Costa Rica 'Cross-Country’ 10 Day Trip Itinerary




Day 1

Welcome to Costa Rica!!! Today is the first day of your trip and we have organized airport pick-ups from the international airport to a local hotel, Hotel Bougainvillea, where we will all meet. We advise Liquid Skills guests to arrive in San Jose, Costa Rica on November 22nd, 2006 so they can take full advantage of the first full day of the trip. Guests arriving on November 23rd will be shuttled from the airport to the hotel as they arrive. If guests arrive on November 23rd, ideally it will be in the morning so we can depart for the day’s activities as a group. The all-inclusive trip begins on November 22nd with our first overnight stay at the Hotel Bougainvillea. After a fine Costa Rican breakfast and relaxing start to the day we will have the opportunity to visit Inbio Park, a biological reserve packed full of flora and fauna that we may encounter on our cross country journey. If time permits we may also attempt to squeeze a tour or visit of Alajuela into our agenda. We will experience a traditional Costa Rican lunch and later in the evening enjoy dinner together when we will discuss our plans for the following day and the trip in general.

Day 2

After a good nights rest, we will meet for breakfast at the Hotel Bougainvillea prior to departing on our drive to the Rio Sarapiqui, a beautiful class III river and excellent introduction to Costa Rican white water. Following this day on the river, we will visit a waterfall aptly named ‘Pozo Azul’. This is a runnable 18 to 20 ft waterfall for those who are experienced, capable and interested. Otherwise, it will be the perfect opportunity for pictures and a refreshing dip. After Pozo Azul, we drive to where we will check into the Hotel Quinta for the evening.

Day 3

On day three, following a hearty breakfast, we drive to the Rio Reventazon for some high adventure class III+-IV white water! There are two sections on this river, the ‘Florida’ section (III) and the Pascua section (IV). We will have the option of paddling either or both sections of the Rio Reventazon. After a tasty lunch on the river and an amazing day of adrenaline pumping paddling we will hit the road and stop for dinner en route to our next tropical venue, the Cerro Alto Lodge for some needed rest and relaxation.



Day 4 & 5

Today, we wake up to a scrumptious breakfast and stunning view at the Cerro Alto Mountain Lodge and Resort overlooking the Reventazon Lake. Shortly after breakfast we’ll load up and make our way to the Rio Pacuare where we will prepare for an exciting and memorable 2-day river raft-supported kayak trip in the jungle. After our first day on the river, we will eat and sleep at the world renowned Pacuare Lodge , a unique tropical paradise. From the Rio Pacuare we make our way to Turrialba, a popular hang-out for white water enthusiasts and tourists alike. In Turrialba, Jose will take us to on one of his favourite restaurants for a well deserved meal. After dinner, we will be on our way to our next abode, the Hotel Rio Perlas.

Day 6

Day 6 begins with more wonderful food, which will prepare us for a 1-hour drive to San Isidro, the home of the Rio General. The Rio General boasts several runnable sections of white water ranging from class II to class V. Our group will have the option of running two of those five sections, a short class III section (2 hours) or a longer and slightly more challenging class IV section (5 hours). It is possible for us to split into two groups on this river for those interested. Paddlers who choose the shorter section will have the opportunity to take full advantage of an early hotel arrival and perhaps some free time. The paddling group on the longer section can expect to experience a full day of fun and challenging white-water followed by a 4x4 jungle take ride back to the hotel where they will meet up with the rest of the gang for dinner and a relaxing evening at the Hotel Zima.

Day 7

Today we paddle the Rio Savegre! We eat and then hit the road for 1.5 hours to the Rio Savegre where we will again have choices. This is a roadside river with an upper and lower section to check out. We can expect approximately 3 hours of class III-IV paddling; play and energy dependant of course. Depending on the section we decide to paddle we will also have the option of eating lunch at the Rafiki Lodge or on the river. Our group will sit down for an exquisite dinner and comfortable stay at the well-known Rafiki Lodge.

Day 8

Buenas dias! After satisfying our appetites, we’ll hit the Savegre and enjoy a leisurely class I-II paddle from the Rafiki Lodge down to the take-out bridge 2.5 hours downstream. Once back on the road, we’ll focus our energy on reaching Quepos and Manual Antonio, two very cool little surfing towns on the pacific coast. These areas of Costa Rica have white water and heaps of eco-tourism based activities to keep us occupied. We’ll enjoy another healthy meal at Portosol, grab our boats and hit the beach for some kayak surfing at Playa Matapalo. Our group will stay at either Portosol or the Bahari Beach Hotel this evening depending on our group numbers.

Day 9

Portosol or the Hotel Bahari Beach Hotel will be providing a delicious Costa Rican breakfast. We will then drive to Manuel Antonio for a Catamaran Tour at either 8:30am to 1:00pm or 2:00pm to 6:00pm which includes spectacular scenery, sun, world-class snorkelling, great food&drink and good times. There are also some other options including paddling the class III-IV Rio Naranjo and/or hiking and exploring the Manual Antonio National Park which is home to all kinds of cool insects, reptiles, animals, primates, flora and beautiful beaches. This evening will be spent at the Hotel Karahe, a beachfront hotel steps from the Manual Antonio National Park.

Day 10

Our last day! Sad but true…but not over just yet! Enjoy your final beach views because after an early breakfast we’ll be loading up the bus and will quickly find ourselves zipping through the rainforest on a canopy tour! This is a classic Costa Rican experience and one you will not forget. After a well-deserved lunch we’ll find ourselves back in the bus and on our way to the Quepos airport. From here, we will all fly back to San Jose where some will continue their journey back to their homes and others will remain in San Jose/Alajuela for a final evening of telling stories and celebrating an unforgettable experience of a lifetime.

Pura Vida!!!

Liquid Skills (613)633-8795
info@liquidskills.com

FINEPRINT

Itinerary is subject to change based on availability, weather conditions and river levels. Travel Health and cancellation insurance are mandatory. It is mandatory that all Liquid Skills guests and friends of Liquid Skills complete and sign Liquid Skills waivers. Trip price is based on double occupancy. There is a single supplementary price of $250 US per person and this applies to only those who desire private accommodation. Trip price includes all taxes, guiding, accommodations, meals and predetermined activities. Any guest wishing to participate in extracurricular activities outside of the itinerary will be responsible for all related costs. Participation in such activities must not interfere, alter or disrupt trip itinerary, however, some flexibility has been accounted for.