We Love —
- Going on a road trip through Costa Rica and explore its stunning landscapes in complete freedom.
- Trying the many activities available in Arenal, from zip lines through the tree canopy to bathing in the natural hot springs.
- Spend longer in this beautiful location with a 4-night stopover in the Corcovado National Park, nestled between the lush jungle and heavenly beach.
Your itinerary in brief —
Discover the natural treasures of Costa Rica and explore its extraordinary landscapes with your hire car.
Between natural parks, volcanoes, and hanging bridges, there is plenty to discover on a 7, 9 or 11 night tour.
Why not seize the opportunity to extend your stay with a few extra nights in Corcovado National Park, to finish your stay with your feet-in-the-sand, cocktail in hand...
Choose the length of stay that suits you best:
7 night tour / 8 days (11 nights with the optional stopover):
- Day 1: San José
- Day 2: San José - Tortuguero
- Day 3: Tortuguero - Arenal
- Day 4: Arenal
- Day 5: Arenal - Monteverde
- Day 6: Monteverde - Manuel Antonio
- Day 7: Manuel Antonio
- Day 8: Departure
9 night tour / 10 days (13 nights with the optional stopover):
- Days 1 - 2: Similar days 1-2 of the 7 night tour
- Day 3: Tortuguero
- Days 4 - 6: Similar to days 3-5 of 7 night tour
- Day 7: Monteverde
- Days 8 - 10: Similar to days 6-8 of 7 night tour
11 night tour / 12 days (15 nights with the optional stopover):
- Days 1 - 4: Similar to days 1-4 of 9 night itinerary
- Days 5 - 6: Arenal
- Days 7 - 12: Similar to days 6-10 of 9 night itinerary
Your itinerary in detail —
7 night road trip
Day 1: San José
- A local representative will meet and assist you at the airport.
- Transfer from Juan Santamaría International Airport to your hotel in San José.
Overnight stay in San José
Day 2: San José - Tortuguero (4 hours drive and 1.5 hours by boat)
- Visit the wonderful region of Tortuguero, in the north of the Caribbean and one of the most popular ecotourism destinations in Costa Rica. Created to protect endangered sea turtles, its canals, rivers, lagoons and rainforests make it a paradise for wildlife.
- Shared transfer from hotel to Tortuguero.
- Visit to Tortuguero National Park and Guapiles, then the charming village of Tortuguero in the afternoon.
- On the way, stop in the town of Guapiles to have a Costa Rican breakfast at a local restaurant, then continue to the pier where you will board the boat to Tortuguero.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included (drinks excluded)
Overnight stay in Tortuguero
Plase note: The order of activities in Tortuguero may vary depending on the organisation of the hotel.
Day 3: Tortuguero - Arenal (1h30 by boat and 2h30 by road)
- Rise early and join the guide to enjoy nature in all its splendour by taking a sunrise boat tour of Tortuguero National Park.
- Shared transfer by boat and land from Tortuguero to the restaurant located in Guapiles, where you will enjoy a traditional lunch (excluding drinks).
- Meet the car rental representative to get your rental car, or meet the transfer service to continue to your next destination: La Fortuna de San Carlos, where the impressive Arenal volcano is located.
Breakfast and lunch included
Overnight stay in Arenal
Day 4: Arenal
- After breakfast, explore the wonders of Arenal at your own pace - try the natural hot springs, hike the lava trails of Arenal Volcano National Park, see the amazing La Fortuna waterfall or fly through the tree canopy on a zip line adventure.
Breakfast and lunch included
Overnight stay in Arenal
Day 5: Arenal - Monteverde (3h drive)
Monteverde is a unique blend of natural beauty and tranquillity combined with adventurous and adrenaline-filled activities like zip lines and nighttime jungle walks.
- Departure for Monteverde
- Breakfast included
- Night in Monteverde
Breakfast included
Overnight stay in Arenal
Day 6 : Monteverde - Manuel Antonio (3h30 drive)
- Visit the village of Manuel Antonio and its magnificent beach. Famous for its national park, this lively town is located on the central Pacific coast of Costa Rica.
Breakfast included
Overnight stay in Monteverde
Day 7: Manuel Antonio
- Free day to discover for yourself the amazing flora and fauna of the Central Pacific Coast.
- Hike to the famous Manuel Antonio National Park, have adventures or just relax on the beaches of Manuel Antonio.
Breakfast included
Overnight stay in Manuel Antonio
Day 8: End of the itinerary (3h drive)
- Breakfast at yoru hotel prior to departure.
- Return to the hire car office near Juan Santamaría International Airport and a shared shuttle will take you to the airport for your flight home.
- If you choose the optional stay in Corcovado National Park, you will leave your hire car in Manuel Antonio, before being transferred to your beach and wilderness getaway.
9 night road trip
Days 1 and 2:
- Similar to the 7 night tour.
Day 3: Tortuguero
- Join the guide for a walk along the private trails of the Lodge and discover the flora and fauna of this magical place
- In the afternoon, after lunch, enjoy nature in all its splendour as you cruise the canals, lagoons and rainforest of Tortuguero National Park by boat *
Breakfast, lunch and dinner included
Overnight stay in Tortuguero
Days 4-6:
- Similar to Days 3-5 of the 7 night tour.
Day 7: Monteverde
- Enjoy a free day to discover for yourself the many natural wonders of Monteverde.
Breakfast included
Overnight stay in Monteverde
Days 8-10:
- Similar to Days 6-8 of the 7 night tour.
11 night road trip
Days 1 - 4:
- Similar to days 1-4 of the 9 night itinerary.
