Transport

Bus

Others

All accommodation, activities and meals that are shown in the itinerary are included in the total cost of your trip You will also receive a complimentary transfer to and from the airport if you arrive on day 1 of the trip and depart on the last day and have provided your international flight information.

Guide

Tour Leaders are quite simply the glue that holds our tours together. They are chosen for their travel experience and people skills and are thoroughly trained by Explore, widely acknowledged as some of the best training in the industry. A Tour Leader’s ultimate aim is to ensure everyone is well looked after and have a fantastic trip. They are there to ensure that the tour logistics run smoothly, that health and safety is adhered to and provide comprehensive briefings at the beginning and throughout the tour.

Accommodation

10 nights in hand-picked hotels.

Meals

A key facet of our responsible approach to tourism is that we encourage our groups to eat in local restaurants that prepare locally grown food. We give customers choice as to their meals and do not use rather bland and impersonal hotel restaurants or all- inclusive options 9 Breakfasts

Not included:

Flights

International flights not included in the tour cost

Optional

Optional experiences are available on this tour for an additional cost.

Others

Any visa costs, spending money and tips are not included in the trip price. You can also book extra nights’ accommodation at the beginning and end of the trip and the cost of this accommodation along with any transfers would be quoted separately.

Insurance

Travel Insurance is not included

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Day 1 Day 1: Join Trip In San Jose
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Join Trip In San Jose

Our tour starts today in San Jose, Costa Rica’s cosmopolitan capital. Lying in a fertile valley, at an altitude of 1,150 metres, coffee and sugar are big industries here - coffee is even planted between buildings and along the roadsides on the outskirts of the city. For those arriving in time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 7pm for a welcome meeting, and for those that wish there’ll be the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you’re free to arrive in San Jose at any time. If you’d like an airport transfer, you’ll need to arrive into San Jose’s Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), which is around a 30-minute drive from our hotel. If you miss the welcome meeting, your tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might like to head out and explore the city - the barrios are easy to navigate, laid out in a grid pattern of avenues and streets. The National Museum (Museo Nacional De Costa Rica) is also well worth a visit.
Day 2 Day 2: Visit The Active Poas Volcano, Drive To Arenal
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Visit The Active Poas Volcano, Drive To Arenal

This morning, we’ll head to Poas Volcano National Park (a one-hour drive away), where you can spot the smoke from one of Costa Rica’s most active volcanos rising majestically from the tropical rainforest. At almost a mile in diameter and 314 metres deep, the main crater is one of the largest in the world. It has erupted 40 times since 1828, most recently in April 2017. Due to recent volcanic activity, time at the crater viewpoint is restricted to 20 minutes. If activity increases again, the authorities may choose to close the park - in that case, we’ll visit the Doka coffee estate instead for a tasting session of Costa Rica’s finest export. Our next stop is the provincial town of Sarchi, just over a one-hour drive away, well known throughout Costa Rica for its intricate arts and crafts. The town is famous for producing decorative oxcarts, one of Costa Rica’s national symbols. We’ll meet Don William, a local artist, who will teach us how to paint a traditional oxcart with some of the patterns and designs familiar to the area. Afterwards, we’ll continue to Arenal (around a two-and-a-half-hour drive) to catch our first sight of the famous Arenal Volcano. This classic cone, which rises to 1,633 metres, is covered by a tangled mass of vegetation on one side, while the other is starkly barren. Our accommodation for the next two nights is in La Fortuna. The town was renamed after an eruption in 1968 that decimated the towns around the volcano’s western flanks. Translated as ’fortune’ , La Fortuna refers to the town’s luck in being located on the volcano’s eastern side, and so, fortunately, escaping destruction. This evening, we can make the most of the local geothermal activity by enjoying an optional dip in nearby hot springs.
Day 3 Day 3: Wildlife Float Trip On The Penas Blancas River, Free Afternoon With Optional Activities Including A Waterfall Hike
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Wildlife Float Trip On The Penas Blancas River, Free Afternoon With Optional Activities Including A Waterfall Hike

The Arenal area is well known for its diverse wildlife, and this morning we’ll set out on a tranquil rafting safari to spot some of the most sought-after species. There is no white water here, we’ll simply be floating down with a local guide, who will scour the water and the canopy to point out a variety of colourful creatures from toucans and sloths to Jesus Christ lizards and caiman. We’ll most likely see capuchins swinging from the trees, and a wide array of birdlife during the float trip. The afternoon is free to explore Arenal at your own pace. There are beautiful local hikes to waterfalls and along lava trails if you’d like to make the most of the surrounding nature, or those keen to relax can enjoy the hot springs in the area. Our tour leader will be able to provide information on all the options.
Day 4 Day 4: Drive To Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Night Walk Through The Forest
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: Drive To Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Night Walk Through The Forest

