9-Day Tortuguero, Arenal, and Monteverde
Discover rainforests, wildlife, and excitement on our fun 8-day Family Costa Rica adventure! This affordable trip - that you can start any day of the year - helps you comfortably experience Costa Rica's most celebrated natural treasures whenever the timing of a trip is best for you and your family.
Wildlife enthusiasts will be delighted at the chance to explore Tortuguero National Park, one of the most important nesting sites for the green sea turtle and home to some of Costa Rica's best wildlife.
Seeing nesting sea turtles is one of the many potential highlights on this trip. The best time to see the green sea turtles nesting is between July through early October, while for the leatherback turtles, March and April are the best months.
Your adventure continues with an easy but thrilling rafting trip on the crystal-clear waters of the Sarapiqui River. After some fun time on the water, we head to magisterial Arenal Volcano.
The trip features professional bilingual local guides, an inviting variety of outdoor activities, comfortable mid-range hotels and lodges, all transportation (including private airport transfers) plus a wonderfully diverse range of habitats.
While this soft-adventure itinerary is ideal for families, it's also a wonderful trip for groups of friends, solo travelers plus couples who want to explore nature while enjoying soft-adventure activities. This trip can be customized. If any of the activities featured seem more challenging than you'd prefer, we can recommend alternatives.
It is easy to add a 2, 3 or 4 nights on the beach. Playa Manuel Antonio is within easy reach of Arenal and San Jose.
The minimum age for this trip is 4. For the youngest kids, we substitute a neat Class I Rio Pena Blancas safari float for the rafting.
*** Special Child Discount (4-9 years old): $225/child discount (maximum of 2 kids, sharing with 2 adults)
Full Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive San Jose and overnight
Welcome to Costa Rica! Arrive anytime today to the San Jose's international airport (SJO). Meet & greet at the airport and private transfer to your hotel. Overnight in San Jose.
Meals included: n/a
Mid-Range Accommodations: Hotel El Presidente (San Jose)
Day 2: Drive to east coast, boat ride to Tortuguero, afternoon village tour (BLD)
Early in the morning you will be picked up at your San Jose hotel for the 4-hour drive to the Atlantic coast, traveling through the verdant tropical rainforest of Braulio Carrillo National Park, which is one of the largest in the country. Banana plantations dot the highway en-route to Cano Blanco (or La Pavona). You will stop along the way for breakfast.
From Cano Blanco, you will take a scenic boat ride on the La Suerte River, the Tortuguero River, and onward through the Tortuguero Canals. The boat trip offers lovely views of the forest and mangroves, which are home to such exotic wildlife as sloths, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, coatimundis, raccoons, crocodiles, egrets, parrots, and jaguars among others.
Arriving at your lodge, you will enjoy lunch.
In the afternoon, you will go to the Village of Tortuguero. Here, you will visit the Turtle Museum and will have time to explore and walk through the streets, you will be surrounded by the local culture and amazing hospitality of local people. Delicious Caribbean food is one of the specialties of the local cuisine.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mid-Range Accommodations: Aninga Lodge (Tortuguero)
Luxury Accommodations: Manatus Hotel (Tortuguero)
Day 3: Morning boat tour in Tortuguero National Park (BLD)
This morning join your lodge guide for a fun boat tour exploring the rainforest canals to see unique wildlife, including up to three species of monkeys, 400 species of birds, hundreds of reptiles and amphibians, such as iguanas, crocodiles, alligators, frogs, Jesus Christ lizards, turtles, fishing bats, and more.
From July through October, night walks are on offer to see sea turtles nesting. Tortuguero has many highlights, but it is named in honor of the four species of sea turtles that nest in the region. Tortuguero's coastline is considered one of the world's most important nesting sites of the green sea turtle, which can be found by the thousands in the summer months.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Mid-Range Accommodations: Aninga Lodge (Tortuguero)
Luxury Accommodations: Manatus Hotel (Tortuguero)
Day 4: Boat ride and drive to Arenal, Ecotermales Hot Springs (BD)
Start the day off early with a boat ride back to the dock, then a 1.5 hour shared van transfer to Guapiles. Then you have private ground transportation to La Fortuna/Arenal (2 hours away).
Evening hot springs at Ecotermales with dinner. The thermal springs at EcoTermales Fortuna are hyper-thermal magnesia filled waters of magmatic origin with mineral-medicinal properties. Thanks to their perfectly and naturally balanced quantities of calcium bicarbonates and magnesium, they have soothing, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and muscle relaxing properties.
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Mid-Range Accommodations: Mountain Paradise Hotel (Arenal)
Luxury Accommodations: Arenal Manoa
Day 5: Morning guided hike to Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna Waterfall, free afternoon (B)
Hike Arenal Volcano:
Today, you will be transferred to the west side of Arenal Volcano, where you will spend time exploring the Silencio Trail. Your expert bilingual naturalist guide will point-out wildlife and indigenous rainforest plants, informing you about their medicinal properties. Common sightings wildlife include monkeys, wild boars, two types of toucans, white-nosed coatis, Oropendulas, golden eyelash vipers, boa constrictors, and great curassows. You will continue to the observation point, which offers a sweeping vista of the mountain. Your guide will explain the history of this magnificent volcano.
