9 NIGHTS · 10 DAYS · GUIDED TOUR

Forest, Volcanoes & Beaches: Costa Rica's 4 Greatest Destinations in One Journey

Tortuguero's wildlife canals. Arenal's volcanic hot springs. Monteverde's cloud forest. Manuel Antonio's Pacific beaches. Four of Costa Rica's greatest destinations. One seamless, expertly guided journey.
1 Days
1 Destinations
1 Nights with breakfast
1 Ecosystems Explored

San José

Tortuguero

Arenal

Monteverde

Manuel Antonio

Professional bilingual guides

Hand-picked hotels throughout

All transfers & park fees included

Daily breakfast every morning

WHY THIS TOUR STANDS OUT

Costa Rica's four most iconic ecosystems in a single journey

Most visitors only get to experience one or two sides of Costa Rica. Forest, Volcanoes and Beaches was designed to show you the full picture. From Caribbean canals teeming with wildlife to cloud forest trails draped in mist, Pacific beaches, and a smoldering active volcano.

Tortuguero by boat

Navigate jungle canals by boat, the only way in. Spot caimans, manatees, monkeys, and over 300 bird species in Costa Rica’s Amazon.

Arenal hot springs

Soak in geothermal springs with a direct view of the volcano at dusk.  One of the most extraordinary experiences in Central America.

Monteverde cloud forest

Walk through a world draped in mist and moss. Home to quetzals, glass frogs, and thousands of orchid species found nowhere else on earth.

Manuel Antonio beach & park

White sand, crystal water, and howler monkeys at the shoreline.  Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the world’s most biodiverse beaches.

Coffee & culture

Begin your journey with an immersive coffee farm tour.  Discover the story behind Costa Rica’s world-famous coffee culture, direct from the source.

Fully guided & stress-free

Every transfer, every tour, and every park entry is pre-arranged. You focus entirely on experiencing Costa Rica. We handle everything else.

YOUR ROUTE AT A GLANCE

Five destinations, one unforgettable loop

San José
Days 1–2

Tortuguero
Days 3–4
Arenal
Days 5–6
Monteverde
Day 7
Manuel Antonio
Days 8–9
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS

Moments that will stay with you long after you're home

Hacienda La Chimba coffee tour
Walk the Mantra Trail through sculpture gardens and panoramic viewpoints on a working coffee estate.

Boat journey to Tortuguero
Glide through tropical canals,  the only way to reach this remote Caribbean paradise, watching wildlife from the water.

Tortuguero National Park canal tour
A guided afternoon boat tour through one of the world’s most important sea turtle nesting sites.

Arenal Hanging Bridges canopy walk
Walk through primary rainforest at canopy height — birds, butterflies, and volcano views at every turn.

The Springs Resort hot springs
End an active Arenal day soaking in world-class thermal springs with Arenal Volcano as your backdrop.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
One of the world’s great biodiversity hotspots, misty, magical, and genuinely unlike anywhere else on earth.

Manuel Antonio National Park
Meet white-faced capuchins and three-toed sloths on the trail, then cool off in the Pacific moments later.

Isla Damas mangrove boat tour
A twilight cruise through Pacific mangroves.  Crocodiles, birds, and a dinner are included to close your final evening.

DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

10 days across Costa Rica's most iconic landscapes

Every day is guided, every transfer is arranged, and every key experience is included, so you can be fully present from the moment you land.

1

Welcome to Costa Rica.  Arrival and first impressions of San José

A Costa Rica Top Tours representative greets you personally at Juan Santamaría International Airport and transfers you directly to your hotel in San José. The rest of the day is yours. Explore the lively Barrio Amón neighbourhood, relax by the hotel pool, or head out to one of the city’s excellent restaurants for your first taste of Costa Rican cuisine. Your Forest, Volcanoes and Beaches adventure starts here. Pura vida.

2

Coffee, culture & sculpture trails.  A day at Hacienda La Chimba

After breakfast, transfer to Hacienda La Chimba for an immersive coffee tour — one of the most authentic ways to understand Costa Rica’s rich coffee heritage. Learn the full process from bean to cup, then lace up your boots for the Mantra Trail: a scenic walking route of 3, 5, or 9 km winding through the estate’s sculpture gardens and sweeping viewpoints over the Central Valley. Return to San José for the evening.

