Costa Rica Beach Holiday – Rented Car
TRIP REVIEW
Day 1: Arrive San Jose
Day 2: San Jose - Tortuguero
Day 3: Tortuguero
Day 4: Tortuguero - Puerto Viejo de Limon
Day 5: Puerto Viejo de Limon
Day 6: Puerto Viejo de Limon - Arenal Volcano
Day 7: Arenal Volcano
Day 8: Arenal Volcano - Punta Leona
Day 9: Punta Leona
Day 10: Punta Leona - San Jose
Day 11: San Jose
EXCURSION
Day 2: Walk to the town of Tortuguero
Day 3: Hike the private trails of the lodge in Tortuguero / Explore the Tortuguero Canals by boat
Day 7: Hike in Arenal Volcano National Park / Hike to Rio Fortuna Waterfall with lunch included
DAY 1: SAN JOSE
Welcome to San Jose, Costa Rica!
Reception at the Juan Santamaria International Airport and transfer to your hotel in San Jose.
The capital city of San Jose, considered to be one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Latin America, is located in the middle of the Central Valley in the center of the country. The city features popular tourist attractions, such as historical buildings, museums, theaters, artisan markets, beautiful parks, shopping centers, and a varied gastronomic scene.
Accommodation: Chosen hotel (or similar)
DAY 2: SAN JOSE - TORTUGUERO (6 HRS. APPROX.)
Breakfast in the hotel.
Today you will travel from San Jose by ground transfer, crossing the immense Braulio Carrillo National Park, to reach Guapiles. There you will enjoy a delicious typical breakfast. Afterward, you will continue driving past banana and pineapple plantations until you reach the pier where you will board your boat to Tortuguero. The boat ride along rivers and canals takes approximately an hour and a half to arrive at your lodge. You will be just in time for lunch! In the afternoon, you will enjoy a guided visit to the picturesque town of Tortuguero. Dinner is included at the lodge.
Accommodation: Chosen hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
DAY 3: TORTUGUERO
Breakfast in the lodge.
This morning you will walk along the lodge’s private trails with a naturalist guide, and then have free time to enjoy the facilities before lunch. In the afternoon, you will go on a boat tour through the canals of the Tortuguero National Park. Called Costa Rica’s “little Amazon”, Tortuguero National Park is one of the country’s wilderness areas with the greatest biological biodiversity. The canals are surrounded by lush tropical forest filled with abundant wildlife, and the beaches are famous for being the habitat of seven species of sea turtles. We highly recommend the nocturnal turtle nesting excursion (extra cost applies). Dinner is included at the lodge.
Accommodation: Chosen hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
DAY 4: TORTUGUERO - PUERTO VIEJO DE LIMON (6 HRS. APPROX.)
Breakfast in the lodge.
Mid-morning you will depart by boat back to the main dock and then travel by ground transportation to Guápiles, where you will have lunch. Afterward, you will receive your 4x4 Rental Car to go to the southern Caribbean coastal town of Puerto Viejo de Limón. The Caribbean region is characterized by its rich cultural mix of Afro-descendant and indigenous peoples. Together with a host of residents from many other countries, they form a unique cultural community in Costa Rica.
Accommodation: Chosen hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch
DAY 5: PUERTO VIEJO DE LIMON
Breakfast in the hotel.
Today you are free to enjoy the area’s beautiful beaches that are fringed with lush tropical vegetation and feature multicolored sand (from black to yellow and gray), clear warm ocean, and spectacular coral reefs. There are a variety of adventure activities, cultural tours, and gastronomic delights to enjoy, in addition to lively Caribbean music.
Accommodation: Chosen hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 6: PUERTO VIEJO DE LIMON - ARENAL VOLCANO (5 HRS. APPROX.)
Breakfast in the hotel.
Today you will transfer to the Arenal Volcano in the Northern Plains region. Majestic in its grand stature, the volcano is one of the country’s natural wonders. Along your journey to the town of La Fortuna, at the base of the volcano, you will see agricultural plantations, large ornamental plant nurseries, and cattle farms.
Accommodation: Chosen hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 7: ARENAL VOLCANO
Breakfast in the hotel.
This morning, you will hike trails in the Arenal Volcano National Park. You will see how the forest vegetation and terrain have been affected by volcanic activity, including old lava flows. Afterward, you will visit the Río Fortuna Waterfall, located in a biological reserve of transitional humid tropical forest that is part of the Arenal Volcano National Park. The path to the waterfall’s base winds down 530 steps, and there are several areas along the way where you can stop and rest. At the bottom, you can take a refreshing swim in the crystal clear waters of the Fortuna River. Lunch will follow the tour.
