Rain Forest Aerial Tram - places to stay in Costa Rica part three

Our first time to Costa Rica was February 2006. We booked an Eco-tour through Traveland (which I just found out through a Google search is no longer in business!). Anyway, part of the package took us to the Atlantic Park Rain Forest Aerial Tram which was wonderful!

We arrived mid-afternoon and immediately viewed a video about the process involved in building the tram and how it is Eco-friendly. We were of course reminded not to touch anything in the rain forest so that it would continue to grow naturally. Then the storms came and we spent a bit of time in their terrific gift shop. We realized we wouldn't be able to wait out the storm so we bought ponchos for $7 each (not too bad!) and hopped into one of the trams. The ride lasted about 90 minutes and we were accompanied by a naturalist. Leo, our designated naturalist for our stay, taught us all about the flora and fauna of the park. He answered all of our questions and pointed out everything we need to know about the rain forest. Even though it was pouring rain, we had a great time and learned a lot.

Luckily, our visit also included dinner, a late evening hike with Leo, a stay in one their bungalows, and a morning hike with Leo. We also took our own hike to see the snakes and butterflies. Everything was perfect and Azure liked this part of the vacation the best.

Check out the website for the trams here: http://www.rfat.com
(there is one on the Atlantic side and one on the Pacific side of Costa Rica)

The price may seem high to some but it is well worth it. Keep in mind though that this is not a zoo so you are not guaranteed to see any wildlife. During our stay, it was raining too much to see anything during the tram ride although some people that went earlier saw a tapir. We did see a sloth in a tree near our bungalow and in the morning before we left we saw entire flock of toucans. The naturalists recommend morning time for best views of birds and animals.

Looking down at one of the trams and enjoying dinner at the lodge

Leo, our naturalist