Butterfly Conservatory Arenal Costa Rica

BUTTERFLY CONSERVATORY ARENAL COSTA RICA


A nature regeneration project dedicated to the preservation, growth, and study of the rainforest with emphasis on BUTTERFLIES .  Here you can learn about the Life Cycle of the butterfly and it's incredible metamorphosis experience.  You can also view many species of frogs in their natural habitat. A knowledgeable guide will take you through six atrium habitats and teach how these creatures exist in the  natural environment of the rain forest.

You'll get a great work out by hiking along the Rainforest River Walk-takes about 45 minutes. If lucky you will see monkeys and a sloth.

The insect museum is a must for the curious.  It is extensive and you need to allow about one-half hour to see it all.  Entrance fee for the Butterfly Conservatory is approximately Twelve dollars per person.

To get to the Conservatory you should inquire for a tour at Desafio Tours in downtown La Fortuna  Or  simply hire a taxi to drive you, or if you have a rental car -it pretty easy to find.  You take the "bad" dirt road  to the left at the old police station (often there are no police here) . This station is located on the main road  going north  from downtown La Fortuna.  Go past Tabacon Hot Springs and you are close.  Watch for the dirt road which is only a left turn and this  takes you to El Castillo and then follow the signs to the Butterfly Conservatory.  Approx. 5-6 miles after you make the left turn.  The dirt road forks just after you pass over the river bridge--hang a right here and you are on the correct road, a few miles to a little settlement of El Castillo.

If you would like to have a wonderful, adventurous  vacation to Costa Rica then contact Ann The Costa Rica Expert to help you plan and design your  individualized itinerary just for you. Ann knows the Arenal Area "like the back" of her hand and get you set up with the adventure tours you want and the hotels you want.  She can design you itinerary in a way that will save you a great deal of time and also money.  Why spend hours searching the web to plan your own vacation ..Just let Ann do the work for you. You can contact her   anncreed23@gmail.com AND ALSO   read all about her and her work at www.costaricalearn.com    SO LETS GET STARTED!  Thanks so much to Elizabeth's Secret Garden Blog spot for this lovely video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCBpQ1vZmTY

 

 

 

Nayara Hotel in Arenal Costa Rica

Arenal Nayara Hotel Luxury Botique Hotel located in the shadow of the Mighty Arenal Volcano

Nayara Hotel, a Luxury Botique , located in Arenal Costa Rica is one of the most beautiful hotels in this country.  My client Dr Frysh from Atlanta and his friend Lora were recently there for 3 nights and stayed in a suite.  Dr. Frysh said the acommodations  were "over the top" ..."drop dead gorgeous". Large out door shower set in a tropical garden, hot tube on the patio surrounded by lush tropical vegetation,  King bed that was "fit for a King"  Hardwood floors made from local exotic wood.  Restaurant is an open air setting with superb service and gourmet food.

Each bungalow is separate and is surrounded with tropical flowers and exotic plants.  The following video shows wonderfully this most spectacular boutique hotel.  Bungalows start at around $250.00 plus 13% tax.

This video show the beauty of Hotel Nayara.  If you would like to include this special hotel in your Costa Rica vacation itinerary contact Ann, The Costa Rica Expert, owner of Costa Rica Learn Travel Company.    Simply email her  anncreed23@gmail.com  She will help you custom design your Vacation to perfectly fit your desires and budget.

www.costaricalearn.com


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFv1q_mQHHg

 

 

Travel Arenal to Monteverde, Boat-Van

HOW TO GET TO MONTEVERDE FROM ARENAL?

There are several ways to travel from  Arenal to  Monteverde.   The easiest and quickest is to take the boat-van  transfer.   Board  a boat on Lake Arenal and then pick up a mini van at the other end of the lake- then a 1.5 hour bumpy ride on a dirt gravel road to Santa Elena -Monteverde.  (this is done by purchasing for around $30 from a tour company which picks you up at your hotel and takes you to Lake Arenal where you  board the covered boat.

All the major tour companies sell this transfer.  We choose Desafio Tour Company which has an office in La Fortuna.

