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Day 1: USA to San José

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Radisson Hotel

Your unforgettable adventure to Costa Rica begins as you depart Miami today. Later today, arrive in San José where you’ll enjoy a welcome dinner this evening.

Day 2: San José to Tortuguero

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Laguna Lodge

Early this morning depart from San José Central Valley to the Tortuguero area. On the way, you will pass through the Braulio Carrillo National Park, a sanctuary for flora and fauna alike. From the comfort of the bus you may see open pasture lands and small farming towns. You may also notice a change in the climate as you travel and the temperatures become warmer.

 After breakfast on the way, travel deeper into Costa Rica’s Caribbean side where boats wait to transfer you to your lodge. A two-hour boat ride will take you through the canals sheltered in the jungle of the rain forest. From the boat, you will be able to admire the unique flora and fauna of this area and you’ll also have the opportunity to see different bird species.

Upon arrival, there will be a short briefing of the lodge and the activities included during your stay followed by lunch.

 This afternoon, visit the village of Tortuguero where you will learn the lifestyle of local residents and the significant conservation efforts that some NGOs have developed to protect the sea turtles that come to spawn each year along the 22 miles of protected coastline.

Day 3: Tortuguero

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Today, explore Tortuguero, an exciting destination for ecotourism lovers. During the day you can explore the secondary canals of this paradise where you can see different species of mammals, birds, and reptiles. Here, much of the National Park extends along unspoiled beaches that serve as a refuge for sea turtle nesting and hatching, with hatching typically taking place between July and September. After your tour, return to the lodge for a delicious breakfast with the balance of the day at your leisure.

Day 4: Tortuguero to Arenal

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: Tilajari Resort

This morning, continue your adventure with a boat transfer back to the disembarking point. From here, you’ll travel to the Guapiles area where you’ll enjoy lunch. Continue towards the northern lowlands enjoying the beautiful scenery which includes amazing views of the mountains and one of the major sources of revenue in the area: the agriculture. Stop along the way at a local pineapple plantation where you can learn more about the local agriculture and enjoy an opportunity to taste the delicious fruit. Afterwards, continue to Muellle de San Carlos where you’ll check-in at your hotel.

Day 5: Arenal

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, visit the Arenal Volcano area! Known worldwide for its near perfect cone shape, Arenal volcano has become a must-see when visiting Costa Rica. Its volcanic activity and its surrounding natural beauty make this a very exciting hiking tour.

Ever since the 1500’s, locals considered Arenal to be a mountain. However, everything changed on the morning of July 29, 1968 when this supposed mountain suddenly erupted. The eruptions continued non-stop for several days covering the surrounding area with lava, rocks and ash and affecting three towns. From this eruption onward, Arenal volcano has been quite active, often spewing rocks, lava, ash and smoke. After lunch (on your own) you’ll enjoy some time to wander La Fortuna, a town where you can do some shopping.

Day 6: Arenal to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: El Establo Mountain Hotel

After breakfast at your hotel, begin your journey to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Monteverde is famous for a reason – its cloud forests are brimming with plants and animals, its zip lines and suspension bridges are the longest and most exciting in the country, and its coffee is tasty, local and cheap. Each of these diversions, as well as countless other activities, can be enjoyed through a number of exciting tours. Some tours combine several of these activities into one action-packed, fun-filled day.

This afternoon is at leisure to explore the area.

Day 7: Curicancha Cloud Forest Reserve

Meals: Breakfast

Visit the Curicancha Private Reserve today after breakfast. In 1970, the Lowther family purchased the property of Hubert and Mildred Mendenhall and named it Curi-Cancha, the name derived from “Golden Enclosure” in Inca. At the time, the property was approximately half pasture and half virgin rain forest. In the ensuing forty-five years, the Lowthers allowed the majority of the pastured areas to be reclaimed by the forest.

