Compare Costa Rica's Coastal Secrets by Exodus Travels vs The Panama Canal & Costa Rica - Westbound 2019 by Tauck

Day 1 Start San Jose

Welcome to San José, the culture-rich capital of Costa Rica. Aim to arrive at the hotel by 5pm so that you can meet your fellow travellers and tour leader, who will give you a warm welcome to Costa Rica. If you miss today’s welcome briefing, the tour leader will give you all relevant information on the morning of Day 2. A free transfer is available to take you to our hotel in San José. Read the Joining Instructions in the Trip Notes for more information on booking your seat. Accommodation: Presidente Hotel or Park Inn or Aurola Holiday Inn San Jose (or similar)

Day 2 To Tortuguero National Park

Our adventure begins early this morning, leaving San Jose behind as we travel to Tortuguero National Park in northeast Costa Rica. Accessible only by boat or light aircraft, Tortuguero has a vast network of waterways, canals and swamps that are remarkably tranquil, unspoilt and devoid of noise pollution. On reaching the pier, we board a small motorboat for the journey to our lodge (up to 1hr 30min) , which is a short distance from the main lagoon. Please note the transfer from San José to Tortuguero is not private for Exodus clients. Our afternoon is spent in Tortuguero village, where we can visit the Sea Turtle Museum (a donation will be requested at the entrance). Tortuguero is probably most famous as a nesting site for endangered green turtle, which can be seen arriving onto the beach to lay eggs from late July to October (as part of an optional excursion). Hawksbill, loggerhead and giant leatherback turtles also nest in this region, and during November to January, baby turtles hatch and make their way towards the ocean. Today's travel time will be in the region of six hours including a stop for breakfast. Accommodation: Evergreen Lodge (or similar)

Day 3 Boat tour around Tortuguero waterways

This morning we board a small boat, enabling us to discover the extraordinary flora and fauna of Tortuguero as we pass serenely along the waterways. In the morning wildlife is usually at its most active and with the help of our expert guide we are likely to encounter monkeys, caiman, iguanas, butterflies and many of the 300-plus bird species recorded here. We’ll take a second boat trip this afternoon or you can relax at the lodge and enjoy the facilities. Accommodation: Evergreen Lodge (or similar)

Day 4 To Cahuita; relax on the Caribbean coast

We leave Tortuguero the same way we arrived, by taking a small boat to Siquirres pier. Our bus will be at the pier waiting to drive us to the Cahuita region on the Caribbean coast, where we check into our hotel. Caribbean culture pervades this part of Costa Rica and is reflected in the music, food and laid-back lifestyle. The white-sand beach here is fringed by tall palms, behind which is the dense, wet tropical forest of Cahuita National Park. Accommodation: Ciudad Perdida or Villas del Caribe (or similar)

Day 5 Wildlife walk in Cahuita National Park

Cahuita National Park has 2,711 acres (1,097ha) of land and 600 acres (243ha) of coral reef, the largest reef system in Costa Rica. Today we visit the national park, taking a 7mi (11km) walk from the southern entrance, which follows the coastline, through rainforest and past impressive Caribbean beaches. Although a fairly small in size, there is plenty of diversity in the park. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore the beach, join an optional snorkelling excursion (subject to local conditions) or simply relax. Accommodation: Ciudad Perdida or Villas del Caribe (or similar)

Day 6 Free day in Cahuita

Today is yours to relax into the Caribbean pace of life and enjoy free time around Cahuita. It is possible to join an optional excursion to the indigenous communities of Kekoldi & Bri Bri Reserve, where you'll learn about the properties and uses of native plants, plus the process of making artisanal chocolate. Chocolate is very important in Bri Bri culture and used for purification rituals, food and medicine. During the excursion, there is also the opportunity for a refreshing swim at a waterfall. Accommodation: Ciudad Perdida or Villas del Caribe (or similar)

