Flavors of Costa Rica

Day 1: Naranjo

• Welcome to Costa Rica! Make sure to book a flight arriving in the early afternoon. After arriving at Juan Santamaria Int’l Airport (SJO), a guide will meet you and take you to your first hotel.
• Your drive through the Central Mountain Range will take approximately 1 hour; it will offer you a first look at the diversity that the country has to offer, including the beautiful Naranjo Coffee Plantations.
• After check-in at the hotel, enjoy the rest of the day and evening at leisure. You will be situated amidst the growing coffee region of Llano Bonito de Naranjo. The intimate lodge boasts a unique experience combining nature, culture, and of course, coffee.

Day 2: Naranjo

• Wake up surrounded coffee plantations and a beautiful view of the central valley. You will be pleased with this delicious Costa Rican breakfast, starting with the aroma of fresh coffee, the perfect ingredients to start the day with before diving into the history and culture of this ancient beverage.
• After breakfast, visit the Don Carlos Coffee plantations, where you will learn the traditional methods for transforming the small reddish fruits into a fine coffee export worldwide. 
• In the afternoon, enjoy a visit to a local’s home and learn how the best Costa Rican food is prepared, using the traditional method.
• This authentic Costa Rican gastronomic experience takes place at the home of Doña Elida, located  just 5 minutes from your accommodations.
• When you arrive, you will be welcomed into the kitchen by your host and she will share her secrets for preparing a delicious Costa Rican meal. 
• At the end of the class, you will dine together with your host and indulge in your culinary creations. Enjoy cooking with Doña Elida and do not forget that knowing a community’s food forms the heart of its culture!

Day 3: Naranjo – Arenal Volcano

• Breakfast.
• At mid-morning, check out and continue your journey with a land transfer to the northern lowlands.
• This route will take you through different towns, such as Zarcero, San Carlos and Florencia. In addition, along the way you will enjoy the beautiful scenery, which includes amazing views of the mountains and one of the major sources of revenue in the area: the agriculture. Depending on the season, you will be able to observe crops of pineapple, bananas, and sugar cane.
• Arrive at La Fortuna Village in late afternoon, where you will be greeted by the impressive sight of the Arenal Volcano.
• In the evening, you will visit the Arenal Volcano National Park. Enjoy the most extraordinary view of the Arenal Volcano on a hike along its base and flanks. For this tour, you will enjoy access to one of the park’s most extraordinary trails to the 1968 lava flows. Witness the landscape’s lingering memory of Arenal’s first 20th century eruption, as well as some other areas in the process of regeneration. The “Colada 68” trail will take you on the best route in the entire Arenal Volcano area, as you will hike directly over flowing lava and walk across rocky outcroppings. You will feel the power and serenity of nature, enjoy amazing views of the Arenal Lake and the Monteverde mountains, and even enjoy onsite contact with the local flora and fauna. This is also a great chance for some birdwatching and animal encounters. (Recommendations: light clothes, hiking shoes, sun lotion, repellent, camera, binoculars and raincoat).

Day 4: Arenal Volcano

• Breakfast.
• After breakfast you will be picked up in the hotel lobby to visit the Arenal hanging bridges. The Mistico Hanging Bridges tour is an eco-tourism attraction located within a 618-acre reserve of primary forest. Located only 25 minutes from most of the hotels in Arenal, this is the perfect place to discover the wonderful secrets of the forest; the density of its biodiversity makes this wildlife sanctuary a special place to admire the myriad species living amongst the vibrant flora and fauna. You will hike along the primary rainforest canopy on trails and hanging bridges varying in length and height.
• Lunch on your own.
• This afternoon you will enjoy your second cooking class.  Do you love unique experiences and traditional cuisine? Then you will love learning more about authentic Costa Rican dishes. Upon arrival at the “Finca”, a knowledgeable farmer will be waiting to take you to the farm and collect the organic herbs, fruits, and tubers for preparation. Before finishing the tour of the Farm, we will go to the troja to taste the sugar cane and the famous “guaro de caña”. You will work together to prepare part of a traditional dinner with the help of a professional cook.
• At the end of the night, we will have a delicious traditional, family-style buffet dinner.

