Off the beaten path

A full first day: a complete tour of a coffee plantation on the slopes of Poás—from red cherry to cup, including roasting and tasting—followed by a typical lunch and a stop in Grecia and Sarchí, home of the famous painted carts. The road then climbs into the Tilarán mountain range to Monteverde, where you sleep in an eco-lodge on the edge of the cloud forest.

Optional tonight: guided outing to discover nocturnal wildlife, flashlight provided (fee on-site).

Morning exploration of a large reserve Monteverde (Curi-Cancha, Santa Elena, or Monteverde depending on conditions): orchids, mosses, over 400 species of birds, and—if the forest is willing—the quetzal. At the end of the day, stop at a hummingbird garden, a guaranteed ballet around the feeders.

Optional in the afternoon: suspension bridges over the canopy and/or zip lines (fees payable locally).

Scenic drive along Lake Arenal, with rhythmic stops: viewpoints, craft stalls, lakeside cafes, and impromptu stops whenever a coati, monkey, or toucan appears by the roadside. In the late afternoon, settle into a charming hotel at the foot of the volcano. Arenal, relaxation by the pool or a guided nature walk.

Tonight's optional activity: volcano-heated thermal baths (included in some hotels on the tour, otherwise a fee applies on site).

Morning on the trails of the national park's volcano sector Arenal, between old lava flows and viewpoints on the cone: your guide will tell you about past eruptions, current dormancy, and the life recolonizing the rock. Costa Rican lunch at a small farm on the other side, followed by a visit to its crops and biomass digester — sustainable Costa Rica in practice. Free late afternoon: pool, gardens, or a trip to La Fortuna.

Early morning departure to the Caribbean lowlands, breakfast en route in Guápiles, then boarding at the dock of La Pavona: a one-hour boat ride through rivers and canals to reach your lodge Tortuguero, accessible only by water or air. In the afternoon, visit the village, nestled between the lagoon and the Caribbean Sea, and return along the beach.

From July to October, optional: night observation of sea turtle nesting (fees payable on site).

Morning and late afternoon boat safaris in national park Tortuguero Ambush caimans, howler monkeys, sloths, kingfishers—you never know what the next bend in the river holds. Between excursions, the lodge offers a swimming pool, forest trails, and a frog garden.

Return navigation to La Pavona, then a drive through the immense forest of Braulio Carrillo National Park, with a buffet lunch along the way. Arrival at San Jose late in the afternoon — the first half of the journey is over; the wilder part begins tomorrow.

Morning ascent to Irazu Volcano, Costa Rica's highest peak at 3,432m: five craters, a sulfurous lake with changing hues, and, on a clear day, both oceans in the same panorama. Typical lunch, then crossing the high plateaus of the Talamanca mountain range and a spectacular descent to the Dota Valley: at San Gerardo de Dota, Your eco-lodge borders the Savegre River, in the heart of the cloud forest. First birdwatching walk with the guide.

Waking to the hum of hummingbirds, then setting off with binoculars in hand on the trails of San Gerardo de Dota Your guide will follow local tracker instructions to lead you to the latest observed quetzal nesting sites. In the afternoon, hike along the river to the waterfall, passing giant bamboo and tree ferns. Enjoy a cozy evening at the lodge, at an altitude of 2,200 meters.

Descent from the mountain range via the heights of Cerro de la Muerte, then road to the village of Sierpe: from there, you embark for the river descent through the mangrove, reaching Drake Bay, on the Osa Peninsula. Disembark directly onto the beach, sandals recommended! Two nights in a charming rustic inn: simple comfort, but a location that large hotels can never offer.

At 7 AM, boat transfer to Sirena or San Pedrillo station in the national park of Corcovado — one of the densest biodiversity sanctuaries on the planet. Guided hikes between the beach and primary forest: scarlet macaws, quetzals, peccaries, anteaters, and, for the lucky ones, tapirs. Return to Drake in the mid-afternoon for a westward sunset over the Pacific.

Boat trip back on the Sierpe River — last chances to observe mangrove wildlife — then coastal road towards the national park Manuel Antonio. Guided tour to meet capuchin monkeys, squirrel monkeys, and three-toed sloths, between superb beaches and dense forest. In the evening, settle into a hotel on the seafront in the Tárcoles region.

Two hours of peaceful cruising on the Guacalillo estuary and the Tárcoles River, at the gates of Carara National Park: one of the world's largest colonies of American crocodiles, herons, spoonbills, and the inseparable scarlet macaws. Lunch upon return, followed by an afternoon of relaxation between the beach and the pool — you've earned it.

Return route to San Jose with a stop at the Tárcoles River bridge for a final farewell to the crocodiles and, if time permits, a short guided tour of the capital. Transfer to the airport for a flight departing after 3 p.m. — or extend your trip with a beach or nature extension by Toucan.