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Arrive
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Day 1 Arrive San José
Arrive in Costa Rica's capital city San José today, where you will be met at the airport and transferred privately to your attractive hotel set in a converted mansion house.
Overnight: Hotel Grano de Oro
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Day 2 Drive to Arenal
Your hire car will be delivered to your hotel this morning in preparation for your leisurely drive to the Arenal Volcano region, a journey of around three hours. The afternoon is free for you to relax in the thermal springs at your hotel, or to begin exploring. Though the perfect cone of the Arenal Volcano is often shrouded by cloud, many of the attractions of this region lie in the activity-filled national parks and forests that surround the volcano. These include hikes to historic lava flows, exploring hanging bridges in the rainforest canopy, rafting in the surrounding rivers or mountain biking around Lake Arenal.
Overnight: Amor Arenal
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Day 3 Arenal activities
You will be met by your guide this morning for a private kayaking excursion on Lake Arenal. This is the largest lake in Costa Rica, covering an expanse of over 30 square miles, and is edged by tropical forests meaning you will be ever on the lookout for wildlife. The afternoon is free for you to arrange further activities in Arenal; you are completely spoilt for choice in this region, and having your own car affords you the utmost freedom. You may also wish to take advantage of some of the activities on offer at your hotel, which include horse riding through serene trails and relaxation in the spa.
Option: this afternoon you could take the scenic gondola ride up to the treetops at the Sky Tram complex, and then descend along a network of canopy zip lines. This exciting zip lining course is suitable for all ages and abilities, and offers fantastic views of the lake and volcano on a clear day.
Overnight: Amor Arenal
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Day 4 Drive to Monteverde
Depart Arenal today for your scenic drive around Lake Arenal ascending to the cooler cloud forest climes of Monteverde, a journey of approximately three hours. After time to settle into your comfortable lodge, you may wish to explore the neighbouring cloud forest reserve of Aguti. This pristine reserve is connected to your hotel by a short bridge, and access is complimentary for hotel guests. This evening you could dine on the tasty farm-to-table creations on offer at your hotel, or venture into Monteverde town with its bustling bars and eateries.
Option: an alternative activity when you arrive this afternoon could be to visit a traditional Costa Rican plantation to gain a fascinating insight into the coffee, sugarcane and chocolate production in the region.
Overnight: Senda Monteverde Hotel
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Day 5 Monteverde Cloud Forest activities
You will be met by an expert naturalist guide this morning for a private nature walk in the renowned Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. The keen eyes of your guide will help you locate fascinating forest dwellers that initially seem invisible, such as tiny poison dart frogs in the undergrowth and sloths dozing in the treetops. Other creatures make their presence known to you by their lively calls; howler and capuchin monkeys for example, colourful toucans and the curious three wattled bellbird. The rest of the day is free for you to arrange further activities in Monteverde.
Option: a popular activity for a free afternoon in Monteverde is to visit the Sky Tram complex. Here you can ascend to the cloud forest canopy in a cable car, stroll along a network of canopy walkways high in the treetops and then perhaps choose to descend to ground level on an exhilarating zip lining adventure.
Overnight: Senda Monteverde Hotel
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Day 6 Drive to Tamarindo
Bid farewell to the cloud forest today as you drive southeast towards your beach hotel on the Pacific coast. Capitan Suizo offers a true 'best of both worlds' location, on a sheltered stretch of golden sand beach but with the lively surf town of Tamarindo just a short walk away.
Overnight: Capitan Suizo
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Day 7 - 8 Beach relaxation
By now you may well be ready to just completely unwind on the beach and the one at Capitan Suizo is perfect for leisurely dips and sunset strolls. Nearby Tamarindo offers a change of scene with its surf schools, shops, bars and restaurants. Further afield, Guanacaste province hosts a variety of national parks and adventure pursuits.
Overnight: Capitan Suizo
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Day 9 Drive to San José
This morning leave the coast behind for the drive back to San José. Here you will leave your hire car at the airport in time for your flight home.
Option: rather than flying home this afternoon, you could spend the night in a stylish coffee plantation hotel near San José and then take a scenic flight the following day to the Osa Peninsula. This wild outpost is one of the most bio-diverse places on the planet, and an adventurous few days can be spent searching for wildlife whilst staying in a world-class rainforest lodge.
Overnight: Overnight Flight
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Depart
