Wonders of Costa Rica

Welcome to Costa Rica, a country where volcanoes, tropical forests and remarkable wildlife appear around almost every corner. Tucked between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, this small but naturally rich nation is home to around five percent of the world’s biodiversity. Sloths lounge in the treetops, toucans flash through the jungle and the phrase pura vida, meaning pure life, reflects the relaxed and joyful spirit woven into daily life. Costa Rica is also known for its peaceful approach to national life, having abolished its army in 1948 and invested instead in education and healthcare. Our adventure begins in San José, Costa Rica’s lively capital in the scenic Central Valley. Surrounded by rolling mountains and volcanoes, the city blends grand colonial buildings, neoclassical architecture and elegant Victorian-era mansions with leafy plazas, local character and a growing café and culinary scene. Originally founded in the 18th century, San José has grown into a dynamic capital that remains closely tied to the country’s cultural identity. On arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. To make sure you do not miss any part of the adventure, we recommend arriving at the hotel by 4:00pm. This evening, we’ll meet our local guide and fellow travellers over a welcome dinner.

San José sits at the centre of Costa Rica’s political and economic life and was recognised by UNESCO as a ‘Creative City of Design’ for its creative spirit and fresh approach to urban living. This morning, we’ll take a closer look at its past. What began as a modest colonial town grew steadily over time into a city that reflects Costa Rica’s history and ambition. Today, its museums, monuments, historic buildings and busy streets help tell the story of the nation through the years. Our half-day tour will take us through some of the city’s most significant landmarks and museums. Inside the National Theatre, we’ll admire elegant architecture and ornate interiors created during Costa Rica’s prosperous coffee era. We’ll also step inside the National Museum, housed in a former military fortress that later served as a prison, where bullet marks from the 1948 civil war can still be seen on the walls. Nearby, we’ll visit the Gold Museum, which holds an extraordinary collection of pre-Columbian artefacts, while the Numismatic Museum offers a closer look at historic currency and Costa Rica’s changing economy over time. The afternoon will be at leisure. Perhaps settle into a café for a cup of Costa Rican coffee, browse artisan markets or simply find a shady plaza bench and watch city life drift by. Today involves approximately 3 hours of walking in hot and humid conditions.

An early start today as we leave San José behind and travel towards Costa Rica’s Caribbean lowlands. Setting off around sunrise, we’ll journey through the Central Valley as the cool mountain landscapes gradually give way to dense tropical vegetation, banana plantations and small roadside towns beginning their day. This route offers a very different side of Costa Rica, where humid rainforest and winding waterways shape both the landscape and daily life. We’ll stop for breakfast in Guápiles, an important agricultural town known for producing much of the country’s bananas and pineapples. Afterwards, we’ll continue to La Pavona, a small riverside dock where roads come to an end and boats become the only way forward. From here, we’ll board a shared boat and travel along the canals towards Tortuguero, one of Costa Rica’s most remote and wildlife-rich regions. Accessible only by boat or small aircraft, Tortuguero is a fascinating mix of rainforest, wetlands and waterways protected within a national park created in 1975 to safeguard its habitats and vital sea turtle nesting beaches. The remainder of the afternoon will be at leisure. You may like to visit Tortuguero village, explore the Sea Turtle Conservancy Museum or take a walk along the black sand beach before dinner at the lodge this evening. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

Water shapes every part of life in Tortuguero and today we’ll get to know this wonderfully wild corner of Costa Rica a little better. Often called the country’s little Amazon, Tortuguero is a maze of canals, lagoons and rainforest, protected within one of Costa Rica’s most important national parks. The region is especially famous for its green sea turtles, which come ashore to nest between June and October, giving Tortuguero its name and much of its conservation importance. This morning, we’ll enjoy a shared tour through Mawamba Park, a private nature reserve within the lodge gardens. As we wander through the grounds, we’ll explore butterfly gardens, frog enclosures showcasing Costa Rica’s tiny but fascinating amphibians and river turtle areas dedicated to local conservation. After lunch at the lodge, we’ll take a shared boat tour through the canals of Tortuguero National Park. These waterways are home to caimans, crocodiles and even elusive manatees, while the forests shelter three-toed sloths, lizards, three of Costa Rica’s four monkey species and more than 300 species of birds. After our exploration, we’ll return to the lodge for dinner and perhaps a little nightcap to round off the day.

