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- 1. Pura Vida!
- 2. Fly into Juan Santamaria Airport
- 3. Day 1: San José
- 4. Phone home! We made it!!
- 5. Day 2 Drive to Limón
- 9. Turtle
- 14. caiman
- 17. San Carlos
- 18. San Carlos
- 19. Monteverde
- 20. Monteverde
- 21. Jaco Beach
- 22. Back to San Jose
- 23. Departure
Editor's Notes
- Who was Juan Santamaria?======national hero of costa rica
- This is one of the few Costa Rican national parks where walking isn't necessarily the best way to see things. The marked trail along the beach is used mostly for observing turtle nesting, but the best way to see most of the park is from a boat. That doesn't mean you can't get a workout while nature watching; there are plenty of places to rent canoes and kayaks. The exceptionally high rainfall, and rich environment where the freshwater meets the sea makes the beaches, canals, lagoons and wetlands of Tortuguero areas of exceptional biodiversity, and opportunity for nature lovers.
- The main attraction of Tortuguero National Park is the turtles. Green Sea, leatherback, and Hawksbill turtles nest on the beaches here. Green Sea Turtles neared extinction due to hunting of the adults for meat for turtle soup, and poaching of eggs for their supposed aphrodisiac qualities. It’s possible to see stragglers laying eggs during the day, but the mass arrivals occur at night usually under a waning moon. You will need a guide to visit the beaches at night.
- Tortuguero is the most important area of the Caribbean Midwest where the green tortoises (chelonian Mydas) come to lay their eggs. A characteristic of these tortoises is that they travel in large groups to mate in places away from their regular feeding areas.
- The lodge is strategically located only 5 minutes away from the extraordinary Tortuguero National Park, and right across the main "canal" facing the town of Tortuguero. Surrounded by a network of very scenic canals, this is considered one of the most exotic regions of the world, characterized by its rich in flora and fauna.
- Really awesome pool. The eyes of the tree frogs illuminate in the darkness.
- Howler Monkeys are above us in the trees. Howler monkeys are named and known for the loud. They are the loudest animal in the New World and while their howl is not a piercing sound, it can travel for three miles through dense forest.They are the largest monkey in Latin American rainforests; Male howler monkeys use their big voices to defend their turf. Howls by one troop are answered by other males within earshot. Every-one starts and ends the day by checking out where their nearest competitors are. In this way, they protect the food in their territory. Interestingly, when there are few howler monkeys in an area, the howling routine takes on a different pattern. As the population grows and new troops are established, there will be more reason to check in with the neighbors.They hang out in the treetops where younger, greener leaves are abundant. However, if you do find yourself in the rainforest and it seems that an unusually large amount of fruit is falling from above or a fine spray of urine rains down on your head, you will know you are close!
- the alligator family is represented by five species of the genusCaiman, which differs from the alligator by the absence of a bony septum between the nostrils, and the ventral armour is composed of overlapping bony scutes, each of which is formed of two parts united by a suture. Some authorities further divide this genus into three, splitting off the smooth-fronted caimans into a genus Paleosuchus and the Black Caiman into Melanosuchus. Caimans tend to be more agile and crocodile-like in their movements, and have longer, sharper teeth than alligators.[2]
- Capuchins are highly social animals and live in troops of 10 to 30 individuals. The average group has roughly 15 members led by a dominant male. The monkeys use chatters, shrieks and other sounds to communicate with one another. These primates eat bird eggs, insects and fruit, crabs and small lizards.
- The Strawberry Poison-dart Frog, also called the Blue-jeans Frog, is one of the most ‘popular’ amphibians in its region. This bright, charismatic species is active during the day and has a high population density, making its charming figure frequently found in certain areas of Costa Rica. This frog reproduces all year long .Though small, males of this species are aggressively territorial. During the day, males perch on rocks, trees, or fallen logs, and make calls. These are both to attract females to mate as well as to intimidate trespassing males. If an intruder persists and calls back, a wrestling competition may result for up to 20 minutes. The males stand upright on their hind legs and grapple for dominance. Once one is pinned for several minutes he will leave after the winner releases him. The frog’s bright colors warn off predators because the colors signal the toxicity for which the Poison-dart is named. The Strawberry Poison-dart Frog is not known to be lethal to man, but its skin secretions may have unpredictable effects on humans.
- DAY 4 — SAN CARLOS Depart Tortuguero this morning for the northern plains region of San Carlos. Arrive in the small town of La Fortuna. From here, you'll have a spectacular view of the Arenal Volcano, a perfect cone over 5,000 feet high and one of the most active in the world.
- DAY 5 — SAN CARLOS Drive to the beautiful La Fortuna Waterfall and hike to the swimming hole below. In the evening, visit the hot springs, where you can take a dip in the hot pools and eat dinner. As you relax in the therapeutic waters, look up at the crimson lava oozing from the volcano above!
- DAY 6 — MONTEVERDE Travel to Monteverde to explore this beautiful cloud forest. Founded in the 1950s by a group of Quakers from Alabama, Monteverde Cloud Forest is home to more than 400 species of birds, 100 species of mammals and 2,500 species of plants.
- DAY 7 — MONTEVERDE Enjoy a full day to discover the cloud forest with your guide. Included is an adventurous Monteverde Canopy Tour through the trees for a bird's-eye perspective of life in the forest.
- DAY 8 — JACO BEACH Journey to the Carara Biological Reserve, where the dry tropical forest meets the northern, greener forest. Arrive in Jacó Beach, a beautiful volcanic sand beach on the Pacific. DAY 9 — JACO BEACH Today there is a full-day excursion to Manuel Antonio National Park. Your guide leads you on a hike along the trails and shows you the numerous untouched beaches where you can choose to snorkel or meet the friendly, white-faced monkeys. DAY 10 — JACO BEACH Today is free. Why not enjoy a relaxing day on the Pacific coast?
- DAY 11 — SAN JOSE Enjoy a free morning on the beach today. Return to the capital and celebrate your last night in this beautiful country with a Costa Rican folklore show and dinner.