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Best Costa Rica Itinerary 10 days, what to do in costa rica ten days

Discover the great heritage of Costa Rica its nature. Volcanoes, forests, huge waterfalls, rivers, great variety of aquatic ecosystems and beaches of Costa Rica with black and white sand, ideal for diving in clear waters all this in a Costa Rica Itinerary 10 days.

Costa Rica Itinerary 10 days
Costa Rica Itinerary 10 days
The most popular tours in Costa Rica, Costa Rica Itinerary 10 days from San Jose to Tortuguero, Caribbean, Arenal, Monteverde and Guanacaste
Date published: 07/12/2016
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Day 1 Arriving to San Jose

Presentation at the airport. Check in and boarding procedures scheduled flight of the company Iberia departing San Jose. Arrival, assistance and transfer to find Cheap places to stay in costa rica. Free day to stroll through the historic center and meet some of its most representative buildings, such as the building of Posts and Telegraphs or the National Theatre

what to do in costa rica ten days
what to do in costa rica ten days

Day 2 San Jose - Tortuguero National Park

The capital will leave early to go to the Caribbean. From the central valley we ascend the volcanic mountain range passing through the Braulio Carrillo National Park, dotted with dense forests. Stop for breakfast arrival to the pier where the boat that will address, through small channels running between the vast tropical vegetation, take us to the Tortuguero National Park, our destination. On arrival at the lodge we receive a brief talk on the ecosystem and the activities included during the stay. After lunch we will visit the small village which gives its name to the park, where we will know the important conservation efforts have developed some NGOs to protect sea turtles that come to these shores each year. The main and most numerous species is the green turtle, whose nesting can be seen between July and October. Dinner and overnight.

best itinerary costa rica
best itinerary costa rica

Day 3 Tortuguero National Park

Breakfast. Declared National Park in 1970 to protect the green turtle population visiting the area, Tortuguero and its wide expanse of wetlands is also a reserve of monkeys, jaguars and a variety of birds and reptiles. This day usually devoted, subject to weather conditions, to enjoy boating on the natural channels of the Park and guided jungle walks, allowing us to observe and learn about the behavior and interaction of different species with the environment, lunch and dinner.

Check this guide about how plan 10 days in Costa Rica

Day 4 Tortuguero National Park - Arenal Volcano

Breakfast. By mid-morning boat back to the mainland to continue the route through the northern plains. Lunch. An evergreen landscape favored by the heavy rains that records the area accompany the journey to reach the Fortuna de San Carlos, main center of population near the Arenal Volcano. Accommodation. We enjoy our first afternoon in the shade of one of the most beautiful volcanoes in the world.

Arenal Volcano costa rica
Arenal Volcano costa rica

Day 5 Arenal Volcano

Breakfast. Day off. We can select from a complete plan of optional activities that will dig deeper into this unique natural environment. Among the possibilities that we face is a walk on the Hanging Bridges, a trail system height immersed in the rainforest, or horseback ride to the beautiful waterfall of La Fortuna. We recommend end of the day in the largest and most famous hot springs center of the country, Tabacon, where we can enjoy three natural springs and a dinner buffet.

Day 6 Arenal Volcano - Beaches of Guanacaste

Breakfast. In the morning we travel to the beautiful and paradisiacal beaches Costa Rican Pacific, covered with white sand and bathed by a deep blue sea. Arrival and accommodation at the hotel and selected regime.

Days 7 and 8 of itinerary in Guanacaste
Days 7 and 8 of itinerary in Guanacaste

Days 7 and 8, Beaches in Guanacaste

The incomparable beauty of its landscapes, the important set of protected areas including water, mountainous and coastal ecosystems, their endless succession of beaches and a complete infrastructure have made Guanacaste one of the favorite destinations of visitors coming into the country. In these two days we can go horseback riding, bird watching tours, water sports or lounging in the sun enjoying wonderful sunsets.

Day 9 Beaches Guanacaste - San Jose

Breakfast. Morning departure towards San José, where we spend our last night. Arrival and accommodation.

Day 10 Departure San Jose

Day 10 Departure San Jose
Day 10 Departure San Jose

Breakfast. At the time transfer to the international airport, billing procedures and board scheduled flight back home. Overnight on board.

