PureAvida Photography Adventures

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PureAvida Photography Adventures with Jenny Preece Schomaker

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For the Creative Adventurist.

Or Mother, Daughter, Couple who need a change, who are looking to find the “pure life” .  This 5 day adventure will change you. Costa Rica is magical.  Mix that with photography and soul revival for a whole new experience you can take with your for years to come.   It will make you a better photographer, mother, daughter, friend, and LOVER guaranteed.

Costa Rica Vacation
(Arenal – Manuel Antonio – San Jose)
06 days/05 nights

May 25, Arrival
Upon your arrival in San Jose, Costa Rica and after you clear customs & immigration, exit the
airport terminal, where you will meet a representative who will present you with land portion vouchers and transfer you to your hotel in Arenal area.
The main attraction for visitors in this region is Arenal Volcano which rises majestically some 3,000 feet above the surrounding plains. Arenal has occasional rumbles and small eruptions, and a
constant emission of steam and other hot gases. It also produces nearly continuous flows of thick pasty lava known as “blocky lava” that breaks off in chunks and can be seen glowing bright cherry red on cloudless nights. The volcano is Arenal Volcano National Park’s centerpiece and it is surrounded by a vast rainforest of several thousand acres which is home to parrots, parakeets, four types of toucans and nearly 400 other bird species, 3 species of monkeys, peccaries and more.

Treat yourself to a unique, once-in-a-lifetime adventure at the Arenal Observatory Lodge. This volcano hotel – perched high on a ridge only 1.7 miles from Arenal Volcano (Volcán Arenal), Costa
Rica’s most spectacular active volcano – offers the area’s most stunning views of the volcano and Arenal Lake. With easy access to the Arenal Observatory Lodge, only a twenty minutes drive from the small town of La Fortuna, Costa Rica, volcano and nature lovers alike can feast their eyes on the majesty of Arenal Volcano in its lush tropical setting. The lodge offers comfortable rooms, good restaurant, pool and Jacuzzi, and a guided hike each morning. Once checked in Jenny will give you your welcome packet of information as well as your informational packet for photography. Review the photography packet, decide what you would like to learn more about. This packet will be so packed full of information you may not get to everything. No worries. You have the whole trip to review and ask Jenny what ever you would like about photography. You will have plenty of time to explore as a group,or sign up for individual one on one time with Jenny.

May 26, Arenal

This morning visit the Arenal Hanging Bridges, This is a complex of suspended bridges and trails through a beautiful rain forest. The lush vegetation contains palms, heliconias and tall trees that you will view from ground level to above the tree tops as you meander along the trails and on the bridges. From some of the bridges there are also panoramic views of nearby Arenal Volcano. As you walk through the forest, you may encounter a variety of the forest wildlife, including toucans,motmots, trogons, poison dart frogs, howling monkeys, spider monkeys and white-faced capuchin monkeys.
Then enjoy lunch at Finca Don Juan, a local organic farm in the town of La Fortuna. At the farm you will see how farming techniques can be practiced in an environmentally sound way. The farm produces more than 60 crop species, including native and introduced plants. With your guide, you
will learn about many of the crops and the challenges and benefits of farming organically in the
tropics. (L)
After lunch visit Arenal Sky Tram & Sky Trek.This tour, inside the tropical rain forest, offers adventure, zip lines, bird watching & hiking. The Sky Tram is a 15 minute aerial tram tour through
the rain forest to an observation deck where you have spectacular views of the Arenal Volcano, Arenal Lake and the Tilaran mountain range. Sky Trek is a 3,280 foot long zip line system that
gives you the exhilarating opportunity to enjoy the rain forest with beautiful views.
Late afternoon, visit the Ecotermales Hot Springs, roundtrip transfers, entrance fees, and dinner included. There are four hot spring pools to relax in, filled with clean hot spring mineral water
heated from the volcano. Receive a natural massage from the small cascade of hot spring water.
Doña Mireya, the host, has a small restaurant at the facility where a delicious typical Costa Rican
dinner will be prepared for you. (D) After dinner meet with Jenny to learn more about photography.

May 27, Arenal – Manuel Antonio

This morning travel to Manuel Antonio in the central Pacific coast, but your first stop before get there will be a Carara Biological Reserve, this reserve has a transitional climate and contains flora and fauna from both the hot dry northwest, and the rainy region of the southwest. Carara’s habitat includes marshes, primary and secondary forests, is criss-crossed by several streams and rivers making the reserve a green oasis with epiphytes, ferns and palms. It is home to parrots, parakeets, toucan, trogons, three species of monkeys, Scarlet Macaws, and the rare American Crocodiles that bask along the embankments of the Tarcoles River that passes by the entrance of the reserve.
After visiting the reserve, enjoy a relaxed lunch break. (L)

