Best of Costa Rica

Day 1: Arrival

Upon arrival into San Jose Airport, a local representative will meet and transfer you by private vehicle to the hotel. 

Overnight at: Hotel Grano de Oro 

Day 2: San Jose Tortuguero 

You will start early morning driving through the Braulio Carrillo National Park to the canals lining the Atlantic Coast, where the two-hour boat trip to Tortuguero starts. A typical breakfast is served on the way, giving you a flavour of the local cuisine. Tortuguero National Park, with its 21,000 hectares of preserved tropical rainforest, will give you the the best opportunity to experience a wide range of tropical wildlife. After lunch, you will visit the Caribbean Conservation Corporation & the turtle museum, and end your day enjoying some local fare.

Overnight at: Manatus Lodge

Day 3: Tortuguero Canals 

After a hearty breakfast, enjoy a guided boat tour along the canals of Tortuguero national park. Visit the canals within the National park to discover a large variety of birds and get detailed information on the flora and fauna of the area. Get back to the lodge for a spot of lunch, and in the afternoon head out on the boat and take a canals tour of Tortuguero National Park.

Overnight at: Manatus Lodge

Day 4: Tortuguero - Arenal 

Enjoy a scenic boat and bus transfer back to the town of Guapiles. There is a range of local cuisines to try out before you depart for Arenal by shared shuttle transfer. You will find Arenal’s perfectly symmetrical shape makes it a sightseer’s dream. Here you can do many of the activities Costa Rica is famous for. You will get to see one of the most fascinating volcanoes in Costa Rica, a lake which is world-famous for windsurfing and an incredibly diverse population of wildlife.

Overnight at: Arenal Nayara in a Casita  

Day 5: Arenal

Today you will head to the Arenal Volcano Hike & Tabacon Hot Springs  Enjoy the most extraordinary view of the Arenal Volcano on a gentle hike along the base of this marvellous volcano. The hike begins in one the trails close to the volcano, this trail will take you through the forest over lava flows and an area destroyed in 1968, now in the process of regeneration. You can soak your tired muscles from the hike afterwards at the volcanic thermal mineral pools at the Hot Springs. 

Overnight at: Arenal Nayara in a Casita

Day 6: Monteverde 

Today start with the Sky Tram guided tour, where you can stop for short stops to observe the cloud forest biodiversity, the Arenal, Tenorio, Miravalles & Orosi volcanoes, the Nicoya Gulf, and the Guanacaste plain. Ride for about 1600 meters with altitudes of 1400-1600, leading you up to the Continental Divide. You will also be able to go zip lining on the Sky Trek tour which starts with the Sky Tram & has a system of zip lines ranging from mountain to mountain. Zip line at speeds up to 40 miles per hour with distances ranging up to 2500 ft and heights of 524 ft. 

Overnight at: Hotel Belmar

Day 7: Monteverde

Cloud Forest Reserve Tour was founded in 1972 and takes you to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. It is among the most famous reserves in the world for its biodiversity, conservation, contributions, and scientific researches.  You will hike through the well-marked trails, waterfalls, rivers, and the observation area of the park. If you are lucky you might spot a "Quetzal", one of the most beautiful birds in the world. You will also see an amazing variety of flora and fauna in this tour.

Overnight at: Hotel Belmar

Day 8: Departure

Private transfer to San Jose airport, a journey of approximately 2.5 hours.