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Blog - Jim's Thoughts

Costa Rica Tours and Travel

Coast to Coast / Adventure / Costa Rica Verde / Tropical Adventure / Honeymoon / Wonders / Highlights
South Costa Rica / Family Adventures / Highlights Self-Drive / Up & Down Self-Drive
Costa Rica-Panama Cruise / Experience / Eco-Exclusive / Kayak / Multisport / Comfort / Birds Trail

Southern Costa Rica Tour - The B Side - 10 days / 09 nights

Day 1 - Arrival in San José. Meet and greet at the airport and transfer to the hotel of your choice. Gran Hotel Costa Rica or Grano de Oro

Day 2 - (B, D) After breakfast, transfer to Savegre Lodge, nestled in the highlands of San Gerardo de Dota, about 3 hr drive from San José. Free afternoon to explore the area on your own. Savegre Mountain Lodge

Day 3 - (B, L, D) Free day for optional activities. We highly recommend the birding tour in the nearby cloud forest reserve, home of the quetzal, considered the most beautiful bird on earth. Savegre Mountain Lodge

Day 4 - (B, D) Get deeper into the south! In the morning you will head with your driver to Esquinas Lodge that borders with the Piedras Blancas National Park, where Mother Nature offers an incredible diversity of flora and fauna.
Afternoon at leisure to enjoy the relaxing atmosphere of the hotel. Esquinas Rainforest Lodge or Nicuesa Lodge

Day 5 - (B, L, D) Day at leisure to explore the surroundings and enjoy the lodge facilities. Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
or Nicuesa Lodge

Day 6 - (B) After breakfast private transfer to Punta Uvita. The area around Punta Uvita, including the Marino Ballena National Park, is still widely unexplored by tourism but nevertheless has much to offer. Lots of nature, scenic coastal views and lovely beaches as well as whales and dolphins passing by in certain times of the year are the main attractions of this zone. Villas Río Mar or Cristal Ballena

Day 7-8 - (B) Days at leisure to explore the surroundings and enjoy the hotel facilities. Villas Río Mar or Cristal Ballena

Day 9 - (B) Private transfer from Uvita to the Carara National Park area. Check in at the hotel and rest of the day at leisure. Villa Lapas or Villa Caletas

Day 10 - (B) After breakfast departure from the hotel to the International Airport.

Rates per person based on double occupancy in US$ dollars:

The program includes:
• Meet & greet upon arrival
• Accommodation of your choice (budget or superior)
• Ground Transfers or Rental Car
• Meals as specified each day: B, L or D
• Map and information kit
• All taxes

Does not include optional activities

* Private Transfers Alternative: A private driver will pick up the clients directly at the hotel and will take them to the next destination. The schedules can be flexible (unless they have to connect with other transfers or be in a certain place at a specific moment) and they do not have to wait for other clients, since this is a private service.

**Rental Car Alternative: Renting a car is a convenient way to move around the country as it gives you the freedom to explore at will. Our preferred car rental companies offer a complete list of services, including a modern fleet of vehicles and pick-up and drop-off services in San José as well as in the main tourist destinations. We would recommend a 4WD whenever possible and depending on the places you wish to visit, as they are more robust vehicles and a more reliable option for difficult roads. The rate provided does not include the Mandatory Insurance (USD 18.00 per day of rent). Clients will pick up the vehicle (Daihatsu Bego 4x4) on Day 02 and return it on Day 10.

SOME HOTEL DESCRIPTIONS

SAVEGRE LODGE, SAVEGRE VALLEY (see video below)
This lodge is located 90 km South of San José in the mountainous region of San Gerardo de Dota (a 2 hour drive from San José on a mountain paved road that turns). Savegre is set in the foothills of a mountain in the southern Central Valley, at an altitude of 2200 m/7300 feet. During both the dry season (from mid November to mid May), and the rainy season (from mid May to mid November), the average temperatures are 22°C/71°F.

The lodge has 31 rooms, 21 standard rooms and 10 Junior Suites all equipped with private bathroom, hot water, telephone, a furnace, and safety deposit box. The Junior Suites have an additional fireplace. There are no televisions in the rooms. Other facilities include a restaurant serving homemade Costa Rican and International meals, laundry service and currency exchange. Some activities in the area include horseback riding, guided bird watching tours, fishing, and walking along the forest trails. Birds such as quetzals and trogons are common in the area. A very popular activity is trout fishing at the nearby river (about 50 meters/170 feet from the lodge).

