Costa Rica: Activities in Tamarindo

Top Activities in Tamarindo:

  • *Surfing + Lessons
  • *Catamaran – Full afternoon Sailing and Snorkeling (lunch and drinks)
  • –Marlin del Rey – 70 people
  • –Dream Chaser – 25 people
  • *Night Market Thursday 5:30-9:30pm
  • *Farmers Market Sunday 8am-4pm
  • Walk the 1.5 miles of beach
  • Rent a lounge chair and umbrella for the afternoon
  • Massage on the beach
  • Volcano Brewing Company
  • Pina coladas on the beach
  • Horseback riding on the beach
  • Scuba (Tamarindo Diving)
  • Fishing (charter a boat)
  • Pickleball (Tamarindo Tennis Club & Pickleball)
  • Shopping
  • Tamarindo Estuary – boat ride, kayaking
  • Turtle tours Dec-Mar
  • Day trip to Brasilito (fishing village, bridge out)

* Top activities


Panga’s Beach Club

This excellent restaurant is located on the north end of Tamarindo, so you want to drive/taxi. Get there at 5:30pm to watch the sunset from the beach.  It has comfy wood furniture, lovely ambience, great seafood and steaks.Happy hour is 2×1 drinks until 6pm. The food is slow, so don’t wait too long to order. Make a reservation!


Add these activities to your Costa Rica trip that includes Tamarindo Beach:

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Costa Rica: Arenal and Monteverde Activities

The most popular activities near the Arenal Volcano (La Fortuna) and Monteverde:

  1. Zip Lines / Canopy Tour
  2. Hanging Bridges
  3. Waterfall Rappelling
  4. Hot Springs
  5. Night Hike (easy)
  6. Arenal Volcano Hike (easy)
  7. La Fortuna Waterfalls Hike
  8. Chocolate/Coffee/Sugarcane Tour
  9. Hike to Rio Celeste (strenuous)
  10. Tubing down a river (active)
  11. Kayaking on the lake or river (calm/wildlife)
  12. Mountain Biking
  13. Stand-up Paddleboarding
  14. Sloth Sanctuary
  15. Boat from Arenal to Monteverde

Add these to your custom trip to Costa Rica!


1) Zip Lines Canopy Tour

This is a half-day tour in Arenal or Monteverde. It can be combined with hanging bridges.


2) Hanging Bridges

This can be done in Arenal or Monteverde and is easily combined with zip lines.


3) Waterfall Rappelling

This is a half-day activity offered in Arenal.


4) Hot Springs

Offered in Arenal, this is typically done late afternoon and combined with dinner. However, it can be done any time of day. There are many hot springs to choose from — some quiet and nature, others like a water park.


5) Night Hike (easy)

This is offered in Arenal and Monteverde, combined with dinner.


6) Arenal Volcano Hike (easy)

This is an easy hike around the base of the volcano. It is typically combined with the La Fortuna Waterfall and lunch. This is one of the most popular tours in the Arenal area with a fascinating hike on the trails at the foot of the Arenal Volcano (walk on the ancient lava flows of the eruption of 1968 and its history) and primary forest with natural trails where you can see abundant vegetation, giant trees and the possibility of seeing local fauna that inhabits the private reserve.


7) La Fortuna Waterfall Hike

Often combined with the Arenal Volcano hike. There are 500 steps down to the waterfall (and 500 steps up). You can swim in the water, but it is cold.


8) Chocolate/Coffee/Sugarcane Tour

Fun 2-hour tour in Arenal or Monteverde.


9) Hike to Rio Celeste (strenuous)

10) Tubing down a river (active)

11) Kayaking on the lake or river (calm/wildlife)

12) Mountain Biking

13) Stand-up Paddleboarding


14) Sloth Sanctuary

This is a guided tour in Monteverde and often combined with zip lines and/or hanging bridges.


15) Boat from Arenal to Monteverde

Allow 4 hours for the transfer from Arenal to Monteverde.


Add these to your custom trip to Costa Rica!

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Planning Your Trip to Argentina

The best time to travel to Argentina is October to April. You can also travel May-September, but this is winter. Winter is not recommended in Patagonia area (El Calafate/El Chalten).

