Private Escapes Sale: Costa Rica

Arrive in San José, a bustling modern metropolis surrounded by verdant, pristine cloud forests, where you are met and transferred to your hotel, set on a coffee plantation surrounded by mountains.

After breakfast, fly to Tortuguero — a rain-forest-covered ithmus situated on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast — and transfer to your lodge to begin your three-night stay. The remainder of today is at your leisure. Tortuguero is a land of jungles, rivers, lagoons, and islands. Its name comes from the word tortuga (Spanish for turtle), and Tortuguero National Park was originally created to protect a major nesting beach of the Atlantic green sea turtle. The park now protects over 77,000 acres and stands as one of the last large areas of tropical rainforest remaining in Central America. Tortuguero covers 11 habitats and is home to river otters; three-toed sloths; and spider, howler, and capuchin monkeys. Caimans, iguanas, river turtles, basilisk lizards and poison-dart frogs also inhabit the area, along with a dazzling array of more than 320 bird species.

This morning after breakfast, embark by boat with your local naturalist guide on a private excursion to explore the creeks of Tortuguero National Park. Watch for diverse species in these morning hours, when they are especially active in the rain forest. You may sight howler monkeys in search of tender young figs, encounter a river otter on the hunt or find northern jacana perched on an island of water hyacinth looking for insects and miniature shrimp, so keep your binoculars close at hand. Return to the lodge in time for lunch. Enjoy the afternoon at your leisure amid the natural beauty of Tortuguero. You may wish to relax in your hammock, take a dip in the pool, or hike the lodge’s private trails.

Today, boat to the entrance of Caño Chiquero or Caño Mora and switch to kayaks for a private, guided “aquatic trail” exploration. Paddle the backwater creeks and lagoons of Tortuguero National Park, taking in a river otter’s-eye view of the lush forest canopy and listening to the calls of toucans, spider monkeys and many other indigenous animal and bird species. Afterward, return to the lodge, where the balance of your day is at leisure.

Fly to San José, and then transfer to your boutique hotel in the Monteverde Cloud Forest, a misty bastion of diverse flora and fauna. Founded in 1954 by a group of Quakers searching for a tranquil place to live, Monteverde is a peaceful mountain community, whose residents have joined together to create an inspiring model for sustainable development and environmental protection recognized around the world. The balance of your day is at leisure, for you to relax and begin experiencing the area’s vibrant natural beauty, from hummingbirds to howler monkeys, orchids to ocelots, tree frogs to fog-draped canopies.

Explore the sprawling Monteverde Reserve, home to six different kinds of habitat featuring more than 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds and 1,500 species of plants, watching for unusual sightings, such as the resplendent quetzal for the capuchin monkey. Return to your lodge and enjoy the rest of your day at leisure, free to perhaps wander through your lodge’s vibrant, life-filled gardens.

Today, head out on a private hike into the cloud forest of the Curi-Cancha Reserve, guided by a naturalist. Keep watch for the diverse birdlife in the trees. You may spot the three-wattled bellbird, toucans and many other colorful avian species. Mammals you may see or hear include white-faced capuchins, and howler and spider monkeys. Return to your lodge for time at leisure.

Today, drive back to San José in time for your homebound flight.