River Float & Traditional Flavors with Doña Mara

Spend the morning looking for monkeys and toucans on a wildlife safari-style float trip and then get a taste of  Costa Rica in Dona Maras  Kitchen with a hands-on cooking experience exploring the local flavors and traditions of the Arenal region.

Designed for nature lovers,  this Costa Rican tour takes you. Enjoy the sights and sounds of Costa Rica’s wildlife on this 2-hour Wildlife Safari Float Tour. Our experienced guides take you down the  Penas Blancas waterway where you are likely to see small crocodiles, big iguanas, Jesus Christ lizards (they actually walk on water!), and a wide array of migratory birds.. The peace and tranquility of the rainforest allow you to really take in all the sights and sounds of this tropical setting. It is a great river for spotting a sloth or some of the two species of monkeys that call this river home – the howler monkey and white-faced capuchin monkeys. After the river trip ends, guests will enjoy a culinary journey to celebrate the delicious and traditional foods of Costa Rica.
A visit to the kitchen of Dona  Mara will be the highlight of your visit to the Arenal Volcano area. Our private authentic cooking experience, set in the kitchen of Dona Mara in the heart of the Chachagua rainforest, is the perfect place to learn about Costa Rican food and get a taste of the flavors of local traditions.

Dona Mara, a local woman from the Chachagua region near the Arenal Volcano,   will welcome you into her kitchen and present the day’s menu. Dona Maria  is well known in the area for her delicious local cuisine. Learn alongside her how to prepare delicious “Tortillas Caseras” (Tortillas made by hand) from grinding the corn to hand patting the tortillas to toasting them on her wood-burning stove.

Guests will also see what it takes to prepare local Chilera from scratch.  “Chileras” are a local homemade hot sauce blend of  vegetables, spices and peppers and found on every Costa Rican table. Learn the blends and secrets to create your own chilera.  After the tortillas come off the wood-burning stove,  guests will enjoy the fruits of the work  and enjoy a lunch of  hearty tortillas served with a mix  of “gallos”-  small traditional dishes of picadillos ( vegetable and meat  hash) made with potatoes, arracacha and green papayas, meats in sauce, local cheeses and sometimes smokey chorizo. Come to the table and savor   all of the authentic local specialties  on Dona Maras open-air  terrace

Tour Duration: Approx. 5 hours