COSTA RICA
8 & 9 Day Active Vacations, Bird Watching Tours & Soft Adventure Packages

Grand Tour of Costa Rica
8 DAYS Arrive Any Day To December 2008

		Tour Arrangements Include: Deluxe or superior tourist hotels in San Jose with buffet breakfast* daily First class lodge and all meals in Tortuguero National Park Deluxe full day Pacific Island Cruise with lunch Tour to Arenal Volcano/Natural Hot Mineral Springs with lunch & dinner Comprehensive city tour of San Jose All transfers with baggage handling throughout All guided tours and excursions as outlined in itinerary including admission fees to parks and all places of interest All transportation within Costa Rica Government Hotel Taxes Services of SLT local representatives throughout SLT guaranteed tour performance warranty USTOA $1 Million Consumer Fund Protection Bond * Continental breakfast at Hotel Balmoral, Irazu and Alta     * This special is valid for family vacations (of minimum 3 pax, sharing one room), booked and paid in full by June 15, 2008 and for travel completed by December 15, 2008. Offer available for new bookings only, existing bookings excluded. Offer applies to family of 3 or 4 in one room and Dad travels free on the land portion. That's a savings of $1049-$1279 per family! (Value of 1 adult land only price posted as a credit on your invoice!) Airfares from $400 and up available depending on gateway and seasonality.

1st Day U.S./San Jose, Costa Rica
Arrival in San Jose, Costa Rica where you will be met by our representatives. Transfer to the deluxe Real Inter-Continental, Melia Cariari or Alta Hotel or to the superior tourist Irazu Hotel, or downtown Hotel Balmoral in San Jose.

2nd Day San Jose
Today we visit San Jose, the capital city of Costa Rica, and the largest city in the country. Our tour will take you through historical monuments, museums and parks. Along the way, our half-daysightseeing will include the commercial district, San Jose's Central Park and the Metropolitan Cathedral, the National Theater, the National Museum and the Legislative Assembly. Sight-seeing will continue through the University of Costa Rica's main campus, and then to Moravia, home of leather craftsmen, where you will have plenty of time to shop at the stores. Meals B

3rd Day Tortuguero National Park
Mawamba Lodge
Early in the morning your trip to Tortuguero National Park will depart to Limon crossing Costa Rica from west to east, descending into the lowland tropics of the Caribbean coast. We will stop for breakfast before we continue through a variety of life zones to reach Port Matina. Here, we board our riverboat for an exciting two-hour trip where you will be able to observe various animals and vegetation. Mid-day arrival at Mawamba Lodge in time for a hearty lunch. Afternoon tour to Tortuguero town, starting at the entrance to the beach in front of the hotel. Visit the Caribbean Conservation Corporation Museum and the village. Return by boat to Mawamba to enjoy the swimming pool, Jacuzzi, hammocks, nature trails and gardens. Tonight gather in the conference room for a slide show presentation on the Tortuguero area, and the biodiversity it protects. Dinner and overnight. Meals BLD

4th Day Tortuguero National Park
Early-riser coffee service and pre-breakfast boat tour. Back at the lodge for a hearty breakfast and you're off to explore the national park of Tortuguero. It is the green turtle nesting site you have probably seen on T.V. Crossing the park from southeast to northwest, a navigable network of lakes and canals allows you to see many land and sea birds, monkeys, and even the rare manatee. Departure by boat to Tortuguero Hill or National Park, where you will enjoy a hiking trip in the trails Lunch at lodge followed by an afternoon canal boat tour. Dinner and overnight. Optional night tour during the turtle nesting season (July to September).Meals BLD

5th Day San Jose
After breakfast, depart by boat back to Port Matina and board Mawamba's bus back to San Jose stopping in Guapiles for lunch at Rio Danta. Late afternoon arrival in San Jose for check-in and overnight. Meals BL

6th Day Tortuga Island Cruise
Morning transfer to the harbor to board the yacht, Manta Raya, for a fabulous catamaran cruise into the Gulf of Nicoya. Enjoy casual elegance on Tortuga Island for a few hours to relax on the white sand beach, swim or snorkel. Have an exquisite four course lunch accompanied by chilled white wine before we return on board. Relax in one of Manta Raya's 2 jacuzzis or in the air conditioned main salon. Fresh water showers and an underwater viewing window are also available for your enjoyment. Late afternoon return to San Jose and your hotel for overnight. Meals BL

7th Day Arenal Volcano & Tabacon Hot Springs
Late morning depart San Jose for a visit to the most spectacular active volcano in Costa Rica. Lunch in a quaint restaurant set amidst a tropical rainforest breaks up the 3 hour drive to the picturesque town of La Fortuna where you will get your first full view of this majestic volcano and, as the clouds lift, its awe-inspiring perfect cone. Arrival at Tabacon Hot Springs and Spa, an exclusive resort nestled at the base of mighty Arenal with a view of the Volcano towering in the background. Here, thermo-mineral springs flowing from Arenal run at a soothing 102 F through a maze of pools, waterfalls and exotic tropical gardens. On a clear day you may be rewarded with a magnificent display of fireworks as Arenal launches plumes of smoke and fire high into the darkening sky. After dinner we depart back to San Jose for overnight.Meals BLD

8th Day San Jose, Costa Rica / USA
Morning transfer to the airport for your return flight to the U.S. Meals B

TOUR RATES - PER PERSON From++ Deluxe Superior Tourist Twin $1279 $1049 Tripl $1179 $949 Single $1870 $1459 Child $599 $599

Applies for child 12 years and under sharing room with parents with existing bedding. Maximum 1 child per adult.

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