A 3 Week Costa Rica Itinerary, from the Caribbean Coast to the Cloud Forest
Twenty-two days at the pace of the sloth: slow mornings in the rainforest, quiet rivers, Pacific islands and a private driver-guide who knows the roads in between.
Prices per person, in US dollars, including accommodation, breakfasts and the services listed in the program. The package details are listed below.
Some trips are planned around checklists. This one is planned around time. Over twenty-two days and twenty-one nights, this 3 week Costa Rica itinerary takes you from the Caribbean coast to the northern plains, across the volcanic ranges, down the Pacific shore and into the mountains of the cloud forest, with a private driver-guide at the wheel from start to finish.
You begin on the Caribbean side around Cahuita, with a coffee farm, wildlife rescue projects, a national park where the forest runs down to the sand and a gentle kayak trip on a jungle river. Then come the farmlands of Sarapiquí, the remote riverbanks of Boca Tapada near the Nicaraguan border, Arenal Volcano and its hanging bridges, and the turquoise waters of Río Celeste.
The second half of your three weeks in Costa Rica opens onto the Pacific: dolphins off Playa Sámara, bioluminescent waters and Isla Tortuga in the Gulf of Nicoya, the trails of Manuel Antonio, then the wild Osa Peninsula, reached by boat through the Sierpe mangroves, with Corcovado National Park and Caño Island. The journey closes in San Gerardo de Dota, where you set out at first light in search of the resplendent quetzal.
Costa Rica wildlife is the common thread of this 22-day Costa Rica tour: sloths, monkeys, red-eyed tree frogs, crocodiles, scarlet macaws and humpback whales, depending on the season and a little luck. Nothing is staged, and nothing is guaranteed, which is exactly what makes each sighting worth the wait.
Your itinerary
San José · 1 night
Cahuita · 4 nights
Sarapiquí · 1 night
Boca Tapada · 2 nights
Volcán Arenal · 2 nights
Volcán Tenorio (Río Celeste) · 1 night
Playa Sámara · 2 nights
Paquera · 2 nights
Manuel Antonio · 2 nights
Bahía Drake · 3 nights
San Gerardo de Dota · 1 night
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1
Arrival in Costa Rica and first evening in San José
Your private driver-guide is waiting for you in the arrivals hall of Juan Santamaría International Airport, in the province of Alajuela, holding a sign with your name. A welcome note from Vincent, who founded the agency and has made Costa Rica his adopted home for more than forty years, sets the tone for the weeks ahead: you can leave your watch, your phone and the stress of daily life behind, because the details are taken care of. A private transfer then takes you to your hotel in San José. This first drive is a gentle introduction to the warm air and easygoing rhythm of the country. Yes, the vacation has begun.
Day 1 of a 3 week Costa Rica itinerary begins with a night in San José, close to SJO airport.
Day 2
Turrialba: organic coffee on the way to the Caribbean
After breakfast, you leave around 9:00 a.m. for the green region of Turrialba, where mountains, plantations and tropical valleys slowly reshape the view from the window. Around 11:30 a.m., you visit a family property devoted to organic coffee, grown according to international standards that cover each stage of cultivation and processing, with close attention to quality and the environment. In the beneficio, the mill where freshly picked beans are processed, you follow the transformation of the coffee cherry into beans ready for roasting. The visit ends, as it should, with a tasting of local coffee and its characteristic aromas, before you continue toward the Caribbean coast and Cahuita.
Coffee cherries spread out to dry under a plastic tunnel, a step in coffee processing around Turrialba.
Day 3
Caribbean coast: wildlife rescue and conservation
Around 8:45 a.m., you head to a private wildlife rescue center about 20 kilometers from Cahuita, between Punta Cocles and Manzanillo, for a 9:30 a.m. visit. Deep in the rainforest, its teams care for injured, sick or orphaned animals and, whenever possible, prepare them to return to the wild. You learn about their daily work and may see sloths, frogs, reptiles, butterflies and birds. In the afternoon, a second visit introduces a conservation project focused on breeding, reintroduction and habitat protection. After a presentation, a guided walk through the surrounding forest offers the chance to spot birds, monkeys, sloths and frogs, depending on the conditions of the moment.
A guide explains the enclosures to visitors during a wildlife center visit on the Caribbean coast, a stop on a 3 week Costa Rica itinerary.
