Costa Rica
Costa Rica Coast to Coast
13 days
Costa Rica occupies 0.03 % of the planet’s surface and holds 5 % of its biodiversity. That comes from having twelve distinct life zones in a country you can cross in a day: Caribbean rainforest, active volcanoes, cloud forest at seventeen hundred metres and Pacific mangrove, all within hours of one another.
Day by day
Day 01 · Spain / San José
Direct flight. Transfer and a night in the central valley.
Day 02 · Tortuguero
By road and then by canal, because there is no road to the village. This is Caribbean rainforest, rain most days, and a network of channels covered by boat.
Day 03 · Tortuguero
Out on the canals at dawn: caiman, howler monkeys, toucans and basilisks running across the water. Between July and October the green turtles nest on the beach.
Day 04 · Sarapiquí
Back to the mainland and on to the river. Gentle rafting or a night walk with a naturalist, which is when half the forest comes out.
Day 05 · Arenal
Northwest. The volcano erupted continuously from 1968 to 2010 and is quiet now, but the cone is still perfect and the hot springs are still hot.
Day 06 · Arenal
Hanging bridges through the canopy, the La Fortuna waterfall, and the afternoon in the hot springs of the Tabacón river.
Day 07 · Monteverde
Across Lake Arenal by boat and up the mountain. The cloud forest sits permanently in mist, which is why the trees are loaded with moss and orchids.
Day 08 · Monteverde
The biological reserve first thing, looking for the quetzal, and zip lines through the canopy for anyone who wants it from above.
Day 09 · Manuel Antonio
Down to the Pacific. A small park with a great deal of wildlife right beside the path: sloths, capuchins and squirrel monkeys, which live only in this area.
Day 10 · Osa Peninsula
A light aircraft south. National Geographic called Corcovado the most biologically intense place on earth, and it is not brochure language.
Day 11 · Corcovado
A full day walking inside the park with a guide: tapir, peccary, four monkey species and scarlet macaws in flocks.
Day 12 · Osa / San José / Spain
Light aircraft back and the international flight.
Day 13 · Spain
Arrival.
Usually includes
- International flights and the internal light-aircraft flight to Osa
- A car with driver and English- or Spanish-speaking naturalist guides in each park
- Lodges inside or beside the reserves, not on the road
- Breakfasts, and full board at Tortuguero and Osa
- National park and private reserve fees
- A travel document with every detail and a direct phone number
This trip, your way
Length
13 days
Route
San José · Tortuguero · Sarapiquí · Arenal · Monteverde · Manuel Antonio · Osa
Format
Private and tailor-made, on your dates
Let us make this trip yours.
Change the dates, add days where you want them, or simply tell us how you like to travel. We reply within 24 hours.
More trips
