Itinerary
- Day 1
San José
Your representative meets you at Juan Santamaría International Airport with your travel documents and drives you to your hotel in San José's metropolitan area. If you arrive early, they can guide you toward some of the capital's cultural sites, so you'll have time to settle in and maybe check out a few local attractions depending on how much daylight remains.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore San José's cultural highlights
- Day 2
San José to Puerto Viejo
After picking up your rental car, you'll drive east through Braulio Carrillo National Park's rainforest toward the Caribbean coast. The 4.5 to 5-hour drive gets you to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, a laid-back seaside town with strong Afro-Caribbean culture and nice beaches. Depending on when you arrive, you can walk along Playa Cocles, Punta Uva, or Playa Chiquita, visit the Jaguar Rescue Center, or grab dinner at one of the local spots.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Jaguar Rescue Center
- Relax on Playa Cocles
- Relax on Punta Uva
- Relax on Playa Chiquita
- Dine at Bread and Chocolate
- Dine at Chile Rojo
- Dine at Restaurante Johanna
- Visit Tasty Waves, Johnny's Place, or The Lazy Mon for nightlife
Landmarks Braulio Carrillo National Park Playa Cocles Punta Uva Playa Chiquita Jaguar Rescue Center - Day 3
Cahuita National Park
Starting after breakfast, head to Cahuita National Park where you'll walk through dense rainforest and spend time on white-sand beaches overlooking coral reefs. Get there early for the best wildlife viewing. The full trail runs just over 8 kilometres one way, though you can take a shorter 3.5-kilometre route instead. You'll likely see howler monkeys, white-faced capuchins, sloths, dart frogs, iguanas, and tropical birds while having chances to swim at Playa Blanca or Puerto Vargas.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Walk coastal trail in Cahuita National Park
- Complete full 8+ kilometre trail
- Complete shorter 3.5 kilometre return route from Kelly Creek to Punta Cahuita
- Swim at Playa Blanca
- Swim at Puerto Vargas
Landmarks Cahuita National Park Playa Blanca Puerto Vargas Kelly Creek Punta Cahuita - Day 4
Puerto Viejo to La Fortuna
Drive west from the Caribbean coast toward La Fortuna, taking around 4.5 hours through changing terrain. This small town sits right at the base of Arenal Volcano, one of Costa Rica's most recognizable and still-active peaks standing 1,657 metres tall. Once you check in, you can explore rainforest trails and look for wildlife. Just outside town, La Fortuna Waterfall drops 75 metres into a jungle pool, perfect for hiking and swimming.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore rainforest trails around La Fortuna
- Visit La Fortuna Waterfall
- Hike to La Fortuna Waterfall
- Swim at La Fortuna Waterfall
- Join a zip-lining tour through the canopy
- Kayak on Lake Arenal with volcano views
Landmarks Arenal Volcano Arenal Volcano National Park La Fortuna Waterfall Lake Arenal - Day 5
La Fortuna
Spend the day doing whatever appeals to you in the Arenal region. Mountain biking along a scenic 25-kilometre old road from the Lake Arenal dam toward the volcano is popular, or you can book optional activities like zip-lining, birdwatching, chocolate or coffee tours, safari floats, or guided night walks at Danaus Eco-Centre. By evening, head to the local hot springs where naturally heated thermal pools and waterfalls let you relax in the rainforest.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Mountain biking (25-kilometre route along scenic old road)
- Zip-lining
- Birdwatching
- Visit La Fortuna Waterfall
- Chocolate tour
- Coffee tour
- Massage at hotel
- Safari float for wildlife spotting
- Hike on 1968 lava fields
- Guided night walk at Danaus Eco-Centre
- Soak in local hot springs
Landmarks Lake Arenal Arenal Volcano National Park Danaus Eco-Centre - Day 6
La Fortuna to Monteverde
After breakfast, drive to Monteverde, a mountain region known as the 'Green Lung' of Costa Rica. The 3.5-hour drive winds around Lake Arenal with several good stopping points for photos or short walks. The hillside town of Tilarán works well as a pause point where you can take a brief walk, try horseback riding, do some birdwatching, or grab a traditional casado meal at a local soda before heading into the cloud forest.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Stop in Tilarán for short walk
- Horseback riding in Tilarán hills
- Birdwatching around Lake Arenal
- Windsurfing around Lake Arenal
- Eat at roadside soda (local family-run restaurant)
Landmarks Lake Arenal Tilarán - Day 7
Monteverde