Costa Rica Itinerary 10 days with car rental

Days 1 to 3 According to the itinerary with transfers

Day 4 Tortuguero National Park - Arenal Volcano Breakfast. By mid-morning boat back to the mainland to continue the route through the northern plains. Lunch. Removing the rental car and driving towards the Arenal Volcano. Arrival and accommodation.

Days 5 to 9 According to the itinerary with transfers During these days we will have the car to freely explore the natural areas of Arenal and Guanacaste. We can follow the recommendations of the itinerary with transfers, in which the main visits and suggested activities are indicated.

Day 10 San Jose Departure Breakfast. Driving International Airport, return the rental car.

Tour Costa Rica in 10 days

Second example

This 10 days tour will make you discover the wonders of nature, with the virgin jungle of Costa Rica, with its dream beaches like those of Tortuguero. You will visit some national parks where you can see unique and wild fauna and flora of Costa Rica. They will stay in magnificent hotels full of charms.

Day 1: Arrival in San José

Arrival to the international airport for your first day of Costa Rica Itinerary 10 days . Pick up at the airport and transfer to the Park Inn or Balmoral Hotel in San Jose for a night of lodging.

Table Detail day 1
Table Detail day 1

Locations and lodging in San Jose

Park Inn: Costa Rica is perfect for holidays and business trips. The Nuevo Park Inn San Jose, Costa Rica is located just three blocks from Paseo Colón, the main avenue of San José and a short distance from the city center. It has 125 spacious guest rooms that include wireless high-speed internet, flat screen TV, among others. Our guests can relax with a dinner and a drink after a long day, in our main RBG Bar & Grill restaurant or in our Graffiti pool lounge bar.

Balmoral Hotel opened its doors in 1955 being one of the pioneers of the Balmoral hoteleria in Costa Rica, its name originates in allusion to the Balmoral Castle, which is in Scotland, with 53 years of service the balmoral has become a a very important reference point since it has hosted renowned artists, presidents, and members of the English Royal Family.

Day 2: Tour Canopy and Arenal

Breakfast and later they will be picked up by a collective tourist transport service that will take them to the Hotel Tierras Enamoradas where they will realize an exciting canopy tour. At the end of the tour you will be taken to the beautiful area of ​​the Arenal Volcano, lodging for 2 nights at the Hotel Magic Mountain or similar, breakfast included.

Day 2 Tour Canopy and Arenal
Day 2 Tour Canopy and Arenal

Activities second day Costa Rica Itinerary 10 days

Two hanging bridges, three short jungle trails and ten wires for a total of 1045m of wires connected to those with platforms that will take you through the tree tops in a cloud forest, giving you the opportunity to witness the complexity, the harmony of the forest and biological diversity. Birds, monkeys, sloths and other small jungle animals could be your companions. In addition you can enjoy the excitement of the "Tarzan Swing" that will carry out this experience.

Day 3: Arenal

Breakfast in the hotel restaurant. This day you have a tour to choose between canopy, Fortuna cataract tour, Caño Negro half day tour or similar in the area.

Arenal Volcano :

This mountain was totally covered with vegetation and was called Pan de Azúcar by the inhabitants of the area. Shortly before the big eruption in 1968, people noticed that cows could not drink water from the Tabacón River because it was very hot! They observed smoke columns coming out from the top and the volcano erupted after a long time covering 7 kilometers with lava. Since then, this almost perfect cone volcano has been teaching us and fascinating us with its continuous lava flows by its slopes day and night, showing us one of the greatest spectacles of our mother nature. This is the most active volcano in the country and an attraction that should be on every visit to Costa Rica. This unique experience combines with the hot springs. This is the perfect combination of the 4 elements in 1! The thermal waters have different pools with several temperatures distributed in beautiful gardens and surrounded by a tropical forest, Do not miss this unique experience in life.

Day 4: Tortuguero Tour

This day in the morning hours around 5:00 am will be picked up by a private transfer that will take them to Guápiles, where they will have breakfast and later will be taken to the Caño Blanco pier to board the boat to Tortuguero National Park. Lodging for 2 nights at Turtle Beach Hotel, full board and tours at Costa Rica itinerary 10 days.

