Itinerary
- Day 1
San Jose
Your Costa Rican adventure kicks off in San Jose with a guided food and culture tour. You'll walk through the city's oldest park and check out historic 19th-century buildings like the National Liquor Factory and Metal Building. After that, head to the Central Market where you can sample local dishes and learn about the ingredients used in traditional cooking.
Included Activities
- San Jose Bites & Sights Experience - guided walking tour
- Visit Expression Park (oldest park in San Jose)
- Yellow House (Foreign Ministry) viewing
- National Liquor Factory tour
- Metal Building tour
- Parque Nacional walking tour
- Central Market exploration and local food sampling
Landmarks/POIs Expression Park (Parque La Expresión) Yellow House (Foreign Ministry) National Liquor Factory Metal Building Parque Nacional Central Market (Mercado Central) - Day 2
San Jose to Manuel Antonio
A shuttle picks you up from your accommodation this morning for the drive to Manuel Antonio. The journey covers roughly 4.5 hours through Costa Rica's landscape, so you'll have plenty of time to settle in once you arrive at your next location.
- Day 3
Manuel Antonio
Spend the day hiking through Manuel Antonio National Park's rainforest trails and checking out the white sand beaches with turquoise water. You're likely to spot white-faced monkeys, sloths, coatimundis, and howler monkeys along the way. The park is also home to nearly 180 bird species, so bring binoculars if you have them.
Included Activities
- Manuel Antonio National Park Day Trip
- Main Trail hiking (1.3 miles loop to beaches)
- Optional Punta Catedral Trail to Cathedral Point
- Optional Playa Gemelas and Punto Escondido Beaches trail (1 mile)
- Optional Mirador Trail to overlook point
Landmarks/POIs Manuel Antonio National Park Punta Catedral (Cathedral Point) Playa Gemelas Punto Escondido Beach - Day 4
Manuel Antonio to Monteverde
After your accommodation, a shuttle picks you up for the 4.5-hour transfer to Monteverde. You'll head into the cloud forest region, so expect cooler temperatures and misty conditions once you arrive there.
- Day 5
Monteverde
Get ready for a canopy zip-line adventure through Monteverde's cloud forest. You'll swing across 14 different cables, including a 30-meter rappel and a 1-kilometer Superman Cable that spans the treetops. Keep your eyes open for over 100 mammal species and 400+ bird species, and if conditions are right, you might catch views of the Pacific Ocean and Lake Nicaragua from up there.
Included Activities
- Monteverde Canopy Zip-line tour
- 14 zip-line cables experience
- Tarzan swing
- 30-meter rappel
- Superman Cable (1 kilometre)
- Underground Superman Cable through 175-meter tunnel
- Cloud forest exploration
Landmarks/POIs Monteverde Cloud Forest - Day 6
Monteverde to La Fortuna
Your accommodation arranges a pickup this morning for the 4-hour shuttle to La Fortuna in the Arenal region. You'll have time to settle in and explore the area a bit before evening.
- Day 7
La Fortuna
Pack a full day of activities here. You'll zip-line through seven cables, hike forest trails, and optionally rappel 165 feet down a natural wall if the weather cooperates. Then tube down the Arenal River and visit the Malekus aboriginal community. Later, relax in the hot spring pools at Montana de Fuego Resort to end the day.
Included Activities
- Seven zip-line cables (590-1315 feet each)
- Forest trail walks
- Arenal River tubing (1 hour) with life vests and helmets
- Malekus aboriginal community visit and cultural learning
- Montaña de Fuego Resort pool access
Optional Activities
- 165-feet high rappel down dry natural wall (weather permitting)
Landmarks/POIs Arenal Lake Arenal River Montaña de Fuego Resort - Day 8
La Fortuna to Tortuguero
An early morning departure gets you moving toward Tortuguero. You'll travel by shuttle first, then switch to a boat to reach this remote rainforest national park and turtle nesting site.
- Day 9
Tortuguero
After breakfast, you'll arrive in Tortuguero National Park and explore the pristine rainforest. Learn about the region and banana plantations, then you can either check out the museum and town or join an optional night boat tour if you're visiting during July through October to see green sea turtles nesting.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Shuttle and boat transfer to Tortuguero National Park
- Banana plantation introduction
Optional Activities
- Walking tour of Tortuguero Museum and town ($1 USD)
- Night tour - boat trip and beach walk for green sea turtle nesting observation (seasonal July-October, $42 USD)
Landmarks/POIs Tortuguero National Park - Day 10
Tortuguero to San Jose
Wake early for a boat tour through Tortuguero National Park to observe the rainforest and its wildlife. You'll return for breakfast, pack your belongings, and then head out on a shuttle transfer back to San Jose, arriving around 15:30 after stopping for lunch along the way.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Early morning boat tour of Tortuguero National Park
- Walking tour of park areas
Landmarks/POIs Tortuguero National Park - Day 11
Tortuguero to Puerto Viejo
After your accommodation picks you up, you'll travel by shuttle and boat to Puerto Viejo, a coastal Caribbean town about 4.5 hours away. The journey combines different transportation methods, so you'll get a variety of views on the way there.
- Day 12
Puerto Viejo to San Jose
Your final transfer takes you from Puerto Viejo back to San Jose. A shuttle picks you up from your accommodation for the roughly 5-hour journey via shuttle and boat, bringing your Costa Rican trip to a close.
