Costa Rica Wildlife Beach Self Drive Holiday » Itinerary

You are met on arrival in San Jose and driven to your boutique hotel overlooking the Central Valley. Free evening to relax.

Free day to relax at the hotel, which has two swimming pools, an orchid house, a spa and a network of self-guided trails leading to a waterfall.

Travel by road and boat to the flooded forests of Tortuguero, on the Caribbean coast. Wander through the village and visit the small school for a slice of local colour.

Explore the narrow river channels of the flooded forest today for the chance of seeing a host of wildlife, including monkeys, caiman, river otter and toucans.

Return by boat to the dock at Tortuguero then continue by road to Guapiles for lunch. Afterwards pick up your hire car and set off driving independently to Bosque de Paz cloudforest, where you stay for two nights.

Free day to explore the fascinating flora and fauna of the cloudforest. The lodge has a a system of self-guided trails running through the forest.

Drive from Bosque de Paz to Arenal today to stay two nights in a hotel with a good view of the live volcano. On a clear night the glowing lava flows are particularly impressive against the night sky.

Free day to explore the Arenal area. Local attractions include canopy tours and guided walks in the forest, or you could just relax in the local hot springs.

Take the scenic road around the north shore of Lake Arenal today, then north to the tropical dry forests of Rincon de la Vieja. Stay two nights at a hacienda near the park.

Explore the national park today by foot or on horseback to see bubbling mud pots, fumaroles and the active Rincon de la Vieja volcano.

Drive southwest to the Pacific coast today to stay four nights near the golden sand beaches of Nosara.

Free day to relax at the beach. Tours through the mangrove forest on the edge of Playa Nosara are available locally.

Free day to relax at one of the local beaches, Playa Nosara, Playa Pelada or Playa Guiones.

Another free day to relax at the beach, or perhaps visit the nearby Ostional Wildlife Refuge.

Free morning at the beach before driving back to San Jose. Drop off your hire car at the hotel this evening and relax.

Transfer to the airport in plenty of time to check-in for your flight home.