Overview — Daily Itinerary — Places to Stay — Vlogs
Overview
A two-week Costa Rica itinerary. Highlights are birds, sloths, frogs, and turtle nesting. Stops include Sarapiquí, Arenal, Monteverde, Los Sueños and Tortuguero.
Daily Itinerary
Sat, August 10 — Arrival in Costa Rica
- Flights: AA1988 and AA1053, 3:34pm–10:08pm
Stay: Holiday Inn Express San Jose Costa Rica Airport, an IHG Hotel
Sun, August 11 — Poás, Tirimbina & La Paz
- 8:00am: Alamo car rental pickup
- Drive: 1 hour
- Poás Volcano National Park (2 hours)
- Must purchase ahead here
- Tirimbina Biological Reserve (2–3 hours)
- Drive: 2 hours
Stay: El Lugar Costa Rica Resort
Mon, August 12 — La Selva & Pineapple Tour
- 5:45am: La Selva Biological Station Early Birding Tour (2 hours)
- Pineapple Tour with Organic Paradise Tour (2 hours)
Stay: El Lugar Costa Rica Resort
Tue, August 13 — Nayara Tented Camp
- Drive: 1.5 hours
- Spend the afternoon at the hotel
Stay: Nayara Tented Camp
Wed, August 14 — Arenal & Night Tour
- Spend the morning at the hotel
- Místico Arenal Hanging Bridges
- 6:30pm: Ecocentro Danaus Night Tour (2 hours)
Stay: Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa
Thu, August 15 — Sloths, Hot Springs & Fortuna Waterfall
- 8:00am: Bogarin Trail Sloth Watching Guided Tour (2 hours)
- 11:15am: Ecocentro Danaus self-guided tour (1.5 hours)
- Titokú Hot Springs (included with the hotel)
Stay: Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa
Fri, August 16 — Monteverde
- Drive: 3 hours
- 2:00pm: Treetopia Park
Stay: Hotel Senda Monteverde
Sat, August 17 — Curi-Cancha & Monteverde Wildlife
- 6:30am: Curi-Cancha Reserve Bird Watching Tour (4.5 hours)
- Saw Resplendent Quetzal there
- Monteverde Hummingbird Gallery
- 5:30pm: Wildlife Refuge Monteverde Night Tour (2.5 hours)
- The tour was cancelled due to heavy rain.
Stay: Hotel Senda Monteverde
Sun, August 18 — Monteverde to Los Sueños
- Aguti Wildlife Reserve
- Monteverde Reserve
- Drive: 2.5 hours
Stay: HRG Condos at Los Sueños, HRG Vacation Rentals
Mon, August 19 — Carara & Crocodile River Tour
- 8:00am: Guided visit to Carara National Park through Viator (3 hours)
- Highlights including White-whiskered Puffbird, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Black-hooded Antshrike, Streaked-chested Antpitta, etc.
- Jose’s Crocodile River Tour (2 hours; 2:00pm or 4:00pm)
Stay: HRG Condos at Los Sueños, HRG Vacation Rentals
Tue, August 20 — Transfer to Tortuga Lodge
- Drive: 4.5 hours
- Boat transfer: 3:00pm–4:30pm (1.5 hours)
- Tortuguero National Park is only accessible by boat
Stay: Tortuga Lodge
Wed, August 21 — Tortuguero & Sea Turtle Nesting Tour
- Tortuguero National Park Boat Tour
- Sea turtle Nesting Night Tour
Stay: Tortuga Lodge
Thu, August 22 — Return from Tortuguero
- Boat transfer: 8:35am–10:00am (approximately 1.5 hours)
- Drive: 3 hours
- San Jose China Town
Stay: Buena Vista Chic Hotel
Fri, August 23 — Coffee Farm & Departure
- 9:00am: Starbucks Farm Tour at Hacienda Alsacia Visitor Center (1.5 hours)
- 12:00pm: Alamo car rental return
- Flights: AA946 and AA1200, 2:25pm–11:56pm
Places to Stay
- August 10: Holiday Inn Express San Jose Costa Rica Airport, an IHG Hotel
- August 11–12: El Lugar Costa Rica Resort
- August 13: Nayara Tented Camp
- August 14–15: Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa
- August 16–17: Hotel Senda Monteverde
- August 18–19: HRG Condos at Los Sueños, HRG Vacation Rentals
- August 20–21: Tortuga Lodge
- August 22: Buena Vista Chic Hotel