Customized Group Travel Tours STS Educational Holiday to Europe, North America

Destinations > Central / South America > Costa Rica

Exploring Eco Systems

Day 1: Home - San Jose (D)

Your group will be met by their naturalist bilingual guide at the International Airport and be transferred in an airconditioned micro-bus directly to Selva Verde Lodge in Sarapiqui Rainforest. Check in and dinner.

Day 2: Selva Verde (B, L, D)

Today, at the sight of the first rays of the sun, the group will take a walking tour through the Selva Verde Lodge private reserve. This tour is special for bird watching and spotting other animals as well. Return to the hotel for breakfast; the rest of the morning is free for you to spend as you wish. After an early lunch, your group will continue to the Cano Blanco town. There, your group will board a river boat that will take them navigating through the river until you get to the town of Parismina.

Barra de Parismina is a tiny Costa Rican village nestled between the Caribbean coast and the Parismina River, south of Tortuguero National Park. There are no roads to Parismina; its remote beauty is accessible only by boat.

Every year along the beach of Parismina, hundreds of Leatherback, Green and Hawksbill turtles come ashore to lay their eggs. However, there are a growing number of poachers and hueveros (egg thieves) who prey upon these amazing reptiles and their eggs. Fortunately, villagers have recently founded a program to protect the turtles and with the dedicated assistance of the Costa Rican Coast Guard and volunteers from Parismina, a turtle hatchery was born on April 2001. In August 2002, the turtle association built a guardhouse behind the turtle hatchery in order to protect the relocated eggs. They are looking forward to various environmental organizations to send volunteers to work with them.

After checking into the selected lodge, your group will be briefed by one of the Save the Turtles of Parismina Association members about the work that is done and the objective of the organization. As a volunteer, you would work closely with the association to patrol the beaches at night, learn to identify turtle tracks, find nesting turtles, count the number of eggs, record tag numbers, assist with relocating the eggs into the hatchery, and help to release the baby turtles back to the ocean. The leatherbacks nest on Parismina's beach from the beginning of March through June, and the Green turtles nest from July to through October. Baby turtles (tortugitas) are released to the ocean from May through December. Dinner.

Day 3: Parismina (B, L, D)

Early morning after breakfast you will continue with your volunteer work. Mid morning, you will board a river boat and depart to the Tortuguero National Park. Here, you will tour the canals of Tortuguero and its Amazon-like environment. Stop for just enough time to eat your boxed lunch. After, head back to Parismina (travelling by boat at all times). This is a real jungle experience! Dinner at Parismina.

Day 4: Selva Bananito (B, L, D)

After breakfast, you will check out and head back by river boat to the Cano Blanco disembarkation location. Board an airconditioned micro-bus and be transferred to Selva Bananito Lodge. Enjoy lunch upon arrival, and then begin a Natural History Rainforest Hike. Return back to the Lodge for a free night to spend how you'd like. Dinner.

Day 5: Selva Bananito (B, L, D)

Early morning after breakfast you will participate in the Plant a Tree project and become part of the growing reforestation project. Hundreds of tropical hardwoods have been planted on the part of the land originally cut down by banana plantations in the 1800s. By creating corridors back into the rainforest, it is hoped that more habitats for wildlife will be provided. You will be shown how to plant your seedling to give it the best chance of survival. With a recorded 91% success rate, your tree will hopefully one day become part of the tropical rainforest and contribute to the conservation of endemic and endangered species, while contributing to Foundacion Cuencas de Limon.

After, your group will participate in an Organic Farm Horseback Ride. Saddle up for a fantastic introduction to Costa Rican style horseback riding! A memorable ride for those with little or no riding experience, you will see breathtaking vistas, cattle and farmland along the Bananito riverbed, and take a tour of the unique heliconia flower garden. You will learn to control one of the tame and well-trained horses to walk, trot, and even gallop over various terrains. Make a stop for a refreshing dip in a natural river swimming hole. Return back to the hotel. Enjoy a free afternoon to rest. Lunch and dinner included.

Day 6: Puerto Viejo (B, L, D)

After an early morning breakfast, you will be given a Selva Bananito Recycling Consciousness tour around the facilities. Have some lunch and then continue on to the Puerto Viejo town to enjoy some pristine beach time! Puerto Viejo is famous for its kick back Rasta-fari Caribbean lifestyle and music!! After a free afternoon to enjoy the beach, you will stay at the selected lodge. Dinner included.

Day 7: Cahuita (B, L, D)

This morning after breakfast you will be taken to the Cahuita National Park Beach. You will go on a trail-walking tour through the park. The group will enjoy bird spotting and other animals and plants as well. Enjoy the rest of the morning at the beach, basking in the sun. Mid afternoon, round up the group for lunch and visit the Gandoca-Manzanillo Area to watch the sunset along the Caribbean beach. Return back to the lodge for dinner.

Day 8: San Jose (B, L)

Early morning after breakfast you will head back to San Jose. Along the way you will stop at a banana plantation for a Historic Banana Cultivation & Packing Process explanation stop. Continue on towards the capital city. You will detour to the famous La Paz Waterfalls Gardens. Here you will see 5 magnificent waterfalls that will astonish you with their power (and they will wet you also!!). Have lunch and also visit the Butterfly Garden at the same location. You will continue a bit farther until you reach the La Riviera brand new Bed & Breakfast just 5 mins from the International Airport. The micro-bus will be at your disposal until 7:30 PM in case the group wants to visit the nearby Food court - Mall for dinner.

Day 9: San Jose - Home (B)

This morning you will be transferred to International Airport for your departure flight to head home.

Tour includes:

Return Airfare
Bilingual guide at all times
All land transfer in an air conditioned micro-bus
All river boat transfers
22 meals per person
Selva Verde Private Reserve Tour
Participation in Save the Turtles of Parismina Program
Tortugero National Park Canals Tour
Entrance to Tortuguero National Park
Selva Bananito Natural History Rainforest Hike
Participation in Plant a Tree Project of Fundacion Cuencas de Limon
Selva Bananito Organic Farm Horseback Ride
Selva Bananito Recycling Consciousness Tour
Cahuita National Park Trail Walking Tour
Entrance to Cahuita National Park
Historic Banana Cultivation & Packing Process explanation stop
La Paz Waterfalls & Butterfly Garden Tour
All hotel and tourism taxes included

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Toll Free: 1-866-538-2853 Email:ststours@telus.net B.C. Reg. No. 24835
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