Colourful birdlife
Explore cloud forest trails, home to a kaleidoscope of birdlife including the quetzal.
This holiday to Costa Rica combines the highlights in the north of the country with the more remote, less visited south, rewarding the visitor with some extra special wildlife experiences.
Featuring a sprinkling of boat rides and a careful balance of pristine coastlines with overgrown jungles, this journey traverses the width and length of Costa Rica, reaching areas where there are more wild creatures watching visitors, rather than the other way round…
Explore cloud forest trails, home to a kaleidoscope of birdlife including the quetzal.
Witness turtles nesting on the Caribbean coast and humpback whales off the Pacific.
Stay in riverside and beachfront lodges, surrounded by nature and accessed by boat and raft.
Discover incredible wildlife in one of the ‘most biologically intense place on earth’.
Days 1
San Jose (Grano de Oro)
Day 2
San Jose - Tortuguero (Tortuga Lodge)
Day 3
Tortuguero (Tortuga Lodge)
Day 4
Tortuguero - Rio Pacuare (Pacuare Lodge)
Days 5-6
Rio Pacuare (Pacuare Lodge)
Day 7
Rio Pacuare - San Gerardo de Dota (Trogon Lodge)
Day 8
San Gerardo de Dota (Trogon Lodge)
Day 9
San Gerardo de Dota - Osa Peninsula (Lapa Rios Ecolodge)
Days 10-11
Osa Peninsula (Lapa Rios Ecolodge)
Day 12
Osa Peninsula - Puerto Jiménez - Golfo Dulce (Playa Cativo)
Days 13-14
Golfo Dulce (Playa Cativo)
Day 15
Golfo Dulce - Puerto Jiménez - San Jose
Days 1
San Jose (Grano de Oro)
On arrival, transfer to your hotel and spend the remainder of the day at leisure.
Day 2
San Jose - Tortuguero (Tortuga Lodge)
Drive and then transfer by boat to Tortuguero National Park, a wetland reserve that lies on the country’s Caribbean coast. Stay at Tortuga Lodge, where iguanas roam the garden and howler monkeys hide in the trees above.
Day 3
Tortuguero (Tortuga Lodge)
Take a boat trip through the region’s network of lagoons, rivers and canals in search of abundant birdlife and reptiles. Tortuguero is also one of the world’s major nesting sites for Atlantic green turtles which can be seen between July and October.
Day 4
Tortuguero - Rio Pacuare (Pacuare Lodge)
Travel by boat and road back inland, heading towards Rio Pacuare, found in a valley of the Talamanca Mountain range. Here, jump into a raft and float to Pacuare Lodge, a jungle hideaway within a private reserve.
Days 5-6
Rio Pacuare (Pacuare Lodge)
Choose from the activities on offer at Pacuare. These include trekking, rafting, zip lining and canyoning as well as nature tours, visits to indigenous communities and culinary experiences.
Day 7
Rio Pacuare - San Gerardo de Dota (Trogon Lodge)
Raft out of Pacuare through spectacular scenery before heading south overland to the cloud forests of San Gerardo de Dota, a road journey of around four hours.
Day 8
San Gerardo de Dota (Trogon Lodge)
Explore the cloud forest trails in search of birdlife including hummingbirds, woodpeckers and the famous quetzals
Day 9
San Gerardo de Dota - Osa Peninsula (Lapa Rios Ecolodge)
Travel south for around five hours to the Osa Peninsula and check into your accommodation.
Days 10-11
Osa Peninsula (Lapa Rios Ecolodge)
Spend two days exploring this biodiverse and beautiful region via guided nature walks. Search for wildlife in Corcovado National Park, learn to surf, or go whale watching between August and October.
Day 12
Osa Peninsula - Puerto Jiménez - Golfo Dulce (Playa Cativo)
Transfer 30 minutes north to Puerto Jimenez before boarding a boat for a scenic boat ride across the Golfo Dulce to your accommodation on the other side.
Days 13-14
Golfo Dulce (Playa Cativo)
Spend two days relaxing and enjoying the activities on offer, from kayaking in the mangroves to hiking with naturalists, or taking to the water in search of whales or dolphins.
Day 15
Golfo Dulce - Puerto Jiménez - San Jose
Journey by boat back to Puerto Jimenez for a flight back to San Jose and onward travels.
Travel north to the Caribbean Coast and the canals of Tortuguero National Park, where dense rainforest, swamps and waterways allow for superb wildlife viewing opportunities. Take to the water in a boat that navigates the tributaries where chattering monkeys and flitting birds live their lives overhead, and watch out for the Jesus Christ lizards that are renowned for their ability to run on the surface of water. In one of the finest places in the world to watch Atlantic green sea turtle’s nesting, we can arrange expertly guided excursions to secluded spots on the Caribbean Coast where, under moonlight, it is possible to watch as turtles come ashore to lay eggs.
