Tours in San Jose
Avoid being closed out -- Pre-reserve ahead of time
Tours in: Arenal • Guanacaste • Monteverde • Nicoya Peninsula • Puntarenas/Jaco
Quepos/Manuel Antonio • San Jose
Full Day Tours • Half Day Tours
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Half Day Tours
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San Jose City TourDuration: 3 Hours
Bring: Comfortable clothes and camera
Included: Transportation, bilingual guide, and entrance fees
This tour will take you on a journey through the
Costa Rican culture and history. San Jose City
became capital of the newly independent country
in 1824 after the president decided to move the
capital from the old Spanish colonial city of
Cartago with the idea of making a fresh start
with a new city. The new capital grew rapidly,
extending into the Central Valley and in 1884,
became the first city in Latin America to be
illuminated by electric energy.
The tour begins with an orientation drive through
residential areas and the Sabana Metropolitan
Park, known as the lung of the city for being
the closest green area to the city.
Continuing, a walk through the historic National
Theater will show you a masterpiece in art and
architecture; it was completed in 1897, after
many architectural and engineering headaches
finding the right architect to build it and the
money to finance it.
Next stop is at the National Museum, the former
Bellavista Headquarters, base of our now-abolished
army. It was one of the most important buildings
in San Jose, a weapon warehouse used to instruct
recruits in militia, tactics, weapon handling
and discipline. |
| Full Day Tours |
Butterfly FarmDuration - Approximately 3 hours
Bring: Comfortable shoes and long pants
Included: Transportation, bilingual guide, lunch and entrance fees
Costa Rica houses a wide variety of butterfly species because
of its tropical weather conditions. The Butterfly Farm located
in Alajuela, was established in 1983 as the first commercial
butterfly farm in Latin America as a backyard experience and
soon it became the principal supplier of neo-tropical species
to Entomological Livestock Supplies (ELS) in England, by that
time it was the world's only, and later leading, distributor
of living Lepidoptera.
The tour includes a documentary film, a visit to the larva and
pupae laboratories and the gardens where thousands of butterflies
fly all over the place; this is the perfect place to learn about
these fascinating insects, their metamorphosis and life cycle.
Early morning tours may have the extra treat of watching butterflies
emerging from their chrysalides and taking off for their maiden
flight. On export day, visitors may watch thousands of pupae being
packed for exportation. |
Cappuccino Coffee TourDuration - Approximately 5 hours
Bring: Comfortable shoes and long pants
Included: Transportation, bilingual guide, lunch and entrance fees
This learning tour will take you into the world of coffee on
an interactive experience, laced with humor, to show you the
process of a single Arabica Costa Rican coffee from the
plantation to your cup. You will also learn about the important role that coffee has
played in Costa Rica's democratic and economic development as
well as some history of the coffee in the world. After a
delicious lunch, you can become an expert coffee taster when
our coffee experts show you the art of brewing a perfect
espresso or cappuccino. |
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Irazu Volcano and Lankester Gardens Duration - 9 hours
Bring - Hiking shoes, warm jacket, sun block, binoculars and camera
Included: Transportation, bilingual guide, entrance fees, and lunch
We take the Panamerican Highway South, to start ascending
the large "Iztaru". The winding road travels through
fertile lands cultivated with all kinds of vegetables as
we observe a lovely panoramic view. On the top of the
volcano you can observe the main craters and on a clear
day both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans can be seen.
As we descend to the city of Cartago we will stop at the
Virgin of the Angels Basilica that according to religious
custom is a peregrination site for many believers. After
visiting the Basilica we will stop at Lankester Gardens,
a University of Costa Rica Center for investigation that
protects more than 800 species of orchids and bromeliads
and countless species of other plants.
We will continue on to the Valley of Orosi where creation
overflows in unparallel beauty. We will be able to visit
one of the few remaining colonial churches and we will
stop for lunch in one of the local restaurants. During
our tour we will be able to observe La Casa Del Soņador
an example of Costa Rican primitive art. |
Inbiopark: The Gateway to Costa Rica's National Parks Duration - 3 hours
Bring - Swimsuit, towel and comfortable shoes.
Comfortable shoes, camera and film
Included: Transportation, bilingual guide and entrance fee
The National Biodiversity Institute (INBio) is a private
research and biodiversity management center, established
in 1989 to support efforts to gather knowledge on the
country's biological diversity and promote its sustainable
use. The center works on monitoring and inventorying
information on the diversity of species and ecosystems
found in the country. At present, INBio has a collection
of more than 3 million specimens of arthropods, plants,
fungi and mollusks, each one duly identified and catalogued.
