✈ COSTA RICA | San José - At the Heart of Nature: Jungle, Beaches and Volcanoes 3* - Self-driving tour

Included in this offer :

• A stay of 15 days and 14 nights in the specified accommodation or similar
• Meals as listed in the programme
• Flights departing from the city of your choice
• One-way airport/hotel transfer
• Excursions and visits mentioned in the programme
• Land and river transport to Tortuguero and admission to the national park
• Car hire from day 4 to day 15, type 4x4 Suzuki Vitara (or similar)
• Helpline available 24/7
• Welcome and assistance on arrival at the airport

✆ Any questions?

NEED HELP FINALISING YOUR BOOKING?

020 3318 2660
Everyday from 8am-8pm (Local rates apply)

From Abroad +44 20 3318 2660 International call rate

AT THE HEART OF NATURE: JUNGLE, BEACHES AND VOLCANOES

Your day-by-day itinerary:

Day 1: Arrival in San José

Day 2: San José - Tortuguero

Day 3: Tortuguero

Day 4: Tortuguero - South Caribbean Coast

Day 5: South Caribbean Coast

Day 6: South Caribbean Coast - Sarapiqui

Day 7: Sarapiqui - Arenal

Day 8: Arenal

Day 9: Arenal - Samara Beach

Day 10: Samara Beach

Day 11: Samara Beach - Monteverde

Day 12: Monteverde

Day 13: Monteverde - Manuel Antonio

Day 14: Manuel Antonio

Day 15: Manuel Antonio - Departure from San José

IMPORTANT: If you opt for the transport option, please select a flight arriving before 23:00 and a return flight departing after 13:00.

Note: The order of visits may be modified due to local constraints (travel time, weather conditions etc …) but all visits mentioned in the programme will be carried out.

Your detailed itinerary

DAY 1 | SAN JOSE

Welcome to Costa Rica!

You will be greeted by a local guide upon leaving the airport, followed by a transfer to your hotel. Your stay will begin with a first night in San José. Located at an altitude of 1,200 meters, the capital and its agglomeration gather half of the country's population. The city is situated within the central valley surrounded to the North by various volcanoes, such as Poas, Irazú, and Turrialba, as well as to the South by the Talamanca mountain range, which is the highest mountain range in Southern Central America.

Free dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Hotel: Hotel Aranjuez 4* (or similar)

IMPORTANT: If you opt for the package with transport, please make sure to select a flight arriving before 11pm and a return flight departing after 1pm.

DAY 2 | SAN JOSE - TORTUGUERO

Meet at the reception of your hotel with your local Spanish-English speaking driver and head towards the Tortuguero pier in a semi-collective transfer (3-hour drive, with only the guests who will be staying in the same lodge as you in Tortuguero). Arrive in the town of Guápiles and have breakfast in a local restaurant before taking a boat to Tortuguero National Park. You will wind your way through the canals in the heart of the tropical forest (1h30 by boat). Arrive at the lodge for lunch.

Tortuguero is Costa Rica's little Amazon, its intense tropical forest is home to an incredible fauna and flora, ensuring a total change of scenery. The Tortuguero site is part of the protection of wetlands resulting from the Ramsar convention with particular attention to the habitats of birds living in a marine environment. In the afternoon, you will discover the small Caribbean village of Tortuguero. Free late afternoon to enjoy the facilities and take a walk in the surroundings.

Dinner and overnight at the lodge.

Hotel: Evergreen Lodge 3* (or similar)

DAY 3 | TORTUGUERO

Breakfast at the lodge. During this day, you will enjoy a boat trip through the canals of Tortuguero Park to discover nature at its most awakening. Frequent stops to observe a wide variety of birds, monkeys, crocodiles and caimans... After this outing, return to your lodge. For the rest of the morning, take a stroll along the lodge's trails to discover its flora and fauna. Your guide will familiarize you with the inhabitants of this exuberant secondary forest (boots and ponchos available on site if necessary).

