Join SF muralist and illustrator Mona Caron and host Harlow Newton (owner of Buenaventura) for a unique painting Workshop & Rainforest Eco-Adventure Retreat at Buenaventura's Pueblo Nuevo Eco-Village in the River Division of Costa Rica, a serene and secluded location immediately adjacent to Los Santos national forest reserve.
Learn Mona's painting techniques step by step, as she teaches two 1.5 hours technique classes per day, leaving lots of free time for a choice of eco-adventures and rejuvenation activities available each
day, as well as immersions into the natural surroundings with Mona, literally foraging for the inspiration for an on-site mural painting.
About Mona:
Best known in SF for her Market Street Railway mural on Church and 15th St, and the Duboce Bikeway mural behind Safeway at Duboce and Church, Mona is also an illustrator and an experienced teacher of water-based painting techniques. She also loves to discuss the philosophies behind different approaches to concept development, and ways to achieve a sense of purpose in art-making.
More about Mona at: www.monacaron.com
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Highlights:
* Intimate Art Workshop with San Francisco’s top Muralist Mona Caron
* Rainforest Eco-Adventures at Buenaventura’s Wildlife & Wilderness Park (180 acres of rainforest with mountains, trails, waterfalls)
* Rejuvenation, Meditation & Yoga (relax and restore yourself in pure serene nature)
* Opportunities to meet the local community and practice Spanish
* ZenZu Jungle Costume Party with Music & Dancing to celebrate the coming of Summer Solstice
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Day to Day Travel Itinerary:
Please note: If you are traveling from SF, LA, NYC, Houston, Chicago or Washington DC, we suggest taking TACA Airlines for best flight times and schedule, so you don't have to over-night on your first and last night in San Jose. TACA has red-eye flights departing from the above mentioned US cities that arrive in San Jose Costa Rica in the morning before 10 am. Please visit http://www.taca.com to find a flight or contact Harlow at Tico Guide Travel to help you with your flights.
DAY 1: 06/12 (Saturday) – Meet and Greet group at San Jose Airport or nearby hotels at 10:00 am / Transfer to San Isidro in Private Shuttle Bus (3 hour drive) / Stop for lunch at La Georgina Restaurant (overlooking Cerro de La Muerte) / Transfer in 4x4 SUVs to Pueblo Nuevo Eco-Village/Buenaventura (1 hour drive) / Check in / Group Dinner / Stay 1st night at Buenaventura
DAY 2: 06/13 (Sunday) – Breakfast / Orientation Day - Introduction to Art Workshop with Mona / 3 Hour Guided Orientation Tour of Buenaventura, Tres Semillas Organic Farm and Pueblo Nuevo Eco-Village / Lunch / Afternoon Art Workshop with Mona / Free downtime / Group Dinner / Stay 2nd night at Buenaventura
DAY 3: 06/14 (Monday) – Breakfast / Morning Art Workshop with Mona / Free Day to swim in the river, relax in the hammock / Lunch / Play Soccer with Kids in Community / Afternoon Art Workshop with Mona / Group Dinner / Stay 3rd night at Buenaventura
DAY 4: 06/15 (Tuesday) – Breakfast / Morning Art Workshop with Mona / Hiking Tour with guides Harlow and Gerardo to Sacred Monkey Rock & Pavas Creek (with Swimming pools and waterfalls in the rainforest) / Lunch at Tres Semillas / Afternoon Art Workshop with Mona / Stay 4th night at Buenaventura
DAY 5: 06/16 (Wednesday) – Breakfast / Morning Art Workshop with Mona / Free Day (Option to tour investment properties and lots for sale in Buenaventura’s Pueblo Nuevo Eco-Village or spend the day relaxing and hanging out at the river / Lunch at Tres Semillas / Play Soccer with Kids in Community / Afternoon Art Workshop with Mona / Stay 5th night at Buenaventura
DAY 6: 06/17 (Thursday) – Breakfast / Morning Art Workshop with Mona / Free Day or Option to participate in Local Community Volunteer Day (Option to volunteer for a few hours helping a poor family paint their home with paints/materials that are provided through Buenaventura’s Local Community fund) or spend the day relaxing and hanging out at the river / Lunch at Tres Semillas / Afternoon Art Workshop with Mona / ZenZu Jungle Party/Celebration for Summer Solstice (Costumes Encouraged) / Stay 6th night at Buenaventura
DAY 7: 06/18 (Friday) – Breakfast / Morning Art Workshop with Mona / Free Day to painting, hiking or relaxing and hanging out at the river / Lunch at Tres Semillas / Afternoon Art Workshop with Mona / Stay 7th night at Buenaventura
DAY 8: 06/19 (Saturday) – Breakfast / Travel Day Home - Depart Buenaventura in the morning in 4x4 taxis / Transfer from San Isidro to San Jose via Pacific Coastal Highway / Stop at the beach in Dominical for lunch and to jump in the ocean / Check in for late afternoon flight (TACA Airlines flights depart in late afternoon back to SFO, LAX or JFK) / Arrive home safe and sound!
