KALEIDOSCOPE TRAIL - COSTA RICA

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A perfectly balanced 8 day horse trek highlighting various aspects of Costa Rican culture and Nature, finishing on the beach. You will enjoy riding through magnificent rainforest and experience nature at its best as we ride our horses from the rainforest down to the Pacific Coast. You will experience 3 days of glorious beach riding and you get the chance to swim with you horse in the turquoise waters.

Trip length 8 days / 7 nights / 6 days riding Ride price detailed prices price promise 2010: double pp £1,319/€1,465/$1,975 Departure dates 2010: Jan 9, Feb 6, Mar 6, Mar 27, Apr 3, Jul 10, Aug 7, Sep 4, Oct 2, Nov 6, Dec 4, Approximate riding time per day varies from 3 to 6 hours Riding ability required Must be able to walk, trot and canter comfortably. Min age 12. Group size 2-10 Meeting point (getting there) San Jose airport, Costa Rica Transfer Included from meeting point Flight guide London - San Jose return £550 - £750. Single supplement detailed prices 2010: £299/€335/$449

SAMPLE ITINERARY - KALEIDOSCOPE TRAIL

Day 1: Arrive Costa Rica
Upon arrival in San Jose, transfer to Arenal Volcano and the Arenal Paraiso Hotel. Overnight Arenal Paraiso

Day 2: Fortuna Waterfall / Arenal Volcano
Morning ride to Fortuna Waterfall with time to hike and enjoy the pools beneath the falls. In the afternoon ride the trails of Arenal Volcano. Here you get a change to see the volcano up close. Relax and enjoy the hot springs of Arenal Paraiso .. then overnight Arenal Paraiso .(B)

Day 3: Sugar Cane Plantation / Rainforest
Imagine cantering through sugar cane plantations, fording thigh-deep rivers, rounding up cattle and trotting through virgin rainforest on top of a fine, well bred Costa Rican Paso steed. That will be the ride today at La Garza. Lunch at La Garza then transfer to Sarapiqui area. Overnight Hotel Sueno Azul (BL)

Day 4: Hacienda Pozo Azul. and Rainforest
The owners of Hacienda Pozo Azul are well known Costa Rican horse breeders. They keep a herd of 80 selected horses from which they have the quality needed for the best riders to enjoy in the most demanding treks.. Today's ride will take you through the hacienda to real rainforest . There will be areas to canter... Overnight Sueno Azul Resort . (BL)

Day 5: Bri Bri Indian and Kekoldi Reservation and Beach Ride
After breakfast at Sueno Azuel we'll transfer to Punta Cocles. Check in at SeaHorse Stables Lodge, then we select appropriate horses according to riders ability. These horses are chosen for their experience in soft grounds since the ride goes through the Bri-Bri trails inside the Kekoldi reservation. We ride up the Cocles hills until reaching the ranchito. There,(if available) we visit an Indian family. We then enter the semi-circular trail which will take us through the hills under the forest canopy. We'll be dodging branches, riding over logs and across creeks and rivers. Parts of the trail can be difficult due to the rainfall, but it makes for beautiful, dense greenery. The air is pure in oxygen and the feeling is indescribable.
Soon we'll be ready for galloping across Cocles Beach to Playa Chiquita. The open space of the beach and sea gives the rider and horse a great sense of liberation which encourages a good gallop into the vast sunlight and the watery reflection of the turquoise sea. For another hour you will see and experience part of the beach at a fast pace. Lemonade or coffee is served upon return. Dinner tonight is on your own at a local restaurant, where you'll be sure to enjoy the Caribbean flavour. Overnight at SeaHorse Stables. Just a few steps from the Caribbean Sea, with the tropical rainforest in background, the spacious and tastefully decorated bungalows are privately set apart amidst lush gardens full of color and natural beauty. (BL)

Day 6: Beaches of Punta Uva and Manzanillo
We begin with a gentle walk along the white sands of Cocles Beach to the point at Punta Uva to Manzanillo Beach. At this point we gallop through a mile long coconut grove until reaching the river where we rest and cool off in the fresh waters that meet the sea. Continue on to the fishing village of Manzanillo, along the magical white sand beach. Lunch in town and then unsaddle the horses and swim with them in the calm light blue waters inside the barrier reef. Here you can bond with your horse. The horses really enjoy bathing and so will you. You can even swim out to the deeper waters and have the horses bring you back to shore by holding on to their necks. Continue on to El Mirador at the beginning of the Refuge. The view from here is majestic. You can see the all the way to Puerto Vargas and the vivid jungle of Punta Mono. We'll be riding back into the sunset along the beach. Overnight at SeaHorse Stables. (BL)

Day 7: Back roads and banana plantations
This morning we head off via the back roads to the banana plantations and of course more beach riding. (Is there ever enough beach riding?) Transfer back to San Jose, stopping in the artisan town of Moravia for a little shopping if desired. Overnight at Hotel Villa Tournon. (B)

Day 8.
Transfer out to the San Jose International Airport. (B) subject to change

Please note: This itinerary is given for your guidance only and it may be altered in accordance with the prevailing conditions by the organising team.

The weight limit for this ride is 16 st/225 lb/102 kg, please enquire if you are an experienced rider exceeding this weight.

FURTHER DETAILS
As we are specialists in our field we have extensive knowledge of all our products from details of accommodation and meals to number/size/type of horses to pace of riding ... and much more.
Should you wish to receive further details of this ride please click here.

WHAT IS INCLUDED
All meals as described, accommodations, horses, tack, guide, round trip transfers from San Jose airport, all transportation during the ride, taxes and entrance fees to national parks.

WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
Air fare to and from San Jose international airport in Costa Rica, lunch on Days 2 & 7, dinner every day, alcoholic beverages and tips.

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