Day 1: Arrive to San José
Welcome to Costa Rica! For your added comfort, once you have passed immigration and customs and stepped out of the airport doors, you will have one of our representatives waiting for you outside with a sign with your name on it. He will drive you to your hotel in San José.
DoubleTree by Hilton Cariari (1 Night)
Day 2: In the morning take your rented car and enjoy a scenic drive to Fortuna, followed by a free afternoon in town to relax and explore at your own pace.
The Northern Plains of Costa Rica showcases some very scenic countryside towns. Small agriculture communities and cattle ranches cover rolling hills and deep valleys. The plains, rainforests and rivers make the north central a must-see in any Costa Rica program. The main attraction is the iconic Arenal Volcano. Feel transformed by the beauty and variety of our wildlife and tropical jungle. Get ready for a life changing adventure!
Lomas del Volcan Hotel (2 Nights)
Day 3: Explore Nature in Fortuna with the Excursion to La Fortuna Waterfall Hike
We’ll enjoy the viewpoint of the waterfall before starting our descent down a 500-meter (1640 ft.) trail with 480+ steps through the rainforest to the base. The waterfall drops 70 meters (230 ft.) of crystal-clear water from the Children’s Eternal Rainforest. With luck, we might spot animals like coatis, toucans, and butterflies. At the base, you can swim, take pictures, or just relax and admire the beauty.
Afterward, we’ll return via the same trail to the viewpoint, where we’ll have a refreshing snack of tropical fruit.
Visiting the La Fortuna Waterfall also supports the Community Development Association, funding projects like schools, nutrition centers, and tourism safety.
Generate income for the Community Development Association to invest in social works to benefit schools,
nutrition centers, the local orphanage, recycling center, roads, tourism safety, and more.
Transportation, guide, entrance fee, snacks and drinks.
Day 4: Enjoy the landscapes driving from Fortuna to Flamingo
Playa Flamingo, located on Guanacaste’s North Pacific coast, is famous for its white sands and turquoise waters. This scenic beach, with its clear sea and views of the Catalina Islands, attracts both locals and tourists. Surrounded by luxurious homes and yachts, it’s a top spot for fishing. Visitors can enjoy activities like snorkeling, boogie boarding, paddleboarding, kayaking, and sailing, along with nearby restaurants and cafés.
Margaritaville Beach Resort, Playa Flamingo (3 Nights)
Day 5: Enjoy the adventure with the diving excursion – Certified Divers 2 tank dive with full diving gear
The boat ride starts with a briefing from the tour guides regarding dive safety and procedures. During the ride, keep your eyes open for signs of dolphins, whales, mating turtles and the amazing jumping rays. Depending on the weather and daily conditions, you will visit 2 dive sites to perform 60ft max dives exploring the Catalina Islands in the Pacific Ocean, one of the best places to dive in Costa Rica. With the possibility of seeing White Tip Reef Sharks, Spotted Eagle Rays, Giant Manta Rays, Nudibranchs, Octopus, Big schools of fish, Eels and even maybe a Seahorse, the variety of life in this ocean is outstanding and never boring as it changes so much during the year. A refresher course can be undertaken before the boat leaves for those who have not been diving in a long time or who do not have much experience.
Diving equipment
Pick up and Drop Off: Land transportation from Tamarindo, Playa Langosta, Playa Grande and Palm beach, Conchal, Playa Brasilito, Flamingo, Potrero and Catalinas.
Boat ride to Catalina Islands.
Two floors boat, full equipped with bathroom, lockers and solarium.
Refreshment on board: Non- alcoholic drinks, water, seasonal fruits & cookies.
In Diving Tours: full diving equipment, PADI Instructors and Dive Masters supervising dives.
Nice and professional staff that will provide you the best diving experience.
Day 6: Free day at Flamingo
Spend the day unwinding at your hotel or exploring the area at your own pace.
Day 7: Enjoy the landscapes driving from Flamingo to Monteverde
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, located in the Cordillera de Tilarán, is a top ecotourism destination, known for its rich biodiversity. Home to endangered species, it spans from 600 to 1800 meters above sea level and hosts 2,000 plant species, 400 birds, 100 mammals, and 1,200 reptiles and amphibians. Famous birds like quetzals and the Bellbird thrive here.
Activities include hiking on hanging bridges and trails, private birding tours, and zip-lining. Due to the chilly, misty weather, be sure to bring warm clothing.
Poco a Poco Hotel & Spa (2 Nights)
Day 8: Excursion – Suspension Bridges with guide
Selvatura’s Tree Top Walkways consist of a 1.9-mile (approximately 3 kilometer) trail that leads you through the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Here visitors will walk on eight different bridges with various lengths ranging between 150 feet (50 meters) and 510 feet (170 meters) and altitudes ranging between 36 feet (12 meters) and 180 feet (60 meters). Each bridge has a capacity of up to 80 people which makes them both the longest and strongest bridges in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. The Tree Top Walkways are suitable for people of all ages.
Transportation and bilingual guide.
