BudgetTravel

The Real Deal: Twelve nights' accommodations, some meals, public transportation, and a horseback ride for $695 per person--plus taxes of about $26.

When: Depart Aug. 5 (wait list), Sept. 23, Oct. 7, 21, Nov. 11, 2007.

Clouds sweeping across Volcan Arenal (Anne W. Krause/Corbis)

The Fine Print: The $695 price is divided between $495 that you pay upfront and $200 to be paid upon arrival. Six breakfasts, five lunches and six dinners are included. Expect to pay $180 for additional meals. There is a $26 tax charged at the airport when leaving Costa Rica. G.A.P requires its participants to purchase medical out of country insurance; the cost varies based on factors such as the duration of a tour and a traveler's age. No single supplement; single travelers are paired in twin rooms with someone of the same sex. Group sizes average eight people and are limited to 15 people. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.

Book By: No deadline; based on availability.

Contact: G.A.P Adventures, 800/708-7761, gapadventures.com.

Why It's a Deal: The package price of $695 breaks down to about $53 a day, and it includes accommodations, all meals for the first half of your trip, and the services of an English-speaking tour guide.

Trip Details: The tour package includes six nights in simple hotels and six nights at a rustic lodge. You'll start your trip in San José, exploring the city's culture and history at your leisure, and spend the night at Hotel Aranjuez, centrally located in one of the city's oldest districts.

The true adventure begins on day two, when you'll board a bus for a five-hour drive to a small beach town on the central Pacific Coast called Playa Matapalo. The bulk of your trip--five days--will be spent working with international volunteers to help protect endangered sea turtles. The hotel for your six-night stay will be chosen by the tour organizers.

Six breakfasts, five lunches and six dinners will be provided. Hint: If you travel between June and November, you'll have the best chance of working with sea turtles.

After your volunteering stint, you're off to the mountains to spend two days exploring the town of Monteverde (founded by Quakers from the United States in the 1950s) and the Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. If you love nature, this might be your favorite part of the trip.

Then you'll travel on horseback for about three hours to La Fortuna, a town at the foot of the Arenal Volcano. One of the highlights of the trip is a night hike around the base of the volcano to see its top, a glowing bright red (add $25). Nearby attractions include the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge (add $45) and the hot springs of Tabacon Resort (add $15-$35).

For the final night of your stay, you'll go back to San José, where you can spend the day at your leisure. Prices for optional activities, such as tours, rafting, bicycling, and more, range from $8 to $80.

You can extend your stay in San José for $25 per person per night for a shared room or $40 per person per night for a single. G.A.P also offers a mini "city break" extension for $85 per person for two nights' double accommodations ($120 single), airport arrival or departure transfer (only one of the two), and a city tour.

For more tips on what to do in the area, check Costa Rica's official tourism board. And before you go, check the weather forecast, the exchange rate, and the local time at Budget Travel Online.

Getting There: The lowest round-trip airfares we found on Sidestep to San Jose, Costa Rica, in October are $293 from New York City (Delta) and $303 from Los Angeles (American).

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