This boat ride is very calm, almost without waves. The boat has roof and ponchos for the rain for all the passengers. Along the way, the guide will teach the passengers the points of interest, and the animals or birds seen during the trip. Upon arrival at your hotel you will be shown your rooms and then proceed to lunch. As the meals are included in this package, we advise you to notify us in advance if any of the passengers are vegetarian to report it in advance. A vegetarian dish will then be prepared.

Day 4 Tortuguero Tour
Day 4 Tortuguero Tour

The meals are served with a set menu at the table at indicated times and guests can repeat several times. Normally Costa Rican food is offered, with chicken, fish or meat.

The Tortuguero town and the National Park of the same name are located to the northeast of the country in the lowlands of the Caribbean. This is the youngest territory of our country, and was formed long ago by the volcanic sediments that our rivers have brought from the mountain ranges for thousands of years. Due to the volcanic activity, the soil of several places was raised, and this made the rivers form sand banks and a very interesting system of canals. This connection of rivers and canals is nowadays known as the Tortuguero canals. A small part of them was made artificially to be able to sail through all these rivers until the Port of Limón. The main idea was to remove the large trunks of precious wood trees by means of the waterway, given the lack of roads to these places and due to the heavy rains. The town of Tortuguero was born as a sawmill and its inhabitants initially lived from these activities.

Day 5: Walks through the lush rainforest of Tortuguero

During your stay, we have prepared various tours to walk you through the small canals and take walks through the lush rainforest of our property, where nature lovers will be able to observe not only the virgin forest, but also many species of birds, mammals and reptiles. All our boats are small so that they are adaptable to the channels so that you see to the maximum of the nature. The package includes lodging, food and tours in the area. The entrance to the park is $ 15.00 (NOT INCLUDED) and is paid directly on the boat on the day of the tour. Does not include spawning tour (July to September). The boat tour by the channels included is in the afternoon. If you would like to do the morning tour at 6:00 a.m. the same has a cost of about $ 30.00 that can be booked and canceled directly at the hotel. Later you will have a walk in the hotel's private reserve.

Day 6: Transfer to Puerto Viejo

Today they will enjoy a delicious breakfast and later transfer by boat to Caño Blanco, from where they will continue by land to Siquirres or Guápiles.Aquí will be collected by a collective transport of tourism that will take them to Puerto Viejo. Lodging for 2 nights at Azania Bungalows or similar breakfasts. If you ever dreamed of escaping and enjoying a vacation in a tropical village on the shores of the sea in cabanas under palm roofs

Just steps away from the Caribbean Sea and with the imposing framework of the tropical forest behind, our individual bungalows are harmoniously located and surrounded by tropical gardens that provide privacy and natural beauty. Its unique style that combines traditional, exotic woods and palm roofs, with a new concept of design, gives each bungalow a particular environment.

Day 7: Trekking and snorkeling in Cahuita National Park

Breakfast at the Hotel. This day will be collected around 9:00 am by the tour operator to offer them an exciting tour of hiking and snorkeling in the Cahuita National Park. This tour is developed in a boat with capacity for 8 pax, captain and guide around the National Park of Cahuita which is the first place in the world where square meter per square meter there is more Biodiversity in the different Ecosystems on land and at sea; where you will be able to snorkel for about 1 to 3 hours in the most important coral reef in Costa Rica, where you can see: 35 different species of coral, 123 species of tropical fish, 3 species of sharks, 6 species of moray eels, 3 species of sea urchins, 140 shellfish, 44 crustaceans, 128 seaweed, sea turtles, sea cucumbers, sea sponges, lobsters, shrimp, among others. You will be given snorkeling gear (mask, frog legs and tube).

Day 7 Cahuita National Park
Day 7 Cahuita National Park

Hike in this Costa Rica tour 10 days

After the Snorkeling will be offered a refreshment based on tropical fruits of the season and fresh water in bottle, then start the second stage of the tour which is: the walk with interpretation of path, the guide will take you through different points between Punta Cahuita and the town of Cahuita (5km) where you can see various types of snakes (boas, mocaraca, velvet, tinsel, mica, ranera, etc.) lazy, white faced monkeys, howlers, anteaters, armadillos, raccoons, blue morphos butterflies and others, birds and many other things like: medicinal plants, orchids, trees, ferns, bromeliads, vertebrates, invertebrates, mollusks of land and sea, etc.

