From the Caribbean coast to the Pacific of Costa Rica.

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arrival in Costa Rica

  

  Welcome by your driver and private transfer to your hotel. A representative of the agency will be present at your hotel to welcome you and give you your travel documents: your vouchers, a map of Costa Rica, access maps for each hotel, a brochure to help you identify the fauna and flora, as well as our advice. Night at the hotel.

• day 2

  From San José to Tortuguero

  

  Departure around 6am from your hotel with the minibus from your lodge. The size of the bus depends on the number of travelers. Route through the central mountain range and Braulio Carrillo Park. Around 7:30am, breakfast. Continue through the banana plantations and by boat from the La Pavona dock to your lodge. Lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, visit the village of Tortuguero and the beach. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

• day 3

  Tortuguero National Park

  

  After breakfast, guided boat tour to observe wildlife in the national park accompanied by your guide. This is an opportunity to see caimans, otters, howler and spider monkeys, toucans, sloths, and many birds. Lunch at the lodge. Free afternoon to enjoy the hotel facilities and canoes. Dinner and overnight at the lodge. Outside the turtle nesting season, Tortuguero remains an exciting place where vegetation and animals are omnipresent. Most travel is done by boat on the canals and rivers. May, June, July, and August correspond to the nesting season of leatherback turtles in Tortuguero. This activity is booked at the lodge and costs 55 USD per person.

• day 4

  From Tortuguero to Boca Tapada

  

  Breakfast and return by boat to the La Pavona dock, then by road to Guápiles where your lunch is included. Around 1 p.m., return your vehicle at the restaurant. Route towards the north of the Caribbean plain. You will pass through Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Pital, and El Saino. From Pital to Boca Tapada, the road crosses many pineapple plantations. Overnight at the lodge, treehouse room or bungalow facing the lagoons depending on availability. Excellent place for birdwatching of all kinds, especially toucans.

• day 5

  Fauna and flora

  

  Free day in the Boca Tapada region. The lodge takes care of organizing all activities on site and offers a small discovery of the tropical forest, the planting of a tree to help with reforestation, as well as the use of canoes on the lodge's lagoon. Included: night observations with a naturalist guide (frogs, insects, mammals, reptiles...) Overnight at the lodge, treehouse room or bungalow facing the lagoons depending on availability.

• day 6

  From Boca Tapada to Arenal volcano

  

  Route to the Arenal volcano. You will pass through Pital, Muelle, and La Fortuna. In the afternoon, you can go to the Arenal Volcano National Park, the Arenal Observatory Lodge reserve, or the Arenal 1968 reserve, which is next to the national park. You can access old lava flows and a viewpoint. Night at the hotel.

• day 7

  Canopy and hot springs

  

  We recommend: visiting the hanging bridges of the Arenal volcano. A 4 km hike in the jungle, interspersed with bridges. Some hanging bridges are over 100 meters long, others are over 70 meters high. For the more adventurous, a jungle cable car, Sky Tram, provides access to the start of the zip lines, Sky Trek. To relax in the evening, the hot springs with temperatures close to 40 degrees. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 8

  From the Arenal volcano region to that of the Tenorio volcano national park.

  

  After breakfast, continue towards the humid forest of the Tenorio volcano, skirting Lake Arenal, then passing along the slopes of the volcano via a superb track from Tierras Morenas to the Bijagua road. Upon leaving the Arenal volcano region after breakfast, you can be at your hotel by late morning, leave your luggage there, and discover the Tenorio Volcano National Park as well as the Rio Celeste in the afternoon. The national park has a capacity of 1000 people per day. We recommend planning your entry between 12:25 pm and 1:05 pm at the Tenorio Volcano National Park. Tickets are purchased online. We can do this for you. Overnight in a cacao finca or in a lodge.

• day 9

  Wildlife and flora of Costa Rica

  

  Free day to discover the Cano Negro refuge by boat, known for its population of migratory birds, the Rincon de la Vieja park, its hikes and hot mud geysers, the Tapir valley, the Palo Verde park, or to go on a superb rafting trip on the Rio Tenorio. The wildlife and flora are always very present there. Night in a cacao finca or in a lodge.

• day 10

  From Tenorio to the south of the Nicoya Peninsula.

  

  Continuation to the south of the Nicoya Peninsula. You will pass over the Tempisque bridge, along the edge of Palo Verde National Park, then along the Gulf of Nicoya, through Jicaral and Paquera. Several lodge or hotel options are available: on the Gulf of Nicoya, where the beaches are sheltered, or on the Pacific coast, where beaches like Santa Teresa are focused on surfing, but also on relaxation. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 11

  Beaches and discoveries

  

  Free day to enjoy the beaches of Gigante, Quesera, and Curu. Also the island of Tortuga, where you should go early in the morning to avoid the visitors who arrive from Puntarenas at 11am. On the Pacific coast, the beaches of Carmen, Santa Teresa, and Hermosa are worth discovering. Also enjoy nature at the Curu reserve and Cabo Blanco National Park. To do: the route passing through Montezuma, the small village of Cabuya, and the trail dotted with viewpoints that takes you to Malpais and Santa Teresa. Recommended: in the evening, a kayak excursion to observe the phenomenon of bioluminescence. Surfing at playa Santa Teresa and Hermosa. Night at the hotel.

