Enjoy the natural and cultural contrast that you will find in Costa Rica from Caribbean Coast to Pacific Coast. South Caribbean coast is a wonderful and very special destination that offers each visitor a unique blend of beaches, natural resources and Afro-Caribbean culture. In the northern part of the Costa Rican Caribbean, you will enjoy on boat through access channels to Tortuguero, surrounded by lush rainforest that will enable you to enjoy a rich diversity of flora and fauna. You can feel a pure contact with nature in a paradise that offers visitors 2000 species of plants and 400 species of trees, just as you can observe some of the 405 bird species. Continuing to the north plains where the impressive Arenal Volcano will welcome you with its majestic, almost perfect volcanic cone.
Then will be time to enjoy at Rincon de la Vieja, this area is famous for its cowboys and cattle breeding. After that will be time to explore Monteverde Cloud Forest an area of great wealth where 3,021 species are known, including a total of 755 species of trees, besides being considered site on the planet with the greatest diversity of orchids, over 500 species, of which there are 34 endemics, making Monteverde a paradise for nature lovers. In addition, it is the ideal place for bird watching, being the most famous of these the beautiful quetzal. Finally, you will visit Manuel Antonio, a paradise that mixes lovely white sand beaches with jungle and rain forest full of wildlife. Manuel Antonio National Park, since it has a charming combination of lush tropical forest and beautiful beaches with clear waters listed on Trip Advisor (Travellers Choice 2013) as the best beach in Central America and its park was recognized in 2011 by Forbes Magazine as one of the twelve most beautiful national parks in the world.
Program Summary:
Day 1: San José
Day 2: Puerto Viejo de Limón
Day 3: Puerto Viejo de Limón
Day 4: Tortuguero // Visit to Tortuguero Village
Day 5: Tortuguero // Visit to Tortuguero National Park
Day 6: Arenal Volcano
Day 7: Arenal Volcano
Day 8: Rincon de la Vieja
Day 9: Rincon de la Vieja
Day 10: Monteverde
Day 11: Monteverde
Day 12: Manuel Antonio
Day 13: Manuel Antonio
Day 14: Manuel Antonio
Day 15: Departure SJO
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1: SJO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT– SAN JOSE
Upon your arrival at SJO International Airport, a Swiss Travel representative will meet and greet you, and he will provide you with all the necessary documentation you will need during your vacation; then, you will be transferred to your selected hotel in San Jose.
Day 2: SAN JOSE – PUERTO VIEJO DE LIMON
Breakfast
This day will be time to move to the paradisiacal Costa Rican South Caribbean coast, a wonderful and very special destination that offers each visitor a unique blend of beaches, natural resources and Afro-Caribbean culture. During the transfer, after leaving San José along Route 32, you will see the beauty of the Braulio Carrillo National Park, a sanctuary of flora and fauna covered by dense vegetation, which is a sign of our Costa Rican biodiversity.
Upon completion of the route through the national park, we will pass through the picturesque towns of Guapiles and Siquirres to approach the coast, where you will catch sight of the wonderful sea until the arrival at Puerto Viejo de Limon, where some of the most spectacular beaches in Costa Rica are located and where you will enjoy two nights at the selected hotel.
Day 3: PUERTO VIEJO DE LIMON
Breakfast
Today is at your leisure to enjoy the natural surroundings, relax on the beach, swim in the warm waters of the Caribbean Sea or visit the town of Puerto Viejo de Limon and get a souvenir at a good price. If you wish to continue discovering the natural beauty of the South Caribbean of Costa Rica, we recommend visiting Cahuita National Park or Wildlife Refuge Gandoca – Manzanillo, which are well known, not only for their natural beauty and optional activities, but also because they have raised awareness in local people about the importance of preserving natural resources for future generations.
Day 4: PUERTO VIEJO DE LIMON – TORTUGUERO
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
This day we will continue to the northern part of the Costa Rican Caribbean, passing across the town of Guapiles to continue to the local pier, where we will take a relaxing trip of more than an hour by boat through access channels to Tortuguero, surrounded by lush rainforest that will enable you to enjoy a rich diversity of flora and fauna. During the trip, you will observe various types of birds, reptiles, monkeys, among other animals. Upon arriving at the selected Lodge, you will receive a brief of the activities to follow and recommendations to be taken into consideration when staying in the area.
