Dr. Cruz Costa Rica Adventure

Day 1 ------ Arrive & Drive to Turrialba (Casa Turire)

Today your private naturalist guide and driver will meet you outside of the airport and we'll make our way through the capital city of San Jose to the valley of Turrialba. Turrialba is known for its beautiful rivers and smoking volcano. You will be staying in the Casa Turire Hotel which is a small hotel with spectacular views of the smoke stack from the Turrialba Volcano. This will be a full day of travel and we want everyone to have a good night's rest for the upcoming week of adventure. (Meals: None)

Could be you Dr. Cruz!

Day 2 ------ Pacuare River & Village Visit (Casa Turire)

Today we will start the week off with our most exciting adventure. The Pacuare River is listed as one of the top five rivers on the planet for it's scenery by National Geographic. In our opinion it is a must see when it comes to visiting Costa Rica. Our guides are some of the best in the country and will get you down safely and take good care of the 10 year old! You took care of my dad Dr Cruz and we will take care of the kids in the raft!  The day of rafting is filled with waterfalls that fall into the river, hikes to different pools, and a delicious lunch on the banks prepared by your CRR river guides.

After rafting we will make the short drive back to Casa Turire and relax the muscles a bit. In the evening we plan on taking you to a nearby village and giving you a chance to experience the local cuisine, song, and dance. This is village that is like family to our company and many of our river guides live here and their families love it when we can pass by with some guests for a visit. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Rappeling Waterfalls you cant do in Ocala!

Day 3 ------ Enter Cave (Sleep Behind Waterfall)

We will spend the better half of the morning traveling through Costa Rica's most scenic highway. We'll be driving on the ridge that runs through the center of the country. At the highest parts, about 10,000ft, you can usually view both the Pacific and the Caribbean from the same spot. Our final destination is what we consider one of Costa Rica's best kept secrets. The area you will be visiting is like a lost world of waterfalls. This is the day where everyone will be challenged a little by a 1.5 hour hike. But if you can run four miles then you should not have a problem. Although the hills here are a little more intense than in Ocala. During the hike we will tour an organic garden (where most of the fruits & veggies you'll eat today are grown) and then continue to where we will be spending the night. In this cavern we will be sleeping behind three different majestic waterfalls. This is an experience that few ever get to have and it is a real memory-maker for a family to have. It is camping, but not roughing it by any means. There is a kitchen set up, private bathrooms & showers, and amazing food will be prepared for you. Don't get me wrong this will not be your "fancy" night but it really is pretty comfortable for the area you will be in. Most people are just dumb-founded by the beauty it offers so that everything else is irrelevant. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 4 ------ Rappel & Drive to Rafiki Lodge  (Rafiki Lodge)

Today we will rappel the very same waterfalls we slept behind. We will be walking off the edge of these 130ft waterfalls as we make our way down with ropes. The sport of rappelling is pretty simple and to be able to do it on such beautiful waterfalls makes it one of the best experiences of the week. 

After the rappel we will walk to the top of the tallest waterall in Costa Rica. This is a 600ft waterfall called Diamante Falls and we will be at the top of it looking out over the coastal ridges with astonishing views of the Pacific. After a day of fun in the land of waterfalls we will make our way to the Rafiki Lodge which is one of my favorites because of its unique set up (as if sleeping behind a waterfall was not unique) and super fast waterslide! We also like to talk to the kids about the conservation here as it is an area where there's a big effort to protect the Bairds Tapir. It's also just a fun environment to spend the evening.  (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 5 ------- Travel to Manuel Antonio (Arenas del Mar)

After a nice leisure morning of relaxing in a very beautiful lodge setting we will get ready to make the short drive to the luxurious Arenas del Mar Hotel. This is a spot that you will absolutely love and chances are Mrs. Cruz will love you for it! The Arenas del Mar is a small hotel with spectacular views of the Pacific and a perfect spot to end this adventurous and educational trip. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 6 ------- Nature Hike Manuel Antonio (Arenas del Mar)

Today we will visit one of Costa Rica's most scenic national parks which is filled with wildlife. This is a bit of a more touristy area than the previous five days but a nice mix to see what has attracted all the people and that is the beauty of the rainforest filled with wildlife that runs along white sandy beaches. 

The afternoon can be spent at the hotel or relaxing on the different beaches in the park or area. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 7 ------- Surf Classes (Arenas del Mar)

Most kids that come to Costa Rica like to go home with the story that they were able to catch some waves in Costa Rica. The waves at Manuel Antonio are perfect for learning how to surf and today we will spend the afternoon learning to catch some waves to give them the bragging rights to sign that next Quicksilver contract! (Meals: Breakfast)


Day 8 ------ Fly Home!

Today we will make the two hour drive back to the San Jose Airport (SJO) and get ready for your round-two trip to Costa Rica! There's still lots more of this beautiful country to see and experience. PURA VIDA! (Meals: Breakfast)