Most people do some combination of these:

  1. Fly into Buenos Aires for 3-4 nights
  2. Fly to El Calafate (Patagonia) for 1-3 nights — 1-2 nights for serious hikers / otherwise 3 nights and skip El Chalten. You can go to Torres del Paine (Patagonia in Chile) from here.
  3. Go to El Chalten for 3-4 nights — This is for serious hikers only, combined with El Calafate.
  4. Iguazu Falls for 2 nights
  5. Mendoza for 3 nights
  6. Ushuaia for 2-3 nights
  7. Peninsula Valdes for 2-3 nights

1) Fly into BUENOS AIRES for 3-4 nights

Top things to do:

  • City tour of Buenos Aires
  • Tango Show
  • Wine Tasting
  • Cooking Class or City Foodie Tour
  • Art Tour
  • Tigre Delta Tour
  • See a performance at the Colon Theater
  • Free day to explore or visit museums
  • Day trip to Colonia, Uruguay
  • Go to a fancy restaurant
  • Eat some of the amazing ice cream!

Tango Show:

This can be done with show + easy tango lessons + dinner. This is done at Gala Tango, which is a larger production.

You can also just go to a tango show after dinner on your own (no lessons). This can also be done at Gala Tango, or it can be done at Rojo Tango. This is a smaller, more intimate cabaret-like experience (perhaps not for kids).

Delta Tigre Tour:

This is a 1 hour drive away and then 1 hour on a catamaran on the river. Probably 4 hours total.

Colonia, Uruguay:

A great way to get an extra stamp in your passport! Get to the boat dock 2 hours early. It is 1 hour boat ride. Colonia is a cute town that you can just walk yourself, or get a guide. Have lunch, and then boat back.

SEE 4-Day Buenos Aires Discovery >>

SEE 4-Day Buenos Aires Foodie Odyssey >>


2) Fly to El Calafate (Patagonia) for 1-3 nights

The highlight from El Calafate is the Perito Moreno Glacier. It is about a 1 hour drive to the boat dock.

Serious hikers:

If you want to do the trekking on the Perito Moreno Glacier, you will need to spend 2 nights here before going to El Chalten.

You can continue to Torres del Paine (Patagonia in Chile) from here.

With the Minitrekking option, you take a boat across the lake, hike under 1 hour to the glacier, hike for 1 hour on the glacier (crampons provided), and then repeat back. You must be under 65 years old to do this, no exceptions. This takes all day and is very tiring.

There is also a Big Ice option with is the same but with 3 hours of hiking on the glacier. You must be under 50 years old to do this.

Casual hikers/visitors:

You will want to skip El Chalten, so enjoy this area for 3 nights.

For the Perito Moreno Glacier, you can do a Nautical Safari, which is a 1 hour boat ride in front of the glacier and a visit to the walkway with views.

Another option is Kayaking near the glacier — go out in a double kayak with wetsuit.

On another day, you can do a full day boat ride with a short 15-minute walk to see the other glaciers (Upsala Glacier is the most famous).

Another great option is a full day at Estancia Cristina. Here you can take a 4WD trip to a viewpoint of the Upsala Glacier, go horseback riding on a real gaucho horse ranch, or get a ride up to the top and do a lovely 4 hour hike back down.

SEE 4-Day Los Glaciares: Perito Moreno and Upsala Glaciers


3) El Chalten for 3-4 nights — Combined with El Calafate / For serious hikers only

This is a hikers heaven. One of the highlights is seeing Mount Fitz Roy. All hikes are 6-7 hours to complete (but can be cut short). We recommend going with a guide for the best and safest experience, but some of them can be done on their own. You can visit the national park entrance to get maps and advice on the different trek options.

The most popular hikes are

  • Cerro Torre Trek — Out and back, starts downtown, can be done on your own
  • Laguna de los Tres Trek — Transfer one-way and hike the other way, steep hike (like a ladder at one point)
  • Pliegue Tumbado Trek — Out and back, starts at the national park entrance, great view of Fitz Roy half-way up, easiest of the three
  • There is a hike through a petrified wood forest halfway between El Calafate and El Chalten. You need a private guide, so it is expensive unless you have a group.

SEE 6-Day Los Glaciares and Mount Fitz Roy (El Calafate / El Chalten) >>


4) Iguazu Falls — 2 nights

You need 2 nights here to see both sides of Iguazu Falls — Argentina and Brazil. The Argentine side gives you a close-up view of the falls, and you will get wet. The Brazilian side offers a more panoramic view.

This area is hot and humid. Bring lightweight, easy to dry clothing. You will get wet, and some people wear a poncho, but that is hot, so sometimes it is better to just get wet. There is not much else to see in or around town, so 2 nights is usually plenty. It is a 20-30 minute drive from the airport to most of the hotels.

Argentina Side:

This is a full day tour, and you will go on 3 of the 6 path options. You will also take a boat ride right up to and under the falls. You will get wet! Bring extra clothing to change into. There is a buffet lunch at the restaurant inside the park, which is the most convenient option.

Note that the Devil’s Throat is currently not accessible.

