Costa Rica Self-Drive Away from The Crowds

On arrival in San Jose, you’ll be met and transferred approx. 1 hour to Poás Volcano Lodge where you will spend 2 nights. Nestled amongst 20 acres of rolling pastures and lush sub-tropical cloud forest, with spectacular views of Poás Volcano, Braulio Carillo National Park and the northern Caribbean Plains, enjoy the view and recharge your batteries after your long flight. This is a great start to your holiday!

Welcome to Costa Rica!

Call 01273 923100 to start planning your holiday

A full day to recover from your travel and explore a little if you feel like it. This is a lovely quiet part of Costa Rica with stunning views, so you could just find the best view and sit and soak everything up. Alternatively, you could head out for a walk on the property’s own cloud forest trails, or arrange to visit Poas Volcano, one of the widest active craters of any volcano in the world. Your car will be delivered today. Want to start with a stay in Tortuguero – ask us to design this holiday to your preferences. Call us on 01273 923100.

Today you will drive approx. 1½ hours to the Bajos Del Toro where you will spend 2 nights at El Silencio Lodge, a stylish ecological spa retreat in the cloud forest. Intentionally remote and secluded, the lodge blends style and service with soft-adventure experiences, where you can hike to cascading waterfalls or count hummingbirds in the garden, while enjoying your seriously impressive suite and savouring Costa Rican fusion cuisine prepared with imagination and flair.

Call 01273 923100 to start planning your holiday

You have a full day to explore this area. There are various onsite trails as well as a Mystic Hike which is an inspired walk through the Hummingbird Garden and cloud forest trails. A magical garden, hidden paths that embrace nature’s elements and mesmerising hummingbirds provide a relaxing hiking experience. There is also a Plant Your Tree program – you can plant a living legacy in Costa Rica’s carbon-offsetting forests and help bring back beautiful Quetzal birds to the region. What a way to be part of this culture! Want more time in the Cloud Forest? Ask Us to tailor this itinerary to you – call 01273 923100.

Today you’ll drive approx. 2.5 hours to Maquenque Eco Lodge to stay in a Treehouse for 3 nights. Maquenque Eco Lodge is a hidden gem located inside the 60 hectare Maquenque Eco Reserve, set in tropical rainforest bordering the majestic San Carlos River. Family run, this lodge has a unique location set on the migration route and is home to the great green macaw. There are 8 kilometres of trails in the private reserve and a swimming pool. This is the perfect spot to explore the wildlife of Costa Rica at your own pace.

There are plenty activities on offer from guided hikes to bird-watching to school visits to horse-riding. On one morning you will join a group Safari Float by Kayak. Enjoy the tranquillity of the rainforest travelling by kayak soaking up the birdlife and wildlife as you drift along. Naturalist guides will help you lead the way and help you spot crocodiles, tortoise, iguanas, monkeys, waterfowl and more.

Call 01273 923100 to start planning your holiday

Today you will drive approx. 3½ hours to the Tenorio National Park area where you will spend 3 nights at Rio Celeste Hideaway with breakfast included. Remote and surrounded by lush tropical rainforest, Rio Celeste Hideaway’s 26 individual casitas are beautifully furnished and provide privacy and comfort in natural surroundings.

Two days to explore. Visit the hanging bridges at Las Heliconias for canopy level views and a closer look at the rainforest’s biodiversity, then continue to Tenorio National Park to see the vivid colours of the Rio Celeste and hike to the waterfall. One evening, join a guided night tour to experience the forest at its most active and spot wildlife rarely seen in daylight, including coatis, agoutis, porcupines, tarantulas and frogs.

Today you will drive approx. 3½ hours towards the coast where you will end your holiday with 4 nights at Lagarta Lodge in a Double Jungle Suite with breakfast included. Lagarta Lodge is an elegant boutique hotel beautifully situated on a hilltop overlooking the coast, mountains and two rivers.

The open-air restaurant, Chirriboca, provides the perfect place to enjoy the vivid sunsets over the Pacific Ocean. With its own private 90 acre biological reserve with marked forest trails, this is a real oasis with truly breathtaking views. Want to be in amongst a buzzy town rather than in a private reserve? Ask us for more beach options! Call 01273 923100.

Today you will set out on a peaceful river boat tour to explore the estuary where two rivers meet the ocean within the Ostional Wildlife Refuge. As you glide through the mangroves on a silent electric boat, your naturalist guide will point out the rich birdlife, wildlife, and unique flora of this protected ecosystem, offering insights into one of Costa Rica’s most important coastal habitats.

Call 01273 923100 to start planning your holiday

You have two full days to enjoy the hotel, beaches and local area. You will find 4 different beaches in this area, all offering that something special and different – pick your favourite! And from July-December, you will find huge numbers of turtles nesting at Playa Ostional. There are also lots of activities on offer including:

• Nature tours
• Horse-riding
• Mangrove kayak tour

Ask us what we would recommend based on what you like.

Today you will drive approx. 4.5 hours back to San Jose airport where you’ll drop your hire car and fly back to the UK. Or alternatively you could drop your car and fly back to San Jose – let us know if you would like to make any changes to the itinerary – this is just a starting point.

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