An ideal option for first-time visitors to Costa Rica, this 7-night vacation features the country’s most interesting and popular highlights – allowing you to experience the beautiful scenery, fascinating culture, and warm and wonderful people!
Your Costa Rica vacation will begin with a night in San Jose, the country’s capital city and cultural hub, located in the Central Valley at a sea level that blesses it with spring-like temperatures, all year-round.
The second destination will be Tortuguero, which is only accessible by boat or small aircraft. A true ecotourism paradise in the middle of the tropical rainforest, Tortuguero will provide a panoramic view of the Caribbean side of the country, with its winding waterways and abundant flora and fauna.
Your next stop will be the Arenal Volcano, one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world and a fascinating natural wonder, which regularly delights viewers with its spectacular conic shape.
The journey continues to the Manuel Antonio area, known for its spectacular scenery than combine pristine white sand beaches with rich tropical forests.
Program summary:
Day 1: San José
Day 2: Tortuguero // Visit to Tortuguero Village
Day 3: Tortuguero // Visit to National Park Canals
Day 4: Arenal Volcano // Visit Tabacon Hot Springs
Day 5: Arenal Volcano
Day 6: Manuel Antonio
Day 7: Manuel Antonio
Day 8: Tfr. to Int’l Airport (SJO)
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: SJO INT’L AIRPORT – SAN JOSE
Arrive in San Jose; meeting, assistance and transfer to selected hotel in San José.
Day 2: SAN JOSE – TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This morning, we will head towards the Northern Caribbean Lowlands, the nature lover’s paradise. Just a few miles east of San José in Costa Rica’s lush Central Valley, the highway cuts directly through the Braulio Carrillo National Park, offering terrific views of the virgin forest alongside. Once on the Caribbean side, we will board a boat at the Caño Blanco Dock for a scenic 2 1/2 hour ride to Tortuguero National Park within the Tortuguero Conservation Area. This ride is often the highlight of the tour! The canals and rivers en route offer great photo ops of caimans and crocodiles dozing on the banks, fresh water turtles basking on rocks and carefree monkeys swinging through the canopy with clinging babies. The reserve hosts eleven different habitats, including rainforest, mangrove forests, swamps, beaches and lagoons. It is home to over 400 birds, 60 frog, 30 freshwater fish, and 3 monkey species. After lunch (included), we will visit Tortuguero, a quiet little car-free village located between the sea and the canals with strong Afro-Caribbean roots. It is best known for attracting 40,000 sea turtles a year and the significant conservation efforts non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have undertaken to safeguard them along the 22 miles of protected coastline.
Overnight at selected lodge.
Day 3: TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Our second day in Tortuguero National Park. Depending on the weather (having a tropical climate, the Park is very humid, receiving up to 250 inches of rain a year), we’ll enjoy a guided hike through the jungle and learn about the Park’s biological diversity and its ecosystems that support threatened flora and fauna species, such as the tropical gar–a living fossil now under protection–, and the marine turtles. The rivers are home to manatees, caimans and crocs, the forests house jaguars, ocelots, three-toed sloths, spider, howler and white-headed capuchin monkeys, Baird’s tapir and armadillos. Among the amphibians, some of the most colorful and exotic frogs in the world live here, like the poisonous red dart. For bird lovers, toucans, herons, pink spoonbills, cormorants and fisher eagles are easily spotted. Take time to explore the secondary canals of this paradise where you will have a more intimate encounter with the 400-plus tree species, including the giant mountain almond and about 2,200 species of other plants, such as orchids and bromeliads.
Overnight at selected Lodge.
