Celebrating Costa Rica’s remarkable ecological diversity, this luxurious, 8-day adventure will immerse you in a land of butterflies, birds, wilderness, and wildlife. In Costa Rica, trails meander through the ancient cloud forest, natural adventures stretch across volcanic slopes, monkeys and sloths peer from trees, and indigenous Indian communities preserve their traditions. Luxuriate in ancient landscapes and discover a natural world that has hardly changed in millions of years.
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
San Jose – Costa Rican Culture
After landing at the country’s main international airport, you will be transferred to an upmarket lodge on the city’s outskirts. This afternoon, you will be guided around the old city center and through suburbs of grand colonial mansions to small squares where locals gather each afternoon. You will indulge in a tour of an excellent museum that showcases pre-Columbian civilization. When the afternoon heat fades away, the locals really come out, creating a lively atmosphere in some parts of San Jose. You can grab a drink with your guide and feel this local energy before an evening of entertaining and dining at a small restaurant that is located high above the city.
What's Included:
Day 2
Arenal – Resident Wildlife
Day 3
Arenal Volcano – Eco-Friendly Activities
Day 4
Monteverde – Preserving Indigenous Culture
Day 5
Monteverde – Ancient Cloud Forest Biological Reserve
Day 6
Manuel Antonio National Park – Jungle Ecology
Day 7
Manuel Antonio National Park – A Morning With Wildlife
Day 8
Manuel Antonio National Park – Departure
Trip Highlights
- Experience sloths and monkeys along the vibrant jungle trails of Manuel Antonio National Park
- Immerse yourself with an indigenous Indian community and see how ecological tourism is helping to preserve their long-standing traditions
- Luxuriate in natural hot springs and soothe your muscles after an Arenal volcano adventure
- Meander through the ancient Monteverde cloud forest, which is one of the world’s oldest ecological reserves
- Experience a dazzling variety of natural biodiversity from rainforest birds to butterflies and bizarre flora
- Choose your natural adventure in Arenal, including hikes and white-water rafting
- Lay back upon magnificent Costa Rican beaches and watch the sunset over the Pacific
- Conservationist guides will show you how Costa Rica is preserving its ancient landscapes from volcanic slopes to some of the world’s most biodiverse forests
Detailed Description
Costa Rica’s natural diversity is staggering. Tiny rainforests are home to 3% of the world’s entire biodiversity, and more than 200 bird species fly around a single cloud forest. In Costa Rica, you can roam across ancient volcanos, ascend into a world above the clouds, feel jungle enchantment, and sprawl across the sand. This eco-tour will immerse you in Costa Rica’s unique places, where rare wildlife will provide you with a charming soundtrack, and iconic landscapes will help you connect with an ancient world.
Preserving space has been essential to preserving Costa Rica’s ecology. The country has been a pioneer in keeping the wilderness wild, and a huge proportion of the land is sectioned off as national parks and private reserves. Preserving space has been integral to maintaining both wildlife and culture here. Monkeys and butterflies have a place to thrive along with indigenous Indian communities that have been preserving their own traditions for years. Space also means serenity, and in Costa Rica, you can find your own place of silence. Eco is a phrase that is readily thrown around all over Central America. An eco-sotour is not just about the ecology that you will help to preserve, but it is a rare and exclusive journey to the special places that the human world is yet to entirely penetrate.
Eco does not mean roughing it because this Costa Rican vacation is handcrafted with a selection of luxurious lodges, which are establishments that provide luxury within the country’s mesmerizing landscapes. Location is key, and you will have a perfect view over Arenal, sleep inside the cloud forest, and stay at the enthralling border between the jungle and the beach. These small-scale lodges empower local communities and help them maintain nature’s space. Local people are the gatekeepers to these lands, and during this journey, you will connect with them, including a morning with an indigenous Indian community on the Northern Plains. You will also have the opportunity to see how your visit makes a difference in keeping Costa Rica pure.
You will fly to San Jose, where you will spend the first day in Costa Rica’s capital, easing into your vacation while exploring some of the local cultures. Wildlife encounters at La Paz Waterfall Gardens will then make for a charming experience on your way to Arenal, where natural hot springs can be found in the garden of your lodge. With a day and a half in the Arenal area, you can customize a program of activities to your liking, including hiking, rafting, biking, waterfalls, and hot springs. While Arenal is Costa Rica’s most famous destination, your guide will lead you off the main trails to places of solitude, where you can experience Pura Vida at its finest.
From Arenal, it will be a short road transfer into the Monteverde cloud forest, and your lodge will be located above the clouds. On your way to Monteverde, you will meet with an Indian community to see how cultural history is being preserved through tourism. Then, after the Monteverde canopy and hiking trails, you will finish this Costa Rica eco tour in Manuel Antonio National Park. Wildlife fills the park, and you can find an eclectic array of wildlife, including different monkey species, incredibly rare birds, butterflies, and sloths.
The national park will provide adventure, especially when your guides lead you away from the main trails. Just like Monteverde and Arenal, immersion in nature also means immersion in the reposeful atmosphere. You can drift away from the modern world and feel the escapism of a Costa Rican vacation. Beaches will provide downtime, and your lodge will preserve your feeling of privacy. With Arenal, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio, you will be exploring the very best of Costa Rica. This is a vacation that is not only about the places that you will see and the biodiversity that you will help to preserve, but the feeling of escape that synonymous with the country’s Pura Vida lifestyle.
Starting Price
$2,400 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
The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.91 stars based on 721 reviews.
We had a near-perfect experience, I would highly recommend Zicasso's tour company.
Reviewed By Zach O.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
