Wildlife & Beaches in Costa Rica - 10 Days

Day 1: Arrive in San José, Explore

Welcome to the land of pura vida! After arriving at Juan Santamaria International Airport in San José, Costa Rica's capital city, you'll head to your first hotel to check in and have the day to explore on your own. 

Suggested activities include: 

• A stroll through Mercado Central (Central Market), the largest in the city, with over 200 shops, food stalls, and sodas (traditional restaurants). For lunch, try a traditional casado, a favorite local dish of rice, beans, and meat, served with tortillas. 
• A visit to the Museo de los Niños, a children's museum with more than 40 rooms of interactive experiences on topics ranging from the human body to outer space. 
• Explore Spirogyra Butterfly Garden. Located in downtown San José amid the city's lush botanical garden, kids will love seeing the butterflies in their natural habitat and learning more about different species. 
• Visit the Teatro Nacional, an opulent neoclassical building constructed in the late 19th century, which offers free guided tours on the hour. 

For a casual dinner, try Café de los Deseos in the Bohemian neighborhood of Barrio Otoya for Costa Rican cuisine served at tables hand-painted by local artists. Or, for fine dining, Restaurante Grano de Oro, a local favorite helmed by French chef Francis Canal, prepares Costa Rican ingredients using European techniques.

Day 2: Transfer to Tortuguero National Park

You'll depart early in the morning for Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast, stopping en route for a typical Costa Rican breakfast—perhaps of gallo pinto (rice and beans), the unofficial national dish that is often served with eggs or cheese. Getting to Tortuguero is an adventure in and of itself. You'll take the Guapiles Highway through the Zurqui Tunnel, which acts as a literal gateway from the urban world to the tropical forest of Braulio Carrillo National Park. Despite being bisected by a busy road, this area feels remote, featuring a variety of flora and fauna.

Next, you'll drive through the town of Guapiles, past banana plantations, on the way to the boat dock. Once aboard for the approximately 90-minute trip, everyone can relax, enjoy the waves—and maybe make a game of spotting fish, birds, amphibians, and reptiles of every stripe as you enter this biodiverse paradise. Once you arrive, the rest of the day is free for you to relax in your hotel, or you can take a short guided hike to the town of Tortuguero.

Day 3: Monkeys & Turtle Spotting in Tortuguero

Unlike many national parks, Tortuguero is shown to its best advantage via the water. Today you'll navigate the canals and rivers of this 77,032-acre (31,174 ha) habitat in search of howler and capuchin monkeys, river otters, and rare birds—macaws, toucans, and kingfishers, among them.

Back on terra firma, explore the 22-mile (35 km) expanse of beach that's a favored nesting ground for sea turtles like the hawksbill, loggerhead, and green, all of which nest in the area from July through October. From February to July, you'll spot the leatherback, which, at 6-7 feet (~2 m) long and up to 1,500 pounds (680 kg), is the largest sea turtle in the world.

Day 4: Transfer to La Fortuna via Guapiles

After breakfast, you'll head back by boat and bus to Guapiles for lunch at a local restaurant and then forge ahead to the majestic Arenal volcano, passing the rural communities of La Virgen and Aguas Zarcas on the way. These are very fertile areas, with vistas of plantations and farms on the way to La Fortuna.

At an elevation of 350 feet (107 m), La Fortuna is an ideal home base for exploring Arenal Volcano and National Park, located north of the Tilaran Mountains. If you want to get close to the volcano, kayaking or standup paddleboarding on Lake Arenal provides spectacular views of its peak, as does a mountain bike ride through the park toward the village of El Castillo. Or, opt for a ziplining tour through the forest canopy, where you'll cross canyons and take in the Fortuna and Pino Blanco waterfalls, along with Arenal Volcano.

For more on this region, check out our Ultimate Guide to Arenal. 

Day 5: Hanging Bridges & Hiking in the Arenal 1968 Reserve

Head out early to Mistico Hanging Bridges Park, where visitors can wander along trails that include 15 bridges to cross—some that are hundreds of feet long—for a once-in-a-lifetime view of Arenal. You'll also get an up-close look at the incredible biodiversity that occurs in this region, where uplands and lowlands rainforests meet. More than 350 bird species can be found here alone.

After lunch, you can take an optional hike to Arenal 1968. This private reserve is named for the volcano's eruption of that same year, which completely changed some of the region's topography: lava fields now predominate on one side of Arenal. Trails wind through those lava fields as well as through the rainforest, offering beautiful views of the volcano. This is a more challenging hike, but there are plenty of easier trails in the area for travelers looking for something more laid-back (see article below).

Naturally heated thermal springs are plentiful here, and several places nearby offer the chance to soak in the relaxing waters. We recommend Ecotermales or Tabacon Hot Springs, with five main springs, dozens of cascading waterfalls, and warm pools of varying temperatures, plus a cold-water pool with a thermal slide (and a swim-up bar).

Day 6: Chocolate Experience & Swimming in Waterfalls

Start your day in La Fortuna with a two-hour, hands-on program in which you'll learn about the origin, history, and current production of one of Costa Rica's most famous exports: chocolate. Participate in the harvest of cacao, the drying and grinding of the seed that produces creamy cocoa butter, and learn how the traditional chocolate drink was developed centuries ago.

After getting your energy boost from the chocolate fix, it's time to head to La Fortuna Waterfall, at the base of the dormant Chato volcano, a short drive outside town. The falls drop some 210 feet (64 m), and a downhill hike provides the opportunity to see it from the bottom. Swim and relax in the Río Fortuna below the falls.

Day 7: Transfer to the Gulf of Papagayo

Road trip time! After breakfast at your hotel in La Fortuna, this drive takes you west through Guanacaste, past volcanic mountain ranges, flatlands, and villages as you head toward the Pacific Coast. Stop for a bite and enjoy traditional foods, fresh fruit, or perhaps a batido con leche (fresh fruit smoothie with milk). Once you arrive, you can rest up at your hotel or spend the afternoon exploring with a sea kayak and snorkeling tour. As you paddle from Tamarindo Beach toward Capitán Island, you'll observe underwater coral reefs and exotic fish.

If you happen to visit between October and March, head to Las Baulas National Marine Park to see Leatherback Turtles come ashore for a truly memorable experience. Every night during high tide in the nesting season, female leatherback turtles make their way up the beach to lay eggs. Watch the turtles come and go before the hatchlings follow suit into the water, a once-in-a-lifetime sight. 

Day 8: Free Morning, Afternoon Snorkel & Sunset Catamaran Cruise

Guanacaste is full of bays and beaches, and after so much activity, you might like to take the day to relax on the sand. In the evening, board a catamaran for a sunset sail. You'll drop anchor in a calm bay for a snorkel trip while the crew prepares a dinner feast. Watch the sun sink into the horizon while you dine, and be on the lookout for dolphins, sea turtles, flying fish, and even breaching whales. 

Day 9: Free Day in Papagayo

Today is free to explore this region in whatever way you prefer. If you're interested in surfing, Playa Tamarindo is the place, with both beginning and advanced waves and a number of surf schools. Check out this article for more on surfing in Costa Rica. 

Day 10: Transfer to Liberia, Depart

It's time to say adiós to Costa Rica. After breakfast, you'll meet your driver for the brief trip from Tamarindo to Liberia International Airport for your international flight home.

More Great Costa Rica Itineraries

Looking for more inspiration for your trip to Costa Rica? Check out these other Costa Rica itineraries, explore different ways to spend 10 days in Costa Rica, or learn about the best time to visit Costa Rica.