• day 12

  Beaches and discoveries

  

  Free day to enjoy the beaches of Gigante, Quesera, and Curu. Also take advantage of Tortuga Island, where it is recommended to go early in the morning to avoid visitors who arrive from Puntarenas at 11am. On the Pacific coast, discover the beaches of Carmen, Santa Teresa, and Hermosa. Enjoy nature at the Curu reserve and Cabo Blanco National Park. To do: the route passing through Montezuma, the small village of Cabuya, and the trail dotted with viewpoints that takes you to Malpais and Santa Teresa. Recommended: in the evening, a kayak excursion to observe the phenomenon of bioluminescence. Also try surfing at Playa Santa Teresa and Hermosa. Overnight at the hotel.

• day 13

  From the Nicoya Peninsula to the central Pacific coast.

  

  Continuation to the Pacific coast by ferry from Paquera to Puntarenas. A very beautiful one and a half hour crossing under the sun, on the Gulf of Nicoya. Then, by road from Puntarenas to Caldera, Jaco, Manuel Antonio, Quepos, Dominical, and Uvita. Manuel Antonio is very well known, but also very touristy. The Dominical and Uvita region is quieter, with the Marino Ballena National Marine Park nearby. Night at the hotel.

• day 14

  The Manuel Antonio and Marino Ballena national parks.

  

  In Manuel Antonio, it is absolutely necessary to book tickets for the national park online. We can do it for you. Uvita is a region located on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, offering a variety of activities and attractions for visitors. Uvita is famous for its whale tail-shaped beach. You can enjoy the sun, relax on the sand, and swim in the warm waters of the Pacific Ocean. The nearby beaches, such as Playa Hermosa and Playa Ventanas, also offer stunning scenery. You can enjoy water activities such as snorkeling, surfing, and kayaking. The Uvita region is full of beautiful waterfalls. The Uvita waterfall, also called "Catarata de Uvita," is a natural gem that offers refreshing natural pools. The Nauyaca waterfall, located nearby, is another natural wonder worth a visit. It is also the perfect place to observe marine mammals, including humpback whales. Night at the hotel.

• day 15

  To the Osa Peninsula

  

  Around 9am in Dominical, around 7:30am in Manuel Antonio, take the road south passing through Uvita, Palmar Norte, and Sierpe. In Sierpe, you have an appointment at the Vegas restaurant, located along the Sierpe river and diagonally across from the village's unique and main square. Return your vehicle around 10:30am at the Vegas restaurant. At 11:30am, transfer by boat to your lodge. You will first cross the mangroves, then reach the Pacific Ocean. Arrival on the beach, with your feet in the water for some lodges. Lunch at the lodge. In the afternoon, we recommend the hike along the coast leading to the Rio Claro. You will surely be accompanied by macaws and howler monkeys. The primary jungle on one side and, on the other, a succession of small coves with white, beige, or gray sand. Be careful, it gets dark at 6pm and returning after sunset can be risky. A guaranteed change of scenery. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

• day 16

  Corcovado National Park

  

  The visit to the national park includes the guide, the picnic lunch, and the entrance fees to the national park. Departures are by boat, generally around 6:15 am, and the return to the lodge is around 3:00 pm. The visit to Corcovado Park focuses on observing the fauna and flora. During the boat trip, you will probably be able to observe turtles, dolphins, and humpback whales. The visit to the park with the guide lasts about 4 hours. You will discover preserved nature, unique vegetation, and exceptional wildlife. It is not uncommon to come across tapirs, pumas, or even jaguars. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

• day 17

  Caño Island off Drake Bay

  

  Boat departures generally take place around 7:30 am. There are 45 minutes of navigation to the vicinity of the island. You can go snorkeling and observe the underwater wildlife, which is very dense. Many fish, reef sharks, turtles, and sometimes, along the way, humpback whales can be seen. It is forbidden to land on the island. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

• day 18

  Return to San José and departure from Costa Rica

  

  You have two options to return to San Jose: by plane or by boat and car. By plane (50 minutes): 7am or 11am - Transfer to Drake airport. 9:30am or 12:40pm - Sansa flight Drake Bay – San Jose. You will fly over the Osa Peninsula and then over the central Pacific coast (Dominical, Manuel Antonio). The Sansa Airline company allows for each traveler of the agency: 1 checked bag: 40 pounds per passenger or 18 kilograms. 1 carry-on bag: maximum 10 pounds or 4 to 5 kilograms. Extra baggage: $1.50 per pound. The extra weight is accepted only if the plane has not reached its maximum load weight. Otherwise, the baggage will follow on the next plane. 10:30am or 1:20pm - Arrival in San Jose at the international airport. Departure with your international flight. By boat and by road (7 to 8 hours): At 7am, departure by boat to reach the village of Sierpe. Then at 8am, departure from Sierpe by road passing through Dominical, Jaco, and Orotina to arrive around 3pm in San Jose. Departure with your international flight.