Wonders of Costa Rica
Cities Covered
San Jose, Tortuguero, Arenal, Monteverde, Pacific Coast
Tour Highlights
SAN JOSE
- Free time
TORTUGUERO
- Explore Tortuguero’s rivers and canals by boat
- Visit to Tortuguero Village
- Turtle Hatching (Between September to December)
- Visit to Tortuguero National Park
ARENAL
- Free time for optional activities at Arenal National Park
- Walking tour in Arenal Volcano National Park
MONTEVERDE
- Stroll through Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
- Enjoy optional activities like Selvatura Treetop Walkway guided tour
PACIFIC COAST
- Relaxing at lovely beach town of Tamarindo
- Enjoy optional water activities at the beach
Itinerary
Day 01:Arrival in San Jose
Upon arrival to bustling San Jose, you will be transferred to the hotel for your overnight stay in San Josein Costa Rica. Rest of the day is free or you can enjoy the surroundings. Overnight in San Jose.
Day 02: San Jose – Tortuguero (135km – 4 hrs by road / 2 hrs by boat)
Your day begins early with a morning departure, travelling through the Braulio Carrillo National Park towards the Caribbean plains to enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery and quaint villages. Continue through the jungle by boat, cruising the rivers and canals of Tortuguero National Park. Arrive at your lodgeand enjoy a tasty lunch (on own). Board the boat again for a visit to Tortuguero village, where you will get to walk around town, stroll along the beach, and experience the locals’ way of living. During the turtle hatching season, we will look for the baby turtles trying to find their way down to the ocean. Nesting is from July to September and hatching from September to December. Enjoy the rest of the day relaxing at the hotel, surrounded by the beautiful tropical forest and wildlife. Overnight in Tortuguero.
Day 03: Tortuguero National Park
Today you will have some free time to relax by the pool and experience the Tortuguero National Park on a three-hour trip. Observe over 350 protected species of birds, monkeys, crocodiles, and sloths, as well as lush vegetation. During the July to September season, you can join an optional late night turtle nesting tour, purchasable directly at the lodge. Overnight in Tortuguero.
Day 04: Tortuguero – Arenal (210km – 5 hrs by road / 2 hrs by boat)
Early in the morning depart by boat back to Guapiles. From there, take the ground transportation to the Arenal area. Enjoy the day at leisure. There are local treks to waterfalls where you can take a dip, as well as along lava trails. For the thrill seekers, optional whitewater rafting is available (this operates between May and November) and we recommend making the most of the local geothermal activity by enjoying an optional bathe in the nearby hot springs. Alternatively, you can relax by the hotel pool and soak up the peaceful setting.Overnight in Arenal.
Day 05: Arenal Volcano National Park
Today after breakfast, take a guided walking tour in Arenal Volcano National Park. During the tour, the guide will explain the periods of activity the once very active volcano experienced. Enjoy the verdant landscapes and the backdrop of the now-dormant volcano, as you keep a lookout for the wild animals living in this national park. You have the chance to spot sloths, howler monkeys, anteaters, and many others. Afterwards, return to the hotel with the afternoon at leisure or you can enjoy optional activities. Overnight in Arenal.
Day 06: Arenal – Monteverde (60km – 2.5 hrs by road / 45 min by boat)
Begin the day with an early breakfast at the hotel, followed by check-out and head towards Monteverde. Transfer down to Arenal Lake where you will board a boat that will take you across towards Monteverde. Once on the other side, a vehicle awaits to take you up to Monteverde. Admire the transition of the rainforest to the cloud forest where you will reach an altitude of 1,200 metres above sea level. Located in the Puntarenas province, Monteverde is a place of cloud forests and mist, coffee plantations, monkeys, and friendly locals. The town of Santa Elena is small and quaint, filled with inviting restaurants and folksy artisan shops, while the nearby rainforest hosts a remarkable amount of biodiversity.Enjoy the day at leisure to explore on your own or participate in an exciting optional activity like the Selvatura Treetop Walkway guided tour, what includes a 3-hour hike along a network of trails and suspension bridges in the cloud forest of Monteverde. Be on the lookout for birds, monkeys, sloths, insects, and interesting plants of all shapes and sizes. The Selvatura Treetop Walkway guided tour takes you through and above the rainforest. A series of eight suspension bridges, connected by trails for a total 3 km in length, provides a bird’s-eye view of the rainforest canopy! If adventure is not something you are interested in, join the interesting Don Juan Coffee Tour to understand Costa Rica´s coffee, chocolate and sugar cane production (with the emphasis on coffee!). The tour offers an interesting opportunity to learn about coffee and its production as well as to get close to the fascinating Costa Rican folklore The optional tours are not included Overnight in Monteverde.
Day 07: Monteverde
After a nourishing breakfast at the hotel, enjoy a hike through the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Founded in 1972, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve is world-famous for its outstanding biodiversity, conservation actions and contributions, as well as scientific research. The reserve is home to 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity, and it is one of the most important private reserves, not just in Costa Rica but the world. It hosts hundreds of species of mammals, birds, butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, insects and arachnids, as well as a large variety of flora, such as mosses, vines or the autochthonous trees of the cloud forest. You can enhance today´s experience by joining one of the memorable tours you missed yesterday. Whether you choose to explore the cloud forest during the Selvatura Treetop Walkway guided tour, or you prefer getting closer to the fascinating Costa Rican culture while on the Don Juan Coffee tour, your day will be unforgettable. Selvatura Treetop Walkaway and Don Juan Coffee tours are not included. Overnight in Monteverde.
Day 08: Monteverde – Pacific Coast (190km – 4 hrs)
This morning after breakfast, head towards a stunning beachside destination, in the mesmerising area of Guanacaste. On arrival, take the rest of the day to explore the surrounding, to stroll the beautifully arranged streets of Tamarindo, a lovely beach town in Guanacaste or to relax while enjoying hotel facilities. Overnight in Pacific Coast.
Day 09: Pacific Coast
Tamarindo is a lively destination where you can have some fun, to enjoy the warm sun, and relax on the spectacular beach. If you are feeling adventurous, jump on a board and try your hand at surfing Tamarindo’s famous waves. Have the day at leisure to explore the area or relax at the hotel facilities. Overnight in Pacific Coast.
Day 10: Pacific Coast – Departure(260km – 4.5 hrs)
Begin your last day in spectacular Costa Rica with a delectable breakfast. Then, at the appropriate time, transfer to Juan Santamaria International Airport to catch your flight back home or on to your next destination.
Axar Tours Global Holidays LLC.