Return to the lodge in the late morning for lunch. Afternoon free to enjoy the lodge's facilities (swimming pool, ...) or optional activities on site: fishing, additional canal tour..

Dinner and overnight at the lodge

Hotel: Evergreen Lodge 3* (or similar)

DAY 4 | TORTUGUERO - SOUTH CARIBBEAN COAST

Breakfast at the lodge. Return to Guápiles by boat, followed by lunch at a local restaurant. The bus will then drop you off at the car rental agency for you to pick up your vehicle. Continue towards the South Caribbean coast (3-hour drive).

You will pass through Siquirres and the port city of Limón before reaching the seaside where the villages of Cahuita, Puerto Viejo, Manzanillo are located… A unique atmosphere awaits you in these small Caribbean fishing villages characterized by a multicultural vibe and calypso, reggae music from the Afro-Caribbean culture.

Dinner is at your leisure and overnight stay at the lodge.

Hotel: La Kukula Lodge 3* (or similar)

DAY 5 | SOUTH CARIBBEAN COAST

Breakfast at the lodge. In the morning, you will visit an animal shelter, the "Jaguar Rescue Center" with a local Spanish/English-speaking guide. During this visit, you'll get to know some of the center's temporary and permanent residents, and their stories. You'll also learn about the issues and problems of wildlife protection in Costa Rica. As the center receives no government aid, entrance fees charged for visits and income from the small souvenir store are its only source of revenue. Open Monday to Saturday, the center is closed on Sundays.

Continue your day by car to enjoy the beautiful beaches of the coast, discovering the Cahuita National Park or the Gandoca Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge, the latter located south of Puerto Viejo. From your hotel, either on foot or by renting a bike, take a dip in the warm Caribbean waters. Playa Chiquita, Playa Cocles or Playa Punta Uva await you. Between two sunbaths, take a relaxing break in one of the local restaurants and enjoy a refreshing drink.

Free meals and overnight at the lodge.

Hotel: La Kukula Lodge 3* (or similar)

DAY 6 | SOUTH CARIBBEAN COAST - SARAPIQUI

Breakfast at the lodge. Departure towards the North-East of the country to Sarapiquí, a rich agricultural region (pineapples, heart of palm, pejibaye, guanabana …) (4h drive). This is a stop on the way to Arenal, which not only breaks up the journey time but also offers numerous nature reserves, such as the La Selva Biological Station or La Tirimbina, with a variety of activities ranging from outdoor walking, sports activities or even agro-tourism.

Free meals and overnight at the lodge.

Hotel: Sarapiqui's Rainforest Lodge 3* (or similar)

DAY 7 | SARAPIQUI - ARENAL

Breakfast at the lodge. Today your journey takes you north of the country to La Fortuna, a town located at the foot of the Arenal Volcano (1h30 drive). Costa Rica is known to be home to about 116 volcanoes, among them and surely one of the most impressive is the Arenal Volcano. Despite its age of 7,500 years, it is rather well preserved as it is the youngest volcano in the country. Peaking at 1,630 meters, this stratovolcano has not been active since the end of 2010 but it delights photographers (when it is uncovered) as well as 'amateurs' or 'aficionados' of thermal waters.

Meals are not included and overnight stay at the lodge.

Hotel: Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge & Wildlife Refuge 3* (or similar)

DAY 8 | ARENAL

Breakfast at the lodge. That morning, enjoy a self-guided and unguided stroll on the suspended bridges. This will take place in the private natural reserve of 250Ha of primary tropical rainforest for an observation of fauna and flora at the canopy level. You can enjoy different viewpoints on the volcano. 3 km of easy trails, accessible to all. You will cross 15 bridges at different heights measuring from 5 to 100 meters.

Free meals and overnight at the lodge.

