❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Your questions about Costa Rica, answered.
Booking & inclusions
What's included and how to book
01 What is included in all five tour packages?
All five packages include airport meet-and-greet and hotel transfer on arrival, daily breakfast throughout, accommodation as described in the itinerary, all described guided excursions, national park entrance fees, professional bilingual (English/Spanish) guides, and all Costa Rican VAT (IVA) taxes.
The self-drive packages (Family Tours and On The Road) also include a rental vehicle delivered to your hotel. The guided packages (Forest, Volcanoes & Beaches; Essence of Costa Rica; Natural….ly) include all ground transportation between destinations. Specific packages include additional meals. For example, the Tortuguero segment in several itineraries includes full board (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) at the lodge.
02 What is included in all five tour packages?
Across all packages, the following are not included: international flights to and from Costa Rica, lunches and dinners not specified in the itinerary, personal expenses (drinks, laundry, tips, souvenirs), and travel insurance.
For the two self-drive packages, also budget for mandatory daily car insurance ($20–$24 per day) and a refundable security deposit ($1,500), plus fuel costs for the On The Road package. A second child seat, if required, is available at additional cost on the Family Tours package.
03 What is included in all five tour packages?
Use the “Plan My Trip” form on our website or contact us directly by email or WhatsApp. Our team is available Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM (Costa Rica time, CST). We typically respond within 24 hours on business days.
To get the most accurate quote as quickly as possible, let us know your preferred travel dates, the number of travellers (adults and children with ages), which package interests you, and any specific requirements or questions. The more detail you give us, the faster we can tailor a quote to your trip.
04 Are the packages available year-round?
Yes. All five packages operate year-round with validity from December 1, 2025, to November 30, 2026. Costa Rica is a year-round destination, and each season has distinct advantages. The dry season (December–April) offers the most reliable weather, while the green season (May–November) brings lower prices, fewer crowds, and excellent wildlife opportunities, including sea turtle nesting and whale watching.
We recommend booking Christmas (December 20 – January 5) and Easter week well in advance, as availability at the hotels in our packages is limited during these peak periods.
Choosing a package
Which tour is right for me?
05 What is the difference between the guided and self-drive packages?
Three of our packages are fully guided — Forest, Volcanoes & Beaches; The Essence of Costa Rica; and Natural….ly Costa Rica. These include all ground transportation between destinations in shared group transfers and guided excursions with expert naturalist guides throughout. You don’t need to drive or navigate. Everything is arranged.
Two packages are self-drive: Costa Rica On The Road and Costa Rica Family Tours. A rental Toyota RAV4 (or similar 4WD) is delivered to your hotel on Day 2. You drive between destinations at your own pace, with hotels pre-booked and specific guided excursions included. This gives you maximum flexibility to stop, explore, and adjust your schedule.
06 Which package is best for families with young children?
The Costa Rica Family Tours package is specifically designed for families with children. Every hotel, activity, and driving route has been chosen with families in mind — safe trails, wheelchair-accessible volcanic craters, age-appropriate wildlife experiences, and a calm Pacific beach (Playa Carrillo) that is genuinely safe for young swimmers.
The package includes one child seat in the rental vehicle. The Peñas Blancas River safari is suitable for children from age 5. The Hanging Bridges walk at Arenal, and the Poás Volcano trail are both suitable for children of all ages. Hacienda Guachipelín at Rincón de la Vieja offers a wide range of activities, including tubing, horseback riding, and volcanic mud pools that children love.
07 Which package covers the most destinations?
The Essence of Costa Rica is our most comprehensive itinerary. It covers 13 days across six distinct regions: San José, Tortuguero, Puerto Viejo (Caribbean coast), Pacuare River, Arenal, Manuel Antonio, and Dominical, with a day trip to Corcovado National Park. It combines Caribbean wildlife canals, white-water rafting, volcanic experiences, Pacific beaches, and one of the world’s most biodiverse national parks in a single journey.
The Costa Rica Family Tours package is also 13 days and covers four regions (Alajuela highlands, Arenal, Rincón de la Vieja, and the Pacific coast at Playa Carrillo), making it equally comprehensive in scope, though designed specifically for families.
