Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in San José
Your flight lands in San José where your tour guide meets you at the airport. After getting oriented, you'll head to your hotel in Santa Ana for the night and settle in.
- Day 2
Turrialba
The drive takes you to Turrialba, a quiet village surrounded by sugar cane and coffee plantations. You can spend the afternoon relaxing by the pool or walking the hiking trails at your hotel, where you'll likely spot birds and get views of the mountains.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Explore hiking trails at hotel
- Bird watching from accommodation
- Pool access at hotel
- Day 3
Irazú Volcano
After an early start, you'll hike the crater trail at Irazú Volcano, the highest in Costa Rica. Following the hike, your guide takes you to an abandoned hospital on the grounds and walks you through its unusual history.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Hike at Irazú volcano (included entrance fee)
- Visit abandoned hospital with guided tour
Landmarks Irazú Volcano - Day 4
Tortuguero National Park
Travel combines a bus ride and a boat journey to get you to Tortuguero National Park. Once you arrive, there's lunch waiting, and then your guide leads you through the village where you'll learn about the area's past and local culture.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Delicious lunch at lodge)
Included Activities
- Boat transfer to Tortuguero National Park
- Guided walk through Tortuguero village
Landmarks Tortuguero National Park - Day 5
Tortuguero National Park
Breakfast comes first, then you walk through the lodge's tropical garden before boarding a boat for the canal tour. The boat trip lets you see wildlife and the plant life throughout the park. Your afternoon is free to either stroll the lodge paths or kick back by the pool.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Walk through tropical garden at lodge
- Afternoon boat trip through national park canals
Optional Activities
- Morning boat trip through national park (approx. USD 60 per person, bookable on site)
Landmarks Tortuguero National Park - Day 6
La Fortuna
On the drive toward La Fortuna, you'll catch sight of Arenal Volcano's iconic cone shape, provided the weather cooperates. Later that evening, you head to the Ecotermales to relax in thermal pools away from the main tourist areas.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Relaxation at Ecotermales hot springs
Landmarks Arenal Volcano 
- Day 7
Arenal to Monteverde
You'll hike an easy 2km trail right at the base of Arenal Volcano, taking about 1.5 hours and climbing 40 meters. The route crosses cooled lava fields, then continues along Lake Arenal as you make your way toward Monteverde.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Hike at Arenal Volcano (easy, 2 km, approximately 1.5 hours, ±40 meters altitude gain)
- Travel along Lake Arenal to Monteverde
Landmarks Arenal Volcano Lake Arenal - Day 8
Monteverde Reserve
The Monteverde Reserve opens up 12,000+ hectares of cloud forest for you to explore. You'll cross suspension bridges to look for animals, and hopefully catch a quetzal bird. In the afternoon, an easy 3km hike through the Curi Cancha reserve takes about 2 hours.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to Monteverde Reserve with suspension bridge (included entrance fee)
- Hike at Curi Cancha reserve (easy, 3 km, approximately 2 hours)
Landmarks Monteverde Reserve Curi Cancha Reserve - Day 9
Coffee Plantation to Tenorio National Park
At a local plantation, you'll learn how coffee is grown and processed, getting the full experience from plant to cup. If you're visiting during harvest season, you can pick coffee beans yourself. After that, you travel to Tenorio National Park and check into a boutique rainforest lodge for two nights.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided tour of coffee plantation with production and history (included tasting)
- Coffee bean harvesting experience (during harvest season)
Landmarks Tenorio National Park - Day 10
Tenorio National Park
You'll ride horses along the Rio Celeste and through the park, experiencing the landscape from a different vantage point. The rest of your day is yours to do as you please, whether that's resting up or exploring on your own.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Horseback ride along Rio Celeste
Landmarks Rio Celeste - Day 11
Tenorio National Park to Pacific Coast
Tenorio National Park, protected since 1976, gives you a chance to spot rare animals like pumas and tapirs if you're lucky. The landscape includes the famous Rio Celeste, known for its distinctive milky blue water. From here, you travel to the Pacific coast near Puntarenas for a three-night beach stay.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Tenorio National Park exploration (included national park fees)
Landmarks Tenorio National Park Rio Celeste - Day 12
Curá Nature Reserve
An easy 3km hike through Cuá Nature Reserve takes about 2.5 hours and follows trails where monkeys, ocelots, coatis, and macaws live. Afterward, you choose either a kayak trip or another beach hike, then wrap up with a picnic lunch on the sand using fresh fruit.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Picnic (Picnic with fresh fruits at the beach)
Included Activities
- Hike through Curá Nature Reserve (easy, 3 km, approximately 2.5 hours, included entrance fee)
- Kayak excursion or beach hike
- Picnic with fresh fruits at the beach
Landmarks Curá Nature Reserve - Day 13
Puntarenas Free Day
This day is meant for relaxation. Spend it in the tropical gardens or by the pool at your lodge, head to the nearby beach, or ask your guide about optional excursions to nearby parks. That evening, you'll have dinner together and reflect on everything you've seen.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Dinner together to review experiences)
Optional Activities
- Tropical gardens at accommodation
- Pool access at accommodation
- Nearby sandy beach
- Optional excursions to surrounding national parks (ask tour guide for options)
- Day 14
Gulf of Nicoya to San José
After a 90-minute ferry crossing the Gulf of Nicoya, you arrive in Puntarenas and continue toward San José. Dinner together gives you a chance to look back on the trip before your final night in Santa Ana.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Final dinner together)
Landmarks Gulf of Nicoya - Days 15 - 16
Departure
Your guide transfers you to the airport for your flight home, with arrival happening the next day.