Hotel: Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge & Wildlife Refuge (or similar)

DAY 9 | ARENAL - PLAYA SAMARA

Breakfast at the lodge. Journey towards the beaches of Guanacaste, heading to the small seaside resort of Samara after passing through the village of Nicoya (4-hour drive). If you're in search of tranquillity, Playa Samara is perfect for you. This beach is lined with palm trees, and numerous animals live in the surrounding area. For instance, Cangrejal Bay has a reef that attracts rays and tropical fish. To the North, Playa Buena Vista is a nesting site for sea turtles. The mangroves of the Buena Vista estuary are home to crocodiles and herons. On Chora Island, you'll also see pink sand and sea birds. Less than a 10-minute drive away, Puerto Carillo has a vast wild beach with no buildings along the seafront.

Meals are not included and overnight stay at the lodge.

Hotel: Samara Pacific Lodge 3* (or similar)

DAY 10 | SAMARA

Breakfast at the lodge. You will have the opportunity to participate in numerous activities on site, or enjoy the large sandy beach of Playa Samara or Playa Carrillo, a neighbouring beach lined with palm trees. You can also explore the south of the Nicoya Peninsula, such as the small surfer villages of Nosara or Santa Teresa.

Meals are not included and overnight stay at the lodge.

Hotel: Samara Pacific Lodge 3* (or similar)

DAY 11 | SAMARA - MONTEVERDE

Breakfast at the lodge. Departure towards the locality of Monteverde on the slopes of the Tilarán mountain range, initially passing through the Pan-American highway and then a rather picturesque road (3 hours drive). Monteverde was founded in the mid-20th century by American Quakers who immigrated during the Vietnam War because they shared Costa Rica's pacifist values. It is a cloud forest nestled at 1,400 meters above sea level, constituting a small paradise for nature lovers offering an extraordinary diversity in its flora.

Free meals and overnight at the lodge.

Hotel: Cala Lodge 3* (or similar)

DAY 12 | MONTEVERDE

Breakfast at the lodge. Today, you can visit one of the many private reserves in the area or engage in another adventure activity in the cloud forest! The geographical, topographical, and climatic conditions of Monteverde have fostered astonishing biodiversity. In its forests, we find four 'ecological life zones', which give life to different ecosystems inhabited by hundreds of species of mammals, birds, butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, insects, and arachnids, as well as a wide variety of plants such as mosses, epiphytes, lianas, and common trees of the cloud forest.

Free meals and overnight at the lodge.

Hotel: Cala Lodge 3* (or similar)

DAY 13 | MONTEVERDE - MANUEL ANTONIO

Breakfast at the lodge. Your adventure then continues towards the centre of the Pacific coast. (4h drive) Ideally located, you will have easy access to all the activities in the area: among others, you are close to Marino Bahia Ballena National Park, Corcovado, and Manuel Antonio. Each of them is known for their great natural wealth. On the way, we recommend a short stop at the Tarcoles bridge to observe its impressive crocodiles.

Meals are not included and overnight at the hotel.

Hotel: Hotel Plaza Yara 3* (or similar)

DAY 14 | MANUEL ANTONIO

Hotel breakfast. A day to explore the Manuel Antonio region! Relax on the beach or by the pool, stroll through the national park, or head south to the Uvita region to explore the forest in search of a waterfall or board a boat to observe marine life!

Meals are not included and overnight at the hotel.

Hotel: Hotel Plaza Yara 3* (or similar)

DAY 15 | MANUEL ANTONIO - SAN JOSE

Hotel breakfast. Continue to Juan Santamaria International Airport for your return flight (3-hour drive). Return the vehicle to the rental agency near the airport. You will reach it thanks to a free shuttle.

IMPORTANT: If you opt for the transport package, please select a flight landing before 11pm and a return flight taking off after 1pm.