Day 4: TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK – ARENAL VOLCANO
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
In the mid-morning hours, a boat transfer will take you to the local dock. From there, we will drive to Guapiles, located in the heart of Costa Rica’s banana growing region, the country’s gateway between the Central Highlands and the Caribbean coast. Here lunch will be served. Afterwards, we will continue towards the Northern Lowlands with their diverse scenery of pastures, wetlands, jungles, rain forests, cloud forests and river webs. On the way, we will pass by the agricultural town of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui (where bananas, pineapples and sugar cane are grown), the white sand beach of San Miguel, and the lush green scenery of the village of Venecia and the hot mineral springs of Aguas Zarcas. We will reach the charming town of La Fortuna late in the afternoon, only 4 miles from where the imposing Arenal Volcano looms, with its massive iconic cone shape, on the edge of the region’s rolling flat landscape. This evening unwind in the luxurious Tabacón Hot Springs, which feature a hot river flowing through a series of pools and tributaries. With temperatures ranging between 77 and 122F, the thermal waters, heated by the magma in the Earth’s interior, rise to the surface, bringing minerals found in the earth’s rocky crust. Relax, enjoy and rejuvenate yourself!
Overnight at selected Lodge.
Day 5: ARENAL VOLCANO
Breakfast
This day is at your leisure to explore the area. We highly recommend a visit to the Arenal Volcano National Park (not included), the adventure center of Costa Rica. Although the Volcano is currently in a resting phase, it is assuredly still alive and gives off whiffs of smoke. The Park also offers a wide range of activities. For nature lovers–horseback riding, underground cave exploration, Sky Tram gondola, hiking, hanging bridge or nature walks. For the more adventurous, try canopy touring by zip-line, whitewater rafting, waterfall rappelling, and mountain biking. You can also visit the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, Venado Caves and La Fortuna Waterfall. From the ranger station, request a free map to choose between trails through old lava flows, tropical rainforest or to the lake.
Overnight at selected hotel.
Day 6: ARENAL VOLCANO – MANUEL ANTONIO
Breakfast
Today travel to Central Pacific Coast, specifically to Manuel Antonio National Park. You will be passing through a scenic mountain road with various climates and elevations. On the way, you will be driving along the coastal road until reach the fishing town of Quepos. Finally, at just few minutes from there, you will arrive to Manuel Antonio National Park where you will be impressed by the magnificent beaches of this beautiful National Park. In this area, you will enjoy three night accommodations at Parador Resort hotel.
Day 7: MANUEL ANTONIO
Breakfast
Days at leisure for you to enjoy the hotel grounds, the beach and even consider on taking an optional (extra cost) day tours in the area. No trip to Costa Rica’s mid-Pacific region is complete without a visit to the Manuel Antonio National Park; Perhaps It is so popular because of its expensive white sand beaches backed by an evergreen forest that grows right up to the high tide line. In addition, you will have a number of different adventure options like kayaking, fishing, snorkeling, diving, horseback riding and canopy.
Day 8: MANUEL ANTONIO – SJO INT’L AIRPORT
Breakfast
Your Costa Rican adventure ends today. After breakfast, you will be transferred to San Jose Int’l Airport for your departure flight back home.
*Please note: When choosing your flights, please select one with a return flight that departs no earlier than mid-day, in order to accommodate the transfer time from Manuel Antonio to SJO Int’l Airport.
END OF SERVICES
Standard Category
| Location | Name of the Hotel | Category | Type of Room | CST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San José | Sleep Inn | 3 Stars | Standard | 4 |
| Tortuguero | Laguna Lodge | 3 Stars | Standard | N/A |
| Arenal Volcano | Casa Luna | 3 Stars | Standard | 3 |
| Manuel Antonio | Vela Bar | 3 Stars | Jr. Suite | N/A |
Superior Category
| Location | Name of the Hotel | Category | Type of room | CST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San José | Crowne Plaza Corobicí | 4 stars | Deluxe | 5 |
| Tortuguero | Pachira Lodge | Lodge | Standard | N/A |
| Arenal Volcano | Volcano Lodge | 4 stars | Superior | 5 |
| Manuel Antonio | Si Como No | 4 stars | Standard | 5 |