San Jose Trip Overview
Uncover essential Costa Rica during this 10-day exotic adventure. Beginning and ending in the capital, San Jose, this tour offers you the chance to discover different aspects of this emblematic destination. Enjoy an unforgettable excursion in Tortuguero, in a shared shuttle and boat and then visit the most predominant natural areas of Costa Rica, including the Arenal Volcano National Park, and the cloud forest of Monteverde. Spend precious time visiting the Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the most stunning conservation areas on the planet. During the trip, keep an eye out for a variety of animals, bugs, as well as plants and don’t forget to mingle with the friendly locals for a versatile experience.
Additional Info
Duration: 10 days
Starts: San Jose, Costa Rica
Trip Category: Outdoor Activities >> Nature & Wildlife
Explore San Jose Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting San Jose, Province of San Jose, Costa Rica
Uncover essential Costa Rica during this 10-day exotic adventure. Beginning and ending in the capital, San Jose, this tour offers you the chance to discover different aspects of this emblematic destination. Enjoy an unforgettable excursion in Tortuguero, in a shared shuttle and boat and then visit the most predominant natural areas of Costa Rica, including the Arenal Volcano National Park, and the cloud forest of Monteverde. Spend precious time visiting the Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the most stunning conservation areas on the planet. During the trip, keep an eye out for a variety of animals, bugs, as well as plants and don’t forget to mingle with the friendly locals for a versatile experience.
Itinerary
Day 1: ARRIVAL SAN JOSE
Stop At: Juan Santamaría International Airport, Alajuela Province, Alajuela, Costa Rica
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.
Duration: 12 hours
No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Standard:Holiday Inn ExpressForum/similar3*
Superior:Holiday Inn Escazu/similar4*
Deluxe:Real Intercontinental/similar5*
Day 2: SAN JOSE – TORTUGUERO (135km – 4 hrs by road / 2 hrs by boat)
Stop At: Pachira Lodge, Canals, Limón Province, Pococí, 70206, Costa Rica
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.
Duration: 12 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Standard: Pachira Lodge or similar
Superior: Evergreen Lodge or similar
Deluxe: Aninga Lodgeor similar
Day 3: TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK
Stop At: Pachira Lodge, Canals, Limón Province, Pococí, 70206, Costa Rica
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. Entrance fee to the Tortuguero National Park is not included.
Overnight in Tortuguero.
Duration: 12 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Standard: Pachira Lodge or similar
Superior: Evergreen Lodge or similar
Deluxe: Aninga Lodgeor similar
Day 4: TORTUGUERO – ARENAL (210km – 5 hrs by road / 2 hrs by boat)
Stop At: Arenal Montechiari, 400 mts. Norte del Banco Nacional. Antes del puente a mano izquierda. Barrio Sinaí., Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna, 21007, Costa Rica
Early in the morning depart by boat back to Guapiles. From there, take the ground transportation to the restaurant for lunch. After a nice meal, a representative of the car rental company will meet you at the restaurant to give you the rental car you will be using for the rest of the trip. Then you can drive yourself to the Arenal area and enjoy the rest of 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 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.
Duration: 12 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Standard: Arenal Montechiari or similar 3*
Superior: Arenal Springs or similar 4*
Deluxe: Arenal Kioro or similar 5*
Day 5: ARENAL VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK
Stop At: Arenal Montechiari, 400 mts. Norte del Banco Nacional. Antes del puente a mano izquierda. Barrio Sinaí., Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna, 21007, Costa Rica
After breakfast, you will have the opportunity to visit the Arenal Volcano National Park on your own. During the hike, enjoy the verdant landscapes and the backdrop of the now-dormant volcano as you keep a lookout for animals that live in this national park. You have the chance to see sloths, howler monkeys, and even anteaters, to name a few. The entrance fee to Arenal Volcano National Park is not included. 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.
Duration: 12 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Standard: Arenal Montechiari or similar 3*
Superior: Arenal Springs or similar 4*
Deluxe: Arenal Kioro or similar 5*
Day 6: ARENAL – MONTEVERDE (60km – 2.5 hrs by road / 45 min by boat)
Stop At: Monteverde Villa Lodge, 600metros del centro de Santa Elena, Provincia de Puntarenas, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Begin the day with an early breakfast. You can have the morning at leisure or start your journey early to Monteverde Cloud forest area. Admire the transition of the rainforest to the cloud forest where you will reach an altitude of 1,200 metres above sea level. Monteverde, located in the Puntarenas province, 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 rest of the day at leisure to explore on your own.
Overnight in Monteverde.
Duration: 12 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Standard: Monteverde Country Lodge or similar 3*
Superior: Poco a Poco or similar 4*
Deluxe: El Establo or similar 5*
Day 7: MONTEVERDE
Stop At: Monteverde Villa Lodge, 600metros del centro de Santa Elena, Provincia de Puntarenas, Monteverde, Costa Rica
After a nourishing breakfast at the hotel, enjoy you can 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. Entrance to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is not included.
Overnight in Monteverde .
Duration: 12 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Standard: Monteverde Country Lodge or similar 3*
Superior: Poco a Poco or similar 4*
Deluxe: El Establo or similar 5*
Day 8: MONTEVERDE – PACIFIC COAST (190km – 4 hrs)
Stop At: Hotel Villabosque, Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, 300 mts oeste del, Provincia de Puntarenas, Quepos, 60601, Costa Rica
This morning after breakfast, head towards a stunning beachside destination, descending to Manuel Antonio National Park. On arrival, take the rest of the day to enjoy the surrounding areas, hotel facilities or the spectacular beach.
Overnight in Pacific Coast.
Duration: 12 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Standard: Villa Bosque or similar 3*
Superior: San Bada Hotel or similar 4*
Deluxe: Parador or similar 5*
Day 9: PACIFIC COAST
Stop At: Hotel Villabosque, Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, 300 mts oeste del, Provincia de Puntarenas, Quepos, 60601, Costa Rica
Begin your day with a luscious breakfast and then, take the opportunity to visit the Manuel Antonio National Park on your own. The trail is flat, picturesque and loops through the park, making your course about two miles long. The park is a great place to take pictures or just to admire the impressive views. One of the highlights of this tour is that Manuel Antonio is home to three of the four existing tropical primates living in Costa Rica. Halfway through the hike, enjoy a leisurely stop at the world-famous ‘Third Beach’. Take a rest on the soft sand or play in the waves. Throughout the hike, it is common to see sloths, birds and reptiles as well as admire wild orchids, butterflies and tropical vegetation. The entrance fee to the Manuel Antonio National Park is not included.
Overnight in Pacific Coast.
Duration: 12 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Standard: Villa Bosque or similar 3*
Superior: San Bada Hotel or similar 4*
Deluxe: Parador or similar 5*
Day 10: PACIFIC COAST – DEPART SAN JOSE (160km – 3 hrs)
Stop At: Juan Santamaría International Airport, Alajuela Province, Alajuela, Costa Rica
Enjoy a tasty breakfast and, at the appropriate time, drive from Manuel Antonio to the airport for your flight back home. Drop off your car at the car rental office and take a shuttle transfer to the airport.
Breakfast included.
Duration: 12 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
