Fire and Water

Areas:

Arenal - Manuel Antonio - All trips can be arranged to visit a variety of places

Duration:

8 Days / 7 Nights - All trips can be modified for any length of time

Travel Type:

Adventure, Photography, Nature

Route Highlights:

Mountains, Volcanoes, Rain Forest, Beaches, Wetlands

Tour Highlights:

Thermal Hot Springs, White Water Rafting, Canopy Tour Zipline, Hanging Bridges, Aerial Tram, Manuel Antonio Park Hike, and Mangrove Boat Tour –  Note: All of our trips will be customized to your travel style and budget, this is just an example package. 

Fire & Water Package – The Costa Rica Fire & Water Package is a classic introductory tour of Costa Rica. It blends time spent in the mountains with volcanoes (Fire) as your backdrop, and finishes on our coastline (Water). We mix nature and adventure together to give you a great first look at what Costa Rica has to offer. This package often includes Arenal volcano, the beach portion depends on which airport you use on departure. If you are flying out of Liberia, we can combine Arenal with Samara, Nosara, Tamarindo, Playa Flamingo, Playa Conchal, Playa Pan de Azucar or the Papagayo area, there are many possibilities. If you are flying out of San Jose you have areas such as Jaco, Hermosa, Manuel Antonio, Dominical, Uvita, Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, we will work out which area best fits the travel experience you are looking for.

In this example Fire and Water Package, we are using either San Jose or Liberia as the arrival airport, and San Jose for the departure flight. Contact us to customize your own Fire & Water Package. – Start with our Costa Rica Vacation Builder and your dedicated travel planner will be in touch with you within 24 hours. Note: These are SAMPLE packages, we will customize your package to suit your interests, travel style, and budget.

Day 1 – Arrival – Liberia (LIR) or San Jose Airport (SJO)

• Transfer to Arenal – You have the option of shared or private transfer on arrival. Private transfers offer more freedom and are more informative using our bilingual drivers/guides. Private Transfers are equipped with WiFi and we make stops on the way to your destination. Shared shuttles are best when trying to keep the budget as low as possible, they do not make stops and the trip may take a little longer due to pick up and drop off of other travelers on the transfer. Travel Tip: If there are 4 or more in your group, private transfers start to be less expensive per person than many shared shuttle options.

• Check in Hotel – Depending on your budget, we will choose the best hotel for you. For the Fire & Water Package we always look to hotels that have hot springs on the property. We will match the hotel to your travel style and budget so you get the most out of your time here.

Day 2 – Arenal – (B,L)

• Balsa River White Water Rafting – The Balsa River runs year round on a timed dam release. The Balsa River is one of the few rivers in Costa Rica that maintains its water levels; many are too low in our driest months. This is a Class 2-3 river, suitable for beginners and still a lot of fun for those who have been rafting before. You will love the white water action as you wind your way through the Costa Rican countryside. Nature abounds on this river adventure, between rapids your guide will point out wildlife with expert precision.

Note: There are several tours available in place of this including more challenging rivers such as the Pacuare (class 4 - 5) or more relaxed tour options. Remember to let your travel planner know about your travel wish list, if you can dream it, chances are we can make it happen.

Day 3 – Arenal – (B)

• Sky Adventures Combo – Canopy Tour Zipline, Hanging Bridges, Aerial Tram - Traverse the cloud forest by way of hanging bridges. You will learn much about this amazing ecosystem as you enjoy a treetop view. Next comes the zipline canopy tour! Sky Trek starts with a tour in the Sky Tram to reach the top of the Arenal reserve, then begins a tour of adventure full of adrenaline above the treetops, which consists on a system of zip lines, that allows you to observe the rain forest and its landscape from a different perspective, safely in an innovative and different system. The tour includes 8 cross-sectional cables that together have a total length of 1.7 miles with distances from 100 to 2460 feet, and with a maximum height of 660 feet, which exceed the treetops providing a panoramic view of the Arenal volcano and lake.