Today we’ll travel around Arenal Lake up into the cloud forest region of Monteverde - one of the most well-known places in Costa Rica to see wildlife. Perched on the Continental Divide between the Pacific and the Caribbean, it’s thought that there has been indigenous habitation in Monteverde since 3000 BC. However, the turning point in its recent history came in 1950, when a group of pacifist Quakers from Alabama moved here to avoid subscription in the Korean War. They sought a lifestyle in a country in which they could embrace their peaceful beliefs and continue to cultivate their dairy farms. These families went on to establish the community of Monteverde and some of its famed cloud forest reserves. The drive to Monteverde will take approximately four and a half hours from Arenal. On arrival, you re free to enjoy one or several of the many optional activities available in the area. One of the most popular activities is to walk the hanging bridges that extend over the reserve, giving you the chance to get a bird’s eye view over the canopy. Couple this with the thrill of zooming through the trees on a zip wire and it makes for an exhilarating afternoon. For something less adrenaline-filled, you could choose to visit the local butterfly or orchid garden. This evening, we’ll have a guided night walk in the cloud forest, in search of nocturnal species such as pacas and tarantulas.
Day 5 Day 5: Drive To Manuel Antonio National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Drive To Manuel Antonio National Park

We’ll leave Monteverde by mid morning. If you’d like to pack in more nature before we leave, there’s the optional activity to revisit the cloud forest reserve in the early morning. The paths here wind their way through gigantic ferns, underneath the lichen and moss that hang from the giant trees. The famous, but now very rare, quetzal is commonly seen in this area, one of the last remaining places in Central America where its habitat has been preserved. Sacred to the ancient Maya and Aztec peoples, it’s considered one of the most beautiful birds in the world and the best time to see it is during its breeding months of March and April. Leaving the cloud forest behind us, we’ll descend to the Pacific Coast, enjoying staggering views over the Gulf and Peninsula of Nicoya. Heading south, we’ll cross the Rio Tarcoles Bridge, from which huge crocodiles are regularly seen. We’ll stop for a short walk in the Carara Biological Reserve, famed for the scarlet macaws and abundant birdlife which populate this transitional forest. Finally, we’ll continue along the Pacific Coast to Manuel Antonio National Park, where we’ll spend the next two nights. Our journey time today will be approximately four hours.
Day 6 Day 6: Explore Manuel Antonio’S Wildlife And Beaches
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Explore Manuel Antonio’S Wildlife And Beaches

Manuel Antonio National Park is famous for its beautiful beaches and rich wildlife. We’ll spend the morning exploring the park, where white-faced capuchin monkeys swing from the trees, and poison-dart frogs hide under the protection of lush tropical plantlife. Coatimundi (part of the raccoon family), tiny squirrel monkeys and howler monkeys also make their home in the park - we might spot them on our exploration. Manuel Antonio is also one of the best places in Costa Rica to see sloths. As their diet of leaves and buds gives them little energy, sloths move only when necessary and even then very slowly, making them very easy to spot! Our guides will know where they are most likely to be found. The remainder of the day can be spent relaxing on the white sandy beaches and enjoying a swim in the warm azure waters. The sunsets from this coast are spectacular and have to be seen to be believed. It’s worth noting that, whilst beautiful, Manuel Antonio is an increasingly popular destination and so might be busier than you’d expect. Please note that Manuel Antonio National Park is closed on Tuesdays. If Day 6 of your departure falls on a Tuesday, our included park visit will take place on Day 7 instead.
Day 7 Day 7: Free Day In Manuel Antonio National Park
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Free Day In Manuel Antonio National Park

This morning, we’ll say goodbye to the tour leader and the rest of the group, who will be travelling back to San Jose for their flight home today. Those of you who have chosen to extend your stay with some time at the beach will remain at your hotel. Please note, whilst the extension is designed to complement the trip, not everyone will stay on after today and it may not be a group experience. You’ll have the next two days free to relax on the beach, or to spend time exploring Manuel Antonio and its forest surroundings. We use a variety of different hotels in Manuel Antonio, which are located either in the town, or between Manuel Antonio and nearby Quepos. The beach is easily accessible by either walking or taxis depending on the location of your hotel. The National Park is closed on Tuesdays, but there are lots of other activities on, including catamaran tours, horse-riding trips and rafting.
Day 8 Day 8: Free Day, Optional Activities
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Free Day, Optional Activities

You’ll have another free day in Manuel Antonio today. You might choose to revisit the park, or spend the day on the beaches around the town of Manuel Antonio. If you want to get out on the water, you could try one of the white-water rafting or boat trip excursions.
Day 9 Day 9: Free Morning, Travel Back To San Jose
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Free Morning, Travel Back To San Jose

This morning, you have more free time in Manuel Antonio. In the early afternoon, we’ll leave the Pacific Coast, driving back inland to San Jose - around a four to five hour drive.
Day 10 Day 10: Trip Ends In San Jose
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Trip Ends In San Jose

The trip ends this morning at our hotel in San Jose. There are no activities planned today, so you’re free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you’d like an airport transfer today, you’ll need to depart from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), approximately a 30-minute drive from our hotel.

10 days tour

Highlights Of Costa Rica + Beach Extension

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Highlights Of Costa Rica + Beach Extension

Day 1: Join Trip In San Jose

Day 2: Visit The Active Poas Volcano, Drive To Arenal

Day 3: Wildlife Float Trip On The Penas Blancas River, Free Afternoon With Optional Activities Including A Waterfall Hike

Day 4: Drive To Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Night Walk Through The Forest

Day 5: Drive To Manuel Antonio National Park

Day 6: Explore Manuel Antonio’S Wildlife And Beaches

Day 7: Free Day In Manuel Antonio National Park

Day 8: Free Day, Optional Activities

Day 9: Free Morning, Travel Back To San Jose

Day 10: Trip Ends In San Jose

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