Brazil Side:

This is a half day tour. You will walk along the boardwalks and see the falls from many different angles. Most people wait and have lunch back the hotel. There is also a Bird Park that is amazing and worth a visit (1-2 hours).

You will be crossing the border from Argentina to Brazil. Most people no longer need a visa or reciprocity fee, but double-check for your nationality. During the busy season, it can take 45 minutes to go through the line at the border. Our guides try to schedule outside peak hours. You will need your passport and Covid vaccination card (or Covid test).

SEE 4-Day Iguazu Falls >>


5) Mendoza — 2-3 nights

Most people spend 3 nights here with 2 days of wine tasting. Typically, there is 1 day at Maipo Valley (very close by) and 1 day in Uca Valley (1.5 hours away). You can also do a bike tour to the wineries — regular bikes (not e-bikes) but it is flat terrain. Malbec is the specialty of the area, but they make other wines as well.

You can also do a drive to Aconcagua (2.5 hours away) with a 30 minute hike.

Mendoza is a big city with many good restaurants.

SEE 4-Day Mendoza >>


6) Ushuaia — 2-3 nights

This is where most of the Antarctica cruises depart from. Ushuaia is a large city, but pretty nice with lots of shops and restaurants. There are 2 museums — one in an old jail and one “end of the world”.

The most popular activities/areas are

1) Tierra del Fuego — There are 3 options in this national park:

  • Half-day sightseeing with short walks
  • Full day with longer hikes (mostly flat terrain)
  • Full day with hiking and canoeing

2) Beagle Channel — This is a 2-hour boat ride to the lighthouse and back. You will birds and sea lions.

3) Penguins — Currently, and half-day tour 2-9pm.

4) 4WD Trekking — Take a 4-wheel-drive vehicle to a half-day or full-day trek. There is so much mud, that you fall down in the mud and make a mess, which is great fun.

SEE 4-Day Tierra del Fuego and Ushuaia >>


7) Peninsula Valdes for 2-3 nights

In summer the penguins visit the east coast of Valdés from September to March and in March there are the orcas. From spring until summer the coast is one big gathering place for large and small mammals and birds. Whales are usually seen from June to early December and use this area as a nursery. Inland, the peninsula is full of rheas, guanacos and armadillos.

One of the best time to go to Peninsula Valdes is in September, October and November. These months it is spring and most species start to breed in the area. This means that the males are about to fight for the females, the penguins come ashore to hatch their eggs and the orcas come along the coast to hunt for seals. A period that you have to avoid is the months of April, May and June. In these months fewer animals can be seen than in the rest of the year.

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Things To Do In and Around Reykjavik

Here are the top things to do in and around Reykjavik.

Year Round – In Town

  • Blue Lagoon (Comfort/Premium)
  • Sky Lagoon (Sky Pass for “full ritual”)
  • Whale Watching*
  • Food Tour
  • Fishing

Summer

  • Puffins
  • Best Whale Watching
  • Fishing

Winter

  • Natural Ice Cave
  • Northern Lights**

On Own

  • Whales of Iceland Exhibition
  • Lava Show (VIP)
  • National Museum of Iceland

Day Trips

  • Golden Circle***
  • South Coast****
  • Snaefellsnes Peninsula (volcanoes, small towns)
  • Icelandic Horseback Riding
  • Into the Glacier (1h45m drive / 3h tour)
  • Lava Tunnel (40m drive / 1h tour)
  • Snorkeling/Scuba @ Silfra fissure

Golden Circle

  • Thingvellir National Park
  • Geysers and hot springs
  • Gullfoss Waterfall
  • Secret Lagoon

South Coast

  • Waterfalls
  • Black sand beaches
  • Glacier Hike
  • Boat or kayak on Glacier Lagoon

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SkyLodge Peru – Via Ferrata & Zipline

In addition to spending the night in the SkyLodge or StarLodge, you can also do a via ferrata and zipline. This is great add-on to any trip to Cusco or the Sacred Valley.

There are 3 options:

  1. You can do the via ferrata up the SkyLodge, spend the night at the Sky Lodge, zipline down in the morning.
  2. Spend the night in the StarLodge, but do the via ferrata up and zipline down before going over there for the evening.
  3. Do lunch at the SkyLodge with the via ferrata and zipline (day trip from the Sacred Valley or Cusco).

Via Ferrata:

You meet at the base to get your equipment and briefing. There were 4 guides for 11 people. They have had people from 6 to 80 years old. They will take photos along the way, but they cost extra. I thought they were worth it!

