From
NZ $2,860

Highlights of Costa Rica

8 days
Start and end in San Jose
4.4
43 traveler reviews
From
NZ $2,860
Find this price
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Payment plan $352 now + easy payments of $244 Learn More

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Plan your adventure:
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Medium Intensity
Travelers should be comfortable with somewhat-demanding activities
Guided in English
Group Size 7 - 16
Age range 16 to 85
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Highlights

  • Admire the classic cone-shape wonder of Arenal
  • Discover sloths, monkeys, frogs and spectacular birdlife
  • Search for beautiful quetzal in a cloud forest reserve

Itinerary

Expand All
  1. Introduction
  1. Day 1 Join trip in San Jose
  2. Day 2 Visit the Doka Coffee Estate; take a walk in Arenal National Park
  3. Day 3 Wildlife float trip on the Penas Blancas river, free afternoon with optional activities including a waterfall hike
  4. Day 4 Drive to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, night walk through the forest
  5. Day 5 Drive to Manuel Antonio National Park
  6. Day 6 Explore Manuel Antonio's wildlife and beaches
  7. Day 7 Free morning in Manuel Antonio National Park, return by vehicle to San Jose
  8. Day 8 Trip ends in San Jose
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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport
  • Free eSIM
    TourRadar offers the lead traveler (the person who booked) a free 1GB eSIM for the trip. The eSIM is redeemable only through the TourRadar app 72 hours before departure.

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Customer Photos

Operated by

Explore!

Number of tours

531

Age Range

16 to 85 years old

Response time

within 1 day

Response rate

84%

Explore is a global adventure travel company with 42 years’ experience in...

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Sustainability Initiatives

Reduce Carbon Emissions

Animal Welfare

Supporting Destinations

Sustainability Programs

Your Peace of Mind Options

Cancellation Policy

A transparent overview of applicable fees.

Travel Insurance

Be covered for any unforseen circumstances.

Customer Reviews

  • Overall Rating
    Excellent
    4.4
  • Itinerary
    Excellent
    4.3
  • Guide
    Excellent
    4.8
  • Transport
    Excellent
    4.7
  • Accommodation
    Good
    4.0
  • Food
    Good
    4.0
  • 4.5
  • Most Recent
  • Most Popular
  • Highest First
  • Lowest First
  • Highlights of Costa Rica reviewer 1
    · June 10th, 2025
    Tour guide Allan was excellent. It was an enjoyable trip.
    Show more
    Trip date: May 2025
  • Highlights of Costa Rica reviewer 2
    · May 13th, 2025
    A very pleasant trip.
    Show more
    Explore! commented on this review
    Thank you for your Highlights of Costa Rica review. We are glad to hear you enjoyed your time!
    Trip date: April 2025
  • PJ
    · February 7th, 2025
    This is a tour for sedentary travelers. Very little activity. Lots of sitting in a van and going out to eat. “Hikes” were short walks. Accommodations were in very touristy areas Seemed to be an overemphasis on eating. Activities in Monteverde (rainforest hanging bridges, butterfly garden) were not very good and were way overpriced Morning hike in Monteverde rainforest was not done. Optional activities in Manual Antonio were not available unless you had a group interested in going. Tap water in Costa Rica is potable There is no need to bring manual or chemical filtration.
    Show more
    Explore! commented on this review
    Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. I'm sorry to hear that your trip didn’t fully meet your expectations this time. We classify this trip as a moderate pace, aiming to balance busy days and early starts with opportunities to rest and... Show more
    Trip date: December 2024
  • Highlights of Costa Rica reviewer 4
    · February 6th, 2025
    Too many days without any activities.
    Show more
    Explore! commented on this review
    Thank you for leaving feedback on your recent trip, although you haven't left much detail, it would be great to understand more about your experience. If you would like to discuss this further, please contact cr@explore.co.uk
    Trip date: January 2025
  • MS
    · April 6th, 2024
    Too much time on the bus and not enough time visiting the country. Very bad lunch at the ox cart village and we had no other options. Spent a lot of time waiting around for other folks who did "extra activities." Luis was a wealth of knowledge about the country, the plant life, and wildlife. Airport transfers were spot on! No night walk in Monteverde. This should be removed from the brochure if it's not always available. Nothing on the website when we booked requiring "travel insurance" so imagine our surprise when asked for it. Update the website! Nice unexpected visit was the hot springs at our sister hotel in La Fortuna. Hotels were good but I wouldn't call then "3 star." One even had no air conditioning, not fans, and although the windows opened, there were no screens so we were visited by an array of 6- and 8-legged critters
    Show more
    Explore! commented on this review
    Hi Mark, Thank you so much for taking the time to review your Highlights of Costa Rica holiday. I have forwarded your comments about the time spent travelling, the lunch at the ox cart vilage, and the hotel on to the Product Manager for Costa Rica.... Show more
    Trip date: March 2024
  • A
    · February 5th, 2023
    Nature rafting trip in La Fortuna. Guide was excellent, saw lots of wildlife, all round great experience.
    Show more
    Trip date: January 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    · February 5th, 2023
    Highlights were the dinghy trip down the river, the Pacific Coast swim and the zip lining
    Show more
    Trip date: January 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    · February 10th, 2023
    Loved the trip
    Show more
    Trip date: January 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    · February 13th, 2023
    Great seeing sloths - our driver spotted one hanging on a fence by the road, amazing seeing it so close.
    Show more
    Trip date: February 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • A
    · February 16th, 2023
    Although the weather wasn't the best the rain/cloud forrest was lovely. Down at the coast was so different.
    Show more
    Trip date: February 2023
    Review collected by Explore!

