Pura vida
Costa Rica
- 15 days
- 13 nights
- 33 meals
Departures: Jan 25, 2027, Feb 08, 2027 + 1 other date
Price from $6,789 $6,639
Costa RicaTropical paradise
Close your eyes and picture yourself in a lush forest teeming with incredible biodiversity, exotic birdsong echoing in the distance, the sun’s rays caressing your skin... Now make that dream come true. Costa Rica awaits! With its majestic volcanoes, unique plant and wildlife, welcoming people, and ancestral traditions, this Central American gem is a true tropical paradise. You’ll never want to leave!
Cities on itinerary:
San José, Rincon de la Vieja, Monteverde, Tárcoles, Cartago, Sarapiqui
- Fast
- Local guide
- Group meets at destination
Highlights:
- Cooking workshop with local producers
- Walks on suspension bridges
- Encounter with the Maleku community
- Boating on the Rio Tárcoles river
Itinerary
- Day 1: San José
Airport pickup and transfer to the hotel. Delta Hotels by Marriott San José Aurola 3* or similar
- Day 2: San José – Irazú – Cartago – San José (11km – 3hr.)
Early in the morning, depart for Irazú Volcano. Stop in Cartago, former capital of Spain’s Central American provinces until Costa Rica’s independence in 1821. Visit the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels. Return to San José and take a stroll through the city centre. Check out the “Museo y Mercadito Chietón Morén” museum collective and stop at the market to sample a typical local drink. Enjoy dinner and spend the night at the hotel. (B-L-D)
- Day 3: San José – Sarapiqui – Arenal (230km – 5hr.)
Have breakfast and depart for Arenal. Tour a cassava plantation and spend some time with local farmers. Enjoy a traditional lunch prepared by a family. Continue on to La Fortuna, at the foot of Arenal Volcano. Once in La Fortuna, check in at the hotel and then head out to the country to experience rural Costa Rica with a tour of an organic garden with local farmers. Traditional cooking workshop. Hotel Eco Arenal 3* or similar (B-L-D)
- Day 4: Arenal National Park
Depart for a walk in the rainforest along a superb trail of suspension bridges in an unforgettable setting. Have lunch at a local restaurant. Take a winding trail through the rainforest to the La Fortuna waterfalls. Return to the hotel in the late afternoon. (B-L-D)
- Day 5: Arenal
Spend the day as you please. Optional excursion to the Caño Negro refuge ($). (B-D)
- Day 6: Arenal – Rincón de la Vieja (195km – 3hr. 30min.)
Set off to enjoy a special moment with the Indigenous Maleku People. Learn about their history and traditions, then share a lunch with the community. Continue on to Rincón de la Vieja. Check into your hotel and enjoy a free afternoon. Cañón de la Vieja Lodge 3* or similar (B-L-D)
- Day 7: Rincón de la Vieja
Spend the morning in the Rincón de la Vieja national park. Have lunch at Hacienda Guachipelín. Return to the hotel and spend the afternoon as you please. Optional on-site activities: Horseback riding, canopy tour, or a unique spa experience in the gardens surrounded by nature. (B-L-D)
- Day 8: Rincón de la Vieja – Monteverde (180km – 4hr.)
Hit the road for Monteverde. Stop at CASEM, a cooperative that supports local artists, mainly women, by selling their unique handmade creations. Have lunch on site, then take a guided tour of a coffee plantation to see how the beans are produced, followed by a coffee tasting. Hotel de Montaña Monteverde 3* or similar (B-L-D)
- Day 9: Monteverde – Tárcoles (100km – 2hr. 30min.)
Spend the morning exploring the Monteverde cloud forest, a unique biodiversity sanctuary with mystical landscapes and extraordinary flora and fauna. If you’re lucky, you might even spot a quetzal. Next, hit the road to Tárcoles. Check in at the hotel and have lunch. Go crocodile watching on a Rio Tárcoles river cruise. Hotel Terraza del Pacífico 3* or similar (B-L-D)
- Day 10: Tárcoles – Manuel Antonio – Tárcoles (70km – 1hr. 30min.)
Head to the Manuel Antonio National Park, where the tropical forest meets the clear warm waters of the Pacific. Return to the hotel. Spend the afternoon enjoying the hotel facilities. (B-L-D)
- Day 11: Tárcoles – San José (90km – 2hr.)
On the road to San José, stop at the small artisanal village of Sarchi. Check in at the hotel and spend the rest of the day as you please. Delta Hotels by Marriott San José Aurola 3* or similar (B)
- Day 12: San José
Transfer to the San José airport. (B)
Inclusions
Transfers
Transportation by tour bus
11 nights in 3* accomodation
Tours, excursions, and activities listed in the itinerary
Services of a French-speaking tour guide
Applicable taxes
Travel insurance
International flights
Baggage handling
Tips and personal expenses
Anything not listed in the “Price includes” section
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Other organized tours that may interest you
Our explore pledge: Travelling differently together
Our exclusive group tours are designed to ensure an enriching, friendly, and fuss-free experience:
- French-speaking tour host
- Generous inclusions and exclusive excursions
- Members earn CAA Dollars back
- 15% back in CAA Dollars at the Boutique
- Rewards for loyal travellers
Rates are per person, based on double occupancy. The accommodation establishments listed may be changed without prior notice. Please note that group flight contracts do not allow for seat selection. We therefore recommend that you check in with the airlines 24 hours before departure. This offer may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice. Read the full terms and conditions.
If the scheduled flight is operated by Air France or KLM, only the Air France/KLM shuttle bus service will be available for passengers departing from Québec City.