Natural Wonders of Costa Rica with Guanacaste (SRE2)

11 Day Tour from San José to Guanacaste

2018 Tour Details View 2019 Tour Details »

Grab your camera and swimsuit, and get ready for a wonderful vacation to Costa Rica! Witness bountiful wildlife in their natural habitat, enjoy relaxing dips in ecothermal hot springs, and learn about the Costa Rican culture on this thrilling adventure. Among the many highlights of this tour is Tortuguero National Park, where you’ll take a boat ride along remote, unspoiled sections of the park to view wildlife. Your guide will look out for the wildlife—including freshwater turtles, egrets, toucans, and monkeys—so you can sit back, relax, and take plenty of pictures.

Another tour highlight is the Arenal Volcano, considered one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Relax as you soak in the ecothermal hot springs and perhaps watch the lava flow down the volcano—a spectacular sight! In Monteverde, visit the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, home to forest fauna such as jaguars, resplendent quetzal, monkeys, ocelots, and many species of birds—not to mention the large diversity of plant species. Even more amazing scenery awaits you in Guanacaste, where you’ll have three nights to partake in the many activities, including rainforest canopy tours, river rafting, horseback riding, snorkeling, watching breathtaking sunsets, hiking, or just relaxing on the beach.

On this Costa Rica tour, you’ll also have a chance to visit local farms to learn about the local culture and industries. It’s a trip of a lifetime—a trip filled with wildlife, scenic waterways, tropical rainforests, pristine beaches, and knowledgeable guides to help you learn about Costa Rica.
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 Destinations & Sightseeing

CARIARI
Tour a banana plantation
TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK
Guided cruise through the canals to view wildlife; guided walk through the rainforest
ARENAL
Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite Tour a pineapple plantation; sightseeing of La Fortuna town; visit Natura Park, Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite Tabacón Hot Springs, and Arenal Volcano
MONTEVERDE
Visit the Sky Walk hanging bridges; Santa Elena Cloud Forest; Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite Trapiche Farm tour & home-hosted lunch; farewell dinner
SARCHI
Shop for souvenirs
GUANACASTE
Enjoy three nights relaxing on the pristine beaches of Guanacaste

The following UNESCO World Heritage Sites can be seen or visited on this vacation:

  • Area de Conservación Guanacaste

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Breakfast daily, 5 lunches, 5 three-course dinners including a special farewell dinner in Monteverde

 Itinerary

Inside visits and special features are shown in UPPERCASE in the tour description, including admission charges where applicable.

Day 1 ARRIVE IN SAN JOSÉ, COSTA RICA

Upon arrival, you will be met by your Tour Director, who will help you check into your hotel.

Day 2 SAN JOSÉ–CARIARI–TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK

Journey east to the Caribbean shore and TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK. On the way, stop at a BANANA PLANTATION to see one of Costa Rica’s main exports being harvested. Later, board a motor launch for your CRUISE along the Tortuguero Canals, waterways crisscrossing a national park dedicated to the protection of endangered turtles. The trained eyes of your guide and boatman help you spot freshwater turtles, caimans, herons, toucans, egrets, and monkeys. An afternoon at leisure lets you explore Evergreen Lodge until you meet for an informative slideshow presentation on the area.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 3 TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK TOUR & CANAL CRUISE

A local Naturalist accompanies you on a leisurely BOAT RIDE along remote, unspoiled sections of the park’s waterways, explaining the bountiful flora and fauna. Enjoy a fascinating stroll through an accessible portion of the nearby RAINFOREST. During the peak nesting season (mid-July to mid-October) you may be lucky enough to observe an endangered green turtle laying her eggs under the starlight on an optional tour.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 4 TORTUGUERO–SARAPIQUI–ARENAL

