Costa Rica Tours from San Jose
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10 best Costa Rica tour packages from San Jose
Compiled by
MelissaCosta Rica travel expert at TourRadar
- Costa Rica Wildlife Tour
- Costa Rica Quest
- Costa Rica Experience (8 destinations)
- Costa Rica Classic 12 Day - One Life Adventures
- Essential Costa Rica - Package with Guanacaste
- Tropical Costa Rica 5 Days, Short Break
- Volcanoes Adventure in Costa Rica
- Treasures of Costa Rica
- Arenal Volcano & Monteverde Cloud Forest Costa Rica, the perfect combination
- Supersaver | Costa Rica Essentials Plus & Manuel Antonio Extension, 10 Days
Costa Rica Wildlife Tour
89 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“Just incredible seeing so many sloths and all the other wildlife - monkeys, tarantula, snakes, lizards.”
Gay, traveled in November
The 160km route links destinations across Costa Rica's diverse regions. Transportation includes bus transfers through Poas Volcano National Park, boat rides in Tortuguero waterways, and rafting on Pacuare River. Major stops include Turrialba, Arenal Volcano, and Manuel Antonio beaches.
Duration 15 days Destinations San Jose, Los Quetzales National Park, Turrialba, Tortuguero National Park, Arenal Volcano National Park, Manuel Antonio National Park Age Range Ages 16+ Operator Explore! From $6,540
14% Off- NZ$5,600You save $940
Costa Rica Quest
318 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“Have a great experience. I recommend it to everyone.”
Jack, traveled in February
The colonial streets of San Jose mark the start of this Costa Rican circuit. The route includes La Fortuna near Arenal Volcano, a boat crossing of Lake Arenal to Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio National Park's beaches, showcasing diverse landscapes throughout.
Duration 9 days Destinations San Jose, La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano National Park, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio National Park Age Range Ages 12+ Operator G Adventures From $2,039
30% Off- NZ$1,427You save $612
Costa Rica Experience (8 destinations)
32 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“the whole experience was just wonderful. A nice sampling of several areas of the country”
Laura, traveled in March
This 9-day Costa Rican adventure links 6 major destinations from San Jose. Private vehicles transport you to Santa Rosa de Pocosol, La Fortuna near Arenal Volcano, and Monteverde Cloud Forest, before reaching coastal Quepos, covering approximately 350 km total.
Duration 8 days Destinations San Jose, Santa Rosa de Pocosol, La Fortuna, Arenal, Monteverde, Quepos, Manuel Antonio National Park Age Range Ages 15+ Operator Intrepid Travel From
30% Off- NZ$2,495
Costa Rica Classic 12 Day - One Life Adventures
48 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“This tour has been an incredible experience to see animals in the wild and learn about the ways in which Costa Rica are helping to preserve this natural environment.”
thia, traveled in August
Duration 12 days Destinations San Jose, Poas Volcano National Park, Sarapiquí, La Fortuna, Monteverde, Playa Santa Teresa, Manuel Antonio National Park Age Range Ages 18-59 Operator One Life Adventures From $4,059
10% Off- NZ$3,653You save $406
Essential Costa Rica - Package with Guanacaste
41 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“We hiked and went zip lining. We saw turtles lay eggs in the sand in the middle of the night.”
Ronda, traveled in July
A Costa Rican adventure through Braulio Carrillo National Park leads to Tortuguero's canals and Arenal Volcano National Park. The 855km route includes an Arenal Lake crossing to Monteverde's cloud forests and Tamarindo Beach before returning to San Jose.
Duration 10 days Destinations San Jose, Tortuguero National Park, Arenal Volcano National Park, Monteverde, Playa Tamarindo Age Range Ages 10+ Operated in English, Spanish Operator Destination Services Costa Rica From $3,169
10% Off- NZ$2,852You save $317
Tropical Costa Rica 5 Days, Short Break
14 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“The itinerary, guides, and organization of our entire trip was remarkable!”
Kristen, traveled in April
This 5-day Costa Rican circuit covers 670km from San Jose. The route includes Arenal Volcano via Sarchi town and Tortuguero National Park, combining land and boat transfers, with convenient airport connections in San Jose.
Duration 5 days Destinations San Jose, Sarchi, Arenal Volcano National Park, Tortuguero National Park Age Range All Ages Welcome Operated in English, Spanish Operator Destination Services Costa Rica From $1,599
10% Off- NZ$1,439You save $160
Volcanoes Adventure in Costa Rica
1 Review by TourRadar travelers“Green World was awesome!”
James, traveled in April
A 272km volcanic tour through Costa Rica awaits from San Jose. Private transfers link San Jose International Airport to three volcanic wonders: Arenal, Rincón de la Vieja, and Poas, with comfortable 2-3 star accommodations throughout.
Duration 9 days Destinations San Jose, Orosi, Irazu Volcano National Park, Cartago, Arenal, Rincon de la Vieja Volcano National Park, Poas Volcano National Park Age Range All Ages Welcome Operated in English, Spanish Operator Green World Adventures From $3,517
15% Off- NZ$2,990You save $528
Treasures of Costa Rica
9 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“It was my first through a tour company and I did not know what to expect. It turned out great.”
Allison, traveled in July
This 8-day, 650km Costa Rican journey begins at Juan Santamaria International Airport. Air-conditioned bus transport reaches Arenal (130km), Monteverde (160km), Manuel Antonio (180km), before returning to San Jose (180km). Private airport transfers included.
No departure dates availableDuration 8 days Destinations San Jose, Arenal Volcano National Park, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio National Park Age Range All Ages Welcome Operator Destination Services Costa Rica Arenal Volcano & Monteverde Cloud Forest Costa Rica, the perfect combination
12 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“Made us feel like we got the best of every part of the trip.”