Your Accommodations

During your stay, you will be accommodated as follows:

San José: 1 night at the Hotel Aranjuez 3* (or similar)

Tortuguero: 2 nights at the Evergreen Lodge 3* (or similar)

Punta Cocles (South Caribbean coast): 2 nights at the Kukula Lodge 3* (or similar)

Sarapiqui: 1 night at the Sarapiqui's Rainforest Lodge 3* (or similar)

Arenal: 2 nights at the Arenal Oasis Ecolodge 3* (or similar)

Playa Samara: 2 nights at the Samara Pacific Lodge 3* (or similar)

Monteverde: 2 nights at the Cala Lodge 3* (or similar)

Manuel Antonio: 2 nights at the Hotel Plaza Yara 3* (or similar)

Your pensions

As part of this offer, you will benefit from the programme as follows:

From day 2 to day 15, breakfasts are included.

From day 2 to day 3, in Tortuguero, the full board offer (excluding drinks) including breakfasts, lunches, and dinners is included.

On day 4, lunch is included. Dinner is at your discretion.

From day 5 to day 14, lunches and dinners are at your discretion.

Your car rental

Your stay includes rental of a 4x4 Suzuki Vitara (or similar) for 11 days, from day 4 around 1.30pm to day 15.

Car rental includes:

• Unlimited mileage
• Compulsory basic insurance
• GPS or WIFI device

Car rental does not include:

• Additional vehicle insurance (excess in case of theft, damage or accident)
• Vehicle fuel, parking and toll charges
• Additional drivers
• Pick-up and drop-off charges outside confirmed times and locations
• Child and baby seats
• Any guarantee deposit not mentioned in “rental includes”

Car rental conditions:

• Minimum driver age: 21
• Driving license: must be valid at the time of vehicle pick-up

Please note:

• On Day 4, the meeting point for vehicle pick-up will be at the restaurant after lunch (approx. 1:30pm). The representative will arrive with the vehicle.
• On day 15, you'll need to go to the Belen rental office, near the airport, to return your vehicle. A shared shuttle will take you to the airport.
• Credit card only for surcharges (VISA or MASTERCARD or AMERICAN EXPRESS). The credit card must be in the driver's name. Debit cards are not accepted.
• On the day you pick up your vehicle, the rental company will ask you to sign a rental contract. We cannot be held responsible for any supplements added when the rental contract is signed.
• The type of vehicle varies according to the number of passengers:
  4x4 Suzuki Vitara (or similar) for 2 to 5 passengers. For larger numbers, another vehicle can be hired.
• The model shown on this page is an example and cannot be guaranteed. Similar models can be supplied.
• All surcharges paid locally are subject to local taxes.

Good to know

If you are travelling alone, you will be asked to pay a surcharge for a single room. This additional charge will be automatically included in your quote.

Child rates will be applied for children from 2 to 12 years old in the case where the child shares the room with two adults. If the child is travelling with just one adult, the surcharge may be applied on an adult basis. If your child or children do not fit into the age group mentioned above, the rate will be communicated to you at the time of processing your order. If the room is equipped with a bunk bed, the bed height is not suitable for children under 6 years of age.

For safety reasons, the wellbeing facilities of most establishments are not accessible to children under 16 years old. Similarly, it is possible that some amenities or services require an additional charge or are unavailable for exceptional reasons.

Unless otherwise stated in the service description, activities and any additional services available at destination, are provided in the language of the destination country and in English.

The opening times and hours of the activities, restaurants and bars are provided as an indication only and may be subject to change. Contact the reception desk in order to be informed of any changes.

Appropriate dress is required. We remind you that gambling may involve risks of isolation, indebtedness, and dependency...

Any additional special requirements the traveller may request which are not included in the travel service description will be communicated to our service provider. Sending this information does not imply acceptance and PerfectStay.com cannot be held responsible for the fulfilment of these special requests. Only the service provider of PerfectStay.com can access this request on location and any additional costs may be paid locally by the traveller.

Unless expressly stated in the description of the services and accommodation, the hotel is not suitable for people with reduced mobility.

