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Costa Rica Tours, Adventures & Vacations

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• Manuel Antonio National Park : This is the quintessential Costa Rica natural paradise where the beach seamlessly meets the rainforest, offering encounters with boisterous monkeys, adorable sloths, and exotic tropical birds.
• Arenal Volcano National Park : Located to the north of San Jose, Arenal Volcano presents a tropical paradise complete with soothing hot springs, dense rainforests, and the awe-inspiring presence of Volcan Arenal, a towering, billowing giant that defines the region.
• Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve : As one of Costa Rica's original eco-tourism hotspots, Monteverde Cloudforest offers enchanting cloud forest walks, exhilarating canopy ziplines, immersive visits to local farms, and the chance to stay in ecologically friendly lodges.
• Corcovado National Park: Often referred to as "the most biologically intense place on Earth," Corcovado is a remote and pristine park where you can find diverse wildlife, including jaguars and tapirs.
• Tortuguero National Park : Nestled on Costa Rica's lesser-visited Caribbean coast, Tortuguero, meaning "sea turtle breeding spot" in Spanish, provides a unique opportunity to witness green turtles in their natural environment.
• Palo Verde National Park: This park is popular among birdwatchers, especially during the dry season when migratory birds congregate in large numbers.
• Irazu Volcano National Park : Its proximity to San Jose makes it a popular destination for those seeking a glimpse of an active volcano and its crater lakes.
• Poas Volcano National Park: Another accessible volcano park near San Jose, Poas is known for its active crater and stunning vistas.

10 Best Costa Rica Activities for Nature Lovers

Best time to travel to costa rica.

• Whitewater Rafting
• Hiking & Trekking
• Zip Lining - Canopy Climbing
• Sea Kayaking
• Rainforest Wildlife Viewing & Adventures
• Dry Season (December to April): Also referred to as the "high season" for tourism, extends from December to April. During this period, most of the country experiences lower rainfall and clear skies, making it the ideal time for outdoor activities and exploring the nation's national parks and pristine beaches. The Central Valley and Pacific coast regions offer pleasant, sunny weather during these months. If you're planning a trip to Costa Rica for activities like hiking, birdwatching, or beach relaxation, this is the prime time to visit.
• Green Season (May to November): During Costa Rica’s wet season or “ green season ”, the country receives higher rainfall, especially on the Caribbean coast and in the northern regions. While the weather can be unpredictable, the lush green landscapes and lower number of tourists can make this a rewarding time to visit. It's important to note that some remote areas may be less accessible during heavy rains. If you want to experience the rainforests at their lushest and take advantage of lower accommodation prices, the wet season could be a suitable choice.

Costa Rica Travel Overview

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• Hummingbirds: Marvel at dozens of hummingbird species, each with a unique iridescent plumage and behavior. Keep an eye out for them in lush rainforests and gardens throughout the country.
• Resplendent Quetzal: This magnificent bird, known for its vibrant green and red plumage, calls the cloud forests of Monteverde and other highland regions home. 
• Rufous Motmot: Found in the dense undergrowth of rainforests and along riverbanks, the Rufous Motmot is known for its distinctive racket-shaped tail and vibrant plumage.
• Kingfishers: Keep an eye on riverbanks and mangroves, especially in the Pacific and Caribbean coastal regions, for a chance to spot various kingfisher species.
• Toucans & Aracaris: These iconic birds with large, colorful bills are often seen in the canopy of tropical rainforests, particularly in Tortuguero and Corcovado National Parks.
• White-collared Manakin: Look for this striking bird in lowland rainforests, where males perform elaborate courtship dances to impress potential mates.
• La Fortuna: Located near the Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna is famous for its hot springs, lush rainforests, and outdoor adventures like hiking, zip-lining, and wildlife watching.
• Santa Teresa: A laid-back beach town on the Nicoya Peninsula, Santa Teresa is known for its excellent surfing conditions, stunning sunsets, and vibrant local scene.
• Nicoya Peninsula: This beautiful peninsula is a haven for nature lovers, offering pristine beaches, diverse wildlife, and opportunities for hiking, snorkeling, and exploring charming coastal towns.
• Playa Conchal: Known for its unique crushed-shell beach, this is a popular destination for sunbathing, swimming, and snorkeling in crystal-clear waters.
• Lake Arenal: Costa Rica's largest lake, Lake Arenal, offers water activities such as windsurfing and boat tours with the Arenal Volcano as a stunning backdrop.
• Playa Samara: A tranquil beach town on the Nicoya Peninsula, Playa Samara is a great spot for swimming, kayaking, and enjoying a relaxed atmosphere.

