Tropical Adventure - Family holiday

Today, transfer the short distance to Manuel Antonio National Park and hike through this tiny park. With white sandy beaches on both sides of a forested peninsula, the park is a tropical paradise and the forested hillsides are home Monkeys, sloths, iguanas, toucans and scarlet macaws. In the afternoon you will have time to relax on the beach or by the pool. If you are still hungry for adventure, a full range of optional activities can be arranged (additional charge). (B)

Strike out into the national park with the rumble of the impressive volcano in the distance and the shake of the force of this natural phenomenon under your feet. Exploring the fertile volcanic slopes will be an introduction to the wondrous and varied tropical landscape of Costa Rica. (B)

Monteverde was founded as an agricultural community in 1951 by a group of North American Quakers; they cleared virgin forest to create verdant pastures ideal for dairy farming. These environmentally aware settlers were conscious of the danger that farming could cause to this precious habitat. Consequently they established a small privately-owned wildlife sanctuary, which has since grown to become the internationally-renowned Monteverde Cloudforest Biological Preserve. Variation in temperature and rainfall in this area creates eight distinct habitats covering both the Atlantic and Pacific slopes of the mountains.

Today you explore the forest which is home to the reclusive resplendent quetzal, the blue-crowned motmot, the emerald toucanet and some 30 species of iridescent hummingbird - to cite but a few of the 400-odd bird species recorded here! As if this were not enough, more than 100 mammal species, 1200 amphibian and reptile species and many thousands of insect species live here, all in addition to an astonishing variety of plant life.

One of the highlights for many is the chance to see the forest from the height of the canopy instead of always looking up into the trees. As an included activity you will walk across hanging bridges (Sky Walk) suspended through the trees. It’s not designed for vertigo suffers but provides a fantastic chance to get in amongst the foliage and experience the forest from a great vantage point!

Monteverde also has a number of other optional activities you may be interested in doing including horse riding, visiting orchid farms and the thrilling ‘Sky Trek’ where you zipline with harnesses on ropes between platforms in the trees. (B)