Costa Rica Pura Vida
San José, Tortuguero, Arenal & Monteverde; explore independently with flights, hotel, national park, hanging bridges, coffee & chocolate tour included
Overview
Style | Independent PackageThese un-escorted packages have no set schedule or guides, so you have the freedom and flexibility to explore on your own from your centrally-located hotel. More of these packages
Freedom to explore at your own pace; unescorted |
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Departures | |||
Themes | Active, Nature & Wildlife | ||
Activity Level | Moderate | ||
What to Expect | This leisurely-paced, independent tour requires minimal walking and is suitable for most levels of physical fitness. The Hanging Bridges Tour in Arenal is approximately 1.9 miles in length and requires a higher level of physical fitness to fully enjoy the tour. This tour also includes long scenic drives between destinations that can be windy and bumpy at times. Transfers will be on a shared shuttle and may have limited rest stops. This tour does not include a tour guide or escort. | ||
Already booked? | Find everything you need to know before you go, including information about passport & visa requirements, flights, luggage, and more. |
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Costa Rica is truly one of Central America's jewels. In this small tropical country, you'll find a stunning collection of landscapes and ecosystems, including tropical rainforests and jungles, cloud forests, mountains, rivers, volcanoes, and coasts on both the Caribbean and Pacific. It's also home to an amazing array of plant and animal species, containing 5% of the planet's total biodiversity. You'll fall in love with the Costa Rican people, known as "Ticos," who are so cheerful and easy-going that a recent Gallup poll named Costa Rica as one of the happiest places on earth.
Experience the "pura vida" (pure life) of Costa Rica on this 9-day Costa Rica tour package, designed for the independent traveler, but without worrying about getting from one place to another. Start in the capital city of San José, a bustling metropolis surrounded by mountains. Travel to Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast, where you'll explore the lush rainforest by boat on a series of canals and see the secluded beaches where endangered turtles nest. Head north to Arenal to see one of the world's most active volcanoes, then explore the cloud forests of Monteverde.
Want even more? Take a look at our Costa Rica Pura Vida with Manuel Antonio! This tour includes 3 extra nights in Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast, where you can watch Capuchin monkeys skip across the tropical beaches and iguanas sunning themselves. All for a price that is almost as stunning as the country itself!
Package includes
- Flights
- Coach
- Transfers
- Hotel
- Meals
- Round trip flights from Miami via scheduled carriers, including taxes & fees with other gateways available on request
- All transfers in air-conditioned chauffeur-driven mini-vans
- 8 nights superior hotel accommodations
- 13 Meals: 8 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 2 dinners
- Comprehensive sightseeing with a naturalist bilingual guide in Tortuguero
- Entrance fee to Tortuguero National Park ($15)
- Hanging bridges walk
- Coffee and chocolate tour
Optional add-ons
- Included flights may have a connection in SAL, PTY, or similar. Non-stop flights may be available for an additional cost.
Why you'll love it
- Walk through Tortuguero, the "land of turtles", and have the chance to see a variety of endangered turtles.
- Board small boats and tour the numerous secondary canals of Tortuguero National Park.
- Explore the rainforest with a naturalist guide, keeping your eyes peeled for unique mammals, birds and other wildlife.
- Walk along the hanging bridges among the treetops in Arenal.
- Learn about the rich coffee and chocolate drink production during a visit to a coffee plantation in Monteverde, tasting the fruit of the cacao and traditional Costa Rican coffee.
- Explore San Jose independently, enjoying the variety of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars in the Escazu Area.
