Costa Rica and Panama Along the Caribbean

After completing passport control, baggage claim, and customs, proceed to the airport exit where our representative will be waiting with a sign. You will then be transferred to your hotel in San José for check-in.
Meals included: None
Entrance fees/excursions included: None

Your guide will pick you up in the morning for the journey to the Monteverde cloud forest. The route includes a 35-kilometer stretch from Las Juntas, leading to one of Costa Rica's most renowned cloud forest reserves. Along the way, enjoy views of the lush mountains and the Gulf of Nicoya before checking into your hotel.
Meals included: Breakfast
Entrance fees/excursions included: None

Today you will visit the Curi Cancha Reserve for a 2 to 2.5-hour hike along well-maintained trails. This region is famous for its exuberant vegetation and extraordinary bird diversity. You may have the chance to spot the Resplendent Quetzal.
The journey continues toward La Fortuna, traveling along the scenic Lake Arenal. This reservoir integrates harmoniously into the landscape and offers beautiful vistas. Upon arrival, you will have the opportunity to visit local thermal springs.
Meals included: Breakfast
Entrance fees/excursions included: Curi Cancha Reserve

Following breakfast, enjoy a hike through Arenal National Park with views of the volcano. The trail leads through the forest to a lava field formed during the 1968 eruption. An optional canopy tour is available for those seeking adventure (please inquire with ARA Tours for pricing).
In the late afternoon, participate in an evening walk and cultural exchange to discover the rainforest after dark. Search for tree frogs, lizards, insects, and nocturnal birds. The tour includes a refreshing break with fresh sugarcane juice and its derivatives. The evening concludes with a traditional Costa Rican dinner prepared in a wood-fired oven.
Meals included: Breakfast and Dinner
Entrance fees/excursions included: Arenal Volcano National Park, evening cultural tour

The day begins early with a 05:30 departure. Travel through Puerto Viejo and Horquetas to Guápiles for a traditional breakfast. Afterward, join other international travelers on a bus toward La Pavona or Caño Blanco, learning about the region's banana industry along the way.
The journey continues by boat through a network of rivers and canals to reach your jungle lodge. A fresh lunch awaits upon arrival. In the afternoon, you may relax by the pool or visit Tortuguero village with your guide. Optional visits to the Sea Turtle Conservancy (approx. USD 2 per person) are available.
From July to September, an optional evening beach walk to observe nesting sea turtles can be arranged. Please wear dark clothing to avoid disturbing the turtles.
Note: The Tortuguero National Park excursions (Days 8, 9, and 10) are shared with other lodge guests.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Entrance fees/excursions included: Tortuguero village tour

Early this morning, you will board small boats with your guide to explore the narrow canals of Tortuguero National Park. The lush vegetation is so dense in certain areas that it feels like traveling through a green tunnel. With some luck, you may spot crocodiles, monkeys, sloths, iguanas, freshwater turtles, roosting bats, and numerous water birds. The local flora also offers an almost inexhaustible variety of species.

After this nature experience, you will return to the lodge for a delicious breakfast, followed by a relaxing stroll through the lodge gardens. Lunch will be served on-site around midday.

In the afternoon, another boat excursion awaits, providing fresh perspectives on this fascinating aquatic world. End the day with dinner at the lodge restaurant, surrounded by the sounds of the rainforest as night falls.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Included entries/excursions: Two boat excursions, Tortuguero National Park entrance fee, guided walk

The boat takes you back to the departure port, La Pavona or Caño Blanco. At the restaurant where lunch is served, you will transfer to a comfortable shuttle for the journey along the Caribbean coast. The route passes through the port city of Limón, where you might see large container ships or cruise liners. The journey continues to Puerto Viejo de Limón, a small town known for its relaxed Caribbean atmosphere.

After checking into your hotel, the afternoon is at your leisure. Enjoy a drink at a local reggae bar and soak in the surroundings. The village offers numerous local restaurants for dinner, which you can discover independently. The Caribbean beaches are also perfect for enjoying the tropical climate and the laid-back vibe of this unique region.

Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
Included entries/excursions: None

After breakfast, we will head to a cacao plantation with over 100 years of history. During an informative guided tour, you will learn about the cultivation of the cacao fruit and have the opportunity to taste it fresh. You will discover historic machinery now housed in the small museum and gain insight into the entire production process, from fruit to finished chocolate—including a tasting.

The journey continues via Bribrí to the border at Sixaola (approx. 2:00 PM). Your guide will assist with border formalities as you cross the Sixaola River into Panama on foot via the bridge. In Guabito, the trip continues to the port city of Almirante. Here, we will board a boat for a 30-minute transfer to the main island of Colón, arriving in the town of Bocas del Toro to check into our accommodations.

Bocas del Toro is an archipelago of idyllic islands surrounded by the clear, marine-rich Caribbean Sea. In the town of Bocas del Toro on Colón Island, you will find inviting bars, restaurants, and souvenir shops. The atmosphere is typically Caribbean and relaxed. Key attractions include the secluded beaches of the main and surrounding islands, as well as an underwater world perfect for diving or snorkeling. Afternoon at leisure.

Meals included: Breakfast
Included entries/excursions: Chocolate tour, departure tax

Today features a boat excursion starting through small maritime channels that wind between mangroves. Keep an eye out for local water birds. We then head to Coral Cay, where the calm waters year-round make it an ideal spot for snorkeling. Local restaurants built on stilts over the water offer a variety of seafood (not included).

Later, the boat trip continues to Bastimentos Island. Covered in mangroves and untouched nature, Bastimentos is largely composed of jungle with no roads or airstrips, making it accessible only by boat.

The island is home to one of the most famous beaches in Bocas del Toro, Red Frog Beach, named after the resident red poison dart frogs. The beach is popular with both nature lovers and surfers. Inland, various jungle trails invite exploration, though many guests prefer to simply relax and listen to the sounds of the sea. Return to the main island in the afternoon.

Meals included: Breakfast
Included entries/excursions: Boat excursion, Red Frog Beach entrance fee

Transfer to the airport for a flight of approximately one hour to Panama City, followed by a guided city tour. The first stop is the Miraflores Locks of the Panama Canal. Here, you will observe the operations and scale of this famous waterway. The observation deck offers a unique view of the ships transiting toward the Pacific or Atlantic. The Panama Canal is one of the world's most vital waterways, handling roughly 14,000 ships and 6% of global trade annually. The museum provides extensive historical context.

The tour continues to the Old Town, known locally as Casco Viejo or Casco Antiguo. On a walking tour, you will see unique colonial buildings, ranging from original structures to beautifully restored colorful facades. This UNESCO World Heritage site has become a hub for art, design, and culture, featuring many new bars, restaurants, and hotels. The tour also includes the Cinta Costera coastal road and Punta Pacifica to view the city's famous skyline. Finally, visit the 16th-century ruins of Panama Viejo (closed on Mondays), destroyed by Henry Morgan in 1671.

In the afternoon, check into your hotel located in the city center, within walking distance of various shops, restaurants, and bars.

Meals included: Breakfast
Included entries/excursions: City tour, Miraflores Locks entrance, Panama Viejo entrance

Today you will experience a partial transit of the world-famous Panama Canal. Discover the so-called 8th wonder of the world on a boat trip from Panama City to Gamboa. In the morning, you will be transferred from your hotel to the Causeway Amador port, offering a magnificent view of the Panama City skyline. From there, begin a 4-hour journey through the legendary waterway. You will pass through the Miraflores Locks, Miraflores Lake, Pedro Miguel Locks, and the Gaillard Cut (the narrowest point) until reaching Gatun Lake. Enjoy lunch on board. This journey offers a profound perspective on engineering and history. From Gamboa, return by bus to Panama City on the Pacific coast.
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
Inclusions: Partial Panama Canal transit

Transfer to Panama City International Airport for your return flight.
Meals included: Breakfast
Inclusions: None