Celebrate Costa Rica

Day 1: Arrival
Day 2: Whitewater rafting at Pacuare River
Day 3: Arenal Volcano guided walk and entrance to Paradise Hote Springs
Day 4: Lake crossing in Monteverde
Day 5: Hanging bridges and guided walking tour
Day 6: San Jose
Day 7: Departure

Day 1: Arrival
After you go through immigration and customs, our local representative will transfer you to your first hotel located close to San Jose. It is a 15 - 30 minute transfer. 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 are in the hotel.

San Jose is considered to be among the most cosmopolitan cities in Latin America. You can explore a maze of streets and avenues with their many attractions, such as the National Theater, the National Museum, and the Jade Museum. Also, several parks like Plaza de La Cultura and Parque Morazan with their green expanses are lovely. And food? Each corner of the city has great restaurants, such as the famous Barrio Escalante, a gastronomic center where high-quality food is offered. For more local and typical food, the central market is the place to go! Overnight in San Jose.

Sample accommodation: Country Inn & Suites by Radisson

Day 2: Whitewater rafting at Pacuare River
Activity: Whitewater rafting
Difficulty level: Moderate 
You will be picked up from your San Jose area hotel and transferred to the rafting operations center, located in Siquirres (2 hours 45 minutes driving time). After enjoying a traditional Costa Rican breakfast, you change into rafting gear, and head to the banks of the Pacuare River. Here, the professional rafting guides will outfit you with all necessary equipment, give you a comprehensive rafting safety talk, and instruct you on paddling basics. Then, you and your group will launch your raft and begin to paddle deep into the heart of one of Costa Rica’s most impressive primary rainforests. It’s an adrenaline-packed day running the Pacuare’s renowned rapids. You will raft through the incredible rainforest on 19 miles of Class III-IV whitewater. Cascading waterfalls, lush forests, exotic plants, birds and other animals, and exciting rapids make this a tropical adventure packed with rich experiences that you’ll remember forever. At the end of your rafting trip, you’ll return to the operations center for a delicious lunch, and time to shower and change clothes. Then, is off to your next destination by transfer. Overnight in Arenal. Breakfast and lunch included.

Sample accommodation: Arenal Montechiari Hote

Day 3: Arenal Volcano guided walk and entrance to Paradise Springs
Activity: Arenal Volcano Guided Walk
Difficulty level: Moderate
Your day begins with a transfer directly from your hotel to the Arenal Volcano National Park, where you will walk along the old lava beds with your knowledgeable guide and learn about the volcano, the tropical forest surrounding it, and the abundant wildlife. This captivating ecological paradise is one of the fascinating highlights of your tour.  You will then be taken to Paradise Hot Springs, a tropical oasis featuring five different pools. The temperatures increase as you go up in elevation. The pools are constructed so that they blend in naturally with the beautiful gardens. After some time enjoying the thermal pools and feasting on dinner, you will be transferred back to your hotel. Overnight in Arenal. Breakfast and dinner included.

Sample accommodation: Arenal Montechiari Hote

Day 4: Lake crossing in Monteverde
Activity: Lake Arenal cruise and horseback riding
Difficulty level: Easy
Today combines comfortable door-to-door minivan transfers with a 45-minute 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 various wetland birds such as kingfishers, flycatchers, waders, and other exotic species that abound on the lakeshore. 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.

Passengers should expect to carry their bags/luggage to and from the boat. Drivers will do their best to help if you have any problems with carrying heavy bags. Just let them know in advance. You will then be driven directly to your Monteverde area hotel.

Home to cool, misty cloud forests, and deep green foliage almost everywhere you look, there’s no mistaking that you’ve stepped away from everyday life. If spending time in nature is at the top of your travel to-do list, you’ll get your fill of adventure in this part of Costa Rica’s Central Highlands. Monteverde is translated as “green mountain”, and once you’ve reached the mountaintop, you’ll first come upon the quaint town of Santa Elena. Here you’ll find gift stores, accommodations, a bus stop, restaurants, cafes, a supermarket, banks, and much more. Though Monteverde proper does not have a town center, it is comprised of a dirt road that leads to the Cloud Forest Reserve. 

In the afternoon, enjoy a horseback riding tour in Monteverde that allows you to observe the activities of a traditional farm in Costa Rica, crossing plantations of coffee, banana, sugar cane, livestock ranges. Top it off by enjoying the best panoramic views of the Gulf of Nicoya and the magical mountains of the cloud forest. This tour is with excellent horses suitable for all ages. Overnight in Montverde. Breakfast included.

Sample accommodation: Monteverde Country Lodge

Day 5: Hanging bridges and guided walking tour
Activity: Hanging Bridges guided walk and Canopy tour
Difficulty level: Easy 
The tour begins at your hotel reception where a bilingual guide will welcome you and accompany you throughout the journey, helping you discover the animals and plants that inhabit the exuberant cloud forest. The tour, which is approximately 3 kilometers, consists of a combination of trails and seven bridges where you will have the opportunity to explore all the levels of the cloud forest, as well as the habitats of every single one, starting from the ground and getting to the top of the great trees.

The canopy tour (also called zip line) is the most popular Costa Rican adventure tour. Enjoy a fantastic day of zip lining, and riding a giant swing in the beautiful cloud forest setting. Experience a unique perspective of the forest as you glide over the beautiful Costa Rican landscape. While the nine zip lines are sure to amaze you, the real thrill comes from two superman zip lines, including the longest zip line in Costa Rica! Swing like Tarzan on a mega swing, float down a rappel, and keep your balance on a hammock bridge. Everything is included in the same tour. (Maximum weight for a person to participate in the tour is 240 lbs. Overnight in Montverde. Breakfast included.

Sample accommodation: Monteverde Country Lodge

Day 6: San Jose
Shuttle transfer from Monteverde to San Jose. Travel time: 4 hours and 30 minutes. In the afternoon, enjoy a leisure time in San Jose. You can explore the city by yourself. Anything that you were not able to explore on your arrival day, you can catch up on now. Overnight in San Jose. Breakfast included.

Sample accommodation: Country Inn & Suites by Radisson San Jose

Day 7: Departure
All the good things come to an end. Farewell to beautiful Costa Rica and its people! Your driver will pick you up at the hotel and take you straight to the International Airport. In Costa Rica. Please note that you must be at the airport 3 hours before the departure time.

On each day’s details, you will find listed the preferred accommodation for that night. Please keep in mind that the final hotel list is always based on availability. If the preferred hotel is fully booked, you will be informed and offered a comparable establishment.