Itinerary
Please note itinerary below is for a pre-trip extension. It will run in reverse order if done as a post-trip extension.
Day 1: San Jose, Costa Rica
Upon arrival in San Jose, transfer to our hotel, where you’ll meet your guide and enjoy a welcome dinner
Day 2: San Jose / Cinchona / Cano Negro
After breakfast, we begin our long drive north to Cano Negro, a 25,000-acre wildlife refuge recognized as one of the world’s most important wetlands. The refuge is renowned for exceptional biodiversity, including more than 300 bird species, many rare and migratory, sloths, monkeys, elusive jaguars, and a host of amphibians, fish and reptiles.
Our journey includes several stops to explore nature and culture, beginning with La Paz waterfall, one of the country’s most famous cascades. A short walk on paved trails brings us face-to-face with the 100-foot cataract, where the La Paz River plunges over moss-covered boulders through dense rainforest. This spectacle, though visible from the road, is best experienced up close along with its surrounding cataracts.
Continue to Cinchona, a small village in the Central Highlands renowned for an abundance of hummingbirds and other avian species, including the rare Ornate Hawk-Eagle. Surrounded by verdant mountains and waterfalls, this popular birding spot is also home to the famous Soda y Mirador Cafe, whose bird feeders attract a variety of winged creatures for close-up encounters.
Then it’s on to Trapiche BaZu, an active sugar plantation. A trapiche is a massive wooden contraption with interlocking cogs and a long beam to which are harnessed a team of oxen. On a tour, witness workers feeding stalks of green sugar cane into the mill as oxen plod a circular path, turning the gears that crush the cane and send green juice from the press into wooden collection troughs. Enveloped by the sweet scent of boiling sugar cane, enjoy lunch before departing for our Cano Negro, our final stop.
Arrive and settle into Tocu Tent Camp, our glamping accommodations located next to the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge. Providing easy access to the refuge’s unique ecosystems, the camp’s prime location is the ideal spot from which to experience the area’s natural beauty and wildlife.
Day 3: Cano Negro
Navigate the winding Rio Frio by boat today as we wend upriver, ultimately arriving at Lago Cano Negro, a critical lagoon formed by the river’s overflow during the rainy season. One of the planet’s most important wetlands, on par with Brazil’s Pantanal and Botswana’s Okavango Delta, this lagoon serves as a crucial habitat for a wide array of animals and plants. From the deck of our stable and comfortable riverboat, look for migratory waterfowl, herons and spoonbills in and around the water, while various mammals like monkeys and sloths reside among the trees. We’ll see caiman in the river and hope for a glimpse of rare jaguars. Watch Jesus Christ lizards skitter across the water’s surface, their feet barely touching as they run, spot turtles basking on partially submerged logs and look for the iridescent scales of green iguanas catching the sunlight.
A post-tour lunch at Hacienda Cano Negro showcases traditional cuisine, including ceviche, gallo pinto, rice, beans and plantains. This comfortable, contemporary lodge features indoor and outdoor dining, allowing us to savor flavors amid the sounds of wildlife and the river. Enjoy the afternoon exploring Tocu Tent camp at your leisure.
Day 4: Cano Negro / Tenorio Volcano National Park
As the first rays of sunlight filter through the dense canopy, embark on a morning birding walk. The crisp air is alive with a symphony of chirps, trills and warbles, and we search for the shimmery plumage of resplendent quetzals, the distinctive beak and markings of toucans and myriad other birds.
After breakfast, travel to Tenorio Volcano National Park, home to a dormant stratovolcano and diverse habitats, from rainforest to cloud forest. Stratovolcanoes, also known as composite volcanoes, are tall cone-shaped mountains built over time as lava, tephra and volcanic ash harden into layers. Often steep-sloped and featuring a small summit crater, these types of volcanoes typically produce viscous lava and can be prone to explosive eruptions when active.
A two-mile hike climbs through the thick forest before opening to the Rio Celeste waterfall, a 98-foot cascade that thunders into a pool of aquamarine water, creating a beautiful contrast against the lush green foliage. Cross a suspended bridge to reach the Blue Lagoon, a small pool of intense azure, and Los Tenideros, where two clear streams merge to form the turquoise-colored Rio Celeste. On our return, encounter bubbling mud pots and steaming geysers—evidence of geothermal activity.
In the afternoon, meet members of the Maleku tribe for a demonstration of traditional life. The Maleku tribe, also known as the Guatusos, is one of Costa Rica’s smallest Indigenous groups, with an estimated population of between 600-1,000. We learn about their subsistence culture before attending hands-on cooking class. Gallo pinto sizzles in the pan, and the zesty aroma of ceviche fills the air as we prepare traditional dishes using Maleku crops and spices.
Day 5: Cano Negro / Hanging Bridges / Puerto Caldera
After bidding farewell to our cozy lodgings, embark on a trip to the lush foothills of the Tenorio Volcano. The air grows cooler and more humid as we ascend to our destination: a private, 185-acre reserve of primary rainforest thick with massive ceiba trees adorned with bromeliads and orchids. An easy hike leads to three suspension bridges offering an unparalleled perspective of the canopy, the Bijagua Valley and Lake Nicaragua in the distance. From our high vantage point, we get a close-up view of the forest’s wildlife, including three-toed sloths, toucans, capuchin monkeys and more.
