A Costa Rica 15 day itinerary from the Caribbean to the Pacific, with a private driver-guide
Coffee in the hills of Turrialba, monkeys along the Caribbean shore, a turquoise river in the rainforest and dolphins off the Pacific coast: two weeks to take in Costa Rica at the pace of its forests.
Prices per person, in US dollars, including accommodation, breakfasts and the services listed in the program. The package details are listed below.
The Ara Verte tour is a Costa Rica 15 day itinerary designed for travelers who want to see the country beyond its best-known postcards. Over 14 nights, you cross Costa Rica from east to west: the Caribbean coast around Cahuita, the farmlands of Sarapiquí, the wild river country of Boca Tapada near the Nicaraguan border, the volcanic landscapes of Arenal and Tenorio, then the Pacific shore at Playa Sámara.
From your arrival until the drive to the Pacific on day 12, a private driver-guide takes you from one region to the next, so you never have to worry about directions, road conditions or timing. The days alternate between national parks, wildlife rescue and conservation projects, family farms and quieter moments on the water, with time to simply sit on a beach or soak in thermal pools.
This 15-day Costa Rica trip ends with three nights by the ocean: a morning boat outing in search of dolphins, then free time to slow down before your flight home. Throughout your stay, our team in San Francisco de Heredia remains available and answers your questions in English.
Your itinerary
San José · 1 night
Cahuita · 4 nights
Sarapiquí · 1 night
Boca Tapada · 2 nights
Volcán Arenal · 2 nights
Volcán Tenorio and Río Celeste · 1 night
Playa Sámara · 3 nights
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Arrival in Costa Rica: a gentle start in San José
When you land at Juan Santamaría International Airport, in the province of Alajuela, your private driver-guide is waiting for you in the arrivals hall, holding a sign with your name. A welcome note from Vincent, who founded the agency and has called Costa Rica home for more than forty years, sets the tone: from now on, you can leave behind your watch, your phone and everyday stress, and let us take care of the details. A private transfer then takes you to your hotel in San José. This first drive is a quiet introduction to the warm tropical air and the easygoing rhythm of the country. Yes, your vacation has begun.
Day 1 of a Costa Rica 15 day itinerary begins with a night in San José near SJO airport.
Day 2
Turrialba: organic coffee, from cherry to cup
After breakfast, you leave around 9:00 a.m. for the green region of Turrialba, watching the scenery shift from mountains to plantations and tropical valleys. Around 11:30 a.m., you visit a farm devoted to organic coffee, grown and processed according to international standards that pay close attention to quality and to the environment. In the beneficio, the mill where freshly picked coffee is processed, you follow each step that turns the red cherry into beans ready for roasting, and you discover the know-how behind one of Costa Rica's signature products. The visit ends naturally with a tasting, a chance to appreciate the aromas of locally grown coffee. You then continue to Cahuita, on the Caribbean coast, your base for the next four nights.
Freshly harvested coffee cherries spread out to dry under a greenhouse tunnel, a stop worth adding to a Costa Rica 15 day itinerary.
Day 3
Wildlife rescue and conservation near Punta Cocles and Manzanillo
You leave around 8:45 a.m. for a wildlife rescue center about 20 kilometers from Cahuita, with a visit scheduled at 9:30 a.m. In the heart of the rainforest, this private sanctuary cares for injured, sick or orphaned wild animals and, whenever possible, prepares them to return to the wild. You learn about the daily work of its teams and may see mammals, reptiles, butterflies and birds, sloths and frogs among them, depending on the day. In the afternoon, you visit a conservation project dedicated to protecting local species through breeding, reintroduction and habitat preservation. After a presentation, a walk with your guide through the surrounding forest offers chances to spot birds, monkeys, sloths, frogs and reptiles, always depending on conditions and a little luck.
A guide shares explanations with visitors next to forest enclosures during day 3 near Punta Cocles and Manzanillo.
Day 4
Cahuita National Park: rainforest trails and Playa Blanca
Today belongs to Cahuita National Park, protected for both its forest and its coral reefs. The park is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The full trail between the Puerto Vargas and Cahuita entrances is about 11 kilometers, but you can also enter at Cahuita, walk part of the way and return at your own pace. The path winds through dense vegetation, sometimes just a few meters from the shore, with glimpses of the turquoise Caribbean between palms and lianas. Keep an eye on the foliage: monkeys, iguanas, raccoons, coatis, sloths, basilisks and tropical birds may appear, and occasionally a snake. Along the way, Playa Blanca invites you to swim, rest in the shade or enjoy a picnic to the sound of the waves and the forest.
