10-Day Essential Costa Rica Tour with Guanacaste

Overview

Day by day itinerary

1. 1ARRIVAL 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 the night in Costa Rica. Overnight in San Jose .

   Overnight: Standard: Sleep Inn San Jose/other3* Superior: Park Inn San Jose/other 4* Deluxe: Hilton San Jose La Sabana/other 5*

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

   Your day begins early with a morning departure, travelling by bus 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 and continue through the jungle by boat, cruising the rivers and canals of Tortuguero National Park. Arrive at your eco-lodge and enjoy a tasty lunch. 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.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch

   Overnight: Standard:Pachira Lodge or similar Lodge Superior: Evergreen Lodge or similar Lodge Deluxe: Aninga Lodge or similar Lodge

3. 3TORTUGUERO 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.

   Meals: Breakfast

   Overnight: Standard:Pachira Lodge or similar Lodge Superior: Evergreen Lodge or similar Lodge Deluxe: Aninga Lodge or similar Lodge

4. 4TORTUGUERO – 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 restaurant for lunch. After a tasty meal, you will be picked up in a shared transfer and taken to the Arenal area. Enjoy the day at leisure to explore on your own or participate in an exciting optional activity like the Sky Walk or the Selvatura Treetop Walkway guided tours. The first choice 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. Sky Walk, Selvatura Treetop Walkaway and Don Juan Coffee tours are not included. Overnight in Arenal.

   Meals: Breakfast · Lunch

   Overnight: Standard: Arenal Montechiari or similar 3* Superior: Arenal Springs or similar 4* Deluxe: Arenal Kioro or similar 5*

5. 5ARENAL 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 to participate in an optional activity. 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 Sky Walk or the Selvatura Treetop Walkway guided tours, or you prefer getting closer to the fascinating Costa Rican culture while on the Don Juan Coffee tour, your day will be unforgettable. Sky Walk, Selvatura Treetop Walkaway and Don Juan Coffee tours are not included. Overnight in Arenal.

   Meals: Breakfast

   Overnight: Standard: Arenal Montechiari or similar 3* Superior: Arenal Springs or similar 4* Deluxe: Arenal Kioro or similar 5*

6. 6ARENAL – 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. Overnight in Monteverde.

   Meals: Breakfast

   Overnight: Standard: Monteverde Country Lodge or similar 3* Superior: Poco a Poco or similar 4* Deluxe: El Establo or similar 5*

7. 7MONTEVERDE⌄

   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. Overnight in Monteverde .

   Meals: Breakfast

   Overnight: Standard: Monteverde Country Lodge or similar 3* Superior: Poco a Poco or similar 4* Deluxe: El Establo or similar 5*

8. 8MONTEVERDE – 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.

   Meals: Breakfast

   Overnight: Standard: Pasatiempo or similar 3* Superior: Wyndham Tamarindo or similar 4* Deluxe: Tamarindo Diriá or similar 5*

9. 9PACIFIC 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.

   Meals: Breakfast

   Overnight: Standard: Pasatiempo or similar 3* Superior: Wyndham Tamarindo or similar 4* Deluxe: Tamarindo Diriá or similar 5*

10. 10PACIFIC COAST – DEPART SAN JOSE (160km – 3 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. Breakfast included.

    Meals: Breakfast

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