Mystic Forests of Costa Rica

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8 Days From

~~$2093~~

$1993

Mystic Forests of Costa Rica

8 Days Starting and ending in San José, Costa Rica

Visiting: San José, Tortuguero, Tortuguero National Park, Arenal, Monteverde

Tour operator:

Destination Services Costa Rica

Tour code:

337544

Guide Type:

Partially Guided

Physical rating:

Low

Age range:

10-99

Tour operated in:

English , French , Spanish

From: $2093 $1993 Travel Club discount: -$99

NB: Prices correct on 03-Dec-2024 but subject to change.

Tour Overview

Embark on an unforgettable journey through the "Mystic Forests of Costa Rica," a tour that immerses you in the natural splendor and vibrant culture of this Central American gem. Begin your adventure in San Jose, exploring its historic neighborhoods and European-inspired National Theatre. Venture to Tortuguero, known as the 'Amazon of Costa Rica,' where you'll navigate lush rainforests and serene canals. Experience the awe-inspiring Arenal Volcano, surrounded by wildlife and thermal waters, perfect for both relaxation and adventure. Conclude your trip in Monteverde, marveling at its rich biodiversity and cloud forests. This tour offers a perfect blend of nature, culture, and adventure, ensuring a memorable Costa Rican experience.

Highlights

San Jose: Costa Rica’s capital city was founded in the mid-18th century
Visit its museums, the European-inspired National Theatre and stroll through its historic neighbourhoods
Tortuguero: Discover the exotic and most beautiful parts of Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, a laid-back tropical paradise
With its long canals, lush rain forests and vast beaches, Tortuguero lives up to its nickname, ‘the Amazon of Costa Rica’
Arenal: Admire one of the most beautiful volcanos in the region, set in a landscape brimming with wildlife and relaxing thermal waters
Monteverde: Marvel at the beauty and bountifulness of its biodiversity
Wind-sculpted elfin woodlands give way to rainforests where tall trees — festooned with orchids, bromeliads, ferns, vines and mosses — rise high into the sky

Itinerary

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Day 1 : Arrival San José

Location: San José

Accommodation Name: Sleep Inn San Jose or similar 3*

Your Costa Rican adventure begins the moment you land at Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose. Once you reach the Arrivals hall, our tour representative will be waiting to meet and greet you. You’ll then be accompanied to the private transfer that will drop you off at your hotel in San Jose. After checking in, you are free to spend the rest of this first day at leisure, be that by putting up your feet after the flight and taking advantage of the services available at the hotel, or by heading out to the streets to start exploring these fascinating new surroundings at your own rhythm. Just make sure you get enough rest before the following day, when the real adventure begins.

Overnight in San José

Day 2 : San Jose – Tortuguero (135Km – 4 Hrs By Road / 2 Hrs By Boat)

Location: Tortuguero

Accommodation Name: Evergreen Lodge or similar (Lodge Standard)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Wake up early in the morning and wait for a shared bus transfer to pick you up at 6:30. You’ll then be driven through the breath-taking Braulio Carrillo National Park towards the Caribbean plains. Along the way, relax and enjoy the spectacular mountain scenery and quaint villages that will roll by your window. Breakfast will be served en route at about 8:30 in a restaurant in Guapiles. Then it’s time to continue your journey through the jungle by boat. Cruise the rivers and canals of the fabulous Tortuguero National Park. You’ll arrive at the eco-lodge where you’ll spend the next two nights in time for a well-deserved lunch. After replenishing your energy, your guide will invite you to go on a hike around the town of Tortuguero. Along the way, you will get to visit the Turtle Museum ($1 mandatory donation) before going back to your accommodation for dinner.

Overnight in Tortuguero

Day 3 : Tortuguero National Park

Location: Tortuguero National Park

Accommodation Name: Evergreen Lodge or similar (Lodge Standard)

Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Make the most of your stay in the paradisiacal Tortuguero National Park; wake up early in the morning and meet your guide at 6:00 for an early-bird walk along the trails and gardens of the Lodge. Then return to the hotel for breakfast and, at 9:00, join a thrilling two-hour boat trip along the Tortuguero canals, an essential activity while vacationing in Costa Rica. Explore this vast network of canals, lagoons and dense rainforests on this relaxing tour, during which you will be accompanied by an expert naturalist guide who will tell you all about the interesting fauna and flora you come across. Abundant wildlife inhabits Tortuguero, including 57 species of amphibians, 111 species of reptiles and 60 species of mammals. After this intense morning, the rest of day is free for you to spend at leisure. But if you are up for more adventure, you can also join one of the many optional tours available. Dinner is served at the hotel.