La Fortuna Waterfalls:
Set just outside the town of La Fortuna, La Fortuna Waterfall is a 246-foot (76 m) tall waterfall that descends into two pools. It was formed by the old lava flow of the Cerro Chato volcano, which is an extinct volcano. The access trail runs through pasture and rainforest, offering up chances to spot toucans, monkeys, and other tropical creatures. It takes about 15 minutes to hike down the stairs to the waterfall. You take 500 steps down to arrive at the waterfall and may be able to swim in one of the two pools that the waterfall makes. The area is surrounded by primary rainforest and your naturalist guide can tell you a lot about what you see as you descend. As you walk together, you will learn more about the tropical environment you are walking through. The falls emerge from a thick jungle before plummeting into an emerald-green pool below. Those who brought swimsuits and a hearty sense of adventure may choose to swim in the chilly waters below the fall.
NOTES:
1) Good physical condition is required to visit the waterfall. This hike can be challenging for some people as it requires to do 500 steps down and the same amount on the way back.
2) Remember to bring your swimsuit and a change of clothes in case you plan to take a dip in the river pools.
3) Also recommended is a hat, sunscreen lotion, insect repellent, sunglasses and comfortable sturdy close-toe shoes.
Meals included: Breakfast
Mid-Range Accommodations: Mountain Paradise Hotel (Arenal)
Luxury Accommodations: Arenal Manoa
Day 6: Drive/Boat to Monteverde, Coffee/Chocolate Tour (B)
Your Arenal Lake Crossing Adventure Transfer begins with a comfortable minibus pick-up at your hotel in Arenal / La Fortuna, followed by a short drive to the shores of Lake Arenal. There, you'll board a covered motorboat for a scenic cruise across the lake, taking in beautiful views of Arenal Volcano and the surrounding rainforest. Upon reaching the opposite shore, another minibus will be waiting to continue the journey through rural roads and rolling hills up into the cloud forest region, bringing you to your hotel in Monteverde. This "Taxi-Boat-Taxi" route is the fastest and most picturesque way to travel between the two destinations, transforming a simple transfer into a memorable part of your Costa Rica experience.
Total Duration: 3-4 hours:
- Drive from Arenal hotel to Lake Arenal dock (~20-30 minutes)
- Scenic boat ride across Lake Arenal (~35-40 minutes)
- Drive from the opposite dock to Monteverde hotel (~1.5-2 hours)
Coffee & Chocolate Tour:
This afternoon, you will be picked up for a fun and interactive visit to Don Juan's farm near Arenal. Discover how Costa Rica's famous coffee is grown, harvested, and roasted. You will also learn about cacao and sugarcane production - and enjoy plenty of tastings throughout the tour.
Meals included: Breakfast
Mid-Range Accommodations: Monteverde Country Lodge
Luxury Accommodations: El Establo (Monteverde)
Day 7: Full Day Selvanatura Park (Zip Line + Hanging Bridges + Sloth + Butterfly + Reptile) (B)
Enjoy an action-packed visit to Selvatura Park, combining adventure and nature in the heart of the cloud forest. Begin with the thrilling zipline circuit, soaring above the treetops and across forest canyons for panoramic views of the canopy.
Continue with the Hanging Bridges walk, exploring a network of suspension bridges and forest trails that offer unique perspectives of the ecosystem and opportunities to spot birds and wildlife.
Conclude with a visit to the Sloth Sanctuary, Butterfly + Reptile, where you will learn about these fascinating animals and the park's conservation efforts before returning to your hotel.
Meals included: Breakfast
Mid-Range Accommodations: Monteverde Country Lodge
Luxury Accommodations: El Establo (Monteverde)
Day 8: Morning Hike at Monteverde National Park, afternoon free (B)
Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, 25,730 acres of biodiversity, hosts 500 orchid species, 130 mammals, 400 birds, and lush flora. During this visit, your guide will take you on a nature hike exploring the endemic flora and fauna in one of the various trails, some of which may require walking across suspended bridges. You may be lucky enough to encounter elusive the Resplendent Quetzal - one of the area's most famed residents! Essentials: hiking shoes, binoculars, a raincoat, and camera.
Meals included: Breakfast
Mid-Range Accommodations: Monteverde Country Lodge
Luxury Accommodations: El Establo (Monteverde)
Day 9: Transfer to San Jose Airport, depart (B)
Private transfer to San Jose Airport (SJO) in time for your flight back home.
Meals included: Breakfast
Pricing
9-Day Tortuguero, Arenal, and MonteverdePrices are Per Person and Valid for Trips through December 31, 2026
| # People in Group: | 2-3 | 4+ |
| Mid-Range Lodging: | $2295 | $2095 |
| 4-Star Luxury Lodging: | $2795 | $2595 |
*** Contact Us for other itinerary and lodging options! ***
NOTE: Prices are per person in U.S. dollars based on double/triple occupancy. All quotations are based on the current rates of park fees, VAT, other government taxes, and current exchange rates. Should any of these be increased or a new tax introduced, these increases will be added on even if your trip has already been paid for.
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