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Best of Costa Rica

Costa Rica
Escorted

From £2305

Excluding Flights

9 Nights

Jan-May, Jul-Aug & Oct-Dec

Overview

Explore the laidback paradise of Costa Rica where even the sloths take life at their own pace on this 10-day small group tour. Beginning and ending in the exciting capital of San José, this trip is perfect way to experience the country’s highlights.

Start by soaking up the culture of San José then venture into Costa Rica’s wild landscapes. In La Fortuna, the gateway to Arenal Volcano, you’ll learn the traditional art of tortilla-making with a local host. Continue to the misty Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, home to extraordinary biodiversity and hundreds of bird species. Explore lush landscapes, walk across suspension bridges, or step into a magical butterfly garden. In Manuel Antonio, discover untouched rainforests, cascading waterfalls, sweeping vistas, and sun-drenched beaches.

Guided by an expert tour leader, you’ll enjoy unforgettable included experiences, from visiting a family-run organic coffee farm to locally guided walks. Alongside these highlights, you’ll also have plenty of free time to personalise your trip with optional excursions (additional cost). Perhaps hike a volcano, soak in natural hot springs, or spot howler monkeys, butterflies, and caimans in their natural habitats.

Blending adventure with comfort, this holiday moves at relaxed pace with comfortable accommodation and private transport for the group throughout.

  • Highlights

    Visit a local indigenous communities to learn about their unique cultures

  • Highlights

    Join a local naturalist guide for a hike through Manuel Antonio National Park, uncovering the rainforest’s hidden wonders and spotting wildlife such as sloths and iguanas

  • Highlights

    Enjoy a fresh garden-to-table lunch of Costa Rican favourites, featuring tortillas you’ll learn to make with a skilled local woman

  • Highlights

    Visit the Tierra Amiga family-run organic coffee farm and discover the coffee-making process from planting to harvesting to tasting

  • Highlights

    Discover the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, home to hundreds of birds and mammals

  • Highlights

    Get to know the real Costa Rica with your local guide

Itinerary

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Costa Rica. San Jose is this lush country’s capital, nestled between mountains to the north and south, with a few volcanoes adding to the dramatic landscape. This rapidly expanding city contains lively markets, historic neighbourhoods and a chorus of old theatres, and is home to a large portion of the country’s population. Join a welcome meeting, then ask your leader for the best spots for a first taste of Costa Rican cuisine in the surrounding streets.

This morning, set off for La Fortuna, a leafy town known as the gateway to Arenal Volcano National Park. When you arrive, learn the art of traditional Costa Rican tortilla-making with local expert, Dona Chela, who will share all her secret tips. Using fresh ingredients from her garden, you’ll prepare the tortillas on a wood-fired stove the traditional way. Enjoy a lunch of Costa Rican favourites, accompanied by your own handmade tortillas. After, check in to your hotel and enjoy a free afternoon in the lush surroundings. Maybe visit the nearby Tabacón River-fed hot springs for a soothing soak.

Today is a free day in La Fortuna. Maybe head to the famed national park to hike Arenal Volcano for some stunning views. Perhaps wander the rainforest trails leading to La Fortuna Waterfall. Another option is a full-day Cano Negro boat tour, where you’ll explore the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge, a wetland system home to varied wildlife like sloths, monkeys, caimans and tropical birds.

Today’s journey to Monteverde is just as memorable as the destination. Cross Lake Arenal by boat then take a scenic drive to this renowned eco-tourism hotspot. When you arrive, you’ll have a free afternoon to choose your own adventure. Get out and explore the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve on your own, head to the nearby butterfly garden, or visit the suspension bridges for some leafy views over the area. As night falls, consider a guided forest walk to spot nocturnal wildlife.

Start the day with a tour of the breathtaking Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, home to over 100 species of mammals and 400 species of birds. Your leader will share insights into the region’s incredible biodiversity and help you spot some of its remarkable wildlife. Look out for the resplendent quetzal and its quirky hairdo, listen for the sounds of howler monkeys and the unmistakable call of the three-wattled bellbird. The reserve also boasts nearly 500 species of orchids, making it the world’s most diverse home for these stunning flowers. After a morning with your head in the clouds, drive on to Manuel Antonio in the afternoon. When you arrive in this gorgeous national park, you’ll have the option to go on a scenic sunset cruise.

Spend the day exploring the lush national park surrounding Manuel Antonio. Your park entrance fee is included and joining you will be a naturalist guide with all the insider knowledge that you need. Discover the beauty of the jungle as you keep an eye out for sloths, iguanas, and other fascinating wildlife. Follow your guide into the heart of the rainforest—they know exactly where to find the unusual and extraordinary creatures that call this place home. In the evening, enjoy free time to catch a stunning sunset or ask your leader for recommendations on the best local bars and restaurants.

Spend today as you wish. You might take a kayak tour through the park’s waterways and mangrove habitats, experiencing the jungle from the water. Alternatively, head to one of Manuel Antonio’s famous beaches and rent a surfboard, or relax on the sand and soak up the sun with a good book.

