Costa Rica, San José

At the Heart of Nature: Jungle, Beaches and Volcanoes 3^*

Welcome to Costa Rica!

You will be greeted by a local guide upon leaving the airport, followed by a transfer to your hotel. Your stay will begin with a first night in San José. Located at an altitude of 1,200 meters, the capital and its agglomeration gather half of the country's population. The city is situated within the central valley surrounded to the North by various volcanoes, such as Poas, Irazú, and Turrialba, as well as to the South by the Talamanca mountain range, which is the highest mountain range in Southern Central America.

Free dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Hotel: Hotel Aranjuez 4* (or similar)

IMPORTANT: If you opt for the package with transport, please make sure to select a flight arriving before 11pm and a return flight departing after 1pm.

Meet at the reception of your hotel with your local Spanish-English speaking driver and head towards the Tortuguero pier in a semi-collective transfer (3-hour drive, with only the guests who will be staying in the same lodge as you in Tortuguero). Arrive in the town of Guápiles and have breakfast in a local restaurant before taking a boat to Tortuguero National Park. You will wind your way through the canals in the heart of the tropical forest (1h30 by boat). Arrive at the lodge for lunch.

Tortuguero is Costa Rica's little Amazon, its intense tropical forest is home to an incredible fauna and flora, ensuring a total change of scenery. The Tortuguero site is part of the protection of wetlands resulting from the Ramsar convention with particular attention to the habitats of birds living in a marine environment. In the afternoon, you will discover the small Caribbean village of Tortuguero. Free late afternoon to enjoy the facilities and take a walk in the surroundings.

Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Hotel: Evergreen Lodge 3* (or similar)

Breakfast at the lodge. During this day, you will enjoy a boat trip through the canals of Tortuguero Park to discover nature at its most awakening. Frequent stops to observe a wide variety of birds, monkeys, crocodiles and caimans... After this outing, return to your lodge. For the rest of the morning, take a stroll along the lodge's trails to discover its flora and fauna. Your guide will familiarize you with the inhabitants of this exuberant secondary forest (boots and ponchos available on site if necessary).

Return to the lodge in the late morning for lunch. Afternoon free to enjoy the lodge facilities (swimming pool, ...) or optional on-site activities: fishing, additional canal tour..

Dinner and overnight at the lodge

Hotel: Evergreen Lodge 3* (or similar)

Breakfast at the lodge. Return to Guápiles by boat, followed by lunch at a local restaurant. The bus will then drop you off at the car rental agency for you to pick up your vehicle. Continue towards the South Caribbean coast (3-hour drive).

You will pass through Siquirres and the port city of Limón before reaching the seaside where the villages of Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo are located… A unique atmosphere awaits you in these small Caribbean fishing villages characterized by a multicultural vibe and calypso, reggae music from the Afro-Caribbean culture.

Dinner is at your leisure and overnight stay at the lodge.

Hotel: La Kukula Lodge 3* (or similar)

Breakfast at the lodge. In the morning, you will visit an animal shelter, the "Jaguar Rescue Center" with a local Spanish/English-speaking guide. During this visit, you'll get to know some of the center's temporary and permanent residents, and their stories. You'll also learn about the issues and problems of wildlife protection in Costa Rica. As the center receives no government aid, entrance fees charged for visits and income from the small souvenir store are its only source of revenue. Open Monday to Saturday, the center is closed on Sundays.

Continue your day by car to enjoy the beautiful beaches of the coast, discovering the Cahuita National Park or the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, the latter located south of Puerto Viejo. From your hotel, either on foot or by renting a bike, take a dip in the warm Caribbean waters. Playa Chiquita, Playa Cocles or Playa Punta Uva await you. Between two sunbaths, take a relaxing break in one of the local restaurants and enjoy a refreshing drink.

Free meals and overnight at the lodge.

Hotel: La Kukula Lodge 3* (or similar)

Breakfast at the lodge. Departure towards the North-East of the country to Sarapiquí, a rich agricultural region (pineapples, heart of palm, pejibaye, guanabana …) (4h drive). This is a stop on the way to Arenal, which not only breaks up the journey time but also offers numerous nature reserves, such as the La Selva Biological Station or La Tirimbina, with a variety of activities ranging from outdoor walking, sports activities or even agro-tourism.

Free meals and overnight at the lodge.

Hotel: Sarapiqui's Rainforest Lodge 3* (or similar)

Breakfast at the lodge. Today your journey takes you north of the country to La Fortuna, a town located at the foot of the Arenal Volcano (1h30 drive). Costa Rica is known to be home to about 116 volcanoes, among them and surely one of the most impressive is the Arenal Volcano. Despite its age of 7,500 years, it is rather well preserved as it is the youngest volcano in the country. Peaking at 1,630 meters, this stratovolcano has not been active since the end of 2010 but it delights photographers (when it is uncovered) as well as 'amateurs' or 'aficionados' of thermal waters.

Meals are not included and overnight stay at the lodge.

Hotel: Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge & Wildlife Refuge 3* (or similar)

Breakfast at the lodge. That morning, enjoy a self-guided and unguided stroll on the suspended bridges. This will take place in the private natural reserve of 250Ha of primary tropical rainforest for an observation of fauna and flora at the canopy level. You can enjoy different viewpoints on the volcano. 3 km of easy trails, accessible to all. You will cross 15 bridges at different heights measuring from 5 to 100 meters.