Day 4
Cahuita National Park: forest, white sand and coral reef
Today belongs to Cahuita National Park, protected for both its rainforest and its coral reefs. The park is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the full trail between the Puerto Vargas and Cahuita entrances covers about 11 kilometers. You can walk it all, or enter from Cahuita, follow the path for a while and stroll back at your own pace. The trail winds through dense vegetation, often a few steps from the shore, with glimpses of the Caribbean between palms and vines. Keep watching the branches: monkeys, iguanas, raccoons, coatis, sloths and basilisks may appear. At Playa Blanca, you can swim, rest in the shade or enjoy a picnic to the sound of the waves.
A curving stretch of sand and Caribbean surf at the edge of Cahuita National Park, a stop on day 4 of this 3 week Costa Rica itinerary.
Day 5
Kayaking a jungle river near Cahuita
At 9:00 a.m., you meet your local guide for a day devoted to nature and genuine encounters. It starts with an organic farm, where you discover tropical crops and the know-how of people who work in harmony with their land. Then you settle into a kayak for a calm descent of a river lined with lush green banks. The river acts as a natural corridor: howler monkeys, toucans, iguanas and many birds may show themselves, while your guide points out the more discreet species and the plants along the water. Lunch is included. In the late afternoon, you return to your hotel for free time by the pool and a quiet Caribbean evening.
Paddling a quiet forest-lined river near Cahuita, a day 5 activity on a 3 week Costa Rica itinerary.
Day 6
Sarapiquí: hearts of palm, pineapple and red-eyed frogs
Around 8:30 a.m., you drive to Horquetas de Sarapiquí, a rural region known for family farming. At about 11:30 a.m., the owner of a small family farm shows you how palmito, the heart of palm, is grown, and how mature palms produce pejibaye, a fruit loved in Costa Rican cooking. After a tasting of fresh palmito, lunch at the family soda may include palmito ceviche, lasagna, bread, chorreada or picadillo, depending on the day. Next, an organic pineapple and sugarcane farm invites you to plant a young pineapple yourself. From 6:00 p.m., as the forest wakes up, a guided walk goes in search of the red-eyed tree frog.
A local host carries a bundle of freshly cut sugarcane through a garden in Sarapiquí.
Day 7
Rafting the Sarapiquí River, then on to Boca Tapada
After breakfast, you head to an adventure center where you must arrive by 9:15 a.m. at the latest. A half-day rafting trip on the Sarapiquí River, with class II and III rapids, alternates lively sections with calm stretches beneath the riverside forest, led by an experienced professional guide. If you prefer a quieter experience, you can choose instead a safari float of about two and a half hours, in an inflatable raft or a motorboat, ideal for spotting birds, monkeys and reptiles. A typical Costa Rican lunch follows, then a visit to discover the remarkably organized world of leaf-cutter ants. In the afternoon, you drive on to the wild region of Boca Tapada.
A group paddles through foaming rapids on a blue raft, guided from the stern on the Sarapiquí river day.
Day 8
Boca Tapada: by boat to the Río San Juan
After breakfast, you board a boat directly from your lodge and follow the Río San Carlos to the point where it meets the Río San Juan, the natural border between Costa Rica and Nicaragua. The riverbanks are largely untouched, and herons, ibises, egrets and kingfishers often watch from the water's edge. With some luck, caimans, iguanas, turtles and frogs reveal themselves too, while your guide helps you read this ecosystem where water and forest are closely linked. Later, a guided hike leads you into the rainforest reserve, where howler monkeys, spider monkeys and capuchins move through the canopy. Birds, insects and reptiles complete this day spent close to the wild.
A covered blue boat waits on the riverbank, ready for a river excursion on day 8 of this 3 week Costa Rica itinerary.
Day 9
Arenal Volcano: a waterfall and an evening of hot springs
You drive through the green landscapes of San Carlos as the near-perfect cone of Arenal Volcano, about 1,600 meters high, rises on the horizon. It erupted suddenly on July 29, 1968, beginning a long period of activity; today it is far calmer and closely monitored. Near La Fortuna, a staircase of some 530 steps, about 15 to 20 minutes down, leads to a waterfall more than 70 meters high, plunging into a natural pool framed by rainforest. Swim when conditions allow, and watch for butterflies, birds and perhaps monkeys. The afternoon is spent in thermal pools heated by the volcano, followed at 7:00 p.m. by an included buffet dinner.
Hikers head down a stone staircase through lush rainforest toward a waterfall near Arenal, a highlight of a 3 week Costa Rica itinerary.