Costa Rica Travel FAQs

• Learn Some Spanish: While many Costa Ricans speak English, learning some basic Spanish phrases can enhance your experience and interactions. Spanish is the official language, and using polite greetings like "hola" (hello) and "gracias" (thank you) can go a long way in fostering positive connections with locals.
• Pack Accordingly: Bring lightweight, breathable clothing, comfortable walking shoes, and don't forget insect repellent and sunscreen. The tropical climate can vary, so it's wise to have layers for different elevations and activities.
• Currency and Payments: Costa Rican colón (CRC) is the local currency, but U.S. dollars are widely accepted. Carry some cash, but credit cards are commonly used. However, smaller establishments may prefer cash, so having some colones on hand is advisable.
• Respect Nature: Help preserve Costa Rica's natural beauty by following eco-friendly practices like recycling and avoiding single-use plastics. Costa Rica is a leader in sustainable tourism, and respecting the environment is a shared responsibility.
• Local Cuisine: Don't miss out on trying traditional dishes like gallo pinto (rice and beans), casado (a typical lunch), and tropical fruits. Costa Rican cuisine reflects the country's rich cultural heritage and is a delightful culinary experience.
• Explore National Parks: Visit Costa Rica's incredible national parks and reserves to experience the country's diverse ecosystems and wildlife. 
• Enjoy "Pura Vida": Embrace the "pura vida" lifestyle, which translates to pure life and represents a laid-back, positive attitude. It's a way of life in Costa Rica and embodies the friendly and welcoming spirit of the people.
• Respect Wildlife: Keep a safe distance from animals in the wild and never feed them. Wildlife encounters are best enjoyed from a distance. This not only ensures your safety but also protects the animals and their natural behaviors.
• Tipping: Tipping is customary in Costa Rica, with 10% being a common practice in restaurants. In addition to restaurants, it's also customary to tip tour guides, drivers, and hotel staff for exceptional service.

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Costa Rica Tours

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An eco-tourist's dream, Costa Rica has become synonymous with all an unspoiled tropical paradise can be. Rarely does reality measure up to hype, but Costa Rica certainly comes close. The country's quiet history as a backwater free of colonial excesses has today become a boon, and Costa Rica has cashed in on its purity. And not without merit: blessed with beaches and biodiversity, this is a verdant land of misty volcanoes, roaring rivers, and lush jungles teeming with exotic fauna. Throw in the friendly, educated Ticos (as Costa Ricans are known) and you can see why down here they call it Pura Vida – "pure life."

When is the best time to travel to Costa Rica?

Costa Rica's climate is defined by the rainy and dry seasons. The best time to visit is Costa Rica's dry season which is December to April, March and April are the hottest months. The rainy season is May to November, the wettest months are September and October. In recorded history a hurricane has never made landfall in Costa Rica.

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"From beaches to jungles to volcanoes, and all the weird and wonderful wildlife in between, I could never choose just one favourite place in Costa Rica. Relax and enjoy the pura vida, mae!"

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Visit Tortuguero National Park

A spectacular wilderness of rainforest, beaches and lagoons, Tortuguero National Park is filled with incredible wildlife. We’ll take you through the canals on a river boat to spot caimans, howler monkeys, sloths, iguanas, toucans, crocodiles and scores of bird species, plus endangered ocelots, river otters, manatees and six species of sea turtles.

