Jungle Culinary Adventure

Upon arrival to San José, meet and greet at Juan Santamaría International Airport will direct you to your transport to your hotel in San José for your first night in Costa Rica. At night, enjoy a delightful dinner at Silvestre Restaurant, located in one of San José´s finest old neighborhoods, inside a house with a 1930’s façade, history becomes the story and XXI century culinary techniques collide with the origins of Costa Rican cuisine. Three ambiances filled with art, great food and good music

Breakfast at the hotel. Get your cameras ready because you don’t want to miss a single moment of this colorful local experience. You’ll get up close and personal with Costa Rican life, through local food, history, and even the herbal remedies of folk medicine. Your visit starts with a morning pick-me-up cup of coffee in a café located in the Borbon market where you’ll get to relax into your surroundings. From here, we’ll take a stroll through the vibrant market, tasting local fresh fruits while learning about the agricultural history of the area. We’ll visit a number of stands, including a local folk medicine stand where we’ll learn about curing everything from a hangover to a broken heart. Continue along local roads towards the Central Market. There’s no better place to experience local cuisine than the Central Market, a 120-year old building full to the brim with typical Costa Rican food and drink. Here you can sample local delicacies, learn about the herbs used in local medicines, or simply sip on your second rich and smooth Costa Rican coffee of the day. The Central Market is an experience that no visitor to San Jose should miss, and where you’ll unearth all the secrets behind this San Jose treasure. Our representative will take you to see other sites of this beautiful city and you will have chance to get you lunch in one of the many options this city offers. Now, it's time to experience the original Costa Rican coffee tour at our farm located in Barva de Heredia. Enjoy a delicious lunch and afterwards, an expert guide will immerse you through the lifecycle of gourmet coffee. Begin in our nursery and follow the beans starting with their growing cycle through careful collection and selection of the finest beans. Learn how Costa Rica’s unique climate and diverse landscapes provide perfect growing conditions for gourmet coffee beans. Next you will be enchanted by the aromas of our roaster where you will discover how different roasting techniques affect the beans and the brew. We’ll reveal our roasting and packing secrets that enable us to deliver the best coffee from our Costa Rican plantation to your cup - anywhere in the world. Learn how experts “break the cup” by using techniques to taste or “cup” coffee to identify and grade the characteristics that qualify a gourmet coffee. End of the tour and return to the hotel. Overnight in San José

Breakfast at the hotel. Start the day with a Chocolate tasting experience. This experience shows 4500 years of history of the cacao and chocolate through your palate. So it’s time to meet the chef Alex, and discover with him the secrets of this exotic fruit. See the cacao trees, feast on its fruits and learn all about chocolate. End this visit with a delicious lunch including salad with cocoa nibs, taste the cacao oil in your main dish, try the cacao based dessert and enjoy a chocolate drink with spices like chili, vanilla, anise, achiote and pepper. After discovering the secrets of cacao and chocolate, you will have the chance to visit the Hernandez Family, and its small project of entrepreneurship. Their mission is the rescue of the traditional meals of Costa Rica, some of which have been forgotten over the years and unknown by the current generations. Sit at their table, get served different dishes made with products you probably never heard of and feel the charm a Costa Rican family. Along with this project and included as part of your visit, they also have a botanical garden based in organically grown orchids where you will see around 500 of different species.

Breakfast at the hotel and Check Out. Departure to Arenal, stopping during the road in Sarapiquí to Finca Surá to enjoy farm tour in Sarapiquí. The beautiful thing about the farm was how everything was in symbiosis with nature. The natural way of doing things, to allow everything the space, time and nutrients it needs to grow. The sentiment echoed when we threw up alarm at the pineapples that had been eaten by birds and foxes and wondered what the farmers do to prevent such an intrusion to their fruit. The farmer soothed us with “there is enough for everyone.” They simply let the animals take what they need. Conventional pineapples are gassed to hasten the ripening process but here at Finca Sura it is left up to nature. It may take a year for the organic pineapple to reach full harvesting potential and they come in all sizes, but the result is the juiciest, sweetest pineapple you will ever experience. As a rain storm poured down over us, we stood there, relishing the freshly picked gold flesh in a moment of pure joy. Then go to Hidalgo Family Hotspings; the Eco Termales Hot Springs is a sanctuary of pleasure, nature and beauty that has been the life work of the Hidalgo family. The smallest of the Arenal hot springs, Eco Termales is geared toward privacy and relaxation. The four pools vary in temperature, with the coolest being 91º F and the hottest being 105º F. Doña Mireya, and her family invites to relax in this beautiful place. And enjoy an exquisite buffet dinner to close a magical night at the base of the volcano. End of the tours and transfer to the hotel in Arenal. Overnight in Arenal.

Breakfast at the hotel. Set near the Nicaraguan border in a marshy, jungle-like area, the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge is one of the most difficult places to independently visit in Costa Rica. It is set in a remote area of the country and is often submerged in water from flooded rivers. Travel along the Río Frío (Cold River), a slow-flowing river that wind through canyons on its way to the Caño Negro Lake. Along the shores of the river and in the trees that bend over its waters, visitors will be able to spot birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. There are howler, spider and white-faced monkeys, three-toed sloth, caimans, turtles, and even Jesus Christ Lizards. Keep your eyes on the river, too – there’s the chance of spotting the fin of a freshwater shark as it slices above the water’s surface. Lunch included at the end of the expedition. Rest of the day at leisure to relax and enjoy hotel facilities. Overnight in Arenal.

Breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy a Hand-on cooking class. In this Hands-On tropical cooking experience, Chef Scott Alan and his local chefs offer a fun and entertaining evening of a Costa Rican cooking experience. You will learn all about tropical cooking, ingredients, grilling and even cocktails! Enjoy amazing views of Arenal Volcano in a "pura vida" atmosphere while preparing your meals. The class is great for beginners as well as true cooks, so all skill levels are welcome! You can participate and help Chef Scott Alan prepare the dishes or watch & take notes: the choice is yours. Classes are held at La Casa Rústica at the base of Volcano Arenal. Continue to Tamarindo Beach at the North Pacific Coast and after to check in, rest of the day at leisure to relax. Overnight in Tamarindo

Breakfast at the hotel. Today feel free to do what your body and soul need; unwind and just relax sounds perfect! But if you prefer, there’s many activities to choose from: Be inspired by nature and take a guided tour such ocean snorkeling, enjoy a sunset catamaran, feel some adrenaline on ATV Adventure and many more! Overnight in Tamarindo

Breakfast at the hotel & Check Out. At the appropriate time, transfer to Juan Santamaria International Airport to catch your flight back home or on to your next destination. It is recommended to book flights departing after 13:00 hrs (in order to avoid leaving very early the hotel in Guanacaste). Breakfast included.