08 Can I customise or extend any of the itineraries?
Yes. All five packages serve as starting points for a personalised itinerary. We can add extra nights in any destination, swap certain hotels, include additional activities, or combine elements from different packages to build a route that matches exactly what you want.
Contact our team through the Plan My Trip form with your specific requirements, and we will prepare a tailored proposal. There is no charge for the consultation and no obligation to book.
On the road
Getting around Costa Rica
09 How does the rental car work on the self-drive packages?
On Day 2 of both the Costa Rica Family Tours and Costa Rica On The Road packages, a Rent-a-Car representative delivers a Toyota RAV4 (4WD) or similar vehicle directly to your hotel lobby at 9:00 AM. You keep the vehicle until the final day of your trip, when you return it to the rental office conveniently located near the airport before taking a shared transfer to the terminal.
Mandatory daily car insurance ($20–$24 per day) and a refundable security deposit ($1,500) are paid directly to the rental company and are not included in the package price. We recommend bringing a credit card for the deposit. A valid driver’s licence from your home country is accepted in Costa Rica.
10 How long are the driving days on the self-drive packages?
The self-drive legs are designed to be manageable with interesting scenery en route. On the Costa Rica On The Road package, the longest drive is Day 5 from Puerto Viejo to Arenal (approximately 5 hours, 301 km). We recommend departing after an early breakfast. Other driving days are 3-4.5 hours.
On the Family Tours package, individual drives are approximately 3 hours each (Alajuela to Arenal, Arenal to Rincón de la Vieja, Rincón to Playa Carrillo), with a longer final drive of 4 hours from Playa Carrillo back to San José. All routes pass through spectacular scenery and have good stops for lunch and sightseeing along the way.
11 How do you get to Tortuguero. It looks like it's only accessible by boat?
That’s correct. Tortuguero is only accessible by boat or small plane, and we consider this part of the experience. From San José, you are driven east through Braulio Carrillo National Park to the dock, where you board a boat and navigate through tropical jungle canals to reach Pachira Lodge. The boat journey through the canals itself is a wildlife experience, with birds, monkeys, and river life visible from the water.
On departure, you return through the canals by boat to the mainland. This transit is fully organised and included. You don’t need to arrange anything yourself. The Tortuguero segment appears in the Forest, Volcanoes & Beaches; The Essence of Costa Rica; and Natural….ly Costa Rica packages.
Activities & wildlife
What you'll see and do
12 Are sloths actually guaranteed to be spotted on the wildlife walk?
On the Family Tours package, Day 5 includes a specialist naturalist guide-led walk through 12 hectares of private rainforest specifically for sloth and wildlife spotting. Our guides have an exceptional record of finding two-toed sloths, tree frogs, and tropical birds on this walk. We describe it as “sloths guaranteed” based on consistent results with experienced local guides who know exactly where to look.
As with all wildlife encounters in nature, conditions can vary. However, with the quality of guides we work with and their knowledge of the specific rainforest area, the success rate for sloth sightings is very high. Monkeys, birds, and frogs are reliably seen throughout all our itineraries regardless of season.
13 What is the Pacuare River rafting like, and is it safe?
The Pacuare River is widely considered one of the most beautiful white-water rivers in the world. The rafting experience included in The Essence of Costa Rica package features Class III–IV rapids through deep rainforest canyons, past hidden waterfalls, and surrounded by untouched jungle. It is exhilarating but suitable for healthy adults with no prior rafting experience. Guides provide full safety briefings and equipment.
The experience takes you through stunning canyon scenery with lunch included after the rafting section, before continuing to La Fortuna and Arenal. This is one of the most talked-about days of the entire itinerary.
14 What is the Sky Tram and Sky Trek at Arenal?
The Sky Tram is a 15-minute gondola ride that ascends silently through the rainforest canopy to the Miguel Ángel observation point, where you get panoramic views of Arenal Volcano, Lake Arenal, and the Tilarán Mountain Range. It’s a serene, spectacular way to see the forest from above.
Sky Trek follows the gondola ascent. It’s an exhilarating zip-line circuit that takes you back down through the forest canopy across dramatic canyon drops, with the volcano as a constant backdrop. The combination of gondola up and zip line down is one of the signature Arenal experiences and is included in The Essence of Costa Rica package. Other Arenal packages include the Hanging Bridges and hot springs instead.