This morning, depart Manuel Antonio and travel to a small indigenous community. The Terraba, or Teribe, are an indigenous group with a rich cultural heritage, living along the Terraba River on roughly 34.7 square miles and sustaining themselves from the land for over 500 years. The community consider themselves matriarchal, with women serving as teachers and passing knowledge down through generations. Here, you’ll learn how to paint your own wooden mask and share a home-cooked lunch with the villagers. In the afternoon, continue by private vehicle to Copey de Dota, where you’ll spend the night.

Start your day with a special experience at an ecological, family-owned coffee farm where everything is produced organically. Learn how the coffee bean makes its way from cherry to cup, discovering the full process, from planting to harvesting, roasting and grinding, before brewing your very own cup! Enjoy lunch with the family then, drive back to San Jose, where your leader will guide you on a stroll through the city. You might like to head out for an optional farewell dinner and toast to a memorable journey through Costa Rica.

The following day your adventure comes to an end after breakfast.

Responsible travel

This tour is operated by Intrepid, a company dedicated to giving back and offering small-group travel that respects local people and places. On this trip, you’ll support community-based tourism by visiting Tierra Amiga, an organic coffee farm run by a local family, where you’ll discover the entire journey of the coffee bean, from planting to tasting. You’ll also spend time with the Terraba people, a matriarchal indigenous community that has lived along the Terraba River for over 500 years, and learn the art of crafting a traditional wooden mask.

In 2018, Intrepid became a certified B Corporation, making a legal commitment to balance purpose with profit. To achieve and maintain this certification, they must meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. Continuous improvement is at the heart of being a B Corp, and Intrepid strives to drive positive change through their not-for-profit, The Intrepid Foundation.

Current offers

Prices

What's Included

  • 9 nights accommodation in hotels (7 nights) and lodges (2 nights)

  • 9 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners

  • Tortilla making in La Fortuna

  • Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve hike

  • Manuel Antonio National Park tour with a naturalist guide

  • Mask painting lesson and Indigenous community visit & lunch in Térraba River

  • Tierra Amiga coffee experience including lunch in Los Santos

  • San Jose leader-led orientation walk

  • 24 hour emergency assistance from our team during your holiday

  • No surcharge guarantee

  • Full financial protection

From £2305 Excluding Flights

9 Nights

Jan-May, Jul-Aug & Oct-Dec

There is a maximum group size of 12 passengers.

Prices are per person based upon 2 sharing, subject to availability. Your Travel Specialist will confirm the exact price based upon your tailored requirements, inclusions, and travel dates.

Solo travellers, we’ve got you covered! Choose a twin share (room with 2 single beds, shared with another traveller of the same gender) or request to stay in your own room for the entire trip. If you prefer your own space, private room supplements start from just £930.

Our holiday prices exclude flights. Why? Because we want to offer you the best value, tailored to your needs. Flight prices and offers change daily, so when you’re ready to book, we’ll provide a bespoke quote based on the best options from your local airport. This way, you’ll always get the best prices and the flexibility to choose what works for you.

Make this trip yours

Every trip you see here can be adapted to suit you using inside-out knowledge to create one-off experiences created just for you.

Gary
6

Continents visited

1

Whale shark dived with

We create holidays that are as individual as you are. And we’ve been doing it for 40 years, crafting each and every holiday using our in-depth knowledge and enthusiasm for our destinations. Whatever your brief, we’ll create an amazing trip for you to get excited about. That might mean adapting one of our existing itineraries or we’ll build you one from scratch.

Experts with real experience

  • team-in-location-jenna-finland1

    Jenna

    Travel Specialist

  • Darren

    Travel Specialist

  • Doug

    Travel Specialist

  • team-in-location-dawn

    Dawn

    Head of Customer Experience

  • Samantha

    Travel Specialist

  • Rosie in Canada

    Rosie

    Travel Specialist

  • Freya

    Travel Specialist

  • Lauren

    Travel Specialist

  • team-in-location-jo-sweden

    Jo

    Travel Specialist

  • 18

    Countries visited

    5

    Turtles seen hatch in Mexico

    3

    Continents travelled

  • 10

    Whale watching trips

    3

    Successful northern lights hunts

    45

    Countries Visited

  • 2

    Polar plunges

    7

    Continents set foot in

    8

    Canada provinces visited

  • 13

    Polar bears seen

    35

    Countries visited

    2

    Blue whale encounters

  • 6

    Continents travelled over

    24

    Countries explored

    10

    Seas/oceans swam in

  • 5

    Humpback whales spotted in Redoubt Bay

    34

    Countries visited

    6

    Continents visited

  • 1

    Quarter Swiss

    5

    Continents visited

    30

    Different countries explored

  • 39

    Countries visited

    1

    Rail journey on the Ghan

    50

    Fiordland penguins encountered

  • 4

    Arctic cruises

    2

    Antarctica cruises

    20

    Species of whales & dolphins seen

Meet the team
4.8/5

Average Customer Score
Based On 1362 Reviews

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