Ultimate Costa Rica in three weeks

Itinerary in brief: 

• 1 night San Jose
• 4 nights Puerto Viejo
• 2 nights Tortuguero National Park
• 2 nights Sarapiquí
• 2 nights Arenal
• 2 nights Monteverde
• 2 nights Manuel Antonio National Park
• 3 nights Corcovado National Park 

Day 1: UK to Costa Rica 

Depart the UK from your chosen airport. You’ll arrive in San Jose and be driven straight to your hotel, checking in for one night before you start your Costa Rica adventure tomorrow. 

Included: International flights, transfers, 4* hotel 

Day 2: Travel to Puerto Viejo

After breakfast, you’ll be driven to the Caribbean coast where you’ll be staying in the beachside town of Puerto Viejo, checking into your hotel for four nights. This relaxed town is the perfect spot to chill at the start of your trip, whilst exploring some of the nearby national parks, forests and beaches. 

Included: Breakfast, transfers, 4* hotel  

Day 3: Hike & snorkelling in Cahuita National Park

This morning you’ll head off on an exciting trip to Cahuita National Park, where you’ll be snorkelling and hiking as you explore the region. Firstly you’ll jump onto the little boat and head out to the reef for some snorkelling in two different areas. There are so many fish and coral to look for in the pristine water, including fire coral and red and black coral, which is unique to this area.  

After a feast of tropical fruit back at the beach, you’ll start a 1.5 hour hike through the national park, spotting beautiful beaches and tropical rainforests as you go. You’ll be surrounded by monkeys chattering in the trees, tiny frogs chirruping in the balmy air and butterflies fluttering by. In the afternoon you’ll be taken back to your hotel to relax for the rest of the day. 

Included: Breakfast, hike and snorkel tour, 4* hotel        

Day 4: Puerto Viejo 

Today is yours to enjoy the relaxed, beach town of Puerto Viejo. You could head to the beach to try a surf lesson or simply kick back with a beer on the golden sands. 

Included: Breakfast, 4* hotel      

Day 5: Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 

This morning you’ll be picked up and driven to Gondaca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, where your guide will be waiting for you to start the hike into the jungle. As well enjoying the walk through the lush forest, you’ll also be on the lookout for colourful toucans swooping through the canopy, sloths hanging out in the nooks between branches and caiman lurking in the shallow waterways. The refuge protects a huge area, full of plants and forests, as well as 11,000 acres of sea and 15km of coastline. At the end of your hike you can explore further at your leisure or simply relax on the beach before you are picked up to return to Puerto Viejo.

Included: Breakfast, guided hike, 4* hotel            

Day 6: Travel to Tortuguero National Park 

Today you'll be driven up towards Tortuguero NP. Once you reach Guápiles, you will get onto a coach for the journey to La Pavona Harbour. Tortuguero doesn’t have any roads, so the only way to get there is by speedboat. You’ll sail through the scenic labyrinth of small canals before arriving at Pachira Lodge, located just north of the Tortuguero village. On your first afternoon, you’ll visit the Sea Turtle Conservancy Museum, the beach and the charming Caribbean village of Tortuguero. 

Included: Breakfast, transfers, coach + boat transfer, afternoon guided tour of the village (museum fee not included), dinner, Pachira Lodge

Day 7: Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero means the ‘Land of Turtles’. This area attracts four species of turtle (green, leatherback, hawksbill and loggerhead) and whole host of other species from howler monkeys to toucans and sloths. In the morning you’ll head out on a guided walk along some of the lodge’s trails, learning about the forest and the vast range of species that make their home here, before enjoying a delicious lunch back at the lodge. In the afternoon, you’ll hop back on the boat for a relaxing boat tour of the canals, looking for more wildlife and listening out for different birds as they call to each other across the water. 

During July and August, thousands of green turtles head to the beaches of Tortuguero to lay their eggs. All the lodges in Tortuguero offer turtle-nesting tours that allows you to go onto the beach and see the process. Due to the sensitive nature and the critically endangered status of this species, the tours are highly regulated and can only be booked locally between July and October. This is an experience not to be missed if you are visiting Tortuguero. 

Included: All meals, morning guided trail walk, afternoon guided canal tour, Pachira Lodge 

Day 8: Travel to Sarapiquí 

Enjoy your final delicious breakfast at Pachira Lodge before heading back by boat through the canals to La Pavona Harbor, hopping onto the coach back to Guápiles. From here, you’ll be met and driven onwards towards Sarapiqui, where you’ll check into your hotel for two nights. 

Included: Breakfast, coach + boat transfer, transfers, 4* lodge

Day 9: Sarapiquí       

Today is yours to enjoy the lodge and surrounding areas, whether you want to relax or explore. In the evening, you’ll head off on a nighttime tour, looking for species that are at their most active during the dark hours. During the two-hour walk, your guide will teach you about the natural history of the nocturnal animals, from insects and frogs to kinkajous and bats. This incredible experience will give you a new and unique perspective on rainforest life. 

