Your itinerary
Day 1
Adventure starts in San José
Begin your adventure in San José, the culture-rich capital of Costa Rica. A complimentary transfer from the airport to the hotel is available. Check in and take it easy, there’s plenty of excitement on this trip, so today’s all about relaxing and easing ourselves into the adventure.
Around 7.30pm, say hola to your tour leader and fellow travellers when we gather as a group for a short briefing. Our main briefing takes place tomorrow afternoon in Tortuguero due to the late arrival of some flights today.
Want to explore San Jose further? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.
Meals: Dinner
Day 2
To Tortuguero National Park
Our adventure begins early this morning, leaving San Jose behind as we travel to Tortuguero National Park in the northeast of Costa Rica. Accessible only by boat or light aircraft, Tortuguero has a vast network of waterways, canals and swamps that are remarkably tranquil, unspoilt and devoid of noise pollution. On reaching the pier, we board a small motorboat for the journey to our lodge (up to 1hr 30min), which is a short distance from the main lagoon. Please note the transfer from San José to Tortuguero is not private for our groups.
This afternoon your tour leader will host the main welcome briefing when we gather as a group to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. We also visit Tortuguero village, where it’s possible to enter the Sea Turtle Museum (a donation is requested at the entrance).
Tortuguero is probably most famous as a nesting site for the endangered green turtle, which can be seen coming ashore to lay eggs from late July to October (as part of an optional excursion). Hawksbill, loggerhead, and giant leatherback turtles also nest in this region, and from late August through to November, baby turtles hatch and make their way to the ocean. Today’s travel time will be in the region of five to six hours including a stop for breakfast.
Total transfer time today: Five hours (including road and boat transfer)
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 3
Boat tour around Tortuguero waterways
A morning boat trip enables us to discover the extraordinary flora and fauna of Tortuguero, passing serenely along the waterways. At this time of day, wildlife is usually at its most active and with the help of our expert guide we are likely to encounter monkeys, caiman, iguanas, butterflies and many of the 300-plus bird species recorded here. We return to the lodge for a hearty breakfast by the river. This afternoon, we enjoy a second boat trip along a different canal. Alternatively, stay at the lodge this afternoon if you want to enjoy the facilities or follow a short walking trail through the forest.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch,Dinner
Day 4
To La Fortuna, near Arenal
We leave Tortuguero the same way we arrived by taking a small boat to the pier. Our bus will be at the pier waiting to drive us to the Arenal region, passing huge banana, pineapple and sugar cane plantations on the way. Arenal was the most active volcano in Costa Rica until 2010, when it entered a resting phase and stopped spitting ash, smoke and lava. However, there is still a lot of geothermal activity here and you’ll have the opportunity to visit one of the excellent hot springs this evening. Alternatively, embark on a chocolate and coffee tour or take a walk on the wild side with the Ecoglide zipline. In clear weather, there are great views of the volcano from our overnight base, the nearby town of La Fortuna. Today’s travelling time is around 5hr 30min including a lunch stop.
Total transfer time today: Four hours (including road and boat transfer)
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch
Day 5
Explore Arenal Observatory Lodge • Relax or try an optional activity
Today we visit Arenal Observatory Lodge, set in a private reserve at the base of Arenal Volcano. The reserve covers more than 870 acres (352ha), including primary forest, reforested land, gardens, rivers and waterfalls, so our visit helps support the protection of a varied habitat within the wider Arenal ecosystem.
With an expert naturalist guide, we follow trails through rainforest and gardens, using a hanging bridge and observation towers to look for birds, monkeys and other wildlife. The guiding gives the walk extra purpose: we learn how species depend on this forest, how biodiversity is monitored here, and why visitor income matters for conservation and local employment.
After lunch at the lodge, the afternoon is free to relax or join an optional activity, such as a coffee and chocolate tour.
