The Jurassic Experience

Costa Rica Nature Tour for Active Travelers- Jurassic Experience

Active Costa Rica trip emphasizing private access to nature

Do you want Nature? Here it is! Do you want action? Here you go! Join this group, get treated like royalty at a lower rate than what a private trip would cost.

Costa Rica naturalist travel with emphasis on new ways to experience the tropical world. Real action after hot springs and hiking and rain forests and stealth boats, pre Jurassic cloud forests and tree climbing: you are now one of the few that can say “I’ve seen the canopy from above”. Later on we’ll head to the primordial sea, mother of us all, for turtle watching, or snorkeling or chasing dolphins  and Latin dancing. Oh, yes. Volcanoes, too.

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.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Costa Rica

Your plane arrives in San José today, and a hotel representative will meet your flight and head directly to a hotel away from the city.  If you arrive early and prefer lodging in the city center, feel free to let us know and we’ll make the arrangements*.

(*airport transfer not included if you are staying in San  Jose city)

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 rainforest. Monteverde, one of the oldest and most developed cloud forest preserve, is so popular that access to silent observation is difficult to achieve. We are instead entering our friends’ private cloud forest where the difficult entry road (impossible for big buses) gives Serendipity’s 4×4 a real advantage. Cloud forest, lush green, misty, pre-Jurassic plants, waterfalls.
Because each cloud forest is an “island” the flora and fauna develop slightly distinct variations. 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. 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.

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 its lowest majestic branches, 110 feet above the jungle floor. This forest is a safe haven for monkeys, forest birds, lizards, and mammals. 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 devices– watching nature as only birds can enjoy it.
Before sunset, we’ll head up to Arenal volcano. In this area, we will soak in our favorite hot springs. Steaming hot springs will provide a time of relaxation like no hot tub would ever offer. Again, we will stay away from mass tourism and take you to amazing and almost untouched destinations.

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

Silence is the key to seeing the natural state of animals. Lunch while reclining and watching Mother Nature’s show.
This tranquil river is filled with birds and iguanas, monkeys and caiman. It is a naturalist’s paradise. Serendipity uses our versatile 4×4 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.Your private Serendipity guide will make species spotting much more intense here because of his or her knowledge. 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 4×4 and can get away from the buses and trucks on the main highways. We’re hiking at a geologically fascinating river. 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. We say so long by now and wait for you while preparing new and exciting adventures to share.

Pricing

This is a PRIVATE trip (where you will have exclusive use of Serendipity’s guide, vehicle, and activities) and the cost is:
Two people: U.S. $3,700 per person (double occupancy); single supplement $390 per person
Four people: $2,990 per person (double occupancy); single supplement $390 per person
Six or more people: $2,600 per person (double occupancy); single supplement $390 per person.

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 Serendipity adventure is to contact us.