With its multitude of rambling mountain-sourced rivers, Costa Rica offers exhilarating world-class white water rafting, and one of the country’s most esteemed lodges, Pacuare Lodge is accessible by one of these thrilling rafting expeditions. Traverse grade III and IV rapids through outstanding scenery of deep-sided gorges and dense riverside jungles to reach the lodge, stopping for a picnic lunch on a pebbly riverside beach. The solar and water-powered property, which offers 4×4 tours, rugged rainforest treks and visits to nearby indigenous communities, carefully balances the understated luxury of spring-fed swimming pools with eco-friendly jungle living.
Home to 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity and dubbed one of the most biologically intense places on earth by National Geographic, the Osa Peninsula’s varied landscapes of coastline, mangroves and rainforest are home to some incredible wildlife. Making up almost half of the peninsula is Corcovado, a National Park rich in species from sloth to big cats and the endangered giant anteater as well as one of the largest populations of scarlet macaws in the country. A short boat ride also leads to Isla del Cano, a marine biological reserve plus an archaeological site that suggests the existence of a Pre-Columbian cemetery.
Tortuga Lodge is committed to monitoring their consumption and implementing measures to mitigate excessive use. They have installed water metres to help analyse water consumption and have since installed high-tech toilets for the most efficient water use. Through a high-tech system of filters and ultraviolet light, they also purify local water to make it drinkable. This helped them to eliminate the use of bottled water and avoid single-use plastics as much as possible.
Pacuare Lodge has purchased 340 hectares of primary rainforest along the Pacuare River. Previously under threat from developers, this prime wildlife habitat is now strictly protected and has a ‘no-visitor’ policy in place. Pacuare Lodge gives the Jaguar Program access to this protected zone and, in addition, provides food, lodging and other support to the researchers conducting vital work on jaguar conservation in Costa Rica.
A stay at Lapa Rios Ecolodge directly contributes to ongoing support they offer to local communities. A previous project set up the Carbonera school which educates children, and teaches adults about conservation practices. A recent, ongoing project encourages remote villages to grow organic produce which the lodge can then purchase and use, thus encouraging their sustainable development.
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Prices will vary depending on the time of year you are travelling. Prices do not include international flights. Please ask one of our Travel Experts for an accurate quote. Flights purchased through Steppes Travel departing from the UK are ATOL protected.
January to April generally has the lowest rainfall throughout the year, though showers can still be expected in such a tropical climate. One of the most popular times of year to visit, with fantastic opportunities to view wildlife, explore the jungle, and relax on white sandy beaches. The ideal time to visit the Pacific Coast.
January to April generally has the lowest rainfall throughout the year, though showers can still be expected in such a tropical climate. One of the most popular times of year to visit, with fantastic opportunities to view wildlife, explore the jungle, and relax on white sandy beaches. The ideal time to visit the Pacific Coast.
January to April generally has the lowest rainfall throughout the year, though showers can still be expected in such a tropical climate. One of the most popular times of year to visit, with fantastic opportunities to view wildlife, explore the jungle, and relax on white sandy beaches. The ideal time to visit the Pacific Coast.
January to April generally has the lowest rainfall throughout the year, though showers can still be expected in such a tropical climate. One of the most popular times of year to visit, with fantastic opportunities to view wildlife, explore the jungle, and relax on white sandy beaches. The ideal time to visit the Pacific Coast.
May and June mark the beginning of the ‘green season’. Rainfall increases a little, but with that means fewer visitors and quieter national parks. The flora and fauna return to its lushest state and makes for beautiful photography opportunities.
May and June mark the beginning of the ‘green season’. Rainfall increases a little, but with that means fewer visitors and quieter national parks. The flora and fauna return to its lushest state and makes for beautiful photography opportunities.
July and August is green season, but there is a brief little summer or ‘veranillo’, which breaks up the rain in July. A great time to enjoy water sports in the country, although sun-seekers can still enjoy the beaches on the far northern Pacific coast.
July and August is green season, but there is a brief little summer or ‘veranillo’, which breaks up the rain in July. A great time to enjoy water sports in the country, although sun-seekers can still enjoy the beaches on the far northern Pacific coast.
While travel is not recommended on the Pacific side in September and October, as it is the peak of the wet season, it is the ideal time to visit the Caribbean coast.
While travel is not recommended on the Pacific side in September and October, as it is the peak of the wet season, it is the ideal time to visit the Caribbean coast.
November and December see the country start to dry up, although the exact timing of the end of the green season varies. By Christmas and New Year, it is getting busy again so it is worth booking accommodation in advance.
November and December see the country start to dry up, although the exact timing of the end of the green season varies. By Christmas and New Year, it is getting busy again so it is worth booking accommodation in advance.
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