A theme park was inaugurated in the year 2000, with the
aim of bringing families and visitors into closer contact
with Costa Rica's natural resources. In addition, using
other modalities, INBio seeks to strengthen the environment
aspects of the actions and decisions of the Costa Rican
people. The park is a recreational and educational space
in which we can appreciate the value that our country
places on conserving our flora and fauna. |
Arenal Volcano Area and Tabacon Hot SpringsDuration - Approximately 12 hours
Bring - Comfortable clothes and shoes, light jacket, swimsuit, towel, insect repellent, binoculars and camera.
Included: Transportation, bilingual guide, entrance fee, lunch and dinner.
Located north of Costa Rica the impressive Arenal Volcano
is a natural phenomenon that attracts thousands and
thousands of tourists due to its permanent, extraordinary
and trusted volcanic activity, which on clear nights can
seem like fireworks with intermittent explosions of ash
and lava. In order to get to this wonder from nature we
must go to the north of the country, and inevitably we
must make a stop in the famous town of Sarchi, of inter-
national fame, it has earned the name Birthplace of Costa
Rica's Artisans. As we continue our trip we will go thru
diverse plantations with agricultural products, ornamental
plants and cattle ranches until we arrive at La Fortuna,
for lunch in a cozy restaurant right in front of the volcano.
This excellent location will allow us the best view in order
to catch any volcanic activity.
Before entering the beautiful gardens where the thermal
springs are located we will visit Arenal Lake. Here we
can easily walk on a road next to the Park where we will
look for toucans, monkeys, coatimundis and other animals.
Due to security reasons we will not enter the park. Later
we will relax in one of the best thermal water places in
the area where you will be able to enjoy an optional massage
or other treatment that you will have reserved ahead of time. Last, a wonderful dinner will be served. After dinner we will
begin our return trip to the city of San Jose. |
Turu Ba Ri Tropical Park Duration - Approximately 10 hours
Includes: Transportation, bilingual guide, entrance fee, canopy, aerial tramway, and lunch
Bring: Comfortable shoes and clothes, sun block, hat, binoculars and camera
Turu ba Ri is an eco-oriented theme park located in
the Central Pacific about 90 minutes from San Jose.
The park includes a series of adventures and natural
attractions such as an aerial tramway, canopy tour,
horseback riding, butterfly farm, country farm,
orchid garden, herbarium and natural trails among
others.
This marvelous complex consists of 198 hectares
(496 acres) and offers beautiful views of the
countryside. The northeast section of the park is
bordered by the Tarcoles River; to the southeast
are the slopes of the Turrubares Mountains and
Carara National Park; to the west lays the Gulf
of Nicoya, which you will be able to see from the
higher elevations of the park. |
RIVER RAFTING ADVENTURE (SARAPIQUI RIVER)Duration - Approximately 10 hours
Includes: Air-conditioned transportation, bilingual guide,
equipment, breakfast and lunch.
Bring: Shorts, comfortable shoes, towel, camera and
change of clothes.
Note: This tour operates with a minimum of 2 persons
Get ready for the adventure of your life! This is one of the
most popular tours for running rapids and is perfect for
those who want to experience the river for the first time.
The run begins with a series of rapids that will keep you
moving. For beginners looking for the challenge of rapids we
recommend the Class II and III Sarapiqui River. You can
enjoy the adventure of the rapids in many places around the
world, but only here can you do it in the middle of
rainforests. |
POAS VOLCANO, GRECIA AND SARCHIDuration - 8 hours
Includes: Transportation, bilingual guide, entrance fee,
and lunch.
Bring: Hiking shoes, rain coat, light jacket and camera.
Note: This tour requires minimum 2 people to operate.
We take the Pan-American Highway towards the city of
Alajuela. En route we go by the Agriculture Monument,
the Monument to Juan Santamaria and the famous Mango
Park. As we ascend towards the volcano we stop for a
brief explanation on our golden bean, coffee, and then
continue our trip through fern, flower and strawberry
farms. There is a noticeable change in temperature and
vegetation, preparing us for the pleasure of the exuberant
cloud forest of Poas Volcano.
At the Volcano we will have time to enjoy the impressive
main crater with its sulfur fumaroles, and hike on a trail
to the beautiful Botos Lagoon as we learn about the different
ecosystems in the park. After visiting the volcano, we will
have time to enjoy a delicious lunch in one of the typical
restaurants of the area.
Our third stop is beautiful Grecia. Considered one of the
cleanest towns of Latin America, it is home to the only
Metal Church in Central America and a national monument
that fills its inhabitants with pride. In order to catch a
glimpse of local lifestyle we will also visit the central
market area.
Our last stop is Sarchi, known as the Cradle of Costa Rican
Artisans because of its fine workshops. Here we will have
time to enjoy the artistic work of the local artisans as they
create the famous typical oxcart and you will be able to shop
for that special souvenir to take home. |
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Tours in: Arenal • Guanacaste • Monteverde • Quepos/Manuel Antonio • San Jose
Full Day Tours • Half Day Tours
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