Tropical Garden Tour
Lankester Botanical Gardens / Tiskita Jungle Lodge / Monteverde Cloud Forest / Arenal Volcano
10 Days / 9 Nights

Day 1   
Upon your arrival in Costa Rica, a representative of Costa Rica Sun Tours will meet you at the airport, present you with land portion vouchers and transfer you to your hotel

Day 1-3
2 night accommodation in Santo Domingo at Hotel Bougainvillea (standard room) or similar
Hotel Bougainvillea is a family owned and operated inn with 80 tastefully decorated rooms set in 12 acres of beautiful gardens. The restaurant offers continental cuisine in a wonderful dining room.  Guests can stroll in the gardens, swim in the heated pool, enjoy a sauna or use the tennis courts.

Day 2
Morning pick up at your hotel for a tour of Lankester Botanical Gardens, entrance fees included.  Located near the historic town of Cartago, Lankester covers approximately 10 acres, and is internationally known for its collection of epiphytes (plants that live upon other plants), among which orchids are the most outstanding. Founded by Englishman Charles Lankester in the 1950’s, and now under the ownership of the University of Costa Rica, the gardens display more than 1400 different species of orchids, as well as bromeliads, aroids, heliconias, gingers, musaceas (relatives of the banana), cacti, ferns and several varieties of trees: all growing in harmony with birds (more than a 100 species), insects and other kinds of animals. Along with its roles as a center of serious scientific research, the garden is a training ground for the naturalist guides employed in tourism throughout Costa Rica. Afternoon enjoy the hot springs at Valle Caliente in the Orosi Valley and tour a coffee mill (B.L)

Day 3
Early morning pick-up at your hotel for a transfer to the Domestic Airport in San José.  At the lodges discretion you may fly by domestic flight to Golfito then a taxi transfer to the lodge or a single engine charter flight to the remote, private airstrip on the beach at Tiskita Jungle Lodge

Day 3-5
2 nights accommodation at Tiskita Jungle Lodge (2B.2L.2D)
Tiskita is a 550 acre private rain forest reserve in the remote region of Golfito on the southern Pacific coast, overlooking an endless expanse of pristine beach and tropical rainforest. In this veritable Eden, walk among the palms, bromeliads, cycads, heliconias, ornamental plants and wild orchids. On the reserve is an experimental fruit farm with over a 100 varieties of fruit trees including carambola, guanabana (soursop) mangoes, pineapples, mangosteen, and anona. Guided walks are offered to all guests built around themes such as light gap theory, seed dispersal or tropical diversity. The guide will help you find and identify plants, as well as mammals, birds, reptiles and butterflies and help you understand their usefulness to man and the environment

Day 5
Morning flight(s) from Tiskita to San José and  upon arrival into San Jose, pick up at the Domestic Airport for a scenic drive to the mountain town of Monteverde. Cool, foggy and misty Monteverde Cloud Forest stretches from the lush ferns and mosses that cover the ground to the dark canopy formed by the tallest trees. En route visit a private orchid collection (L.D)

Day 5 – 7
2 nights accommodations in Monteverde at Hotel Fonda Vela (standard rooms) or similar
The Hotel Fonda Vela is an attractive eco-tourism lodge in a tranquil setting of 35 acres. All rooms were designed with natural lighting, privacy and warmth in mind. The hotel also has an elegant restaurant.

Day 6
This morning enjoy a guided tour of the Selvatura Tree Top Walkways, entrance fees included.  . Located along a 1.7 mile trail, this bridge system is designed to be walked by people of all ages. The bridge system has 8 suspension bridges, totaling a distance of 1,200 feet, and 90% of the trail goes through primary cloud forest.   This afternoon visit the Monteverde Reserve, entrance fees included.  Monteverde Reserve is one of the most diverse and richest tropical cloud forests in the New World, it is best known as home to the Resplendent Quetzal but has hundreds of other birds, mammals and plant species.  This afternoon with your group and driver/guide return to the Reserve to explore another sector of the park, or on your own you can do any of the optional activities in Monteverde (at your own expense) or simply relax at your hotel (B.D)

Day 7
Morning visit the Monteverde Orchid Gardens, then depart for your hotel in Arenal, one of the world's most active volcano (B.D)

Day 7 – 9
2 nights accommodation in Arenal at the Arenal Observatory Lodge (Smithsonian volcano view rooms) or similar
The Arenal Observatory Lodge is located only 1.6 miles south of the volcano across a gorge from the volcano and surrounded by lush rainforest.  Visitors have an impressive view of this "giant which rumbles" and erupts with spectacular displays of vapor and lava.   The Observatory is the only lodge situated within the Arenal National Park, which encompasses thousands of acres of pristine rainforest and teems with tropical birds and wildlife, and offers comfortable rooms (most with volcano views) a good restaurant, pool, Jacuzzi, and a guided hike each morning

Day 8
This morning hike in the Arenal Volcano National Park, entrance fees included.  This hike takes you for a close-up exploration of recent lava flows which left a 50 ft. deep path of lava through the rainforest (B.D)

Day 9
This morning depart Arenal for your hotel near San Jose, stopping en route at the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, entrance fees & lunch included.  At La Paz you will have an opportunity to see magnificent waterfalls from viewing platforms, and a Butterfly Observatory.  Enjoy lunch on the terrace dinning room, before you continue on to your hotel near San Jose (B.L)

Day 9 – 10
1 nights accommodation in Santo Domingo at Hotel Bougainvillea (standard room) or similar

Day 10  
Pick-up at your hotel for a departure transfer to the International Airport in San Jose to check-in 3 hours before your scheduled flight time 

Meal Codes (B) = Breakfast (L) = Lunch (D) = Dinner