Tours

FREELANCE TOURS

We have vans with drivers who can take you anywhere you want, in the Central Valley or touring around the country. They all have new and comfortable vehicles, and speak at least some English, some are quite fluent, all are insured and guaranteed to give good service.

Their rates are based on the trip you want to take, but for estimating purposes, assume about $10-15 an hour, or $80-120 for a full 8 hour day (pickup 8 AM, return 4 PM). These are not "package" tours, you sit down with the driver and tell him what you want to see and do, stop here or there to take pictures, go to the bathroom, stop for lunch where you want, at your own pace.

The van can be possibly shared with other Vida Tropical guests at your option to bring the price per person down a bit. These drivers are also available for multi-day trips.

ONE DAY TOURS FROM ALAJUELA

For reference: B is Breakfast, L is Lunch and D is dinner included, as well as round trip transportation with pick up at Vida Tropical or nearby.

Whitewater rafting, anything from an enjoyable float trip (Class 2) to a Class 3 (a lot of thrills) to Class 4 (nonstop action). These trips are in the Sarapiqui, Reventazon and Pacuare Rivers (B and L). $90 per person

Arenal Volcano & Hot Springs ( D) $66.00

Arenal Volcano & Hot Springs ( D & L) $75.00

San Jose City Tour: Jade, Gold, National Theater $25.00

Poás Volcano $36.00

Butterfly Farm and ZooAve $35.00

ZooAve $20.00

La Paz Waterfall Gardens (L) $55.00

Grecia & Sarchi Oxcart Factories and Stores $29.00

Irazu Volcano /Orosi / Lankaster Gardens (L) 57.00

Irazu Volcano $36.00

Tortuga Island (B&L) $89.00

ONE OF THE FAVORITES

Highlight Tour 4 in 1:

Tour Includes: Breakfast, visit to coffee plantation, Poás Volcano National Park craters and cloud forest trails, Botos Lagoon, visit to La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park

http://www.waterfallgardens.com/

and all its natural wonders. Lunch, jungle ride on the Sarapiquí River, visit to a butterfly and tropical frog garden, snacks, and sightseeing the 45,899 ha. Braulio Carrillo National Park.

Suggested Equipment: Hat, light jacket, raingear, walking shoes, insect repellent, binoculars, and camera.

Adults: $ 87.00 per person

Children (4 to 11) : $45.00

Children under 3 years free.

2-3 day Whitewater Rafting Trip

The 2 day trip begins with a pickup at Vida Tropical and a hearty Costa Rican breakfast en-route to our Turrialba office (about 1.5 hours). From there it is a 45 minute drive to the put-in where we give you your rafting equipment, introduce you to your guides, pack your necessaries in dry bags and give you a thorough rafting orientation.

The first day we will traverse 12 kilometers of river and run over 15 Class III and IV rapids. We will stop at a side stream and climb up to a natural pool below a waterfalls for photos and a swim. When we arrive at our camp, we will prepare a big buffet style lunch for you and then you have the rest of the afternoon to explore, swim, hike up a creek canyon, photograph or just relax if you wish.

Happy hour comes with appetizers and drinks and remember that the bar is ¨open¨ and you are free to help yourself as you wish and at no charge. Dinner is served at 7 and we are always open to special diets and menu suggestions. The evening and nighttime in the jungle are magic with a chorus of jungle sounds with the murmur of the river rapids in the background. Camping is in modern dome tents with bug netting that are set on wood platforms and covered with oversized tarps. The bathroom is Gilligan´s Island style with flush toilet and a primitive shower.

After breakfast on day 2 we hike up through the rainforest to the mountaintop Cabecar indigenous village for a fascinating cross-cultural experience seeing how they have lived for millenia in harmony with the environment. Once back at camp you can take a dip in the river if you wish before lunch and then off we go to raft another 14 kilomenters of river with lots of exciting rapids yet to challenge. It is traditional to jump out and float in your life jacket through the Dos Montañas canyon. Very cool. At trip´s end we provide a big outdoor center with changing areas, bathroom facilities and an open air cantina where you can purchase a cold beverage before we make the van ride back.

Here is a packing list of what you will need to bring on the trip: WHAT TO WEAR: Shorts and T-shirt over a swimsuit, TEVA style sandals or old tennis shoes; avoid wearing flip flops or heavy hiking boots on the raft Eyeglass retainer strap if you plan to wear glasses or sunglasses, optional baseball cap to go under helmet to provide additional sun protection for your face. Plan to have handy sunscreen and a small water bottle. FOR CAMP: Long pants and shirt, lightweight rain jacket, hiking boots or shoes, socks, towel, personal headlamp or flashlight, bug spray, toiletries, ANY MEDICATIONS THAT YOU TAKE OR MIGHT NEED CAMERAS: Small digital cameras work great and fare very well on these trips. We do not recommend big lensed SLR´s unless you have a padded case. A professional photographer is available on request.

WE PROVIDE: All river and camp equipment, guides, drybags, meals, open bar, and fresh bed linens. The price is $195 if you begin here in Turrialba and $240 if we provide round trip transportation from San Jose. For the 3 day add $60 per person