A touch of Costa Rica

Today, you will depart via your chosen airport and head to the capital of Costa Rica, San José, with connecting flight(s) along the way. You will be met by a driver at the airport, who will drive you to your hotel. The drive from the airport takes around 45 minutes. The rest of the evening is yours to do as you please.

Situated 1,172 meters above sea level in the central part of the country, San José enjoys a wonderful spring-like climate all year round. Today, it is a modern city with bustling commerce and resplendent art and architecture, marked by the architectural style of the early 18th and 19th centuries, when the city was founded and then made the country’s capital.

After a nice breakfast, you are picked up at your hotel and driven to the office of our Costa Rican partner. Here, there will be a welcome meeting in which you go through your tour together. You can also get answers to any questions you may have.

Once the welcome meeting is over, you are picked up at the office by a local guide, who will take you on an exciting, guided tour of the city on foot. The tour takes you past some of the capital’s most important historical buildings and monuments, and guide will tell you about their history. On the tour, you will also learn all the weird and wonderful things you need to know about Costa Rica and the country’s traditions.

The tour rounds off at the city’s largest market, Mercado Central. Established in 1880, the market consists of more than 200 shops, stalls and cafés as well as restaurants. You can buy everything here, from Costa Rican coffee, fruit and spices to knick-knacks, shoes and local crafts.

You can choose whether to stay here longer to have lunch and perhaps shop for some souvenirs or to return to the hotel. Before you part company with the guide, he will tell you how get back to the hotel, which is an easy, 10–15-minute walk from there (transportation back to the hotel is not included).

The rest of the day is at your disposal.

Today, the tour continues from the bustling capital to La Fortuna, which has a picturesque location at the foot of the iconic Arenal volcano. The drive to La Fortuna takes around 4 hours.

Arenal was dormant for over 400 years until it violently erupted in 1968, causing massive destruction and burying several small villages. The volcano has been dormant since 2010 and you can safely visit the area. Among other things, the city is known for its many hot springs, which are heated by volcanic activity.

There are rich opportunities to stay active in and around La Fortuna. You can, for example, walk in Arenal Volcano National Park, go horseback riding, cycle by Lake Arenal or go on a night safari and discover Costa Rica’s nocturnal animals.

You can also take a taxi to the beautiful La Fortuna waterfall, located at the foot of the volcano Chato. The waterfall springs from the Tenorio River, which flows through the Arenal mountain range and the rainforest before cascading 70 metres into a lagoon. There is around a 20-minute walk from the car park through the tropical forest down to the waterfall. On the way, you may be lucky enough to spot toucans, monkeys and other tropical animals. Remember to bring your swimwear if you wish to enjoy a refreshing dip in the lagoon.

The choice is yours – the day is entirely at your disposal in these gorgeous surroundings.

After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye to La Fortuna, and the tour continues by boat across Lake Arenal and then by minibus up into the Cordillera de Tilarán mountain range towards Monteverde.

Monteverde is better known as the “forest in the clouds” because of its location and the high humidity that “traps” the moisture in the area, giving the rainforest its characteristic mist.

The drive to Monteverde takes around 4 hours.

You have the day to yourself in Monteverde, when a visit the cloud forest is must.

Monteverde Cloud Forest is a unique area of natural beauty located at an altitude of around 1,400 metres. The flora and fauna thrive here in the rainforest due to the high humidity. There are more than 400 bird species in the park, including 30 different kinds of hummingbirds, so don’t forget your binoculars! You may also be lucky enough to spot other animals such as sloths, white-nosed coatis, armadillos, and red-eyed tree frogs.

The fairytale landscape of the cloud forest can be experienced in various ways, including from above on a 2.5 km walk along hanging bridges in the treetops. You can also try ziplining, which is a thrilling activity, where you zip through the tree tops attached to a cable.

Monteverde is also known for its coffee production, and you have the opportunity to visit a coffee plantation and learn about the careful selection of the coffee beans and their processing until the delicious bean is ready for serving.

Your tour rounds off with three nights at the cosy coastal town of Manuel Antonio, which not only has beautiful beaches but a national park of the same name.

The park is Costa Rica’s smallest yet one of its most popular national parks – and for good reason! Here, you will be greeted by lush green rainforest extending all the way to the beautiful white sandy beaches and the turquoise sea. The park is also home to countless different species of animal, and you may be lucky enough to see common squirrel monkeys, white-headed capuchin monkeys, mantled howlers, spider monkeys, sloths, white-nosed coatis, iguanas, red-eyed tree frogs, toucans, hummingbirds and colourful butterflies to name but a few.

The drive to Manuel Antonio takes around 5 hours.

Your days in Manuel Antonio are yours to do as you please. There is plenty to keep you occupied in the town, whether you’re into sporting activities such as kayaking and rafting, or perhaps just lazing in the sun by the hotel pool or on the beach.

We highly recommend that you visit Manuel Antonio National Park on one of the days and experience the park’s impressive flora and fauna. Ideally, you should head off early in the morning, when there are fewest visitors and the greatest chance of seeing wildlife. The park has marked paths and it is easy to find your way around in there. You can also choose to purchase a guided tour of the park if you would like to know more about the nature you are seeing. Remember to bring swimsuits and possibly snorkels as the beaches inside the park are nothing less than amazing!

Please note that the national park is closed one day a week, usually on Monday or Tuesday.

Manuel Antonio also has a cosy little town, where you will find several shops and restaurants which naturally serve all manner of seafood as well as local and international dishes, so there’s something for every taste.

When the day is drawing to a close, you will be rewarded with the most beautiful sunset over the Pacific.

The time has come to say goodbye to Costa Rica. You will be picked up from your hotel and driven to the airport in San José, from which you will fly to your chosen airport, with connecting flight(s) along the way.

You will arrive at your chosen airport after a lovely holiday.