579
6/30/2012 - 7/11/2012	$1,579
7/1/2012 - 7/12/2012	$1,579
7/2/2012 - 7/13/2012	$1,579
7/3/2012 - 7/14/2012	$1,579
7/4/2012 - 7/15/2012	$1,579
7/5/2012 - 7/16/2012	$1,579
7/6/2012 - 7/17/2012	$1,579
7/7/2012 - 7/18/2012	$1,579
7/8/2012 - 7/19/2012	$1,579
7/9/2012 - 7/20/2012	$1,579
7/10/2012 - 7/21/2012	$1,579
7/11/2012 - 7/22/2012	$1,579
7/12/2012 - 7/23/2012	$1,579
7/13/2012 - 7/24/2012	$1,579
7/14/2012 - 7/25/2012	$1,579
7/15/2012 - 7/26/2012	$1,579
7/16/2012 - 7/27/2012	$1,579
7/17/2012 - 7/28/2012	$1,579
7/18/2012 - 7/29/2012	$1,579
7/19/2012 - 7/30/2012	$1,579
7/20/2012 - 7/31/2012	$1,579
7/21/2012 - 8/1/2012	$1,579
7/22/2012 - 8/2/2012	$1,579
7/23/2012 - 8/3/2012	$1,579
7/24/2012 - 8/4/2012	$1,579
7/25/2012 - 8/5/2012	$1,579
7/26/2012 - 8/6/2012	$1,579
7/27/2012 - 8/7/2012	$1,579
7/28/2012 - 8/8/2012	$1,579
7/29/2012 - 8/9/2012	$1,579
7/30/2012 - 8/10/2012	$1,579
7/31/2012 - 8/11/2012	$1,579
8/1/2012 - 8/12/2012	$1,579
8/2/2012 - 8/13/2012	$1,579
8/3/2012 - 8/14/2012	$1,579
8/4/2012 - 8/15/2012	$1,579
8/5/2012 - 8/16/2012	$1,579
8/6/2012 - 8/17/2012	$1,579
8/7/2012 - 8/18/2012	$1,579
8/8/2012 - 8/19/2012	$1,579
8/9/2012 - 8/20/2012	$1,579
8/10/2012 - 8/21/2012	$1,579
8/11/2012 - 8/22/2012	$1,579
8/12/2012 - 8/23/2012	$1,579
8/13/2012 - 8/24/2012	$1,579
8/14/2012 - 8/25/2012	$1,579
8/15/2012 - 8/26/2012	$1,579
8/16/2012 - 8/27/2012	$1,579
8/17/2012 - 8/28/2012	$1,579
8/18/2012 - 8/29/2012	$1,579
8/19/2012 - 8/30/2012	$1,579
8/20/2012 - 8/31/2012	$1,579
8/21/2012 - 9/1/2012	$1,579
8/22/2012 - 9/2/2012	$1,579
8/23/2012 - 9/3/2012	$1,579
8/24/2012 - 9/4/2012	$1,579
8/25/2012 - 9/5/2012	$1,579
8/26/2012 - 9/6/2012	$1,579
8/27/2012 - 9/7/2012	$1,579
8/28/2012 - 9/8/2012	$1,579
8/29/2012 - 9/9/2012	$1,579
8/30/2012 - 9/10/2012	$1,549
8/31/2012 - 9/11/2012	$1,549
9/1/2012 - 9/12/2012	$1,549
9/2/2012 - 9/13/2012	$1,549
9/3/2012 - 9/14/2012	$1,549
9/4/2012 - 9/15/2012	$1,549
9/5/2012 - 9/16/2012	$1,549
9/6/2012 - 9/17/2012	$1,549
9/7/2012 - 9/18/2012	$1,549
9/8/2012 - 9/19/2012	$1,549
9/9/2012 - 9/20/2012	$1,549
9/10/2012 - 9/21/2012	$1,549
9/11/2012 - 9/22/2012	$1,549
9/12/2012 - 9/23/2012	$1,549
9/13/2012 - 9/24/2012	$1,549
9/14/2012 - 9/25/2012	$1,549
9/15/2012 - 9/26/2012	$1,549
9/16/2012 - 9/27/2012	$1,549
9/17/2012 - 9/28/2012	$1,549
9/18/2012 - 9/29/2012	$1,549
9/19/2012 - 9/30/2012	$1,549
9/20/2012 - 10/1/2012	$1,549
9/21/2012 - 10/2/2012	$1,549
9/22/2012 - 10/3/2012	$1,549
9/23/2012 - 10/4/2012	$1,549
9/24/2012 - 10/5/2012	$1,549
9/25/2012 - 10/6/2012	$1,549
9/26/2012 - 10/7/2012	$1,549
9/27/2012 - 10/8/2012	$1,549
9/28/2012 - 10/9/2012	$1,549
9/29/2012 - 10/10/2012	$1,549
9/30/2012 - 10/11/2012	$1,549
10/1/2012 - 10/12/2012	$1,549
10/2/2012 - 10/13/2012	$1,549
10/3/2012 - 10/14/2012	$1,549
10/4/2012 - 10/15/2012	$1,549
10/5/2012 - 10/16/2012	$1,549
10/6/2012 - 10/17/2012	$1,549
10/7/2012 - 10/18/2012	$1,549
10/8/2012 - 10/19/2012	$1,549
10/9/2012 - 10/20/2012	$1,549
10/10/2012 - 10/21/2012	$1,549
10/11/2012 - 10/22/2012	$1,549
10/12/2012 - 10/23/2012	$1,549
10/13/2012 - 10/24/2012	$1,549
10/14/2012 - 10/25/2012	$1,549
10/15/2012 - 10/26/2012	$1,549
10/16/2012 - 10/27/2012	$1,549
10/17/2012 - 10/28/2012	$1,549
10/18/2012 - 10/29/2012	$1,549
10/19/2012 - 10/30/2012	$1,549