What does this tour include?

Includes: Fruit snack, entrance to the National Park, snorkeling equipment, bilingual guide, lunch, transportation to the hotel round-trip and hike through the National Park, 2 hours (interpretation of trail, 2.1 / 2 hours snorkeling) water potable. Return to the chosen Hotel where you can enjoy the attractions of the Hotel.

Day 8: Transfer to Isla Colon

This day you must go by boat to Isla Colón according to the time indicated by our guide, then take the pre-paid boat to Puerto Almirante. Once here, continue the trip to the border and from here to Puerto Viejo. Arrival around noon, depending on departure time. The total duration of the trip is about 2.1-2 hours. Lodging for 2 nights in any of the hotels mentioned above. Free afternoon to visit some of the beautiful beaches of this area, such as Manzanillo, Puerto Viejo, Punta Uva.

Day 8 Transfer to Isla Colon
Day 8 Transfer to Isla Colon

Day 9: Explore Pacuare and San Jose

Almost getting ready this Costa Rica Itinerary 10 days at 6:05 A.M. will be picked up by a guide from the Exploradores Outdoors company to offer them the exciting tour to the Pacuare rapids and later transport to the Arenal area. Enjoy a typical breakfast on the way to the Exploration Center as well as lunch before continuing to San José.

The Pacuare River is world renowned for its incredible beauty. Here you will enjoy the feeling of total isolation of urban life and a true connection with nature. Breathtaking views of pristine tropical forest appearing before your eyes as you descend through the majestic canyon. Wildlife is abundant, you will have the opportunity to see lazy monkeys, toucans, parrots, pizotes, morpho butterflies and different colored frogs among other animals. The trip is of scenic beauty, full of picturesque villages, colorful plantations and excellent views of the mountains. Our guides make this tour something entertaining providing valuable information about the geography, history, crops, flora and fauna of the area. The trip takes approximately 2 hours, we will stop in the middle of the road to have breakfast.

Day 10 departure

Stay at your hotel in San Jose to go back home at any time you need to be at the airport

Detail prices Costa Rica Itinerary 10 days
Detail prices Costa Rica Itinerary 10 days

Price for Costa Rica itinerary 10 days

Aprox. 1.800 DOLLAR USD / 10 days

This price does not include air tickets
2 persons 4 persons 6 persons
Price per person in high season (January to April and July to August) 1.550 DOLLAR USD 1.500 DOLLAR USD 1.450 DOLLAR USD
Price per person in low season (May to June and September to November) 1.520 DOLLAR USD 1.480 DOLLAR USD 1.430 DOLLAR USD

The price for Costa Rica itinerary 10 days includes

  • Airport transfer
  • 2 nights at the Park Inn or Balmoral Hotel in San Jose, breakfast included
  • Canopy Tour San Lorenzo and transfer Arenal
  • 2 nights Arenal Springs, Magic Mountain or similar, breakfast included
  • Tour to choose in Arenal
  • 2 nights at Mawamba Hotel, meals included and regular tours
  • 3 nights in Puerto Viejo, breakfast included
  • Tour Cahuita National Park, lunch
  • Transfer Puerto Viejo- Bocas-Puerto Viejo
  • 2 nights at Hotel Eclypse de Mar, (includes breakfast) or Al Natural Resort, 3 meals and boat or Bay, breakfasts
  • Use of equipment such as kayaks and snorkeling in both
  • Tour Pacuare with breakfast and lunch included and transfer to San Jose
  • Transportation Collective Tourism
  • Hotel Taxes
  • Prepaid phone card to use in Costa Rica for both phone calls and internet. We need to know in advance the model of the phone and that it is unlocked by your server
  • Telephone support 24 hours a day during your stay in our country

The price for Costa Rica itinerary 10 days does not includes

  • Air ticket
  • Entrance to the Tortuguero National Park $ 15.00 per person
  • Optional activities or unmentioned food
  • Departure tax of the country $ 29.00 per person
  • Transfer by boat from Bocas to the hotel Eclypse de Mar
  • Tax payable in Panama, about $ 3.00 per person and $ 7.00 border Costa Rica