Coast to coast in Costa Rica

12 days - £1,203

Holiday Itinerary

Day 1: Your hotel in the centre of San José  is the efficient Don Carlos, once a presidential residence.

Days 2,3:  By road and boat to Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast, a protected wilderness area of mangrove swamp, lagoons and creeks.  The park is one of the best places on the continent for wildlife spotting, home to spider, howler and white-faced monkeys, three-toed sloths, river otters, caimans, iguanas, poison dart frogs and 320 species of birds. Stay at the excellent Tortuga Lodge, a rustic place with good facilities, from where your naturalist guides will take you on canoe trips through the rich tropical vegetation to get up close to the birds, mammals and reptiles.Turtles hatch on the beach here July-September.  Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Days 4,5  It is an adventurous trip by road and light aircraft up into the hills to Monteverde Lodge, shrouded in unsullied cloudforest.  It’s a lovely place to relax, with excellent views over the lush gardens. There’s a guided foray into the surrounding woodland, and many other optional activities available from the lodge, such as bird-watching, hikes and horse-riding. You have a good chance of spotting the jazzy Resplendent Quetzal here. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 6: Return to your hotel in San José for two nights.  Breakfast and lunch included.

Day 7:  A number of optional excursions beckon:  if you fancy a white-water adventure, you can raft the rapids on River Pacuare (suitable for beginners and experienced rafters alike), passing through glorious scenery choc-a-bloc with birds, butterflies and monkeys.  Or visit Poas volcano, where you can peer down into the crater. Breakfast included.

Days 8-10:  Fly to Puerto Jimenez on the Pacific coast. Corcovado National Park, on the Osa peninsula, is one of the most bio-diverse places on earth, another great opportunity to spot toucans, macaws, and howler monkeys. Stay at Hotel el Remanso, in simple cabins with hardwood furniture, and sample any of the many activities on offer, including canopy zip line, yoga, dolphin tours or even surfing off the sandy palm-lined beach. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day 11:  Fly back to San José and return to your hotel. Breakfast included.

Day 12: Transfer to airport. Breakfast included.