15 When is the best time to see sea turtles on these tours?
Green sea turtle nesting at Tortuguero peaks between July and August. If you travel during this window on the Forest, Volcanoes & Beaches; Essence of Costa Rica; or Natural….ly Costa Rica packages, there is a high probability of encountering nesting turtles on the guided night tour from Tortuguero village. All turtle watching is strictly regulated and conducted with licensed naturalist guides.
On the Family Tours package, Playa Carrillo offers seasonal dolphin watching and sea turtle observation during beach days. Sea turtles can also be seen at Playa Grande (near Tamarindo) on the On The Road package from November to February during the leatherback nesting season.
Practical info
Before you go
16 Are the guides bilingual? What languages are available?
All guided excursions across our five packages are conducted by professional bilingual guides in English and Spanish. If you require guides in a third language (Italian, French, German, Dutch, or others), let us know at the time of booking. We speak your language and can arrange expert guides who speak it fluently. This is one of our genuine differentiators as a locally based tour operator with over 25 years of experience working with international travellers.
17 Is breakfast really included every day? What about other meals?
Yes. Daily breakfast is included in all five packages at every hotel throughout the itinerary. Beyond breakfast, specific packages include additional meals at certain points. The Tortuguero lodge segment (Pachira Lodge) includes full board, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. On the nights you stay there, as the lodge is remote and inaccessible from restaurants. Lunches en route on transfer days are included in several packages as noted in the detailed itinerary.
All other lunches and dinners are at your own expense and arrangement. Costa Rica has excellent restaurant options at every destination we visit, across all price ranges.
18 Are the hot springs actually inside volcanic areas? What are they like?
Yes. Costa Rica’s hot springs are genuinely geothermal, heated by volcanic activity below ground. At Arenal, The Springs Resort & Spa features pools set in tropical gardens with Arenal Volcano visible on the horizon. The water temperature varies by pool, but it is naturally warm and mineral-rich. This is not a constructed spa. The heat comes directly from the earth.
At Rincón de la Vieja (Family Tours package), Hacienda Guachipelín has natural thermal pools and volcanic mud baths fed by the Rincón de la Vieja volcano. The mud is naturally occurring volcanic clay with a genuinely unique texture. Children in particular go wild in it. Both hot spring experiences are included in the relevant packages and are usually enjoyed at the end of an active day.
19 What should I pack for these tours?
For all itineraries, the essentials are: lightweight, quick-dry clothing, a light rain jacket or poncho (even in dry season), sturdy closed-toe walking shoes or hiking boots, insect repellent, high-SPF sunscreen, and a small dry bag or waterproof pouch for valuables during boat and water activities.
- For hot springs: bring a swimsuit. Most packages include at least one hot springs visit.
- For Tortuguero night turtle tours: dark clothing is required. No light colours or flash photography.
- For Monteverde cloud forest: bring an extra layer, as temperatures at 1,440 metres are noticeably cooler (around 15–20°C).
- For Corcovado (Essence of Costa Rica): sturdy footwear is essential; trails can be muddy year-round.
- For beach days: a rash guard is useful for snorkelling and kayaking at Playa Carrillo.
We recommend packing light and leaving room for a few Costa Rican souvenirs on the way home.
20 Does Costa Rica Top Tours have an office in Costa Rica? Where are you based?
Yes. We are a locally based Costa Rican company. Our office is located in San Rafael de Escazú, San José, Costa Rica, just 20 minutes from Juan Santamaría International Airport. We are officially registered with the Instituto Costarricense de Turismo (ICT) and hold the Certificate of Sustainable Tourism (CST), the country’s most rigorous sustainability certification.
We have been operating in Costa Rica’s tourism industry for over 30 years. You are not booking through an intermediary or booking platform. You are booking directly with the team that will meet you at the airport on Day 1, deliver your rental car on Day 2, and remain available throughout your entire trip. Our team is reachable Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM (Costa Rica time) by phone, email, and WhatsApp.
Still have a question?
Our team is available Monday to Friday, 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM (Costa Rica time). WhatsApp is the fastest way to reach us for quick questions, or send us an email, and we’ll reply within 24 hours.