Costa Rica Highlights - Wildlife, Arenal & Tamarindo Beach

Depart for San Jose Costa Rica for your holiday in Central America.

On arrival in San Jose airport, we meet our assistant and transfer to our hotel where we will spend the next night.

A very early start this morning sees us travelling by shared coach to Tortuguero National Park (136km). En route, we pause for breakfast in Guápiles before continuing to the river dock, where we board our boat for the journey into Tortuguero.

Cruise through the park's peaceful network of canals, surrounded by dense rainforest that provides a habitat for monkeys, colourful birdlife, reptiles and other wildlife. Enjoy the ever-changing scenery as we make our way deeper into this remarkable national park.

We arrive at our lodge in time for lunch. Over the next two nights, enjoy the peaceful setting of Tortuguero on Costa Rica's Caribbean coast, where the sounds of the rainforest provide the perfect backdrop to your stay.

Later this afternoon, we visit the village of Tortuguero and experience its laid-back Caribbean atmosphere. We also visit the Caribbean Turtle Conservation Centre, where you'll learn about the endangered sea turtles that return to Tortuguero's beaches each year to nest. Discover the important conservation work helping to protect these remarkable creatures and their fragile habitat.

Afterwards, we return to our hotel, where the remainder of the afternoon is yours to relax and enjoy the peaceful rainforest surroundings.

Please note: 
For your stay in Tortuguero, the transfers and excursions will be shared, and  will not be a private Travel Department tour, for the duration of your stay in Tortuguero. All excursions will be organised locally and are subject to change due weather conditions.

After breakfast, set off on a guided nature walk through the rainforest trails. Keep an eye out for colourful tropical birds, monkeys and other rainforest wildlife as your guide introduces you to the rich biodiversity of this remarkable region.

Afterwards, we return to the our hotel for lunch.

This afternoon, we explore the waterways of Tortuguero National Park on a guided boat safari through its network of canals. Accessible only by boat, this protected rainforest is one of Costa Rica's most important wildlife reserves and the largest nesting site for green sea turtles in the Western Hemisphere. As you glide through the waterways, look out for monkeys, sloths, caimans, turtles and a variety of tropical birdlife, while your guide shares fascinating insights into this unique ecosystem.

Later, we return to the hotel and enjoy a relaxing evening surrounded by the sights and sounds of the rainforest.

Breakfast, Lunch & dinner are included today.

After an early breakfast, we bid farewell to Tortuguero and begin our journey by boat through the park's waterways before continuing by coach to the Arenal region (152km). As we travel, we'll enjoy ever-changing scenery, from lush rainforest and winding rivers to fertile farmland and picturesque rural villages, before stopping at a local restaurant for lunch.

After lunch, we'll meet our new guide and continue by private coach to Arenal, home to one of Costa Rica's most iconic volcanoes. Sit back, relax and take in the beautiful countryside and changing landscapes as we make our way to our next destination.

Let's discover one of Costa Rica's greatest treasures – its world-renowned coffee. On our sustainable coffee tour, we'll follow the journey from seed to cup, learn about the country's rich coffee-growing heritage and the iconic La Carreta, and enjoy freshly brewed coffee and traditional sugarcane juice. We then take a leisurely walk through the forest, where beautiful views across the Sarapiquí River Canyon await.

Afterwards, we continue by coach to our hotel in the Arenal region, where we'll spend the next three nights.

Once we've arrived, it's time to settle in, unpack and relax. Spend the rest of the evening enjoying the hotel's surroundings or simply unwinding after today's journey.

Breakfast, Lunch & dinner are included today.

This morning, we discover Costa Rica's remarkable biodiversity with a guided walk through Mistico Park and across its renowned hanging bridges. Suspended above the forest floor, the bridges offer a unique view of the rainforest canopy and the chance to spot colourful birdlife, monkeys, butterflies and other wildlife along the way.

The hanging bridges trail is approximately 1.5km long and includes six fixed bridges, with the option to cross two hanging bridges. The walk is graded as easy and requires only a low level of effort.

After our visit, we return to the hotel, where we take some time to relax, unwind and enjoy our surroundings.

This evening, we journey to some Hot Springs, where we indulge in a soothing soak in natural mineral waters, set in a lush tropical background. Unwind and absorb the rejuvenating benefits of the thermal waters.  

After our soak we get together for dinner (included). 

Later we transfer back to our hotel and settle in for the evening.

Today is yours to enjoy at leisure. Relax at the hotel, explore the local area, or simply take time to enjoy the beautiful surroundings.

If you're keen to experience more of Costa Rica's incredible wildlife, you can join an optional excursion to the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge, one of the country's best locations for birdwatching and wildlife spotting. Explore the wetlands by boat as you search for sloths, monkeys, caimans, bats and a wide variety of tropical birdlife, while learning about this important protected ecosystem. Lunch is included on the excursion.

Please note: 
This optional excursion must be pre-booked, is subject to minimum numbers and may be operated by a local supplier rather than exclusively for Travel Department guests.

Join us this evening for a return transfer into La Fortuna. We have free time to explore and have dinner (not included).

Timings will be advised locally.

Today, we leave Arenal behind and journey by coach to the Pacific coast and the vibrant beach town of Tamarindo in Costa Rica's Guanacaste region (approximately 240km, 5.5 hours). Along the way, we'll enjoy ever-changing scenery as lush rainforest gives way to rolling hills, open cattle ranches, tropical dry forest and peaceful rural landscapes.

We arrive in Tamarindo later this afternoon. After checking into our hotel, the rest of the day is ours to settle in, relax and soak up the laid-back atmosphere of this popular Pacific beach town.

The next two days are yours to enjoy at leisure. Relax on Tamarindo's golden sandy beach, browse the local shops, cafés and beachfront restaurants, or explore one of the many beautiful beaches that have earned Costa Rica's Guanacaste region the nickname "The Gold Coast" for its long stretches of golden sand and Pacific coastline.

As you explore, keep an eye out for some of Costa Rica's fascinating wildlife. You may spot iguanas basking in the sunshine, colourful tropical birds and, if you're lucky, howler monkeys in the surrounding trees. However you choose to spend your time, these days are yours to relax and enjoy at your own pace.

We depart Tamarindo early in the morning and make our way back to where we started, San Jose. The journey will take approximately six hours with comfort stops along the way. Arrive in the evening and check into our hotel. 

Today we say farewell to our journey through some of the highlights of Costa Rica. We depart for San Jose airport for our flights home.