Overnight in Tortuguero

Day 4 : Tortuguero – Arenal (210Km – 5 Hrs By Road / 2 Hrs By Boat)

Location: Arenal

Accommodation Name: Lomas del Volcán or similar 3*

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, after breakfast, it’s time to bid farewell to Tortuguero. You’ll leave the park at about 9:00 on a shared boat and then continue your journey via land transfer all the way to Guapiles. Here we’ll make a stop for lunch in a local restaurant at around 13:00. You will then be picked up by a shared transfer and driven to the Arenal area. After being dropped off at your hotel at about 17:00, you can check in and spend the rest of this day at leisure, perhaps hitting the road and getting to know this fascinating new location a bit better.

Overnight in Arenal.

Day 5 : Arenal

Location: Arenal

Accommodation Name: Lomas del Volcán or similar 3*

Meals Included: Breakfast

Charge your batteries with breakfast at the hotel, then meet your guide at 8:00 to go on a tour of the Arenal Volcano National Park. The guide will tell you all about the volcano’s past periods of activity. Enjoy the verdant landscapes and the backdrop of the now-dormant volcano as you keep a lookout for wild animals; you might spot sloths, howler monkeys, anteaters and many others. Then return to the hotel at 12:30 and spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure or join one of four available optional activities: ‘Guided Walk along the Hanging Bridges of Mistico Park’, a magical experience combining suspension bridges and platforms built in a forest canopy; ‘La Fortuna Waterfall’, a hike to the magnificent 60-metre waterfall where you can swim in its crystal-clear waters; ‘Hot Springs with Dinner’, a trip to the pools and thermal waters, which are warmed by the veins of the majestic Arenal Volcano; and ‘SkyTrek (Zipline) at SkyAdventures Park’, a tram ride up a mountain to then whizz down along a series of 7 riveting ziplines. The choice is yours!

Overnight in Arenal

Day 6 : Arenal – Monteverde (170 Km – 4 Hrs)

Location: Monteverde

Accommodation Name: Monteverde Country Lodge or similar (Lodge Standard)

Meals Included: Breakfast

Begin the day with an early breakfast at the hotel. Then check out and meet your guide at 7:30 to head towards Monteverde, where you will arrive at approximately 11:30. Admire the changing landscapes as you drive from rainforest to cloud forests and reach an altitude of 1,200 metres above sea level. Located in the Puntarenas province, Monteverde is a place of cloud forests and mist, coffee plantations, monkeys, and friendly locals. The town of Santa Elena is small and quaint, filled with inviting restaurants and folksy artisan shops, while the nearby rainforest hosts a remarkable amount of biodiversity. Enjoy the day at leisure or join our optional zipline adventure through the Costa Rican forest canopy. This optional tour begins with a gondola ride from the ground to the highest point of the mountain, where you’ll be dropped off at an observation area to admire the fantastic views of the surrounding forests, the Arenal Volcano and the gulf of Nicoya. From this point, you will start riding down a unique zipline circuit that stretches across canyons, going from one mountain to another, and in between treetops. It truly is an exhilarating adventure.

Overnight in Monteverde

Day 7 : Monteverde

Location: Monteverde

Accommodation Name: Monteverde Country Lodge or similar (Lodge Standard)

Meals Included: Breakfast

Follow breakfast at the hotel with a guided tour of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve starting at 7:00. This is one of the most impressive natural reserves in the world, with a network of trails that branch out across 13 kilometres of forest. Walk along the continental divide, with one foot on the Caribbean side and another the Pacific side. With views of both the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, this reserve has a large variety of tall trees laden with remarkable epiphytic plants. You’ll return to the hotel at about 12:00 and can the spend the rest of the day at leisure or join an optional tour. One option is a walk along a series of suspended bridges through the canopies of the cloud forest. This spectacular guided tour invites you to discover the exuberant tropical forests of Costa Rica from a privileged vantage point. Hike deep into these magical forests to admire the exuberant plant and animal life found here. Alternately, you can join an optional Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Tour, where you will learn about the history of these free foods and then get to see their respective production processes. Please note that there is time to do only one of the optional activities.