10/20/2012 - 10/31/2012	$1,549
10/21/2012 - 11/1/2012	$1,549
10/22/2012 - 11/2/2012	$1,549
10/23/2012 - 11/3/2012	$1,549
10/24/2012 - 11/4/2012	$1,549
10/25/2012 - 11/5/2012	$1,549
10/26/2012 - 11/6/2012	$1,549
10/27/2012 - 11/7/2012	$1,549
10/28/2012 - 11/8/2012	$1,549
10/29/2012 - 11/9/2012	$1,549
10/30/2012 - 11/10/2012	$1,549
10/31/2012 - 11/11/2012	$1,549
11/1/2012 - 11/12/2012	$1,549
11/2/2012 - 11/13/2012	$1,549
11/3/2012 - 11/14/2012	$1,549
11/4/2012 - 11/15/2012	$1,549
11/5/2012 - 11/16/2012	$1,549
11/6/2012 - 11/17/2012	$1,549
11/7/2012 - 11/18/2012	$1,549
11/8/2012 - 11/19/2012	$1,549
11/9/2012 - 11/20/2012	$1,549
11/10/2012 - 11/21/2012	$1,549
11/11/2012 - 11/22/2012	$1,549
11/12/2012 - 11/23/2012	$1,549
11/13/2012 - 11/24/2012	$1,549
11/14/2012 - 11/25/2012	$1,549
11/15/2012 - 11/26/2012	$1,549
11/16/2012 - 11/27/2012	$1,549
11/17/2012 - 11/28/2012	$1,549
11/18/2012 - 11/29/2012	$1,549
11/19/2012 - 11/30/2012	$1,549
11/20/2012 - 12/1/2012	$1,549
11/21/2012 - 12/2/2012	$1,549
11/22/2012 - 12/3/2012	$1,549
11/23/2012 - 12/4/2012	$1,549
11/24/2012 - 12/5/2012	$1,549
11/25/2012 - 12/6/2012	$1,549
11/26/2012 - 12/7/2012	$1,549
11/27/2012 - 12/8/2012	$1,549
11/28/2012 - 12/9/2012	$1,549
11/29/2012 - 12/10/2012	$1,549
11/30/2012 - 12/11/2012	$1,549
12/1/2012 - 12/12/2012	$1,549
12/2/2012 - 12/13/2012	$1,549
12/3/2012 - 12/14/2012	$1,549
12/4/2012 - 12/15/2012	$1,549
12/5/2012 - 12/16/2012	$1,549
12/6/2012 - 12/17/2012	$1,549
12/7/2012 - 12/18/2012	$1,709
12/8/2012 - 12/19/2012	$1,709
12/9/2012 - 12/20/2012	$1,709
12/10/2012 - 12/21/2012	$1,769
12/11/2012 - 12/22/2012	$1,769
12/12/2012 - 12/23/2012	$1,769
12/13/2012 - 12/24/2012	$1,769
12/14/2012 - 12/25/2012	$1,769
12/15/2012 - 12/26/2012	$1,769
12/16/2012 - 12/27/2012	$1,799
12/17/2012 - 12/28/2012	$1,799
12/18/2012 - 12/29/2012	$1,799
12/19/2012 - 12/30/2012	$1,799
12/20/2012 - 12/31/2012	$1,799
12/21/2012 - 1/1/2013	$1,799
12/22/2012 - 1/2/2013	$1,799
12/23/2012 - 1/3/2013	$1,799
12/24/2012 - 1/4/2013	$1,799
12/25/2012 - 1/5/2013	$1,799
12/26/2012 - 1/6/2013	$1,799
12/27/2012 - 1/7/2013	$1,799
12/28/2012 - 1/8/2013	$1,799
12/29/2012 - 1/9/2013	$1,799
12/30/2012 - 1/10/2013	$1,799
12/31/2012 - 1/11/2013	$1,799
Note: Departures appearing above in green are guaranteed to operate by the tour operator.
Airfare Disclaimer A NOTE ABOUT AIRFARE: We encourage you to buy your airfare from the tour operator, because if your tour cancels then your airlines tickets will be covered. Purchasing flights separately at a lesser rate and incorporating it with a Non-Guaranteed Departure Date can result in loss of total cost of your flight investment. Depending on the fare rules, flights may be Non-Refundable and/or Non-Transferable. Neither the tour operator and/or Atlas Cruises & Tours will be held responsible for loss if a tour is cancelled for Lack of Participation. If you would like to check for discounted fares on Guaranteed Departures or for competitive pricing on air and hotel packages, we invite you to follow this link. Documents TRAVEL DOCUMENTS: Necessary Travel Documents such as Passports and Visas is the responsibility of the traveler. Passports must be valid six months from your return travel date.

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