Beautiful Costa Rica

This private tour is perfect for the first time visitor. This itinerary is flexible and so please do discuss your requirements with us and we can create the perfect trip for you.

Day 1: London – San José
Depart from London for San Jose, flying direct with British Airways. 1 night in San Jose.

Day 2: San José – Tortuguero
Shared transfer to Tortuguero and your lodge. Early pick up from your hotel. Admire the biodiversity of an astonishing protected area in Costa Rica as you travel through Braulio Carrillo National Park. Stop en-route to have a delicious breakfast (included). Board a comfortable boat upon arrival in Caño Blanco pier and travel through the Tortuguero canals. Enjoy a refreshing cocktail and a delicious lunch as you arrive at the lodge. After lunch, visit to the picturesque town, the green turtle information centre and the beach area. Dinner will be served at around 19:00.

Day 3: Tortuguero
After breakfast, guided walking tour through the trails. Free time before lunch. In the afternoon, visit to Tortuguero National Park, exploring the canals in small, open boats to allow a better visibility. Dinner included.  Granted national park status in 1970, Tortuguero (which translates as ‘Land of the Turtles’) is one of the world’s most important turtle breeding grounds and is therefore of major environmental significance. Turtles can be found here throughout the year; however the summer months of July to September see the greatest activity. Venture inland and there is a good network of walking trails along with a series of waterways that allow great access to the rainforest. Over 300 species of bird have been recorded and there are a great number of brightly coloured frogs and toads along with mammals such as sloth, anteater and tapir.

Day 4: Tortuguero – Arenal
After taking breakfast at the Lodge, you will travel by shared boat transfer to Caño Blanco pier where you disembark and take a road transfer to Guapiles and stop for lunch. After lunch you will board a shuttle transfer to Arenal and your hotel.

Day 5: Arenal
Although currently in a resting phase, Arenal remains Costa Rica’s most active volcano for the past 43 years. Its history is charged with eruptions – both major and minor – that have intimately affected the region and the people who live here. This tour will allow you to enjoy the most extraordinary views of Arenal Volcano during a gentle hike along the lower slopes. The walk begins in one of the trails close to the volcano and continues through the forest until reaching the area destroyed in its first eruption, back in 1968.

Day 6: Arenal
Day at leisure

Day 7: Arenal – Monteverde
This morning you will travel by boat and road transfer to Monteverde, including a boat excursion on Lake Arenal. This half tour half transfer is a picturesque and fast way to go to Monteverde from the Arenal Volcano area. After a 30 minute ride to the dam, you will board a very comfortable and safe boat. Arenal Lake is the largest and the most important artificial lake in Costa Rica. It was man made in 1974 to provide hydroelectric energy for the country. It is also a place where you can find different kinds of resident and migratory birds; sometimes mammals such as monkeys and sloths can also be seen. In addition, in a clear day, there are great views of the Arenal Volcano. After crossing the lake, (a 30 to 40 minute boat ride), you will arrive to Río Chiquita, a little town at the other side. Once at Río Chiquito, a bus will take you to your hotel in Monteverde.

Day 8: Monteverde
Today you can enjoy a canopy and walkway tour. This tour combines the thrill of adventure with a unique view point from the cloud forest canopy. The tour starts at the main dressing room where you will get ready before being taken to the instruction platform. The canopy tour covers a total of two miles of cable length and has 15 cables, 18 platforms and one Tarzan Swing. After this thrilling experience, its time for the treetop walkways tour. This tour consists of 1.9 miles of trails in which you will walk on eight bridges of various lengths, ranging between 170 and 560ft. Each bridge is five feet wide, with a capacity of up to 80 people per bridge. The treetop walkways can be enjoyed by people of all ages and physical conditions as most of the trails are flat and covered with special walking blocks for better traction. As you walk you will be able to appreciate a wide variety of flora and can also observe the biodiversity of the cloudforest.

Day 9: Monteverde – Manuel Antonio
Shuttle transfer to Manuel Antonio and your hotel for 3 nights

Located high above the Central Pacific coastline, this award-winning hotel is built on 12 acres of rainforest in beautiful Manuel Antonio, just minutes from some of Costa Rica’s finest beaches. Surrounded by beautiful gardens and astonishing scenery, all the rooms have balconies or terraces, with ocean or rainforest views.  Facilities at the hotel include 2 infinity swimming pools with a swim up bar, an adult pool with cascading waterfall, tennis court, fitness centre, mini-golf and computer centre. You can also explore the nature trails around the 12 acre premises that take you through the lush gardens and mysterious jungle, where you are almost guaranteed to see some of the abundant wildlife, such as white-faced and titi-monkeys, sloths, iguanas and many bird species. The small exotic beach has tiny waves and is great for swimming.

Conveniently located close to the resort’s restaurants, Spa, gift shops and swimming pools, the Tropical Rooms are perched on the tier just below the Premium Building, with jungle or garden views. These spacious rooms have been newly refurbished and are a great choice for families or anyone wanting immediate access to the resort’s many facilities.

Day 10: Manuel Antonio
Day at leisure

Day 11: Manuel Antonio  
Day at leisure. Numerous optional tours and activities can be arranged locally. The numerous activities include fishing, scuba-diving, catamaran cruises, jet-ski tours, white-water rafting, sea kayaking and mangrove tours.

Day 12: Manuel Antonio – San José – UK
Private transfer to San José International Airport to meet your return flight with British Airways.