Then continue traveling towards Manuel Antonio, this is a community which is composed largely of hotels, separated by trees on a hill overlooking beaches and the coastal Manuel Antonio National
Park with rainforest growing to the edge of its beautiful cream colored sandy beaches. The forest is home to a variety of wildlife that are accustomed to people and readily seen including sloth,
monkeys, armadillos, scarlet-legged land crabs, iguanas, agoutis, pizotes, raccoons, parrots, and parakeets. The ocean water temperature is always near a comfortable 80º F and great for
swimming and other water sports. The region offers numerous other activities such as boating, river rafting, fishing, snorkeling, diving, canopy tours and more. With a large number of excellent
hotels and restaurants in the area outside the Park, visitors are assured a comfortable stay and an diverse offering of local and international cuisine.

Hotel Karahe, if you are visiting the area to relax at the beach and visit the Manuel Antonio National Park, you will find no better place to enjoy peace and quiet than Hotel Karahe. The
gardens meet the ocean and the entrance of the park only 10 minutes away is whith in easy walking distance. Among the palms, acacias and heliconias, they have modern, air-conditioned rooms,Standard rooms located near the reception area, with the same characteristics as the beachfront rooms. The hillside behind the hotel rises sharply and on its green slopes, they have built nine air-conditioned villas, each with spectacular views of Punta Catedral (Chatedral Point), Manuel Antonio
beach and the blue Pacific Ocean.

May 28, Manuel Antonio

This morning we will take you to one of the best surfing beaches in the area for a three hour
Manuel Antonio Surf Lesson in a group of three students max per instructor. Our favourite choices are Manuel Antonio Main Beach, or in front of the balu Restaurant in Manuel Antonio. On
arrival at the beach you will be outfitted with the “Tools of the Trade” (surf board, leash and rash
guard), and will get ready for the fun to begin. Your bilingual instructor and his assistants will give you a safety talk and begin to demonstrate the first steps of surfing before you even get into thewater. When you feel confident enough to give it a go, your instructor will accompany you into the waves and continue to instruct you throughout. Surfing is tiring work, so when you feel ready to take a hard-earned break on the beach, help yourself to some fresh fruit and delicious cold drinkscourtesy of MASS. Then it’s back into the water to catch some more waves before finally being driven back to your hotel.

After having fun surfing, enjoy a delicious lunch in a local restaurant. (L)

The best way to end your day is with a Manuel Antonio Horseback Ride along the beautiful beach
enjoying the breeze and the sunset.

There is something magical about a sunset. Especially in Costa Rica. If you would like meet with Jenny and Rocio to Say ” Goodbye” to your old beliefs, the ones that are holding you back and ” Hello” to your new and refreshed self as we watch the sunset. Toast your way to a ” NEW U “.

May 29, Manuel Antonio – San Jose

This morning before travel to San Jose for your last day in Costa Rica, enjoy experience the Damas Island Estuary and Mangrove ecosystem first hand — in an open-seat kayak. Spend a few
luxuriously indulgent hours paddling with the currents as your highly trained, bilingual naturalist guides reveal the protected inland waterways of the Damas Estuary and mangrove habitat. Explore an unforgettable plethora of flora and fauna as you learn about, experience, and participate in our magical Costa Rican mangrove and tropical rain forest ecosystem — but don’t forget your camera.
Paddle comfortably as an intimate group under the shade of several tall species of mangroves, which grow only in select areas of the world and in Costa Rica. The pace of this adventure is
determined by your abilities and interests, and the abundance of wildlife you want to stop and observe (or learn about) – all in its natural and breathtaking habitat. Watch sloths and numerous
species of monkeys travel through the tree canopy, hunt for nocturnal silky anteaters and several types of non-poisonous snakes resting in the mangroves, and listen to the songs of the various marine birds as they glide over your kayak curiously looking for adventure. And whenever you want, stop and enjoy some local fresh fruits and refreshments as you pause to savor your adventures thus far.

Enjoy lunch in the area before depart to San Jose or along the way at any of the local restaurants.
(L)

Located just 10 minutes from San Jose, Hotel Bougainvillea offers far more that just accommodations. The Bougainvillea is a family owned and operated inn with tastefully decorated
rooms set in 12 acres of beautiful gardens, the hotel features over 50 species of bromeliads, Costa Rican native trees, and numerous species of orchids, herb and cacti gardens; and radiant humming
birds. The restaurant offers continental cuisine in a wonderful dining room. Every detail of the hotel and restaurant is personally supervised by owner Hans van der Wielen. Guests can stroll in the gardens, swim in the heated pool, enjoy a sauna or use the tennis courts. Hotel offers gift shop, meeting & conference facilities, Internet access and currency exchance.

May 30, Departure

Departure transfer from your hotel to San Jose Intl. Airport for your departure flight, airlines require
checking in at least 3 hours before flight departure.