In the afternoon, we will visit the picturesque village of Tortuguero where you will learn about the lifestyle of local residents who use bicycles as a means of transport within the small town and who have made tourism its main source of income.
In addition, you will learn important conservation efforts that have developed some NGOs to protect the most important nesting site of the Caribbean green turtle, the leatherback and the hawksbill turtles that come to nest each year. During the months of July to September, you can take the optional excursion (extra cost) that is coordinated directly with the Lodge to enjoy during the night one of the most impressive natural events: the massive arrival of turtles to lay their eggs after their long journey through the Caribbean Sea along the 22 kilometers of protected beach.
Day 5: TORTUGUERO
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Today, we will visit Tortuguero National Park that will dazzle you with its enormous biodiversity.
From the boat, you can feel a pure contact with nature in a paradise that offers visitors 2000 species of plants and 400 species of trees, just as you can observe some of the 405 bird species.
Among mammals is white-faced monkeys and howler monkeys, three-toed sloths, plus some endangered species such as the jaguar, ocelot and the tapir, which is the largest in the rain forests of Latin America. There is also presence of crocodiles, different species of turtles and freshwater fish. Tortuguero will definitely offer a unique and unforgettable experience.
Day 6: TORTUGUERO – VOLCAN ARENAL
Breakfast & Lunch
By midmorning, we will board again from the selected lodge through the local pier, enjoying again the biodiversity present along the canals. Then, we will continue by road to the town of Guapiles where you can enjoy a delicious lunch and then continue to the northern plains of Costa Rica.
This route offers beautiful scenery accompanied by picturesque rural towns like Rio Cuarto, Aguas Zarcas and La Fortuna de San Carlos, at this point, if weather conditions are favorable, you will be able to see one of the greatest natural attractions of the country: the impressive Arenal Volcano that will welcome you to the area with its majestic, almost perfect volcanic cone.
Registration and accommodation for the next two nights at the selected hotel will be done.
Day 7: VOLCAN ARENAL
Breakfast
This day is at your leisure to enjoy the tourist attractions (extra cost) around the Arenal Volcano. If you want to explore the area in a more exciting way, we recommend you the Sky Tram & Sky Trek. This tour combines the climbing to the top of the mountain by Sky Tram enjoying beautiful scenery of Arenal Lake, while pulleys subject to transverse cables make the descent from one mountain to another, to feel the adventure all over your body!
If you prefer a quieter excursion and admire the natural beauty of the northern plains, we recommend a visit to Arenal Hanging Bridges, a system of trails immersed in the rainforest where you will be able to walk along 16 hanging bridges. Bridges and trails were built considering all type of visitors and their security. This tour is adorned with magnificent views of the impressive Arenal Volcano and you will regularly find a huge variety of species such as mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds and insects making it one of the most advantageous visits in the area.
Day 8: ARENAL VOLCANO – RINCON DE LA VIEJA
Breakfast
Today we will continue towards Rincon de la Vieja volcano surroundings, the first stage of the route is full of beautiful panoramic views of the largest lake in the country, which is used for power generation: Arenal Lake. Continuing with the trip, we can see in the distance the Tenorio and Miravalles volcanoes, when passing through towns like Cañas, Bagaces and Liberia, before reaching the area of Rincon de la Vieja volcano. This area is famous for its cowboys and cattle breeding. Therefore, you can see open fields of dry grass for cattle grazing, along with landscapes of tropical dry forest, with its variety of wildlife. Registration and accommodation for the next two nights at the selected hotel will be done.
Day 9: RINCON DE LA VIEJA
Breakfast
Day at your leisure to enjoy the hotel facilities or consider taking an excursion (extra cost). We recommend that you visit Rincon de la Vieja National Park (closed on Mondays) where you can see during the walks the bubbling mud pools and sulfur fumaroles, while exploring the trails in the tropical dry forest. When walking, a local guide will describe all the secrets of the ecosystem while looking at animals like monkeys, toucans, agoutis, coatis, among others. The park was created to protect the flora, (it has the largest existing population of the national flower, La Guaria Morada (Guariante skinerii)) the extensive wildlife, and the watersheds around the area.