Day 4 of this Costa Rica 15 day itinerary brings you to the forest-lined beach at the edge of Cahuita National Park.
Day 5
Cahuita: an organic farm and a river by kayak
At 9:00 a.m., you meet your local guide for a day devoted to nature and genuine encounters. You start with an organic farm, where you discover tropical crops and the farming practices of people who work in harmony with their land. Then you settle into your kayak for a peaceful paddle downriver between green banks. The river acts as a natural corridor: howler monkeys, toucans, iguanas and many birds may show themselves, while your guide helps you spot the more discreet animals and shares his knowledge of the plants and the local ecosystem. Lunch is included. In the late afternoon, you return to your hotel for free time by the pool and a quiet evening in the relaxed atmosphere of the Caribbean coast.
Day 5 of a Costa Rica 15 day itinerary: paddling a quiet river lined with tropical vegetation near Cahuita.
Day 6
Sarapiquí: heart of palm, pineapple and red-eyed tree frogs
Leaving around 8:30 a.m., you head to Horquetas de Sarapiquí, a rural region known for family farming. Around 11:30 a.m., the owner of a small family farm introduces you to palmito, heart of palm, and to pejibaye, the fruit of mature palms. After tasting fresh heart of palm, lunch at the family soda lets you try traditional dishes such as palmito ceviche, lasagna, bread, chorreada or picadillo, depending on what is prepared that day. You continue to an organic pineapple and sugarcane farm, where you follow the life of the fruit from planting to harvest, plant a young pineapple yourself and enjoy a tasting. From 6:00 p.m., an evening walk takes you in search of the red-eyed tree frog as the forest comes alive.
A local host carries a bundle of freshly cut sugarcane through a lush garden in Sarapiquí.
Day 7
Sarapiquí rafting, leaf-cutter ants and the road to Boca Tapada
After breakfast, you drive to an adventure center on the Río Sarapiquí, where you must arrive by 9:15 a.m. at the latest. A professional guide gives the safety briefing before a half-day rafting trip on Class II and III rapids, with calm stretches in between to admire the lush banks. If you prefer something gentler, you can choose a safari float of about 2 hours 30 minutes instead, aboard a non-motorized raft or a motorboat, ideal for spotting birds, monkeys and reptiles. A typical Costa Rican lunch is then served at the center. Afterward, you discover the intricate world of leaf-cutter ants and their role in the forest, before driving on to Boca Tapada, a wild and well-preserved region in the north.
Rafters paddle through a rapid in Sarapiquí, a day 7 activity on this Costa Rica 15 day itinerary.
Day 8
Boca Tapada: by boat to the Río San Juan and into the rainforest
After breakfast, you board a boat right from your lodging and glide toward the point where the Río San Carlos meets the Río San Juan, the natural border with Nicaragua. Far from any bustle, the river cuts through dense rainforest. Watch the banks for herons, ibises, egrets and kingfishers; with some luck, caimans, iguanas, turtles, frogs and even a hidden snake may appear, while your guide helps you understand this water-rich ecosystem. Later, a guided hike leads you into a forest reserve, where your local guide explains the layers of the forest and the links between trees and wildlife. The reserve is home to several primates, and you may spot howler, spider and capuchin monkeys moving through the canopy.
A covered blue boat waits at the riverbank, ready for a river excursion near Boca Tapada.
Day 9
Arenal Volcano: a jungle waterfall and an evening in the hot springs
You drive through the green plains of San Carlos toward La Fortuna as the near-perfect cone of Arenal Volcano, about 1,600 meters high, gradually fills the horizon. It erupted suddenly on July 29, 1968, and is much calmer today, though closely monitored. Near the town, a staircase of about 530 steps, roughly 15 to 20 minutes down, leads to a waterfall more than 70 meters high that plunges into a natural pool surrounded by rainforest. You can swim when conditions allow, take photos and watch for butterflies, birds and perhaps monkeys. The afternoon is spent at a hot springs complex where pools of different temperatures are fed by geothermal water from the volcano. At 7:00 p.m., a buffet dinner is included.
Hikers head down a stone staircase toward a waterfall framed by rainforest, a day 9 outing on a Costa Rica 15 day itinerary.