View Arenal Volcano

One of the most active volcanoes in the world, rising to 1,670 metres over the lush rainforest, Arenal Volcano is a magnificent sight. Our Costa Rica vacations will take you up close to the volcano, from guided treks through old lava rocks, to ziplining on the slopes of the volcano.

Indulge in gourmet chocolate from the best cacao beans

Dive into Culture with Trafalgar, as we journey to San Isidro de Heredia, where you’ll meet master chocolatiers, Julio Fernandez and George Soriana. You’ll learn about the history and production of chocolate in their workshop, and sample some of the sweet delicacies made from the world’s best cacao beans.

Have Costa Rican lunch at a traditional working ranch

When you visit Costa Rica with Trafalgar, we’ll meet the people behind the country. Join Don Alberto and Doña Ana Quintana for a traditional Costa Rican lunch at their eco-friendly Hacienda Pozo Azul, a 2000-acre working ranch. You’ll learn about classic Costa Rican cuisine and life on a working farm.

Spot wildlife at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Take to the sky in Monteverde Cloud Forest, where you’ll join your Local Specialist for a walk through the rainforest along the treetop Sky Walk bridges. The forest is home to a staggering abundance of wildlife, with around 2.5 percent of the world’s species, including jaguar, puma, tapri, coatis, toucans and hummingbirds.

Our top 5 things to do in Costa Rica

From hiking up volcanoes to walking through treetops, our Costa Rica guided holidays take you to the heart of the country in ways you could never imagine.

Museo de Jade

Founded in 1977 by Fidel Castro, the Museo del Jade is an archaeological museum with a massive collection of pre-Columbian items. Located in San José, you can discover the world’s largest collection of American jade, along with ceramics, stone tables and ceremonial heads.

Museum of Costa Rican Art

With more than six thousand pieces of art, the Museum of Costa Rican Art holds one of the world’s largest collections of Latin American art. You’ll find pieces from artists like José Sancho and Max Jiménez, with paintings, sculptures and pieces dating back to the early 19th century.

Museo Nacional de Costa Rica

The National Museum of Costa Rica is set in the Bellavista Fortress, built in 1917 with bullets still lodged in the exterior walls from the country’s civil war. The building became a museum in 1950, and today has an excellent collection of colonial furniture and pre-Columbian artefacts like ceramics and stone tables.

Best museums in Costa Rica

Our Costa Rica tour packages delve deeper into the history and culture of Costa Rica through their wonderful museums.

The tamale is a quintessential Costa Rican dish, made from dough filled with a mix of meat (like chicken or beef), corn flour and broth. The tamales are then wrapped in banana or plantain leaves, and although they are traditionally enjoyed at Christmas, our Local Specialists will show you where to taste tamales all year round.

Gallo Pinto

A beloved dish of rice and beans, Gallo Pinto is the pride of Costa Rica. The name translates as ‘spotted rooster’ and the local saying ‘mas tico que el gallo pinto’ means ‘more Costa Rican than spotted rooster’. It’s usually eaten at breakfast, but can be enjoyed throughout the day.

A classic staple of Costa Rican cuisine, casado is a dish of rice, black beans, salad, plantains and a tortilla, with an optional serving of meat like beef, pork, chicken or fish. The dish comes in many variations with added flavors like corn, eggs and avocado, and you can mix and match as you please.

Best food in Costa Rica

Full of fruits, vegetables, rice and beans, Costa Rican food is fresh and filling, and we’ll show you all the best places to taste the country’s most-loved dishes.

What to pack for Costa Rica

Spanish phrasebook

Learning a few Spanish phrases is highly appreciated and will make it easier to connect with the locals. The first Costa Rican saying to learn is ‘pura vida, mae!’

Waterproof coat

No matter where you go, it can rain at any time in Costa Rica. Pack a waterproof jacket and keep it in your day bag on your daily adventures.