Accommodation: Chosen hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast / Lunch
DAY 8: ARENAL VOLCANO - PUNTA LEONA (3.5 HRS. APPROX.)
Breakfast in the hotel.
Today you will travel to the warm coast of the Central Pacific. In Punta Leona you will enjoy a fascinating place for nature and bird-watching, with beautiful beaches and calm coves perfect for swimming.
Accommodation: Chosen hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 9: PUNTA LEONA
Breakfast in the hotel.
Today you will have a free day, you can enjoy the activities of the hotel, nature, the sun and the beautiful beaches of the central Pacific coast in Punta Leona.
Accommodation: Chosen hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 10: PUNTA LEONA - SAN JOSE (1.5 HRS. APPROX.)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Today you return to the Central Valley. You can enjoy your last morning in this tropical paradise before heading to San José. In the evening, you can dine in a typical Costa Rican restaurant that offers live music and a traditional dance show; or try national and international cuisine in one of the excellent restaurants in the city.
Accommodation: Chosen hotel (or similar)
Meals Included: Breakfast
DAY 11: SAN JOSE
Breakfast in the hotel.
Today you depart to the Juan Santamaria International Airport. If you have a Rental Car, you will need to return it to the agency before your flight. Please note that you should be at the airport at least three hours before your flight departs.
Happy return trip! We hope to have you visit us again.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Standard
San Jose
Irazu Hotel & Studios
Park Inn by Radisson
Tortuguero
Laguna Lodge
Arenal Volcano
Montaña de Fuego
Punta Leona
Punta Leona
US$ 0 Price per person
AVAILABILITY FORM
US$ 0 Price per person
Include:
- Airport transfers
- Shared ground Transfers between destinations or Car Rental from Day 4, for 7 days with basic insurance included
- 10 nights accommodation with breakfast included (The price of the tour is based on a double / Twin room, if you want a single room, it will have an extra price)
- Full board during your stay in Tortuguero
- Round-trip boat transfer to Tortuguero
- Regular excursion: Walk to the town of Tortuguero
- Regular excursion: Hike the private trails of the lodge in Tortuguero
- Regular excursion: Explore the Tortuguero Canals by boat
- Entrance to Tortuguero National Park
- Regular excursion: Hike in Arenal Volcano National Park
- Regular excursion: Hike to Rio Fortuna Waterfall with lunch included
- Value added tax
- Infants from 0 to 2 years do not pay
- Children’s rate applies for ages 3 to 11 years. Maximum 2 children sharing a room with their parents
Not include:
- Activities not indicated in the program
- Meals not indicated in the program
- Tips for bellhops
- Tips for housekeeping
- Full protection insurance for the rental car
- Mandatory dinners during Christmas and New Year’s Eve
Recommendations:
- Passport with no less than 6 months of validity
- Travel alarm clock (some hotels have them, others do not; so, it's a good idea to bring one)
- Sun block and insect repellent
- Shirts: cotton or light synthetic, long and short sleeves
- Pants: lightweight cotton or synthetic pants. Bring at least 2 sets of clothes that dry quickly (jeans are not recommended; too slow to dry)
- Footwear: lightweight waterproof hiking boots, river sandals (Teva type sandals), tennis shoes
- Running shoes / sneakers. If you are not wearing hiking boots, be sure to bring TWO pairs of tennis shoes. As soon as a pair gets wet, wear them when your feet are likely to get wet. Make every effort to keep the other pair dry!
- If you are traveling to Tortuguero during turtle nesting season (June - September), please bring dark pants and shirt and closed shoes to use on the tour
- Socks: bring extra pairs in case your feet get wet
- Swimsuit
- Rainwear: poncho, raincoat, and umbrella
- Hat(s) with a brim for protection against rain and sun
- Reusable water bottle for walks
- Also, extra batteries, mobile device charger and plenty of memory
- Cell phone – you can purchase a local phone service chip upon arrival. Be sure also to bring your cell phone charger
- Plastic resealable bags for spillable toiletries and plastic trash bags for wet items
- Prescription glasses and prescription medications (if applicable)
- Small backpack or fanny pack for hiking
- Foldable luggage in case you need to store additional items
Additional information:
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE RENTAL CAR
- The driver must have a valid driver's license from their country of origin. Foreign licenses are valid in Costa Rica for 90 days starting from the date of entry into the country
- Minimum age of the driver is 23 years
- The driver must present a valid passport
- The driver must present a credit card in their name (AMEX, VISA, MASTERCARD) that has an available balance of approximately $750.00 USD for the security deposit
