THE ECLECTIC VOYAGER

Day 1: Arrive in Costa Rica – and ascend to a private cloud forest

Your Serendipity guide will meet you at the San José airport, and whisk you away with one of Serendipity’s go-everywhere 4×4 vehicles. You’ll ascend to our friend’s private cloud forest – as remote from city life and bustling airports as you can imagine. The lodge is peaceful, surrounded by nature.

Day 2: Enjoy the mystic cloud forest

This morning we’ll enjoy hiking in the cloud forest.  We’ll hike on trails to waterfalls and through forest. The hummingbirds will leave a print on your memory, simply beautiful. Sometime after lunch we’ll descend to the San Carlos plains where you will stay at a well-located hotel away from the masses.

Day 3: Costa Rica nature from our private small boats – floating with the animals

We leave for intense nature watching in the Northern part of Costa Rica, on the Rio Frio. Serendipity’s “boat” is quite different. Propelled by an electric motor and sitting at water level, it has stealth capabilities. You can silently approach everything from Jesus Christ lizards and Cayman to monkeys, and glide silently right next to giant herons and under nesting trogons.

Day 4: Hiking Arenal Volcano, or Celeste River, or Cerro Chato

Your choice of hikes today: some serious climbing up unimproved trails to the top of Cerro Chato (and a remarkable view of Arenal volcano’s peak, 500 yards away), or a very gentle hike at the base of Arenal volcano, or a moderate hike, with chances for spotting the turquoise waters of the Celeste river.

Day 5: Tree Climbing

Today we are moving on towards the white water area, but first we’ll go on a hike in primary rainforest and climb one or two interesting trees. We’ll ascend Abraham to a secure platform 110 feet above the jungle floor, hanging in the lowest branch. We’ll have lunch up here and you can stay for as long as you wish, enjoying the noisy top of the forest. Descend Abraham, and hike to Joseph, an ancient ficus, already a venerable old tree when Columbus first arrived in Costa Rica. If you still feel like climbing, you can ascend Joseph — scale the roots structure on the inside of the tree, then descend 50 feet by rappelling the exterior.
Then we´ll move on towards our next destination, and late this afternoon we’ll arrive in Turrialba.

Day 6:  Costa Rica canyoning Paradise— waterfalls, harnesses, ropes, and TRUST!

Canyoning is descending in harnesses with ropes and rocks and waterfalls and deep crevasses. The adrenaline rush is high and the natural jungle setting is breathtaking —. We have a few different sites where we can go, so we’ll discuss with you which one will be best for your family or group.

Day 7: White Water Rafting the magnificent Pacuare River

The first day of an overnight river expedition. The first part of the Pacuare adventure is class II and III, and you’ll have the chance to enjoy the river to the fullest by playing and swimming,  and also enjoy the surrounding forest.  The Serendipity crew will cook for you at our beautiful campsite at the river’s edge.

Day 8: 2nd Day Pacuare adventure

Today will be the payoff for the hard pushing all week is the magnificent Pacuare River — 18 miles of roaring Class IV whitewater. Named by National Geographic as one of the 10 most beautiful rivers of the world, the Pacuare with Serendipity brings you to life — teamwork, adrenaline, a slightly terrifying experience to share with your own select team of friends or family. Serendipity approaches white water differently from day-trip tour companies – it is a team, not a tour. You’ll remember your guides, you’ll remember the lunch, and you’ll remember the thrill of taking on the amazing challenge. This is, without a doubt, a very good way to complete your Costa Rica adventure experience.

This evening we’ll be back in San Jose where your guide will take you out for a farewell dinner.

Day 9: Departure or continue to the Beach beckons?

If you are going back home today, we’ll arrange for an airport transfer in time for check-in.

You’ve covered the best of the interior of Costa Rica, but if you have a few more days at your disposition, you may enjoy some time to relax, on the beach. The hard part is deciding what is your perfect beach…  Serendipity knows where to find quiet, uncrowded, clean beaches — for scuba? Snorkel? Sailing? Surfing? Horseback riding? Skinny dipping?
White sands, beautiful sunsets (these you find everywhere)
Plenty of beach toys, and exuberant nightlife?

This (SAMPLE) itinerary includes:

This is your trip with your departure date, your private activities. We do not add you to a set itinerary, combine you with other people, or suggest that other people join your trip.

The sample pricing  reflects lodging in midrange hotels. However, we’ll design your travels with you, so if you have a special hotel request or want to opt for a different level of lodging, we’ll be happy to adjust the itinerary accordingly.

All meals, snacks, and interesting things we encounter en route – fruits you pick from trees, fish you catch, homemade candies or homemade beer. We are expert with dietary requirements like Kosher or vegan — and the opposite extreme as well.

Serendipity’s strong 4×4 adventure vehicle — no rigid schedules, no cramped bus. Our vehicles give you access to places closed to tourists.

Completely private adventures in places you sometimes simply can’t reach without our 4×4’s or our amazing guides – from a remote river on horseback or camping on a riverbank to treetop lunch, or finding turtles on a deserted beach, or a frog farm on a dirt road. Even popular tours like canopy zip lines are operated in private mode for Serendipity guests

Serendipity’s amazing support, before and during your travels – paddle jackets to keep you warm, helmets with sun visors on the river, well equipped first aid kits, communication equipment, comfort items like clean towels, sunscreen lotion and bug spray for your convenience. Just arrive here with your essentials – we have all the extras.

The key to your enjoyment is your Serendipity leader, who is with you throughout the expedition, always pushing you to try something new, challenge you physically, or mentally, or both.

To better understand the logistics of “group size” and to give you a rough idea of what a custom private vacation with Serendipity will cost, here’s what the 9-day Eclectic Voyager would cost per person for the following size groups and room sharing, in peak and non-peak seasons. We accommodate larger groups by adding guides and vehicles and equipment as needed, which gives you great flexibility in designing a trip with different action levels for different people in your group. The important thing to remember is that everything we do, from rafting to horseback to canopy zip lines — is private for you. No lines, no buses, no compromising how hard you want to push, or how softly.

Your final price depends on how many people will be in your self-formed group, your preferences for action, hotel choices, and what tourist season or holidays are involved. The prices listed above are a starting point.  Not included: evening meals (except on Day 7), alcoholic beverages, and (optional) tips for the guides.

The hotels we’ve quoted for this trip would be classified as 3+ / 4-star. In each location, we’ve selected the hotel which provides the best service and is most central to the activities. This reduces the time spent getting places and allows more time away from tourist centers. Hotels are remote from road traffic, with gardens and trails and intrinsic natural beauty. If you prefer moderate accommodations to reduce cost, we are pleased to work with you to customize this itinerary further.

The first step to enjoying a Serendipity adventure is to contact us.