A morning boat transfer begins your journey to the Sarapiqui area. Tour a Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite PINEAPPLE FARM, owned by a local family, and learn about the history, cultivation, and industry of pineapples. Continue to your hotel in the lush town of Arenal, located in the shadow of Arenal Volcano. After settling in, experience the magic of the resort’s pool and hot spring-fed jacuzzi or consider a walk in the nearby nature trail in search of 300- to 400-year-old trees, poisonous frogs, monkeys, birds, and possibly small animals native to the area.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 5 ARENAL. EXCURSION TO ARENAL VOLCANO

During your morning at leisure, you may wish to go on an optional horseback ride or float trip. Or, you can take advantage of your resort’s amenities by walking along the shaded trails nearby. Later this afternoon, enjoy a walking tour of the town of La Fortuna de San Carlos, offering spectacular views of the active Arenal Volcano. Visit NATURA PARK, where a Naturalist takes you on a guided tour of this ecological park that is home to a wide variety of plants and animals from the region. During your walk, keep an eye out for the toucans, iguanas, frogs, birds, butterflies, and caimans commonly seen here. Next, drive to nearby famous Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite TABACÓN HOT SPRINGS for a dip in the curative and relaxing pools. Later, enjoy a dinner at the hot springs.

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 6 ARENAL–MONTEVERDE

After breakfast, continue to MONTEVERDE, where you will enjoy two days in the cloud forest. This afternoon, take a guided tour on the SKYWALK hanging bridges, which combines trails and suspension bridges through the canopy of Monteverde Cloud Forest, to search for flora and fauna.

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 7 MONTEVERDE

This morning, visit SANTA ELENA CLOUD FOREST RESERVE for a walking tour. Located on the Continental Divide of Costa Rica, the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve comprises an area of 765 acres, and is home to forest fauna, such as the resplendent quetzal, jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, and numerous species of birds. With almost 100% humidity throughout the year, the cloud forest experiences almost 12 feet of rain per year. Later, visit the family-owned Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite TRAPICHE FARM, where you will enjoy a homemade lunch. While here, learn about the production of sugar cane, coffee, and the traditional ways of cultivating bananas, arracacha (a local legume), avocado, macadamia nuts, as well as other products. The remainder of your day is at leisure. Tonight, your Tour Director hosts a farewell dinner, toasting an unforgettable discovery of Costa Rica.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 8 MONTEVERDE–GUANACASTE

Take a morning drive to Guanacaste. This part of Costa Rica’s North Pacific region offers hundreds of unspoiled beaches lining the shores, but Guanacaste is far from a traditional beach destination. Activities in the area include rainforest canopy tours, river rafting or floating down the Corobici River, horseback riding, fishing, snorkeling in the Pacific Ocean, or just relaxing on the beach.

Breakfast Breakfast

Days 9-10 GUANACASTE

Enjoy two days at leisure.

BreakfastBreakfast daily

Day 11 GUANACASTE

Your tour ends with breakfast this morning.

Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With Globus, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of your Tour Director. Averaging over a decade... we’d like you to meet a Tour Director, who is representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

JORGE AVILA

Escorting tours for more than 10 years

“Born in San José, I developed an interest in knowing the different attractions, customs and traditions across beautiful Costa Rica. I have always enjoyed at the fullest what I do, so I share my passion with everyone. I like making new friends, being helpful, leading groups, sharing my knowledge of my home country, and always having a smile for people around me.”

Tour Director - JORGE AVILA

 Accommodations

San Jose
Tortuguero
Arenal
Monteverde
Guanacaste

 Optional Excursions

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased).

Price Ranges

$ ($50 USD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 USD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 USD)
$$$$ (Over $150)



No excursions were found

 Know Before You Go

These Know Before You Go travel tips are designed with you in mind, with helpful hints to help you prepare for and enjoy your escorted vacation. They are your guide to getting ready and contain general information on travel documentation, customs, and the country/countries you will be visiting, including budgeting, transportation, climate, languages, and much more. With Globus, you benefit from our experience.



* The "Starting at" or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per passenger based on double occupancy and does not include airfare; additional fees/charges are not included. If a price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s) – please review current promotions or deals for additional information. Some tours require intra-vacation flights (and in some cases intra-vacation segments must be purchased from Globus).

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