Day 10
Arenal Volcano National Park and the hanging bridges
Around 8:30 a.m., you set off on a walk of 1.5 to 2 hours through Arenal Volcano National Park. The trail is mostly flat and easy, apart from a rougher stretch of 200 to 300 meters across old lava rocks, which rewards you with views over the volcano and the lava fields when the weather is clear. Along the way, you see the 1992 lava flows reclaimed by the forest and a ceiba tree more than 400 years old. Your entrance fees help fund Costa Rica's national system of protected areas. In the afternoon, a walk of about 2 hours covers nearly 3 kilometers of trails, with 8 fixed bridges and 6 hanging bridges, some 48 to 98 meters long, offering a rare view of the canopy.
The cone of Arenal Volcano rises behind the national park entrance sign, a highlight of day 10 on a Costa Rica 15 day itinerary.
Day 11
Río Celeste: a turquoise river in Tenorio Volcano National Park
You leave around 7:30 a.m. for Tenorio Volcano National Park, in the Guanacaste volcanic range, arriving between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m. A hike of about three hours follows a trail through ferns, lianas and tall trees, where birds and amphibians may cross your path. The sound of water guides you to the Río Celeste waterfall, reached by 253 steps down and back up, where the water falls into a pool of striking turquoise. The color comes from minerals in the river that change the way light is scattered, a phenomenon best seen at El Teñidero, where the waters take on their famous hue. After nightfall, a guided night walk with flashlights reveals frogs, insects, reptiles and spiders as the forest begins its nocturnal life.
The Río Celeste waterfall pours into its turquoise pool, reached by a winding staircase through the rainforest.
Day 12
Cañas and the Río Corobicí on the way to Playa Sámara
Around 7:30 a.m., you cross the open plains and pastures of northwestern Costa Rica to Cañas, in Guanacaste. There you visit a wildlife refuge for animals that can no longer return to the wild, originally created through the work of Lilly and Werner Hagnauer and supported since 2003 by a foundation. You may see pumas, jaguars, ocelots and several monkey species. At 11:30 a.m., you board a boat on the Río Corobicí for a calm outing of about 1 hour 30 minutes, watching for American crocodiles, sometimes very large, and many birds along banks lined with tropical dry forest. Lunch is included. You then continue to Playa Sámara, where the services of your driver-guide come to an end.
A puma looks on attentively, a possible encounter on day 12 of a Costa Rica 15 day itinerary.
Day 13
Playa Sámara: dolphins on the Pacific
Around 8:00 a.m., the tour operator picks you up at your hotel reception for a shared boat outing off Playa Sámara. You head out onto the Pacific in search of dolphins and, depending on the season, the weather and the animals themselves, humpback whales that regularly visit this stretch of coast. Animals are observed respectfully, with a responsible approach to their habitat, while the Guanacaste coastline unfolds behind you. You return around noon, with the afternoon free to relax on the beach, stroll along the shore or swim in the Pacific. As an option not included in the price, booked with the same company, an evening outing at 6:30 p.m. to a sea turtle refuge may let you watch nesting turtles, mainly from July to January.
Two dolphins surface together during a boat excursion on day 13 of a Costa Rica 15 day itinerary.
Day 14
Playa Sámara: a day of your own
Nothing is scheduled today, and that is entirely intentional. After breakfast, the day is yours to spend as you wish in Playa Sámara, on the Pacific coast of Guanacaste. You might return to the beach for a long walk along the water's edge, swim in the warm ocean, read in the shade or simply let the sound of the waves set the pace. After two weeks of trails, rivers and early starts, this unhurried day gives you time to look back on the landscapes you have crossed, from the Caribbean shore to the volcanoes, before the journey home.
Day 15
Departure: from the Pacific coast to the airport
After breakfast, your private driver picks you up at the hotel reception. The drive takes about 4 hours 30 minutes to Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, or about 2 hours to Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia, depending on your return flight. Departure is planned so that you reach the airport at least three hours before takeoff. If your flight schedule allows, you may have time for a short visit of San José or Liberia, with its parks, museums and street life; any entrance fees are not included. Then it is time to fly home, with the forests, rivers and beaches of Costa Rica still fresh in your mind. ¡Pura vida, and we hope to welcome you back one day!
Where you will stay
San José · 1 night
A comfortable city hotel in San José, with a room with two beds, ideal for resting after your flight before heading east the next morning.
Cahuita · 4 nights
A hotel near the Caribbean coast with a superior room and a swimming pool, a calm base for four nights between the rainforest, Cahuita National Park and the beaches of the south Caribbean.
Sarapiquí · 1 night
Family-style cabins in the green, rural Sarapiquí region, surrounded by tropical vegetation, close to the farms and forest trails visited during the day.
Boca Tapada · 2 nights
A bungalow in a nature lodge in the remote Boca Tapada area, set by the river and the rainforest, with boat excursions departing right from the property.
