Canyoning Tour with Repelling & Zip Lining
Just outside the town of Turrialba is the beautiful Puente Vigas Canyon. It is here that we have our canyoning course which guarantees a memorable, safe, and thrilling afternoon of rappelling down waterfalls, zip-lining through the treetops, and climbing into the tropical canopy. We start the tour at the first waterfall where a guide will give safety instructions. After this, you are off...rappelling down four waterfalls, zip lining down four canopy cables, descending down two tall trees and walking across a 132 foot hanging bridge – all giving you an unforgettable and exciting experience!

La Marta Preserve
La Marta Wildlife Refuge is located near Pejibaye Valley, about an hour or so from Turrialba. The reserve covers 1,500 hectares (3200 acres) that include primary and secondary forest, a number of rivers, waterfalls and hills. It is a remote part of Costa Rica and one seldom visited by tourists.

In the mid 1800s a group of European adventurers purchased much of the land that now makes up the preserve. They created a small community with a small sawmill, dairy farm and hydroelectric plant. They also planted a coffee and sugar plantation and built mills to process them. The site was utilized at least until the early 1900s, but soon after was abandoned. What happened to the original settlement and why it was deserted is not known, as no records survive.

In the early 1990s, ULACIT, The Latin American University of Science and Technology, was put in charge and the area was defined as a protected site. They immediately started a program of reforestation, boundary surveying and the tracking of poachers. Later on they began to catalog all of the flora and fauna in and around the preserve. Today, La Marta houses a research station, where scientists and students in the fields of biology, history, land forestry, and traditional medicine live and work.

Night Hikes in La Marta
Part of the work that ULACIT is involved with is the cataloging of plants, animals and insects in La Marta Preserve. As is true in much of the tropical forest, new species are being found all of the time. Each night after dinner we will depart our camp site in two groups, each lead by a local naturalist. During our hikes we will collect and analyze plants and insects to add to the catalog. In this way we will help with the university’s ongoing project to better understand and maintain the delicate ecosystem of the preserve.

Day Hikes in La Marta
Because of La Marta’s varied topography there are a great many different aspects of the tropical rainforest to explore. On our full day in the preserve we will do hikes in both the morning and afternoon. We will be accompanied on these hikes by a local naturalist who will show us the biodiversity of the area.

In the morning we will do a jungle hike where we will explore the ruins left behind by the original settlers of the 1800s. Much of the technology used by these settlers was years ahead of anything else in Costa Rica at the time. Located at the confluence of two of the preserve’s rivers, the hydroelectric plant is in a perfect position to harness the energy of the rushing waters. We will also visit some of the area’s waterfalls before returning to camp for lunch.

In the afternoon, we will head in another direction up into the hills to the Mirador scenic overlook. Along the way we will stop along the Rio Gato and swim in the naturally formed swimming holes surrounded by pristine rainforest. Along the hike we will see plenty of birds and other animals. Once at the Mirador, we will have amazing views of the different valleys that make up the area of the preserve.

River Rafting on Rio Pejibaye Class II & III
The headwaters of the Rio Pejibaye are located in the mountains above La Marta Preserve. After breakfast we will pack up the camp and hike back down to the road where we will meet our transportation. The beginning of the rafting tour is just a short ride from the preserve entrance. Once we arrive at the river we will meet our experienced bi-lingual guides who will introduce us to the rafting equipment and explain every rafting and safety command used on the river.

The river is a fun combination of class 2 and 3 rapids, rainforest, and animals. Students will have some practice time going down the first few small rapids. As the rapids increase in size, so does the adrenaline. It is a great introduction into rafting in Costa Rica. We will stop part way down to leap off giant rocks into deep pools of water before continuing on.

After a few hours on the river, we will meet back up with our transportation at the takeout point. From there we will head up to the mountain town of Tucurrique for lunch.

Rock Climbing & Mountaineering Tour
La Piedra de Cachi is one of Costa Rica’s most famous rock climbing destinations. It is an 80 foot high protrusion of rock that juts out of the surrounding rainforest. The face of the wall has six established climbs that vary in degree of difficulty. Qualified instructors will train our students in the proper use of the equipment and safety procedures. After practicing climbing techniques on small ascents we will begin to climb in earnest.

The first route is a 5.6, which is good for warming up and getting used to the rock face. Once a student reaches the top they will repel down and have some time to rest. We will continue down the line choosing routes that get increasingly difficult. For those students who have never rock climbed before, this is a great place to start. For those that are experienced, the more difficult routes will challenge and test you.

Orosi Valley Tour
The Orosi Valley is one of the most beautiful in all of Costa Rica. The town of the same name is one of the oldest in the country and sits between the Orosi and Reventazon Rivers. Where the rivers meet, a lake was formed by the construction of the Cachi Dam. The hills are covered with coffee plantations and there are a number of spectacular lookout points with breathtaking views of the valley.

On our tour of the valley we will stop for a picnic lunch on the banks of the river. There will be room to explore or just relax. After this we will travel to the quant town of Orosi where we will visit the oldest church in the country, built in 1681. After a stop for ice cream, we will head up to one of the miradores overlooking the valley.