LONGER STAY - BEACH OR OTHER DESTINATION?
If you are interested in extending your stay in Costa Rica and spending a few days on the beach or visiting other areas of Costa Rica, we can help you with travel arrangements including hotels, transfers, tours/activities, and other travel logistics.
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Activate Your Adventurous Spirit and Physical Body to...
+ Trek through Buenaventura's 180 acre Eco-Adventure Rainforest Park & Private Wildlife Reserve bordering the Los Santos Forest Reserve
+ Spot Toucans and Hundreds of other Colorful & Tropical Birds around Buenaventura
+ Jump in the River and Soak and Slide at Las Pilas Creek's Waterfalls, Swimming Holes & Natural Water Slides
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Celebrate Life, Music, Art, Dance, and Good Times...
+ Celebrate Summer Solstice and express your artistic self at Buenaventura's ZenZu Jungle Costume Party with Music & Dancing in celebration of Summer Solstice
+ Paint Your Dream on Buenaventura’s Dream Wall at Posada de Sueńos
+ Create or Build an Art Installation
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Rejuvenate Your Body, Mind & Spirit...
+ Practice Yoga and Meditation in True Serenity
+ Refresh Yourself and Massage Your Body under the BuenaFortuna & Las Pilas Waterfalls surrounded in the Rainforest
+ Rejuvenate Your Skin with "Do-It-Yourself Natural Spa Treatments" using Natural and Pure Organic Clays found along Pavas Creek for Pure Facial Cleanses and Full Body Exfoliations
+ Zen Out on a Rock while Listening to the Symphonic and Healing Sounds of the Rainforest Around You
+ Breathe in Fresh & Pure Oxygen & Drink Fresh Spring Water that has Healing & Long-term Living Qualities
+ Nourish Yourself with Healthy & Fresh Home-Grown Organic Meals and Fresh Natural Fruit Juices
+ Harvest Your Meal from the Buenaventura Organic Crop Fields, Herb & Salad Gardens & Tropical Fruit Orchards
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Immerse Yourself in Costa Rican Country Culture...
+ Visit Small Rural Towns and Communities where Local "Ticos" Live in a Mountainous Valley of Rolling-Open Hills and dense Tropical Rainforest and Wilderness
+ Connect with Local "Ticos" and meet the Newton-Saenz Bi-Cultural Family that runs Buenaventura
+ Learn Spanish and Popular Costa Rican Words, Cultural & Urban Phrases & Humorous Slang
+ Plant A Tree or Lend A Helping Hand in the Nursery
+ Experience Costa Rican Farm & Country Living "Where the Country Meets the Rainforest" at Buenaventura
+ Option to Volunteer for a couple hours helping paint in El Llano, a Small Rural Town & Community near Buenaventura
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Optional Paid Workshops
($10 per workshop per person / Minimum 2 students)
+ Learn How to Milk A Cow and Make Fresh Cheese and other Organic Natural Dairy Products
+ Harvest and Learn how to Press Sugar Cane to Make Fresh Sugar Cane Juice and "Tapa de Dulce" (Crude Sugar used as a natural sweetener)
+ Take a Cooking Lesson with Tamara at Buenaventura to Learn How to Cook and Make Home-made Tamales, Fresh Corn Ground Pupusas and other Latin American Dishes
+ Attend A Workshop on Organic Gardening and Composting with Tamara Newton-Saenz, Harlow's sister
... and Have Fun along the way with Good Tunes and Good Times, while Minimizing our Travel Eco-Footprint and Supporting & Patronizing Locally-owned Businesses and Communities and Respecting our Visit to the People and Land of Pura Vida!
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GUEST ACCOMMODATIONS:
Retreat guests will be lodging at Buenaventura's "Pueblo Nuevo Eco-Village" located in a private and serene valley, between dense rainforest mountains in the valley of River Division.
Pueblo Nuevo is set between the river and a back-country dirt road that dead-ends 2 miles downriver in the town of El Brujo (The Wizard), and leads back out to the city of San Isidro, about a 1.5 hour drive away.
The locals call this place Rio Nuevo (New River), because Rio Division is considered one of the top 5 cleanest rivers in the country, and ranks high globally.
With almost a mile of riverfront, Buenaventura's 180 acres of mountainous rainforest property are located along the north side of Rio Division, with 40% of the property within the southern border of the Los Santos Forest Reserve, an area north of Buenaventura with over 300,000 acres of protected primary and secondary Tropical Cloud Forests and Humid Rain Forests and where many endangered animals (like Jaguars, Tapirs, Sloths, etc.) and plant species live on the western valleys and foothills of the Talamanca Corridor.
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LODGING OPTIONS:
Buenaventura's Pueblo Nuevo Eco-Village offers guests two different lodging options:
* Posada de Sueños Group House/Hostel - A 3 Bedroom House/Hostel, Shared Kitchen/Bar and Community Gathering Space (3 Shared Rooms)
* Casita SalvaDanta - A River Front 1 Bedroom House with Large Yoga/Chill out Deck
Pueblo Nuevo also has outdoor gathering spaces, yoga/chill space deck, bonfire circles and river-side hammocks.
