Costa Rica Coast to Coast
Duration: 14 Days
Location: From the Pacific to the Caribbean Coast
Enjoy lovely tropical beaches, grand adventures, the wonders of nature and scintillating culture - all the necessary components of an ideal family holiday. No wonder Costa Rica is fast becoming a top travel choice
Highlights of the tour
See the cultural highlights of San Jose
Explore the waterways of Tortuguero
See the nesting turtles (time of year dependent)
Adventures in the Monteverde Cloud Forest
La Fortuna Waterfalls
Relaxing time on the beach
Day 1 & 2 - San Jose
Explore the capital city of San Jose at your leisure, with its theaters, museums and beautiful parks. Or, simply sit in a café and enjoy a cup of Costa Rican coffee while you watch the daily life of the “Ticos”.
Day 3 - Tortuguero
Cross the beautiful Braulio Carrillo National Park heading towards the Caribbean town of Guápiles. Then you’ll continue to the Caño Blanco pier where your boat to Tortuguero will depart. You will journey along the rivers and canals for about 90 minutes to the hotel, providing an excellent opportunity to see wildlife and the jungle scenery.
Day 4 - Tortuguero National Park
Spend the morning on a guided walk along the private paths of the hotel. After lunch, there will be a boat tour through the Tortuguero National Park canals. The Tortuguero National Park is famous for being the habitat of five species of sea turtles, and a great diversity of birds, amphibians and other animals.
We recommend the optional night excursion to see turtle nesting (July to Sept).
Day 5 - Tortuguero National Park
Early this morning, take a boat tour through the Tortuguero National Park canals, to spot more of the wildlife from the waterways.
After breakfast, you will return to Caño Blanco to continue by land to the town of Siquirres. After lunch you may continue by rental car to the southern Caribbean Coast. The contrast of cultures will get your attention, since the region is the home of Costa Rica’s Afro-Caribbean culture, featuring an incredible combination of colours and flavours.
Day 6 - Relax on the beaches of Cahuita
The southern Caribbean region has some of the best beaches in the country. The Cahuita National Park is known for its excellent diving and snorkeling around coral reefs to see beautiful marine life.
Another experience that we recommend is to enjoy a typical Caribbean lunch or dinner.
Day 7 - La Fortuna
Awaiting you today in the Northern Plains is the impressive Arenal Volcano, a natural wonder with an iconic cone-shaped crater. On the way there, you will see plantations of various agricultural crops, ornamental plants, and cattle ranches until you reach the town of La Fortuna. The town is worth visiting to walk and to have lunch or dinner. Your hotel is strategically located to appreciate the volcano.
Day 8 - Explore the Arenal region
Resorts with natural hot springs and spas are one of the greatest attractions to enjoy in the Arenal region. Other top activities include: visiting the Arenal Volcano National Park, zip line tours, suspension bridges, aerial tram tours, hiking and horseback riding tours to the La Fortuna Waterfall, and water activities on Lake Arenal.
Day 9 - Arenal Lagoon
Today, take the route to Monteverde. This trip drives you around the Arenal Lagoon with wonderful views, typical towns until you get to the mountains of Monteverde Cloud Forest.
Day 10 - Monteverde Cloud Forest
Monteverde is globally recognized for its cloud forest that extends on both sides of the Continental Divide. Currently, there are two reserves in the area: the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve. You will be amazed at the area’s diversity and rich nature while walking along the numerous trails in either reserve. are many activities in the area to complement your visit: adventure zip line tours, hanging bridges, hummingbird gardens, butterfly gardens, a Serpentarium (one of the best in the country), a nocturnal wildlife tour, horseback riding, a cheese tour (cheeses made in Monteverde are the best in Costa Rica),
Day 11 - 13 - Manuel Antonio
This morning your journey will take you to the warm Central Pacific Coast. Manuel Antonio is home to the smallest but most visited national park in Costa Rica.
During your trip, be sure to stop at the Tarcoles River Bridge to see the giant crocodiles in the river below.
Spend some time enjoying the beaches and the Manuel Antonio National Park. There is also the probability of seeing animals, especially the 4 species of Costa Rican monkeys, sloths and coatis.
Other adventures available in the area include canopy zip line tours, horseback riding, sunset cruises to see dolphins and whales, and whitewater rafting.
Day 14 - Return to San Jose
Return to the Central Valley. Your transfer to San José is planned for the afternoon so you can enjoy your last morning in this tropical paradise. In the evening, you can visit a traditional Costa Rican restaurant offering live music and a dance show, or try international cuisine in one of the excellent restaurants of the area.
If you’re ready to start exploring your next fabulous family holiday, we’d love to help. And perhaps inspire you, with new ideas you might not even know are possible yet.
Call us on 0118 336 0363 or click here now to reach us personally & talk more about your plans.