The “Planet Earth meets NatGeo” Experience

Day 1: San Jose
Arrival at Juan Santamaria Airport in San Jose (SJO). Meet & Greet outside the airport terminal and private transfer to the hotel.
Overnight at Park Inn

Day 2: San Jose – Tortuguero  
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Your first excursion of the trip takes you to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica. Depart early in the morning for a transfer that takes you through the tempestuous Braulio Carrillo National Park to the placid lagoons of Tortuguero National Park. You’ll navigate through the park until you reach Tortuguero Village, a carless community bordered by the lagoon on one side and the beach on the other.
Overnight at Pachira Lodge

Day 3: Tortuguero
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today you’ll return to the water for a guided boat tour through the canals. Your guide will point out the flora and fauna that can be seen in both the lagoon and the rainforest beyond. This is an early morning tour, as this is when the forest awakens.
Afterwards, you’ll visit the local village, where you’ll learn about the sea turtles that come to lay their eggs on the beach and give Tortuguero its name.
Overnight at Pachira Lodge

Day 4: Tortuguero – Arenal  
Breakfast, Lunch
Take a boat transfer back to the docks, where you’ll continue on by coach to a private lunch spot in the rainforest. From there, you’ll take a private transfer to La Fortuna, nestled at the base of the majestic Arenal Volcano. You’ll notice the difference from the rainforest on the Caribbean coast to this lowland rainforest, where roaring rivers, natural hot springs, and diverse wildlife abound.
Overnight at Arenal Springs

Day 5: Arenal 
Breakfast, Dinner
Start your Arenal adventure out with a visit to Sloth Territory, a unique family project where expert guides take you through a part of the forest where several sloths live. If you’re lucky, you’ll be able to see several of these tranquil animals in their natural habitat.
In the afternoon, you’ll hike along the base of the Arenal Volcano to the 1968 lava flows. This is one of the only places where you’ll be this close to the looming volcano itself. It’s a real treat! After the hike, you’ll be ready for a relaxing soak in natural volcanic thermal springs and a hearty dinner.
Overnight at Arenal Springs

Day 6: Arenal – Monteverde 
Breakfast
The activity today is half tour and half transfer. A car-boat-car transfer will take you across the lake, from the rainforests of Arenal to the cloud forests of Monteverde. As you ascend these mountains, you’ll either see valleys full of impenetrable clouds and mist or breathtaking views of the Gulf of Nicoya below.
You’ll get intimately acquainted with the hills of this quaint region during the afternoon’s activity. You’ll start out riding up the side of the mountain in open-air gondolas, either surrounded by mysterious clouds or under the sun. If conditions are right, you’ll even be able to see the Arenal Lake off in the distance.
After that, you will set off on a 1.5 mile (2.5km) hike through the cloud forest, crossing hanging bridges that take you eye level with the vibrant canopy.
Overnight at Senda Monteverde

Day 7:  Monteverde – Tamarindo
Breakfast
It’s back to the cloud forest for this morning’s adventure. Visit the neighboring Aguti Wildlife Reserve for a self-guided tour.
In the forests of Monteverde you’ll see hundreds of massive, ancient trees covered in even more varieties of plants, moss, vines, and orchids. You’ll often catch glimpses of pockets of mist hanging in the air between the trees. If you are lucky, you’ll even see the endangered quetzal, as this area is one of its few remaining habitats.
In the afternoon, you’ll complete your cross of the continent as you continue to Tamarindo Beach on the north Pacific coast.
Overnight at Tamarindo Diria

Day 8: Tamarindo
Breakfast
This last full day is dedicated to your leisure. Relax on the picturesque beach, peruse the shops and restaurants of the beach town, or join one of the many excursions available in the area, which include ocean kayaking, snorkeling, kayaking in the estuary, sunset cruises, and more.
Overnight at Tamarindo Diria

Day 9: Departure transfer
Breakfast
Private transfer to Guanacaste Airport (LIR).

*If departing from the Juan Santamaria Airport in San Jose (SJO), we would gladly extend or adjust your itinerary to return to San Jose the night before and book an extra night at an airport hotel.

• Meet & Greet and private arrival transfer from San Jose Airport (SJO)
• Accommodation as specified:
  • 1 night at Park Inn by Radisson San Jose
  • 2 nights at Pachira Lodge Tortuguero
  • 2 nights at Arenal Springs Resort & Spa
  • 1 night at Senda Monteverde
  • 2 nights at Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort
• Meals as specified
• Guided tours/activities:
  • Tortuguero National Park (3-day/2-night package, including local tours)
  • Sloth´s Territory
  • Arenal Volcano Hike and Hot Springs
  • Monteverde Sky Tram & Sky Walk
  • Hiking in Aguti Wildlife Reserve (self-guided)
• Coach and boat transfer from San Jose to Tortuguero
• Boat, coach and minivan transfer from Tortuguero to Arenal
• Transfer to Monteverde on a shared car-boat-car transportation across Arenal Lake (approx. 3.5 hrs)
• Private transfer from Monteverde to Tamarindo Beach (approx. 3 hrs)
• Private departure transfer from Tamarindo to Guanacaste Airport (LIR) (approx. 1.5 hrs)
• Current taxes
• Dedicated 24/7 in country support and emergency assistance
• Flexible change/cancellation policies
• Optional activities are not included

Important notes:

• Accommodations will be in the above-mentioned hotels or alternative properties of similar style and ambience, according to availability at the time of booking.
• Tours on the package may be adapted according to traveler preference.
• The itinerary can be adjusted based on the arrival and departure airports (San Jose/SJO or Guanacaste/LIR).

Tortuguero: It doesn’t get more remote than Tortuguero, a national park, beach, and community on the northern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica where you either have to fly in on prop planes or take a boat ride through their tranquil canals and rivers to get there.

Arenal: A lush rainforest rich in wildlife surrounds the perfectly conical Arenal Volcano, where you can walk amongst lava flows, spot sloths hanging in the trees, and relax in natural hot springs to the sounds of toucans and other birds.

Monteverde: This peaceful, mountainous bit of land hides precious treasures, such as forests where the clouds dance among the trees and nourish over 400 species of orchids, including the smallest in the world.

Tamarindo: A yellow sun in the clear sky, hot sand below your feet, and a deep blue ocean ahead is what this cheerful Pacific beach town promises. Famous for their front seat to breathtaking sunsets, this unique tropical dry forest is bursting with life and experiences.