DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: London – San Jose
On arrival into San Jose, you’ll be met and transferred to Hotel Buena Vista where you will spend 1 night. Set within 2.5 acres of tropical gardens with beautiful views of the volcanoes, Buena Vista is the perfect spot to enjoy the beauty of Costa Rica within 15 minutes of the airport! With just thirty rooms, on site nature trails, a great restaurant and fantastic staff you can be assured of a lovely start to your holiday. Welcome to Costa Rica!

Day 2: San Jose to Tortuguero
This morning you’ll be met and transferred by road & boat to the bio-diverse Tortuguero National Park where you will spend 2 nights at Mawamba Lodge. This tropical lodge is nestled on a sand strip between Tortuguero Canals and Caribbean Ocean offering cosy rustic accommodation that blends perfectly with the surroundings of the jungle. Later today you’ll enjoy a guided group tour to the charming village of Tortuguero where you’ll learn all about the local life, art and culture. If you’d prefer to miss Tortuguero and spend more time elsewhere, let us know – we can tailor a Costa Rica holiday to you. Call us on 01273 923100.

Day 3: Tortuguero
Full day to explore the Tortuguero area. Enjoy a complimentary Tortuguero canal boat tour – venture with your guide inside the canals and absorb the incredible fauna and flora with more than 350 bird species, monkeys, caimans, crocodiles, sloths, toucans and more. You can also join a complimentary Mawamba park and guided walk learning about the sustainable projects in this area, including a visit to Butterfly and Frog gardens.

Day 4: Tortuguero to the Arenal area
This morning you will be collected for your shared road & boat transfer to where you’ll collect your hire car. You will then begin your road trip and drive approx. 2.5 hours to Arenal where you will spend 3 nights at Finca Luna Nueva. A biodynamic farm growing organic foods, Luna Nueva also protects large tracts of primary rainforest and a vast garden of medicinal plants in a remarkable conservation project. With spectacular views, excellent staff, organic food and wildlife all around, the owner Steven will ensure you truly enjoy the natural richness of this beautiful place. Don’t want to drive? Ask us to arrange transfers – call 01273 923100 to tailor this holiday to you.

Day 5: Arenal area
Today you’ll enjoy a half day Sky Tram and Sky Trek tour. Head up to the top of the Arenal reserve by Sky Tram for views across the rainforest, volcano and lake. Later you’ll start your Sky Trek adrenaline adventure through the treetops across a system of zip wires – enjoy the adrenaline rush and the views as you skim across the tops of the trees! If you’d prefer less adrenaline and more wildlife, we can arrange a Sloth Tour, Rainforest Night Walk, a Volcano Hike and much more – contact us for more information on 01273 923100.

Day 6: Finca Luna Nueva
You’ll head on the Farm Tour this morning at Luna Nueva. You will not only see but taste, from season to season, many of the foods and spices that are grown at Luna Nueva. If you’re open to taste-bud challenges, try nibbling on galangal and kafir lime, or you can sample the spices of Indian cuisine such as ginger, turmeric, holy basil, cardamom, and black pepper. There are also over 90 species of tropical fruit trees, and every day offers up different exotic fruits to sample on the tour. Finca Luna Nueva has a number of on-site tours including a guided hike, a chocolate tour and garden tour that you can book on arrival. 

Day 7: Arenal to Rio Perdido
Today you will drive approx. 3 hours to Rio Perdido where you will be staying for 2 nights with breakfast included. Framed by a unique rainforest and nestled in the wilderness, Rio Perdido allows you to truly experience Costa Rica’s famous Pura Vida. This spectacular 1,500 acre reserve is designed to be in perfect harmony with its surroundings, and great care has been taken to not only make sure guests have a memorable experience, but to also ensure that this one-of-a-kind setting is preserved. 

Day 8: Rio Perdido
Immerse yourself in this idyllic 1,500 acre reserve. If you fancy some downtime, then start the day with yoga on a cliff-side pod and then head to the thermal river to lay back and stare up at the rainforest around you. If you crave a little more adventure then there’s tubing, zip-lining and plenty of trails to get stuck into. Either way – keep an eye out for cheeky capuchin monkeys, sloths and more!

Day 9: Rio Perdido to Potrero
Today you will drive approx. 2 hours to to the beautiful beach of Potrero where you will spend 3 nights at Bahia del Sol Boutique Hotel with breakfast included. Located just a few steps from the tranquil waters of Potrero Beach, Bahía del Sol is a beautiful property with friendly staff, who strive to offer an outstanding personalised service, to make all guests feel at home. Let us know if you would like more time at the beach.

Days 10 & 11: The Beach
Two full days on the beach. Playa Potrero is a secluded and peaceful beach, with warm waters that are ideal for swimming, sport fishing and kayaking. You could also enjoy calm walks, horseback riding, sailing or head to the end of the beach and see the fishermen with their daily catch. Bahia del Sol also has a spa, and offers complimentary yoga classes. Want to take the luxury level up a notch? Ask us about the different hotel options.

Day 12: Potrero to the Cloud Forest
Today you will drive approx. 5 hours to the Cloud Forest where you will be staying at Villa Blanca for 2 nights with breakfast included. Villa Blanca is the ideal retreat for nature lovers. Poised on a hillside, the resort is situated on 75-acres, surrounded by tropical jungle and gorgeous mountain views. Villa Blanca is the only hotel located within a private cloud forest reserve including a working research station. Want to break up the drive? There are some lovely places that you can stop at en-route. Call us on 01273 923100 to talk through the options.

Day 13: Cloud Forest 
You will have a full day to enjoy the surrounding area. The Los Angeles Cloud Forest Reserve is one of Costa Rica’s best-kept secrets. Adjacent to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, this misty private park offers a section of cloud forest rarely visited by tourists. The result is a serene, secluded reserve where hikers spot more wild animals than they do in other areas. The reserve is a haven for butterflies, hummingbirds, and exotic moths, as well as many other species of animal. If you would like to stretch your legs, you can go for a gentle walk around the many personalised trails that surround the hotel. Alternatively, you can arrange a guided tour, or visit Villa Blanca’s José Miguel Alfaro Research Station!

Day 14: Cloud Forest to the UK
After a leisurely morning you will drive approx. 1.5 hours back to San Jose airport where you’ll drop your hire car and fly back to the UK.

Day 15: Home
Welcome home…how many photos!