We started up at 3:00pm, and it took us about 1.5 hours to go up the 400 meters of elevation on the via ferrata. At the top of the climbing area, there is a traverse across (above the SkyLodge pods) over to the ziplines.

Ziplines:

There are 6 ziplines. The first one is short, the second one is a tandem, and the last one goes down to the base area. It took us about 1 hour and 15 minutes to get down.

What to Bring:

  • Rain jacket
  • Extra layer (it gets chilly later in the day)
  • Water
  • Sunglasses
  • GoPro on a tether
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Perfect 3 days on Lake Geneva and Lausanne

Lake Geneva is a perfect stopover before or after your hike in the French/Swiss Alps. If you are flying through Geneva, add this quick itinerary to your trip.

DAY 1 – Arrive Lausanne

Arive Lausanne by train.

Take the metro for one stop to Lausanne-Flon and walk to the Lausanne Palace Hotel, Rue du Grand-Chêne 7-9, 1002 Lausanne, Switzerland

Explore the beautiful town of Lausanne! Try a fondue at the Giraffe Bar.


DAY 2 – The Olympic Museum, City Tour, Wine Tasting, Paddle Wheel on Lake Geneva

Take the metro and walk to The Olympic Museum. Arrive at the museum by 10:30am at the latest to have plenty of time to visit the museum and the gardens.

Make a reservation at the TOM Café at The Olympic Museum for the brunch.

After brunch, take a guided city tour of Lausanne.

Hop on the 15h33 train to Grandvaux for a Wine Tasting at La Croix Duplex.

Descend through the vineyards to Cully.

17h30 – 18h05: Cruise on a CGN boat to Lausanne-Ouchy.


DAY 3 – Rochers-de-Nave and Chillon Castle

Today is for Rochers-de-Naye and Chillon Castle. You are free to choose your own schedule as no reservations are needed.

When you arrive at Montreux station on your way to Rochers-de-Naye, you need to get tickets from the MOB ticket counter on the mezzanine level before boarding your train.

Take a trail to the Veytaux-Chillon station and walk to the Chillon Castle (or take a bus).

After the visit of the castle, take bus 201 or just walk to the Montreux Casino and visit the Queen Studio Experience (inside the casino, free). Then walk along the lake to the pier (there is a boat back to Lausanne at 18:10 and it takes 1 hour) or to the train station (there are trains every 10-20 minutes). Montreux has many restaurants along the water and one block up.


DAY 4 – Depart

Train transfer to Geneva Airport.

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Cusco Hotel – Palazzo Nazarene

This is an old nunnery with 55 rooms, which are all suites.

There are Junior suites, Inca Wall suites, and View suites. Rooms have an espresso machine, minibar (free), butler service, 2 kinds of robes, pillow menu, and 1 king bed or 2 twin beds. Roll-away beds are available for kids.

There are 2 courtyards. One is a “secret” courtyard filled with herbs and white cedar that was planted from a seedling of the Monasterio next door.

The outdoor swimming pool is the only heated and uncovered pool in Cusco. There is also a full spa with steam room.

This is a great 5-Star hotel option for your trip to Peru!

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Cusco Hotel – Inkaterra La Casona

The boutique hotel has 11 suites — Patio Suites on the 1st floor, Balcony Suites on the 2nd floor, and 2 extra large Plaza Suites.

Rooms have double sinks, bath robes, slippers, safe, minibar, fireplace, and either 1 king bed or 2 twin beds.

The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is no bar, but a lovely lounge where they will serve drinks.

The front door is always locked — just use the knocker!

This is a great 5-Star hotel option for your trip to Peru!

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Cusco Hotel – Monasterio

The Monasterio is a historic seminary. Inside and to the left is the chapel with original art and spectacular gold leaf. There is a large and beautiful central courtyard with a 330 year old white cedar tree.

It has 122 rooms, and they are all different but with original floors and doors. Superior rooms may have a terrace. Deluxe rooms have a desk. All rooms have a safe, robes, and slippers. Oxygen is pumped into 82 of the rooms.

Breakfast is a buffet from 5am to 1:30am. Dinner is served in the monk’s dining hall. Opera singers perform during dinner on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.

There are two massage rooms. Check-in is at 11am and check-out is at 3pm.

This is a great 5-Star hotel option for your trip to Peru!

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Cusco Hotel – Novotel

This is about 2 blocks from the Plaza de Armas and right next door to the Marriott hotel. The enclosed courtyard is really the highlight of the hotel and makes it one of our top choices. It feels very cozy, and the staff are very attentive.

Rooms have a TV, minibar, work desk, and some have a patio. The rooms around the courtyard are slightly more expensive.

This is a great mid-range hotel option for your trip to Peru!

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