 Curi-Cancha is a birdwatcher’s paradise. The Resplendent Quetzal, Three-Wattled Bellbird, Blue-Crowned Motmot, Orange-bellied Trogon, and many others are frequently seen. Indeed, over 200 species of birds have been observed making their home in Curi-Cancha. Frequently sighted mammals include armadillo, coati, agouti, kinkajou, ocelot, two-toed sloth, and three species of monkey: the mantled howler, white-faced capuchin, and spider monkey. Guests are welcome to explore on their own or explore with a local naturalist guide who can find and identify local birds and traverse the trails with you. The balance of the day is at your leisure.

Day 8: Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve to San José

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: . Radisson Hotel

After breakfast today, depart for San José. On the way, visit the Sarchi Oxcart Factory in the town of Sarchi where you can enjoy lunch (on your own). Afterwards, continue to San José where you might consider a visit to the National Theater, the Gold Museum, and other interesting attractions. This evening enjoy a farewell dinner

Day 9: San José to USA

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast this morning, transfer to the San José International Airport for your return flight to the USA. Arrive home filled with memories from your Costa Rican adventure!

Day 1 Join trip in San Jose

Our tour starts today in San Jose, Costa Rica's cosmopolitan capital. Lying in a fertile valley, at an altitude of 1,150 metres, coffee and sugar are big industries here - coffee is even planted between buildings and along the roadsides on the outskirts of the city. For those arriving in time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 7pm for a welcome meeting, and for those that wish there'll be the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in San Jose at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive into San Jose's Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), which is around a 30-minute drive from our hotel. If you miss the welcome meeting, your tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might like to head out and explore the city - the barrios are easy to navigate, laid out in a grid pattern of avenues and streets. The National Museum (Museo Nacional De Costa Rica) is also well worth a visit.

Meals Provided : None

Day 2 Visit the active Poas Volcano, drive to Arenal

This morning, we'll head to Poas Volcano National Park (a one-hour drive away), where you can spot the smoke from one of Costa Rica's most active volcanos rising majestically from the tropical rainforest. At almost a mile in diameter and 314 metres deep, the main crater is one of the largest in the world. It has erupted 40 times since 1828, most recently in April 2017. Due to recent volcanic activity, time at the crater viewpoint is restricted to 20 minutes. If activity increases again, the authorities may choose to close the park - in that case, we'll visit the Doka coffee estate instead for a tasting session of Costa Rica's finest export. Our next stop is the provincial town of Sarchi, just over a one-hour drive away, well known throughout Costa Rica for its intricate arts and crafts. The town is famous for producing decorative oxcarts, one of Costa Rica's national symbols. We'll meet Don William, a local artist, who will teach us how to paint a traditional oxcart with some of the patterns and designs familiar to the area. Afterwards, we'll continue to Arenal (around a two-and-a-half-hour drive) to catch our first sight of the famous Arenal Volcano. This classic cone, which rises to 1,633 metres, is covered by a tangled mass of vegetation on one side, while the other is starkly barren. Our accommodation for the next two nights is in La Fortuna. The town was renamed after an eruption in 1968 that decimated the towns around the volcano's western flanks. Translated as 'fortune' , La Fortuna refers to the town's luck in being located on the volcano's eastern side, and so, fortunately, escaping destruction. This evening, we can make the most of the local geothermal activity by enjoying an optional dip in nearby hot springs.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 3 Wildlife float trip on the Penas Blancas river, free afternoon with optional activities including a waterfall hike

The Arenal area is well known for its diverse wildlife, and this morning we'll set out on a tranquil rafting safari to spot some of the most sought-after species. There is no white water here, we'll simply be floating down with a local guide, who will scour the water and the canopy to point out a variety of colourful creatures from toucans and sloths to Jesus Christ lizards and caiman. We'll most likely see capuchins swinging from the trees, and a wide array of birdlife during the float trip. The afternoon is free to explore Arenal at your own pace. There are beautiful local hikes to waterfalls and along lava trails if you'd like to make the most of the surrounding nature, or those keen to relax can enjoy the hot springs in the area. Our tour leader will be able to provide information on all the options.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 4 Drive to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, night walk through the forest