This afternoon, continue to Puerto Caldera to board the National Geographic Quest for the start of your adventure cruise.
Day 1: San Jose, Costa Rica
Upon arrival in San Jose, transfer to our hotel, where you’ll meet your guide and enjoy a welcome dinner
Day 2: San Jose / Cinchona / Cano Negro
After breakfast, we begin our long drive north to Cano Negro, a 25,000-acre wildlife refuge recognized as one of the world’s most important wetlands. The refuge is renowned for exceptional biodiversity, including more than 300 bird species, many rare and migratory, sloths, monkeys, elusive jaguars, and a host of amphibians, fish and reptiles.
Our journey includes several stops to explore nature and culture, beginning with La Paz waterfall, one of the country’s most famous cascades. A short walk on paved trails brings us face-to-face with the 100-foot cataract, where the La Paz River plunges over moss-covered boulders through dense rainforest. This spectacle, though visible from the road, is best experienced up close along with its surrounding cataracts.
Continue to Cinchona, a small village in the Central Highlands renowned for an abundance of hummingbirds and other avian species, including the rare Ornate Hawk-Eagle. Surrounded by verdant mountains and waterfalls, this popular birding spot is also home to the famous Soda y Mirador Cafe, whose bird feeders attract a variety of winged creatures for close-up encounters.
Then it’s on to Trapiche BaZu, an active sugar plantation. A trapiche is a massive wooden contraption with interlocking cogs and a long beam to which are harnessed a team of oxen. On a tour, witness workers feeding stalks of green sugar cane into the mill as oxen plod a circular path, turning the gears that crush the cane and send green juice from the press into wooden collection troughs. Enveloped by the sweet scent of boiling sugar cane, enjoy lunch before departing for our Cano Negro, our final stop.
Arrive and settle into Tocu Tent Camp, our glamping accommodations located next to the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge. Providing easy access to the refuge’s unique ecosystems, the camp’s prime location is the ideal spot from which to experience the area’s natural beauty and wildlife.
Day 3: Cano Negro
Navigate the winding Rio Frio by boat today as we wend upriver, ultimately arriving at Lago Cano Negro, a critical lagoon formed by the river’s overflow during the rainy season. One of the planet’s most important wetlands, on par with Brazil’s Pantanal and Botswana’s Okavango Delta, this lagoon serves as a crucial habitat for a wide array of animals and plants. From the deck of our stable and comfortable riverboat, look for migratory waterfowl, herons and spoonbills in and around the water, while various mammals like monkeys and sloths reside among the trees. We’ll see caiman in the river and hope for a glimpse of rare jaguars. Watch Jesus Christ lizards skitter across the water’s surface, their feet barely touching as they run, spot turtles basking on partially submerged logs and look for the iridescent scales of green iguanas catching the sunlight.
A post-tour lunch at Hacienda Cano Negro showcases traditional cuisine, including ceviche, gallo pinto, rice, beans and plantains. This comfortable, contemporary lodge features indoor and outdoor dining, allowing us to savor flavors amid the sounds of wildlife and the river. Enjoy the afternoon exploring Tocu Tent camp at your leisure.
Day 4: Cano Negro / Tenorio Volcano National Park
As the first rays of sunlight filter through the dense canopy, embark on a morning birding walk. The crisp air is alive with a symphony of chirps, trills and warbles, and we search for the shimmery plumage of resplendent quetzals, the distinctive beak and markings of toucans and myriad other birds.
After breakfast, travel to Tenorio Volcano National Park, home to a dormant stratovolcano and diverse habitats, from rainforest to cloud forest. Stratovolcanoes, also known as composite volcanoes, are tall cone-shaped mountains built over time as lava, tephra and volcanic ash harden into layers. Often steep-sloped and featuring a small summit crater, these types of volcanoes typically produce viscous lava and can be prone to explosive eruptions when active.
A two-mile hike climbs through the thick forest before opening to the Rio Celeste waterfall, a 98-foot cascade that thunders into a pool of aquamarine water, creating a beautiful contrast against the lush green foliage. Cross a suspended bridge to reach the Blue Lagoon, a small pool of intense azure, and Los Tenideros, where two clear streams merge to form the turquoise-colored Rio Celeste. On our return, encounter bubbling mud pots and steaming geysers—evidence of geothermal activity.
In the afternoon, meet members of the Maleku tribe for a demonstration of traditional life. The Maleku tribe, also known as the Guatusos, is one of Costa Rica’s smallest Indigenous groups, with an estimated population of between 600-1,000. We learn about their subsistence culture before attending hands-on cooking class. Gallo pinto sizzles in the pan, and the zesty aroma of ceviche fills the air as we prepare traditional dishes using Maleku crops and spices.
Day 5: Cano Negro / Hanging Bridges / Puerto Caldera
After bidding farewell to our cozy lodgings, embark on a trip to the lush foothills of the Tenorio Volcano. The air grows cooler and more humid as we ascend to our destination: a private, 185-acre reserve of primary rainforest thick with massive ceiba trees adorned with bromeliads and orchids. An easy hike leads to three suspension bridges offering an unparalleled perspective of the canopy, the Bijagua Valley and Lake Nicaragua in the distance. From our high vantage point, we get a close-up view of the forest’s wildlife, including three-toed sloths, toucans, capuchin monkeys and more.
This afternoon, continue to Puerto Caldera to board the National Geographic Quest for the start of your adventure cruise.
