Paseo San José
Trips run from Saturday to Saturday. This is a sample itinerary that is completely customizable. Fill out a Contact Form to talk about customizing your trip.
Saturday(Day 1): Arrival at San José International Airport (SJO) Juan Santamaría. Transfer to the house. Dinner at La Parrillita de Pepe. Stop at the Perimercado to get local money from the ATM and buy any groceries you may want for the condo.
Sunday (Day 2): Visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Their five incredible waterfalls are only part of their Gardens. An animal rescue shelter has been created for many kinds of animals. There is an aviary, a butterfly garden, a feline section, a monkey section, a snake display as well as a replica of a traditional Costa Rican farm complete with a live ox cart and samples of traditional foods. An optional Coffee Tour of the Britt Coffee Plantation can be arranged in the morning.
Monday (Day 3): Whitewater rafting on the Sarapiquí River will get your adrenaline rush in the morning and in the afternoon we'll follow the adrenaline with some chocolate at the Costa Rica's Best Chocolate tour of a working organic chocolate farm. Next to the Chocolate farm is a soda, what Costa Rica calls its small cafe type restaurants, where we can have lunch either before or after the chocolate tour. You choose.
Tuesday (Day 4): Some more adrenaline in the morning. You may not even need that coffee, but we'll have some anyway. We'll head towards the Pacific Coast to Hotel Vista Golfo where we'll zipline over 25 cables and 11 waterfalls. After lunch, we'll head south to Tárcoles where we'll take José's Crocodile River Tour. We can sit back and relax on the boat while José and his assistant point out all the wildlife on the Tárcoles River.
Wednesday (Day 5): We head to the historical and cultural center of Costa Rica, the Orosi Valley in Cartago Province. We'll visit the Basílica de los Ángeles which is the pilgrimage destination for the entire country every August 2. Each year, the road leading to the Basílica takes on a carnival atmosphere the entire week before the Día de la Virgen de los Ángeles as the faithful walk to Cartago. We'll leave the modern Basílica to see the ruins of the first church in Costa Rica, a functioning colonial church, a hydroelectric dam and a scenic overlook. We'll stop for lunch at the best little soda in the valley. The drive alone is spectacular. An optional stop at Lankester Botanical Garden can be arranged.
Thursday (Day 6): Thank God it's Friday and we're heading to Isla Tortuga (check out their video), a private island in the Pacific. We’ll leave the house at 8:00 am to catch our boat at 10:00 am. Costa Cat Tours will serve us breakfast on the catamaran, we’ll ride across the bay, and relax on the beach before the included lunch. Calypso music sets the tone for this island paradise. Included is unlimited margaritas, snorkeling, a guided hike and a banana boat ride. We'll return to port at sunset and hope we see a whale.
Friday (Day 7): Downtown San José will be bustling on Saturday. There are several options including: the Central Market (really a must-see), the National Theater, the Gold Museum, the Jade Museum, the National Museum. People watching on the Plaza de la Cultura can be a treat. If you want to get souvenirs before you return home on Sunday, the Mercado Central is the place to get them. There are many options for lunch or dinner. El Patio del Balmoral is a fine choice.
(Alternate: Volcán Irazú and Monumento Nacional Guayabo Ruins)
Saturday (Day 8): We pack our bags and return to the airport for our flights home.
$1500 per person (with a min 4 - max 6) includes all ground transportation inside Costa Rica, lodging, breakfast and me as your chauffeur in a luxury SUV (2021 Mitsubishi Montero).
Breakdown of individual tour prices that are not included in the base price.
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