Costa Rica Pacific Coast Luxury Culinary Adventure

(This tour has a minimum of 2 people and a maximum of 10)

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Priced From

$4,598 USD *

(For One Person, Double Occupancy)

* Plus taxes. Tours sold on an availability basis.

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7 days | 6 nights

Experience adventuresome nature travel at its best!

Costa Rica has a long, proud history of ecotourism, claiming the top spot on many travelers’ lists each year. On this trip, you'll come to understand the meaning of the country's motto, Pura Vida (the pure life) while you experience two beautiful locations. The Rio Perdido Lodge has bungalows strategically and sustainably set among undisturbed nature, and The Cala Luna Boutique Hotel located within a five-minute walk to the beach, with easy walking distance to the town of Tamarindo. Costa Rica is best known for its rainforests and wildlife refuges; however, it also offers travelers abundant beaches and adventure excursions. However, this beautiful country has plenty to offer foodies beyond its world-class coffee. Access to an abundance of high-quality ingredients and a commitment to freshness make for wonderful Costa Rican dishes, many of which you’ll sample during this exciting, culinary expedition.

Small Group Friendly

Itinerary Accommodations Map FAQ Testimonials

VACATION HIGHLIGHTS

Please note: Tour inclusions can change depending upon seasonality and weather conditions.

•Round Trip Airport Transfers

•2 nights at Rio Perdido Lodge

•Arrival Dinner Under the Stars

•Transfers to Cala Luna Hotel

•Animal Rescue Sanctuary

•4 nights at Cala Luna Boutique Hotel

•Arrival Dinner at Casa Luna

•Costa Rican or Buffet Breakfast Daily

•Spa Wellness Lunch

•Traditional Costa Rican Lunch

•Costa Rica Cooking Class with Lunch

•Farm to Table Dinner

•Yurro Waterfall and Medicinal Hike

•Sunset Cruise and Late lunch

•Palo Verde National Park Tour

•Guaitil Pottery Tour

While our tours are designed as soft adventure experiences, walking, climbing stairs, and in rare cases mild hiking may be required. If you have mobility issues, you should speak with one of our culinary travel specialists to determine if this tour is appropriate for your situation.

AVAILABLE DATES

Year-Round Based on Your Travel Dates

SAMPLE ITINERARY

Please note: Actual itineraries are subject to change due to seasonality.

Click arrows (▶) to show details

Day 1

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Transfer from Liberia Airport to Rio Perdido Lodge

Liberia is one of Costa Rica's four international airports located in Guanacaste Province. Its location, only a few miles from the closest beach, makes it an ideal gateway to some of the most spectacular and exclusive areas in the country. You’ll be greeted by your driver at the airport and transferred to the Rio Perdido Lodge where you will check into your bungalow. The transfer time is approximately 90-minutes in length.

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Arrival Dinner Under the Stars

Rio Perdido is in a unique area that boasts the least annual cloud-cover of any other area in Costa Rica. Combined with the fact that the lodge does not over-illuminate, giving perfect evening views of the starry sky. This welcome dinner under the stars is set on a floating platform situated 160 ft. above the river convergence, and below the evening sky. The 3-course dinner offers a menu with a variety of choices including starters, main courses and desserts which vary nightly including vegetarian, gluten free options and fresh seafood. Dinner also includes a bottle of wine per couple.

Day 2

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Costa Rican Breakfast

Breakfast is yours to order off the menu which consists of a full American or Costa Rican breakfast. A wide variety of choice includes: omelets, fruit, pancakes, waffles or French toast, assorted cold cereals and breakfast breads with a variety of local jams. Fresh tropical fruit juice, coffee and tea are also offered to complete the bountiful breakfast.

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Yurro Waterfall and Medicinal Hike

This hike is 2.5 kilometers out and back. It's a relatively flat trail that takes you across the main hanging bridge, and beyond the Yurro Waterfall, through the Miravalles dry forest and then to a denser and taller forest where the spring and streams are located. Old-time residents of the Montano and Santa Fe areas consider this water to have healing properties. It actually tastes a bit like Alka-Seltzer – which, according to our lab testing, is due to the high concentrations of diluted magnesium. Shorter hike options are also available.

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Wellness Lunch | 50 Minute Spa Treatment

The chef has created a spa wellness lunch that is both healthy and delicious. The menu offers your choice of Creamy Squash Soup or Chef Salad as your starter. Both are lactose and gluten free. Choose from a variety of main courses including salmon salad, chicken with passion fruit sauce, penne al pomodoro, Vegetarian Spaghetti, Eggplant lasagna or potato pie stuffed with spinach. Desserts include seasonal fresh fruits or rice pudding. Relax and indulge in a 50-minute spa treatment. You can choose between the classic Relaxation Massage, designed to relieve any type of stress, or the Deep Massage that focuses on the muscles located below the surface of the top muscles. The remainder of the day is yours to design or relax in the tranquility of the resort. Dinner will be on your own this evening.

