Sloth Sanctuary, Botanical Garden, Oxcart Factory & Lunch
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Port
Puntarenas (Puerto Caldera), Costa Rica
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Activity Level
Moderate
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At
$164.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 7 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals included
Meet your naturalist guide and board an air-conditioned motorcoach for a relaxing drive through the Costa Rican countryside. Have questions about the wildlife and culture of Costa Rica? Great! Your guide has all the answers.
This exclusive tour takes you to the Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center in Turrucares. A distinctly old-fashioned town, Turrucares opens its doors for you today and offers you an all-access visit to the country's most diverse fauna conservation effort. Look up to view sloths above you with no barriers. You will see toucans, hawks, monkeys, tamanduas, anteaters and parrots. Kinkajous, coati and scarlet macaws also make their home here. The foundation works tirelessly to restore the patients to good health so they can later be released back into the wild.
After your unforgettable morning, reboard your coach and enjoy a delightful panoramic drive to La Garita, situated on the outskirts of San José. La Garita is a magnificent botanic garden -- a colorful outdoor oasis featuring a greenhouse, ponds, plant nurseries and a bird area, where you will view the endangered scarlet macaw, blue and gold macaws, and cockatoos. A botanist will talk you through some of the amazing species of orchids and other exotic flowers found here.
Finally, you'll visit Sarchí, known as the crafts center of Costa Rica and for its colorful and decorative oxcarts, or carreta. These have been made here for more than a century. Enjoy a traditional Costa Rican lunch followed by a tour of a famous oxcart factory. You'll learn about this national symbol, its role in the expansion and increase of Costa Rican exports, and why it remains so symbolically important to the country today. Observe skilled artisans who produce handmade oxcarts with intricately-painted sides and wheels.
Notes:
Wear comfortable walking shoes. Terrain includes uneven surfaces, requiring a moderate amount of stamina and agility. The environment is hot, humid and dusty; wear long pants and insect repellent. Wear comfortable, closed-toe walking shoes.