Summary
Short description
A spectacular road trip taking in the best of Costa Rica's wildlife, culture and coast
Highlights
- Enjoy the freedom of the road as you take in Costa Rica's highlights
- Explore Arenal Volcano's spectacular rainforest surrounds
- Marvel at the astonishing biodiversity in Monteverde Cloud Forest
- Relax on Guanacaste's gorgeous golden sands
In Brief
- 1 Night San José
- 2 Nights Monteverde
- 2 Nights Arenal
- 5 Nights Guanacaste Province
In pictures
About
Recommended for:
Activity adventure | March holidays | Natural world | Self-drive | Wildlife
Picture a jungle canopy alive with white-faced capuchins, howler monkeys, toucans and macaws; a forest floor where jaguars and pumas roam; a dense mangrove swamp home to caiman, crocodiles, herons and egrets; or a shimmering sea of sharks, rays, whales and dolphins. This is Costa Rica, whose stunning natural world is the focus of this tailor-made driving holiday. Departing the capital, San José, you'll travel past farmlands, forests and lakes to the cloud forests of Monteverde and iconic volcano of Arenal. You'll end your holiday in relaxing style with the palm-fringed bays of Nicoya Peninsula on Costa Rica's North Pacific Coast.
Day by day itinerary
Day
1
UK/San José
With airport lounge access included, you'll begin your holiday in suitably relaxed fashion before your overnight flight to San José, where you'll be met for a private transfer to your hotel. Costa Rica's capital is a treasure trove of historic neighbourhoods, home to faded colonial gems, boutique art galleries, interesting museums, colourful street art and a quirky culinary mix of refined restaurants and charming local eateries. Spend the rest of the day at leisure, exploring the city at your own pace.
Stay: Hotel Grano de Oro, San Jose (Superior)
Days
2-3
Monteverde
To make life easy, we'll arrange for your hire car to be delivered to your hotel before you set off on the next leg of your journey, that sees you head to the town of Monteverde, located at the southern edge of the Monteverde Cloud Forest. This small Quaker settlement is the jumping off point for one of Costa Rica's most important and precarious ecotourism projects. A battle to keep developers at bay and protect the precious ecosystem of the cloud forest has been raging for more than three decades, but for those who brave the region's rugged dirt roads, the rewards are huge, with an astonishing 2.5% of the world's biodiversity held within its borders. You'll spend two nights here, giving you a full day to explore the reserve's walking trails and to learn about some of the vital scientific work, taking place. We recommend a private tour in the cloud forest reserve (supplement applies) for a fascinating walk through the trails, spotting up to 500 bird species and the myriad wildlife for which Costa Rica is so well-known.
Stay: Senda Monteverde (Superior)
Meals: B
Days
4-5
Arenal
Today you'll set off to the canton of San Carlos and the imposing cone-shaped peak of the Arenal Volcano. The landscape here is exceptionally beautiful, a sea of forests, lakes and fields, dotted with palm, pineapple and citrus farms. Check into your chosen hotel for a two-night stay, and spend the following day exploring the mesmerising landscapes, beautiful waterfalls and volcanic hot springs of the Arenal National Park. It's well worth heading on a private tour of the Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges, one of the country's best eco-tourism projects, that will see you walk among 250 hectares interlaced with wooden paths and bridges, alongside stunning volcano views and an extraordinarily diverse range of flora and fauna.
Stay: Tabacon Grand Thermal and Spa (Superior)
Meals: B
Days
6-10
Nicoya Peninsula, Guanacaste
The final stop on your self-drive tour will be the beaches of Costa Rica's north Pacific Coast. The landscape here, made up of a series of beautiful forest-fringed bays, is truly breathtaking. You'll enjoy a five-night stay here, with plenty of time to relax on the gorgeous golden sands – the beautiful beaches of Tambor, Montezuma and Malpais beaches are highlights – and dip your toes in the warm, tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean. Here, your luxury lodge offers an idyllic retreat with bays on the doorstep home to turtles and framed by jungles that hold the incredible amount of biodiversity. While you're here, enjoy the likes of wildlife walks, spa treatments, private surf lessons and wine-paired dinners under the stars.
Stay: Nantipa Hotel, Santa Teresa, Nicoya Peninsula (Deluxe)
Meals: B
Days
11-12
Depart for UK
Your self-drive adventure through Costa Rica comes to an end today. After breakfast at your chosen hotel, drive to San José's international airport in time for your onward flight, arriving on day 13.
Meals: B
Map
Pricing
Any element of this itinerary can be adjusted to suit your needs. Just contact us to find out more.
Accommodation rating:
12-day tailor-made self-drive
from £3,700 pp incl. flights
Superior
Low Season
from £3,700 pp. incl. flights
High Season
from £4,745 pp. incl. flights
Includes:
- Complimentary UK lounge access
- Return flights from London to San Jose
- 11 nights 4* (Superior) accommodation on a B&B basis
- Private arrival transfer
- 11 days car hire (Hyundai Tucson or similar)
- Full car hire insurance cover and GPS and car delivered to the first hotel
Terms & Conditions
Prices are per person based on two people sharing a twin/double room; prices are subject to availability and possible change; normal booking conditions apply.
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