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

Activity note: Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Program Registration. 5:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, ask the front desk for the location of the Road Scholar meeting room so you can register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, and other important information. If your arrival is delayed, please ask for your packet when you check in. Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. All transportation will be provided by motorcoach unless otherwise specified. Free time is reserved for your personal independent exploration. Evenings at leisure offer opportunities to make the program more meaningful and memorable through personal independent exploration, engaging in available activities on your own, or simply relaxing and making new friends among fellow participants. The Group Leader will always be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

Dinner: At a local restaurant a short walk from the hotel, enjoy a plated meal plus soft drinks, coffee, tea or water.

Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the full day ahead. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Activity note: Hike about 1 mile, approx. 1 hour, on uneven terrain. Drive to Guanica is about 80 miles, approx. 2.5 hours.

Breakfast: At the hotel, we will enjoy a buffet featuring a wide variety of options including eggs, pancakes, waffles, bread, toast, cereal, and breakfast meats, plus coffee, tea, juice, water.

Morning: We’ll check out of the hotel and board the motorcoach for our transfer to La Guanica.

Lunch: At local restaurant

Afternoon: Continuing our transfer to Guanica, we will travel via the Luis A. Ferre Highway over La Cordillera Central, the island's main mountain range. On our way, we will make a short stop in the downtown square of Ponce for a stretch and a Walking Tour of Ponearound. Upon arrival, we’ll check-in to the hotel.

Dinner: At the hotel, we’ll have a plated meal plus coffee, tea, soft drinks and water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Paddling approximately 3 miles . Bring a towel from the hotel

Breakfast: At the hotel, we will enjoy a buffet featuring a wide variety of options including eggs, pancakes, waffles, bread, toast, cereal, and breakfast meats, plus coffee, tea, juice, water.

Morning: We will meet at the hotel lobby and we will take you to get your kayak to explore mangrove canals ""Canales de la Parguera"" to Cayo Caracoles all the way to stepping foot on to the La Parguera Keys shores, coming eye to eye with the various marine life local to these areas.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we’ll order from a select menu, plus standard beverages.

Afternoon: At the hotel, we’ll meet at the pool for snorkeling questions where the Group Leader will provide basic instruction and training on how to snorkel as well as other useful tips to fully enjoy your snorkeling experience in Puerto Rico.

Dinner: At a local restaurant, enjoy a plated meal, plus coffee, soft drinks and water; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: We will take transportation to La Parguera where we will embark on a nighttime boat trip with our Group Leader to see the marine light show produced by dinoflagellates when they sense a disturbance and shimmer in the water. Once there, we will have some time to swim and play with the glowing plankton. The Bioluminescent Bay in La Parguera is among the most famous in the world. We’ll then return to the hotel.

Activity note: Getting on/off boat. Snorkeling in water 3-10 feet deep. Hike about 2 miles, approx. 1 hour, over rubbly terrain. Bring walking shoes with good ankle support and swimwear and a towel for the beach following our hike. Getting on/off boat; ride lasts for approx. 1.5 hours.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will embark on a boat with our Group Leader to sail to the coral heads, approximately 1 mile offshore. There, we will snorkel in La Parguera Reef, which protects a wide variety of marine life found in La Parguera Nature Reserve by providing them with shelter and food. The reef averages between 3 to 10 feet in depth with great visibility. We’ll then return to shore.

Lunch: At a local café, we’ll have plated meals with standard beverages.

Afternoon: On our way via motorcoach to the Dry Forest where we'll trail hike from sea level to 600 feet at Guanica Dry Forest -- a UN Biosphere Reserve. Along the way, we'll learn about this unique habitat and the research being conducted there. The hike will be approximately 1 miles over rubbly terrain. Solid walking shoes with good ankle support is recomended On the way back to the hotel we'll stop at one of the beautiful beaches that line Puerto Rico’s southern shore to relax and swim if you choose. (please bring swimwear & towel).

Dinner: At the Hotel

Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.

Activity note: Drive to Caguas is approx.79 miles, about 2 hours. Drive to San Juan is approx. 21 miles, about.5 hours. Walking about 3 mile, approx. 2 hours, on uneven, slippery and paved terrain; wear solid walking shoes with ankle support.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will board our motor coach to transfer to Caguas City. In Caguas we will take a walking field trip to Ruta del Corazón Criollo — Route of the Creole Heart. Along the way, we’ll spot at a few points of interest and familiarize ourselves with the artistic culture of the area. Our historical journey through the heart of Caguas will provide a unique view into the cultural influence of this important city in the valley as we visit small craft shops and museums with our Group Leader.

Lunch: At leisure

Afternoon: As we make our way to the capital city, we will enjoy the scenery out the windows and make some restroom stops. We will stop at Old San Juan and explore the old city on a walking field trip with a local expert. We’ll visit iconic sites such as the San Felipe de Morro Fort and La Muralla while learning about the city’s history. Enjoy the rest of the time on your own to see and do what interests you most in Old San Juan. You may wish to walk the cobblestone streets rich in architectural delights and tree shaded squares more reminiscent of Europe than America. The city is built on a hill so comfortable walking shoes and a reasonable level of fitness are a must to ensure you enjoy all of the diverse experiences the "Vieja Ciudad" has to offer.

Dinner: At a local restaurant a short walk from the hotel, enjoy a plated meal plus standard beverages.

Evening: At leisure.

Activity note: Hike about 2 miles, approx. 1.5 hrs , over uneven terrain with high humidity. . Drive is about 32 miles total, approx. 1 hour.

Breakfast: At the hotel, we will enjoy a buffet featuring a wide variety of options including eggs, pancakes, waffles, bread, toast, cereal, and breakfast meats, plus coffee, tea, juice, water.

Morning: We will then head to El Yunque Rain Forest where we will pick up our local naturalist and expert to receive a brief orientation about the forest followed by a visit to La Coca Fall. Following our orientation, we will set out to hike the trails along Angelitos Trail. This short trail (about ½ mile) is an in and out and takes about 20 minutes to walk one way. As you will notice, this trail is lower in the forest than the other trails, so you will see different types of vegetation. At the end of the trail is a fantastic natural pool area where you will have the opportunity to swim depending on the weather. At the end of our hikes, we will be visiting the Yunque Observatory Tower and then we will return to the hotel.

Lunch: At a local sandwich restaurant, plus standard beverages.

Afternoon: We’ll stop at local beach for some relaxation time before continuing our way to the hotel.

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: Walk about 2 miles on uneven terrain, approx. 1.5 hours drives (60 miles). DUE TO WATER CONDITIONS AND OTHER UNFORESEEN CIRCUMSTANCES, WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO REROUTE TO ANOTHER DESTINATION .

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: From the hotel, we’ll transfer to the Marina in Fajardo, we’ll board a catamaran 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 under expert guidance in breathtakingly beautiful and warm turquoise waters. With luck, we may see turtles, colorful fish, and other marine life.

Lunch: On the boat, we’ll have a buffet lunch

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.

Dinner: At a local restaurant, we’ll enjoy delicious plated meal for farewell dinner plus coffee, soft drinks and water; other beverages available for purchase. Share your favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends.

Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.

Activity note: Hotel check-out 12:00 Noon. See your program’s travel details regarding transfers. If you are an independent traveler (POP status), see “Ground Transportation from Last Location.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet. 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. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!