DAY 1
Welcome to Costa Rica! Once you have landed and exited the airport, a private transport will be waiting for you to drive you to your hotel, Hotel Grano De Oro in San José. Once you’ve checked in, you can enjoy a good dinner at the hotel’s restaurant, which is one of the best in San Jose, have a cold drink at the bar or relax in the Jacuzzi.
DAY 2
You will be picked up early in the morning at around 06:00. The jet lag means that most people wake up early and are ready to start the adventure already at dawn. The transport takes place in a private minibus and you stop for breakfast after about 2 hours, on the way to Tortuguero you pass beautiful natural views. When you arrive at Caño Blanco Dock at about 10:30 you will be met by Tortuga Lodge & Gardens’ representative. You will take a boat through the Costa Rican jungle and Tortuguero National Park to Tortuga Lodge & Gardens, your charming ecolodge on the Tortuguero Canal. The 1-hour journey winds through lush lowland jungle over glassy canals teeming with wildlife until you arrive at the hotel. After checking in at the lodge, you make your first excursion, which is a visit to the town of Tortuguero where you get to interact with the locals and visit the Caribbean Sea.
DAY 3
This day starts early and you join our guide to go on a river boat trip where you can see a large number of animals such as crocodiles, monkeys, iguanas, many different species of birds, and with a little luck, sloths too. The morning hours are particularly active in the rainforest, when wild animals are hungry and looking for their energy source for the day. After your exciting river boat trip, you can relax for a while and enjoy your lunch. In the afternoon you will travel back in time and glimpse the fascinating history and culture of Tortuguero Village. You can also treat yourself to the only bird’s eye view of the majestic Caribbean lowlands on this two-hour intermediate level hike up Cerro Tortuguero. You return to the lodge by boat. In the late afternoon, you are welcome to discover the rainforest’s magical twilight hours on a two-hour walk through Tortuga Lodge & Gardens’ private 26-hectare nature reserve. Bring your fellow guests and the local naturalist guide to reception to be fitted with wellies and get a rain poncho and flashlight.
DAY 4
After breakfast, you check out and begin your journey towards La Fortuna and the Arenal volcano. The transport itself will show you very beautiful scenery and if you are lucky you will see more wildlife before entering the town of La Fortuna and seeing the majestic volcano looming as a stunning backdrop. You come in the afternoon and if you are interested, you can also book a night hike or just enjoy your evening.
DAY 5
Good morning from Arenal and the lovely 5* Tabacon. At Tabacon there is no bad weather to enjoy the hot springs but we hope for clear weather so you can see the majestic peak of the volcano. This day begins with a horseback riding adventure to the beautiful La Fortuna waterfall. If you don’t want to ride, you can ride a tractor/car. Before you slowly go back, you can cool off and swim in the lagoon or just enjoy the view. After a break and lunch, which you eat on your own, you meet again and go on a guided hike around the volcano. In the afternoon you can enjoy a cold drink in the hot springs heated by volcanic activity and nestled in a lush tropical garden.
DAY 6
Today, after breakfast and perhaps a last swim in the hot springs, you leave beautiful La Fortuna and Tabacon to continue your adventure towards Monteverde and its mythical cloud rainforest. You go by jeep or minivan/bus to lake Arenal, where you get on your boat that takes you across the lake, where you are picked up by another jeep or minivan. After you have checked in to the fabulous Senda Monteverde which has all the best you can expect from a five star luxury hotel, enjoy easy access to all the Monteverde adventures you can imagine. Not to mention the hiking trails outside your door to the nearby Aguti Wildlife Reserve where you can take your own cozy walks.
Senda is a luxurious, secluded and private hotel but within walking distance to Monteverde town and a private cloud forest reserve. You have the afternoon to explore the cute town of Santa Elena or you can book a coffee and chocolate tour.
DAY 7
After an A-La-Carte breakfast, another fantastic day of adventure begins in Monteverde’s mighty cloud rainforest. This guided day will start with a walk on the suspension bridges high above land and forest. On this hike you get to go through and see many of the 2,500 plant species in the forest. You will also visit a butterfly garden and a reserve for sloths where they have been rescued and cared for. After an included lunch, it’s time to zip through the forest as you zipline between the different plateaus high up in the trees. The evening is open to discover one of Santa Elena’s many fantastic restaurants.
DAY 8
Today after breakfast it is time to go on to new adventures, beautiful beaches and the luxurious hotel Cala Luna. The hotel is a wellness hotel with a focus on yoga, healing, spa treatments, sound healing, health, organic food from their farm and much more. It is a luxurious, very beautiful, small boutique hotel that is a few steps from the beach and is surrounded by a lush jungle and many wild animals are drawn to the tropical garden. The journey there goes through fantastic nature and stunning views.
DAY 9
These days are for enjoying and relaxing on the beautiful beach of Langosta, join the morning yoga or try one of the training sessions included for hotel guests if you feel like moving a little extra. If you are feeling more adventurous and want to explore more of the fantastic nature and wildlife, we recommend taking a sunset sailing, diving or snorkeling excursion to the Las Catalians islands or if you like fishing, Costa Rica has world-class sport fishing!
DAY 10
This day of our itinerary begins with a final breakfast in the jungle. Your check-out will depend on your flight home and we will arrange your transport so that you have plenty of time to get to the airport. Goodbye for this time and a warm welcome back to Costa Rica!
