Costa Rica Nature Tour for Active People - Jurassic Experience

Active Costa Rica trip emphasizing private access to nature

Here's really active Costa Rica naturalist travel with emphasis on new ways to experience the tropical world. Some real action - after hot springs and hiking and rain forests and pre Jurassic cloud forests and stealth boats to watch nature and being part of nature while sitting in a high tree in the rainforest, we'll head to the primordial sea, mother of us all, for turtle watching, or snorkeling and chasing dolphins and (primitive??) Latin dancing. Oh, yes. Volcanoes, too.

If you are looking for something less active, we offer private Costa Rica nature travel designed around your specific requests. But warning, Serendipity likes to avoid the tour bus route and take you instead to our favorite, remoter places with the priority of preserving nature rather than entertaining tourists.

Day 1: Arrive in Costa Rica

Your plane arrives in San José today, and we'll quickly whisk you away from town towards the west, heading first to the coffee communities on the northwest of the city. If your flight is early enough so you'll have a chance to hike down to the bottom of the 200 foot waterfall which borders your hotel. The gardens here are used by the public schools in this area to teach sustainable organic processes.

Day 2: Hike in private cloud forest

Your Serendipity guide arrives at breakfast and the adventures begin with about 2 hours of driving -- mainly uphill, to the cloud forest.

Cloud forests are isolated peaks between 5,500 and 7,500 feet of altitude, sticking above surrounding lower rain forest. Monteverde, one of the oldest and most developed cloud forest preserve, is now a tourism Mecca where popularity has largely eliminated access to silent observation. We are instead entering our friends' private cloud forest where the difficult entry road (impossible for big buses) gives Serendipity's 4x4 a real advantage.

Because each cloud forest is an "island" the flora and fauna develop slightly distinct variations (think of isolation, as in the Galapagos, where even finch species vary between islands separated by less than 20 miles). The lodge is a safe haven for some of the mammals and birds, so sitting at breakfast may be one of the places you'll see wired creatures.

The real glory of the cloud forest is the flora. We'll hike through some bizarre forests which exist only in the clouds in the mountains of Central and South America and southeast Asia (and the mists of the gorilla country in Africa). The type of plant life here is pre Jurassic - house plants in offices in the USA grow taller than giant oak trees. Bromeliads cover branches in thick foliage - a classic symbiotic relationship. The cloud forest has the appearance of being the Missing Link between the Jurassic and modern plant kingdoms.

Don Frederic developed an orchid garden renowned in Costa Rica. The laboratory in the lodge is open to Serendipity's guests. Some species are so small they require viewing through a microscope.

Day 3: The Real Canopy Experience - lunch in the treetops

Abraham is over 400 years old, the patriarch of this ancient primary forest. Serendipity's observation platform suspends from the lowest majestic branches, 110 feet above the jungle floor. The surrounding primary forest is one of few remaining flat terrain forests in this rich agriculture country. This forest is safe haven for monkeys, forest birds, lizards and mammals (we often see paw prints of big cats). Most important, sitting comfortably in Abraham's platform is gaining a sense of what birds experience -- see nature from their viewpoint, feel the breeze at treetop, hear the jungle noises with no interference from mechanical -- watching nature as only birds can enjoy it.

The platform is ours all day today — to watch the animals, hear the sounds, enjoy the sensation of being a bird for one day. We even have a good lunch, and comfortable chairs, while feeling the breeze and smelling the jungle and listening to the songs of the birds. This is binocular country up here.

Before sunset we'll head up to Arenal volcano. In this area we will soak in our favorite hot springs.

Day 4: Watch monkeys, birds, and lizards from our (silly!) little boats

This tranquil river is filled with birds and iguanas, monkeys and caiman. It is a naturalist's paradise. Serendipity uses our versatile 4x4 vehicle to reach the starting point for our river trip. We usually have nature to ourselves until we approach the public docks near the end of the river voyage. We can paddle, or, using the absolutely silent electric motors we will move stealth-like, silently skimming under the overhanging branches where so many species build nests. Because we are such a small and cohesive team, and can maintain complete silence, we can really get close to birds, monkeys, sloths, even the caymans.

