Costa Rica Packages: Colonial City & Caribbean Coast

You will be picked up from the airport and enjoy the city scenes as you are transferred to one of our many fine San Jose hotels in the thriving heart of the Central Valley. You will have some free time to explore the city, or take part in one of our many excursions below. Our San Jose Tour includes stops at La Sabana Metropolitan Park, the majestic National Theater and the National Museum.  You also have the option of participating in half day Costa Rica tours outside the city such as the Irazu Volcano or Orosi and Lankester Gardens. Talk to one of our Costa Rica Travel experts for more information on San Jose tours that strike your interest. 

You will have breakfast at your San Jose hotel before disembarking on a trip through Alajuela, the birthplace of Costa Rica’s national hero, Juan Santa Maria.  As you ascend to the top of Poas Volcano in a steady climb through spectacular landscapes you will witness the dramatic change in flora and fauna.  At the 8800-foot summit, you will have the opportunity to hike through a cloud forest teeming with native plant species and enjoy the breathtaking scenery at the main crater, considered one of the largest in the world!

After a delicious lunch of typical Costa Rican cuisine, you will travel through the town of Grecia where you will visit the famous metallic church, brought over from Europe piece by piece. The tour will continue to the colorful town of Sarchi, famous for its original and creative woodwork that is carefully crafted by Costa Rica’s finest artisans. Visit the artists and their wares, and watch them hand-paint the famous wooden oxcarts, a classic symbol of Costa Rica.

As the day comes to a close, you will return to your San Jose hotel where you will have the rest of the evening to explore the city, indulge in one of its many fine restaurants and sample the San Jose nightlife!

After breakfast at your hotel you will set off on the journey from the Central Valley, skirting the Volcanoes Poas and Irazu before descending to sea level and approaching the Caribbean coast.

Arriving at the Caribbean you will take a boat transfer to our recommended Tortuguero hotel in Tortuguero National Park.  This national park has no road access and can only be reached by water. To get to the lodge you will glide through some of the park’s endless network of canals, channels and lagoons which provide a home to countless creatures, including the endangered manatee.

After lunch you will take your first trip into the surrounding area.  You will visit the colorful village of Tortuguero which has remained untouched and isolated from the outside world, enclosed by protected forest and unreachable by road. From the village you will make the short journey to the Caribbean Conservation Corporation’s museum devoted to the extraordinary life of the region’s most famous resident: the green sea turtle, whose habitat has been successfully protected by the CCC working in close partnership with local villagers.

Returning to the lodge for some rest and relaxation you will be able to make use of your Tortuguero hotel’s excellent facilities by indulging in its spa services or simply resting by the pool side before joining your fellow travelers for dinner at the restaurant.  Choose from the wide ranging menu with both local and international specialties.

During the evening you will have the option to join a night time tour in the park.  If you choose to participate, you will witness the spectacular sight of adult female green turtles returning to the beach of their birth to lay their eggs before disappearing back into the ocean.*

*Note: The nesting tour is generally available between July-October and the most active season is between July and August. Availability will be confirmed upon arrival.

Dawn in the Caribbean, as the surrounding natural world comes to life, is the best way to see the region’s biodiversity in all its glory.  The lodge offers a boat tour through the channels during the first hours of daylight for you to listen and watch the world come alive.

You will return in time to enjoy a delicious breakfast before setting out again on a walking tour to Tortuguero hill which boasts the most beautiful and awe inspiring vista of the entire park. Your bilingual and expert guide will help you spot the park’s hidden inhabitants and will explain why the park is considered one of the most important wildlife refuges in the country.

Returning back to the hotel for lunch you will spend the afternoon exploring more of the park’s aquatic maze, watching for monkeys, birds, exotic butterflies, caimans and iguanas. Returning to the lodge at dusk and after another fabulous meal at the restaurant, you will spend your final evening recounting stories of your adventures in the hotel bar or taking advantage of the leisure facilities that are at your disposal.

After another full breakfast in your comfortable lodge you will leave Tortuguero National Park and be transferred down the Caribbean coast, stopping for lunch in Squirres.  From Squirres, the road takes you back to the coastline and you will skirt past beautiful Costa Rica beach views before you arrive at your comfortable and high quality Puerto Viejo hotel.

After a scrumptious breakfast, you will be transported to Cahuita National Park which stands out for the beauty of its beaches, coral reefs, and tropical forests - all vibrant with life. Its extraordinary biodiversity is comprised of many ecosystems of great importance.

Your day will start by hiking through the refuge covered by thick forests composed primarily of holillo palm, sajo and cativo, coconut palm, sea grape and heleconia (a plant that grows two meters tall and has very conspicuous and beautiful, brightly colored bracelets of red and yellow). Hidden in this tropical wilderness are countless animal species, many of which are endangered, such as the manatee, crocodile, tapir, caiman and paca. Above you, in the dense tree growth, you may be able to spot hanging monkeys and sloths while many bird species, including the crested-mandible toucan, ornate hawk-eagle, red-lored amazon, manakins, parakeets, motmots, aracari and woodpecker sing happily as they flutter around.

After your day of exploration, you will be shuttled back to your beach side Puerto Viejo hotel where you will spend the rest of the day at your leisure.

Today you will be greeted by your Costa Rica travel representative who will help you transfer either to your next Costa Rica vacation destination, to the airport to visit one of our many other Latin American destinations or your return home.

*Note: these prices are not valid for the high season and certain holidays. Please contact a Costa Rica Travel Advisor for prices based on your specific travel dates.

Please note that the Tortuguero lodge itineraries mentioned above are based on our “Tourist Class” lodge. For a higher standard of accommodations and a variety of alternative excursions, upgrade to either our “Superior” or “Luxury” Class lodges.

• 6 nights at comfortable hotels based on US standards.
• Guided visits with English speaking tour guides.
• All transfers and entrance fees.
• All breakfasts and meals mentioned in the itinerary.

Read our newsletter article about Costa Rica’s Southern Caribbean Coast.

Available for guests at all Tortuguero lodges, depending on the season and local conditions. Entrance fee to be paid directly to the park authorities.

Manatus Luxury Lodge