Day 7 Walk in La Marta Wildlife Refuge; to Turrialba Valley

Our next destination is Turrialba Valley, a rich agricultural region in the Central Highlands. On the way to Turrialba, we visit La Marta Wildlife Refuge, an area of both primary and secondary forest within La Amistad Biosphere (recognised as a Unesco World Patrimony of Humanity). The topography of this region is mountainous, with waterfalls, rivers and caves – the varied elevation supports a wide range of plants (including orchids, bromeliads, lichens and mosses) and animals (including anteaters, ocelots and tapirs). Accommodation: Villa Florencia or Guayabo (or similar)

Day 8 To Savegre Cloud Forest

After breakfast, we depart towards San Gerado de Dota and Savegre Cloud Forest. This is said to be one of the best places in Costa Rica to see the beautiful, colourful and notoriously shy resplendent quetzal and we have two nights here to discover the region. These endangered birds rely on the cloud forest for their habitat; the males are particularly striking with a green crest, red breast and tail feathers that can reach a metre in length. A good pair of binoculars will be helpful for quetzal spotting as these birds camouflage themselves well among the wet leaves. After lunch, we take a short walk into the cloud forest. Accommodation: Savegre Hotel, Nature Reserve & Spa or Trogon Lodge (or similar)

Day 9 Free day to discover walking trails in Savegre

Today is free to relax and explore Savegre Valley. Bring your binoculars to spot some of the 170 bird species, trek through the tropical cloud forest or simply enjoy the incredible view from the lodge. Your leader will suggest walks for today so you can discover the tropical cloud forest and sub-Alpine vegetation of the area. Birds here include hummingbirds, tanagers and trogons, while you may also spot tapirs and squirrel monkeys. Accommodation: Savegre Hotel, Nature Reserve & Spa or Trogon Lodge (or similar)

Day 10 To Sierpe; boat to Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula

Early in the morning, our journey continues towards the small town of Sierpe, where we board a small motorboat to Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula. Passing the huge mangrove swamps that line the Sierpe River, our boat crosses the ocean before arriving at Drake Bay. This region is very remote and with extremely limited road access, which means most supplies, visitors and locals, must arrive by boat. Getting here is part of the adventure. The bay is spectacular, with just a handful of lodges on the horizon and the rest thick verdant forest and rocky coves as far as the eye can see. Our next three nights will be spent at the Drake Bay Wilderness Resort, a family-run property close to the 'town' of Drake Bay and with ocean views from every corner. Accommodation: Drake Bay Wilderness Resort (or similar)

Day 11 Boat trip to Caño Island

Board a small boat to Caño Island, 12 nautical miles from Drake Bay. During this 45-minute boat ride, there may be opportunities to spot migrating whales or playful dolphins (orca are also here around December to April and humpbacks might be seen around July to November). The interior of the island is thought to have been a burial ground for the indigenous Daquis tribe during pre-Columbian times, and many perfectly spherical human-made stones have been found here. But it's the marine life that is the biggest highlight of Caño Island, with hawksbill and olive ridley turtles, manta rays and white-tipped reef sharks just some of the likely encounters on today's snorkelling excursion. This area has been rated as having the best snorkelling in the whole of Costa Rica, with excellent water visibility and a huge marine diversity living in the protected reef. Enjoy a picnic lunch on nearby San Josecito beach, where capuchin monkeys, coatimundi and lively scarlet macaws may appear. Accommodation: Drake Bay Wilderness Resort (or similar)

Day 12 Boat trip to Corcovado National Park; discover the park on foot

When National Geographic describes an area as “the most biologically intense place on Earth,” it must be worthy of investigation. This morning we board a small boat for a 30-minute journey to San Pedrillo Ranger Station, our entrance point to Corcovado National Park. This is undoubtedly the most secluded and tranquil region in Costa Rica. Protecting around one-third of the Osa Peninsula (some 164sqmi/425sqkm), Corcovado is the largest national park in Costa Rica and encompasses 13 major ecosystems across various elevations, with montane forest, cloud forest, fresh water and mangrove swamps among them. Scientists have recorded half of all the species in Costa Rica on this peninsula alone. On today's hike along the parks trails, we may see all four monkey species in Costa Rica (squirrel, howler, white-faced capuchin and spider), tamandua (anteaters), two- and three-toed sloths, peccary, tapirs (including the endangered Baird’s tapir) and many reptiles, insects and amphibians. Puma and jaguar also prowl this area, but are very difficult to see. With more than 500 tree species, the bird count stands at an impressive 365 and the park protects the largest population of scarlet macaws in the country, which can frequently be seen and heard flying overhead. Accommodation: Drake Bay Wilderness Resort (or similar)

Day 13 Mangrove boat trip; to Sierpe; to San Jose

After an early breakfast, we board another boat and return to Sierpe town. On the way, our boat will take a short tour of the huge mangrove forest that lines the Sierpe River. Delving into the network of tributary rivers and streams offers a chance to learn more about the role of mangroves in the ecosystem and the numerous creatures that depend on them, including fish, crabs, birds, molluscs and shellfish. In Sierpe town, we transfer to our private minibus and commence our journey to San Jose. Accommodation: Presidente Hotel or Park Inn or Aurola Holiday Inn San Jose (or similar)

Day 14 Visit the Irazu Volcano National Park and the Orosi Valley for a coffee tour

Today begins with a trip to the Irazu Volcano National Park in the Cartago province of Costa Rica, located within the Central Mountain Range around a 90-minute journey from San Jose. Passing different vegetation, we'll drive towards the summit and then follow a path that leads to a wonderful view across the huge crater. Irazu is one of the most active volcanoes in Costa Rica, though it has recently entered a dormant phase – a relief to the farmers and property owners who make their living on the fertile slopes. On a clear day, both the Caribbean and Pacific coastlines can be seen from the summit. Remember to bring a jacket as it can be windy and cold at the viewpoint of this elevation (Irazu summit is 11,260ft/3,432m high). Following this we continue to the city of Cartago, home to a spectacular domed basilica, and the Orosi Valley, an area of natural beauty. After lunch in one of the many traditional restaurants, we join the Orosi Coffee tour to learn about the ancient techniques used to produce some of the best coffee in the world. This involves understanding the cultivation, harvesting and roasting of coffee beans, before you have a chance to savour the end product yourself. Afterwards, we return to San Jose for our last night of the holiday. Accommodation: Presidente Hotel or Park Inn or Aurola Holiday Inn San Jose (or similar)

Day 15 End San Jose

Our adventure comes to an end today after breakfast and it's time to bid Costa Rica and the rest of the group goodbye. Hop in your free transfer back to San Jose airport to begin your return journey home.

Day 1 Arrive Panama City

Tour begins: 6:30 PM, Hilton Panama or InterContinental Miramar Panama. Welcome to Panama! A transfer awaits to take you from Tocumen International Airport to the Hilton Panama or InterContinental Miramar Panama. Meet your Tauck Director and your fellow travelers at our welcome cocktail reception and dinner this evening at your hotel.

MEALS : D

LODGING : Hilton Panama or InterContinental Miramar Panama

PORTOFCALL : Panama City, Panama

Day 2 Exploring Panama City

Begin today's exploration of Panama City in its key historic district, Casco Viejo; a walking tour will show you this walled cobblestoned city, built in the 1670s at the foot of Ancon Hill, to provide safety from attack. The area is a gem of Spanish colonial architecture in various stages of redevelopment, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site; you'll also have free time to explore on your own. After lunch at a local restaurant, tour the former Canal Zone, driving through Ancon Hill, a lush residential enclave that was home to US military facilities until a 1977 treaty granted Panamanian sovereignty over the "Zone;" Albrook, a former US Air Force Base; and Clayton, once a US Army base. Then enjoy a fascinating visit to the exhibits and gardens of the Biomuseo, the Panama City biodiversity museum designed by renowned architect Frank Gehry. The evening is yours to spend as you please in Panama City.

MEALS : B, L

LODGING : Hilton Panama or InterContinental Miramar Panama

PORTOFCALL : Panama City, Panama

Day 3 Canal Zone, Gamboa Rainforest & your cruise begins

From Panama City, start across the Isthmus of Panama; during a stop at the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, you'll choose between an aerial tram ride with a naturalist through the rainforest at eye-level with exotic birds and animals (aboard the only gondola of its kind in Panama), or a boat cruise along waterways leading to hidden islands, where you might spot monkeys at play. After lunch at a local restaurant, learn more about the Panama Canal on a visit to the Agua Clara locks. In the late afternoon, arrive at the pier in Colón to board your Explorer Class yacht for 7-night Panama Canal cruise.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Champlain or Le Dumont d'Urville

PORTOFCALL : Panama City, Panama

Day 4 The Guna people of the San Blas Islands

Your yacht arrives in the archipelago of San Blas today, where you'll transfer by Zodiac for a wet landing at Holandes Caye. Here, you'll visit Guna Indians, whose language and customs reflect lives with few outside influences, women sell handmade molas - reverse-appliquéd fabrics with brilliant images of fish, birds and jungle animals - and fishing is still done by canoe. After your visit to a Guna village, you can spend a leisurely afternoon swimming and snorkeling before returning by Zodiac to your ship. This evening, your Explorer Class vessel begins preparations for tomorrow's entrance into the Panama Canal.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Champlain or Le Dumont d'Urville

PORTOFCALL : Transiting the Panama Canal

Day 5 Transiting the Panama Canal

Opened in 1914, and considered an engineering marvel of the 20th century, the Panama Canal opened trade to the Americas by creating a transit path between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Thanks to the canal, today ships traveling from New York to San Francisco save over 7,000 miles by not having to chart a course around South America. Early this morning, your ship will arrive at Gatun and position outside the canal for her full transit from the Atlantic to the Pacific. We'll welcome aboard a canal pilot, the local navigation professional who will guide our ship into the Gatun Locks, Lake Gatun and into the narrow Gaillard cut. Later, we transit the Pedro Miguel locks before finally clearing Miraflores locks and passing beneath the Bridge of the Americas to the Pacific Ocean at Balboa. Your Tauck Director, Tauck Naturalist and an official of the Panama Canal Authority will provide both technical and historical information about this engineering wonder. The process may take approximately eight to ten hours; while passing through the three locks, your yacht will be be raised up a total of 85 feet before reaching the Pacific Ocean!

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Champlain or Le Dumont d'Urville

PORTOFCALL : Casco Viejo, Panama

Day 6 The Embera people of the Darien

Today you'll stop in the beautiful but remote Darien region of Panama, calling on Play del Muerto for a wet landing by Zodiac craft to visit an indigenous community of the Emberá people, whose lifestyle remains largely unaffected by modern times. You'll meet the locals, watch them perform traditional dances, see how they live, and perhaps purchase some of their "Cocobolo" wood or "Tagua" vegetable ivory carvings. Return to the ship for lunch; enjoy a naturalist lecture this afternoon.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Champlain or Le Dumont d'Urville

PORTOFCALL : Pacific Ocean

Day 7 Day at sea

Enjoy a relaxing day at sea on the Pacific Ocean today, taking advantage of your Explorer Class ship's many amenities. Throughout the day, your Tauck Directors and naturalist guides will circulate about the ship answering questions - sharing their experiences and scanning the horizon for marine mammals and pelagic birds - and will also offer compelling lectures.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Champlain or Le Dumont d'Urville

PORTOFCALL : Puerto Jimenez, Panama

Day 8 Manuel Antonio National Park

Call on the city of Quepos this morning, a perfect jumping off point for your excursion to Manuel Antonio National Park, where you'll find coral reefs and white sand beaches, considered among the most beautiful in Costa Rica, lined with rainforest. Your choices here include a walking tour of the park with your local naturalist guide; an exciting river float trip* on the Savegre River (which will include lunch either before or after the trip); or a horseback ride through a mountain forest. Back aboard the ship, enjoy dinner at your leisure tonight, as your yacht sets out from Quepos.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Champlain or Le Dumont d'Urville