Day 10: RINCON DE LA VIEJA – MONTEVERDE
Breakfast
This day, during the morning, it will be time to continue to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. During the trip, you will enjoy the beautiful rural countries that adorn the gravel road and as they are approaching the high end, you can feel a slight change in temperature, since the place is more than 1300 meters above sea level. Costa Rica represents 4% of the plant species on the planet and highland cloud forests of Monteverde is an area of great wealth where 3,021 species are known, including a total of 755 species of trees, besides being considered site on the planet with the greatest diversity of orchids, over 500 species, of which there are 34 endemics, making Monteverde a paradise for nature lovers.
Registration at selected hotel where you will stay for the next two nights will be done.
Day 11: MONTEVERDE
Breakfast
Day at your leisure to explore on your own around the Monteverde Cloud Forest characterized by its spectacular protected forests, which are home to a rich biodiversity of flora and fauna. If you prefer to add adrenaline to your trip, you can enjoy adventure activities like the Sky Walk, which is a network of hanging bridges built in the forest trails, horseback riding, or Sky Trek Canopy tour. In addition, you can enjoy a cultural experience by visiting the Trapiche, a butterfly garden, or CASEM, which is a women’s cooperative in the area, offering crafts designed by housewives’ heads of household.
Also for nature lovers, it is the ideal place for bird watching, being the most famous of these the beautiful quetzal. Whatever your preference is, Monteverde will make your experience unforgettable and 100 % natural.
Day 12: MONTEVERDE – MANUEL ANTONIO
Breakfast
This day we will continue to one of the most beautiful areas of Costa Rica’s central Pacific, Manuel Antonio area. As we descend from the mountains of the cloud forest to the shoreward, you will feel a warm change in temperature and the landscapes will be adorned by various beaches along the Pacific coast to Manuel Antonio, which is a paradise that mixes lovely white sand beaches with jungle and rain forest full of wildlife. The vast variety of activities to do and places to visit in the area definitely adds value to your experience. This tropical place is one of the main attractions in Costa Rica, and one of the icons of ecotourism in the country.
Registration and accommodation for the next three nights at the selected hotel will be done.
Days 13 & 14: MANUEL ANTONIO
Breakfast
These days are at your leisure to enjoy the hotel facilities or take an excursion (extra cost). We recommend visiting the Manuel Antonio National Park (closed on Mondays) since it has a charming combination of lush tropical forest and beautiful beaches with crystal clear waters listed on Trip Advisor (Travellers Choice 2013) as the best beach in Central America and its park was recognized in 2011 by Forbes Magazine as one of the twelve most beautiful national parks in the world. Inside the park, there is a wide variety of vegetation, lagoons, mangroves, 109 species of mammals and 184 bird species. You can see several species of birds, reptiles and monkeys including the three-toed sloth. Among other activities in the area are horseback riding, surfing lessons, canopy, kayaking, fishing and mask diving.
Day 15: MANUEL ANTONIO – AEROPUERTO INTERNACIONAL SJO
Breakfast
After enjoying unforgettable days in the pacific coast, it is scheduled the transportation to return to the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) in the city of San Jose. You will see diverse landscapes along the way.
Please take into consideration that for International Departure Flights, passengers are highly requested to be 3 hours before Flight Departure Time at the Airport for check in procedures, this according to Airport and Airline Authorities.
END OF SERVICES
Standard Category
| Location | Hotel Name | Category | Type of Room | CST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San José | Sleep Inn San José | 3 Stars | Standard | 4 |
| Puerto Viejo de Limón | Cariblue | 3 Stars | Standard | 1 |
| Tortuguero | Laguna Lodge | Lodge | Standard | N/A |
| Arenal Volcano | Casa Luna | 3 Stars | Standard | 3 |
| Rincón de la Vieja | Cañon de la Vieja | 3 Stars | Standard | 4 |
| Monteverde | Heliconia | 3 Stars | Standard | 2 |
| Manuel Antonio | Villa Bosque | 3 Stars | Superior | 3 |
Superior Category
| Location | Hotel Name | Category | Type of Room | CST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San José | Aurola Holiday Inn | 4 Stars | Standard | 4 |
| Puerto Viejo de Limón | Shawandha | 3 Stars | Standard | 1 |
| Tortuguero | Pachira Lodge | Lodge | Standard | N/A |
| Arenal Volcano | Arenal Manoa | 4 Stars | Junior Suite | 2 |
| Rincón de la Vieja | Hacienda Guachipelin | 3 Stars | Standard | 4 |
| Monteverde | El Establo | 4 Stars | Deluxe | 1 |
| Manuel Antonio | Si Como No | 4 Stars | Standard | 5 |