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Puerto Rico

Walk, Kayak & Snorkel Puerto Rico’s Reefs, Rainforests & Reserves

Program No. 15638RJ
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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
8 days
7 nights
What's Included
19 meals ( 7B, 6L, 6D )
3 expert-led lectures
12 expert-led field trips
2 hands-on experiences
An experienced Group Leader
7 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
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Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).
Afternoon:
HOTEL CHECK-IN: Hotel check-in will be available beginning at 3:00 PM. PROGRAM REGISTRATION & ORIENTATION: We will gather at 5:00 pm in the meeting room room at the hotel for introductions and an orientation to the program. We will provide an informative overview of the program including a review of the updated daily schedule, responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Please be aware that program activities and scheduled times could change due to weather and other local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant a short walk from the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a minibus. Hiking about 2.5 mile, approximately 1 hour; uneven terrain.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll board our mini-bus and transfer to Old San Juan where a local expert will provide an overview of Puerto Rico’s history from the Spanish colonial period to the present.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
In the hotel pool with our Group Leader, we’ll have an introduction to snorkeling and snorkeling practice. The session will cover important procedures plus getting in and out of the water safely from a boat at anchor.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a minibus; driving 34 miles to Fajardo, approximately 1 hour riding time. Hiking about 3 miles, approximately 1.5 hours over uneven terrain with high humidity. Stairs at observatory; no elevator. Extent and duration of walking and other free time activities according to personal choice.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Checking out of the hotel, we will meet in the lobby and board the minibus for our fist stop at El Yunque Rain Forest in our way to the hotel
Lunch:
At a local restaurant at El Yunque
Afternoon:
At El Yunque Rain Forest we will embark on a journey through the only rainforest managed by the Forest Service. This guided experience introduces visitors to both recreational and historical areas within El Yunque National Forest. Along the way, participants have the opportunity to observe the diverse landscape, lush vegetation, and abundant wildlife that make this rainforest unique. As you walk along the trails, you will gain insight into the significance of the services provided by El Yunque. These include the presence of vital bodies of water and their impact on the coast and urban centers located in the eastern region of Puerto Rico. The tour fosters a deeper understanding of the ecological importance and influence of this National Forest. After this experience we will be driving to our hotel for Check In
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
We will take the minibus to Las Croabas Kay where we will take our electric engine boat to the Bioluminescence Lagoon .to see the marine light show produced by dinoflagellates when they sense a disturbance and shimmer in the water. We’ll then return to the hotel.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a minibus. Snorkeling in water 3-10 feet deep. Hiking about 2 miles, approximately 1 hour over rubbly terrain. Bring walking shoes with good ankle support and swimwear and a towel for the beach following our water adventure. Getting on/off a boat; ride lasts for approximately 2 hours.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll take the mini bus to the Marina, then board a boat and ride to Icacos Island off Fajardo. Along the way, we’ll learn about the island.
Lunch:
On the boat
Afternoon:
Arriving at Iacos Island, we’ll get into the water from the boat and swim to shore. Then, led by an expert from our boat crew, we’ll swim and snorkel to see living coral reef formations and experience the underwater world. After our field trip, we’ll return to our hotel
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Hiking about 2 miles, approximately 1 hour over uneven terrain with high humidity. Getting on/off a minibus; driving about 7 miles, approximately 1 hour total riding time. Kayaking for at least one hour , Kayaking may be challenging depending on weather and winds conditions.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Our first stop after lunch will be Las Cabezas de San Juan. See one of the most impressive landscapes of Puerto Rico on an expert-led exploration of the Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve. We’ll learn about the dry forest, seagrass beds and different types of beaches. We will walk along a boardwalk between mangroves until we reach Laguna Grande de Fajardo (Bioluminescent Lagoon).
Lunch:
At a local restaurant
Afternoon:
We’ll stop at a local beach where we will pick up our kayak to paddle the Laguna Grande ,the Reserve encompasses a unique system of lagoons, mangroves, inundated forests, lowland forests, and karstic mountain forests between sea level. We’ll then return to the hotel
Dinner:
At local restaurant
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a minibus. Snorkeling in water 3-10 feet deep. Bring walking shoes with good ankle support and swimwear and a towel for the beach following our water adventure. Due to water conditions and other unforeseen circumstances, we reserve the right to reroute to another destination.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
Checking out of the hotel, we will meet in the lobby. From the hotel, we’ll transfer to the Marina in Fajardo, we’ll board a boat and sail out to small, tranquil Culebra Island for a full-day field trip. Culebra, situated between the main island of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, is one of the Caribbean’s most pristine eco-destinations with some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. We’ll snorkel in breathtakingly beautiful and warm turquoise waters. With luck, we may see turtles, colorful fish, and other marine life.
Lunch:
On the boat.
Afternoon:
Next, our captain will select a beach with the best conditions where we will be able to continue swimming, snorkeling, and beach combing as we like in the company of our expert and Group Leader. There are white and dark sand beaches, shallow and deep coral reefs, cays, and many rocky points. Most of the island is a nature reserve. We’ll return to the hotel late afternoon to return towels and depart to San Juan for Hotel Check In
Dinner:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting on/off a 1/2 hour riding time. approximately 1/2 hour on uneven terrain.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We’ll transfer to Santa Ana Hacienda in Bayamon where will take you back in time to show you how the world’s finest sipping rum has been made through the years. You’ll see the Hacienda’s several historical landmarks, including a beautifully preserved mansion and windmill dating all the way back to the early nineteenth century.
Lunch:
At a local café. We’ll then return to San Juan.
Afternoon:
Free rest of the afternoon.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity Note
Hotel check-out by 12:00 Noon.
Breakfast:
At the hotel. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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