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8 Day Holiday • 16 Meals

Costa Rica

The Arenal Volcano is one of many in Costa Rica's geography

Colorful wildlife makes our trip here all that more memorable

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Costa Rica | 45

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Tropical ParadiseCosta Ricans have a lot to smile about - secluded palm-sheltered beaches, lushrainforests, lava-shooting volcanoes, tropical rain and cloud forests, an abun-dance of wildlife, fine coffee and a peaceful society. Discover the best of CostaRica!

San JoséOur journey begins in the historic capital of San José at a delightful casinohotel. There is time for a swim or massage before dinner as our busy scheduleflows into Costa Rica’s mystical tropical paradise.

Poás VolcanoEnroute from San José to the La Fortuna area, visit Poás Volcano, one of themost spectacular volcanoes in Costa Rica. Poás has a long history of largeeruptions, first producing a cloud of hot ash five miles high back in 1910. Lookdown from its mile-wide rim to a gigantic boiling cauldron of steaming gey-sers. Then continue to the Doka Coffee Estate for a tour followed by lunch.

Poás Volcano

Overnight

Start/End City

Visit

Tour Route

4 Overnight in San José, Costa Rica

4 Visit to Poás Volcano

4 Enjoy a visit to Doka Coffee Estate with a

guided tour and lunch

4 Experience Arenal Volcano National Park –

enjoy a gentle hike at the base of the volcano

4 Spend three nights in La Fortuna

4 Included excursion to Caño Negro National

Wildlife Refuge with a local guide and lunch

4 Spend three nights at the all-inclusive Hilton

Puntarenas Resort

4 Experience a Jungle Crocodile Safari with a

local guide and included lunch

4 Visit Manuel Antonio National Park with a

local guide and included lunch

For years after the Spanish came to Costa Rica,

eastern Costa Rica was overlooked because it did

not have gold – the commodity in which the

Spanish were most interested. Later, the rich vol-

canic soils of the highlands is what immigrants

sought and all the coffee was shipped out via the

Pacific port of Puntarenas. Only in the 1870s was

a railway line built through the forest from the

capital San José to the Caribbean port of Limón.

That feat of construction took 20 years to com-

plete and cost 4,000 lives.

Local LORE

THE MAYFLOWER WAY

Zip Line Adventure through the rainforest

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Arenal - Room with a ViewA volcano in the front yard? That’s what the village of La Fortuna boasts. Wecan see its awe-inspiring cone first thing in the morning and the last thing atnight, as our room has a view of the Arenal Volcano. In addition to the vol-cano, the area is rich in natural wonders. On our arrival day, we see hot springsand beautiful waterfalls, hike easy, fragrant trails, swim or just dangle our feetin shady pools fed by waterfalls and surrounded with lush, tropical greenery.The village of La Fortuna is ringed by mountains and inhabited by friendly folkwhose little shops may offer the perfect memento.

There are few places on earth where one can observe an active volcano, and wewill spend a day near Arenal Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in theAmericas. Since it erupted 400 years ago, it has continued to light up the nightsky. From our observation point, we feel the ground tremble and see smokethat billows from the earth’s molten core rise to join the clouds. After a day ofadventure, relax in the springs at the hotel followed by dinner with lovelyviews of the resort’s hot springs, lush tropical gardens and Arenal Volcano.While in La Fortuna, we enjoy a full day excursion to Caño Negro NationalWildlife Refuge, a remote “everglades” type of wetlands teeming in differentspecies of flora, fauna and birdlife. This is truly a unique experience, showcas-ing the natural beauty of Costa Rica.

Jungle Crocodile Safari We take a boat trip on the Tarcoles river located near Carara National RainForest Park. This adventure combines nature with the breathtaking experienceof viewing American crocodiles at near proximities. As our boat ride takes usinside the mangrove canals and along the Tarcoles River, we have the opportu-nity to spot many different species of birds amongst the lush foliage.

Enjoy the amenities of the all-inclusive Hilton Puntarenas Resort

Costa Rica

Marvel at the beauty of a Costa Rican sunset

A spectator on our Jungle Crocodile Safari

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All-inclusive Hilton PuntarenasOur resort for the next three nights is the Hilton Puntarenas situated on thePacific Ocean. The resort is ideally located on the Central Pacific Coast ofCosta Rica, just 90 minutes from San José. It includes access to the beach aswell as four pools within the property. The hotel has many restaurants and barswhere we can enjoy included meals, alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and juices.

Spend a day at leisureRelax on the beach, stroll through the forest, join new companions on anoptional excursion or zip line adventure. There will be time to swim, snoozein the sun, snorkel or enjoy magical sunsets. Next morning our included tourvisits nearby Manuel Antonio National Park, the smallest of the parks in CostaRica but one of the most popular. The park’s forest, mangroves, lagoons andbeach vegetation support 1,009 species of mammals and 184 species of birds,with migrants bringing the bird species to some 270. Among the inhabitantsthat can be easily seen are sloths, iguanas, agoutis, armadillos, coatimundis,raccoons and the adorable squirrel monkey.

As our tropical get-away comes to an end, we return home with fond memo-ries of the beauty of Costa Rica and the warm hospitality of its people.

Costa Rica | 47

• 16 Meals (7 breakfasts, 4 lunches and 5 dinners)• Airport transfers on tour dates when air is providedby Mayflower

• $40 in Mayflower Money

DAY ONE Depart the USA for San José, Costa Rica •

Arrive in San José and transfer to the hotel • Welcome

dinner

DAY TWO Breakfast at the hotel • Visit to Poás

Volcano and Doka Coffee Estate tour followed by lunch

• Continue to the Arenal area known for its famous and

active volcano

DAY THREE Breakfast at the hotel • Depart for

Arenal Volcano National Park where we enjoy extraordi-

nary views of the Arenal Volcano on a gentle hike along

the base of this marvelous “Mountain of Fire” • Free

time this afternoon to enjoy a healthy and relaxing soak

in the springs at the hotel • Included dinner at the

hotel

DAY FOUR Breakfast at the hotel • Excursion to

Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge where we will see

a great variety of birds, monkeys, iguanas, sloths, turtles

and Caymans. Lunch is included during this excursion.

DAY FIVE Breakfast at the hotel • Drive from La

Fortuna to the Puntarenas area in the Central Pacific

region • Check-in to the all-inclusive Hilton

Puntarenas Resort, our home for the next three nights •

Evening at leisure to enjoy the hotel facilities •

Included dinner at the resort

DAY SIX Breakfast at the resort • Travel to the

Tarcoles area to experience a Jungle Crocodile Safari

with an included lunch • Afternoon at leisure to enjoy

the beach or relax by the pool • Included dinner at the

resort

DAY SEVEN Breakfast and dinner at the resort • Visit

to Manuel Antonio National Park with an inlcuded

lunch

DAY EIGHT Breakfast at the resort • Transfer to San

José Airport for flight home (flights to depart San José

after 12:00 pm)

DAY BY DAY

Squirrel Monkey at home in Manuel Antonio National Park

Call for air rates and schedules between your city and San José, Costa Rica

Costa Rica

HOTEL ACCOMMODATIONS

Day One –Wyndham Herradura, San José, Costa Rica

Days Two through Four – Arenal Springs Hotel or similar, La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Days Five through Seven – Hilton Puntarenas Resort, Puntarenas, Costa Rica

TOUR ACTIVITY LEVEL EASY ENERGETIC1 2 3 4

2015 DEPART USA PER PERSON TWIN SINGLE ROOM ADD

February 8 $1,749 $759October 11 $1,699 $699

Keep an eye out for the Chestnut-mandibled Toucan

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