We would also recommend experiencing this trip as a self-drive for ultimate flexibility, allowing you to explore at your own pace. Please refer to the price example provided above for this option.
Day 1 – We know the way to San José
After a long flight, you’ll be pleased to see a representative from our local office waiting to whisk you away to your modern hotel. The next morning, you’ll visit the office of our local partner, where you’ll be greeted with a Costa Rican coffee. Bustling markets, shopping districts, numerous museums and galleries are within easy reach.
Day 2 – San José city tour
This morning, you’ll be picked up and taken to our local office, where you’ll be greeted with a steaming cup of Costa Rican coffee. One of our local team members will talk you through your Costa Rica trip and give you some great tips to help make the most out of your time in Costa Rica. San Jose may not be the most beautiful of cities, but there’s still fun to be had!
As some of the areas of interest are not too easy to find, we’ll map out a 2-hour walk for you around the city, with an English-speaking guide. You’ll be able to ask them any questions you might have. You’ll stop by museums, the park and the central market. Here you can learn all about typical food, tropical fruits and perhaps enjoy a delicious ice cream or a coffee. The tour will end at around lunchtime time giving you the rest of the day free.
Day 3 – Through the jungle to Tortuguero
From San Jose you’ll be picked up by coach for the journey to Tortuguero. You’ll travel in a coach from the city through some spectacular mountain landscapes before dropping down into the farmlands. After about 3 hours you’ll stop off near Guapiles where you’ll have a breakfast stop. You’ll continue to the Pavona docks, where you’ll disembark your coach and switch to a boat for the final 90 minutes of your journey into the rainforest. Keep an eye out for playful monkeys and colourful toucans along the way.
At the lodge, you’ll go ashore and be welcomed with an arrival drink. Your home for the next couple of nights is a wooden cabin, with your own shower, toilet and fan, set in an enticing tropical garden. This afternoon, you’ll have time to settle in and relax by the pool. At the end of the afternoon, you’ll start your first activity. If you’re lucky to be here during the right season (Feb to April and July to October for the different species), you will probably want to see the turtles laying their eggs.
Day 4 – Exploring the waterways
You won’t need to set an alarm clock this morning as the howl of the monkeys will definitely be enough to wake you. Bright and early, you’ll leave the rest of the group and embark on a specially organised canoe adventure, with up to 6 people in the boat. As you paddle through the narrow river channels, you’ll need to keep your wits about you and occasionally duck under the branches heading your way.
In the afternoon, you’ll head off on another boat excursion. As you cruise down the river, you can feel the calm in the air, interrupted only by a sudden rustling of branches or twittering of birds in the trees. Your Costa Rica guide may seem to have eyes in the back of his head as he notices a lizard or kingfisher sitting motionless on a branch.
Days 5 – Lava flows of Arenal Volcano
At the end of your stay in the rainforest, you’ll return by boat to Pavona docks. You’ll be taken by coach back to your meal stop in Guapiles, where you’ll enjoy a delicious lunch. Next, we’ll reserve a space aboard the shuttle bus from Guapiles near Tortuguero to La Fortuna. If you’re travelling by hire car, you’ll pick up your car in the town of Guapiles. Your driving time today is between 2 to 3 hours.
As you head towards La Fortuna, at the foot of Arenal volcano, you’ll notice the landscape becoming more mountainous and the winding road becoming more pot-holed. The mighty volcano and beautiful countryside is one of the most iconic images of Costa Rica. We’ll arrange for you to stay in a comfortable wooden cabin hotel, just outside the popular tourist town.
Day 6 – Hiking and hot springs
Today you’ll be collected from your hotel with a small group and a guide. You will hike through lush landscapes, learning about the history and wildlife, with the ever-present volcano as your backdrop. After marvelling at the view over Arenal Lake, you’ll be transferred to the hot springs where you can relax and unwind in the mineral baths, followed by a tasty buffet dinner.
Day 7 – Into the cloud forests of Monteverde
Next, we’ll arrange for a jeep and boat transfer to take you from your hotel in La Fortuna to your hotel in Monteverde, which should take about 3 hours. If you’re driving, you’ll take a bumpy road and perhaps, along the way, stop off at a cafe. Driving time is usually about 4 hours. Feel the magic of the dense cloud forest of Monteverde. You’ll stay in a comfortable Swiss-style chalet, set amongst wooded surroundings. Once you’ve settled in, you can take advantage of some of the local activities available, such as visiting the frog pond to see many different species and learn all about them from a local expert. Alternatively, check out one of the restaurants and bars in this bustling town.
Day 8 – Guided treetop walk
With its high humidity and altitude, Monteverde is full of lush vegetation. Today, you’ll join your guide and a small group of other travellers to experience the cloud forest for yourself. You’ll take a 3km walk along many sturdy bridges and walkways at different heights. As most animals here are nocturnal and rather shy, the tour will be geared towards a botanical experience, focusing on the diverse variety of plants.
Day 9 – Lazy days at Samara Beach
Next, you’ll jump in your hire car, or we’ll arrange a seat on the shuttle bus from Monteverde to Samara. Today’s driving time should be around 5 hours. Samara is a cosy village with a long, sandy beach complete with palm trees and a calm sea that slopes gently from the sand. There are no large hotels and the surroundings here are beautiful. You’ll stay in a small-scale lodge just a few minutes’ walk from the beach and Samara village. At night you can hear the hundreds of sounds of the jungle and the roar of the sea.
Day 10 – Kayak to coral restoration project
Today you’ll be collected from your hotel along with a small group to drive to the starting point of your excursion. After a briefing, you’ll hop in your kayak to paddle over to Isla Chora. Here, you’ll visit a community-driven coral restoration project and learn how coral nurseries are grown and replanted to bring the reef back to life, helping marine biodiversity and creating a thriving home for sea creatures.
Day 11 – Free time in Samara
We have not arranged for you to do anything today, so you can spend it as you wish. Take it slow and relax on the palm-lined beaches, explore nearby Playa Carrillo, take to the water on a paddleboard or enjoy a tasty local lunch in town.
Day 12 – Return to San Jose and departure
Next, you’ll make the 5 to 6 hour journey from Samara to San Jose, where you’ll spend the last night of your trip in the same hotel that you stayed in previously. The next day, we’ll arrange for a transfer to collect you from your hotel and take you to the airport.
Accommodation
For this itinerary we offer the following options
Travel by Hire Car
For a little extra freedom, you can choose to travel by hire car. Aside from the occasional pothole on the rural roads, driving in Costa Rica is pretty easy and stress-free, and we think it’s a really lovely and adventurous way to explore the country. You’ll have a modern SUV car complete with GPS and insurance cover, so you’re all good to go!