The Rain Forest Aerial Tram at Braulio Carillo National Park (50 minutes from San José) is a unique ecotourism and research facility that takes visitors through the rain forest canopy and its hanging gardens of plants and hidden animals – a little-known world of tremendous beauty and extraordinary biological diversity The approximately six-hour tour begins at the park with an explanatory video and a 45-minute walk accompanied by a naturalist guide. The 90-minute ride on the aerial tram itself initially goes through the inferior and medium levels of the forest and then returns through the best part of the tour: the top part of the forest – the canopy and its hanging gardens of plants and animals hidden at the tops of tall tropical trees – the highlight of the trip and home to two-thirds of all the world’s rain forest species, where the highest point is 35 meters (100+ feet) above ground. After lunch you return to San José.
Bring comfortable walking shoes, perhaps a sweater and… your camera, of course.
To reach the different attractions included in this excursion, you will first go through the nearby city of Alajuela with its Agriculture Monument, the monument to Juan Santamaria and the famous Mango Park. As you climb towards the Poás Volcano, you will notice the distinct change in temperature and vegetation. There will be a brief information stop before driving by the coffee plantations as well as fern, flower and strawberry farms along the way, which create a beautiful, diversified landscape. On the way to the volcano we will stop briefly at a coffee farm and learn about the ancient techniques used by the experts to produce one of the best coffees in Costa Rica. Learn about the careful process involved on the cultivation, harvesting and roasting of the Golden Bean. From there you will continue to Poás Volcano where you can admire the impressive main crater with its sulfur fumaroles, as well as learn about the different ecosystems in this beautiful national park. After that, it’s on to La Paz Water Fall Garden for lunch and a tour. On arrival at La Paz, you will walk along gorgeous nature trails, leading to the spectacular White Magic Waterfall in the middle of the rainforest. Also on the tour are visits to the impressive hummingbird gallery, serpentarium, bird sanctuary, butterfly garden and the frog exhibit- all within the confines of the park. After that, enjoy a delicious lunch buffet. Then it is back to San José.
Rated among the best white water rafting spots in the world, Costa Rica is adventure lover’s delight. Here rivers offer Class II to Class V rapids, with something for everyone. For adventure junkies, for novice rafters and for those who enjoy the thrill of zipping down a raging river, Costa Rica offers some amazing white water rafting experiences. With roaring rivers tumbling down from the mountainsides, get a different view of Costa Rica’s natural exotic beauty and amazing wildlife as you ride the beautiful Class III (intermediate difficulty) Reventazón or Sarapiqui rivers. Sloths, toucans, parrots, coatis, kingfishers, herons, iguanas and bright green lizards are common sights. During rainy months the Sarapiquí river is preferred, and during drier times, the Reventazón.
The most popular tour in Costa Rica! Drive through some of the most scenic parts of Costa Rica to view one of the most active volcanoes in the Americas or anywhere else. This 14-hour tour takes you along picturesque country roads through the central highlands and its quaint farming towns and across the rich farmlands of the San Carlos plateau en route to the volcano. The Arenal volcano erupted for the first time this century in 1968 and has been continuously active ever since. The frequency and intensity of its eruptions are truly awe inspiring. After observing the volcano and exploring the lava flows, enjoy the relaxing hot springs and then a buffet dinner at the Tabacon Resort or other local hotel. You will hear the volcano rumble impressively, and if it’s a nice, clear night, you may even feel the ground tremble and see the night sky explode with ash, sparks and lava in a natural display of fireworks.