Overnight in Monteverde

Day 8 : Monteverde – San José (140 Km – 3 Hrs)

Location: San José

Meals Included: Breakfast

Enjoy your last breakfast in Costa Rica and after checking out, you will hop onto a transfer at the scheduled time to head to Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose. Here you’ll say goodbye to this beautiful country and board the flight to your next destination. We hope the memories you have gathered during this trip will last you a lifetime.

What's Included

TOUR GUIDE:

Operated with English, French, Italian or Spanish-speaking licensed local guides on shared basis on days 2, 3, 5 and 7. Please note you will be accompanied by local guides for the activities only. There is no guarantee that you will be part of a group, or part of the same group during the tour

ACCOMMODATION:

7 night’s accommodation

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

Day 1; San José

Standard Hotel Category = Sleep Inn San Jose or similar 3*

Day 2, 3; Tortuguero

Standard Hotel Category = Evergreen Lodge or similar (Lodge Standard)

Day 4; 5; Arenal

Standard Hotel Category = Lomas del Volcán or similar 3*

Day 6, 7; Monteverde

Standard Hotel Category = Monteverde Country Lodge or similar (Lodge Standard)

MEALS:

7 breakfasts
2 lunches on days 2, 4
2 dinners on days 2, 3

TRANSPORT:

Air-conditioned transportation as indicated in the itinerary on a shared basis
Shared transfer between the Airport and the Hotel
Shared boat from Guapiles to Tortuguero and back.

ENTRANCE FEES AND ACTIVITIES:

All visits as indicated: Tortuguero National Park Boat Tour (day 2), guided nature walk on Tortuguero (day 3), Visit to the Tortuguero Village (day 3); Arenal Volcano Hike (day 5); Monteverde Cloudforest Reserve (day 7)

OTHER:

Meet and greet on Day 1
Hotel Taxes

What's Not Included

Personal Expenditures

Expenditures of a personal nature, drinks and meals if not stated explicitly in the programme.
Airport Taxes

Airport taxes are not included.
Airport Porterage

Airport porterage is not included.
Optional Tours

Optional tours are not included.
International Flights and Visa Fees

International flight tickets or visa fees and local taxes are not included.
Gratuities

Gratuities for drivers and guides are not included.

Requirements

Comfortable and light clothing is the most suitable for travelling in Costa Rica. Visitors should not wear sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts or skimpy clothing when visiting temples, religious or official buildings. Sun protection, sunglasses, a hat and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay.

Please Note

Please be advised that the airport departure transfer is a shared service with an estimated arrival at the airport between 12:30 and 13:30. If you need to arrive at the airport earlier, an upgrade to a private transfer is necessary (available at an additional cost)
Tour guides do not accompany guests during transport
No refund for unused services. Splitting of package is not allowed
Please note that local conditions prevalent at the time of travel may result in modifications to tour contents without prior notice
Hotel early check in, late check out, connecting or adjoining rooms are subject to availability and are not guaranteed
Please note that local conditions prevalent at the time of travel may result in modifications to the contents of the tour without prior notice, including possible change of hotels and/or itinerary
Recommended departure time from 15:00 hrs.

Accommodation options

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

Day 1; San José

Standard Hotel Category = Sleep Inn San Jose or similar 3*

Day 2, 3; Tortuguero

Standard Hotel Category = Evergreen Lodge or similar (Lodge Standard)

Day 4; 5; Arenal

Standard Hotel Category = Lomas del Volcán or similar 3*

Day 6, 7; Monteverde

Standard Hotel Category = Monteverde Country Lodge or similar (Lodge Standard)

Mode of Transport

Travel in comfort with air-conditioned transportation on a shared basis, including shared transfers between the airport and hotel, and a shared boat from Guapiles to Tortuguero and back.

Accommodation

Enjoy 7 nights of comfortable accommodation, including stays at the Sleep Inn San Jose, Evergreen Lodge in Tortuguero, Lomas del Volcán in Arenal, and Monteverde Country Lodge. Each location offers a unique experience, from standard hotel rooms to charming lodges.

Accommodation options

ACCOMMODATION OPTIONS

Day 1; San José

Standard Hotel Category = Sleep Inn San Jose or similar 3*

Day 2, 3; Tortuguero

Standard Hotel Category = Evergreen Lodge or similar (Lodge Standard)

Day 4; 5; Arenal

Standard Hotel Category = Lomas del Volcán or similar 3*

Day 6, 7; Monteverde

Standard Hotel Category = Monteverde Country Lodge or similar (Lodge Standard)

Check out our Q&As

What kind of wildlife can I expect to see in Tortuguero National Park?