Day 5: Arenal Volcano – Manuel Antonio

• Breakfast and check out.
• Today you will continue your journey to the beautiful and paradisiacal beaches of the Costa Rican Pacific, which are known throughout the world for their impressive combination of tropical forests and multicolored sand.
• You will experience two unforgettable days where you can relax and enjoy your 3-night stay at the selected hotel.

Day 6: Manuel Antonio

• Breakfast
• This morning you will visit the Manuel Antonio National Park, widely considered one of the most beautiful national parks in Costa Rica. This natural paradise combines the magic of its crystal-clear beaches and coral reefs with the lively tropical rainforest.
• In 1972, Manuel Antonio was established as a protected area by visionaries who decided to preserve one of the most stunning and bio-diverse areas in the world for future generations. Although it is the country’s smallest national park, it possesses a vast acreage of very humid tropical forest where many species of flora and fauna coexist in different habitats. These habitats include mangroves, marine environments, islands, and a large lagoon.
• The Park is located approximately 20 minutes from most of the hotels of Manuel Antonio. Once you are inside the main gate, keep your camera handy, as you will be walking through the rainforest along 1.5km of easy-access trails for an estimated duration of 3 hours. Your experienced naturalist guide is equipped with a high-powered spotting scope, which will help you to observe the abundant flora and fauna in their natural habitat.
• Leisure time: Lunch and dinner on your own.

Day 7: Manuel Antonio

• Breakfast.
• Transfer to your third cooking class. There are so many unique experiences to enjoy while you are staying at Manuel Antonio. After spending some days on this paradise and having marveled at its ocean and participated in its nature and adventure activities, it is time to sample a dining space entirely dedicated to the region’s authentic flavors. Costa Rica boasts a wide variety of cuisine, known for being tasty and fairly mild.
• During this hands-on cultural cooking class, you will immerse yourself in the fascinating side of Costa Rica’s food heritage and its sustainable practices, creating a gastronomic experience that you will never forget. The tour starts with a short 15 minutes’ drive from your selected hotel to the Quepos Village, in town; you will visit either the Central Market or the farmers market (one of the bigger ferias in the area, available only Fridays or Saturdays). The guide will provide an introduction to the hundreds of products grown locally, and explore the market’s cultural significance. Most of the people at the feria are locals out doing their daily routines, picking out an enormous variety of fruits, produce, dairy products, seafood, and meats for their families.
• You will continue on to a picturesque rural village called Londres, located at only 20 minutes’ ride from Quepos. Here you will arrive at a private farm where you will be greeted in an open-air dining area by the local cooking instructors who will lead you through the corral and organic garden to pick up ingredients such as vegetables and other spices for your meal.
• Once all the ingredients have been collected, you will participate in one of the best parts of this tour. It is time to share the history and major recipes from the region’s gastronomic culture through a hands-on cooking experience.
• Traditionally, the Central Pacific Coast has been the epicenter of artisanal fishing. So, its cuisine is related to seafood. Ceviche is one of the main dishes enjoyed in this region, but you will also enjoy the process of making corn tortillas by hand, cooking the rice the old-fashioned way, and preparing a delicious chicken in a hearty tomato sauce. You will also learn to cook “picadillos,” minced meats with veggies and spices combined, and much more.
• When everything is ready, enjoy your meal together and don’t forget to try the local dessert! You will have leisure time to take a nap while you enjoy the sounds of nature, explore the ranch, or, depending on the season, have a dip in the refreshing waters of the Naranjo River.

Day 8: Departure

• Return to the SJO International Airport. On the way, admire various landscapes.
• Please consider that you should arrive at the airport at least 3 hours before your flight, so it is suggested you book a flight departing in the afternoon.