OVERVIEW
This 9-night Taste of Costa Rica vacation package takes you from the central valley to the Pacific Coast. Stay at a coffee plantation, take a chocolate tour and cooking class, and tour local markets.
WHAT'S INCLUDED?
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One way San Jose international airport transfer.
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3 nights Finca Rosa Blanca Inn, junior suite. Includes breakfast daily.
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Sweet & Spicy: Finca Surá Farm Tour. Includes transfers and guide.
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Sibu Chocolate Tour. Includes transfers, guide, and entrance.
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Guided Coffee Tour. Includes guide.
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Roundtrip private ground transfers San Jose/Bajos del Toro.
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3 nights El Silencio Lodge & Spa, suite. Includes breakfast daily, personal eco-host, and one mystic hiking tour per guest.
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Cook like a Tico – Costa Rican Cooking Class. Includes guide.
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Wine Tasting Experience.
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Del Toro Waterfall Hike. Includes transfers, guide, and entrance.
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Forest Sundown Romantic Dinner.
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One way d private transfer Bajos del Toro/Ojochal.
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3 nights El Castillo Hotel, ocean view spa suite. Includes breakfast daily.
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Terraba-Sierpe Mangrove Kayaking Tour. Includes transfers, guide, and equipment.
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One way private ground transfer Ojochal/San Jose.
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24/7 IN-COUNTRY ASSISTANCE.
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ALL HOTEL TAX INCLUDED.
DAILY ITINERARY
Day 1
Transfer to Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation, Central Valley
Upon your morning or midday arrival in San Jose, Costa Rica transfer to Finca Rosa Blanca Country Inn in Heredia for overnight. The Inn is renowned for its fine cuisine, prepared with bounty from its own fruit orchards and organic vegetable and herb garden. Unwind by the hillside swimming pool for stunning views morning, afternoon and evening.
Day 2
Finca Sura Sweet & Spicy Tour
Cool off with the tasty native Costa Rican pineapples picked and sliced right in front of you - fresh from the field at Finca Sura, a family-owned organic fruit and spice farm. On the farm tour, enjoy a variety of local flora and fauna, interspersed with fruit and spice fields. Discover the intricacies of Finca Sura's spice collection grown on-site: vanilla, peppercorn, and the cacao fruit from which chocolate is produced. After a leisurely walk through the farmland, squeeze freshly-harvest sugar cane into juice, which makes for a refreshing tropical cocktail! Your visit concludes with a casual Costa Rican lunch at the farm - complete with fresh-squeezed juice. Overnight Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation & Inn.
Day 3
SIBU Chocolate Tour
On a private tour and tasting at SIBÚ Chocolate, guests embark on a fascinating journey through the history of cacao. YSavor gourmet truffles, caramel and pure dark chocolate tasting squares. Visitors will learn about how cacao is grown and the social and environmental importance of the cacao crop to the region. Join local artisans tempering chocolate on a marble slab and decorating bonbons by hand at a small workshop set just on the edge of the cloud forests of Braulio Carrillo National Park. Enjoy a delicious lunch prepared with fresh ingredients and inspired by local cuisine. Overnight at Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation and Inn.
Day 4
Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Tour; Transfer to Bajos del Toro Cloud Forest
Finca Rosa Blanca has over 30 acres of hard bean coffee, which is certified organic by the Rain Forest Alliance. Enjoy a tour of the plantation and learn, step by step, just what goes into creating delicious coffee. Learn how the experts discern and rate gourmet coffee by participating in a “coffee cupping”.
In the afternoon you will transfer by ground for approximately 1.5 hours to the El Silencio Lodge and Spa for overnight. Hidden in Costa Rica’s central volcanic region, El Silencio is a planet-friendly sanctuary for soft adventure and inspired wellness. Surrounded by 500 acres of private, carbon-offsetting tropical cloud forest, El Silencio is a haven of relaxation.
Day 5
AM Del Toro Waterfall Hike // PM Forest Sundown Dinner
At the Del Toro Waterfall, the staggering 400-foot drop opens up on a multi-colored canyon where shades of red clay blend with green moss and dense vegetation. A winding trail brings you to the very bottom to enjoy close-ups of the roaring mist. Del Toro Waterfall is located just 15 minutes away from the hotel. Please note that climbing up from the base of the waterfall takes about 400 steps.
This evening, Walk along a suspended bridge draped over a flowing river to your private romantic dining experience. Watch the forest evolve as the sun dips below the horizon. Accessed by a hidden path, an al-fresco wood deck sets a private stage. Surrounded by accent candles and torches, enjoy dinner at an impeccable table shrouded in lush vegetation, serenaded by a nearby stream. A chef will dazzle you with delicious courses served on the spot. Overnight El Silencio Lodge & Spa.
Day 6
AM Cook Like A Tico // PM Wine Tasting
Today, team up with other guests as you pick organic veggies and fresh herbs from the on-property garden. Then join the Chef for a cooking lesson to prepare tasty Tico cuisine! The afternoon is free to relax in your suite or explore.
This evening, enjoy a Wine Tasting Experience. Let sommelier Carlos take you on a fantastic wine lover’s journey. Includes a crash course on wine pairing, highlighted by a fun tasting session stacking up two reds and two whites illustrating the fine art of selecting the perfect wine to complement the flavor of a delicious dish. Overnight El Silencio Lodge & Spa.
Day 7
Transfer to El Castillo Hotel, Ojochal
Today you will be met and driven approximately 2 1/2 hours to El Castillo Hotel at Ojochal on the South Pacific Coast.
Arrive at El Castillo Hotel, a boutique hotel with incredible views in a unique setting. Enjoy some of the highest-rated restaurnts in the country and enjoy gourmet dining right on the property. This adults-only property is set 600 feet above the Pacific Ocean with dramatic views of the coastline.
Day 8
Terraba-Sierpe Mangrove Kayaking Tour
Discover mangrove trees and hidden inlets. Paddle quietly down paths in search of spoonbills, osprey, lizards, sloths, monkeys, and other exotic fauna. Some nesting birds can even be seen at the top of protected trees. Another diverse world of lobsters, crabs, octopi, and fish exists beneath your kayak. Explore an amazing ecosystem up close on this laid-back education tour. Overnight El Castillo Hotel.
Day 9
Ojochal Free Day
Relax at the hotel or add extra activities in the South Pacific area. Guests can inquire with the concierge about exploring the nearby private island beach; this undeveloped tropical island is located directly across from El Castillo and at only 5 minutes boat ride away. Overnight El Castillo Hotel.
Day 10
Depart San Jose, Costa Rica
Today you will met and driven approximately 3 hours and 45 minutes to San Jose international airport for your return flight home.
Pricing is valid through the date listed for each itinerary (all pricing is subject to change until booked and confirmed). Holiday season supplements apply for Christmas, New Years, Presidents Day, and Easter travel dates. Green season specials and/or lower rates may apply for May to November travel dates.
All itineraries are land only and international airfare is quoted separately. Itinerary adjustments may be necessary depending on your international flight schedule. For example a late arrival will usually require a night near the airport in San Jose.
Please call one of our experts at 800-827-9046 to discuss your travel details.