This morning, we’ll farewell the waterways of Tortuguero and begin our journey back inland. After breakfast at the lodge, we’ll travel by shared boat to La Pavona before continuing by road through the fertile Caribbean lowlands, where banana plantations, cattle farms and tropical scenery line much of the route to Guápiles. Here, we’ll stop for lunch before continuing towards the volcanic landscapes of Arenal. Towering above the northern plains, Arenal Volcano is one of Costa Rica’s most recognisable natural wonders. For almost 40 years, it erupted regularly and became known as the country’s most active volcano, shaping both the land and the stories of the region. Although the volcano is now dormant, its near-perfect cone still leaves quite an impression. Nearby, the lively town of La Fortuna brings a different energy. Good food, warm hospitality and the sounds of salsa drifting from nearby restaurants give the town its cheerful and welcoming atmosphere. On arrival, we’ll check into our hotel where we will enjoy a group dinner. This evening you might choose to relax and unwind in the hotel’s thermal springs. Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.

Arenal has a way of drawing attention and today we’ll see exactly why. Rising above rainforest and old lava fields, this striking volcano has shaped the surrounding landscape for decades. Once one of Costa Rica’s most active volcanoes, Arenal erupted almost continuously from 1968 to 2010, leaving behind the dramatic terrain we’ll explore today. After breakfast, we’ll head into the national park for a guided walk. Along the way, we may spot tropical birds, monkeys and colourful plants as we follow sandy trails, and cross old lava flows left behind by past eruptions. Our walk leads to an impressive lookout over Lake Arenal, where the views are every bit as spectacular as you might hope. This region offers more than striking scenery. It also gives us the chance to experience the flavours and traditions that are part of daily life here. Tortillas are a much-loved part of Costa Rican home cooking, served fresh with all sorts of traditional meals, and this afternoon we’ll experience that for ourselves. Special Experience Learn the art of traditional tortilla making during a warm and welcoming cooking lesson, followed by a homemade lunch in a local family home. Later, we’ll visit a small family-run sloth reserve for a guided walk through lush gallery forest, where we’ll learn more about these famously slow creatures and the reserve’s conservation work. We may also spot birds, frogs and lizards among the trees. By late afternoon, we’ll return to the hotel with time to enjoy the hot springs before dinner. Today involves approximately 2 hours of hiking in hot and humid conditions over uneven ground. Your travel time today will be approximately 1.5 hours.

Lake crossings, mountain roads and changing scenery shape today’s journey as we leave Arenal behind and travel deeper into Costa Rica’s highlands. After breakfast, we’ll make our way to the Arenal dock and board a boat across Lake Arenal, the country’s largest lake and an important source of hydroelectric power. Surrounded by rolling farmland and forested hills, the crossing to Río Chiquito offers a quieter glimpse into rural life beyond the country’s more familiar tourist routes. From here, we’ll continue by road to El Dos de Tilarán, a small farming community where dairy production and agriculture still shape everyday life. After lunch, we’ll continue climbing higher into the mountains as the scenery begins to change again. Warm tropical landscapes gradually give way to cooler air, drifting mist and dense cloud forest wrapped around the hillsides. By late afternoon, we’ll arrive in Monteverde, meaning ‘green mountain’, a region renowned for its biodiversity and conservation efforts. Originally settled by Quaker families in the 1950s, Monteverde is now home to protected cloud forest, exceptional plant life and more than 400 bird species, including the colourful resplendent quetzal. The remainder of the afternoon will be at leisure before dinner this evening in a unique treehouse restaurant. Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours.

