Costa Rica: Love in the Jungle

Itinerary

ARRIVAL SAN JOSE

Upon arrival to bustling San Jose, our representative will meet and greet you and then direct you to your transport, which will drop you off at your hotel in San Jose for your night in Costa Rica.

Overnight in San Jose.

SAN JOSE – TORTUGUERO (135km – 4 hrs by road / 2 hrs by boat)

Your day begins early with a pick up at the hotel approximately 6.30 am. Embark on the shared bus transfer and travel through the Braulio Carrillo National Park towards the Caribbean plains to enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery and quaint villages. Indulge in a tasty breakfast en route at around 8.30 am in a restaurant in Guapiles and continue through the jungle by boat, cruising the rivers and canals of Tortuguero National Park. Arrive at your eco-lodge in time to enjoy a tasty lunch. Enjoy the rest of the day relaxing at the hotel, surrounded by the beautiful tropical forest and wildlife. 

Overnight in Tortuguero

TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK

Make the most of your stay in Tortuguero. After breakfast, at 9 am join a tour for 2 hours boat trip on the Tortuguero canals, an essential activity while in Costa Rica. Discover its network of canals, lagoons and dense rainforests through a boat tour guided by an expert naturalist guide. Abundant wildlife inhabits Tortuguero, including 57 species of amphibians, 111 species of reptiles, and 60 species of mammals.

In the afternoon, visit the enchanting village of Tortuguero; the town with a small population of around 500 inhabitants, no cars, and located on a relatively narrow spit of land between the beach and a canal. Take a closer encounter with the Caribbean culture; discover its people and lifestyle walking through this colourful town. Dinner is served at the hotel.

During your stay in Tortuguero you can also book an optional activity to discover the wonderful nature: 

Kayak Tour Tortuguero Canals: Leaving the lodge by boat with your local naturalist guide and your kayaks, you’ll motor to the entrance of creeks that engines can’t enter. Your guide will unload the kayaks and set you up to paddle the Park’s back water creeks and lagoons in safety and comfort. Kayaking gives you a whole new perspective of the rainforest. From this position you become the river, look up to see what the rainforest canopy looks like, scan the understory of the forest for foragers. In the creek’s silence you may hear a gunshot like crack as the seed pod of the Gavilan tree bursts to disperse its seeds or hear the call of the Chestnut Mandibled toucan or the sound of Spider monkeys crashing through the trees. After two hours of paddling, you and your guide will pack up your gear and return to the lodge. There is no need to have previous kayaking experience, your guide will give you a full safety briefing and paddling instruction before your tour begins. Duration approx 3 hours. 

Overnight in Tortuguero.

TORTUGUERO – ARENAL (210km – 5 hrs by road / 2 hrs by boat)

After breakfast, we depart Tortuguero at approximately 9 am, by shared boat and land transfers back to Guapiles, where we stop for lunch in a local restaurant at around 1 pm. After a tasty meal, you will be picked up by a shared transfer and taken to the Arenal area. Arrive at Arenal at 5 pm for check in and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. 

Overnight in Arenal.

ARENAL VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK

Today after breakfast, meet your guide at approximately 8.00 am, to start a 4-hour 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 will have the chance to spot sloths, howler monkeys, anteaters and many others. Afterwards, return to the hotel at 12.30 pm and spend the afternoon at leisure or participate in an optional activity: 

Naturalist Guided Walk at Hanging Bridges of Mistico Park: Enjoy a magical experience visiting the hanging bridges. This is a great combination of suspension bridges and platforms built in the forest that offers you an opportunity to explore the forest canopy in a safe and easy manner. An expert guide will take you through the natural history and open for you the doors of a fascinating and colourful tropical rainforest world. You will not forget the imposing vistas of the Arenal Volcano from the hanging bridges. Duration approx. 2.5 hours. 

La Fortuna Waterfall: This tour begins by descending the 500-meter trail to the magnificent Waterfall, renowned for its 60 meter (197 feet) high falls and its crystal-clear waters. Along the trail, you will observe plants, trees and animals which inhabit the area. You can choose to swim in its refreshing waters, take amazing photographs, or simply relax and take in all of the beauty of the La Fortuna Waterfall. When you visit the La Fortuna Waterfall you not only get to enjoy this marvellous natural wonder, you will be helping to Support the Development Association of the community as 100% of the entrance fee goes towards social projects to benefit schools, nutritional centres, the orphanage, roads and more. Duration approx. 3 hours. 

Tabacon Hotsprings with Dinner: Live the experience of Tabacón which has pools and a river of thermal waters coming from the veins of the majestic Arenal Volcano that predominate in the place. Explore the wonders of the tropical forest surrounding this beautiful resort and enjoy mineral waters with different temperatures, surrounded by warm waterfalls and tropical gardens. Tabacón Hot Springs are recognized worldwide, and undoubtedly immersing yourself in them will make you feel relaxed and rejuvenated due to mineral presence in volcanic waters. Duration approximately 4 hrs. Start time: 5 pm

SkyTrek (Zipline) at SkyAdventures Park: At the Sky Trek, you ride the tram up the mountain, and then get back to the base riding our thrilling ziplines, making it a perfect adventure activity with no walking segments – get off and jump on to the next cable. You’ll ride 7 cables that go up to 200m (656ft) in height and 750m (2460ft) in length where you will be astounded by its impressive heights, speeds that go up to 70km/h (43.5mph), views, and because you will be able to admire the surrounding mountains like in no other place. Duration approx. 2 hours. 

Overnight in Arenal.

ARENAL – MONTEVERDE (60km – 2.5 hrs by road / 45 min by boat)

Check out from the hotel after breakfast. At 8 am, you will be picked up at the hotel and continue to your next destination: the magical Monteverde cloudforest. This shared transfer is a scenic and fast way to go from La Fortuna to Monteverde area. You will get onto a very comfortable and safe pontoon boat for a 30 to 40 minutes ride to Río Chiquito, a little town at the other side of the lake. Once at Río Chiquito, we will leave the boat and take a short break to stretch the legs. Then, another 1.5 hour microbus ride to get to the hotel in the Monteverde area, sometimes during the rainy season this transfer can take longer. Duration approximately 3.5 hours (Land and boat).  

Once in Monteverde, spend your afternoon at Selvatura Park. Here you will experience closer the mysteries of the cloudforest by enjoying a great combination of suspension bridges and platforms that offers you an opportunity to explore the forest canopy in a safe and easy manner.

Overnight in Monteverde.

MONTEVERDE – TAMARINDO (190km – 4 hrs)

This morning after breakfast, pick up at approximately 8.30 am to head towards the stunning beachside destination, in the mesmerising area of Guanacaste. After a 4-hour transfer, arrive in Guanacaste area and take the rest of the day to explore the surrounding, stroll the beautifully arranged streets of Tamarindo, a lovely beach town in Guanacaste or relax while enjoying hotel facilities. 

Overnight in Tamarindo. 

TAMARINDO

Tamarindo is a lively destination where you can have some fun, 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 Tamarindo.

TAMARINDO

Get to know Tamarindo, in the Central Pacific Coast of Puntarenas Province. Spend free time under the sun, playing with the waves or having some cultural encounter with the locals walking around the beach town. Tamarindo offers a wide variety of restaurants with an exquisite local and international cuisine. 

Overnight Tamarindo

TAMARINDO – SAN JOSÉ (250km – 4.5hrs)

Begin your last day in spectacular Costa Rica with a delectable breakfast. Then, at the appropriate time, private transfer to Juan Santamaria International Airport will take you to catch your flight back home or on to your next destination.