Northern Costa Rica

Costa Rican Highlights
See the bubbling 6,285-foot-high Rincón de La Vieja Volcano, ride a horse to the cooling hacienda’s waterfalls, kayak on Arenal’s pristine lake, make your way up to Costa Rica’s Cloud Forest in Monteverde, and see cows, horses, and cowboys in Guanacaste.
RECENT TOUR DIARIES:
April 16, 2022 - April 23, 2022
June 20, 2019 - June 27, 2019
June 3, 2019 - June 10, 2019
Learn more
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Day 1 Hola Rincón de La Vieja
Meet your tour director, travel to Rincón de la Vieja & check into hotel
Day 2 Rincón de La Vieja National Park
Optional  Canopy zipline tour  $50
Horseback ride
Details: Horseback ride
Accompanied by knowledgeable guides, ride on gentle horses that know the way through this blessed land. On this journey, nature is at your fingertips, as you ride through the forest and its surroundings, passing through rivers, with views of the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano. For safety reasons, weight restrictions apply to this activity.
Day 3 Rincón de La Vieja--Arenal
Rincón de La Vieja Volcano Park visit
Travel to Arenal
Hot springs visit
Details: Rincón de La Vieja Volcano Park visit
The vaporous clouds of this area were once said to hide a witch, a local princess whose angered father had thrown her husband into the volcano. The devastated princess retreated into the volcano’s shadow, where she spent the rest of her life concocting spells for the town’s residents. The volcano’s name, “The Nook of the Old Woman,” comes from this legend. View this haunting landscape of bubbling craters as you approach this 6,285-foot-high, very active volcano.
Details: Hot springs visit
Let the volcanoes take you away. At Arenal’s hot springs, bubbling lava fields heat the waters to make nature’s own jacuzzi.
Day 4 Arenal--Monteverde
Arenal Volcano and 1968 lava trails hike
Lake Arenal kayaking tour
Travel to Monteverde
Details: Arenal Volcano and 1968 lava trails hike
Hike through historical lava trails from the 1968 Arenal Volcano eruption that covered most of the surrounding rainforest. Enjoy impressive views of the volcano along the way.
Details: Lake Arenal kayaking tour
Glide along the still waters reflecting the perfect cone of Arenal Volcano and the surrounding rolling hills. Lake Arenal, the country's largest, is also among its most scenic, and the area has become popular area to kayak, windsurf, sail, fish, and hike. For safety reasons, weight restrictions apply to this activity.
Details: Travel to Monteverde
Because of its humidity and latitude, the entire city of Monteverde can disappear in a second under a massive cloud cover. Founded by Quakers in 1951, the city boasts the best in Costa Rican creatures. Observe a proud display of howler monkeys, revered quetzals and native frogs in the dense cover of the cloud forest.
Day 5 Monteverde landmarks
Santa Elena Biological Reserve visit
Monteverde Cloud Forest reserve night walk
Details: Santa Elena Biological Reserve visit
Get your spider monkey fix as you climb into the clouds. The Santa Elena Reserve reaches high into the atmosphere, bringing the cloudy mists into its lush forests and letting you see all the way to the Arenal Volcano.
Details: Monteverde Cloud Forest reserve night walk
Step into the Monteverde Cloud Forest and be transported to the lush world of the Costa Rican rainforest. The towering trees, abundant shrubs and vibrant flowers create a luscious oasis for a huge array of animals, including jaguars, toucans and monkeys.
Day 6 Monteverde--Guanacaste
Travel to Guanacaste
Palo Verde boat tour
Travel to Papagayo Gulf
Free time on Guanacaste Beach
Details: Travel to Guanacaste
Mosey on through Costa Rica’s “Old West.” Cows, horses, and sabaneros (Costa Rican cowboys) ride across the sun-struck landscape of this arid region. Seek out the local Guancaste tree, whose oddly shaped seedpods have given it the name “Monkey Ear Tree.”
Details: Palo Verde boat tour
Hop on this river boat for a cruise through the murky water and into the scraggly mangroves of the Palo Verde National Park. Keep a look out for American alligators sunning themselves on the banks, white-faced monkeys swinging through the branches and colorful macaws flying overhead as you make your way through the park.
Day 7 Guanacaste
Free time on Guanacaste Beach
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Day 8 End tour
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    Day 8 Start river rafting extension
    Whitewater rafting guided excursion
    Details: Whitewater rafting guided excursion
    Test your paddling skills on this thrilling whitewater rafting trip. An experienced guide will help you navigate the rapids that rush through the delightfully lush scenery of the rainforest. No experience is required — just bring your sense of adventure and prepare to get wet! For safety reasons, weight restrictions apply to this activity.
    Day 9 End tour
    Map of Costa Rican Highlights Educational Tour
    Tour Includes:
    • Round-trip airfare
    • 7 overnight stays (8 with extension) in hotels with private bathrooms
    • Breakfast daily
    • Lunch daily
    • Dinner daily
    • Full-time services of a professional tour director
    • Guided sightseeing tours and city walks as per itinerary
    • Visits to select attractions as per itinerary
    • Tour Diary™
    • Local Guide and Local Bus Driver tips; see note regarding other important tips
    • Note: On arrival day only dinner is provided; on departure day, only breakfast is provided
    • Note: Tour cost does not include airline-imposed baggage fees, or fees for any required passport or visa. Optional excursions, optional pre-paid Tour Director and multi-day bus driver tipping, among other individual and group customizations will be listed as separate line items in the total trip cost, if included.
    We are better able to assist you with a quote for your selected departure date and city over the phone. Please call 1.888.310.7120 to price this tour with your requested options.
    Please select a postal code
    3146.00 total fee
    Basic Options


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