Horseback tours and boat float trips?
Oct 16th, 2004, 02:50 PM
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Horseback tours and boat float trips?
Would like to know which short (1/2 day or less) horseback and boat float trips (not whitewater) are recommended to include in our varied itinerary?
Will be staying in Central Valley, Arenal, Monteverde and Manual Antonio next March w/ teenaged kids. (Will do Canopy Tour in Monteverde at Selvatura.)
But would also like to work in a horseback riding tour of a few hours as well as a river boat float. Here are my questions:
Which boat float is better: the 1.5 hours on the Sarapiqui as part of the Costa Rica Highlights tour or the Penas Blancas out of Arenal (or others?). Don' think we'll have time for the Cano Negro all day trip. Is the Isla Damas Mangrove boat trip a similar or different kind of experience than these river trips?
Which is the best choice for a few hours of horseback riding: the Finca Valmy or the Brisas del Nara or the RioSParaiso out of MA OR the horseback ride to Arenal Volcano or La Fortuna Waterfall. (Note: if we horseback out of MA, then we'll just do the guided foot tours of Arenal and LaFortuna. OR are there better horseback options for us?
Will be staying in Central Valley, Arenal, Monteverde and Manual Antonio next March w/ teenaged kids. (Will do Canopy Tour in Monteverde at Selvatura.)
But would also like to work in a horseback riding tour of a few hours as well as a river boat float. Here are my questions:
Which boat float is better: the 1.5 hours on the Sarapiqui as part of the Costa Rica Highlights tour or the Penas Blancas out of Arenal (or others?). Don' think we'll have time for the Cano Negro all day trip. Is the Isla Damas Mangrove boat trip a similar or different kind of experience than these river trips?
Which is the best choice for a few hours of horseback riding: the Finca Valmy or the Brisas del Nara or the RioSParaiso out of MA OR the horseback ride to Arenal Volcano or La Fortuna Waterfall. (Note: if we horseback out of MA, then we'll just do the guided foot tours of Arenal and LaFortuna. OR are there better horseback options for us?
Oct 17th, 2004, 05:21 PM
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If you do a float trip, consider going early in the morning, when your chances for seeing animals is much greater than later in the day.
Ever been to a zoo when they feed the animals in the morning? Almost the same theory.
We did the float down the Penas Blancas and saw quite a bit of wildlife, however, because it was midday and raining in September, use of the camera was limited.
Plese verify the details of the float experience before you leave the hotel. One time, ours was a guide, a cooler, and a raft. Not self-bailing raft. No cover overhead. Not a bad thing, we simply were too excited to get away to ask the right set of questions. Yes, we knew better...
Ever been to a zoo when they feed the animals in the morning? Almost the same theory.
We did the float down the Penas Blancas and saw quite a bit of wildlife, however, because it was midday and raining in September, use of the camera was limited.
Plese verify the details of the float experience before you leave the hotel. One time, ours was a guide, a cooler, and a raft. Not self-bailing raft. No cover overhead. Not a bad thing, we simply were too excited to get away to ask the right set of questions. Yes, we knew better...
Oct 17th, 2004, 06:09 PM
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The Sarapiqui jungle float (included in the Highlights Tour) takes about an hour. You get on a boat with a canopy and float downriver and back. Very slow, laid back journey as the guide points out wildlife along the bank. We saw iguanas, some very interesting birds, and caimans. It was a nice, relaxing part of the total Highlights experience, but definitely very low adventure.
I will always remember the Sarapiqui area fondly because I did the Highlights Tour while traveling alone in Costa Rica. When my husband joined me a few weeks later, we drove the Highlights route and stopped at the jungle cruise landing just looking around. One of the boat guides wanted to take us out, but I told him "we'd" already done that. He took us over to a little tree near the bank and pointed out a hummingbird nest with babies in it. Perhaps this wasn't as rare an experience as I thought, but I was very impressed and we got some great photos. Tiniest little nest and babies! A shining example of the wonders of Costa Rica and the friendliness of its people.
I will always remember the Sarapiqui area fondly because I did the Highlights Tour while traveling alone in Costa Rica. When my husband joined me a few weeks later, we drove the Highlights route and stopped at the jungle cruise landing just looking around. One of the boat guides wanted to take us out, but I told him "we'd" already done that. He took us over to a little tree near the bank and pointed out a hummingbird nest with babies in it. Perhaps this wasn't as rare an experience as I thought, but I was very impressed and we got some great photos. Tiniest little nest and babies! A shining example of the wonders of Costa Rica and the friendliness of its people.
Oct 18th, 2004, 08:24 AM
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The Penas Blancas Safari Float is a very relaxing trip. It took about 2 1/2 hours. It was also just a raft, a guide and a cooler filled with water and fresh pineapple & watermelon.
