Itinerary
- Day 1
San José
You'll arrive at San José International Airport where your driver meets you for the transfer to your hotel. After settling in, you'll have the rest of the day to relax and adjust to the time zone.
- Start point
- Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría (SJO), Ruta Nacional 1, Alajuela, Alajuela 20109, Costa Rica (Exit)
Landmarks SJO International Airport - Day 2
San José to Tortuguero
Start early driving through Braulio Carrillo National Park, where you'll see the landscape shift from cloud forest into rainforest. Grab breakfast at a restaurant along the way, then board a river boat heading to Tortuguero National Park. In the afternoon, walk around the town of Tortuguero and visit the green turtle museum to learn about the sea turtles that nest here.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Restaurant breakfast on the way)
Included Activities
- Drive through Braulio Carrillo National Park
- River boat to Tortuguero National Park
- Visit Tortuguero town
- Visit Museum of the Green Turtle
- Guided tour of Tortuguero canals and ecosystem
Landmarks Braulio Carrillo National Park Tortuguero National Park Tortuguero Town Museum of the Green Turtle 
- Day 3
Tortuguero
You'll spend the full day on the canals of Tortuguero in a floating boat trip. Throughout the day, watch for green ibis, mottled owls, black hawk-eagles, agami herons, montezuma oropendolas, white hawks, and keel-billed toucans. Keep an eye out for reptiles, monkeys, and butterflies as you move through the waterways.
Included Activities
- Floating trip on Tortuguero canals
- Bird watching tour
- Wildlife viewing (reptiles, monkeys, butterflies)
Optional Activities
- Night tour to see green turtle laying eggs on beach (seasonal)
Landmarks Tortuguero Canals 
- Day 4
Tortuguero to Sarapiquí
Leave Tortuguero early and travel back through the North Caribbean rivers to the pier. After that, you'll transfer by bus to the Sarapiquí area. Later in the evening, explore the rainforest on a suspension bridge walk where you can spot nocturnal animals like sloths, red-eyed tree frogs, porcupines, and kinkajous.
Included Activities
- Night tour on suspension bridge
- Rainforest exploration (nocturnal)
Landmarks Sarapiquí - Day 5
Sarapiquí
A local guide leads you on a bird watching trip at Tirimbina Rainforest Reserve. You'll walk along river borders and through primary and secondary forests looking for Tanagers, honeycreepers, herons, Sunbitterns, Snowy Cotingas, White-Fronted Nunbirds, and Black-Crested Coquettes.
Included Activities
- Bird watching tour at Tirimbina Rainforest Reserve
- Guided rainforest exploration
Landmarks Tirimbina Rainforest Reserve - Day 6
Sarapiquí to La Fortuna
After an early breakfast, you'll transfer to La Fortuna in the morning. Your guide will explain the history of Arenal Volcano, which erupted back in 1968 and is now dormant. Spend the end of the afternoon and evening walking the hotel's well-marked trails to get familiar with the area.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Early breakfast)
Included Activities
- Hotel trail exploration
Landmarks Arenal Volcano - Day 7
La Fortuna
Join an early bird watching walk with a local expert who knows where to find the best species. For the rest of the day, explore the hotel's trails across the 870-acre property. You'll move through primary and secondary rainforest and open pastureland looking for Three-wattled Bellbirds, Crested Guans, Orange-bellied Trogons, White Hawks, Laughing Falcons, and Red-lored Parrots.
Included Activities
- Early bird watching walk
- Self-guided trail exploration on hotel property
- Day 8
La Fortuna to Ensenada
Travel south to the Ensenada Wildlife Refuge in the Tropical Dry Forest. This family-run lodge has several ways to see wildlife, from bird watching and photography to whale and dolphin watching by shore or boat. You can also visit cultural and historical sites including the ruins of an old sugar mill and the former port of Ensenada.
Included Activities
- Visit Ensenada Wildlife Refuge
- Guided tour of natural and cultural sites
Optional Activities
- Hiking
- Nature photography
- Whale and dolphin watching tours
- Visitor center exhibits
Landmarks Ensenada Wildlife Refuge - Day 9
Ensenada
You have the flexibility to choose from four marked trails through different habitats. Sendero Pescadores takes you through mangroves and water fowl areas. Sendero Salinas also features mangroves with water fowl and monkeys. Sendero Alcaraván cuts through the dry forest, while Sendero Mirador leads to the highest hill on the ranch.
Included Activities
- Self-guided trail exploration (choice of four marked trails)
- Bird and plant life viewing
Landmarks Ensenada Mangroves - Day 10
Ensenada to Central Pacific
Transfer south to the Central Pacific, a region between tropical dry forest and rainforest. Stop at the Tárcoles River for a river safari where you can see American crocodiles of all sizes and aquatic birds. The boat cruises through dense mangrove forest canals before reaching your lodge near Carara, where scarlet macaws, fiery-billed aracaris, and black-mandibled toucans live.
Included Activities
- Tárcoles River safari
- Crocodile and bird viewing
- Mangrove forest cruise
Landmarks Tárcoles River Carara National Park 
- Day 11
Central Pacific
Walk the trails near your lodge, which sits between humid tropical forest and high humidity pre-montane forest. Over 300 bird species live in this area, so you'll have plenty to see. Move through rural roads, pastures, mature and secondary forests, and organic farming plots searching for scarlet macaws, fiery-billed aracaris, toucans, sunbitterns, and orange-collared manaquins.
Included Activities
- Trail exploration near lodge
- Bird watching
- Day 12
Central Pacific to San José
It's time to say goodbye to Costa Rica. You'll transfer to SJO Airport in San José where you'll depart for home. After your week exploring the country's rainforests, dry forests, and wildlife, you'll head back with plenty of memories and bird sightings.
- End point
- Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría (SJO), Ruta Nacional 1, Alajuela, Alajuela 20109, Costa Rica (Departures)
Landmarks SJO International Airport