Itinerary at a Glance
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1 USA/San José
- Upon arrival in San José, proceed through customs formalities where you'll be met and transferred to your hotel
Crowne Plaza San José Corobicí or similar
Day 2 San José & Tortuguero
- Depart San José very early this morning and travel to Tortuguero
- Experience a guided walk through the village of Tortuguero and along the beach
Aninga Lodge or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryDepart San José very early this morning for the Caribbean coastal area and Tortuguero. The trip takes you up and over the Continental Divide between the Pacific and Caribbean watersheds and through the spectacular Braulio Carrillo National Park. You will see changes in the landscapes and vegetation as you approach the lowlands, arriving at El Ceibo (about 2 hours). Enjoy a typical Costa Rican breakfast, then continue your drive through villages and plantations of pineapples and bananas to the dock.
The "roads" in Tortuguero are a system of rivers and canals, accessible only by boat. Continue via motor launch through the canals parallel to the coast to reach your eco-lodge, located on the main canal (about 1.5 hours). Check into your rooms and have some time to relax in the peaceful surroundings of the rainforest.
After a buffet lunch, head out across the canal to the village of Tortuguero, where you'll enjoy a guided walk through the village and along the beach. Tortuguero ("land of turtles") takes its name from several varieties of endangered turtles which come ashore every year on these beaches to lay their eggs in nests in the sand. If you like, you can visit the turtle museum. Dinner will be served in the hotel restaurant. (The nesting season for giant turtles is from July to September. Sightings of any wildlife are not guaranteed.)
Day 3 Tortuguero
- Join your naturalist guide for a walking tour of the rainforest
- Board small boats for a tour through the secondary canals of Tortuguero National Park
- Balance of the day at leisure
Aninga Lodge or similar Breakfast, lunch & dinner
Full Day ItineraryThis morning, your guide will take you on a walking tour of the rainforest. After lunch, depart on small boats for a tour through the many secondary canals of Tortuguero National Park. You will have a close-up view of rainforest vegetation and wildlife. The area is home to Capuchin, Howler and Spider Monkeys and many species of birds. You may even see a crocodile basking in the sun.
The rest of the afternoon is yours to relax by the pool or the decks along the waterfront. There are also optional activities such as fishing, kayaking or even a canopy zip-line. Dinner will be served in the hotel restaurant.
Day 4 Tortuguero & Arenal
- Depart Tortuguero and travel to the Arenal region
- Balance of the day at leisure
Volcano Lodge Hotel and Thermal Experience, Arenal Springs Resort & Spa or similar Breakfast & lunch
Full Day ItineraryAfter breakfast, depart via motor-launch to the main dock. Board your coach for the drive though the villages and plantations to El Ceibo for lunch. Your air-conditioned mini-van will be waiting to drive you to Arenal and your hotel located near the town of La Fortuna, on the road that leads to the foot of the volcano (about 3.5 hours).
Arenal's cone has two peaks which rise to 5360 feet. After being inactive for 500 years, the volcano erupted in 1968, and it has since become one of the most active volcanoes in the world. You may see the smoke rising from the cone, or on a rare occasion there is the possibility of lava flows, which are particularly impressive at night. The volcano has also created natural hot springs in the area. Your hotel is surrounded by beautiful gardens, where you can relax by the pool or enjoy the spa. (Volcanic activity is a natural process and sightings of smoke and/or lava are not guaranteed.)
Note: The March 11, 2020 departure will be at Arenal Springs
Day 5 Arenal
- Walk among the treetops on a hanging bridges tour
- Balance of the day at leisure
Arenal Springs Resort & Spa, Volcano Lodge Hotel and Thermal Experience or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryToday, enjoy a unique opportunity to explore and appreciate the beauty of the forest and the volcano. Walk on the hanging bridges suspended in the treetops while your guide helps you spot a variety of birds and animals. The trail is 1.9 miles in length and includes nine fixed bridges and six suspension bridges.
Enjoy the remainder of the day at leisure to relax at your hotel and enjoy the view or take advantage of some other activities. You can take a short hike to the foothills of the volcano in the Arenal Volcano National Park. Also available are some optional excursions which allow you to see the forest up close: horseback riding to La Fortuna Waterfall; a canopy tour complete with zip lines; plus kayaking on the Arenal Lake and more.