Mosquito repellent

Costa Rica has plenty of mosquitoes, so to avoid any nasty bites from mosquitoes or other insects, bring a strong repellent with DEET (diethyltoluamide) and apply it regularly.

Adaptor plug

In Costa Rica, the standard voltage is 120 V and the power plugs and sockets are of type A and B. The standard frequency is 60 Hz.

Reef-safe sunscreen

Protect yourself from the harsh sun with SPF 30 or higher and protect the environment with reef-safe sunscreen. It’s recommended to bring your own, as sunscreen is expensive in Costa Rica.

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Costa Rica Tours & Vacation Packages

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Customers rate Zicasso's travel referral service  4.9  on a scale of 1 to 5 based on  1560  reviews on Trustpilot

We match you with top tour companies that specialize in the trip you want,  whether it's a customized private tour or a group tour.

From luscious rainforests and towering volcanoes to captivating wildlife and exhilarating adventure, Costa Rica offers a perfect getaway. From the Pacific to the Caribbean, lounge on pristine beaches, zipline through cloud forests, and enjoy La Pura Vida as a personalized Zicasso itinerary to Costa Rica opens a world of discovery and relaxation. Design yours today.

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Best of Costa Rica Vacation: Volcanoes, Hot Springs, Cloud Forest, and Beaches

9  Day Custom Tour

From  $2,092

Handcrafted Costa Rica Tour: Finest Tropical Escape

11  Day Custom Tour

From  $2,998

Costa Rica Family Friendly Vacation: Jungle, Wildlife & Beach

7  Day Custom Tour

From  $1,633

Secluded Rainforest Costa Rica Adventure

From  $2,218

Costa Rica for Couples: Choose Your Own Adventures

From  $2,209

Superb Costa Rica Getaway: Tropical Paradise and Wildlife

16  Day Custom Tour

From  $3,947

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Benefits of Using Zicasso

Coffee, Chocolate & Cocktails Tour of Costa Rica

12  Day Custom Tour

From  $5,395

Costa Rica Adventure Tour for Solo Travelers

8  Day Custom Tour

From  $1,867

Costa Rica for Seniors: 7-Day Tropical Vacation

From  $1,710

Costa Rica Gastronomy Tour: Gourmet to Flavorful Surprises

From  $2,200

Perfect 7-Day Costa Rica Vacation

From  $1,675

Costa Rica Vacation Package: A Tropical Getaway to Quepos & Manuel Antonio

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Travel Tips for Your Costa Rica Trip

When is the best time to visit costa rica.

The best months to visit Costa Rica are between January and May.

The country has two distinct seasons, the dry season of December to May and the rainy season between June and November.  The dry season is the most popular with travelers for its warm weather, but the rainy season has much to offer with clear mornings and afternoon showers with pleasantly cool weather.

Costa Rica’s regions offer incredible diversity, so no matter the time of year you would like to travel, you can enjoy every day of your trip.

Where should I visit in Costa Rica?

From beaches to rainforests, waterways to cloud forests, here are some of the best places to visit in Costa Rica :

• Arenal: As one of the premier locations in Costa Rica, Arenal offers adventure and scenic wonders. From ziplining to the volcano’s conical peak, whitewater rafting to waterfall hikes, you can enjoy the thrills and natural beauty.
• Manuel Antonio: The picture-perfect combination of rainforest and white-sand beach, Manuel Antonio is often the highlight of a trip. Scuba dive, kayak, search for tree frogs, or lounge on luxurious coastline as you plan your unforgettable time in the national park.
• Monteverde: The mountainous terrain in the Central Highlands is a welcome escape from the tropical heat. Find an introduction to the cloud forest canopy with horseback riding, butterfly farms, and some of the most impressive birdlife to see in Central America.
• Tortuguero: Majestic and surprising, Tortuguero in the northeast corner of Costa Rica can feel exotic with its canals and the highest sea turtle population in Latin America.

What should I do in Costa Rica?

