Arenal volcano in central Costa Rica at sunrise

Best of Costa Rica Vacation: Volcanoes, Hot Springs, Cloud Forest, and Beaches

Ratings of Zicasso's Service
Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

Costa Rica

Places Visited

Arenal, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio National Park, San Jose

Suggested Duration

9 Days

Discover the reasons why vacationing in Costa Rica is so popular on this customizable experience spent exploring the unforgettable scenery. Scour the trees for toucans and scarlet macaws perching in the canopy, and walk with the rare Blue Morpho in a garden dedicated to the preservation of the Costa Rica’s vibrant butterflies. Wander through lava fields and soothe your body in relaxing hot springs, embrace the excitement of finding waterfalls, and find the thrill of flying on a zip line. From...

Customizable Itinerary

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Trip Highlights

  • Bask in the comforts of luxurious accommodation across the various microclimates and fascinating landscapes of Costa Rica
  • Glide above the jungle canopy to enjoy the thrill of soaring and views of wildlife in action while zip-lining
  • Float down the Peñas Blancas River on a relaxing raft excursion to search for crocodiles, tortoises, monkeys, and countless species of birds
  • Learn how to make perfect, velvety and dark Costa Rican chocolate during a guided tour of a coffee plantation
  • Explore the cycle of the Costa Rican scenery with a privately guided hike through Arenal Volcano National Park to view forest, plains, and lava fields
  • Discover the splendor of the Cloud Forest on hanging bridges and tour butterfly gardens in search of the majestic and unique flora and fauna
  • Dig your toes into the pristine powder white sand of Manuel Antonio National Park while on the trails that connect rainforest to shoreline
  • Enjoy a scenic horseback ride across plains and farms before following trails on foot to reach the secluded Tocori Waterfalls

Detailed Description

Your Costa Rica vacation immerses you in picture-perfect scenery on a 9-day tour, allowing you to embrace beaches, mountains, and volcanoes. Your vacation begins with your arrival at Juan Santamaria International Airport in San Jose where your private transfer greets you and escorts you from the airport to Arenal, a celebrated region known for its natural hot springs. Enjoy the luxury of your resort hotel and spend time in the beautiful thermal springs. The following day, your guide greets you in the hotel lobby and leads you on a remarkable tour of Arenal Volcano National Park where you will walk along lava fields and discover the flora supported by the mineral-rich soil. The next day, you will set out on the waters of the Peñas Blancas River and enjoy a tranquil rafting excursion where you will search for crocodiles and sloths, spoonbills and hawks before returning to your hotel. In the morning, you travel across Lake Arenal on a boat for a fabulous scenic ride to the opposite sides of the humanmade lake. Your jeep transfer takes you into the gorgeous Cloud Forest of Monteverde in time for a sunset hike. With your guide by your side, you will search for the unique fauna of the highlands that emerge at night.

The following day, you wander along the hanging bridges of the Tree Top Walkways. Visit the butterfly and hummingbird gardens to accentuate the wonder of the natural life found within the cloud forest. In the afternoon, you visit a coffee, sugar, and chocolate plantation to learn about the process of harvesting and cultivating the coveted treats. Your private transfer greets you at the hotel the next day and escorts you to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Central Pacific. Stop en route for a magnificent zip line tour allowing you travel across one of the longest zip lines in Costa Rica.

Your journey continues as your private guide leads you on a fantastic tour of the primary and secondary forest of the national park before taking you along the pristine, white beaches. Mount a horse for an unforgettable tour passing through plains, farms, and forest. Follow the trails on foot to reach the Tocori Waterfalls, where you can enjoy a refreshing pineapple in the calming scenery. On your final day, you return to Juan Santamaria International Airport by private transfer to check in for your flight home.

Starting Price

$2,700 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service

4.91 stars based on 718 reviews.

Costa Rica Vacation Review: Arenal, Wildlife, Photo Opportunities,...

We celebrated my daughter's high school graduation with a 12-day trip to Costa Rica. I interviewed several local travel agencies and fell in love with Zicasso's tour company from the very first phone conversation. The owner was fantastic to work with, helping me craft the perfect adventure-filled, action-packed vacation for my family. He was honest and took the time to listen to our preferences. He provided great feedback and suggestions.

Prior to our trip, I felt very confident that I was in good hands and knew that every detail was taken care of. During our trip, the company owner checked in with me several times to make sure everything was ok. Unfortunately, someone in my family had to go home early and he was so helpful in coordinating an extra trip to the airport to accommodate our family needs (it required an extra nine hours of driving and a hotel stay for the driver).

The company owner and our agent were generous enough to not charge me for this extra trip. They even canceled all the hotel and activity reservations for that family member, and I received a refund at the end of my trip! It truly was a trip of a lifetime. I found myself thinking, I wish there was a travel company like this for every country because I would use them again to plan my next vacation, wherever it may be!

I also want to give a special shoutout to my driver, who drove my family on several long road trips during our vacation. During our drives, he would spot many interesting animals and birds, and stop on the side of the road so we could get out and get great pictures. Some of my best close-up opportunities to look at animals occurred while in the car. He talked about the agriculture, the school system, and the different rainforests. He even bought plantain chips from the side of the road and shared them with my family. Even though his job was to drive us from point A to point B, I felt his knowledge and his ability to spot animals was better than many of the tour guides we had on the trip. He really cared about Costa Rica and was excited to show us all it had to offer.

I highly recommend this travel company. And ask for our driver to drive you around; you won't be disappointed.

Reviewed By caroline C.

Costa Rica Trip Review: 8 Nights

We used a Zicasso travel expert to plan our trip. The trip was absolutely fabulous and the service was very easy to use. We would definitely use them again.

Reviewed By Allison A.

Costa Rica Trip Review: Isla Chiquita, 1 Week

Zicasso's travel company was very attentive and followed up with us throughout the trip to make sure we were doing well. We had an awesome time and would recommend them to anyone planning a trip to Costa Rica

Reviewed By Tara I.

Costa Rica Travel Review: Catamaran Trip, Ziplining, National...

Everything was arranged thoughtfully, with time for "adventures" and downtime at terrific resorts to relax. All pick-ups, travel by limo, and drop-offs went as arranged. The drivers, guides, and hotel staff were all very pleasant and kind. Zicasso's tour operator did a great job planning our eight-day, family-of-10 trip to Costa Rica! We appreciated that most tours, hikes, and ocean experiences were small groups of just our group of 10. This made it a personal and annoyance-free experience all around. Thanks!

Reviewed By Lolli H.

Costa Rica Vacation Review: Family Time, 8 Nights

The Zicasso tour company was very accommodating. They put together a great itinerary and when we wanted to add something, it was no problem.

Reviewed By David M.

Costa Rica Trip Review: Private Driver, Culture, 9 Nights...

We had an unbelievably great trip! Everything went smoothly, was already lined up by Zicasso's tour company, and communication was excellent. The private drivers between locations were excellent and very informative. We could not have asked for a better experience!

Reviewed By JESSICA V.

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