Botanic Garden Walk & Sarchi's Colorful Oxcarts
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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
$99.95
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 7½ Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Costa Rica's dazzling flora and an equally colorful art form meld to make this excursion one of serenity and discovery.
Perfect weather conditions year-round nurture the Else Kientzler Botanic Garden -- a project jointly developed with the University of Costa Rica Lancaster Gardens and a German landscape architect. Walk 1.5 miles of well-kept trails, luring you into the Kientzler Garden's fascinating world of green, featuring more than 2,000 endemic and exotic tropical plant species. These manicured gardens, covering 22.5 acres, are Costa Rica's Garden of Eden with bromeliads, orchids, heliconia, cacti, fruit trees, hardwood trees and the ever-present Trojas River.
A century ago in Sarchí, there was spirited competition among families to see who could create the most colorful traditional oxcarts with intricate and colorful designs. These sturdy vehicles, hauled by teams of oxen, became the primary transportation throughout the country, bumping over rough roads and trails to carry elegant young ladies to village festivals and dances. An art form was born, and today, the hand-painted Costa Rican oxcart art has evolved into brilliantly-executed native artistic expression. Visitors seeing this cultural treasure are surprised by the immense variety of local wood products, ranging from elaborate hand-made furniture to hand-carved doors, inlaid boxes, trays and rare hardwood statuary produced here.
Shop at a local souvenir store for woodcrafts. Leather goods and souvenirs of all kinds are available for purchase.
The flavors of authentic Costa Rica cuisine come to life in a delicious lunch served at a local restaurant.
Notes:
Wear comfortable walking shoes. Shade is limited; to avoid sunburn, wear light, long clothing suitable for use as a cover-up. Bring a hat and sunglasses; wear biodegradable sunscreen. Bring bottled water.