Coast to coast: highlights of Costa Rica

After you go through immigration and customs, our representative will meet you at the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO) exit to load the luggage into the vehicle and transfer you to the hotel. The hotel for tonight is close to San Jose City, located 15-25 minutes away from the airport. During the short drive, you will receive a brief introduction to Costa Rica and some recommendations for your trip. The guide will explain your itinerary in detail once you arrive at the hotel. Overnight at Park Inn by Radisson San Jose

The best natural expedition awaits you today. Your guide will meet you early at the hotel. You will start travelling northeast to the Caribbean lowlands. You will stop for breakfast at a local restaurant in Guapiles town. After breakfast, you will continue to La Pavona Dock, where you will board the special boat that will take you to the lodge immersed in the jungle. This afternoon, you will have a guided tour of the Village of Tortuguero and walk around the town to learn about the relaxed way of life in the Caribbean. Your guide will explain to you how this village developed and why they changed their minds about turtle conservation. Lunch and dinner are included at the hotel (Pachira Lodge).

After breakfast, you will have a boat tour of the Tortuguero National Park with the company of a local nature guide. The small boats venture deep into the national park's canals, beyond where larger boats can go. Due to the ability to explore further into the canals, you will have the opportunity to find rarer species of wildlife. This afternoon, your guide will take you to a private nature trail where you will have an exploring guided walk inside the jungle. The walk is relaxed and slow-paced as this is a flat trail. The rest of the day is at your leisure: you can relax at the swimming pool, take a cocktail admiring the river lagoon or spend the afternoon on the beach. Lunch and dinner are included at the hotel.

After breakfast, the guide will meet you at the main dock of the hotel to return by boat to Pavona's dock. From there, continue with land transportation to Guapiles Town, where you will have another delicious Caribbean lunch. After the meal, a representative will pick you up to take you to the next destination of this journey: Puerto Viejo de Talamanca. We will stay at the Cariblue Beach and Jungle Resort

During this tour, you will explore the Cahuita National Park with an expert guide, walking from Punta Cahuita to the village of Cahuita, about 7 km. On the hike, you will observe wonderful trees and beautiful wildlife, such as sloths, capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, snake species, and some colourful birds and butterflies.

The Pacuare River is the best choice for rafting in Costa Rica. No other adventure trek in the country offers you a perfect blend of wilderness exposure and excitement all in one day. Pacuare is world-famous for its sheer beauty. A true river gorge, it is flanked by steep, green walls. Here, you will enjoy the feeling of total isolation from urban life and the realness of being connected with nature. You will see waterfalls cascade into the river from both sides as colourful tropical birds fly over your head. Amazing views of this virgin tropical rainforest area appear before your eyes as you descend this true exploratory land. Wildlife is abundant, with sloth, toucans, parrots, coatis, morpho butterflies and colourful frogs being common sights. The white water is equally exciting. It is not an overly challenging river, but it has a lot of rapids, therefore giving you a fun-filled adventure. At the end of your rafting trip, you'll return to the operations centre for a delicious lunch and time to shower and change clothes. Then, you will take transportation to your next destination: La Fortuna. We will stay at Los Lagos Hotel Resort & Spa

Start your day as you walk across the Arenal Hanging Bridges and see the jungle from high above the forest floor. These trails bring you as close as you would ever hope to see the rainforest and its inhabitants, as well as give you access to stunning views of the rainforest and mountains. After your adventure on the hanging bridges, you will head to the Arenal Volcano National Park. The trails are generally flat and not very strenuous, perfect for a leisurely and informative guided walk. Enjoy a delicious lunch at this point. You will finish the day at the stunning La Fortuna Waterfall. When you reach the entrance, you will have time to change into your bathing suit in case you want to cool off in the cool pools that flow from the waterfall. This is sure to be a good workout as there are 500 steps to reach the waterfall and 300 to get back up! When you reach the bottom, you'll have an opportunity to swim in the cool waters of one of the largest and most breathtaking waterfalls in Arenal!

The trip combines comfortable door-to-door minivan transfers with a fun and scenic cruise across the tranquil Lake Arenal, where you will experience beautiful views of the majestic volcano and the forested Tilaran Mountain Range. You will also have the chance to see a variety of wetland birds, such as kingfishers, flycatchers, waders and other exotic species that abound on the lakeshore. You will be picked up from your hotel in Arenal and be driven to the Lake Arenal Dam, where you will board a covered boat. This is where the scenic 45-minute cruise across the lake begins. Next, you will begin the impressive 1.5-hour journey up the mountainside on a steep road offering stunning views of the lush, green valley. You will be driven directly to your Monteverde hotel. Your El Trapiche tour in Monteverde begins with a short walk through the farm, where you can see plantations such as sugar cane, coffee, cocoa, and more. Enjoy the entire coffee process, the artisanal cocoa process, and the traditional sugar cane process. Experience the process of making the sugar cane candy, and delight yourself with a fragrant cup of coffee from the farm and a traditional dish of picadillo de arracache. We will stay at the Monteverde Country Lodge

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is the largest private Protected Area in the country, covering over 25,730 acres (10,415 hectares). More than 500 species of orchids cling to the limbs of enormous trees, while vines, ferns, mosses and lichens fill every other available space. The Cloud Forest of Monteverde is home to more than 130 mammal species and 400 bird species, including the beautiful quetzal, 30 hummingbird species, 5,000 moth species, and 3,000 plant species. It is a nature lover's paradise. Here, you will also enjoy a canopy tour. The tour starts with a short guided walk through the private 70-acre reserve of the cloud forest. The first part of the tour will take you through both primary (old-growth) and secondary (new-growth) forests. You will fly through the treetops, listening closely to the wide variety of birds that can be seen throughout the reserve. Then, just when you think you have become one with the canopy, the tour ends with an exhilarating rappel down from the Scary Tree. The tour has ten cables, one rappel, one Tarzan swing, and one hollow tree climbing.

Manuel Antonio is home to a namesake national park full of unspoiled beaches and world-class views. Enjoy adventures as diverse as snorkelling and jungle hikes. You will see various Costa Rican animals when you peek into tide pools and hike through forests. Accommodation choices are plentiful, with some of the country's most inspired lodging options to choose from. Imagine the glittering, warm sand of a pristine beach, with shimmering blue water lapping along the shoreline as a fresh ocean breeze dances across your skin. Rediscover what it means to have free time, and then spend it with your favourite people. We will stay at Hotel Playa Espadilla

The pace of this adventure is determined by the consensus of your group's abilities and interests. There is an abundance of wildlife you will want to stop and observe, all in its natural and breathtaking habitat. Watch sloths and numerous species of monkeys travel through the tree canopy as they hunt for nocturnal silky anteaters and several types of non-poisonous snakes resting in the tropical rainforest. Listen to the songs of the various birds as they glide above your group, curiously looking for adventure. At your convenience and leisure, you can stop and enjoy some local fresh fruits and refreshments as you pause to soak in the beautiful aesthetics. Enjoy some leisure time swimming in the pristine water of the virgin beaches inside the national park, considered the most beautiful beaches of Costa Rica.

Shuttle Transfer from Manuel Antonio to San Jose. Overnight at Park Inn by Radisson San Jose.

Our driver will pick you up at the hotel and take you straight to the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO). In Costa Rica, you must be at the airport 3 hours before the departure time.