Costa Rica: Rainforests, Volcanoes & Wildlife
International

Costa Rica: Rainforests, Volcanoes & Wildlife

9 Days / 8 Nights

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About this trip

Misty cloud forests, Caribbean beaches, volcanic hot springs, and roughly 5% of the world's biodiversity — tiny Costa Rica packs a mighty punch. Cruise a rainforest canal in Tortuguero, hike Arenal Volcano National Park, sip fresh pineapple juice on an organic farm, and walk the canopy of the Santa Elena Cloud Forest. Pura Vida.

Dates

Saturday, June 6 – Saturday, June 13, 2027

Pricing

Starting from $3,309 per person

Starting from $3,309 per person (airfare additional). Contact Stephanie for current group pricing and availability.

Duration

9 Days / 8 Nights

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Visit Go Ahead Tours →

What's included

  • 8 nights in handpicked hotels
  • 8 breakfasts, 5 lunches & 6 dinners (with beer or rum punch)
  • 2 tastings (pineapple farm + coffee & cocoa plantation)
  • 9 guided sightseeing tours
  • Expert Tour Director & local guides throughout
  • Private deluxe motor coach
  • Round-trip boat ride to Tortuguero National Park
  • Organic pineapple farm visit with tractor tour & tasting
  • Arenal Volcano National Park hike
  • Farm-to-table lunch & salsa dance class
  • Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve hike
  • Wildlife sanctuary visit in San José

Day-by-day itinerary

1

Day 1

Arrival in San José

Welcome to Costa Rica! After touching down in San José, transfer to your hotel. Settle in, grab a bite, and look forward to the adventure ahead.

2

Day 2

San José → Tortuguero National Park

Board your coach and wind through Braulio Carrillo National Park and the Cordillera Central mountain range. Then trade the bus for a boat — the only way into Tortuguero — and cruise the river watching for caimans and basilisks. Check into your rainforest eco-lodge and enjoy a welcome dinner with beer or rum punch. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Welcome Dinner.

3

Day 3

Tortuguero National Park — Walking & Boat Tour

Strike out into 124,000 acres of wetlands with a naturalist guide. Walk a private trail through lush rainforest, then board an open-top boat for a nature cruise across placid lagoons. Spot sloths, macaws, and tapirs before a three-course Costa Rican lunch. Optional: rainforest kayaking excursion. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

4

Day 4

Tortuguero → Organic Pineapple Farm → Arenal Region

Boat out of Tortuguero and head west to the Sarapiqui region. Stop at an organic pineapple plantation for a tractor-guided tour — learn eco-friendly farming methods and sample freshly sliced pineapple and fresh juice. Continue to your hotel in the Arenal region for dinner. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tasting, Dinner.

5

Day 5

Arenal Volcano National Park Hike & Salsa Class

Hike a two-mile loop through Arenal Volcano National Park with your Tour Director — spot sloths, snakes, and birds around the mile-high dormant cone. Enjoy a farm-to-table lunch at a nearby eco-tourism ranch, then tour the coffee and chocolate plantations. End the evening with a salsa dance class at a local studio. Optional: Arenal hot springs soak. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

6

Day 6

Arenal → Ranch Visit → Monteverde

Begin with a birdwatching boat ride on Lake Arenal, then visit a local ranch to plant a native tree and hear about Costa Rica's reforestation efforts — followed by a lunch with traditional dance performance. Detour to a coffee and chocolate plantation for tastings before arriving in Monteverde. Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Tasting.

7

Day 7

Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve

Hike into the permanently fog-shrouded Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve — orchids, ferns, 30 types of hummingbirds, and rare three-wattled bellbirds await. Optional: sky walk through the canopy on suspension bridges. Dinner at a local restaurant with beer or rum punch. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.

8

Day 8

Monteverde → Wildlife Sanctuary → San José Farewell

Travel to San José, stopping en route at a wildlife sanctuary that rescues and rehabilitates jaguars, ocelots, white-tailed deer, and more. Tour the property with a local guide, then join your group for a farewell dinner complete with live music and folkloric dancing. Meals: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner.

9

Day 9

Fly Home

Transfer to the airport for your flight home, carrying unforgettable memories of Pura Vida. Breakfast included (excluding early morning departures).

Where you'll stay

  • 🏨San José — AC Hotel San José Escazú
  • 🏨Tortuguero — Aninga Hotel & Spa (canal side, 2 nights)
  • 🏨Arenal Region — Volcano Lodge Hotel & Thermal Experience (2 nights)
  • 🏨Monteverde — El Establo Mountain Hotel (2 nights)
  • 🏨San José — AC Hotel San José Escazú (final night)

Contact Stephanie Lamar to reserve your spot and confirm deposit requirements. Travel protection available and strongly recommended.

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Starting from

Starting from $3,309 per person

Starting from $3,309 per person (airfare additional). Contact Stephanie for current group pricing and availability.

Reserve my spotBrowse all trips

For information & reservations

Stephanie Lamar

270-922-7974stephaniebethlamar@gmail.com

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