Day 3

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Costa Rican Breakfast

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Transfer to Cala Luna | Wildlife Refuge

After you’ve enjoyed breakfast this morning, you will be transferred from the Rio Perdido Lodge to Cala Luna Boutique Hotel for four nights. During the 2.5-hour drive to Cala Luna, you will enjoy water and snacks along the way. Enjoy a stop at the wildlife refuge to view the animal rescue sanctuary.

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Arrival Dinner with Wine at Cala Luna

Enjoy a full welcome to Cala Luna with dinner and wine. You have choices from an assortment of canapés, starters of fresh salads, daily Ceviche and tartar or tropical fruit salads, soups of lobster bisque, Caribbean seafood soup, and daily specials are on the menu. Main meals include fresh daily catch of the day, grilled lobster, as well as meat and poultry. A selection of healthy and decadent desserts are made daily by the pastry chef. All products are free range and locally sourced.

Day 4

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Buffet Breakfast

Enjoy an American style buffet breakfast with a chef preparing eggs to order, along with breakfast meats, an assortment of breakfast breads and organic fruits, yogurt, natural fresh squeezed juices and French press coffee. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure before your Sunset Cruise.

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Palo Verde National Park Boat Tour | Lunch |Artesian Pottery Village

The hydrologic characteristics of the Tempisque River has created conditions to form these wetlands ecosystem. Palo Verde National park is an exceptional place for birdwatchers and nature lovers in general. A two-hour boat trip will introduce you into this important ecosystem. Gigantic crocodiles, monkeys, iguanas…and more wildlife than you ever imagined can be spotted along the way. Great bird-watcher prizes can show up, such as the Jabiru, osprey, the white ibis, tiger herons, and scarlet macaws amongst others. After this great opportunity to view wildlife, you will visit the town of Guaitil, a traditional artisan’s pottery village. Lunch will be a traditional Costa Rican meal consisting of choice of chicken or beef, rice, beans, choice of seasonal vegetables, dessert and fresh juices. The remainder of the day will be on your own to relax and enjoy special activities of your choosing. Dinner will be on your own this evening.

Day 5

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Buffet Breakfast

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Costa Rican Cooking with International Flavors

German born chef and restaurant owner, Sibyl, opened her first upscale restaurant in Hamburg with seven years of great success, then while on holiday in Costa Rica, she fell in love---got married--and stayed! She has been operating her cooking school for over 18 years and is eager to share her love of the area. The cooking classes are suitable for all levels of ability in a hands-on environment. Whether alone or in a small group (max 4) everyone receives individual attention. Each experience involves preparing a 3 or 4 course meal and culminates in a leisurely opportunity to enjoy tasting the dishes. Dining on the terrace overlooking the Pacific Ocean is a worthy reward indeed!

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Farm to Table Dinner at La Senda with Wine

Later in the afternoon, take an exciting and educational walk through the extensive vegetable gardens of La Senda Farm, a sister project of Hotel Cala Luna. Learn about 100% organic cultivating, biodiversity, water conservation, nurturing the soil instead of exhausting it, making organic fertilizers, pesticides and so much more. Experience where your food is coming from while enjoying the ingredients at peak freshness and bursting with flavors and vitamins, all artfully and passionately prepared by Cala Luna´s Chef. The 3-course menu changes daily according to the harvest.

Day 6

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Buffet Breakfast

Day 7

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Buffet Breakfast

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Check-Out and Transfer to Liberia Airport

Private van transportation to Liberia Airport will be arranged for you, and the drive will take about 75 minutes.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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What Currency is being quoted?

The Currency Code is listed directly after the published amount. If it states USD, then the quoted price is in United States Dollars. If it states CAD, then the quoted price is in Canadian Dollars. If it states EUR, then the quoted price is in European Union Dollars…etc. However, please note that all charges are processed in USD, and Epitourean’s Merchant Bank automatically calculates the currency conversion on the day of the charge.

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What does Double Occupancy mean?

Two persons traveling together, and staying in the same room. Tour prices are normally quoted as “per person, double occupancy” in case two people are traveling together and staying in the same room, but paying separately. The cost of the lodging is also shared by two people, thereby reducing costs. This could be a married couple, two friends or relatives.

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What is a Single Supplement?

Whenever a person travels alone, the cost of their lodging cannot be shared by another person. When tour products are priced, they are normally stated as “per person, double occupancy.” Whenever a guest occupies a room as a solo, the whole cost of the lodging must be incurred by that one individual. Tour companies accommodate this by charging a Single Supplement. Epitourean does its best to keep the single supplement as low as possible, but it is a real cost that tour companies must absorb, and must pass along to the single traveler.

