A quick, last minute family vacation before Keiran enters the workforce. We chose a 16 day trip in Costa Rica with GAdventures.
Costa Rica (and GAdventures) was awesome. We visited 6 different locations, all of which were very different. Local people were great and our travelling companions were great. The trip was rushed, in spite of having 2-ish days at each location. We saw a lot, and packed a lot in.
Where Did We Go?
At a Glance
- Monday December 4: Day 1 Saskatoon to San José
- Fly to San Jose, arrive late evening
- Tuesday December 5: Day 2 San José to Quepos
- Drive all morning to Quepos
- Crocodile bridge
- Kayak in mangroves
- Wednesday December 6: Day 3 Quepos
- Walk around Quepos
- Kayak in mangroves
- Thursday December 7: Day 4 Quepos to Monteverde
- Morning Manuel Antonio guided hike with beach
- Long drive up in to Monteverde mountains
- Friday December 8: Day 5 Monteverde
- Saturday December 9: Day 6 Monteverde to La Fortuna
- Drive winding roads and then boat across Arenal Lake
- Visit Los Lagos hot spring complex
- Sunday December 10: Days 7 La Fortuna
- Lost Canyon waterfall rappelling
- La Fortuna waterfall hike (in a downpour!) and walk back to Las Orquideas hotel
- Hang around hotel for hot tubs and dinner
- Monday December 11: Days 8 La Fortuna
- Taxi out to, and hike Arenal Volcano
- Tuesday December 12: Day 9 La Fortuna to Sarapiquí Rainforest (Glamping)
- Sloth on the highway rescued
- Visit Mi Cafecito Coffee Cooperative enroute
- Guided rainforest Night Walk in the pouring rain
- All meals at Pozo Azul Tent Suites are included
- Wednesday December 13: Day 10 Sarapiquí Rainforest
- Morning birdwatching, slightly curtailed by the heavy rains
- Pozo Azul jungle walk, mostly in the rain
- Empenada making
- Bonfire and marshmallows
- Thursday December 14: Day 11 Sarapiquí Rainforest to Tortuguero
- Long drive to La Pavona, followed by wild boat ride down the flooding Suerte River, in the pouring rain
- Take water taxi and explore Tortuguero town
- All meals at Baula Lodge are included
- Friday December 15: Day 12 Tortuguero
- Guided kayak tour through the river in Tortuguero NP
- Water taxi and Cerro del Tortuguero Hike
- Play in hotel pool
- Saturday December 16: Day 13 Tortuguero to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
- Another Wild Ride, this time going up the river. Flood is ebbing.
- Long drive down the Puerto Viejo
- Walk in to town just to take in the beach/Jamaican jibe
- Dinner at Salsa Brava
- Sunday December 17: Day 14 Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
- Bike ride to the beach
- Surfing (playing in waves too big for our skill level)
- Jaguar Rescue
- Great group meal downtown at Stashu’s con Fusion, but had to walk back to hotel in rain storm
- Monday December 18: Day 15 Puerto Viejo de Talamanca to San José
- Long drive up and over the mountain range, up in the clouds
- Walked Downtown to the market
- Final group dinner at Agüizotes Gastro Pub
- Monday December 19: Day 16 San José to Saskatoon
- We left the hotel at 5:15 am for our flight to Canada. Delayed flight to Saskatoon meant that we spent ??? hours at the airport
Highlight Photos
A couple hundred highlight photos can be found HERE.
Day by Day
The detailed Day by Day is HERE.