Also you can get to Monteverde from Arenal by horseback.  But this is not for the "faint at heart"  Its around six hours and if recently rained  you stromp through a lot of mud.  This can be purchased from Desafio Tour company in La Fortuna.

If you are renting a car I do not recommend the drive from Arenal to Monteverde on the "back road" via Tiliran.  This is a very bad dirt gravel road filled with potholes-a tough drive and don't even atempt it without a 4x4 vehicle.  Takes around 5 hours from the Arenal volcano to get to Santa Elena-Monteverde.  Fill up with gasoline before departing.

You can drive your rental car back through San Ramon-take Highway 1 North.  Past the Puntarenas turn off -- go approx 8 miles (you are still on Highway 1) LOOK for the sign to Monteverde-  this is a paved road, turning into a dirt gravel road for the last ten miles.

OUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE BOAT-VAN TRANSFER

On a sunny April morning , we recently made the trip from Volcano Lodge in Arenal to Rustic Lodge in Monteverde by Boat-Van.   Around 9 a.m. we were  picked up by Desafio Tour's mini van  and driven to Arenal Lake where we boarded a 30 passenger small  covered boat.  The Journey across Lake Arenal was beautiful, the sun shining on the dark blue water produced a mirror image of the puffy white clouds hovering over the mountains.  The loud iry sound of howler monkeys  came from the dense primary forest on the north face of Lake Arenal.  And the mighty Arenal was so clear, casting it's shadow across the Lake.  After a  short  ride across the lake,  we boarded a small mini van for the ride of our lives.  The road is dirt and gravel with hair pin curves.  So we bumpted our way straight up the mountain, passing serene landscapes of small villages and dairy farms.  Age old rain forest trees dotted the landscape,  such as the strangler fig-with three meter wide buttresses.  We felt like time stood still in this isolated rugged place called Monteverde.  Finally we were there and we all agreed-yes, a great adventure!    Our tired bodies checked into Rustic Lodge, promptly took a hot shower and lay down for a long nap.

Then the real fun began.  A very large gondola transported us slowly up to the top of a high mountain.  A gorgeous  day with heavy mist.  We were actually in a cloud and  we could distantly  see the Gulf of Nicoya to the West.   A group of black howler monkeys were serenading each other a few trees from our Sky Tram gondola.  And six large white graceful birds were building their nest from the twigs of a stranger fig tree. Our guide called them "scissor tail Kites"   (This  tour is called the Sky Tram)

I was a little frightened to "zip" back down  (Sky Trek)so we boarded the gondola gliding back down the mountain with views of green everywhere-a Real Rainforest!

We wanted to experience the Sky Walk where  we could experience up close a Real Rainforest.  Suspended bridges high up over the rain forest canopy where  we could actually reach out and touch the trees-  Hundreds of species  including the famous tree ferns were everywhere, almost too much for the eyes to behold!

At the end of the day-WOW!  a truly glorious day.

You can read more about what great tours Desafio Tour company offers both in Arenal and Monteverde    I highly recommend them.      www.desafiocostarica.com

Thinking of vacationing in Costa Rica?  Let Ann help you plan your itinerary to Arenal and combine it with Monteverde.     She  know the area very well and will save you time and money--Guaranteed!

Contact Ann at anncreed23@gmail.com

[caption id="attachment_4632" align="alignleft" width="640" caption="Boat-Van Arenal to Monteverde"][/caption]

Projecto Asis Animal Rescue Center Costa Rica

Projecto Asis is a wild animal rescue center located near the Arenal Volcano and the little  town of La Fortuna.  You can visit the center on  your own or you can purchase a tour through Desafio Tours which has an office in La Fortuna.   Our guide was excellent  and  we saw white face monkeys, a baby deer which had lost is foot, a wounded pet raccoon which was very gentle and let your hold him,  and wild pigs whose mother had been killed.  Several species of birds call Asis home.  There are green parrots as well as a large family of ducks.  The grounds are tropical with many species of trees and plants.  A well maintained walking path makes it easy to hike through and see the birds and animals.

Asis Volunteer Center invites you to participate in their ecological and social volunteer program.  We saw several college students from the US who were there for a one month program where they studied and practiced Spanish  and also volunteered at the Center.