Transportation

Choose an offer and, according to your preferences, opt for a seat in economy, business or first class.

See the 'View flight info' section for details on each trip.

In order to best organise your time in the airport, we advise that you arrive 2 hours before boarding for a medium-haul flight, or 3 hours before boarding for a long-haul flight (more than 5 hours). Take advantage of your early arrival to pass through security and check your luggage.

You will be informed whether or not luggage is included at the time of your booking.

You will have the opportunity to add additional luggage for a fee.

There are several different cities that are typically offered as departure points. Your arrival destination will show in your travel documents.

Depending on the flight schedule, some arrivals or returns may be made at night with early arrival or late departure. You will not always be able to have your room available immediately and will need to refer to the check-in and check-out conditions of the hotel.

In the event that your transfer is not included in your hotel reservation, it may be offered at the time of your reservation as an additional option. Unless specifically mentioned, transfers may be made in groups of 15 to 55 people.

Important: the modification or the cancellation of a booking is only possible within the limits and including the fees outlined in our general conditions of sale.

Thank you for kindly taking note of the CO2 emissions produced by your means of transport: http://eco-calculateur.aviation-civile.gouv.fr

Formalities

The following details apply to any British citizen who, during a trip sold by PerfectStay goes to a foreign country. The following is a resource directing you to information related to your travel formalities (identification documents, vaccines, VISA, safety, travel advice, etc.), and may be subject to change. Please note that Brexit negotiations are likely to include travel document modifications, therefore please regularly check most updated information. Please see official resource for British citizens wishing to travel:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

The official UK Foreign Travel site has updates on safety and security, including incidents such as pickpocketing and robbery, along with larger incidents such as measuring the risk of terrorism.
Detailed country by country here:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice

If you are travelling with minors, please be sure to verify whether or not you will require a consent: https://www.gov.uk/permission-take-child-abroad

Please note that these details serve as a guiding resource in order to ensure that you have access to important information in order to pursue the necessary travel formalities required before travelling abroad with PerfectStay. Please note that PerfectStay will not engage in obtaining travel documents for you, such as visas, and you are solely responsible for knowing the potential health risks you may face in the course of your travels for which you may require vaccinations or medications. PerfectStay is not responsible for ensuring your travel formalities are properly undertaken and will only act as an intermediary directing you to resources which have been known to provide reliable information concerning travel formalities specific to British citizens.

VACCINE

For information concerning travel health requirements (vaccinations, health risks, etc.) please see the following resources:
https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries
https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations.aspx
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/travel-vaccinations/

VISA

For the latest information on which travel documents (visas, passports, etc.) British citizens will require by destination, please see the following resources:
https://visacentral.co.uk/visa-quick-check
https://www.passportindex.org/comparebyPassport.php?p1=uk&fl=&s=yes
https://www.travisa.com/Visa_Search

IDENTITY

Please be sure to verify that your necessary Identification documents (passport and/or ID card dependent upon the country to which you will be travelling) have valid expiration dates, i.e. verify your ID documents have not yet expired. Also, be sure to remember to bring these necessary documents with you. It is also recommended to make copies of all travel documents in the event of an emergency.

Travel documents

Once your reservation has been made, you will receive a confirmation e-mail before your travel documents are sent.

Regarding the transport documents (in the case of a reservation with transport included), we will provide you with all the information relating to check-in and luggage in the "Your travel documents" email, allowing you to leave with peace of mind.

To take advantage of all your reserved services (hotels, transfers, activities, etc.), you will receive one or more exchange vouchers to be presented to each supplier.

The contact details of the establishment will be specified in these documents, to help make your arrival at your destination as straight-forward as possible.

✆ Any questions?

NEED HELP FINALISING YOUR BOOKING?

020 3318 2660
Everyday from 8am-8pm (Local rates apply)

From Abroad +44 20 3318 2660 International call rate