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RETREAT PACKAGES:
(All rates listed below are in US Dollars)
* POSADA DE SUEÑOS GROUP HOUSE PACKAGE: $1,120 per person
Lodging in Shared Room (shared rooms have 1 or 2 bunk beds) (Group House/Hostel has a shared kitchen, community gathering space/ shared bathrooms / showers / Max 10 People)
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* CASITA SALVADANTA PACKAGE: $1,250 per person
Lodging in 1 Bedroom House (2 Single Beds, 1 Queen Bed or 2 bunk beds)
(Private House has 1 large bedroom, a large deck overlooking river, kitchen, private bathroom, shower, and hammocks / Max 4 Pax)
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WHAT'S INCLUDED IN RETREAT PACKAGES:
All Packages listed above include lodging, plus all of the following:
* Two Daily Art Workshop Classes with Mona Caron (1.5 hours per class)
* Lodging in Pueblo Nuevo Eco-Village (choice of staying in the hostel or cabin)
* Round-Trip Ground Transfers to/from Buenaventura from San Jose Airport (Coaster Bus and 4x4 SUV taxis)
* 3 Organic Home-Grown and Home-Cooked Costa Rican country-style Meals during your stay at Buenaventura’s Pueblo Nuevo Eco-Village and two Lunch meals during your transfer days
* Unlimited Fresh Tropical Fruit Juices, Café, Tea, and Rainforest Snacks during your stay at Buenaventura’s Pueblo Nuevo Eco-Village
* Two Guided Eco-Activities with Buenaventura Guides (Orientation & Farm Tour of Buenaventura and BuenaFortuna Waterfall and Guided Rainforest Hiking Tour to Sacred Monkey Rock and Pavas Creek Swimming Holes and Waterfalls)
* Entrance Pass to Buenaventura's 180 acre Eco-Adventure Park & Wildlife Rainforest Reserve
* Tips for drivers, local guides, housekeeping, cooks, etc.
* All Travel Arrangements by Tico Guide Travel (air, ground, lodging, activities, etc.)
* In-country Travel Facilitator and your Host and Tour Guide (Harlow Salvador)
* Large Deck/Platform available to do Yoga, Meditation, Lounging, etc.
* Lots of Free Activities (Swim in Costa Rica’s cleanest river, Walk to local village to meet locals, etc)
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WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED IN THE PACKAGES:
* International Airfare to Costa Rica (Suggest TACA Airlines flights from SFO, LAX or JFK) Fares are ~$650.00 right now for roundtrip flights from SFO to SJO
(You can find cheaper flights on other carriers, but their flight times aren’t as good as TACA’s, and you might have to overnight on your first or last night near the airport, which will cost anywhere from $40-$150 and you’ll have to either arrive one day early or leave one day later. If you have United Miles, TACA is affiliated with United, so you might be able to use your miles for these flight dates. Please check with United directly).
* Any Additional Tours or Workshops at Buenaventura
* Laundry & Gifts (~$50)
* $26 Airport Exit Tax
* Travel Medical and Trip Cancellation Insurance (Required - ~$125 for 7 day trip). Go to http://www.insuremytrip.com to view and purchase a policy
Estimate Totals for Additional Cost: $800.00 - $900.00 USD per person (depending on the cost of your International Airfare to/from Costa Rica)
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ESTIMATED GRAND TOTAL WITH EVERYTHING INCLUDED:
$1,800.00 - $2,000.00 USD PER PERSON FOR A 8 DAY / 7 NIGHT LIFE CHANGING, INSPIRING, FUN & REJUVENATING EXPERIENCE!
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ONLINE PAYMENT WITH CREDIT CARD:
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** To keep our prices reasonable and low for our clients and guests, we prefer to receive the Trip Package payment by check or cash payable to Tico Guide Travel. If you wish to pay by credit card via our PayPal payment gateway, a 3% surcharge has been added to cover credit card processing banking fees.
A $300.00 Non-Refundable Deposit per traveler is required by no later than April 15th to secure placement, and the balance is due by no later than May 15th, 2010.
FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO JOIN THIS GROUP, PLEASE CONTACT HARLOW SALVADOR AT TICO GUIDE TRAVEL AT salvador@ticoguidetravel.com or call 415-970-0794
Our Social & Environmental Sustainable Business Practice: Buenaventura and Tico Guide Travel donate 5% of Net Profits to Social, Educational & Environmental Programs in Costa Rica.
This event, community gathering & week long retreat, is a "Leave No Trace", "Low Environmental Impact" and "Community Participation" event. Similar to events like Burning Man, Earthdance, etc, we ask our guests to make sure they pack out everything they bring and participate in the event by bringing something to share or give to the event, whether you are a yoga instructor, musician, artist, massage therapist, etc., we encourage everyone to bring a little of yourself and your self-expression to Buenaventura!
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Art Workshop & Rainforest Eco-Adventure Retreat