CURRENTLY CLOSED BECAUSE OF A
BRIDGE COLLAPSE.
(I REALLY hope they re-open one day as it was AWESOME)
TURU BA RI TROPICAL ECO-ADVENTURE PARK
I JUST did this AWESOME activity & you can see pictures at:
I will be enhancing the text here now that I have some new info!!!
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SUPER DUPER SPECIAL FOR RESIDENTS•NATIONALS FOR JULY 2010
JUST $34
(I need to get clarity on what all's included)
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TURU BA RI is an ACTION PACKED / EDUCATIONAL All-in-One AWESOME
Eco-Adventure oriented Theme Park –
a true NATURE & ADVENTURE LOVERS PARADISE!!!
It's especially great for those that don’t have a lot of time in Costa Rica
OR don't want the expense & time of doing all these items individually!!
Their Canopy/Zip Line Tour & Tarzan Swing (like bungee jumping) are milder versions of these popular activities so they're a wonderful introduction for those not sure how they'll do with such things.
ADVENTURES / ACTIVITIES FOR YOU TO CHOOSE FROM at TURU BA RI :
The base of most packages is to do the Guided Nature Tour + 1 or 2 optional Adventures.
GUIDED NATURE TOUR - Roberto did a GREAT JOB guiding us through this AWESOME & QUITE educational tour!!!
• Start off with a 20 minute AERIAL TRAM ride offering BREATHTAKING Panoramic VIEWS HIGH (260'/80 mts at the highest point) over this 2030'/620 mts. long canyon!!! Have your camera ready to capture to your Left/the East a Superman rider to wizzing by you!!! I did this July '10 WITH a knee with a torn tendon & though I was REALLY TIRED afterwards (physically & my muscles as my bod is used to sitting in front of a computer 15-20 hours a day!) - I kept up quite well (most of the time). I hear they're working on making this Nature Tour more handicap-friendly in the near future!!! (3 hours)
• 4 miles of Forest Trails (taking you through Primary & Secondary Forests)
• Cactus Garden
• Butterfly Garden - over 12,400 sq’ & 30 different species including a few of the famous (including a movie about it) BEAUTIFUL Costa Rican Blue Morpho Butterfly (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morpho_menelaus)
• Tropical Gardens
• Organic Herb Garden
• Sugar Milling House
• Orchid Garden - AMAZING when flowering but still beautiful when not
• Bromeliad Garden
• Palm Garden - with 150+ Palms
• Bamboo Garden - a HUGE (HIGH) Bamboo Garden
• Iguana Pen - what a trip learning about their lives (including their sex lives!!)!!
• Countryside Farm
• Herbarium (herbs)
• LABYRINTH (WHAT IS A LABYRINTH? The more Spiritual Answer - http://AngelFire.com/tn/SacredLabyrinth Turu Bar Ri's has high walls for trimmed shrub one [that if your group seems like a FUN group - your guide may add a little "Surprise" here - teee heee heeee heeeee!!!]. I hear if you're casually & a more common open rock edged one)
• Crocodile Pond/Pen - come REAL CLOSE to these giant things that sit there with their sharped tooth mouths WIDE OPEN (waiting to get it's next prey!!)
• Rio/River Tarcoles Viewing - The Tarcoles River is not a white water river as it's home to the American Crocodiles (it's the same river you see from the bridge down by Jaco)
• Water Ponds
• Indian Trail
The Aerial Tram brings you back to the base camp for a tasty lunch!!!!
Standard CANOPY/ZIPLINE - The things I like about this Canopy/Zipline Tour is A) - it's easy to get to (compared to most) as you have about 25 stairs at first & I believe later on about 75 stairs up but that is MUCH easier than a LOT of the Zip line tours out there where you have to hike in or go by horseback riding!! B) It's also just 8 Platforms & quite tame overall - a GREAT introduction & AWESOME for the person that has concerns with trying it. This is an AWESOME exercise in trust & getting over your fears!!! Includes the HANGING BRIDGE HIGH above a big river!! (another opportunity to release yourself of some fears!!) (about 1 hour)
SENSATIONAL CABLE CANOPY/ZIPLINE TOUR (aka SuperMan/SuperWoman) - You fly HIGH over the canyon on one LONG (3,000') cable going 50 mph in the Superman Position. WHAT A HIGH!!!!! Includes the HANGING BRIDGE HIGH above a big river!! (another opportunity to release yourself of some fears!!) (about _____)
HORSEBACK RIDING - (not on Mondays). Add it on for $15 (about 45 minutes)
There’s an optional/additional TARZAN SWING!!! It's like a tamer version of a Bungee Jump - a one time (unless your guide has taken a liking to you!) 12 meters/about 39' jump/swing) - GREAT if you're curious about a bungee jump & want to check it out before taking a more typical deeper one!! You HAVE to do the Canopy Tour & let them know before you head out on it so they have the proper equipment. You go to the 7th platform on the Canopy, then do Tarzan Swing & then finishing with the final/8th Canopy/Zipline platform. Last Tour: 3pm weather permitting. (about _____). Add it on for +$15
Some less adventurous people (or people with less time) come just to take the AERIAL TRAM ($___) &/or the TASTY TYPICO BUFFET LUNCH ($____)
TIPS/Propinas: I felt EVERYONE we encountered went ABOVE & BEYOND the norm in Costa Rica so I SERIOUSLY welcome you tip EVERY that helps you from the gang on the Canopy/Zipline tour (there's a box right there in the area you take your gear off), your Nature Guide (I didn't see any box so I gifted him privately), your Transportation Driver & the Lunch Crew. 10-20% is a REALLY NICE way to show your appreciation!!
