Costa Rica – from the Caribbean to the Pacific

Highlights

San Jose | Tortuguero | Puerto Viejo Beach | Arenal | Monteverde | Manuel Antonio Beach
Highlights:

  • Tour some of Costa Rica’s most beautiful national parks
  • Experience Costa Rica’s Caribbean and Pacific beaches
  • Boat tour on the canals of Tortuguero
  • Pacuare River white water rafting
  • Arenal Hanging Bridges Tour
  • Visit Arenal Volcano
  • Zip line tour in Monteverde
  • Jungle Boat Safari tour at Tarcoles River

Ask our Destination Experts about great pricing on airfare.

Accommodations

At IWorld of Travel, we understand that where you stay is as important as the destination itself. Rest assured, we are in the process of hand-selecting accommodations that align with our high standards of luxury and comfort. Our portfolio exclusively features 4 and 5-star properties, as well as boutique hotels that are not just places to stay, but integral parts of your travel experience. These establishments are chosen for their exceptional service, prime locations, and the unique charm that they bring to your journey. We are committed to ensuring that your accommodations will enhance your trip and we look forward to sharing the details with you soon.

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in San Jose
Welcome to Costa Rica. Upon arrival, meeting, assistance and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to relax, unwind and prepare for your adventure.

Day 2: San Jose | Tortuguero
Early morning departure for the Tortuguero. After you stop for breakfast, you will continue to La Pavona dock and board the specially designed boat that will take you to your hotel in the Tortuguero National Park area. In the afternoon, you will visit Tortuguero Village where you will visit the Turtle Museum and walk around town to learn about the relaxed way of life in the Caribbean of Costa Rica. (B,L,D)

Day 3: Tortuguero
Morning boat tour with your local nature guide in Tortuguero National Park. The small boats go deep into the canals of the National Park, further beyond the depths that other boats can go reach. This gives you the opportunity to find the rarer species of wildlife, including river turtles, monkeys, caiman and dozens of species of birds. If you are lucky you might spot an endangered West Indian Manatee. After lunch at the lodge, enjoy a slow and relaxed walk along a private nature trail where you can find wildlife. The rest of the day is yours to relax at the swimming pool, enjoy a cocktail or stroll on the beach. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Tortuguero | Puerto Viejo Beach
Depart from the hotel in the morning to Turrialba. Stop in Guapiles for a special Caribbean lunch, then continue to Puerto Viejo Beach. Enjoy a special cooking class with the company of an experienced chef at his restaurant. Learn the secrets of how to use many different spices to create incredible flavors for basic dishes like rice n’ beans or the famous rondon. Of course, you will enjoy the fantastic dish prepared as dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Puerto Viejo Beach
This day is free, so you can enjoy the gold-sand beaches and the lush forest near the coast. You can easily walk to beaches full of coral reefs to admire colorful fish and pick some shells. If you want to take a good hike and see wildlife, we recommend you visit Cahuita National Park on your own or hire a local guide. (B)

Day 6: Puerto Viejo Beach | Arenal
Early morning departure for a day of adventure. After a traditional breakfast of gallo pinto, get in a raft on the Pacuare River and explore the stunning river rapids and enjoy the majestic scenery among you. Enjoy lunch on the banks of the river before completing the last half of this water adventure. Then continue to the Arenal area where the stunning Arenal Volcano will welcome you. After arriving at your hotel in the late afternoon, the rest of the day is yours to rest and enjoy the hotel facilities. (B,L)

Day 7: Arenal
Start the day hiking across the Arenal Hanging Bridges where you can admire the rainforest not only from the ground but also from the treetops. Then, visit the breathtaking La Fortuna Waterfall, include a walk down 300 steps to the base where you can enjoy a swim in some of the coolest waters in the area. After your traditional Costa Rican lunch. To finish the day with a leisurely walk through Arenal Volcano National Park. The trails are mostly flat and not very strenuous, perfect for a leisurely surrounded by amazing scenery and different species of flora and fauna. (B,L)

Day 8: Arenal | Monteverde
Depart the hotel by jeep and then boat across Arenal Lake to get to Monteverde. You can enjoy spectacular views of the volcano and find different species of birds while you navigate through the tranquil lake. Monteverde has one of the most important protected cloud forests found in the world. Not only will you have the opportunity to explore the forest, with its unique plants and animals, but also meet the friendly locals who enjoy living in harmony with Mother Nature. Later, tour a farm and learn about the entire coffee production process, ride on an authentic Costa Rican oxcart and experience the process of making liquor with the sugar cane, known as guaro. (B)

Day 9: Monteverde
Early departure from the hotel to explore the wonderful cloud forest, so you will have more opportunities to see wildlife. The nature history walk can take between 3 to 6 hours during which you will be able to enjoy the enchanting flora and fauna of the forest. You will hike part of the 12 km of trails that are in this private reserve of a cloud forest. After lunch, you will enjoy one of the most popular activities in Costa Rica, the zip line or Canopy Tour as it’s called locally. It consists of gliding between trees and mountains via wires and a special harness specially designed for it. While you “fly” through the dense cloud forest you can see and feel all the natural activity occurring within the treetops. Birds, insects and some other mammals are easy to see with the help of your guides.  (B)

Day 10: Monteverde | Manuel Antonio Beach
Today, after breakfast, we will take you to Manuel Antonio Beach in the Central Pacific area of Costa Rica. Stop for boat safari excursion on the Tarcoles River, where you will get close to one of the biggest reptiles of the world, the American crocodile. You can also see iguanas and basilisks in their natural environment. Continue towards Manuel Antonio, popular because of its expansive white sand beaches that are backed by an evergreen forest that grows right up to the high tide line. The area itself is full of luxury and high-end properties, exclusive restaurants with excellent cuisine where you can sit and admire the ocean and spectacular sunsets. Here you will find the perfect combination between Mother Nature and the best of civilization. (B,L)

Day 11: Manuel Antonio Beach
Visit Manuel Antonio National Park, a 682-hectare national park that is the epitome of everything tourists flock to Costa Rica to see. There are stunning beaches, lush rainforests laced with a network of welcoming trails and wildlife galore. You can experience close-up encounters with monkeys, sloths, coatimundis, and scarlet macaws while you hike the trails. The park includes 12 little islands just off the coast, these are often visited by several dolphins and, at times, migrating whales can be observed from the beach. (B)

Day 12: Manuel Antonio | San Jose
After breakfast, transfer to San Jose. The rest of the day is yours to explore the city and visit museums or historical buildings. (B)

Day 13: Depart San Jose
Transfer to the airport for your return flight. (B)

Program Code

F-1028

Tour Length

13 Days / 12 Nights

Tour Countries

Tour Regions

Tour Specialties

IWorld Regions
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