Costa Rica Retreat
RESTORE & EXPLORE: Pacific coast Itinerary
Jan 14 - 21, 2010
| Jan 14-21, 2010 | Restore and Explore: Costa Rica Retreat | Costa Rica SpiritQuest Retreats | Pacific Coast |
RETREAT PURPOSE: To revitalize, renew and refresh. How about joining us in Costa Rica? We are looking to the long term in Costa Rica and are developing plans for like-minded people to settle there in an intentional community during winter months and during retirement. Your energy and commitment are just what we are looking for.
We have offered retreats in Italy, Portugal, Barbados, Thailand, and Ireland. We are committed to Costa Rica for our annual retreat due to the amazing people at Spirit Quest, Sabrina and her group of like-hearted people, who host our programs, and who share our mission to preserve the rain forest and to provide life-transforming opportunities to individuals and groups.
ITINERARY
Arrival Day
Participants arrive on the day before the retreat begins. Flights need to be scheduled for a morning or early afternoon arrival into San Jose. There will be a shuttle bus waiting and a driver displaying a sign with our logos at the airport for a 4:00pm departure leaving to Hotel Costa Verde Inn which will be our first destination. A taxi at later arrival time can take you to the Hotel at $20 USD.This is a comfortable “Bed and Breakfast” in the mountains of Escazu that serves as an ideal location to relax and learn a little bit about Costa Rica Central Valley. http://www.costaverdeinn.com/
Day 1
Our Retreat starts at 9:00am, the bus will take us to Namuwoki Hotel in the Caribbean (+/- 4 hours drive); arriving around 1:00pm where a healthy and delicious lunch is waiting. http://www.namuwoki.com/
Day 2, 3, 4
Sunrise yoga and meditation
Breakfast
Eco-touring, hiking, bodywork, beach or pool-side resting
lunch
Eco-touring, hiking, bodywork, beach or pool-side resting
Sunset on the beach
Sundown yoga/bodywork & meditation
Dinner Evening chanting, drumming, dancing, sharing circles, eco-chat
Extra tours available, please see description below.
Day 5, 6, 7
We will depart at 10:00am for the majestic and wild rainforest; Spirit Quest’s ultimate nature and wildlife experience. We arrive 1pm and explore the many sights and attractions at the Casa Rio Blanco, a charming B&B consisting of little cabinas nestled in lush tropical gardens with views through the canopy to the Rio Blanco.
The following morning, our Spirit Quest rainforest adventure begins with breakfast at 7:00 and an 8:30 departure.
We will drive along a rugged dirt road to its end. Park the cars, and hike along the approach road to the river crossing (approximately 1.5 km) If low water, it is a refreshing and welcomed crossing. If high water, we will cross on a suspended cable. After which we will regroup at the cabin for coffee and snacks. Once recharged, we head out across open pasture and fields and then make a steep ascent into secondary rainforest. Shortly, the trail enters primary forest and levels out somewhat. After which it descends and climbs randomly.
There are two options for the hike. As we approach the falls, the trail divides. You may descend to the lower pool and just hang out. Swim, chat, nap, read a book or explore. Option 2 is to continue the hike to the top of the falls. At this point the trail becomes very steep and can be strenuous. We will go slowly; however, we encourage anyone who is not confident with their level of physical agility, to stay behind and enjoy the view from below. There are no bad seats in this stadium. Mother Nature designed it perfectly. Those who care to venture forth to the top have the option of swimming in the middle pool; a secluded, self-contained paradise nestled with the canyon walls. From the top, you can waive to the others below.
During the day we will have conversations about nature, ecology, social responsibility, sustainable construction, eco-village living, rainforest conservation strategies, etc. And if your style is more into the spiritual, we can conduct some meditations and experiential exercises on the banks of one of the mountain streams.
It should take about an hour to hike into the falls and an hour to hike out. We will regroup at the cabin; coffee, tea and snacks; refill our water bottles, and then head for the car. Depending on the time, we may stop for dinner at an authentic and local restaurant, El Fogon de Lola where the dress code is… whatever you are wearing. Perfect for a group of rain-soaked travelers coming from a day hike into the rainforest. We’ll talk about options during the day.
Sunrise yoga & meditation
Breakfast
Rainforest Hike
Lunch on the trail
Rainforest Hike
Sundown yoga & meditation
Dinner
Evening: chanting, drumming, dancing, sharing circles, eco-chat
In the morning, we will have breakfast and then some free time to pack, explore, hike and swim at the Rio Blanco in preparation for our 2:00pm return On the way, the road winds and climbs into the clouds and then ascends to the Caribbean lowlands crossing the Rio Sucio; a sulfur-laden river originating from Volcan Irazu. We continue the drive over the CordilleraRange through Parque National Braulio Carillo. This park is astonishing! Thousands of acres of unspoiled primary rainforest and magnificent vistas along the way. We will stop at an authentic Costa Rican bakery for coffee and delicious pastries (5:00pm) to San Jose Airport (6:00pm) where we will all share our warm regards and hopes of staying connected for years to come.
TRIP EXTENSIONS EXTRA AND AVAILABLE.
