Costa Rica

Costa Rica, the greatest country in Central America, well at least in my opinion!  Over the years, I have traveled throughout and with every visit I find something else to love about it! 

My first trip was in 2009, and it is still one of my favorite trips.  Oh, I must admit I was not prepared at all for the journey I was about to partake in!  I realized by Day 2 that I did not pack properly!  Now, years later and quite familiar with the country, I am a Costa Rica Travel Specialist and make sure my clients know what to pack, what to see and what to expect! 

This is an excerpt from my first trip to Tortuguero National Park.  There will be more posts to follow about all of my Costa Rican adventures.  My last trip to Costa Rica was December 2012, and I already have my next trip planned.  Also to note, I will be escorting a small group trip to CR in November 2014, and a few spots are still available.

September, 2009:
We started out this trip by flying into San Jose and stayed outside of the city in Alajuela at Xandari Resort.  The resort grounds consist of 22 individually designed villas nestled on a 40 acre plantation overlooking the Central Valley of Costa Rica.  Each villa has its own décor and character.  At an elevation of 3900 feet (1200 meters), Xandari enjoys a near–perfect temperature of around 70 degrees Fahrenheit all year.  Their indoor/outdoor restaurant features a healthy continental and Costa Rican menu. Many of the fruits and vegetables are from their own organic greenhouse, orchard and gardens. There are hiking trails that will take you to a river and waterfalls. 

From Xandari, we made our way with our private driver/guide to Tortuguero National Park and Evergreen Lodge. 
There are no roads to Tortuguero and access is by bus/boat or plane.  I suggest you take the bus and boat to the hotel and fly out.

It was a long drive but the driver made stops along the way at different points of interest including a coffee plantation and a Dole banana processing plant.  Once we arrived at the pier, we transferred to a boat and off we went to the Lodge.  Total travel time was approximately 4 hours.   One important thing to note - to really see Costa Rica, you have to move around a lot and endure long drives.  For someone like myself who gets severe motion sickness, it can be challenging but the experience is worth it!

As we travelled throughout the canals it was an amazing mix of an area sheltered in the jungle with a feeling of being out in the open of a rain forest; I knew this was going to be a remarkable place!  The unique flora and fauna of this area and the numerous species of birds is amazing.  Upon arrival at our lodge, we were given a short briefing about the facilities and the activities included during your stay. 

No matter where you choose to stay in Tortuguero, the hotels all offer an inclusive type of package.  Evergreen may not have all the frills of let's say the Manatus Hotel, but it has character and offers an experience you will never forget!
This wonderful hotel has individual rustic bungalows built on concrete pillars in perfect Caribbean style and respect with the natural surroundings to avoid interference with wildlife. The roofs are metal and each morning you awake to the sounds of the playful Howler monkeys.  All the meals are buffet style and there is a bar and a nice pool on property.  There are also kayaks available for you to use.  Evergreen Lodge and Tortuguero are two unforgettable places! 
As a side note, Evergreen Lodge has expanded since our first stay to include "upgraded accommodations", but I suggest the rustic rooms to truly immerse yourself in the area.  

Evergreen Lodge is located amidst the lush rainforest of Tortuguero, just 5 minutes from the main entrance of Tortuguero National Park, has a strategic location for exploring this unique and magical protected nature reserve, surrounded by high trees and lush vegetation. In front of Evergreen Lodge is the tranquil canal Penance is part of the vast network of navigable canals of Tortuguero National Park, this rainforest is considered one of the most exotic and rich in flora and fauna. This being the most important park in Costa Rica for the green sea turtle nesting. (Chelonia mydas), which reaches the northern Caribbean coast in the months between July and October for storage of eggs in the sands of the Caribbean, after 60 days will pay off when the small reptiles out of their shells.