Guayabo Archeological site and Cartago ruins Tour

Pick up will be at 8:00am. Ancient stone carvings of alligator and jaguar gods, ingeniously engineered Pre-Columbian aqueducts where water still flows, and paved roads receding into a lush rainforest - all of these things hint to Costa Rica's mysterious past civilizations. Costa Rica may not be famous for its archaeological history like Guatemala's Tikal or the Incan ruins of Peru, but veiled in the shadow of the Turrialba Volcano - like a mythical "lost city" from a storybook - lies a mysterious ancient city that was home to over 10,000 people who seemed to have mysteriously vanished just before the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century.

This region, known as Guayabo National Monument, is Costa Rica's most important archaeological site and its only named National Monument. The excavations at Guayabo have revealed a network of cobblestone causeways and streets, open and closed aqueducts, cisterns, stairways, mounds, petroglyphs, monoliths, tombs, and sculptures that belong to a pre-Columbian city, which was inhabited between 1000 B.C. and 1400 A.D.

Cartago has another interesting place in the city named "The Ruins", this is the construction of a Romanesque temple in 1957, approximately date adopted by historians. This construction was considerably damaged by the earthquake of Santa Monica, on May 4th, in 1910, this cause the construction was never finished. The Ruins are located in the center of the city, with a beautiful and neat park inside. The history tells us that by 1910, when the iron frame was expected to arrive to Cartago, to form the roof and tie up the walls to finished the church, on May 4th in 1910 an earthquake named Santa Monica occurred and demolished some stone rows of the church , which were scattered in the gardens surrounding; since this day, the temple has remained unfinished; Cartago people longed to build what could be one of the most beautiful architectural buildings of America, their desire was frustrated; but, despite being destroyed by earthquakes, nowadays the structure keeps in its elegance and distinction, covered by a singular spirituality that we must not stop admiring.

• Entrance fee
• 2 person minimum
• Hotel pick up and drop off
• Transport by private vehicle
• $130 per person
• Bilingual tour guide
• Local lunch (casado)
• 8 hours