Depart:
Private Tour-Land Only
8 Days/ 7 Nights
Daily January 1-December 31
We present to you a new refreshing, inspiriting and enriching cultural experience, that will introduce you to Costa Rican traditional cuisine and gourmet coffee tasting. We have gathered a team of locals to support this project including coffee growers and coffee producers, experienced local cooks and an organic farmer who owns a sustainable organic spice farm in Costa Rica which is certified organic and biodynamic and grow a variety of spices and essential oil plants, including vanilla, cocoa, and ceylon (true) cinnamon. This itinerary can be customized into a longer or shorter stay
Manuel Antonio National Park is Costa Rica’s second most visited park and considered one of the most beautiful beach and jungles of Costa Rica. Despite being Costa Rica’s smallest national park, the diversity of wildlife in its 6.83 km is unequaled with 109 species of mammals and 184 species of birds. Its main attractions include: two white-sand beaches (Espadilla & Manuel Antonio), and emerald blue seas against a background of deep green tropical jungle with excellent walking trails that will allow you to get glance at the wildlife and provide a great opportunity for some great bird-watching
Price per Person:
Call or Email for prices
Tour operates with 2 passengers
Package Includes:
7 nights first class hotel accommodation with private facilities
Round trip airport transfers
Breakfast each morning
5 lunches
2 dinners
English speaking tour guises some on a shared basis
Sightseeing as per itinerary
Hotel taxes and service charges
Itinerary
Day 1 San Jose
Arrive to Juan Sta. Maria International Airport. Meet & greet upon arrival and transfer to your centrally located hotel. Remainder of the day is at leisure. Overnight Hotel Balmoral.
Day 2 San Jose
Today you will visit a Pineapple Farm located in Sarapiqui. To reach it, you will pass through the amazing Braulio Carrillo National Park. Sarapiqui is known as the lowlands of the Caribbean and owns its name to the famous Sarapiqui River, one of the most famous rivers for white water rafting in Costa Rica. After the tour, you will enjoy lunch and head back to San Jose. During the afternoon you will visit the Central Market, which holds local vendors of fruits, flowers, food, souvenirs and small typical restaurants called “sodas”. At Cafe la Central you will have the opportunity to have one of the best coffees in Costa Rica. The place has a particular charm due its more than 100 years of existence. Overnight Hotel Balmoral.
Day 3 San Jose
This morning you will visit the Poas Volcano and the Doka Coffee Estate which lays amidst misty ecosystems and on fertile acid soil on the volcanic slopes of Costa Rica’s most-visited active volcano. During your visit you will learn about Doka’s coffee (variety, factors that influence the flavor of coffee, how it is grown, harvested and roasted) and end the visit with a gourmet coffee tasting session and lunch. This afternoon you will visit a local market place to learn about local produces and spices used in Costa Rican cuisine. This will be a great opportunity to familiarize yourself with the ingredients that we will be used during the following days. This evening you will partake in a cooking class of one of Costa Rica’s favorite snacks and often used as side dishes, picadillos. You will learn how to prepare picadillos with potatoes, cayote squash and hearts of palm. Overnight Hotel Balmoral.
Day 4 San Jose
Today you will visit the Tarrazu region, one of the most highly regarded coffee-growing areas. In many people’s opinion, Costa Rican coffee from Tarrazu is one of the world’s greatest coffees with its light, clean flavor and wonderful fragrance. At the Beneficio Ecol�gico Puente Tarraz�, you will have the opportunity to review many of the aspects you learned about coffee growing yesterday such as factors that influence the flavor of coffee, how it is grown, harvested, roasted and end your visit to this region with a coffee tasting session. In the afternoon you will visit one of the Costa Rican jewels: The National Theater built in 1897 during a time when coffee exports were a source of its success. The building is considered the finest historic building in the capital, and it is known for its exquisite interior which includes its lavish furnishings. At night we recommend you enjoy the different international restaurants around the hotel. Overnight Hotel Balmoral.
Day 5 San Jose-Manuel Antonio
Today you will head down to the Central Pacific, en route you will share with one local family that is renowned for making the best “Toronja rellena” a typical dessert which is traditional of this part of Costa Rica. You will learn how to make this unique dish and enjoy it after a hearty lunch, before continuing to Manuel Antonio Beach. Overnight Hotel Playa Espadilla.
Day 6 Manuel Antonio
You will spend the morning at Villa Vanilla Farm, a sustainable organic spice farm and learn about the origin of spices and the process from the plantation to the ingredients as we know them. This afternoon you will have a guided trip to Manuel Antonio National Park and have a swim in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. Overnight Hotel Playa Espadilla.
Day 7 Manuel Antonio-San Jose
This morning you will head back to San Jose, on the way, you will stop at a local ranch facility for a cooking class using corn-based dishes. You will learn how to make the traditional tortillas, empanadas and the Christmas’ favorite tamal; as well as the popular guacamole and refried beans. You will end the evening with dinner enjoying the own food we have prepared. Continue to San Jose. Overnight Hotel Balmoral.
Day 8 San Jose-End of Tour
After breakfast you will be taken to the Juan Sta. Maria International Airport. You can extend your stay in Costa Rica or continue to Panama or Nicaragua.
Additional nights available.
The Balmoral is a hotel located in the heart of downtown San Jose and only 30 minutes from the International Airport. It offers 112 comfortable and spacious rooms & suites with all the amenities needed for a pleasant stay. Located on Central Avenue, a pedestrian boulevard in downtown San Jose, it is the ideal location for visiting tourist attractions and learn how Costa Ricans live. From the Balmoral, within walking distance you can visit the National Museum and Theater, the Gold and Jade Museums, the Costa Rican Congress, the National Cathedral and the Democracy and Cultural Plazas.
Hotel Playa Espadilla- The Hotel is located just 150 mts from Manuel Antonio Beach front, and 200 mts away from the main entrance of Manuel Antonio National Park. Hotel Playa Espadilla offers 16 comfortable rooms fully equipped with air conditioner, cable TV, hot water, safety deposit box and hair dryer. The hotel offers services of a swimming pool, bar, restaurant, tennis court and biological private trails.