EXPERT'S EYE: Ideal for birdwatchers, and naturalists that enjoy wilderness, as well as the cold, misty, and rustic atmosphere of the mountains.

ESQUINAS RAIN FOREST LODGE, GOLFITO (see video below)
Immersed in the lush vegetation of the South Pacific Coast, and bordering Piedras Blancas National Park, 6 hours away from San José and 30 min from Golfito Airport, Esquinas aim is to preserve the natural diversity of the area and to promote the community's development. The lodge offers 14 wooden and rustically Cabins, with 1 single and 1 double bed, or three single beds, private bath, hot water, fan and terrace. An open thatched ranch houses a restaurant that offers visitors an impressive variety of dishes. There is also bar service 24 hours a day, a natural pool - fed by water straight from the mountains-, safe-deposit boxes and free transportation from Golfito to the lodge. Activities such as horseback riding, visit to the botanical garden, kayaking and walks in the national park's trails are available from the lodge. The funds raised by the lodge are used for the upkeep of National Park's trails.

EXPERT'S EYE: Ideal hideaway for visitors with a genuine interest in nature and conservation projects. It's also a great place to relax and enjoy the wildlife.

CRISTAL BALLENA, DOMINICAL & UVITA
The Cristal Ballena Hotel Resort is located in Playa Ballena at the Ballena Marine National Park, 25 km/15.5miles south of Dominical and 7 km/4miles south of Uvita. It is a 3½ - 4 hour drive from San Jose and 30 minutes from the Palmar Sur Airport, south of the Manuel Antonio National Park. The hotel, with a bar, restaurant, 19 fully equipped and spacious suites, 4 Adventure Lodges and a huge 400 square meter (1,300 square foot) pool, is situated in a 12 hectare (30-acre) garden area on a hill between the Pacific Ocean and a rainforest-covered mountain. Each room has breathtaking ocean views, and the area offers a wide range of outdoor activities.

The 14 spacious, connectable suites and 5 master suites, feature a balcony and breathtaking ocean views. All rooms have air conditioning in addition to a ceiling fan, hot water, private bathroom, hairdryer, satellite television, telephone, refrigerator and safety-deposit box. The 4 charming Adventure Lodges are situated in a colorful garden, surrounded by exuberant tropical forest with a terrace, separate tiled bathroom, king size bed, electricity and ceiling fan. The café-style bar and "Pura Vida!" restaurant, located next to the swimming pool, features international and Costa Rican cuisine and serves a variety of refreshing cocktails and beverages. The multipurpose conference room accommodates groups of up to 60 people, and can be used for a variety of activities, such as seminars, meetings, weddings and conferences.
Snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, surfing, bird and whale watching, walking tours, horseback riding, ultralight flying tours and boat tours are some of the tour options available at Cristal Ballena.

EXPERT'S EYE: Recommended for those looking for an upscale, secluded hotel amidst nature, with the possibility of activities and tours as well as relaxation. The location has a wonderful view of the South Pacific coast.

VILLA LAPAS, JACO, HERRADURA & PUNTARENAS
This hotel is located on the Pacific Coast, approximately 2 hours from San José, 25 minutes away from Jacó Beach, one hour from Manuel Antonio and just 5 minutes from the Carara Biological Reserve. It is a standard international hotel with 47 standard rooms, of which 40 have queen size beds and 7 king size. Two of the rooms are equipped with facilities for the disabled. All rooms have air conditioning, a safety deposit box, direct telephone line and private bathroom with hot water. The rooms are decorated with bright, cool colors that are very fitting for the area's warm climate. The hotel offers a spacious restaurant adjacent to the river running through the property.

The restaurant has a beautiful view and excellent ventilation, as it is open to allow for a greater appreciation of the landscape. There is also a bar, swimming pool, 2 Jacuzzi, souvenir shop, and 2 conference rooms that cater for up to 30 people each. The hotel's location allows for a wide range of activities that can be coordinated on the premises. Visitors may tour the Carara Biological Reserve or take a ride on horseback to an amazing waterfall 5km away. However, there are also entertainment options at the hotel such as: mini golf, the butterfly farm, Canopy Tour and the Sky Way made up of 5 hanging bridges ranging from 27 to 45 meters high (89' - 147'), and an eight-platform canopy.

EXPERT´S EYE: this hotel is ideal for bird watchers or nature lovers as it has its own nature trails and, given its proximity to Carara, has easy access to this reserve. It is also a good option for families wishing to relax in a warm climate close to San José, with the necessary modern conveniences.