Ecotourism Adventure In Costa Rica; Rainforests, Coffee & Co

Arrive into San Jose and be met and transferred to your centrally located 4* boutique hotel to freshen up and relax. If you have chosen a flight to arrive in the morning, or have chosen to arrive a day earlier in order to recover from any travel fatigue, then you will be able to enjoy a brief walking tour of the central area around the Hotel Presidente. San Jose is considered to be one of the most cosmopolitan and vibrant cities in Latin America, and features many historical buildings, including the National Theatre; the 'Jewel of San Jose', a masterpiece in art and architecture. Your guide will offer you a group welcome briefing this evening, before a delicious meal in the excellent hotel restaurant. The rooftop terrace bar is also there to enjoy before or after your meal.. Included meals: Lunch, Dinner.

After breakfast, we leave San Jose to transfer to San Gerardo de Dota, a small town set in cloud forest in the foothills of the Talamanca Mountain Range approx 90km (2.5h) away. The journey gives you a chance to acclimatise to the Costa Rican countryside and you will enjoy the views en route. Our destination is Quetzales National Park, famous for (and named after) the striking Quetzal bird. Popular with ornithologists for obvious reasons, the gentle walk is not all about trying to spot the Quetzal (although who knows, you may well!), but is an introduction to the wide variety of plant species that thrive in the different climatic conditions within the cloud forest. Many endemic species are to be found here including vegetation, birds and mammals. A visit to a nearby conservation project focused on the protection of the Quetzal, gives us an opportunity to be led on a walk by a naturalist and ornithologist who is passionate about photography. We are highly likely to see a Quetzal here, under their expert guidance. Walking will be at a leisurely pace on defined paths, and will cover approximate distances of 2kms for each route. There will be some undulations in the gradient.This afternoon we check in to at Saverge Lodge, a rustic spa resort sympathetically set in a nature reserve, with a beautiful bar & restaurant, where we will be staying for 2 nights. There is plenty of opportunity to explore the area around the lodge or to relax with a book, listening to the sounds of the forest.. Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

After a delicious breakfast, we travel for about an hour to the Green Communities Experimental farm in Providencia. There is a distinct educational slant on today, and we start by learning about the process and production of organic coffee, as well as the volunteer programs being run here. We get to see the complete process in action at the Coffee Mill before enjoying a typical and amazing lunch at the farm. In the afternoon, we get the opportunity to visit an organic model farm so can see the differences between ecological production and conventional coffee production. Naturally, we will be able to take part in a coffee tasting at the 'clinic' before we stretch our legs with a gentle walk to El Pozeron and Velo de Novia waterfalls.We return to the comfort and serenity of Saverge Lodge for a short talk about the impact of ecotourism and our second night's stay.. Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch.