National Geographic introduces exciting new Costa Rica itinerary

For the past five years, I’ve acted as a National Geographic ‘resident expert’ aboard the National Geographic Sea Lion during 7-day “Costa Rica & Panama Canal” [2] adventure cruise-tours.

Now National Geographic Expeditions has launched a new 7-day “expedition”—“Costa Rica: Volcanoes, Jungles and Wildlife” [3]—and I shall be leading five of the nine scheduled departures, beginning with the first departure on January 6, 2013.

As the tour name suggests, this action-packed trip is a, er, triptych taking in the best of three distinct environments, including several of my favorite destinations and hotels.

Xandari Resort & Spa [4]—one of my all-time favorite boutique hotels—makes a great base for exploring Poás Volcano National Park [5], where we’ll hike the trails and stare down into the bowels of this awe-inspiring, active volcano.

We’ll also visit a traditional coffee estate and La Paz Waterfall Gardens [6], where we’ll hike amid cloud forest before heading to the Northern Lowlands [7] via the super-impressive Museum of Indigenous Culture [8]. Here we’ll lodge at the deluxe Hacienda La Isla Lodge [9], the Spanish colonial creation of my friend Jean-Pierre Knockeart (who also founded the Museum of Indigenous Culture).

Situated at the gateway to the lush rainforests of Braulio Carrillo National Park [10], it’s also the perfect base for our visit to a fruit finca and for whitewater rafting (or a ‘river safari float’ for the less adventurous) on the Río Sarapiquí.

Next we transfer to Tortuguero National Park [11] on a remarkable two-hour boat journey that delivers us to Tortuga Lodge & Gardens [12], another sublime hotel… this one perched over the waters of Tortuguero Lagoon.

National Geographic has partnered with my close friend Karla Taylor [13], one of Costa Rica’s preeminent naturalist guides and a native of Tortuguero village [14]. She’ll lead us through the rich and redolent tropical wet forests and swamp forest in search of poison dart frogs [15], spider monkeys [16], toucans [17], great green macaws [18], and other exotic species… and, by night, to the beach where thousands of green turtles [19] haul ashore to dig nests.

Read more about Karla on my blog post of June 20, 2011: Choosing a personal wilderness guide in Costa Rica [20].

Also, I’ve been confirmed to lead nine departures for National Geographic Expeditions’ 9-day “Cuba: Discovering Its People and Culture” [21] trips for the coming winter and spring season.

Please join me!

For further information about travel in Costa Rica, buy Moon Handbook Costa Rica [22]

If you're traveling only to San José and the Caribbean, buy Moon Spotlight Costa Rica's Caribbean Coast [22] pocket guide.

If you're traveling only to the beaches of Nicoya, buy Moon Spotlight Costa Rica's Nicoya Peninsula [22] pocket guide.

If you're traveling only to Arenal and/or Monteverde, buy Moon Spotlight Costa Rica's Arenal & Monteverde [22] pocket guide.

Disclosure: I occasionally accept free or discounted travel when it coincides with my editorial goals. However, my opinion is never for sale. The opinions you see in Cuba & Costa Rica Journal are my unbiased reflection of the good, the bad, and the ugly

Learn more about Christopher P. Baker [23].

Copyright © Christopher P. Baker [23]