Days 5 - 6: Arenal
- Explore Arenal at your leisure, with the added pleasure of having plenty of time to try all the incredible activities you can do here.
Breakfast included
Overnight stay in Arenal
Days 7 -12:
- Similar to Days 6-10 of the 9 night itinerary.
Optional 4 night stay in Corcovado
Day 1: Manuel Antonio - Corcovado (2 hours traveling time)
- At the agreed time, meet your driver in the hotel lobby for a private transfer to your next destination: the South Pacific coast, where the impressive Corcovado National Park is located.
- Arrive in Sierpe and meet your guide for the boat transfer to your lodge. You will spend the next 2 nights in an ideal place to combine relaxation and adventure in a pure and natural environment.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included
Day 2 - 3: Corcovado
- Make the most of your days in Corcovado. During your stay, you can enjoy one of the following two experiences:
- Hike to Corcovado National Park (San Pedrillo Station): Visit Corcovado National Park, known as the most biologically diverse place on the planet according to National Geographic, with an expert guide.
- Caño Island and snorkeling: Explore one of the largest and healthiest coral formations on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Prepare for an incredible underwater adventure, where sea turtles, rays, dolphins, moray eels, barracudas, sharks, humpback whales, tuna, and other aquatic animals are frequently seen.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included
Day 4: Corcovado - San Jose (3.5 hours by car or 45 minutes domestic flight, your choice)
- Enjoy breakfast at the hotel.
- Check out at the agreed time and get ready for the journey to San José, either overland by private transfer or by domestic flight.
Breakfast included
Day 5: San José - Departure
- Enjoy a final breakfast at the hotel.
- Check out at the agreed time and meet your transport in the lobby for a shared transfer to the Juan Santamaria airport terminal for your return flight home.
Breakfast included
Important information about your tour and visits: The hotels, that comply with local standards, are indicative and may be changed locally for hotels of a similar category. The itinerary is subject to changes due to compelling reasons such as delayed flights, weather conditions or other cases of force majeure. The order of visits is also subject to change.
Your hotels —
Hand-picked just for you
Maximum room capacity
At each of your stops, choose between carefully selected Superior Hotels.
Superior hotels:
- San José: Presidente (or similar)
- Tortuguero: Evergreen Lodge (or similar)
- Arenal: Lomas del Volcan (or similar)
- Monteverde: Poco a Poco (or similar)
- Manuel Antonio: Parador Resort (or similar)
If you choose the 4-night optional stopover:
- Corcovado: Rancho Corcovado Lodge (or similar)
- San José: Hotel Country Inn & Suites (or similar)
If the hotels listed above are unavailable, you will be provided with comfortable accommodation in similar hotels. Local standards apply.
Possibility to stay in a single room with supplement. The maximum capacity of the room is 3 adults or 2 adults + 1 child.
Your dining choices
Throughout your tour, enjoy a bed and breakfast stay, except in Tortuguero, which will be full board (see details in the itinerary) - excluding drinks. If you choose the Corcovado National Park optional stopover, enjoy full board (excluding drinks) in your accommodation in the park, as well as breakfast at your hotel in San José.
Your optional excursions —
Rio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano hike in Arenal
Enjoy a walk along a 7-kilometre path through the forest, a magical Waterfall, the Blue Lagoon, and a viewing point with a view of the impressive Tenorio Volcano and its surrounding hills.
Arena Volcano & National Park by boat
Enjoy a captivating visit by boat of areas that were once destroyed by volcanic activity and are now in the process of regeneration. A walk through the 'Camino de Coladas' will take you all the way to experience what were in the past lava flows.
La Fortuna waterfall horse back riding in Arenal
Enjoy an unforgettable horseback riding tour starting at the foot of the mountain, passing through beautiful landscapes and forest along the way, before reaching the waterfall and enjoying a refreshing swim in a natural pool.
Your optional services —
Optional upgrade to full coverage car insurance (superior car hire)
Enhance your holiday experience with convenient car hire, and the peace of mind of extra car hire insurance cover (superior).
Optional upgrade to full coverage car insurance (standard car hire)
Your Journey to Costa Rica —
Flights:
You will be able to choose your airline and flight times when you make your booking. This flight may include one or more stopovers. The stopover may be technical (without a change of aircraft) or transit (with a change of aircraft).
Luggage information
Luggage, meals and other services on board may be subject to an additional fee on certain airlines. It is possible to view details of luggage allowances when you choose your flights at the next stage of the booking process. If luggage is not included with your flight, please go to the airline's website before your departure to purchase your luggage for an additional fee.
For domestic flights, airlines do not always offer the option of reserving luggage. In this case, you will need to pay for it at the airport counter.
You will receive all the information you need to check in for your flights after you have made your reservation.
Your destinations —
Costa Rica
As the eco-and adventure-tourism capital of Central America, Costa Rica is a magnet for nature enthusiasts, thrill seekers and those who want to step off the beaten track.
La Pura Vida (the pure life) is the unofficial motto of the country, and it's easy to see why - emerald rainforests, pastel-coloured hummingbirds, smouldering volcanic peaks, tumbling rivers...this verdant chunk is one of the most bio-diverse spots on the planet.
The country's national parks are its greatest glory, with one-third of the country set aside as protected natural areas. As well as being a world leader in eco-tourism, Costa Rica superbly caters for visitors looking for an adrenalin kick, with options including white water rafting, zip line tours through the rainforest canopy, surfing and quad biking.
It is quickly becoming more popular, so grab this chance to visit now, while landscapes are still exceptionally unspoiled.