Meals: Breakfast,Lunch
Day 6
To Monteverde in the Tilarán Mountains; nocturnal wildlife walk
From Arenal, we travel (approximately three hours) to the Tilarán Mountain Range in the Central Highlands for our first taste of a Costa Rican cloud forest. The journey provides breath-taking views of the Gulf of Nicoya and the islands below as we ascend the hills towards Monteverde, a forest-cloaked region whose name means Green Mountain. The high altitude supports a complex ecosystem where plants thrive, particularly orchids of which there are some 400-plus different varieties here. Today’s drive is around four hours – the last 25mi (40km) of road is gravel and can be bumpy, particularly following heavy rain. In the afternoon, it’s possible to join an optional coffee tour to learn about the importance of this crop to the socio-economic development of the country.
This evening, we set off on a night walk in Monteverde Wildlife Refuge. Situated within primary cloud forest, this reserve is committed to the preservation of native flora and fauna. Taking a nocturnal walk allows for a completely new perspective on the forest, which our guides will bring to life for us. Keep your eyes peeled for sloths, who are often active during the night!
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7
Visit Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve; to San José
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is a favourite destination for birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts. A walk through the reserve will reveal huge old growth trees covered in moss while the surrounding mist permeates the atmosphere. The geographic, topographic and climatic conditions of the reserve allow a surprising biodiversity to thrive.
There are four ecological ‘life zones’ that harbour different ecosystems for hundreds of species – mammals, birds, butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, insects and arachnids. We can also find a variety of mosses, vines, other plants and trees typical of the cloud forest. One of the reserve trails leads to a lookout point right at the top of the continental divide where, on clear days, you see both Costa Rican coasts: the Caribbean and Pacific. These forests are also one of the few remaining habitats of the endangered resplendent quetzal. Following today’s activity, we transfer (approximately 3hr 30min) to San José.
Tonight we have a farewell dinner at a local restaurant, a chance to toast the end of our adventure and look back on the highlights of the trip.
Meals: Breakfast,Dinner
Day 8
End San José
The trip comes to an end today after breakfast, and it’s time to bid Costa Rica and the rest of the group goodbye.
If you aren’t quite ready to leave, speak to your sales representative about extending your adventure – relax on the beach, treat yourself to some spa time, or discover more nature. To ensure total relaxation, you can stay for as many nights as you wish in a range of hotels, and we’ll organise airport transfers in either direction for you.
Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
What’s not included
Additional information
Food
In the itinerary we state which meals are included on which day. Hotel breakfasts are normally buffets, and lunches and dinners at Tortuguero are also buffets. Vegetarian and vegan options are limited but food is plentiful and tasty – please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests.
Costa Rican specialities include gallo pinto, a black bean and rice dish that’s a staple part of the local diet. Soups and stews are also common, and fresh fruit is abundant and will no doubt be one of the highlights of your time in the tropics.
Monteverde Wildlife Refuge Nocturnal Walk
Venture into the mist as you join a guided nocturnal walk in the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge. Under red-light torches, the cloud forest comes alive with rustles and calls—your guide helps you spot sleeping birds, leaf frogs, stick insects and, with luck, a sloth or kinkajou on the move.
Hear how moisture, altitude and epiphytes shape this other-worldly habitat after dark. Moving slowly, you’ll tune into subtle sounds and textures, enriching your understanding of rainforest rhythms while listening for rustles and calls overhead and along mossy trunks.
Tortuguero Village Walk & Sea Turtle Conservancy Museum
Stroll sandy lanes to visit Tortuguero village, where timber houses, fishing skiffs and rainforest backdrops set the scene. Your leader introduces the community’s ties to nature and the Caribbean coast before you step into the Sea Turtle Conservancy Museum (donation requested) to learn how science and locals protect nesting beaches.
Exhibits trace decades of community-led conservation, tagging projects and migration routes. Expect a warm, low-key atmosphere that spotlights everyday life at the edge of the jungle and the seasonal turtle story that made Tortuguero famous.
