Summary
Short description
Uncover the colourful wildlife of Costa Rica among spectacular beach-lined rainforests
Highlights
- Marvel at the extraordinary biodiversity of Costa Rica's tropical rainforests
- Discover Costa Rica's stunning landscape and culture with kayaking, forest trails and indigenous walks
- Enjoy nighttime hikes and spot nocturnal sloths, ocelots, monkeys and armadillos
- Stay in luxury eco-lodges hidden deep in the jungle and at the foothills of the spectacular Arenal volcano
- Discover empty white sands and rugged coasts on the jungle-lined Caribbean coast
In Brief
- 1 Night Finca Rosa Blanca
- 2 Nights Monteverde
- 2 Nights Arenal Volcano
- 2 Nights Pacuare Lodge
- 4 Nights Puerto Viejo
- 1 Night San José
In pictures
About
Recommended for:
Activity adventure | Honeymoon | Natural world | Wildlife
This tailor-made holiday perfectly showcases the spectacular variety of wildlife and landscapes of Costa Rica. You'll begin with a stay in the grounds of a sustainable coffee plantation near San Jose, before heading to the wildlife-rich Monteverde cloud forest and iconic Arenal volcano. It’s all enjoyed alongside stays at eco-lodges hidden deep in verdant rainforests and on expert-led hikes, bird watching tours and horse-riding excursions. At remote Pacuare Lodge, there's even the chance to arrive by white-water raft. Finally, wrap things up on the coast as you pair sun-soaked relaxation with the chance to immerse yourself in local culture.
Day by day itinerary
Day
1
UK to San José
After included VIP airport lounge access, you'll board your flight and arrive in the capital to transfer to your hotel, the charming Finca Rosa Blanca. This is eco-luxury at its best, situated on the grounds of a sustainable coffee plantation just half an hour from the capital San José in a protected cloud forest. Perhaps take the coffee and cupping tour through the organic coffee farm before sampling the goods yourself, and in the evening, indulge in a massage at the onsite spa El Tagua Wellness Retreat. Dinner can be enjoyed on an open-air terrace or in a private dining room, with chefs using ingredients from the local greenhouses and gardens to ensure fresh flavours.
Stay: Finca Rosa Blanca, nr San José (Superior)
Days
2-3
Monteverde
Enjoy a private transfer to Monteverde and spend the next two days exploring the spectacular forest. This mountainous jungle in the clouds has myriad trails through thick canopies of ferns and orchids along with misty suspended bridges – the eight that make up the canopy treetop create a walkway that reaches altitudes of 180 feet. You'll also discover one of the world's largest live butterfly exhibitions and embark on a night-time wildlife hike that affords chances to witness bats, insects, birds and nocturnal mammals, with fireflies and phosphorescent mushrooms glowing among the nighttime mist.
Stay: Monteverde Lodge & Gardens (Superior)
Meals: B
Days
4-5
Arenal
Today you'll take a private transfer by road and across the lake to the foothills of the spectacular Arenal volcano, a magnificent stratovolcano surrounded by lava fields and transitional forest (a combination of rainforest and cloud forest). Take advantage of the area and eponymous national park with an included volcano hike, fishing in the lake, and explore the surrounding area with visits to the Tabacon hot springs and La Fortuna waterfall, as well as night walks, hanging bridges, caves, canyoning, horse riding, and a wealth of other optional activities.
Stay: Amor Arenal (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Days
6-7
Pacuare Lodge
After breakfast, you'll transfer to the spectacular Pacuare Lodge, tucked away in a steep gorge, deep in rainforest-covered mountains on the banks of the Pacuare River. For the adventurous, it's one of the best places in Costa Rica to go white-water rafting – there's even the option of arrival by raft of you choose – or there's a vast array of alternative excursions, from bird watching tours to indigenous hikes. Exquisite suites blend perfectly with outside's verdant roof, from riverside villas with personal spring-fed swimming pools to cabins high in the rainforest canopy.
Stay: Pacuare Lodge, Costa Rica (Superior)
Meals: B L D
Days
8-11
Puerto Viejo
After breakfast in the lodge, you'll head to your luxury accommodation for the next four nights. You'll be situated just moments from beautiful beaches framed by Caribbean jungle and the next few days will see you explore the rugged coast that surrounds you, from included kayaking tours to hikes among the spectacular azure-framed peninsula of Punta Uva. You'll traverse a coast comprised of rocky cliffs, deep caves and verdant rainforest, spotting monkeys, sloths, river turtles, bats and iguanas among the dense canopy as you're led by an expert guide. You'll also enjoy a half-day Native Cultural Immersion tour where you'll learn about the Bri Bri indigenous territories, their customs, languages, traditions, methods of cultivation, medicinal plants, and about the chocolate making process.
Stay: Aguas Claras Hotel (Superior)
Meals: B
Day
12
Puerto Viejo to San José
Enjoy a private transfer back to San José and head to your hotel, Grano de Oro, a spectacular converted mansion featuring grand lobbies, two outdoor Jacuzzis and a charming terrace restaurant that offers fresh French Mediterranean-inspired dishes complemented with wines from their award-winning cellar.
Stay: Hotel Grano de Oro, San Jose (Superior)
Meals: B
Days
13-14
San José to UK
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight home on day 13, arriving on day 14. Or, you could extend your trip with a visit to the northwest coast of Guanacaste, where rugged beaches and dense, biodiverse forest are wonderfully explored with diving and surfing. Or head south to the remote Osa Peninsula for more wildlife spotting alongside stays in luxury eco-lodges.
Meals: B
Map
Pricing
Any element of this itinerary can be adjusted to suit your needs. Just contact us to find out more.
Accommodation rating:
14-day tailor-made holiday
from £7,080 pp incl. flights
Superior
Low Season
from £7,080 pp. incl. flights
High Season
from £8,290 pp. incl. flights
Includes:
- Complimentary UK airport lounge access
- Return flights between the UK and San Jose
- Private airport transfers
- 7 nights accommodation in typically 4* (Superior) hotels/lodges on a B&B basis and 1 lunch
- 4 nights accommodation in 4* (Superior) lodges on a full-board basis
- Private touring including a sea and river kayaking and walking tour, Kekoldi Indigenous Reserve tour including lunch, rafting tour at Pacuare Lodge, guided visit to Arenal Volcano (including short hike), Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and Selvatura Park tour
Terms & Conditions
Prices are per person based on two people sharing a twin/double room; prices are subject to availability and possible change; normal booking conditions apply.
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