13-day Costa Rica tour: Jungle, volcano, cloud forest and beach

From rainforest canopy to Pacific sand: a 13-day arc through Costa Rica's wildest zones

A 13-day guided tour from San Jose through Costa Rica's major natural reserves: Tortuguero National Park for turtle nesting grounds and jungle waterways, Arenal Volcano with hot springs and canopy walks, Monteverde Cloud Forest with zip lines through the treetops, and Manuel Antonio National Park or Guanacaste beaches. A professional naturalist guide leads the group through each zone, with 12 nights in superior hotels and all ground transport included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in San Jose

• Meet and greet at airport
• Private transfer to hotel

Day 2: Travel to Tortuguero National Park

• Depart early to Tortuguero
• Breakfast en route
• Boat trip to hotel
• Lunch at hotel
• Dinner at hotel

Day 3: Explore Tortuguero National Park

• Boat tour through forests and mangroves
• Visit Green Turtle Museum

Day 4: Travel to Arenal Volcano

• Depart to Arenal Volcano area
• Lunch en route
• Enjoy Eco Termales hot springs
• Dinner at hot springs

Day 5: Arenal Volcano Adventure

• Ride Sky Tram cable car
• Walk Sky Walk bridges and trails

Day 6: Travel to Monteverde Cloudforest

• Transfer crossing Arenal Lake
• Leisure time to explore area

Day 7: Monteverde Cloudforest Activities

• Canopy zip line tour
• Visit Insect Museum
• Visit Reptile and Amphibian Exhibition
• Visit Hummingbird Garden

Day 8: Travel to Beach Destination

• Transfer to Manuel Antonio or Guanacaste beaches

Day 9: Beach Leisure Day

• Breakfast at hotel
• Free time at beach and hotel

Day 10: Beach Leisure Day

• Breakfast at hotel
• Free time at beach and hotel

Day 11: Beach Leisure Day

• Breakfast at hotel
• Free time at beach and hotel

Day 12: Return to San Jose

• Ground transfer to San Jose City

Day 13: Departure from San Jose

• Transfer to international airport
• End of services

The experience

You arrive at San Jose International Airport and transfer to your hotel in the city. The next morning, the tour departs early for Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast. After breakfast en route, a two-hour boat trip carries you through the park's waterways and mangroves to your lodge. Tortuguero is one of Costa Rica's most important nesting sites for sea turtles, and the park's biological diversity (from sloths to caimans to hundreds of bird species) makes it one of the country's richest ecosystems. You spend two full days here: one exploring by motorboat through the flooded forests and jungles, the other at the Green Turtle Museum, where interactive exhibits walk you through the turtle spawning cycle and the lives of other species in the park.

From Tortuguero, you travel to Arenal Volcano, stopping for lunch along the way. In the evening, you soak in the hot springs at Eco Termales, a thermal resort with mineral pools, open-air springs and natural waterfalls set in botanical gardens, with dinner included. The next day at Arenal, you ride the Sky Tram cable car up through the canopy with your guide, then walk the Sky Walk: a series of suspended bridges and jungle trails that let you move through the forest at treetop level. Children wear helmet cameras during this section, so families leave with footage of the adventure. You stay two nights with views of the volcano from your hotel.

The route then crosses Arenal Lake to Monteverde Cloud Forest, a reserve so dense with life that it holds the Quetzal (the bird sacred to the Mayans), over 100 mammal species, 120 amphibians and reptiles, and roughly 2,500 plant species. You have a free afternoon to explore the area on your own, then spend a full day on the canopy tour: a system of cables, platforms and zip lines (some stretching 750 meters and rising 60 meters high) that lets you glide through the jungle canopy. Afterward, you visit the Insect Museum, the Reptile and Amphibian Exhibition, and the Hummingbird Garden.

For the final stretch, you choose between two options at checkout: the beaches of Guanacaste on the Pacific coast, or Manuel Antonio National Park, which combines white sand with green jungle rising from large mountains. You have three free days to rest and swim before returning to San Jose and transferring to the airport for your flight home.

What’s included

• Professional naturalist bilingual guide throughout the 13 days.
• 12 nights accommodation in superior hotels.
• all ground transport including private vehicle and boat transfers.
• dinner at Eco Termales hot springs resort.
• entry fees to all parks and attractions.
• air-conditioned vehicle for overland travel.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (11 to 65 years) · Senior (66 to 90 years) · Child (4 to 10 years) · Infant (1 to 3 years)

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 6 days before the start.Between 2 and 6 days before the start, 50% refund.After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyInfant seats availablePets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Destiny Travel Costa Rica

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want a bilingual guide leading a fixed itinerary across multiple ecosystems (rainforest, volcano, and Pacific coast) in one trip rather than piecing together separate regional tours.

Traveler reviews

5.00★★★★★★★★★★

1 verified traveler review

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 10 years); Infant (1 to 3 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 6 days before the start.

What is Tortuguero National Park known for?

Tortuguero is one of Costa Rica's most internationally recognized parks because it is one of the most important nesting grounds for sea turtles. The park's waterways, mangroves and flooded forests are also home to sloths, caimans, caimans and hundreds of bird species, making it one of the country's most biologically diverse areas.

What do you do on the canopy tour at Monteverde?

The Monteverde canopy tour uses cables, platforms and zip lines to move you through the treetops. Some zip lines stretch 750 meters and rise 60 meters high. You glide through the jungle at canopy level, then visit the Insect Museum, the Reptile and Amphibian Exhibition, and the Hummingbird Garden.

How many nights do you spend in hotels on this tour?

You stay 12 nights in superior hotels: one in San Jose, two in Tortuguero, two in Arenal, two in Monteverde, and three or four in Manuel Antonio or Guanacaste depending on which beach option you choose at checkout.

Do you need to arrange your own transport between the parks?

No. All ground transport is included: private transfers between San Jose and each park, the two-hour boat ride to Tortuguero, and the crossing of Arenal Lake to Monteverde. A professional naturalist guide travels with the group throughout.