Costa Rica The Way It Should Be Seen FEBRUARY, 15-22, 2012 Join Alliance Bank and TRIPS on a very special tour to beautiful Costa Rica! The beauty is staggering and the sluggish pace is seductive. You ll find a peaceful oasis here in this tropical paradise with activities galore! The incredible varied topography means that you can cruise the cloud forest one day and visit an active volcano the next. You ll visit coffee plantations and visit a sustainable farm. $3,198.00 per person Double occupancy Passport Required The country s cast of creatures, ranging from howler monkeys to toucans are populous and easy to spot! You ll surely find plenty to do and see touring this remarkable country! Contact Linda Mattingly @ 877-903-2265 (toll free) extension 6707 or e-mail lmattingly@alliancebank.com. Deposit of $700.00 per person is due June 1, 2011. Full payment due on October 1, 2011. Insurance is available and highly recommended.
Itinerary Day 1 You board your international flight bound for Costa Rica! On arrival you ll be assisted with your transfer to your San Jose hotel. Enjoy a welcome to San Jose dinner at the hotel this evening. Overnight San Jose area (D) Day 2 Enjoy breakfast at the hotel prior to departing for Poas Volcano National Park, considered one of the most breathtaking sites in the country. At almost a mile in diameter, the crater s rain-fed sulfuric pool still bubbles and emits plumes of smoke. You ll then depart for the Doka Coffee Plantation, a major coffee producer. You ll return to your hotel, and enjoy dinner on your own. San Jose (B/L) Day 3 Enjoy breakfast at the hotel prior to departing San Jose for the Arenal area. En route, enjoy a tour of the Sarchi Artisan Center. The town of Sarchi is a major craft center in Costa Rica, with crafts being typically hand painted. You ll enjoy lunch on your own in the charming village and have an opportunity to explore the dozens of shops. You ll depart this afternoon and arrive at your hotel with time to freshen up before enjoying dinner. Overnight Volcano Arenal Region (B/D) Day 4 After enjoying breakfast at the hotel this morning, you ll depart on a morning tour of the Arenal Hanging Bridges taking in the wildlife and vegetation of the rainforest. Afterwards, transfer to Don Juan Educational Farm with lunch included. This afternoon you ll explore the El Silencio Trail where you might spot monkeys, toucans and other wildlife native to Costa Rica. After returning to the hotel, you ll have time to freshen up before enjoying dinner. Overnight Arenal Volcano Region (B/L/D) Day 5 After breakfast this morning, you ll depart for a tour of the National Wildlife Refuge of Cano Negro. As you glide through the waterways be on the lookout for a variety of birds and mammals. If you re lucky, you might spot a bull shark s fin slicing through the water! You ll enjoy lunch at the Refuge before heading to the Eco Termales Hot Springs where you ll also be treated to a spectacular Costa Rican dinner! Arenal Volcano (B/L/D) Day 6 After breakfast this morning, depart for El Parador traveling through spectacular Manuel Antonio National Park enjoying lunch along the way. After arriving at your hotel, you ll enjoy a leisurely walk through the National Park followed by dinner at a local restaurant. Perched high above the sweeping Pacific coastline, this secluded luxury beach hotel will be home for the next two nights. Overnight Manuel Antonio National Park Region (B/D) Day 7 Enjoy breakfast at the hotel this morning overlooking the beautiful blue water of the Pacific Ocean. Then depart for Manuel Antonio National Park. With its white sand beaches backed by an evergreen forest, you ll be in awe of it s beauty. You ll marvel at the charming combination of rain forest, beaches and coral reefs. As you enjoy your tour, you might spot monkeys, sloths or scarlet macaws in this magnificent setting. As your tour of Costa Rica comes to a close, enjoy a surprise evening farewell event. (B/L) Day 8 Enjoy your breakfast this morning as you gaze across the beautiful lush green jungle. You ll depart El Parador and be assisted with your luggage as you transfer to the airport for your international flight home. (B)