Josie-Lynn, traveled in November
This 5-day Costa Rican route covers 3 major destinations from San Jose. Shuttle transfers reach Arenal Volcano National Park, cross Arenal Lake by boat, and return to San Jose, with optional transfers to Manuel Antonio or Papagayo Gulf.
Duration 5 days Destinations San Jose, Arenal Volcano National Park, Monteverde Age Range All Ages Welcome Operated in English, Spanish Operator Green World Adventures From $1,893
15% Off- NZ$1,609You save $284
Supersaver | Costa Rica Essentials Plus & Manuel Antonio Extension, 10 Days
10 Reviews by TourRadar travelers“The lodge was lovely and the national park is beautiful! Definitely recommend the optional early morning boat tour.”
Josephine, traveled in February
The route winds through Costa Rica's varied terrain from San Jose to Tortuguero's canals, Arenal Volcano, Monteverde's cloud forests, and Manuel Antonio's beaches. The 745km journey concludes with shared service airport transfer.
Duration 10 days Destinations San Jose, Tortuguero National Park, Arenal Volcano National Park, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio National Park Age Range All Ages Welcome Operated in English, Spanish Operator Destination Services Costa Rica From $4,007
10% Off- NZ$3,606You save $401
What people love about Costa Rica Tours from San Jose
- Classic Costa Rica (including Arenal Volcano National Park)
Great trip. Wonderful tour leader. Many interesting activities. Hikes and a bit physically challenging. Costa Rica not inexpensive. Group was small and congenial.
- Costa Rica Experience (8 destinations)
This was an excellent trip, Edgar the tour guide was very knowledgeable of the area and helped with the wildlife spotting and made the transfers entertaining. This tour is lower cost than other tours in Costa Rica so you get a lot of optional activities. We found that the quality of the options was excellent and you have a real choice of what to do including zip lining, coffee tours, hanging bridges tours, volcanic hot springs etc. Edgar made this work really well everything was slick even when the group split up to do different activities and then we'd always have dinner arranged at a nice place to re-group in the evening. Definitely recommended.
- Mountain & Volcano Costa Rica Tour
This was a great tour. It was well organized. We were disappointed in our stay in Tortuguero though. We even upgraded our lodging to the boula lodge which was a more expensive hotel option. It was dirty, overpriced, and had horrible food. The staff was also not very helpful at all. It wasn’t worth the long transport to go there, and we were overjoyed that we only spent one day there. I’d highly recommend only doing one day in tortuguero and then go to San Jose. We stayed at la puesta del sol in Monteverde, and it was lovely and clean. Highly recommend adding on the bird watching and Don Juan coffee tour here. Also eat at Taco Taco! One of our favorites ever! Then la Regina hotel in la Fortuna was great too with great staff. Consider adding the morning hike for Arenal. Eat at pollo fortuneno. I can’t emphasize enough how bad our time at the lodging at la baula was in tortuguero!! It’s the only reason I’m not giving this 5 stars! Consider adding on some time in guanacaste if you’re doing a longer trip. Overall we felt like this was an adequate amount of time spent to see a lot of Costa Rica.
What our customers ask about Costa Rica Tours from San Jose
What accommodation options are available in San Jose for the first night?
San Jose's hotel scene spans three distinct tiers catering to different budgets and preferences. The Standard category includes the practical Sleep Inn Hotel. Moving up the comfort scale Superior options feature the Holiday Inn Escazu while the Deluxe tier presents the Real Intercontinental. Guest feedback reinforces the convenience factor with one TourRadar traveler noting: "The Sleep Inn Hotel was comfortable and conveniently located for tour departures."
What are the common pickup locations for tours starting in San Jose?
Tour operators in San Jose concentrate their pickups around three key points: Juan Santamaria International Airport the downtown hotel district (including Sleep Inn Hotel and Holiday Inn Express Forum) and the Escazu area where Park Inn by Radisson stands. According to a recent TourRadar traveler: "We were greeted at the airport by the representative and assisted with hotel transfer to Sleep Inn Hotel which was just 15 minutes from the airport."
What should I explore in my free time starting in San Jose?
San Jose's cultural heart reveals itself through several noteworthy spots. The bustling Mercado Central houses more than 200 local vendors while the Metropolitan Church stands as an architectural landmark. The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum offers historical context and Barrio Amón presents well-preserved colonial architecture. Both Country Inn & Suites and Park Inn provide easy access to these sites. A TourRadar traveler adds: "The central avenue is a place where you can interact with locals and learn about their way of living."
What's the average length of tours starting in San Jose Costa Rica?
Most San Jose-based tours run between 8 and 15 days with 10-day itineraries proving most popular among travelers. These routes typically include stays at upscale properties like the Real Continental while covering major attractions from Arenal Volcano to Manuel Antonio National Park. One TourRadar traveler reflects: "The 10-day itinerary was perfect - giving us enough time to explore each location while keeping a good pace through the country."
How long are the transfers from San Jose to the first destinations?
Travel times from San Jose hotels to initial destinations generally take between 3 and 5 hours. The journey to Tortuguero involves a 4-hour road trip followed by a 2-hour boat ride. A TourRadar traveler shares: "The drive from San Jose through Braulio Carrillo National Park was scenic making the long transfer enjoyable."
What are the most popular destinations visited on tours starting from San Jose?
Standard tour routes from San Jose encompass Costa Rica's natural highlights including Arenal Volcano National Park Monteverde Cloud Forest Tortuguero National Park and Manuel Antonio National Park. Most itineraries head northwest to Arenal (4 hours) or northeast to Tortuguero (5-6 hours). A TourRadar traveler reflects: "The itinerary from San Jose covered all the highlights - from volcanoes to cloud forests to beaches giving us a perfect mix of Costa Rica's diverse landscapes."