Destinations: La Fortuna, Tamarindo, Granada

Duration: 10 days

*Price Range: $$

*Rates inclusive of full vacation experience – hotels, tours, domestic transfers, and tax (excluding international airfare).  Actual price based on length of travel, number of travelers/rooms, seasonal rates (high, low, peak), number of tour activities, and mode of domestic transportation.

$: At or under $1,200 per person.

$$: $1,200 – $1,800 per person.

$$$: $1,800+ per person

1. Day 1

   Fly into the Liberia International Airport (LIR) where you’ll find your private transfer and driver waiting for you outside the airport holding a sign with your name on it.  Enjoy a scenic drive to the Arenal Volcano and feel free to stop along the way to grab a bite to eat or take pictures. Upon arriving to Arenal you’ll check into the El Silencio del Campo which features just 19 rooms, each of them private free-standing bungalows with stunning volcano views.  In addition to the views and personalized service, the real treat of staying here is that El Silencio del Campo has it’s own set of thermal hot springs on the property that are exclusive to hotel guests only.

2. Day 2

   Enjoy a delicious typical breakfast and cup of Costa Rican coffee before heading out for your first Costa Rican adventure.  Today’s combo tour combines two of the most popular attractions in the Arenal area, the hanging bridges and the La Fortuna Waterfall.  The iconic suspension bridges provide you front row viewing to the primary rainforest, birds, and wildlife that call this area home.  Next you’ll head to the La Fortuna Waterfall, one of the most picturesque waterfalls in the country.  A healthy hike of 300 steps will get you to the base of the 200 ft waterfall where you can take pictures and a refreshing swim.

3. Day 3

   Today you’ll have the option to pick from a long list of eco and adventures tours that are unique to the Arenal area. You can take a calm river safari float, head up to the exotic Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge for amazing wildlife viewing, or you can go kayaking or paddle boarding directly in front of the volcano on Costa Rica’s largest lake, Lake Arenal.  If you crave adventure then you are in the right spot as Arenal offers waterfall rappelling, canopy zip-lines, Class III-IV whitewater rafting, ATVs, and the newest tour – waterfall jumping.

4. Day 4

   Time to head to the beach!  After sleeping in and enjoying a leisurely morning we’ll pick you up and take you around the lake out to the Pacific Coast and the popular Playa Tamarindo.  Here you’ll enjoy one of the rare beachfront boutique hotels in the country, the Capitan Suizo.  Featuring just 35 rooms ranging from the original Superior rooms found in the main building to the newest bungalows and beachfront suites, this has been a favorite since 1992.  Located at the southern end of Playa Tamarindo you’ll enjoy a quiet beach setting with little traffic yet still be close enough to walk into town for happy hour and dinner.

5. Day 5

   This day is yours!  After a full slate of activity at the Arenal Volcano you have this entire day to do, or not do, whatever you want.  The Capitan Suizo offers surfboards and boogie boards if you want to play in the water as well as beachfront massages if you feel you deserve a special treat.  The only deadline you have today is to wake up in time to enjoy their buffet breakfast, the rest of the day is yours!

6. Day 6

   Today we’ll get you out on the water for a sunset and snorkeling cruise on our 66’ catamaran. Cruise up and down Costa Rica’s ‘Gold Coast’ to view the green rainforest colliding with golden sand beaches and keep an eye out for turtles, dolphins, and even the occasional whale. Stop in a calm protected bay for a refreshing swim and snorkeling tour, then head back to Tamarindo as you enjoy a Pacific sunset.

7. Day 7

   Today you’ll leave Costa Rica and cross the northern border into Nicaragua, which is just an hour and a half away. After clearing immigrations and customs at both countries our private driver will be waiting for you to take you to the popular colonial town of Granada. Set on the shores of the largest lake in Central America, Lake Nicaragua, Granada offers gorgeous colonial architecture, history, restaurants, and a host of fun adventure tours to enjoy.  Your hotel here will be the unique Jicaro Lodge, which is actually located on a private island on the lake itself.  Enjoy waterfront accommodations, great food, eco-luxury all in one.

8. Day 8

   Today is yours to relax and enjoy all that the Jicaro Lodge and Lake Nicaragua have to offer.  The lodge itself is located on one of the hundreds of isletas, so you can take a three hour guided tour to see them all and learn more about how they formed or head to the mainland to explore Granada.  After lunch you can join a local fisherman for an artisanal fishing tour or a sustainability tour of Jicaro Island to see how the hotel operates without negatively affecting the environment.  They also feature a spa and yoga studio.

9. Day 9

   Pick your adventure!  Today you’ll get off the island and explore one of Nicaragua’s many volcanoes along with a little adventure.  Located on the famous Pacific Ring of Fire, Nicaragua is home to ancient giants like the Mombacho, Momotombo, and Masaya Volcanoes to name a few. End your vacation with a bang as you combine one of these volcanoes with an adventure activity like stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, horseback riding, the canopy-zipline, or even sand boarding!

10. Day 10

    Take a private ground transfer to the border and then head to Liberia (LIR) for your international flight home.