Doka State Coffee Tour & Sarchi Artisan Center The Doka Estate sits at an altitude of 4,500 feet and the volcanic soil, crisp clean mountain air and abundant sunshine combine to create the perfect conditions for producing the finest Arabica coffee. You ll visit the Sarchi Artisan center where you ll paint an oxcart, the national symbol of Costa Rica! Arenal Hanging Bridges The hanging bridges of Arenal are located at the foothills of the Arenal Volcano. Here you can observe nature and wildlife from a birds eye view. You ll be surrounded by the lush rainforest on all sides with spectacular views overlooking the forest s dense canopy. Don Juan Educational Farm Run by a former school teacher, this educational farm is a community project for the promotion of sustainable farming practices. With just 5 acres of land, cattle graze and over 30 different crops are raised. You ll have an interactive experience planting and collecting crops as well as actively participating in cooking and preparing organically produced treats. El Silencio Trail and Lookout Point On this easy walk through the rainforest with your naturalist, be on the lookout for monkeys, a variety of birds including toucans and spectacular views of Arenal Volcano. Before dark, you ll continue to the lookout offering the closet, most direct lava flow vista! Cano Negro Tour Near the border of Nicaragua, you ll guide through green river canyons where you spot some of the 350 species of birds, 160 species of mammals including monkeys and over 300 species of plant life. This National Wildlife Refuge is called the everglades of Costa Rica! Eco Termales Hot Springs This series of pools, fed with volcanic hot water is a sanctuary of nature and beauty. With 4 pools that vary in temperature from 91-105 degrees, you ll find the pools relaxing and soothing! After enjoying the springs, you ll be treated to a delicious Costa Rican cuisine prepared in a traditional rustic kitchen. Manuel Antonio National Park This is one of Costa Rica s most popular destinations and is a haven for wildlife! You ll have closeup encounters with monkeys, sloths, and scarlet macaws! Along the riverine areas, you ll spot ocelots, otters, and spectacled caimans. As you enjoy lunch, be on the lookout for the capuchin monkeys who will steal your sandwich if given half a chance! Poas Volcano National Park From the nearly 1 mile diameter crater lookout, you ll observe the largest volcanic lagoon on earth at nearly 1,000 feet deep. The park is blanketed in giant ferns and the umbrella plant with it s massive leaves. Be on the lookout for a variety of birds including Costa Rica s national bird the clay colored robin. Inclusions Roundtrip international airfare 7 nights accommodations in 4 Star Hotels Services of a private Bilingual naturalist/guide Private land transportation in Costa Rica Bottled water daily Airport assistance in Costa Rica Airport departure taxes Breakfast daily, 4 lunches and 5 dinners Admission to all Parks and sightseeing tours All government/airport taxes Optional Sky Tram & Trek Priced at $139.00, this optional adventure is a must! After a relaxing Sky Tram to the top of the Arenal reserve, you ll start an adrenaline filled adventure above the tree tops. You ll travel on a system of zip lines over 1.7 miles offering one of a kind views of the rainforest., Arenal volcano and the lake! Don t miss this optional excursion!!!
HOW TO MAKE YOUR RESERVATION: YES! Sign me up for Costa Rica with ALLIANCE BANK! An initial $700.00 deposit is required to hold space on the tour on a first come/first served basis. This deposit is fully refundable up to September 30, 2011. Please make checks payable to Alliance Bank. We also take the following credit cards: Name: DOB: (Exactly as it appears on Passport please print your name clearly) Street Address: City/State/Zip: Telephone: Passport # Expiration Date of Passport Travel Companion: Passport # Expiration Date of Passport: Please return this form with your deposit to: Alliance Bank Attention: Linda Mattingly P O Box 500 Sulphur Springs, Texas 75483-0500 Business: (903)439-6707 - Toll Free (877)903-BANK ext. 6707 Fax: (903)439-6793 lmattingly@alliancebank.com CREDIT CARD INFORMATION Name: Credit Card # (MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express) Expiration Date: