Upon arrival at the airport in Managua, you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel in Granada, 45 mins away. We suggest that you take a flight arriving in the morning so that you can take part in our Granada visit. After lunch we will meet in the hotel lobby for a walking tour of the beautiful colonial city of Granada.

Meals:  Nil

After breakfast, we head south for a morning hike on Mombacho Volcano. Mombacho is a stratovolcano that has become into a lush cloud forest. It can be chilly in the morning so be sure to dress in layers. We will take vehicles up to the top where we will undertake a trek following the Puma Trail. The 4 hours hike accompanied by a park guide takes you to the best lookout points. We will then continue our journey to San Jorge where we take a one hour ferry to Ometepe Island. On arrival, we will bike to our hotel. Cycling is the best way to get around the island, you will be cycling on quiet mostly paved roads. The remainder of the afternoon will be free to relax in the lagoon. Kayaks are available for those wanting to explore the surroundings.

Meals:  B

This morning we bike for around 1.5 hours to the lovely natural site of Ojo de Agua.This natural pool made up of volcanic water is said to contain properties which help with pain, stress, allergies and some even say it helps rejuvenate! After a refreshing swim we bike back to our hotel stopping at the EL Ceibo Museum. We have the afternoon free to explore the Ecological Reserve of Charco Verde where you can visit the butterfly farm and enjoy a great walk around the lagoon that is home to hundreds of monkeys. The park entry fee is included in your stay. You may choose the easy walk around the lagoon which has a secluded beach half way. Keep your belongings close by, otherwise monkeys may take them. You may enjoy a grea viewpoint at the Mirador del Diablo where howling monkey families live.

Meals:  B

After breakfast we cycle back to another ferry port and cross over to the mainland. We drive across the Costa Rican border, the second country of our journey. Like all border crossings in Latin America it can take a couple of hours, so relax and prepare to have your passport checked. As we cross into Costa Rica the scenery begins to change when we start climbing into the mountains towards the active Arenal Volcano. Thanks to the Arenal Volcano’s geothermal activity, there are a number of natural hot springs throughout the area. They are designed to be very much in tune with their natural environment and offer a fantastic way to relax in the warm and soothing mineral waters while enjoying spectacular scenery.

Meals:  B

This morning we head off on a gentle hike along the base of this marvelous “Mountain of Fire”. The trail will take us through the forest, over recent lava flows, and into an area destroyed by an eruption in 1968 - now in the process of regeneration. On the trail accompanied by our naturalist guide we will spot a variety of diverse flora and fauna such as monkeys, toucans, wild turkeys, sloths, iguanas and many birds. You will notice that the flora in the area differs from what you have previously seen due to the different type of soil produced by the volcanic activity. The afternoon may be spent exploring the town of La Fortuna or relaxing in your hotel. You may choose one of the optional activities, at your own expense.

Meals:  B

This morning we depart the hotel for the scenic lake crossing (boat-car) to Monteverde. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is one of the most diverse and rich tropical cloud forests in the New World and home to the resplendent Quetzal and the rare bell bird. Monteverde is not only interesting for the Cloud Forest Reserve’s inhabitants, but also for its founders, the Quakers. After check-in, there is time to explore your new surroundings. After lunch we will have a hanging bridge excursion. Selvatura’s Tree Top Walkways is the best suspension bridge system in Costa Rica. It is located along a 1.7 mile trail designed to be walked by people of all ages and physical conditions, most of the way is leveled out with occasional small slopes. It has 8 suspension bridges which add up a distance of 1 200 feet of total bridge length, besides this, 90% of the trail goes through primary cloud forest. All the bridges are designed to support approximately 40 to 60 people at a time which is especially useful for large groups of people. On our four-feet-wide bridges, visitors can easily observe a wide variety of the flora and fauna native to the area, and even insects that are only found in the upper elevations of the forest canopy. All this can be admired from a safe and comfortable perspective.

Meals:  B

This morning we will hike in a wonderland of green lushness. The Santa Elena Cloud, where giant tree ferns, bamboo and palm trees grow abundantly in the understory, while thick moss covered liana vines dangle from the canopy. Use all your senses to enjoy the frequent sightings of birds and mammals, to hear the song of the Quetzal and the roaring of the Howler monkeys and to identify the tracks of the shy Puma, Coati and Red brocket deer. Looking northeast on clear days, you can see the spectacular view of the Arenal Volcano and lake of the same name. Right after lunch, you will be transferred to your hotel, near downtown San Jose where you will have an evening at leisure.

Meals:  B

Today you will be transferred to the airport in time for your flight home.

Meals:  B