We went on the morning trip and saw howler monkeys, owls, Jesus Christ lizard, iguanas, a poison dart frog and lots of cows. No caimans or sloths that day. Before we went, I read trip reports from several people who had taken this trip and stopped at a farm where they got to sample locally made cheeses and flan. I assumed all tour co.'s offered that (didn't ask), but our raft stopped at no such farm
. Jacamar was the name of the tour co. we used. I believe the farm stop was offered by Sunset Tours. You can book the tours in La Fortuna and save about $5-$10 per person vs. booking at the hotel. If the stop at the farm interests you, ask before you book!
Just FYI, there were several people on this board who did the horseback ride to the volcano and found it rather nerve-racking. I've heard nothing but great things about the Finca Valmy ride (it's on my list for "next time"
.
We went on the morning trip and saw howler monkeys, owls, Jesus Christ lizard, iguanas, a poison dart frog and lots of cows. No caimans or sloths that day. Before we went, I read trip reports from several people who had taken this trip and stopped at a farm where they got to sample locally made cheeses and flan. I assumed all tour co.'s offered that (didn't ask), but our raft stopped at no such farm
. Jacamar was the name of the tour co. we used. I believe the farm stop was offered by Sunset Tours. You can book the tours in La Fortuna and save about $5-$10 per person vs. booking at the hotel. If the stop at the farm interests you, ask before you book!Just FYI, there were several people on this board who did the horseback ride to the volcano and found it rather nerve-racking. I've heard nothing but great things about the Finca Valmy ride (it's on my list for "next time"
.
Oct 18th, 2004, 01:29 PM
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Yup, I left out the details of the farm at the edge of the river.
Under a roof, but w/o walls, there are several tables and chairs set up for guests in an "open-air" cafe. We were glad to see a roof on the rainiest of days in CR. Chickens wander freely about your feet. The very gracious family has no running water nor electricity. Oh sure, it's available in CR, (don't get the wrong impression) they simply prefer to live in the truest form of Pura Vida.
Cows, horses, pigs, fruit-bearing trees, too. A family of Howler Monkeys was in the nearby trees and they posed for the camera.
We were served coffee, cheese, something-bread, platinos, and had hilarious conversations in Spanglish. I forget the sharp and able-bodied 91 year old father's name, but chef Leonarda is his 60-something daughter and we met a 30-something son.
National Geographic visited them in 2001 or 02 - though I'm unsure if a story was published. I have a few photos if anybody wants them emailed.
If you've read the other threads on what to bring to CR, then on the river safari trip and horseback riding is where you would be using handi-wipes.
Our river guide was Froilan "Froy" Rojas from a tour company in Fortuna. I can research this if you ask me to...
Froy showed us 12 bats in a hollow tree, a Tiger Rat snake asleep on a tree branch overhead, a Putoo bird, a porcupine sleeping in a tree trunk, a striking poison dart frog up close, black vultures, and more. All this during the afternoon trip. Recommend the morning to see more animals...
Under a roof, but w/o walls, there are several tables and chairs set up for guests in an "open-air" cafe. We were glad to see a roof on the rainiest of days in CR. Chickens wander freely about your feet. The very gracious family has no running water nor electricity. Oh sure, it's available in CR, (don't get the wrong impression) they simply prefer to live in the truest form of Pura Vida.
Cows, horses, pigs, fruit-bearing trees, too. A family of Howler Monkeys was in the nearby trees and they posed for the camera.
We were served coffee, cheese, something-bread, platinos, and had hilarious conversations in Spanglish. I forget the sharp and able-bodied 91 year old father's name, but chef Leonarda is his 60-something daughter and we met a 30-something son.
National Geographic visited them in 2001 or 02 - though I'm unsure if a story was published. I have a few photos if anybody wants them emailed.
If you've read the other threads on what to bring to CR, then on the river safari trip and horseback riding is where you would be using handi-wipes.
Our river guide was Froilan "Froy" Rojas from a tour company in Fortuna. I can research this if you ask me to...
Froy showed us 12 bats in a hollow tree, a Tiger Rat snake asleep on a tree branch overhead, a Putoo bird, a porcupine sleeping in a tree trunk, a striking poison dart frog up close, black vultures, and more. All this during the afternoon trip. Recommend the morning to see more animals...
Oct 18th, 2004, 06:15 PM
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Leslie, we went on the Finca Valmy horseback riding trip out of MA in August & it was the highlight of our trip!! We absolutely loved it. They picked us up at our hotel at 8;30am & we drove to their ranch (about 45 - 60 minutes from MA). We spent 3 1/2 hours horseback riding through beautiful mountain scenery, rainforest, fields & river streams. We stopped at a waterfall for a snack and to swim.