Day 10
Arenal Volcano National Park and the hanging bridges
At around 8:30 a.m., you set out on a walk of one and a half to two hours through Arenal Volcano National Park. The trail is mostly flat and easy, except for a 200 to 300-meter stretch across the uneven rocks of old lava flows, which rewards you with a wide view of the volcano when the weather is clear. You walk past the 1992 lava flows and a ceiba tree more than 400 years old, reading the forest from canopy to floor. Your entrance fee supports Costa Rica's national system of protected areas. In the afternoon, about 3 kilometers of trails link 8 fixed and 6 hanging bridges, some 48 to 98 meters long, high above the canopy.
The cone of Arenal Volcano rises behind the national park entrance sign, a stop on day 10 of a 3 week Costa Rica itinerary.
Day 11
Río Celeste: the turquoise river of Tenorio Volcano
Departure around 7:30 a.m. for Tenorio Volcano National Park, in the Guanacaste volcanic range, where you arrive between 10:00 and 10:30 a.m. A hike of about three hours leads through ferns, vines and tall trees, home to many birds and amphibians. To reach the Río Celeste waterfall, you walk down and back up 253 steps, then the blue pool appears below. The color comes from no trick: mineral particles in the water change the way light scatters, an effect seen most clearly at El Teñidero, where the river takes on its turquoise hue. After dark, a guided night walk goes in search of frogs, insects, reptiles and spiders.
The Río Celeste waterfall drops into its turquoise pool, reached by a long wooden staircase through the forest.
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 the northwest to Cañas. There, a refuge founded through the work of Lilly and Werner Hagnauer, and supported since 2003 by a foundation, cares for wild animals that can no longer return to nature, including pumas, jaguars, ocelots and several monkey species. At 11:30 a.m., you board a boat for about an hour and a half on the Río Corobicí, where large American crocodiles and many birds live among the tropical dry forest of Guanacaste, a striking contrast with the humid forests of the previous days. Lunch is included, before you continue to Playa Sámara.
A puma looks on attentively, a possible encounter during a stop near Cañas on a 3 week Costa Rica itinerary.
Day 13
Playa Sámara: dolphins on the Pacific
Around 8:00 a.m., the tour company picks you up at your hotel reception for a shared boat trip 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 coastline. Observation is done with respect for the animals and their habitat. You return around noon, and the afternoon is yours: rest on the beach, walk along the shore or swim in the Pacific. As an optional extra, a night outing to a nearby turtle nesting beach can be booked, mainly from July to January, to watch sea turtles come ashore to lay their eggs.
A pair of dolphins breaks the surface of the Pacific during a boat outing from Playa Sámara.
Day 14
Paquera: kayaking through bioluminescent waters
Today you reach the Paquera area, on the Gulf of Nicoya side of the peninsula. At nightfall, you settle into a kayak and paddle slowly away from the lights of the shore across calm coastal waters. With every stroke, the water lights up with thousands of tiny glowing points, leaving soft trails of light around your kayak. This bioluminescence is produced by minute marine organisms, and it turns the surface of the sea into a mirror of the starry sky above. In the silence of the night, with only the sounds of the tropical shore around you, this quiet outing is a gentle way to discover another side of Costa Rica.
A tandem kayak glides through glowing blue bioluminescent water under a purple twilight sky.
Day 15
Isla Tortuga and the islands of the Gulf of Nicoya
A full day at sea in the Gulf of Nicoya begins with a stop at Isla de los Monos, where spider monkeys move through the trees. The boat then passes the rock formations of Roca Corazón and Roca Arcoíris before stopping in clear water for a snorkeling session, with equipment provided and your guide alongside, to explore the marine life beneath the surface. You then land on Isla Tortuga, known for its pale sand beaches lined with tropical vegetation, where you can swim, relax or simply enjoy island life. Lunch, fresh fruit and drinks are included, making this a relaxed day between sea, wildlife and Pacific coastline.
Snorkelers explore the clear turquoise water around volcanic rock formations, an ocean day on a 3 week Costa Rica itinerary.
Day 16
By ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya to Manuel Antonio
You board the ferry in Paquera with your vehicle, arriving at the terminal at least 45 minutes before departure. Once on board, you can leave the vehicle and step out on deck. For about an hour and ten minutes, the peninsula fades behind you while islets, green shores and, in clear weather, the mountains of the Pacific coast come into view. Seabirds are common, and with some luck dolphins may appear in the gulf. The ferry docks in Puntarenas, saving a long drive around the gulf, and you continue south along the central Pacific coast to Manuel Antonio. Schedules may change depending on sailing conditions.
