5-Day Caribbean Costa Rica Tour: Tortuguero & Puerto Viejo

Three days in the rainforest canals, two on the Caribbean coast

A 5-day tour from San Jose that splits between Tortuguero National Park and the south Caribbean beaches near Cahuita. You spend three days and two nights in Tortuguero's village with a private bilingual guide, traveling the rainforest canals by boat to spot monkeys, caimans, birds and iguanas, then move to Puerto Viejo for two nights near Cahuita National Park and its coral reefs. Hotel pickup and all meals, transport, activities and taxes are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Arrival and Tortuguero National Park

• Pick up at San Jose hotel early morning
• Drive through Braulio Carrillo National Park
• Breakfast en route
• Board boat to Tortuguero Canals
• Boat tour through Tortuguero Canals
• Lunch at hotel
• Afternoon canal tour and photography
• Dinner at lodge
• Optional night turtle spawning tour

Day 2: Tortuguero Nature Activities

• Breakfast at lodge
• Hiking tour on lodge private trail
• Lunch at lodge
• Visit museum, beach, and Tortuguero village
• Dinner at lodge
• Optional evening turtle spawning walk

Day 3: Travel to Cahuita and Leisure

• Breakfast at lodge
• Depart to Guapiles city
• Lunch in Guapiles restaurant
• Transfer to Puerto Viejo/Cahuita beaches
• Evening at leisure

Day 4: Cahuita National Park Excursion

• Breakfast at hotel
• Hiking tour in Cahuita National Park
• Lunch included during hike
• Afternoon and evening at leisure

Day 5: Cahuita Beach and Return

• Breakfast at hotel
• Morning free to explore beaches
• Transfer back to San Jose hotel or connection point

The experience

The tour starts with a 6 to 7 a.m. pickup from your San Jose hotel and a drive through Braulio Carrillo National Park, a primary forest that is 95% untouched. After a Costa Rican breakfast en route, you board a boat around 10:30 a.m. and enter the Tortuguero Canals. The rainforest waterways that earned the park its nickname, Costa Rica's "little Amazon." The canals are where you'll spend the next three days with your private nature guide, traveling by boat through the backwaters to look for tropical animals: howler monkeys, sloths, caimans, colorful birds and green iguanas. You stay at Pachira Lodge or a similar property in the Tortuguero village itself, not on the mainland.

Each day in Tortuguero follows a rhythm built around the wildlife and the light. Day one includes a canal tour after lunch and dinner at the lodge. Day two starts with breakfast and a hiking tour through the lodge's private trail, then a visit to the Tortuguero museum, the beach and the village itself before dinner. An optional evening walk to watch green turtles spawn is available July through September. Day three is breakfast, then the transfer back toward the Caribbean coast, with lunch in Guapiles before you arrive in Puerto Viejo or Cahuita by early afternoon.

The final two nights take you to Cariblue Bungalows or similar on the south Caribbean beaches. One day includes a guided hike through Cahuita National Park with lunch included. The rest of each day is yours to explore the area or the nearby beaches. On the last morning, breakfast is included before a 2 p.m. transfer back to your San Jose hotel. The tour covers four nights' accommodation, five breakfasts, four lunches and two dinners, plus all transport by air-conditioned minivan, your private bilingual guide, park activities and taxes, though the Tortuguero National Park entrance fee (US$15 per adult, US$5 for children 6–12) is separate.

What’s included

• Hotel pickup and drop-off in San Jose.
• four nights' accommodation at Pachira Lodge or Cariblue Bungalows.
• five breakfasts, four lunches and two dinners.
• private bilingual guide throughout.
• all transport by air-conditioned minivan.
• boat tours through the Tortuguero Canals.
• guided hike through Cahuita National Park.
• all activities and entrance fees to attractions.
• all taxes and handling charges.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 06:00Last departure this season: 31 Jan 2027

Book up to1d before

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

GroupUp to 10

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.

Paid on siteUS$ 2

Prices and times updated yesterday

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?Five days is long enough to spend three full days in the Tortuguero rainforest canals without rushing, then move south to the Caribbean beaches for a change of pace. If you want to see more of Costa Rica's Caribbean side or continue to other regions, the two-night stay in Puerto Viejo leaves room for a separate extension.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English and Spanish.

Can children come?

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

What animals can I actually see in the Tortuguero Canals?

Howler monkeys, sloths, caimans, colorful birds and green iguanas live in the rainforest canals and are regularly spotted on boat tours. The canals are narrow waterways through dense forest, which puts you close to the wildlife without disturbing it.

Do I need to arrange my own transport to San Jose, or does the tour pick me up?

Hotel pickup and drop-off in San Jose are included. The tour collects you from your hotel between 6 and 7 a.m. on day one and returns you there on day five at 2 p.m., or to a connection point if you're continuing elsewhere.

What is Cahuita National Park like, and how much time do I spend there?

Cahuita National Park sits on the Caribbean coast near the Panama border and protects coral reefs and the white-sand beach of Playa Blanca. You have one full day there with a guided hike and included lunch, plus a free afternoon and evening to explore on your own or relax on the beach.

Are meals included, or do I pay separately for food?

Five breakfasts, four lunches and two dinners are included at the lodges and during the tour. You'll have some meals on your own, especially during the free time in Puerto Viejo and Cahuita, and you can request vegetarian options at booking.

Can I see green turtles spawning on the beach?

An optional evening walk to watch green turtles spawn is available, but only from July through September when the turtles nest. It is not part of the standard itinerary and is offered as an add-on during those months.