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If I am a Solo Traveler, will I be paired with another person?

Epitourean never pairs a solo traveler with another person without a special request. If you book Single Occupancy, you will have a room entirely to yourself. However, should you wish to be paired with another solo traveler to save on the single supplement, you may make this request. We cannot guarantee that we can accommodate such requests, since it would take another solo traveling on the same tour for the same dates. But if requested, we will certainly try.

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Are flights included in the tour price?

No. Flights are never included in the price of our land-only tours. Epitourean does not provide air, rail or sea travel, unless expressly noted in the itinerary.

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May I give a culinary tour as a gift?

Yes. Epitourean has a special program designed specifically for this purpose. Our Gift Packages come with features such as special messages to the recipient, gift box option, gift link (without pricing), and floating dates (should you not know when the gift recipient wants to travel). Contact a Culinary Travel Specialist at 800-390-3292 or customerservice@epitourean.com to receive additional information about this unique offering.

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May we request separate beds if sharing a room?

Yes. In most cases, Epitourean can accommodate a request for two beds to be placed in one room. Just make sure to make this request in the comments section of the reservation process.

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Does each guestroom have a private bathroom?

Yes. Epitourean partners with the best lodging options in each destination, and private (en suite) bathrooms are a requirement. However, you should inquire as to the configuration of bathrooms should you have a special need. For example, some tours include accommodations in medieval villages, where either a shower or bath(but maybe not both) are present.

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Can your tours accommodate my dietary restrictions?

In almost all cases, Epitourean can accommodate dietary choices and restrictions. But we do request that you ask a Culinary Travel Specialist prior to making your reservation so that we can assess your individual situation.

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If I am unable to use a portion of the tour, can I get a partial refund?

Unfortunately, due to vendor and supplier contracts, we are unable to provide partial refunds for unused portions of any tour or tour component.

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Are Transfers included in the Itinerary?

Round-trip transfers from the airport or train station are normally included in our international tours. Transfers to the destination (for both international and domestic tours) are not included in the tour price. Please see the Sample Itinerary. If it mentions that transfers are included, then yes, transfers are included at no additional cost.

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What meals and excursions are included in the tour?

The Sample Itinerary should be your reference. If the meal or excursion is described in the Sample Itinerary, then it is included at no additional charge. For those days where it expressly notes Free time, then any optional activities you elect to participate in might have an additional cost. In addition, if the itinerary states "evening on your own," it would imply that you have the opportunity to visit a restaurant of your own choosing, and at your own expense. If you have any question about inclusions, please submit an inquiry by clicking on the blue "Ask Us a Question" button under the price section.

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Is it possible to book pre or post tours or stays through Edible Destinations?

Yes, we often do have optional 2 and 3 night excursions that are priced separately from the tour. We can also assist with pre and post night stays in a hotel if you choose to come in early before the tour starts, or stay on after a tour ends. The price of those hotel stays are not included in the price of the tour, but we would be happy to provide a quote. Simply ask your Culinary Travel Specialist, or submit an inquiry by clicking on the blue "Ask Us a Question" button.

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Are Guide or Host Gratuities included in the price of the tour?

Since tipping guidelines and customs vary widely between countries, we do not include gratuities in the price of the tour. Your Culinary Travel Specialist can provide you with recommendations. But the general rule is to tip modestly when you are pleased with a guide’s services, either at the end of the tour, or at the conclusion of a specialty day excursion where you will only be with that guide (or chef) on that day.

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Should we plan on any personal expenses during the tour?

All lodging, meals, transfers, classes and excursions mentioned in the Sample Itinerary and Vacation Highlights are included in the price of the tour. However, we highly recommend taking local currency for purchasing personal items, souvenirs, tipping, etc. You can either get the local currency at an airport exchange service, ATM or from your local bank prior to travel. However, you should note that many hosted destinations do not accept credit cards for personal purchases.

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Do you recommend Travel Protection?

We recommend that you purchase a travel protection plan to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. Travel protection plans can include coverage for Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Emergency Medical and Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation, Trip Delay, Baggage Delay and more. For more information on the available plans or to enroll, click on the link below or contact Travelex Insurance Services at 800-228-9792 and reference location number 06-0248.

The product descriptions provided here are only brief summaries and may be changed without notice. The full coverage terms and details, including limitations and exclusions, are contained in the insurance policy. Travelex CA Agency License #0D10209. All products listed are underwritten by, Berkshire Hathaway Specialty Insurance Company (formerly known as Stonewall Insurance Company), 1314 Douglas Street, Suite 1400, Omaha, NE 68102. 11.17 E7N

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