PORTOFCALL : Puerto Jiménez, Costa Rica

Day 9 Carara National Park & Pura Vida Gardens

Your ship arrives at Playa Herradura for a choice of shore excursions offering a range of eco-activities. One includes a walking tour and a mangrove cruise in Carara National Park with a local naturalist guide. Following your jungle walk through the park, enjoy a local lunch before learning about various coastal bird and wildlife species on a mangrove boat tour. Another choice features a visit to Tropical Forest Sky Walk near the boundary of Carara Biological Reserve, where you'll hike across suspended cable bridges skimming the top of the rainforest, up to 126 feet above the ground; from your lofty perch, you'll see the marshlands of the Tarcoles River and views of the ocean in the distance. Your guide will point out species of birds, monkeys, butterflies and other mammals that you may encounter. Still another possibility is a visit to the spectacular Pura Vida Gardens, whose beautifully manicured gardens are bordered by one of the tallest waterfalls in the country. Pura Vida is home to over 60,000 flowering plants, including 60 varieties of heliconia, ten varieties of ginger, and orchids; look for butterflies, macaws, parrots, parakeets, toucans, kingfishers, birds of prey, and waterfowl. After your tour, enjoy a traditional lunch in the garden restaurant. You'll also stop at the Tarcoles Bridge for a chance to observe an immense population of crocodiles that live just several meters below the bridge. Join us for the Captain's farewell dinner tonight, as your yacht sails to Puerto Caldera.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Le Champlain or Le Dumont d'Urville

PORTOFCALL : Manuel Antonio National Park, Costa Rica

Day 10 Ox carts in Sarchi and gold in San José

As your cruise ends in Puerto Caldera, bid farewell to your Explorer Class ship and her crew, and set off to discover Costa Rica's fascinating interior en route to the capital city of San José. Visit the artisan village of Sarchi, known for the production and painting of the traditional ox carts (carretas) and other handmade products seen all over the country, bearing the colorful starburst designs that have become a symbol of Costa Rica. Continue on to Costa Rica's capital city, San José. Here, sightseeing includes a visit to the National Theatre, an ornate symbol of civic pride dating back to 1897; the theatre's interior shines with Baroque gold and Carrara marble. You'll also take in the Museo del Oro Precolombino (Pre-Columbian Gold Museum) and its collection of pre-Columbian works of gold. After lunch at a local restaurant, arrive and settle in at your hotel; the evening is yours to spend as you wish in San José.

MEALS : B, L

LODGING : InterContinental Costa Rica at Multiplaza Mall or Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San José

PORTOFCALL : San Jose, Costa Rica

Day 11 Coffee, waterfalls & rainforest wildlife

Coffee has long been one of Costa Rica's most important exports. Today you'll visit the Doka Coffee Plantation, located on the fertile slopes of Alajuela's Poás Volcano, where the soil and altitude make for ideal growing conditions. Your guide explains how the beans are produced and roasted and how different microclimates affect the taste. Also explore and have lunch at La Paz Waterfall Gardens, a private rainforest eco-park and wildlife refuge known for spectacular waterfalls and flowing white rivers; this protected reserve buzzes with the sounds and sights of wildlife including toucans, butterflies, spider monkeys, two-toed sloths and red-eyed leaf frogs - to name a few of the 100+ species. Join us this evening for a farewell reception and dinner at your hotel in San José.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : InterContinental Costa Rica at Multiplaza Mall or Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San José

PORTOFCALL : San José, Costa Rica

Day 12 Journey Home

Tour ends: San José, Costa Rica. Fly home anytime. A transfer from the Costa Rica Marriott Hotel San José or InterContinental Costa Rica at Multiplaza Mall to Juan Santamaría International Airport is included. You should allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in.

MEALS : B

PORTOFCALL : San José, Costa Rica