A wood-paneled room with two beds and large windows opening onto tropical foliage, a stop on day 16 of this 3 week Costa Rica itinerary.
Day 17
Manuel Antonio National Park at your own pace
After breakfast, you head into Manuel Antonio National Park, known for its wildlife, its lush forest and its beaches washed by the Pacific. You explore at your own pace along trails that wind through the trees, stopping wherever something moves. With patience and a careful eye, you may spot white-faced capuchins, sloths, iguanas and many tropical birds. Viewpoints open onto the ocean, and several paths lead to beaches where you can swim when conditions allow. In the late afternoon, you can return to your hotel to enjoy the pool and its calm surroundings, or linger on the beach to the sound of the Pacific waves.
The welcome sign at Manuel Antonio National Park, a stop on day 17 of a 3 week Costa Rica itinerary.
Day 18
Through the Sierpe mangroves to Bahía Drake
After breakfast, you follow the coastal road south to Sierpe, aiming to arrive by 11:00 a.m. so the vehicle can be left in a secure parking area. Around 11:30 a.m., a fast boat departs for Bahía Drake. For about an hour and a half, you glide through the vast Sierpe mangroves, where fresh and salt water meet, then out along the open coast of the Osa Peninsula, past wild beaches and forested hills. The boat lands directly on the beach, and depending on the tide you may step into the water: wear shoes that come off easily and keep electronics protected. Then you settle into the quiet village of Bahía Drake.
A bright bedroom with a wood-beamed ceiling and a balcony facing the forest, a lodging stop on a 3 week Costa Rica itinerary.
Day 19
Corcovado National Park, the heart of the Osa Peninsula
From Bahía Drake, a boat follows the Osa coastline to one of the accessible sectors of Corcovado National Park: San Pedrillo, closer to the bay, or La Sirena, deeper inside the park, depending on permits and availability at the time of your visit. With a naturalist guide who speaks English or Spanish, you walk into one of the last great expanses of primary rainforest in Costa Rica, among the calls of monkeys and the scent of wet foliage. With luck, howler, capuchin and spider monkeys, tropical birds and reptiles reveal themselves. Lunch is included. In the afternoon, the boat brings you back along the wild coast of the South Pacific.
The wooden welcome sign of Corcovado National Park, featuring a tapir silhouette, a highlight of a 3 week Costa Rica itinerary.
Day 20
Caño Island: whales, dolphins and snorkeling
Around 7:00 a.m., you set off by boat for the Caño Island Biological Reserve, about an hour and a half off the Osa Peninsula. During the crossing, depending on the season, you may see humpback or Bryde's whales, spotted and spinner dolphins, and flying fish skimming the surface, though sightings can never be guaranteed. At the island, an official park guide, English- or Spanish-speaking, accompanies you. Mask and snorkel are provided to explore waters where tropical fish, corals and rays live. You then land on the island's only accessible beach, where scarlet macaws sometimes cross the sky. Tip: try your snorkeling gear at the dive center the day before.
Snorkeling in clear blue water above the reef, a day 20 activity near Drake Bay on a 3 week Costa Rica itinerary.
Day 21
From Bahía Drake to the cloud forest of San Gerardo de Dota
After breakfast, you leave Bahía Drake by boat at 7:15 a.m. The fast boat first follows the wild coast of the Osa Peninsula, then enters the network of mangrove channels, a refuge for many birds and small animals. Light clothing that dries quickly is a good idea, as boarding from the beach may mean walking a few steps in the water. You reach Sierpe around 8:45 a.m., where the vehicle is waiting, and the road climbs away from the coast toward the mountains. By the end of the day, you are in San Gerardo de Dota, surrounded by cool air and the cloud forest.
A dark wooden cabin with a red-railed porch looks out over green, forested hills.
Day 22
In search of the quetzal, then the flight home
In the early morning, a naturalist guide who knows the cloud forest well leads you along mountain trails in search of the resplendent quetzal, with its bright green plumage, red breast and, in males, long tail feathers. With patience, you may find it perched near the aguacatillo trees whose small fruits it feeds on, among moss-covered branches and drifting mist. Afterward, your private driver picks you up at the hotel for the transfer to Juan Santamaría or Daniel Oduber Quirós airport, timed to arrive at least three hours before your flight. If time allows, a short visit to San José or Liberia can be considered; entrance fees are not included. ¡Pura vida!
A male resplendent quetzal perches on a moss-covered branch in the cloud forest of San Gerardo de Dota.