Included: Breakfast, night wildlife tour, 4* lodge             

Day 10: Travel to Arenal

After breakfast, you’ll be driven to onwards to Arenal. This beautiful region is lush with wildlife, forests and lakes, all centred around the majestic Arenal volcano. Settle into your hotel and enjoy the spectacular view of the volcano from the pool. 

Included: Breakfast, transfers, 4* lodge  

Day 11: Arenal          

Today you’ll head off to El Silencio Private Reserve to explore, starting with a short but tricky hike along the rocky path to the volcano, to the closest point that you can get to Arenal. Here, your guide will tell you about the formation of the volcano, it’s inactivity and the greatest eruption in 1968. After this, you’ll head into the regenerated forest nearby to explore the lush interior and look for wildlife. 

The rest of your day is at leisure. 

Included: Breakfast, El Silencio Trail tour, 4* hotel         

Day 12: Travel to Monteverde      

This morning, you’ll be driven onwards towards Monteverde Cloud Forest, one of the most diverse and stunning natural areas of Costa Rica. It’s not too far from Arenal, so once you arrive, you’ll have the rest of your day to relax or we can book you an extra tour this afternoon if you’d like to get stuck right in! 

Included: Breakfast, lake crossing, transfers, 4* hotel     

Day 13: Monteverde

Today you’ll spend the day exploring Monteverde Reserve discovering the trails through the forest with a guide. You’ll be able to walk to the panoramic viewpoint La Ventana, where you can witness the natural contrast made by the Continental Division that traces the main mountain ranges of Costa Rica. Here you’ll feel the fore of the trade winds that blow in from the Atlantic and witness how they descend towards the Central Pacific and coastal plains of northern Costa Rica. Look out for the majestic Quetzal, a colourful bird that makes it’s home here, as well as shimmering hummingbirds whizzing through the air, monkeys howling in the trees and butterflies sunning themselves on orchids. Your guide will teach you all about these incredible species and the unique cloud forest that forms their home. 

Included: Breakfast, Monteverde Reserve tour, 4* hotel  

Day 14: Travel to Manuel Antonio National Park 

Next, you’ll be drive to the coast, to Manuel Antonio National Park, a beautiful region on the Pacific coast. You’ll check into your hotel for three nights – why not head straight to the beach to soak up the sunset on your first night?

Included: Breakfast, shuttle transfers, 4* hotel

Day 15 & 16: Manuel Antonio National Park

You’ve got two full days to relax and recharge in beautiful Manuel Antonio. We’ve left these days free for you to stroll along the beach, explore the walking trails and snorkel with colourful fish on the beautiful coastline. If you want to book any tours here, we’re happy to help – just ask!

Included: Breakfast, 4* hotel                    

Day 17: Travel to the Osa Peninsula 

After breakfast, you’ll head to the Osa Peninsula, one of the most unique and remote areas of the country. When you reach the town of Sierpe, you’ll board a boat and enjoy making the rest of the journey to the Aguila de Osa Rainforest Lodge by water. The effort is worth it – you’ll be met with empty beaches fringed with rainforests, knotted mangroves along lush shorelines and a multitude of land and water-based wildlife.  

Included: Breakfast, transfers by car + boat, dinner, Aguila de Osa Rainforest Lodge            

Day 18: Corcovado National Park 

On your first day in the Osa Peninsula, you’ll head out to explore the Corcovado National Park. Considered one of the most diverse regions on the planet, the wildlife here is so diverse – you can keep your eyes peeled for bright scarlet macaws, cute tapirs, snuffling anteaters and even the elusive jaguars. The park is located right on the coast, so you’ll start early to get out to the national park in time to spend all morning there – don’t forget to bring your swimsuit so you can enjoy snorkelling with turtles in the clear water. 

Included: All meals, Corcovado National Park tour, Aguila de Osa Rainforest Lodge

Day 19: Caño Island Snorkelling    

Today you’ll head out to explore the underwater paradise of the Osa Peninsula. Caño Island is a lush and tropical spot, surrounded with an abundance of marine life and water that is endlessly blue. The reef can be found just a few metres away from the white-sand beach, home to black-tipped reef sharks, majestic eagle rays, gentle sea turtles and shimmering reef fish swimming in huge shoals. It’s a wonderful place to explore, before kicking back on the sand and soaking up the sun before heading back to the hotel to enjoy your final afternoon in Costa Rica. 

Included: All meals, Cano Island snorkelling tour, Aguila de Osa Rainforest Lodge   

Day 20: Depart Costa Rica 

After breakfast, you’ll be driven back to Drake Bay Airport for the short flight up to San Jose, ready to connect to your international flight home. 

Included: Breakfast, transfers, domestic and internal flights       

Day 21: Arrive UK