This river voyage is through one of Costa Rica's most biologically intense areas. But because of nearby farming, the animals and birds concentrate on the banks of this river, making it much easier to spot creatures than in large Costa Rica nature parks such as Corcovado or Tortuguero.

Your private Serendipity guide will make species spotting much more intense here because of his or her knowledge of tree species favored by which birds and mammals. With our small boat and patience you'll see through the extraordinary camouflage of even the shiest birds and mammals.

Day 5: To the beach

Getting from the northern area to the beach is a treat in itself since we have the comfortable 4x4 and can get away from the buses and trucks on the main highways. We're hiking at a geologically fascinating river - and swimming in the waterfall. The route may not take less time, but it is definitely easy to stop and spot "the locals" -- from hawks and sloths near the roadside to play in small waterfalls or buy local fresh fruits and cheese. The whole idea of Serendipity is to "discover something amazing while you are looking for something else".

Day 6: On the beach

We have the day for beach fun, from collecting sea shells to bird watching. When it is not turtle season we can explore the estuaries in sit-on-top sea kayaks, paddling quietly under the canopy, checking the river banks for nests.

With huge luck we may see the arribada - the massive turtle arrival that occurs (unpredictably) in the north central Pacific beaches between August and November.

Sea turtles are only one of nature's attractions at our favorite isolated beaches. Most of the beaches are empty, as protected beaches have restrictions both on construction and access. Beach combing is a favorite pastime, and exploring trails for wildlife is always an option.

And sunsets. Ocean sunsets in the tropics have special colors of reds and oranges and pinks - in Costa Rica we call these "celaje evenings"

Day 7: Back to San José, stopping for shopping

This is your final morning on the coast.

Even the best of times comes to an end sooner or later. We'll head back to the Central Valley today. If you'd like we can stop for some of the local crafts. Say goodbye to your Serendipity leader this evening. And start planning your next Serendipity Adventure.

Day 8: On your way back to "civilization"?

Your flight back is today. Do you realize you avoided San José completely? Did you miss it?

Making Your Reservation

CREATE A GROUP DEPARTURE DATE: Call us with your travel dates -- starting on any Sunday (except December 15-January 1). If your travel dates are more than 60 days in the future, you are charged at the GROUP DEPARTURE rate of $2790 per person, minimum of two people. Single supplement: $390 per person. We will post open trips on this web site so other people can join. Reservations for non-published dates within 60 days of departure will be treated as a Private Departure, and priced accordingly.

The following dates are now open for GROUP DEPARTURE - limited to 6 persons per guide/vehicle- U.S. $2,790 per person

October 18 - 25, 2015

November 15 - 22, 2015

December 6 - 13, 2015

January 10 - 17, 2016

February 7 - 14, 2016

March 6 - 13, 2016

PRIVATE DEPARTURES: Costs for a PRIVATE trip (where you will have exclusive use of Serendipity's guide, vehicle, and activities) is

Two people: U.S. $3,400 per person (double occupancy); single supplement $390 per person

Three or four people: $2,790 per person (double occupancy); single supplement $390 per person

Five or six or more people: $2,200 per person (double occupancy); single supplement $390 per person

Reservations requested within 60 days of departure will be treated as a Private Departure, and priced accordingly.

Detailed TERMS, DIRE WARNING! - please READ this before making a reservation

The price includes all hotels (3 star or better), breakfast and lunch each day, all adventures as listed (and some others you'll just happen upon as you move along from place to place), transportation in air conditioned vehicles. NOT INCLUDED are your airline tickets, alcoholic beverages, your exit visa for Costa Rica ($28 per person), and the (optional) tips for your guides.

EVENING MEALS: We do not include evening meals. Why? There is a wide variety of choices, from cowboy cantinas to the (pretty repetitive) meals available at hotels. Our guides will decide WITH YOU what restaurant or meal selection you'd like, and we will go there together. By pricing evening meals independently, we are offering you a much larger choice: local restaurants or Americanized hotel food, or perhaps a very elegant Italian dinner in one of Costa Rica's best restaurants at the beach, or fresh seafood at a place all the locals enjoy.

By the way, a lot of people decide to add a few days for rafting, or for a nature retreat in Corcovado or Tortuguero We can arrange this for you as well.

The first step to enjoying a the Jurassic Experience is to contact us.