Costa Rica Ultimate Rainforest

Upon your arrival at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), you will pass through Immigration and customs before meeting your local guide, who will take you to your hotel. After checking into your comfortable accommodation, the remainder of the day is at your leisure to relax and acclimate to the tropical climate of Costa Rica's capital city. No guided activities are scheduled for this day, allowing you to rest after your international flight. Overnight stay at Hotel Grano de Oro.

After breakfast, you will meet your driver at the lobby of your hotel for a private land transfer to the dock on the Caribbean side. You will then board a shared boat that will take you through the canals of the Tortuguero River to your lodge, with the boat ride taking approximately 1.5 hours. Tortuguero is where you are likely to see lots of wildlife and experience the tropical rainforest in its full glory; this secluded and hard-to-access area will make you feel as though you have traveled to an ancient town. Many guests see three species of monkeys, sloths, river otters, caiman, iguanas, and river turtles. Later in the afternoon, you will visit the Tortuguero Village and the Caribbean Conservation Company on a shared tour to get a taste of the Afro-Caribbean culture and the preservation philosophy of Tortuguero. After returning to your lodge, you will enjoy a delicious dinner. Overnight stay at Pachira Lodge.

After breakfast, you will embark on a morning boat tour through the Tortuguero National Park, exploring the park's beauty and its great variety of water canals. Tortuguero is characterized by its stunning landscapes and rich biodiversity, with the canals offering excellent opportunities to spot wildlife in their natural habitat. You will return to the lodge for lunch before heading out again on an afternoon boat tour, which will take you through different areas of the river to give you more opportunities to see a wider variety of wildlife, including monkeys, sloths, birds, and reptiles. Both tours are shared and led by experienced local guides who will help you spot and identify the diverse flora and fauna that make this region so special. After a full day of exploration, you will return to your lodge and enjoy dinner. Overnight stay at Pachira Lodge.

After breakfast, your captain will take you to the Tortuguero airstrip, which takes only minutes to reach, where you will board a domestic flight back to San Jose, connecting with a domestic flight to the Pacific South. Upon arrival, your local representative will meet you for a 20 to 25-minute land transfer to board a boat for a quick 5 to 10-minute ride to the lodge. Please bring sandals as you may have to stand in knee-deep water to board the boat. After checking into your lodge, the remainder of the day is at your leisure to relax and enjoy the remote rainforest surroundings. Dinner is included at the lodge. Overnight stay at SCP Corcovado Wilderness Lodge.

After breakfast, you will depart for a shared snorkeling tour to Caño Island, situated 12 nautical miles from the lodge. The boat ride to the park entrance takes about 45 minutes, during which you might be lucky enough to see whales and/or dolphins frolicking in the ocean. The tour includes ample time to snorkel in front of the ranger station with excellent opportunities to observe the underwater terrain and sea life. The island's dark volcanic rock is home to numerous species of marine life, including brightly colored tropical fish, snapper, tuna, manta rays, eels, sea urchins, octopus, and more. There are 15 or more types of stony coral species as well. Visibility is good to excellent year-round. After snorkeling, your boat will head to a secluded site called San Josecito, where a picnic lunch will be served at the beach. San Josecito is part of a private reserve, offering good chances to spot colorful birds like macaws and toucans. After the tour, you will return to your lodge and enjoy dinner. Overnight stay at SCP Corcovado Wilderness Lodge.

After breakfast, you will take a day trip into Corcovado National Park with your local guide on a shared tour. Corcovado National Park has been cited by National Geographic as "one of the most biologically intense places on earth." Bilingual resident guides are well-versed about local flora and fauna. A 20-minute boat ride from the lodge will put you at the northern entrance to the park. Trails begin along pristine beaches, wind through deep rainforest, and follow riverbeds to magnificent waterfalls and swimming holes. This is a full-day tour including a picnic lunch, transportation to and from the lodge, and a local guide. Boas, scarlet macaws, reptiles, and several species of monkeys are creatures you may see. After the tour, you will return to your lodge and enjoy dinner. Overnight stay at SCP Corcovado Wilderness Lodge.

After breakfast, you will transfer by shared boat to the Drake Bay area. Upon arrival, your driver will be waiting to take you on a private land transfer to the Pacific Central, which should take no more than 3 hours. Manuel Antonio is characterized by white-sand beaches, cliffs, promontories, rivers, rainforests, and varied wildlife. Located on Costa Rica's Central Pacific Coast, Manuel Antonio remains one of the country's most popular beach destinations. Please note that the beaches within the national park are closed on Tuesdays. After checking into your hotel, the remainder of the day is at your leisure to relax and enjoy the beautiful Pacific coast surroundings. Overnight stay at Hotel Parador Resort & Spa.

After breakfast, you will take a leisurely hike with a Costa Rican naturalist guide through a biodiverse tropical rainforest at the Manuel Antonio National Park on a shared tour. During this nature walk, you will experience firsthand the beauty of one of Costa Rica's main parks while surrounded by abundant wildlife, including monkeys, sloths, birds, and butterflies. Your guide will help you spot and identify the diverse flora and fauna that make this park famous. Please remember to bring what you may need for the beach and swimming as you enter the park, and note that no food is allowed inside the park, though you may bring water. Included in this excursion are a bilingual naturalist guide, entrance fees, and a refreshing mixed fruit plate and natural fruit juice. This medium hike requires moderate physical condition. After your tour, you can spend the rest of the day enjoying the beach or relaxing at the resort. Overnight stay at Hotel Parador Resort & Spa.

Today is entirely yours to enjoy at leisure in the beautiful Manuel Antonio area, with no organized activities scheduled to allow you complete flexibility. You can rest and relax by the pool or beach or explore the local area. Overnight stay at Hotel Parador Resort & Spa.