Today we'll travel around Arenal Lake up into the cloud forest region of Monteverde - one of the most well-known places in Costa Rica to see wildlife. Perched on the Continental Divide between the Pacific and the Caribbean, it's thought that there has been indigenous habitation in Monteverde since 3000 BC. However, the turning point in its recent history came in 1950, when a group of pacifist Quakers from Alabama moved here to avoid subscription in the Korean War. They sought a lifestyle in a country in which they could embrace their peaceful beliefs and continue to cultivate their dairy farms. These families went on to establish the community of Monteverde and some of its famed cloud forest reserves. The drive to Monteverde will take approximately four and a half hours from Arenal. On arrival, you're free to enjoy one or several of the many optional activities available in the area. One of the most popular activities is to walk the hanging bridges that extend over the reserve, giving you the chance to get a bird's eye view over the canopy. Couple this with the thrill of zooming through the trees on a zip wire and it makes for an exhilarating afternoon. For something less adrenaline-filled, you could choose to visit the local butterfly or orchid garden. This evening, we'll have a guided night walk in the cloud forest, in search of nocturnal species such as pacas and tarantulas.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 5 Drive to Manuel Antonio National Park

We'll leave Monteverde by mid morning. If you'd like to pack in more nature before we leave, there's the optional activity to revisit the cloud forest reserve in the early morning. The paths here wind their way through gigantic ferns, underneath the lichen and moss that hang from the giant trees. The famous, but now very rare, quetzal is commonly seen in this area, one of the last remaining places in Central America where its habitat has been preserved. Sacred to the ancient Maya and Aztec peoples, it's considered one of the most beautiful birds in the world and the best time to see it is during its breeding months of March and April. Leaving the cloud forest behind us, we'll descend to the Pacific Coast, enjoying staggering views over the Gulf and Peninsula of Nicoya. Heading south, we'll cross the Rio Tarcoles Bridge, from which huge crocodiles are regularly seen. We'll stop at Carara Biological Reserve, famed for the scarlet macaws and abundant birdlife which populate this transitional forest. Finally, we'll continue along the Pacific Coast to Manuel Antonio National Park, where we'll spend the next two nights. Our journey time today will be approximately four hours.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 6 Explore Manuel Antonio's wildlife and beaches

Manuel Antonio National Park is famous for its beautiful beaches and rich wildlife. We'll spend the morning exploring the park, where white-faced capuchin monkeys swing from the trees, and poison-dart frogs hide under the protection of lush tropical plantlife. Coatimundi (part of the raccoon family), tiny squirrel monkeys and howler monkeys also make their home in the park - we might spot them on our exploration. Manuel Antonio is also one of the best places in Costa Rica to see sloths. As their diet of leaves and buds gives them little energy, sloths move only when necessary and even then very slowly, making them very easy to spot! Our guides will know where they are most likely to be found. The remainder of the day can be spent relaxing on the white sandy beaches and enjoying a swim in the warm azure waters. The sunsets from this coast are spectacular and have to be seen to be believed. It's worth noting that, whilst beautiful, Manuel Antonio is an increasingly popular destination and so might be busier than you'd expect. Please note that Manuel Antonio National Park is closed on Tuesdays. If Day 6 of your departure falls on a Tuesday, our included park visit will take place on Day 7 instead.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 7 Free morning in Manuel Antonio National Park, return by vehicle to San Jose

This morning is free to relax in Manuel Antonio. You could choose to revisit the park (depending on the day of the week) or relax on the beaches around the town. Around midday, we'll leave the Pacific Coast, driving back inland to San Jose - around a four to five hour drive.

Meals Provided : Breakfast

Day 8 Trip ends in San Jose

The trip ends this morning at our hotel in San Jose. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), approximately a 30-minute drive from our hotel.

Meals Provided : Breakfast