Private Journeys

Off the beaten track Costa Rica: National parks and private reserves

12 days

Costa Rica

Places visited

Print dossier

Overview & Highlights

A Costa Rica wildlife and relaxation holiday with a difference: get off the beaten track and explore less-visited, but equally beguiling spots with excellent small eco-lodges.

For decades Costa Rica has been a leading light in conservation, and as a result over a quarter of its territory is given over to well managed national parks and private nature reserves. Many of the parks are popular and much visited, with many facilities of all kinds for tourists, all of which provides for a very different experience from the remote wilderness adventure that many wildlife enthusiasts are hoping for.

So for this holiday we have selected a few of our favourite parks and reserves which, although situated in stunning locations, don’t have the infrastructure to receive hoards of visitors. Among them are Carara National Park and the rugged hills and beaches close to Ojochal. Accommodation is in delightful rustic eco-lodges, usually small and family-run, which offer the opportunity to understand how real life is lived in these bucolic areas. Again, we’ve picked out the best. At these lodges you’ll have the opportunity to participate in optional or included activities, anything from crocodile spotting to coffee tours.

Please note (Jan 2022): Not all lodges featured in this holiday are currently accepting guests. Your Travel Expert will be happy to suggest alternatives.

Guided excursion in Carara National Park and Rio Tarcoles crocdile spotting
Guided excursions and activities at Santa Juana Lodge
Guided excursion to spot quetzals in San Gerardo de Dota forests
Whale-watching at Uvita (depending on season)

THE UK’S NO. 1 SPECIALIST IN TRAVEL TO LATIN AMERICA

Charlotte Daubeney

Travel Expert

Talk to our experts

Outline itinerary

Day 1

Transfer from the airport to your countryside lodge.

Day 2

Guided discovery of the Carara National Park and crocodile spotting on Rio Tarcoles.

Day 3

Transfer to Santa Juana Lodge inland from the Pacific coast.

Day 4

Activities from the lodge.

Day 5

Transfer to Trogon Lodge close to San Gerado de Dota.

Day 6

Guided activities from the lodge.

Day 7

Transfer to Ojochal area.

Day 8

Activities from the lodge

Day 9

Travel north up the coast to Dominical and Playa Uvita.

Day 10

Free time on the beach or explore the area.

Day 11

Transfer to San José.

Day 12

Transfer to the airport for your international flight.

View full itinerary

Things to do

We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.

CostaRica_CostaRicanPacificcoast_Carara_ShutterStock-2

Rio Tarcoles crocodile experience

COS_ResplendentQuetzal_shutterstock_193860626_freewithcredit

Spot quetzals in the cloud forest

Zip line in the Costa Rican jungle

COS _OsaPeninsula_ChestnutBilledToucan_MN_free

Visit the national parks and private reserves

Go snorkelling at Osa Peninsula

Accommodation

Browse our unrivalled portfolio of accommodation . Every option has been carefully chosen by our team of travel experts, so you can rest assured that you’ll relax in utter comfort.

Costa Rica / Savegre valley and Chirripo foothills

Trogon Lodge

Costa Rica / Pacific coast

Yaba Chigui Lodge

Costa Rica / Pacific coast

La Cusinga Ecolodge

Itinerary Essentials

What our clients say

“One of my favourite moments on the trip was in Trinidad, listening to the music and dancing with the locals – with the tour leader’s guidance or walking around Havana,…

KSM, Luxembourg
An excellent trip covering many of the key historical, geographical and political sites, and providing insight into a rapidly changing country. Go before it changes irrevocably.

DW, London
There were many wonderful memories. Iguacu was amazing and Machu Picchu was intriguing. Landscapes were fascinating & the people were friendly. Lovely to see the colourful costumes & markets.

JP, Nottingham
This trip was an unqualified success. The hotels were charming , the itinerary sensible , the excursions interesting , and the guide was the best possible person to ensure an…

PK, London
This was a trip to remember. I have a brilliant overview of this enormous country. And was pleased to visit it before tourism takes a hold. Our brilliant tour leader…

RP, Matlock
Cartagena - perfect mix of history, culture, nightlife and beach lazing. Colombian people very friendly and genuinely seemed delighted that we visited their country.

NG, Leyland

0 1 2 3 4 5

Our Expert's Opinion

Charlotte Daubeney Travel Expert Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

Get in touch Meet our experts

Inspired by this trip

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

Inspired by this trip

Papagaio

Your edit for Latin American inspiration

View Extraordinary Inspiration

View Extraordinary Inspiration
Destination Guides

48 hours in… San José
Learn more

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

Get in touch Meet our experts

Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!
Sally Dodge - Travel Expert

A former Journey Latin America tour leader, Sally spent 7 years working, travelling and living throughout Latin America before returning to the UK to help people arrange their own adventures to this wonderful destination.
Sophie Barber - Travel Expert

Sophie lived in Chile before joining us and has travelled extensively across Latin America, from Mexico to the furthest tip of Patagonia and beyond to Antarctica.
Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.
Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.
Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.