The 13th Annual Wonderful Women Adventure,
February 2018
 

Travel With Ann Costa Rica Group Trip

Costa Rica/Nicaragua Combo Adventure  
February 7 – February 17, 2018
This Trip has passed

Trip Highlights

  • Guided hikes / wildlife viewing in Costa Rica’s Carara & Los Quetzales National Parks

  • A small town homestay and cultural activities with a local Tico family

  • Volunteering in a rural community conservation project

  • Spotting colorful tropical birds in diverse habitats

  • Visiting Ometepe, home to two Nicaraguan volcanoes and more than 1700 petroglyphs

  • Enjoying the history, culture and colonial style architecture of Granada

  • Optional activities: pre-trip Spanish Immersion program, zip lining, massage, biking, horseback riding, and early morning bird walks

  • Sharing and celebrating experiences with an amazing group of women

PART 1: TRES RIOS, COSTA RICA
FEBRUARY 7-8, 2018

You will arrive at Juan Santa María International Airport in the capital city of San Jose. Transfer to Hyatt Place San Jose in nearby Tres Rios. Here you will relax by the pool and begin to get acquainted with fellow travelers, enjoy our welcome gathering and have dinner in a local home.

Accommodation: Hyatt Place San Jose/Pinares

Part 2: San Pedro, Los Santos Region, Costa Rica
February 8-10, 2018

With long-time Wonderful Women guide and good friend, Alex Alvarez, we head south to one of Costa Rica’s top coffee growing regions to immerse ourselves in local life for two days and nights. All our activities are coordinated with Santos Tour, a local non-profit organization working on an array of socioeconomic and environmental projects, in collaboration with more than 70 families from local communities. In your time here, you will:

  • Experience firsthand family life with a Tico homestay.
  • Volunteer on a community conservation project.
  • Explore the cloud forest and see some of the magnificent birds of the Costa Rican highlands.
  • Prepare and enjoy festive activities with our host families.

Accommodation: Homestay with a local family, arranged in collaboration with Santos Tour. 

Part 3: Costa Rica’s Central and Northern Pacific Region
February 10 -13, 2018

Winding our way via private coaster bus, we’ll experience more of Costa Rica’s distinct microclimates that contribute to its overall biodiversity.  

  • Hike in the transitional forest of Carara National Park, home to magnificent trees that are often a popular nesting location for scarlet macaws.
  • Enjoy an afternoon mangrove and river boat tour with ample opportunity to spot reptiles and an abundance of shore birds
  • Relax in a natural spa with natural springs and a volcanic mud bath.

Accommodation: Hotel Villa Lapas + Boringuen Mountain Resort

Part 4: The island of Ometepe, Nicaragua
February 13 - 15, 2018

We will cross the border over land into Nicaragua by bus, then travel by ferry to Ometepe, the Nicaraguan ‘Island of Circles and Spirals’. Set inside a tropical fruit plantation, our base here will be Finca San Juan de la Isla Hotel. It offers stunning views of Ometepe’s two towering volcanoes and has a laid-back authentic ambience.  

  • Learn about Ometepe’s rich archaeological history from our Nicaraguan guide and visit El Ceibo, a museum with an outstanding local pre-Colombian collection of art and artifacts.
  • Enjoy a Nicaraguan rum-tasting.
  • Explore more of the island on bike or horseback or relax on your bungalow porch and relish the lovely lakefront breezes. 

Accommodation: San Juan de la Isla

Part 5: Granada, Nicaragua
February 15-17, 2018

We will conclude our travels together at the award-winning Hotel Plaza Colon in the heart of Granada, home to some of the best colonial-era architecture in the country. 

  • Enjoy a delicious meal at El Cafe de las Sonrisas, run by members of Granada’s hearing impaired community.
  • Experience an evening tour of the nearby Masaya Volcano.
  • Learn about the colorful history and culture of Granada on a walking tour with our local guide, David Rosales.
  • Pick your pleasure. Options include ziplining, Granada’s International Poetry Festival, and shopping for Nicaraguan pottery and other handicrafts.
  • Join fellow travelers for a festive final dinner to savor the trip’s special moments and celebrate the friendships.

Accommodation: Hotel Plaza Colon

Part 6: Depart
February 17, 2018

Depart from Managua’s Augusto C. Sandino International Airport.