Although Costa Rica covers only 0.03 percent of the planet, its biodiversity accounts for 5 percent of our plant and animal species. During a tour of Costa Rica, travelers have the luxury of being able to see a myriad of wildlife within a short distance so that they can spend more time enjoying nature and less time in transit.
Starting at the shore
With nearly 800 miles of coastline, Costa Rica has countless bays, beaches and coves for you to explore during a luxury tour. Shores vary as you travel up and down the coast, and whether you're looking for stunning cliffs or white sand beaches, this beautiful country has your desires covered.
Along Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, migratory populations of endangered green sea turtles arrive in droves from July through October to lay their eggs. Swimmers on Costa Rica tours can also enjoy a trip along the shore, where illustrious coral reefs are just begging to be explored.
Heading up the mountains to cloud forests
Similar to rainforests, cloud jungles are perpetually wet and thus yield a rich and dense wilderness where thousands of varieties of birds, insects and mammals live throughout the year.
At the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, travelers can see any number of the 2,500 plant species, 400 varieties of birds and 100 different kinds of mammals, including monkeys and numerous jungle felines. As the nation's most-visited cloud forest reserve, Monteverde covers nearly 10,000 acres of stunning scenery. If you're a bit of a daredevil, you can test your wits by taking a zipline tour or take a walk along a suspended bridge.
Getting hot on a volcano
Costa Rica contains three volcanic mountain ranges - Guanacaste, Central and Tilaran - and as a member of the Pacific Ring of Fire, much of this rugged terrain is still active today.
Poas Volcano, the nation's most-visited national park, is located in the Cordillera Volcanica central mountain range and has three massive craters that, although are currently inactive, are simply stunning. At the viewing deck, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the largest of the three before heading back to a trail to take a leisurely walk around the rest of the park.