When we returned to the ranch, our guide let us sample fruits & cinnamon right from the trees. Then we had a gourmet lunch on the beautiful veranda of the ranch house, overlooking the pool. There was time for a leisurely lunch and swimming in the pool. We returned to our hotel about 4:00pm. The cost was $65.00pp including lunch. It was worth every penny. The guides were wonderful; Michele, the owner is so kind and sweet. I definitely recommend this trip. The horses were well taken care of and the trails are wide and safe.
I do remember when we were planning our trip last spring that some posters wrote about horseback riding near Arenal and they were unhappy. The trails were narrow & they were scatched by branches and barbed wire.
When we returned to the ranch, our guide let us sample fruits & cinnamon right from the trees. Then we had a gourmet lunch on the beautiful veranda of the ranch house, overlooking the pool. There was time for a leisurely lunch and swimming in the pool. We returned to our hotel about 4:00pm. The cost was $65.00pp including lunch. It was worth every penny. The guides were wonderful; Michele, the owner is so kind and sweet. I definitely recommend this trip. The horses were well taken care of and the trails are wide and safe.
I do remember when we were planning our trip last spring that some posters wrote about horseback riding near Arenal and they were unhappy. The trails were narrow & they were scatched by branches and barbed wire.
Oct 19th, 2004, 05:35 AM
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I hope some folks respond to the Isla Damas question. I'm interested in hearingmore about that also. (We live in Florida and I'm not sure how different the CR mangroves will be from the large mangrove "forests/rivers" we have in FL)
Oct 19th, 2004, 07:24 AM
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Hi there,Poss, I can't comment specifically on the Isla Damas,nor can I compare it with Florida, but we did travel through mangroves on the way to Las Caletas near Drake Bay. It was very quiet and sort of eerie. We saw no wildlife in this area, but it was afternoon - not the best time for spotting creatures.
Ivk and TriplesecDelay, the next time we're in Costa Rica, I definitely want to do the trip you describe. It sounds unique! By the way, we looked long and hard for three weeks to see even one wee poison dart frog - no luck! The guy at the desk at Arenal Observatory Lodge told us that the're none in the area, but this is obviously not so....
Also want to do the Highlights tour shillmac talked about!
Ivk and TriplesecDelay, the next time we're in Costa Rica, I definitely want to do the trip you describe. It sounds unique! By the way, we looked long and hard for three weeks to see even one wee poison dart frog - no luck! The guy at the desk at Arenal Observatory Lodge told us that the're none in the area, but this is obviously not so....
Also want to do the Highlights tour shillmac talked about!
Oct 19th, 2004, 07:28 AM
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Molly,
We only saw the poison dart frog because our guide on the Penas Blancas went looking for one and brought it back to the raft in his hand. Probably not the eco-touristically correct way to go about it.
We only saw the poison dart frog because our guide on the Penas Blancas went looking for one and brought it back to the raft in his hand. Probably not the eco-touristically correct way to go about it.
Oct 19th, 2004, 08:53 AM
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Ivk, Our various guides looked for us also, to no avail. I'm not sure if handling frogs harms them - I've heard that too much handling depletes their skin oils. So perhaps there is one healthier frog in Costa Rica as a result of our not having seen it. {:
Oct 19th, 2004, 12:03 PM
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Hi,
I'm one of those posters who wasn't crazy about the Arenal horseback ride. My family also did the Isla Damas mangrove tour through Iguana Tours in Manuel Antonio. We loved it. We saw lots of wildlife, including monkeys that climbed on our boat. I'm not sure if we love it so much because we'd never seen mangroves before, but the animal viewing was really good. One word of advice if you're going to do it: we stopped to go to the bathroom at the last minute before boarding and, in so doing, had to sit all the way in the back of the boat. That made it hard to hear the guide and that was a little irritating. So, get in the boat early enough to sit near the front! (I think the tour was $60.00 a person. You get a choice of lunch or a t-shirt at the end.)
I'm one of those posters who wasn't crazy about the Arenal horseback ride. My family also did the Isla Damas mangrove tour through Iguana Tours in Manuel Antonio. We loved it. We saw lots of wildlife, including monkeys that climbed on our boat. I'm not sure if we love it so much because we'd never seen mangroves before, but the animal viewing was really good. One word of advice if you're going to do it: we stopped to go to the bathroom at the last minute before boarding and, in so doing, had to sit all the way in the back of the boat. That made it hard to hear the guide and that was a little irritating. So, get in the boat early enough to sit near the front! (I think the tour was $60.00 a person. You get a choice of lunch or a t-shirt at the end.)