Dates & Availability

8 days
Highlights of Costa Rica
From San Jose to San Jose

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    From Saturday
    29 Nov, 2025
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    20 Dec, 2025
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    From Saturday
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    From:
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From
NZ $2,860
Find this price
Save and compare this adventure
Payment plan $352 now + easy payments of $244 Learn More

Best price guarantee Learn More

Plan your adventure:

What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.
All questions
  • E

    Erica

    Asked on January 12th, 2025

    Are the meals included in the package?

    Meals
    • Explore!OperatorWritten January 2025

      For this tour, there are 7 breakfasts included. The costs for meals may vary depending upon location, type of restaurant and number of courses eaten. Lunch price USD$30. Dinner price USD$35. Beer price USD$8. Water price USD$5.

  • B

    Bruce

    Asked on December 26th, 2024

    If I am travelling alone will there be anytime that I am left alone or will there always be a group of people for me to join? Meals? Excursions? I would prefer to not have too much alone time other than a solo room if that is an option.

    Group size
    Meals
    Tour Details
    • Explore!OperatorWritten December 2024

      For meals not included on this tour you will usually join the group and not be left alone. Group lunches and dinners are arranged locally by the trip leader.

  • J

    Jorge

    Asked on December 10th, 2024

    Can you arrange a triple room for our group?

    Accommodation
    • Explore!OperatorWritten December 2024

      We do not offer triple rooms for this tour. We offer either double rooms or singles.

    • J

      Jorge

      TravelerWritten December 2024

      What is the status of my booking?

    • Explore!OperatorWritten December 2024

      The tour you are looking at is different from the one you requested. You will need to reach out to the specific tour operator for your booking.

    • J
      2 more answers
  • R

    Robert

    Asked on December 9th, 2024

    Several quick questions: 1- Hotel Accommodations: Are these 'shared rooms' with other travelers or they private rooms? 2- What kind of Hotel Rooms are these? Mid-Moderate-Lower 3- Can you assist on Air Fare? From Columbia, SC to San Jose 4- Last: Does this trip offers a lot free time?

    Accommodation
    Flights / Transfers
    Tour Details
    • Explore!OperatorWritten December 2024

      If two people travelling you will have your own room. Accommodation is largely small, local-run hotels with en-suite rooms, air-conditioning or fan, and often swimming pools. WiFi available in common areas. Hotels are mostly 3 star small family run hotels. We are unable to assist with flights. Refer to trip notes for detailed day by day itinerary and free time information.

  • A

    Arthur

    Asked on November 22nd, 2024

    How active is this adventure and suitable for the age ranges over 75 year old?

    Age Range
    Tour Details
    • Explore!OperatorWritten November 2024

      The pace of this tour is considered Moderate. Moderate pace tours are ideal if you want a tour which combines exciting travel experiences with time to unwind. Typically you will balance busy days with early starts, with time to rest and recharge your batteries.

  • M

    Miguelina

    Asked on November 20th, 2024

    How can I update my personal and flight details online?

    Travel Support
    • Explore!OperatorWritten November 2024

      You can update all necessary details via the customer gateway provided in your booking confirmation.

  • M

    Martina

    Asked on November 15th, 2024

    Is there a way to check the itinerary and optional tours available?

    Tour Details
    • Explore!OperatorWritten November 2024

      Detailed itinerary and optional activities are available in the Trip Notes on your dashboard.

  • C

    Caitlin

    Asked on November 11th, 2024

    How can we manage dietary restrictions during the tour?

    Meals
    • Explore!OperatorWritten November 2024

      Please inform us of any dietary requirements in advance, and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

  • P

    Paul

    Asked on July 19th, 2024

    What is the single supplement?

    Single supplement
    • Explore!OperatorWritten July 2024

      Single supplement means if you would like to have your own room it is possible to arrange that for an additional cost. If you are happy to share room on tour you do not need to pay any extras.

  • L

    Laura

    Asked on May 18th, 2024

    Is the Itinerary changing? Concerned about last review mentioning a hotel with no air conditioning, no fans & no bug screens preventing opening windows. Also no night walk even though it's listed in the Itinerary.

    Accommodation
    Tour Details
    • Explore!OperatorWritten June 2024

      We have looked into this review and taken steps with our local agent regarding the hotel. We have worked with our tour leaders to ensure that the guided night walk in the cloud forest is carried out, this is still an included activity in the tour.

Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Explore! with your enquiry, they usually respond within 1 day.

Good to Know

Tour ID: 124389

  • Currency
    Costa Rican Colon
    Costa Rica
  • Plugs & Adapters

  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Typhoid - Recommended for Costa Rica. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Costa Rica. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Costa Rica. Ideally 2 months before travel.
    • Yellow fever - Certificate of vaccination required if arriving from an area with a risk of yellow fever transmission for Costa Rica. Ideally 10 days before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before August 25th, 2025 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after August 25th, 2025, a minimum payment of 10% is required to confirm your booking with Explore!. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 75 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and Explore! will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Explore!" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.

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