Volcán Arenal · 2 nights
A junior suite in a hotel near La Fortuna and Arenal Volcano, well placed for the national park, the hanging bridges and the hot springs.
Volcán Tenorio and Río Celeste · 1 night
A family cabin in the green foothills of Tenorio Volcano, close to the national park and the trail to the turquoise Río Celeste.
Playa Sámara · 3 nights
A family bungalow near the beach in Playa Sámara, on the Pacific coast of Guanacaste, for three relaxed nights to end your trip by the ocean.
What the package includes
Included
Private transfer from the airport to your hotel
Nights in the hotels listed, or similar if unavailable before final booking
Breakfast every day of the tour
Lunches mentioned in the program *
Dinners mentioned in the program *
The tour with a private driver-guide **
The vehicle with all relevant insurance
National park entrance fees listed as included in the program
Activities and visits listed as included in the program
Private transfer to the airport on departure day
The 13% hotel tax
The 13% tax on tourist activities
Our assistance in English throughout your stay
* Meals include a main course and one non-alcoholic drink
** Included: road costs (the driver’s meals and lodging), the guide’s entrance fees to national parks and to all activities booked in advance (with some exceptions such as horseback rides, boat trips, flights and rafting, depending on the operator), insurance, fuel, parking, ferry (vehicle fee) and tolls
Not included
International flights to Costa Rica
Drinks outside meals and alcoholic drinks
National park entrance fees listed as optional in the program
Activities and visits listed as optional in the program
Extensions, variations and suggestions
Personal expenses and tips
Travel or repatriation insurance
Any other service
Optional activities
Night sea turtle watching tour: USD 45, payable on site
Who this trip is for
This itinerary suits travelers who love nature and wildlife and want to understand the country as much as see it: rescue centers and conservation projects, family farms, coffee and pineapple growers. It is well adapted to couples, friends and families traveling together, with lodging options for two, three or four people and accommodations that include family cabins and bungalows. A moderate level of fitness is helpful: some days include walks of two to three hours, the staircase of about 530 steps to the waterfall near La Fortuna, the 253 steps at Río Celeste and a short rocky section on the Arenal lava flows. Rafting on Class II and III rapids can be replaced by a calmer float trip. If you prefer having someone else handle the driving and logistics while keeping time to yourself, this Costa Rica driver-guide tour offers that balance, and the final days at Playa Sámara leave room to rest.
Frequently asked questions
Does a private driver-guide accompany us for the whole Costa Rica 15 day itinerary?
Your private driver-guide welcomes you at Juan Santamaría International Airport on day 1 and accompanies you until your arrival in Playa Sámara on day 12, where his services end. Days 13 and 14 are spent at the beach, and on day 15 a private driver takes you to the airport of your return flight. The dolphin outing on day 13 is a shared boat excursion.
Which meals are included during these 15 days in Costa Rica?
Breakfast is included every day. Lunch is included on days 5, 6, 7 and 12, and a buffet dinner is included on day 9 at the hot springs complex near Arenal. Included meals consist of a main course and a non-alcoholic drink. Other meals and drinks outside of meals are at your own expense.
Is the sea turtle nesting tour included?
No. The evening visit to a sea turtle refuge near Playa Sámara on day 13 is an option, not included in the package. It is booked with the same company that runs the dolphin outing and mainly takes place from July to January, sometimes until early February, with sightings always depending on the presence of the turtles.
Is the trip physically demanding?
Most activities are accessible to travelers in reasonable shape. The more demanding moments are the staircase of about 530 steps to the waterfall near La Fortuna, the three-hour hike with 253 steps at Río Celeste and a 200 to 300 meter stretch over lava rocks in Arenal Volcano National Park. In Cahuita National Park, you can choose to walk only part of the trail, and rafting can be replaced by a calmer float trip.
From which airport do we fly home?
The return transfer can take you either to Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, about 4 hours 30 minutes from Playa Sámara, or to Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport in Liberia, about 2 hours away. Departure is timed so you arrive at least three hours before your flight.
From the coffee hills of Turrialba to the Pacific beaches of Guanacaste, this Costa Rica 15 day itinerary links forests, rivers, volcanoes and coastlines at a pace that leaves room for encounters and quiet moments alike. Spending two weeks in Costa Rica this way means letting a driver-guide handle the roads while you focus on the howler monkeys at dawn, the turquoise water of Río Celeste or the first dolphins off Playa Sámara. If this route speaks to you, our team in San Francisco de Heredia will be glad to adapt it to your dates and your travel style and send you a personalized quote.
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