Free meals and overnight at the lodge.

Hotel: Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge & Wildlife Refuge (or similar)

Breakfast at the lodge. Journey towards the beaches of Guanacaste, heading to the small seaside resort of Samara after passing through the village of Nicoya (4-hour drive). If you're in search of tranquillity, Playa Samara is perfect for you. This beach is lined with palm trees, and numerous animals live in the surrounding area. For instance, Cangrejal Bay has a reef that attracts rays and tropical fish. To the North, Playa Buena Vista is a nesting site for sea turtles. The mangroves of the Buena Vista estuary are home to crocodiles and herons. On Chora Island, you'll also see pink sand and sea birds. Less than a 10-minute drive away, Puerto Carillo has a vast wild beach with no buildings along the seafront.

Meals are not included and overnight stay at the lodge.

Hotel: Samara Pacific Lodge 3* (or similar)

Breakfast at the lodge. You will have the opportunity to participate in numerous activities on site, or enjoy the large sandy beach of Playa Samara or Playa Carrillo, a neighbouring beach lined with palm trees. You can also explore the south of the Nicoya Peninsula, such as the small surfer villages of Nosara or Santa Teresa.

Meals are not included and overnight stay at the lodge.

Hotel: Samara Pacific Lodge 3* (or similar)

Breakfast at the lodge. Departure towards the locality of Monteverde on the slopes of the Tilarán mountain range, initially passing through the Pan-American highway and then a rather picturesque road (3 hours drive). Monteverde was founded in the mid-20th century by American Quakers who immigrated during the Vietnam War because they shared Costa Rica's pacifist values. It is a cloud forest nestled at 1,400 meters above sea level, constituting a small paradise for nature lovers offering an extraordinary diversity in its flora.

Free meals and overnight at the lodge.

Hotel: Cala Lodge 3* (or similar)

Breakfast at the lodge. Today, you can visit one of the many private reserves in the area or engage in another adventure activity in the cloud forest! The geographical, topographical, and climatic conditions of Monteverde have fostered astonishing biodiversity. In its forests, we find four 'ecological life zones', which give life to different ecosystems inhabited by hundreds of species of mammals, birds, butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, insects, and arachnids, as well as a wide variety of plants such as mosses, epiphytes, lianas, and common trees of the cloud forest.

Free meals and overnight at the lodge.

Hotel: Cala Lodge 3* (or similar)

Breakfast at hotel.

Transfer to Juan Santamaria International Airport for your return flight.

Vehicle pick-up at your rental agency near the airport

A free shuttle bus will take you to the airport.

End of trip.

On the road to Manuel Antonio!

Breakfast at the hotel.

Your adventure then continues towards the center of the Pacific coast. Ideally located, you'll have easy access to all the area's activities: among others, you're close to Marino Bahia Ballena National Park, Corcovado National Park and Manuel Antonio National Park.

All of them renowned for their great natural wealth. Along the way, we recommend a short stop at the Tarcoles bridge to observe its impressive crocodiles.

Hotel: Hotel Playa Yara 3* (or similar)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Day to discover the Manuel Antonio region! Laze on the beach or by the pool, stroll through the national park, or head south to the Uvita region, to explore the forest in search of waterfalls or climb aboard a boat to observe the marine wildlife!

Free meals and overnight at hotel.

Hotel: Hotel Plaza Yara 3* (or similar)

Breakfast at the hotel.

Continue to Juan Santamaria International Airport for your return flight (3-hour drive). Pick up your vehicle at the rental agency near the airport A free shuttle service will take you to the airport.

IMPORTANT: If you opt for the transport package, please select an outbound flight arriving before 11pm and a return flight departing after 1pm.

Your stay includes the rental of a 4x4 Suzuki Vitara (or similar) for 9 days or 11 days (if you select the extension), from day 4 around 1:30 pm to day 13 or 15.

Car rental includes:

Unlimited mileage

Compulsory basic insurance

GPS or WIFI

Car rental does not include:

Additional vehicle insurance (excess in case of theft, damage or accident)

Vehicle gas, parking and toll charges

Additional drivers

Pick-up and drop-off charges outside confirmed times and locations

Child and baby seats

Any guarantee deposit not mentioned in "rental includes"

Car rental conditions:

Minimum driver age: 21

Driving license: must be valid at time of pick-up

Please note:

On Day 4, the pick-up point will be at the restaurant after lunch (approx. 1:30 pm). The representative will arrive with the vehicle.

On day 13 or 15, you'll need to go to the Belen rental office, near the airport, to return your vehicle. A shared shuttle bus will take you to the airport.

Credit card only for surcharges (VISA or MASTERCARD or AMERICAN EXPRESS). The credit card must be in the driver's name. Debit cards are not accepted.

On the day you pick up your vehicle, the rental company will ask you to sign a rental contract. We cannot be held responsible for any supplements added when the rental contract is signed.

The type of vehicle varies according to the number of passengers:
4x4 Suzuki Vitara (or similar) for 2 to 5 passengers. For larger numbers, another vehicle can be hired.

The model shown on this page is an example and cannot be guaranteed. Similar models can be supplied.

All surcharges paid locally are subject to local taxes.