HINTS:
BRING BUG SPRAY: (I try to be Ms. Naturalist often but when it comes to the beaches/jungles in the tropics - it's the MAXIMUM Deet ALL the way for me [to get a higher %, bring it from the states])!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! & keep reapplying it!!! You're in a JUNGLE!!!!
WEAR LONG PANTS/a LONG SLEEVED SHIRT (though LIGHTware as it can get quite warm & humid [hence why I'd go as early in the day as possible!!]).
Especially if you're there during rainy season (ABOUT May-ish to the end of November), wear SHOES with GOOD GROOVES on the bottom so you don't go slipping & sliding (like I did in my slightly worn down Crocs!!).
SHOES: It can get a bit muddy/dirty so don't bring your white tennies or flip flops.
RAIN GEAR: You might want to bring a Rain Poncho (that cut down on the bites once I put that one [I can't help it - the LOVE ME - I'm just SOOOOO SWEET!!!]).
HOT: It's on average around 86º/30 celsius on average so bring light clothes but that cover you up - protecting you from the mosquitos & the sun.
Because it can get hot - bring water to drink along the way along with SUN BLOCK & hat.
WHEN TO GO:
IF it were ME, I'd start as EARLY IN THE DAY as possible - for the heat & lessoning the chances of getting caught in the rain (though rain DOES cool things down a LOT & it sprinkled+ while we were there mid-July '10 & it made it MUCH COOLER!!!).
They provide FREE LOCKERS for you to store your stuff while on the adventures!!
PRICE:
The BEST Deal is do a COMBO as it comes with a MEGA DELISH & BIG typical/tipicoTico BUFFET LUNCH (from what I've heard over & over was this was THE BEST LUNCH ANYONE I know that’s been to Turu Ba Ri has had on ANY tour!!!!)!!!
2 Activities - $79/pp includes entrance, AERIAL TRAM. 3 Activities - $94. Guarantee with credit card or $25.
TRANSPORTATION:
$20/pp (picking up other people. Pickup at around 7:30am-ish, Return around 3pm-ish. Ask for their driver Miguel "Vincio" to drive you! He speaks GOOD English & is a sweetie!
NOTE: What transpired when we went, we with with a really nice family that ONLY did the Canopy/Zipline (about 1 hour) & Horseback Riding (about 45 minutes) plus lunch - vs OUR Canopy/Zipline (1 hour) & our 3 hour Nature Walk - so they had to sit there & wait for us for 2 extra hours!!!
Don't want to wait for the other people (especially if they're not with you) &/or desire a more Customized Ride (leave when YOU want to & make stops along the way or even extend over to see the Pacific Ocean [though it's not one of the nicer beaches in Costa Rica])? Hire your own LEGAL/INSURED Van or Taxi to bring you to Turu Ba Ri!!! MY #1 choice for this is Frank Chicas with Enjoying Costa Rica Tours (8-871-2900 / EnjoyingCostaRicaTours@gmail.com) & hire one of his LEGAL English-Speaking drivers (if that's important to you)!!
On a Budget? You can take the OROTINA BUS from the Coca Cola Bus Terminal (I believe it starts around 4:30am & is every 2 hours & takes about 1-1/2 hours to Orotina where you get off & take a taxi there [about 5,000-colones [$10ish])
HOURS:
8:30am-5pm (EVERY DAY OF THE YEAR - INCLUDING Easter, Christmas & New Years!!!). 1st Tour - 9am. Last Tour - 3pm [weather permitting])
LOCATION:
Turu Ba Ri is located about 30 miles/48km (this does NOT NOT NOT follow our standard 2 minutes/mile calculating in Costa Rica!!!) from San Jose along Route 27 & is 10 minutes from Orotina. From Escazu - either the faster (less than an hour) NEW Autopistas del Sol OR the slower (almost 1-1/2 hours) yet MUCH MORE BEAUTIFUL route through Ciudad Colon, the Quitirrisi Indian Reserve, Puriscal & Barbacoas [7km outside of Orotina, on the banks of the Tarcoles River]).
RESERVATIONS:
Contact Pablo at 2-250-0705 / 2-428-6070 / reservas1@TuruBaRi.com & tell him "HOLA" from Vicki
.
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