Monteverde’s unique climate and high elevation make it one of Costa Rica’s most important regions for conservation. With moisture drifting in from both the Pacific and Caribbean, this cloud forest supports an exceptional variety of plant and animal life. Orchids, ferns, mosses and other epiphytes thrive here, while the canopy and undergrowth provide shelter for colourful birdlife, insects and mammals found only in this special environment. This morning, we’ll visit Selvatura Park for a guided walk along its famous hanging bridges. Originally created to help naturalists study the forest canopy, these suspended walkways now offer a fascinating window into life above the forest floor. As we make our way along the trails and bridges, with some stretching up to 170 metres, we may spot tropical birds, butterflies and perhaps even monkeys moving quietly through the branches. After our morning in nature, the afternoon will be at leisure. You may like to join a local coffee tour and discover why Costa Rican coffee is so highly regarded or for those feeling adventurous, there is the option to zip line through the treetops. Special Experience Unwind at a scenic viewpoint as the Costa Rican sunset paints the sky in brilliant colours, accompanied by refreshing drinks and local bites. This evening, you may choose to relax back at the hotel or head out on an optional guided night walk. Optional Excursion Optional Excursion – Monteverde Coffee Tour — Visit one of Costa Rica’s most celebrated coffee-growing regions and discover the fascinating journey from bean to cup on a guided tour through a working plantation. Learn about traditional farming methods, the history of coffee in Costa Rica and the importance of Arabica beans, while also exploring cacao, sugar cane and local fruit trees. Finish with a tasting experience featuring freshly brewed coffee prepared in different styles. Please advise your guide if you are interested in this tour. 2 hours - from US$300 pp. Optional Excursion Optional Excursion – Canopy Tour Zip Lining — Take in Monteverde’s famous cloud forest from a thrilling new perspective on an exciting canopy adventure high above the treetops. Glide along a series of zip lines and suspended bridges while enjoying sweeping views of the lush landscape below. Along the way, experienced guides share insights into the region’s ecology as you soar through the forest canopy. The experience also includes a rappel descent and Tarzan swing for those seeking an extra sense of adventure. Please advise your guide if you are interested in this tour. A good head for heights is recommended. 3 to 4 hours - from US$200 pp. Optional Excursion Optional Excursion – Santa Maria Forest Night Walk — Experience the cloud forest after dark on a guided evening walk through Santa Maria Forest, when the landscape takes on a different character and nocturnal wildlife begins to emerge. With flashlight in hand, follow forest trails in search of sleeping birds, frogs, insects, sloths, raccoons, owls and other fascinating creatures that thrive after sunset. Along the way, your guide shares insights into the biodiversity and delicate ecosystems that make Monteverde so unique. Please advise your guide if you are interested in this tour. 2 hours - from US$150 pp. Today involves approximately 2 hours of walking. Your travel time today will be approximately 1 hour.

Today, we’ll leave the cool mountain landscapes of Monteverde behind and make our way towards Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, with a few memorable stops along the way. Our journey takes us to the famous Tárcoles River, known for its enormous American crocodiles, some of the largest in the country. From the well-known Tárcoles Bridge, we’ll stop to watch these impressive creatures resting along the riverbanks below, a sight that rarely fails to capture attention. Next comes a shared jungle river cruise through the Guacalillo Estuary, a peaceful maze of mangroves and waterways where birdlife thrives among tangled roots and tropical vegetation. Here we’ll glide quietly along the waterways keeping watch for crocodiles, monkeys, colourful birds and other animals hidden among the trees. After lunch, we’ll continue south to Manuel Antonio, a laid-back coastal region where rainforest-covered hills meet golden beaches along the Pacific Ocean. Although home to one of Costa Rica’s smallest national parks, the area is especially rich in wildlife and known for its relaxed atmosphere, lovely coastline and warm tropical waters. Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours.

Manuel Antonio may be one of Costa Rica’s smallest national parks, but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in scenery and wildlife. Here, tropical rainforest tumbles down towards white sand beaches and warm Pacific waters, creating one of the country’s most memorable coastal settings. The park is home to sloths, iguanas, tropical birds and all three of Costa Rica’s most common monkey species. This morning, we’ll visit Manuel Antonio National Park for a guided walk through this richly biodiverse reserve. Along the trails, our guide will help spot animals hidden among the trees using a high-powered scope, while sharing insights into the plants and creatures that thrive here. There may also be time for a swim at one of the park’s beaches, so be sure to bring your swimming costume. This afternoon, we’ll swap rainforest trails for the Pacific coastline as we head out onto the water by catamaran. With forested headlands, quiet coves and warm ocean breezes all around, it is a relaxing way to take in Manuel Antonio’s shoreline and marine life, including dolphins and sea turtles. Special Experience Sail the Pacific on a catamaran cruise, soaking up ocean breezes, coastal views and a lively onboard atmosphere while keeping watch for playful marine life. After a full day of exploration, we’ll return to the hotel with the rest of the evening at leisure. Today involves approximately 3 hours of hiking in hot and humid conditions

There is something especially easy about mornings on Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, and today we’ll have time to enjoy it one last time. The morning will be at leisure, giving you the chance for a stroll along the beach, a swim in the warm ocean waters or perhaps a slow breakfast with Costa Rican coffee and tropical views lingering in the background. If you feel like stretching your legs, the town’s small shops and relaxed seaside atmosphere are always worth one more wander. In the afternoon, we’ll journey inland once again, watching the scenery shift from palm-lined coastlines to rolling hills and mountain landscapes as we make our way back to San José, where we’ll check into our hotel. This evening, we’ll gather for a farewell dinner at a local restaurant. With stories shared around the table and the journey drawing gently to a close, we hope you’ll leave with a little of Costa Rica’s pura vida spirit to take home with you. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

Our adventure through Costa Rica comes to an end after breakfast this morning. You will be transferred to the airport in time for your international flight home.