Where you will stay
San José · 1 night
A comfortable city hotel in San José with a twin room, a calm place to rest after the flight before heading out on the road the next morning.
Cahuita · 4 nights
A hotel on the Caribbean coast near Cahuita, with superior rooms and a swimming pool, a relaxed base for four nights between the rainforest, the beaches and the national park.
Sarapiquí · 1 night
Family-style cabins in the rural Sarapiquí region, surrounded by farmland and tropical forest, close to the trails where red-eyed tree frogs come out at dusk.
Boca Tapada · 2 nights
A riverside lodge with bungalows in the remote Boca Tapada area, near the Nicaraguan border, where boat excursions leave directly from the property.
Volcán Arenal · 2 nights
A hotel in the Arenal Volcano area with junior suites, well placed for the waterfall, the national park, the hanging bridges and the hot springs.
Volcán Tenorio (Río Celeste) · 1 night
Bungalows on the edge of the forest near Tenorio Volcano National Park and Río Celeste, ideal for the night walk after the day's hike.
Playa Sámara · 2 nights
A small property with double bungalows near Playa Sámara, on the Pacific coast of Guanacaste, a short distance from the beach.
Paquera · 2 nights
A hotel with deluxe rooms on the Gulf of Nicoya side of the peninsula, close to the departure points for the bioluminescence kayak outing, the island excursion and the ferry.
Manuel Antonio · 2 nights
Apartment-style accommodation with a swimming pool near Manuel Antonio, on the central Pacific coast, within reach of the national park and its beaches.
Bahía Drake · 3 nights
A small hotel in the isolated village of Bahía Drake, between rainforest and ocean, a natural gateway to Corcovado National Park and Caño Island.
San Gerardo de Dota · 1 night
A classic bungalow in the mountains of San Gerardo de Dota, surrounded by cloud forest and cool air, close to the trails of the resplendent quetzal.
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 3 week Costa Rica trip is designed for travelers who want to see a great deal of the country without rushing it: nature lovers, wildlife watchers and photographers, couples, friends or families traveling as a group of two to four. You will appreciate it if you enjoy early starts, gentle hikes and time on the water, from kayaks and river boats to ferries and coastal crossings. The private driver-guide removes the stress of driving and navigation, while free afternoons in Cahuita, Playa Sámara and Manuel Antonio leave room to breathe. A reasonable level of fitness helps for the stairs at the Arenal waterfall and Río Celeste and for the wet beach landings in Bahía Drake, but most walks can be adapted to your pace.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get around on this 3 week Costa Rica itinerary?
A private driver-guide takes you by road for the entire trip, from your arrival at Juan Santamaría International Airport to your final airport transfer. The program also includes a ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya from Paquera to Puntarenas and boat transfers between Sierpe and Bahía Drake. Fuel, tolls, parking, the vehicle's ferry fee and the driver's road expenses are included.
Which meals are included?
Breakfast is included throughout the trip. Lunch is included on the kayak day near Cahuita, in Sarapiquí, on the rafting day, at the Río Corobicí, on the Isla Tortuga excursion and on the Corcovado excursion, and a buffet dinner is included at the Arenal hot springs. Included meals consist of a main course and a non-alcoholic drink.
Is the sea turtle nesting tour included?
No, it is an optional extra. It is booked with the same company that runs the dolphin boat trip from Playa Sámara and takes place mainly from July to January, sometimes into early February, always depending on the presence of the turtles.
Will the guides speak English?
The naturalist guides for Corcovado National Park and the official park guides on Caño Island speak English or Spanish. For other activities, the guide's language depends on the local provider. The agency team answers your questions in English before and during your three weeks in Costa Rica.
How physically demanding is this trip?
It suits travelers in reasonable shape. The longest walks are the Cahuita National Park trail, which you can shorten, and the three-hour Río Celeste hike with 253 steps; the Arenal waterfall involves about 530 steps. Rafting is class II and III, with a calmer river float as an alternative, and the boat landings in Bahía Drake may require stepping into shallow water.
From the coffee hills of Turrialba to the mist of San Gerardo de Dota, this 3 week Costa Rica itinerary follows the natural rhythm of the country: early mornings, quiet rivers, patient wildlife watching and evenings with nothing left to plan. Every stage can be fine-tuned to your dates, your pace and the way you like to travel, and our team in San Francisco de Heredia is glad to answer your questions. If this journey speaks to you, simply ask us for a personalized quote, and we will shape your 22-day Costa Rica tour with you.
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