In the evening, take advantage of an optional visit to the Tabacón Hot Springs, where you can enjoy a refreshing swim and dinner.
Day 6 Arenal & Monteverde
- Transfer via air-conditioned mini-van to Monteverde
- Balance of the day at leisure
El Establo Mountain Hotel or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryThis morning, transfer via air-conditioned mini-van to Monteverde, driving around Lake Arenal (about 4 hours). The Monteverde Reserve is covered with dense and humid foliage on the continental divide between the Caribbean and Pacific watersheds. The Reserve is home to over 300 species of birds and mammals as well as many varieties of orchids. In the early 1950s, the area of Santa Elena and Monteverde (Green Mountain) was settled by Quakers from the USA, in pursuit of a peaceful lifestyle. Many of the settlers bought farms and raised dairy cows. Your hotel is located on these former farms and is still owned by the same family.
Day 7 Monteverde
- Visit a coffee plantation for a coffee and chocolate tour
- Balance of the day at leisure
El Establo Mountain Hotel or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryToday, you will have the chance to partake in some of the traditional processes used on the coffee plantation that make it possible to produce such a rich tasting Costa Rican coffee. Then, immerse yourself in the world of chocolate, enjoying its delicious aromas, and learning about its history. Participate in the chocolate making process, taste the fruit of the cacao, and see how small cocoa beans are transformed into a rich chocolate drink.
Spend the remainder of the day relaxing or enjoy optional excursions which offer other activities in the area. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, which is part of the growing network of protected areas in Costa Rica. This Reserve attracts bird watchers from around the world. You can also visit the Santa Elena Cloud Forest, with beautiful views of the Arenal Volcano. You can tour the suspension bridges, spanning mountaintop to mountaintop, which allow you the walk through the top of the canopy of the cloud forest. You can also do a canopy tour complete with zip lines, visit the hummingbird gardens or ride horses.
Day 8 Monteverde & San José
- Transfer via air-conditioned mini-van to San José
- Balance of the day at leisure
Crowne Plaza San José Corobicí or similar Breakfast
Full Day ItineraryIn the morning, transfer via air-conditioned mini-van back to San José (about 4.5 hours). Spend the afternoon at leisure at your hotel, or explore the city and do some last minute shopping. We recommend a stop at the Escazu Area, where there is an assortment of bars, boutiques, cafés, and restaurants to enjoy.
Or, take advantage of your already included airfare and continue for a 3-night extension in Manuel Antonio, on the Pacific coast.
Day 9 San José/USA
- Transfer to the airport for your return flight to the USA
Breakfast
Optional Excursions from Arenal
The following optional excursions are available for purchase locally and can be arranged through our local partners. Prices listed are per person. Most excursions require a minimum of 2 passengers to operate. Pricing and availability are subject to change.
Optional Excursions from Monteverde
The following optional excursions are available for purchase locally and can be arranged through our local partners. Prices listed are per person. Most excursions require a minimum of 2 passengers to operate. Pricing and availability are subject to change.
Hotels
In the unlikely event that a particular hotel is not available, a similar or better hotel may be substituted.
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Trip Details
- What should I know before I go? We've compiled a comprehensive checklist, including information on how to pay your balance due, flights & transfers, packing & luggage, and more.
- Do I need a visa or other documents? Are there any entry requirements? Please review the visa & entry requirements.
- Can I make changes to my trip? Want to upgrade your seats? Depart from another city? Stay a few extra days? Something else? Just ask!
- Can I bring my kids? Are there any age restrictions? To book this package, you must be 18 or older. Your traveling companions must be 6 or older at time of travel.
- Should I purchase travel insurance? Yes! We recommend you purchase travel insurance to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. For your convenience, we offer a plan provided by Travelex Insurance Services.
- What's the fine print? Review the terms & conditions for this package.
- What should I know about Costa Rica? Check out our guide for practical travel tips, the best time to go, videos, and more.