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I (Vicki Skinner - aka "THE Sarong Goddess") created this blog in 2007 to share DETAILED Finds•Lists•Info•Events•Experiences to help bring more EASE to people living in, visiting or thinking of moving to Costa Rica since DETAILS are NOT easy to find!
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Thursday, July 15, 2010

TURU BA RI TROPICAL ECO-ADVENTURE PARK - Costa Rica












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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