Arenal Observatory Lodge Trails, Hanging Bridge & Towers
Explore private reserve paths as you walk rainforest trails at the foot of Arenal Volcano. With your naturalist, cross a hanging bridge and observation towers that lift you toward the canopy for views of lava-sculpted slopes, waterfalls and birdlife flitting between heliconias and towering ficus.
Interpretive guiding links the sights to conservation and research at the lodge. Scan for toucans, tanagers and coatis, and feel the area’s geothermal pulse while learning how visitor fees support habitat protection and bird-rich canopy monitoring.
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Walk & Continental Divide Lookout
Walk shaded paths in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, where cool mists nourish moss-draped giants and orchids. Your guide reveals the web of life among epiphytes and strangler figs while you listen for bellbird calls and scan for the resplendent quetzal in fruiting laurel trees.
Follow well-maintained trails to a high ridge and the famed Continental Divide lookout. On clear days, contrasting climates frame views toward both coasts—an elegant illustration of how topography, trade winds and moisture create one of the world’s richest biodiversity zones.
San José Farewell Dinner at a Local Restaurant
Gather for a farewell dinner in San José and sample Costa Rican specialities such as gallo pinto, casado plates and tropical fruit juices. Celebrate wildlife moments and new friendships as you raise a toast to your week among volcanoes and cloud forests.
Your Tour Leader helps decode dishes and culinary traditions, from staple black beans and rice to regional produce shaped by fertile volcanic soils. It’s a relaxed, flavour-led close that spotlights everyday Costa Rican hospitality and cuisine.
Arenal Hot Springs Evening Soak
Exhale in naturally heated pools as you soak in mineral-rich hot springs fed by the geothermal waters of Arenal. Move between cascading pools of varying temperatures, surrounded by lush foliage and views of the volcano’s silhouette.
Steaming terraces, stone channels and quiet corners create a serene mood for muscle-soothing relaxation after a day on the trails. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour; towels, lockers and on-site facilities are typically available.
Arenal Canopy Zipline (Ecoglide)
Feel the rush as you launch along zip lines through the Arenal canopy. Platforms tucked among broadleaf trees reveal changing perspectives of volcanic slopes and forest while trained guides manage equipment and brief you on technique and safety.
This adrenaline-leaning option pairs rainforest immersion with playful speed, ideal for adventurous travellers keen to see treetops from a new angle. Offered at additional cost and bookable on tour; minimum age/weight restrictions and closed-toe footwear typically apply.
Coffee & Chocolate: Bean-to-Bar and Crop-to-Cup Tasting
Trace origins as you follow coffee and cacao from plant to taste on a farm tour in the Arenal or Monteverde region. Learn about shade-grown cultivation, fermentation and drying before sampling freshly roasted coffee and artisan chocolate with notes shaped by altitude and soil.
Guides share how these crops fueled Costa Rican socio-economic development, from ox-cart exports to today’s specialty micro-mills. This flavorful cultural experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.
Seasonal Green Turtle Nesting Night Walk (Tortuguero)
Witness a powerful natural ritual as you join a guided beach patrol to observe green turtle nesting along Tortuguero’s protected Caribbean shoreline (season typically July–October). Under strict park regulations, licensed guides lead small groups using low-impact lighting.
Learn about life cycles, threats and conservation successes of these ocean voyagers while keeping respectful distances as females dig, lay and disguise their nests. This regulated activity is weather-dependent, at additional cost and bookable on tour; sightings, species and conditions can vary.
Tortuguero Waterways Wildlife Boat Safaris
Glide through quiet backchannels as you join a guided boat safari in Tortuguero National Park, a mosaic of rainforest, mangroves and lagoons. Hear distant howler calls and watch for movement along the banks as your naturalist points out monkeys, caiman and herons among over 300 recorded bird species.
These tranquil cruises reveal the park’s Caribbean lowland habitats from the waterline. Your guide shares insights into ecology and behavior, helping you read ripples, rustles and silhouettes for prime wildlife viewing while you pause for photos and reflection.