Tortuguero National Park is home to abundant wildlife, including 57 species of amphibians, 111 species of reptiles, and 60 species of mammals. You might spot animals such as sloths, howler monkeys, and various bird species.
Are there any optional activities available during the tour?

Yes, there are several optional activities available during the tour. In Arenal, you can choose from activities like a guided walk along the Hanging Bridges of Mistico Park, a hike to La Fortuna Waterfall, a visit to hot springs with dinner, and a zipline adventure at SkyAdventures Park. In Monteverde, you can opt for a zipline adventure through the forest canopy or a Coffee, Chocolate, and Sugar Tour.
Will I have a tour guide with me at all times?

No, tour guides do not accompany guests during transport. You will be accompanied by local guides for the activities only, and there is no guarantee that you will be part of a group or the same group during the tour.
What should I bring with me for the tour?

Comfortable and light clothing is recommended for traveling in Costa Rica. Visitors should avoid wearing sleeveless shirts, shorts, short skirts, or skimpy clothing when visiting temples, religious, or official buildings. Sun protection, sunglasses, a hat, and mosquito repellent can be very useful during your stay.
What meals are included in the tour?

The tour includes 7 breakfasts, 2 lunches on days 2 and 4, and 2 dinners on days 2 and 3.

What kind of transportation is provided during the tour?

The tour includes air-conditioned transportation as indicated in the itinerary on a shared basis, shared transfer between the airport and the hotel, and a shared boat from Guapiles to Tortuguero and back.
Are there any entrance fees included in the tour?

Yes, all visits as indicated in the itinerary are included. This includes the Tortuguero National Park Boat Tour (day 2), guided nature walk in Tortuguero (day 3), visit to the Tortuguero Village (day 3), Arenal Volcano Hike (day 5), and Monteverde Cloudforest Reserve (day 7).
Do you offer any travel insurance?

We do not offer Travel Insurance but would strongly recommend that you purchase a comprehensive Travel Insurance Policy prior to departure.
Are flights included in the tour?

No, they are not included
When are there specific hotel names confirmed?

Confirmed hotel names are informed latest 10 days prior to client´s arrival
What documents will I receive before I travel?

Booking confirmation with Itinerary and confirmation vouchers
What happens if I need to change my holiday date once I’ve booked?

You can change it by logging into your profile and click on Bookings. Please check your cancellation policy.
Is there any option for solo traveller?

Yes of course. Please note that the default selection shows the price per person per double room. For solo travellers, you will have to select a single room when available.
What does the price include?

What is included is stated specifically on the product Description. Gratuities are at your discretion. Prices do not include (unless stated otherwise) - gratuities to the guide, driver or tour manager.
Are Visa fees included in the price?

No, visa fees are not included

Reviews of this operator

Brian

Exotic Costa Rica

12-Feb-2022

We were delayed a couple of times in getting to Costa Rica and our tour operator, Roy, was extremely accommodating of the changes. The trip was partially guided, so though lodging and transportation were covered there were a few days where I could have used help coordinating afternoon activities.

Peter Herbert

Essential Costa Rica - Package with Guanacaste

11-May-2022

A little aprehensive on 1st day with no tour leader... but ran better that clockwork, a few natural obstacles overcome. Good hotels, transport , drivers AND OUTSTANDING GUIDES.....A THEN THERE WAS THE WILDS OF COSTA RICA AND ITS PEOPLES ....

Jean Walsh

Exotic Costa Rica

17-Mar-2022

This trip was much anticipated and lived up to all of our expectations. We had a wonderful experience. If we had questions, Andres was immediately responsive. It was such a nice feeling to know we could reach him.

Susan Langton

Essential Costa Rica - Package with Manuel Antonio National Park

06-Jan-2022

Our trip was well organized, all of the service providers ( transfers, guides, accommodations) we friendly and professional, and each location was as promised. A bit more local information would have been useful in preparing for the trip, but nothing that wasn't able to be accommodated on the fly.

Marianne Brownell

Essential Costa Rica - Package with Manuel Antonio National Park

03-Oct-2022

Terrific experience!

Debra R

PURAVIDA CR

26-Jun-2023

Great staff taking care of us along the way! Hotel choices were unique and beautiful and accommodating.

Keith

Essential Costa Rica - Package with Guanacaste

08-Mar-2022

A good tour with 4 completely different ecosystems. A couple of long travel days.

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~~$2093~~ $1993