3

Into the jungle.  The unforgettable boat journey to Tortuguero

An early departure from San José sets you on one of the most extraordinary travel days in Costa Rica. Stop for breakfast at a local restaurant along the route, then board a boat and navigate the tropical canals through dense rainforest to reach Pachira Lodge, a property that can only be accessed by water. Lunch at the lodge, then spend the afternoon exploring Tortuguero village on foot: a colourful, car-free Caribbean community that feels like a world unto itself. Dinner at the lodge.

4

Wild canals & rainforest trails.  A full day immersed in Tortuguero

Start the morning with a guided walk along the lodge’s jungle trails, spotting poison dart frogs, howler monkeys, and toucans in the vegetation around you. The morning is then yours to enjoy at your own pace,  swim, read, or sit by the canal and watch the wildlife drift by. In the afternoon, a guided boat tour takes you deep into Tortuguero National Park’s canal network, one of the most important sea turtle nesting habitats on the planet, and a paradise for birdwatchers and wildlife lovers. Lunch and dinner at the lodge.

Tortuguero is one of the most important sea turtle nesting sites in the Western Hemisphere, as documented by the Sea Turtle Conservancy.

5

From the canals to the volcano. Transfer day to La Fortuna

Return through the canals to the mainland by boat, then transfer northwest to La Fortuna de San Carlos.  Forest, Volcanoes and Beaches brings you to Arenal, one of Costa Rica’s most active volcanoes and a symbol of the country’s raw geological power. Arenal erupted continuously from 1968 until 2010, reshaping the landscape and creating the lush volcanic terrain you’ll explore over the next two days. Stop for lunch en route and arrive in time to settle in and take in your first views of the volcano at dusk.

6

Hanging Bridges, volcano hike & hot springs.  Arenal at its finest

A full day in one of Costa Rica’s most celebrated destinations. The morning begins with the Arenal Hanging Bridges tour, a spectacular 3 km walk through primary rainforest on a series of elevated bridges, offering extraordinary views of the canopy and its inhabitants: toucans, morpho butterflies, spider monkeys, and more. In the afternoon, hike the trails around the base of Arenal Volcano itself, feeling the raw energy of the volcanic landscape. As the sun sets, soak in The Springs Resort & Spa thermal pools with the volcano as your backdrop, the perfect end to a full Arenal day.

7

Into the clouds.  Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve

After breakfast, transfer to Monteverde.  A journey that takes you from volcanic lowlands up into the mystical cloud forest zone, where trees drip with mosses, bromeliads, and orchids. In the afternoon, explore the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve — one of the world’s most celebrated natural areas. Home to over 400 bird species (including the resplendent quetzal), 100 species of mammal, and extraordinary plant life found nowhere else on earth. Walk the trails in atmospheric mist, guided by expert naturalists who know where to look.

8

Cloud forest to the Pacific coast.  Arrival at Manuel Antonio

After breakfast, descend from the cloud forests to the warm Pacific coast, a drive that captures the extraordinary geographic variety of Costa Rica in a single journey. Manuel Antonio is home to one of the country’s most beloved national parks and some of its most beautiful beaches. Check in to your hotel and spend the afternoon at leisure: swim in the Pacific, walk the beach, or settle in and savour the ocean air before your final full day of exploring.

9

Monkeys on the beach & mangroves at dusk.  The perfect Costa Rica finale

Begin the morning with a guided visit to Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the smallest but most biodiverse national parks on earth. Walk trails through rainforest that opens directly onto white sand beaches, encountering white-faced capuchin monkeys, three-toed sloths, iguanas, and a dazzling array of tropical birds. In the evening, board a boat for a guided tour through the Isla Damas mangrove estuary, a magical twilight cruise spotting crocodiles, herons, and roosting birds, ending with dinner included on the water. A fittingly spectacular end to your Costa Rica journey.

10

Farewell, Costa Rica.  Until the jungle calls you back

Enjoy a final breakfast with Pacific views, then transfer directly to Juan Santamaría International Airport for your departure flight. Forest, Volcanoes and Beaches delivers rainforest canals, a live volcano, a cloud forest, and a Pacific paradise, all in ten extraordinary days. Pura vida.

WHAT'S COVERED

Everything you need, nothing you don't

All of the below is covered in your tour price

Please budget for the following additional costs

YOUR ROUTE

An overview of your journey

Ready to experience all of Costa Rica in one journey?

Our team will confirm availability, answer your questions, and tailor the package to your travel dates and preferences.

December 2025 – November 2026 · Fully guided · Costa Rica Top Tours

Scroll to Top