Included
o 1 Night accommodation in San Jose. (B, L)
o 4 Nights accommodation in hotel Namuwoki (B, L, D)
o 2 Nights accommodation in Hotel Casa Rio Blanco
o 3 fresh vegetarian meals a day. Food is provide by: (B, L, D)
§ Hotel Costa Verde Inn
§ Hotel Namuwoki
§ Hotel Casa Rio Blanco
o All Transportations
o All Accommodation
o Airport Transfers
o (B), (L), (D) Breakfast, Lunch and Diner included
o Touring from Tropical Beaches to Rainforest
o Ecological insights & study (Eco village conversation, bamboo construction, rainforest conservation strategies, etc.)
o Daily Yoga on the swimming pool deck at Namuwaki and in the middle of the jungle
o Costa Rican Taxes
o Doka State Tour: Optional for those staying extra nights
§ Unlimitated coffee degustation
§ Unlimitated coffee liquor
§ Unlimitated coffee chocolate
§ Coffee recollection in season
Not Included
Airfares
$26 USD departure airport tax
Extra Activities
Alcohol Beverage
Tips
Extra Activities
Hiking
Camping
Canopy Tour
Massages (Aromatherapy)
Surfing Lessons in Ola de Salsa Brava beach (worlds recognize surfing beach)
Rafting at Reventazon and PacuareRivers
Guided tours. Binocular rental available.
Yorkin Excursion: Half day excursion
This excursion is made in the Bribri indigenous community, after arriving on a wood boat you can enjoy and share with the actually Costa Rica natives (one of the last original communities that still alive) all their culture, food and way of living in the middle of the forest. You can also go and swim in Rio Skui, learn to use the arrow as they way to hunt for living (this practice is made without hurting any animal), learn how they earn their life’s by making chocolate (all the process) in this excursion you can do this and much more things at the same time you are helping the community to survive in their culture.
With every person who registers in this excursion Spirit Quest will donate a 15% of the price to the Bribri’s Community
Gandoca / Manzanillo Excursion: Half day excursion
This is a 6-hour hiking excursion in one of the most beautiful and protect reserves in the world. This excursion is recommended only for people in good physical shape.
San Miguel Forest Gandoca Lake: All day excursions
With a specialist guide we go deep inside the humidity forest of San Miguel until we arrived in a little rural town where we will know more about Talamanca natives history, and preparing our self’s for a boat ride into Gandoca lake which is a RANSAR category lake (worlds environmental importance) where you can see a Red Mangle, that before join into the Costa Rican culture and people by join with them in their own houses a beautiful dinner. By doing this excursion Spirit Quest will donate a 15% of the price to preserve the Gandoca Lake.
La Ceiba Hike: Half day excursion
This is a primary tropical humidity forest with a lot of different habitats, with a bird watching been one of their most beautiful aspects, that’s without mention the spectacular Ceiba tree reason why their locals give to this national reserve this name. In this place you can see many kind of medicine plants and some others that you can eat too. In this place you can feel a spiritual serenity and a positive, sincere and pure energy that will attract you deep into the jungle.
Manatees Excursion: All day excursion
This Excursion starts in Rio San Pond Sack in Panama, this is a 16 hec. of ecological protect humidity mangrove where you can observe some of the Manaties that are left in the world in their natural habitat.
Why the Caribbean?
The Southern Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica is truly a wonderful place to visit with its laidback environs, spicy piquant food, and unique Afro-Caribbean culture. The heart and soul of the CaribbeanCoast, this region with its rich flavors has become a tourist favorite for those who are looking to relax and have some fun in the sun.elcoming strangers with open arms, these towns are an experience in themselves. In this part of the country one also gets the chance to come into contact with many indigenous Indian tribes that have lived in this region for hundreds of years.
http://www.govisitcostarica.com
Climate: Costa Rica is a tropical country and experiences only two seasons: wet and dry. The dry season is generally between late December and April, and the wet season (referred to as the green season) lasts the rest of the year. Costa Rica's Caribbean coast tends to vary. September is the driest month, followed by October, and the rest of the year is wet. Temperatures vary little between seasons; the main influence on temperature is altitude.
History: Most of the people here are of Afro-Caribbean decent and were brought either from Jamaica or other Caribbean Islands to help work on the railroads or in the banana plantations that still support and make up much of this province’s exports. If you tour Southern Limon today, you will find numerous banana plantations as bananas are now a major cash crop out here.
Head into any of the towns along Costa Rica’s Southern Caribbean Coast and you will find yourself in what can only be described as mini Jamaica’s with dreadlocked Rastafarians, reggae and calypso music being played in the streets, delicious Costa Rican Creole cooking aromas, and a confusing mix of a Spanish – English dialect that is spoken here
Inaccessible till only a couple of decades back, this region has enjoyed a tourist boom in the recent years with the construction of the Guápiles Highway in 1987 connecting Limon to the capital city of San Jose. Visit the gorgeous CahuitaNational Park and Gandoca-Manzanillo Refuge, home to amazing coastal rainforests and stunning underwater marine life and coral reefs. For the avid surfer, a trip to this region would incomplete without staying over at Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, with its amazing beaches and home of the famed Salsa Brava. The prefect place to kickback and have a good time this town is a great place to stay in.
For those who are looking for a quieter time, there are plenty of remote areas in the region, where one can stay literally in the middle of the jungle and still just a few minutes away from the coast, Manzanillo is one of these amazing small towns. These all inclusive resorts are great as they offer a tranquil haven to relax as there are no other tourist facilities in the immediate area.