Note: There are several tours available in place of this including Stand Up Paddleboard, Kayaking, Jet Ski on Lake Arenal, Mountain Biking, Cano Negro Boat Tour, Venado Caves Tour, Fishing on lake Arenal, Canyoneering, Waterfall Jumping, the possibilities are endless. Let your travel planner know your interests during the planning process to get the most out of your itinerary.

Day 4 – Arenal – Manuel Antonio – (B)

• Transfer to Manuel Antonio – Shared or Private Transfer options are available.
• Fruit Stand Stop – On the way to Manuel Antonio, we will make a stop at a roadside fruit stand. We have many varieties you may not be familiar with such as the Jacote or Mangosteen. Learn a little about the yummy side of Costa Rica. Note: This stop is made on Private Transfers Only
• Tarcoles River Scenic Stop – This is the halfway point to Manuel Antonio from Arenal. A good place to not only stretch your legs, but to get some photos of the resident Crocodiles that live around the Tarcoles River Bridge. This is a 15-20 minute stop. You also have a great chance to see Scarlet Macaws that nest in the area. Note: This stop is made on Private Transfers Only
• Lunch Stop – After your Crocodile encounter, it is time to start thinking about lunch. There are several nice restaurant options in the area; we will recommend one based on your travel style. Note: This stop is made on Private Transfers Only
• Check in Hotel – We again hand pick a hotel for you based on your travel style and budget. On the Fire & Water Package, we want you on the beach, or somewhere with an incredible ocean view.

Day 5 – Manuel Antonio – (B)

• Manuel Antonio Park with Naturalist Guide – Let our world-class naturalist guides show you the mysteries of the rain forest. There are extensive trails within the park, as well as secluded beaches to explore away from the public beaches outside Manuel Antonio. Learn about the flora and fauna as you meander through the jungle canopy.

Note: There are several tours available in Manuel Antonio. Rain forest Spice Tour, Para Sailing, Fishing, Hiking, Canopy Tours, Catamaran Ocean Tours, Surfing Lessons, just to name a few. Let your travel planner know about your interests during the planning process, we will create a travel experience specifically for you.

Day 6 – Manuel Antonio – (B,L)

• Mangrove Boat Tour – Wind your way through the delicate Mangrove Eco system. Considered important filters in nature, the mangroves provide an incredible and otherworldly environment for a variety of plants and animals. Your naturalist guide will be with you all the way as you make your way through the intricate and fragile mangroves. If you are lucky, you may get to see the Golden Anteater! Often times monkeys climb in the boats with you as their curiosity gets the best of them! Hold on to your cameras, this is a great tour for photos!

Day 7 – Manuel Antonio – (B)

• Free Day / Optional Tour Day – Travel Tip: We feel it is important to keep at least one free day in every trip we plan. We can of course fill each day with fun but the free day serves 2 purposes. The first, is to keep a day to just relax, maybe hit the beach, do some last minute shopping, it is nice to have a full day all to yourself. The second reason is that many times you might see a tour while you are here that we did not go over. Maybe a spur of the moment tour that you decide at the last minute. The free day allows you to fit in one of these spur of the moment tours.

Day 8 – Departure – (B) – San Jose Airport (SJO)

• Transfer to Airport – Shared or private transfer to Airport. As your adventure ends, you will already be planning your next trip. Many of our clients come from referrals or are repeat travelers looking to get the most out of their travel time and money. Contact us today and start planning your adventure!

Note: Cost of any of our customized Costa Rica travel packages or experiences depends on the hotels, tours, and transfers chosen during the planning process. Depending on your budget, we will fine-tune the trip so you can afford the travel experience you are looking for at the price you want. Contact us today and your dedicated travel planner will be in touch within 24 hours.

Covid-19 Travel Update - For those wanting to travel but stay away from crowds as much as possible we can make the entire trip private. Private transfers, private tours and guides, this limits exposure to other travelers while you are here. Let your travel planner know if you are interested in this extra level of safety. Private itineraries also give a more in depth experience, having the guides all to yourself gives you more time to learn about our amazing country.