Introduction from Global Exchange staff and participants. Review of the itinerary, group expectations and goals of the Reality Tour

Transcription

1 GLOBAL EXCHANGE A Taste of Costa Rican biodiversity and hospitality The Canadian Delegation Itinerary Saturday April 8 12:25 Arrival of delegation. Check in at la Dehesa BB 4:00 Introductory Orientation Meeting Introduction from Michael on behalf of the School. Introduction from Global Exchange staff and participants. Review of the itinerary, group expectations and goals of the Reality Tour General orientation to Costa Rica 6:30 Welcoming dinner (Concepción de San Rafael) Sunday April 9: 7:00 Breakfast and review of days activities 8:25 Leave for the INBIO PARQUE: an introduction to the vast world of our biological diversity 12:00 Lunch 2:00 a quick visit to downtown San José 6:00 dinner & review of tomorrow s activities at DEHESA Monday April 10: 6:00 breakfast 7:15 leave for Playa Agujas 9:45 arrive at kayaking agency

2 1:15 lunch at Jaco 5:00 check in at Ceciliano Hotel at Quepos 7:00 dinner and talk with Julia Vargas fom ASOMUFAQeasy. (A family rights association) Julia Vargas is a community leader in Quepos This is an opportunity to talk about daily life and social realities in this area. Tuesday April 11 8:00: Breakfast with Mathew, a representative from the ASCOMOTI (Association for the Conservation of the Mono Tití) project who will inform us of their efforts to protect the endemic Titi (squirrel) monkey by promoting responsible eco-tourism and actively restoring the Rio Naranjo corridor from Manuel Antonio National Park on the coast toward the Eco Era reserve. 9:00 leave for Manuel Antonio National Park (free-day activity until 4pm) We ll stop by Quepos market place for you to get fruit, water and snacks. You can get into the park, do hiking, snorkelling, visit other beaches, etc. (At Beach #1, there are plenty of rental stores. Rentals are aprox. $35. Beaches 2 and 3 are inside the Park, so we need a ticket to get in). 4:30 Join at the bus in front of Beach 1 to enjoy the sunset 5:30 Back to Quepos. We can decide to have dinner at the beach or at Quepos. Interaction about day s activities Wednesday April 12 7;30 Breakfast at Quepos. Review of days activities. 9:00 Leave for Coopesilencio, a peasant cooperative 9:45 Meeting with Juan Carlos Bejarano, a leader of the community. Learn about rural life and the role of agriculture in Costa Rica s economy. Tours around the community and an animal protection zone. 12:00 Lunch

3 2:00 Hike to Saavegre River for the rest of the day. Share with the people of the Community. Carry your bathing stuff. 6:00 Dinner at Coopesilencio. Share impressions about the day s activities. Orientation about tomorrow s program. Thursday April 13 7:30 Breakfast at Coopesilencio 8:30 Leave for Monteverde. 12:00 Check in at Ecoverde Lodge. 1:00 lunch 2:30: Bridges. Participants can stay in the woods longer to take pictures or just enjoy the wilderness. We ll meet at the bus at 4:30 to have a ride to Santa Elena 6:30 pm: Dinner Friday April 14 7:00 Breakfast 8:00 Horse riding throughout the cloud forest. We ll visit a waterfall. Carry your bathing stuff. It s also advisable to carry a disposable raincoat (avoid bright-colored ones as these chase the birds away). 1:30 lunch 3:00 A canopy adventure (optional) 5:30 Dinner at hotel and talk with Oscar who will tell us about the impact of tourism on the community

4 Saturday April 15 and Sunday 16: Rural Community tourism Meeting rural families: we ll learn about cow milking, medicine plants, organic agriculture, and rural life in general 7:00 breakfast at Monteverde 8:15 leave for Fortuna de San Carlos 11:15 arrival at la Fortuna 11:30 tour to an organic farm 1:00 lunch 2:30 leave for San Marcos 4:30 tour around the village 6:00 check in & dinner Sunday 16: 7:30 breakfast 8:30 tour (learn about cultural elements through an agricultural day in San Marcos) 12:30 lunch 2:30 leave for La Fortuna 4:15 Learn about medicinal plants 6: 00 dinner 7:30 9:30 back to the lodge Monday 17 8:00 breakfast

5 9:30 A hike in the Arenal National Park 1:30 lunch 2:30 Sailing around the Arenal Lagoon, islands and dam. We can visit some private facilities and national reserves on the other side of the lagoon (20$, not covered by the program) 5:30 dinner 7:30 termal waters facility near the Arenal volcano. (Hopefully, we ll see the marvellous Arenal Volcano at night). Tuesday 18 TH 8:00 breakfast 9:30 leave for La Dehesa, BB via San Carlos. On the way we ll stop by SARCHI, a small town famous because of the beautiful painted oxcarts made there. (The Costa Rican oxcart was declared a Patrimony of Humanity by UN) 12:00 lunch 4:00 check in at la Dehesa 6:30 dinner at la Dehesa. Discussion meeting about the tour experience inside the country Wednesday 19th 7:45 Breakfast. Review of day s activities 8:45 Leave for the POAS volcano 12: 00 lunch 3:00: Visit to ICAFE, a coffee research institution.learn about monocultural or modern agricultural production, with Ing. Luis Zamora.

6 6:30: dinner and share impressions on the day s activities Thursday 20 th 8:00 breakfast free morning 10:00 discussion on CAFTA impact 12 :00 lunch 3:00 Meeting with Victoria Rudín from ACEPESA, an NGO devoted to recycling projects (Escazú) 6: 30: FAREWEL DINNER Friday April 21 th 7:30 breakfast 8:30 leave for the Irazu Volcano 12:00 lunch 2:00 leave for Cartago, our first Capital city. Visit the Basílica de los Angeles, house of the Saint Patron Virgin of C.R. 3:00 Back to our hotel riding by the Guarco colorful towns: Paraíso, Orosi and Cachi 6 pm: Dinner and discussion circle: impressions about the whole experience Saturday 22 8:00 breakfast 10:15 transfer to the airport. (The flight companies require to be at the airport 3 hours before the scheduled time).