You have the whole day to explore Monteverde however you like with no fixed schedule. Nature lovers might visit the Monteverde Orchid Garden in Santa Elena with over 400 orchid species, or the Butterfly Gardens showing native species. If you want something quieter, the Curi-Cancha Reserve has peaceful trails for birdwatching. For more action, try a guided night walk, hanging bridge canopy crossing, zip-lining, horseback riding, or the Treetopia Tram & Trek.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Visit Monteverde Orchid Garden
- Visit Butterfly Gardens
- Explore Curi-Cancha Reserve
- Explore Monteverde Reserve
- Explore Santa Elena Reserve
- Guided night walk
- Cross hanging bridges through forest canopy
- Zip-lining
- Horseback riding through countryside
- Treetopia Tram & Trek
Landmarks Monteverde Orchid Garden Butterfly Gardens Curi-Cancha Reserve Monteverde Reserve Santa Elena Reserve - Day 8
Monteverde to Rincón de la Vieja
Head north to Rincón de la Vieja, a region in Guanacaste province shaped by rugged volcanic terrain and rich wildlife. Costa Rica's largest volcano stands here at 1,895 metres, surrounded by smaller craters and protected by tropical, cloud, and mountain forests. You'll find sloths, monkeys, tapirs, kinkajous, jaguars, pumas, and colorful birds like motmots and emerald toucanets living among towering laurel and Guanacaste trees.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Explore forest trails
- Search for wildlife
- Enjoy the scenery
Landmarks Rincón de la Vieja Volcano Rincón de la Vieja National Park - Day 9
Rincón de la Vieja
Explore Rincón de la Vieja at your own pace. Hiking with an English-speaking guide takes you through tropical forest shaped by volcanic activity, past bubbling mud pots, steaming fumaroles, and thermal pools. Want more adventure? Try river tubing suitable for all ages, join an archaeology tour at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín about ancient inhabitants, or do the Canyon Canopy Tour combining zip-lining, rock climbing, and rappelling. Hikes to La Cangreja Waterfall range from one to five hours.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Hike in Rincón de la Vieja National Park with English-speaking guide
- River tubing
- Archaeology tour at Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín
- Canyon Canopy Tour (zip-lining, rock climbing, rappelling)
- Hike to La Cangreja Waterfall
Landmarks Rincón de la Vieja National Park Hotel Hacienda Guachipelín La Cangreja Waterfall - Day 10
Rincón de la Vieja to Tamarindo
Drive from Rincón de la Vieja toward the Pacific coast through Guanacaste's varied landscapes, taking just under 2 hours past volcanic ranges, rural villages, and farmland. Stop for a roadside meal with fresh local produce or a batido fruit smoothie. At the coast, settle into your hotel or head straight out. An afternoon sea kayaking and snorkelling tour from Tamarindo Beach toward Capitán Island lets you paddle to white sands and spot colorful fish and coral. October through March, Las Baulas National Marine Park offers leatherback turtle nesting viewing.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Roadside meal with local produce
- Sea kayaking and snorkelling tour from Tamarindo Beach
- Visit Las Baulas National Marine Park for leatherback turtle nesting
Landmarks Tamarindo Beach Capitán Island Las Baulas National Marine Park - Days 11 - 12
Tamarindo
Spend two days unwinding at Tamarindo however you choose. Relax on soft sands with a book or take a refreshing swim in the warm Pacific. If you want activity, book optional tours like exploring nearby beaches by ATV or jet ski, kayaking, fishing, scuba diving, watersports, or surf lessons. Hacienda Guachipelín nearby offers a mix of adventure and nature. In the evening, watch the sunset with your favorite drink and take in the ocean views.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Relax on the beach
- Swimming in Pacific waters
- ATV tours to nearby beaches
- Jet ski tours
- Kayaking tour
- Fishing tour
- Scuba diving
- Extreme watersports
- Surf lessons
- Full day at Hacienda Guachipelín
Landmarks Tamarindo Beach - Day 13
Tamarindo to San José
Drive back to San José, heading inland from the Pacific coast through changing landscapes. As you travel through the country, you'll see your last views of the coastline before the road climbs back into the central highlands. Once at your hotel in the capital, settle in and rest. It's your final evening in Costa Rica, so relax and reflect on your trip.
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Day 14
San José Departure
After your last breakfast in Costa Rica, head to Juan Santamaría International Airport based on your flight time. Stop at the car rental office to return your vehicle, then a representative takes you to the airport terminal in time for your departure.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks Juan Santamaría International Airport