Day 9: Enjoy the landscapes driving from Monteverde to Manuel Antonio.
Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica’s smallest and most popular national park, offers stunning white-sand beaches, rainforests, and abundant wildlife like monkeys, sloths, and iguanas. The park’s trails lead to breathtaking views of the bay and offshore islands. Known for its beauty, it ranks among the world’s top destinations. Nearby, the town offers luxury hotels and fine dining with amazing views.
Whitewater rafting, guided waterfall walks, snorkeling, and fishing. The park is closed on Tuesdays. **
Si Como No Hotel (3 Nights)
Day 10: Excursion – Local Dive at Manuel Antonio. 1/2 day
Our local boat dives are primarily around Manuel Antonio National Park, offering access to 12 islands and diverse dive sites. The area is rich in marine life, including tropical reef fish, octopus, turtles, and Manta Rays in season. While the Pacific coast lacks Caribbean-style coral gardens, it has unique underwater formations from volcanic activity.
Visibility ranges from 15-30ft in the rainy season and 30-65ft in the dry season. Each trip includes 2 tanks, dive equipment, a PADI guide, snacks, water, and fruit juices. Trips are available in the morning and afternoon (dry season only). Transportation not included.
Snacks in the boat (fruit, cookies, water and soft drinks) and soft drinks) Specialized PADI dive guide All diving equipment.
Day 11: Excursion – Guided Hike to Manuel Antonio National Park
Join a guided hiking tour of the world-renowned Manuel Antonio National Park, home to monkeys, sloths, birds, and more. Your 2-mile hike leads to one of the world’s most beautiful beaches, with lush rainforest, sandy shores, and crystal-clear waters. Enjoy a 20-minute beach stop and capture stunning wildlife photos with the help of telescopes provided by your guide.
The park is closed on Tuesdays.
Transportation from and to hotel, bilingual guides, park entrance fee.
Day 12: Enjoy the landscapes driving from Manuel Antonio to Uvita
Uvita is a laid-back village south of Dominical, known for its lush hills, quiet beaches, and the stunning Marino Ballena National Park—famous for humpback whale sightings and its whale tail-shaped sandbar. It’s ideal for off-the-beaten-path travelers and hosts the annual Whale and Dolphin Festival. Nearby waterfalls like Cascada Verde and Catarata Pavón offer great spots for swimming in crystal-clear waters.
La Cusinga Lodge Hotel (1 Night)
Day 13: Enjoy the landscapes driving from Uvita to Sierpe – join the boat transfer to Drake Bay Area
Bahía Drake, one of Costa Rica’s most isolated destinations, is bordered by Parque Nacional Corcovado. In this wildlife-rich area, howler monkeys and macaws fill the rainforest, while migrating dolphins glide through the turquoise waters of Isla del Caño. Its remote location makes it a perfect escape, with wilderness lodges offering an unforgettable experience.
Arriving by boat from Sierpe along the beautiful river and coastline adds to the adventure. In Drake Bay, you can relax in nature or explore outdoor activities to discover even more wildlife.
Pirate Cove Hotel (3 Nights)
Day 14: Excursion – Scuba Diving at Caño Island
We leave each day at 7:00 a. m. The transfer to the island takes between 50 minutes to 1 hour. When the boat arrives to the Island, the instructor will go to the Minaet Station on the Island in order to give the register and show the documents with the reservation and the entrances fees. After that the divers go with the instructor for the first dive. The dive takes 40 minutes or less, depending on the group. Afterwards the group can rest in the island and drink water. It is not allowed to eat on the island, neither are there toilets. After the short rest we will do the second dive. Our diving groups are small and always accompanied by PADI dive masters, assistant instructors or instructors.
Transport, Equipment, Bilingual Guide
Day 15: Excursion – Corcovado National Park, San Pedrillo Station
Corcovado National Park is a reserve on southwest Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula that protects varied tropical ecosystems. Considered one of the world’s most biodiversity regions, its wildlife includes scarlet macaws, trogons, toucans, tapirs, jaguars, four types of monkeys, sloths, anteaters, and much more.
San Pedrillo is the closest Corcovado National Park Ranger Station to Drake Bay, Costa Rica and the 20-minute boat ride from Drake Bay offers possible sightings of dolphins and other marine and aquatic marine life, passing an island nesting spot for the Brown Booby. Our bilingual naturalist guide will lead a 3-hour hike through the primary and secondary forest, locating and explaining the extensive rainforest wildlife and flora.
After a lunch at the park ranger station, there is a second shorter hike to a beautiful waterfall – bring your bathing suite for a refreshing swim in the cool clear water!
We recommend that you bring sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, bug repellent, binoculars, bathing suit and most importantly hiking shoes.
Entrance fee, transport and guide.
Day 16: Join the boat transfer from Drake Bay to Sierpe. Enjoy the landscapes driving from Sierpe to Alajuela.
Enjoy your last night in the country and take some time to relax as you prepare for your departure tomorrow.
Hampton by Hilton San Jose Airport(1 Night)
Day 17: Departure from Alajuela to the International Airport