Whether eager to lounge on some of the best beaches in the South America or witness the breathtaking biodiversity, sail through the trees or snorkel colorful reefs, here are some of our top things to do in Costa Rica :

• Relax on quiet beaches in view of the crystal-clear Pacific or Atlantic oceans
• Taste the delicious local cuisine with a private cooking class
• Enjoy a ziplining excursion and fly through the forest canopy
• Take to the whitewater on a thrilling rafting adventure
• Sample the incredible flavors of Costa Rican chocolate at a cocoa farm
• Follow the jungle trails in search of fantastic waterfalls
• Learn to surf at your pace

What is Costa Rica known for?

Costa Rica is known for its rich biodiversity, aromatic coffee, and great beaches. Home to some of the most biodiverse regions in the world, the combination of adventure excursions and relaxing beach vacations is a big draw for many travelers. Among the many things Costa Rica is known for are volcanoes and fascinating wildlife and marine life. View active lava flows, find wild toucans, or discover a new surf spot when enjoying tours of Costa Rica.

What are the best beaches in Costa Rica?

From a secluded shoreline bordered by dense rainforest to a panoramic coast with powdery white sands, there are plenty of incredible beaches in Costa Rica .Here are some of our favorites you can visit on Costa Rica tour packages:

• Manuel Antonio Beach
• Playa Conchal
• Dominical Beach
• Tamarindo Beach
• Playa Hermosa

What animals can I see in Costa Rica?

The biodiversity in Costa Rica supports the incredible wildlife with fantastic animal populations ranging from high in the mountains to deep in the oceans.

Whether interested in birds or monkeys, exotic fish or big cats, here’s our list of the top animals to see on Costa Rica tours:

• Scarlet macaws
• Hummingbirds
• Resplendent quetzals
• Red-eyed tree frogs
• Bair’d tapir
• Squirrel monkeys
• Sea turtles

What are your most popular Costa Rica itineraries?

Whether on an adventure tour through the Central Valley or looking for the best beaches, our Costa Rica itineraries can uncover the best of the country for you. Here are three of our most popular trips you can personalize with a travel expert:

• Best of Costa Rica Vacation: Volcanoes, Hot Springs, Cloud Forest, and Beaches is an immediate immersion into the highlights of Costa Rica’s microclimates, adventures, and beauty from the Central Valley to the Pacific Coast.
• Combine fantastic wildlife sightings with luxurious accommodations and exciting ways to experience new places during this Handcrafted Costa Rica Tour: Finest Tropical Escape .

Costa Rica Family Friendly Vacation: Jungle, Wildlife & Beach is a remarkable journey for kids of all ages as you experience rafting and ziplining, relaxing beaches and spotting

What else should I know about how to plan a trip to Costa Rica?

Explore more information in our frequently asked questions about planning a trip to Costa Rica and find inspiration in our Costa Rica travel guide .

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Travel Guide

• Things to Do
• A Nature Guide
• Planning a Trip
• Organized Tours
• White-Water Rafting
• Spas and Retreats
• Bird Watching
• Wildlife Watching
• Organized Adventure Tours
• National Parks
• Horseback Riding
• Health, Safety & Outdoor Etiquette
• Snorkeling & Scuba Diving
• Other Activities
• Suggested Itineraries

Organized Adventure Tours in Costa Rica

Because many travelers have limited time and resources, organized ecotourism or adventure-travel packages, arranged by tour operators in either Costa Rica or the United States, are a popular way of combining several activities. Bird-watching, horseback riding, rafting, and hiking can be teamed with, say, visits to Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve and Manuel Antonio National Park.

Traveling with a group has several advantages over traveling independently: Your accommodations and transportation are arranged, and most (if not all) meals are included in the package cost. If your tour operator has a reasonable amount of experience and a decent track record, you should proceed to each of your destinations quickly without snags and long delays. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet like-minded souls who are interested in nature and active sports. Of course, you’ll pay more for these conveniences.

In the best cases, group size is kept small (10–20 people), and tours are escorted by knowledgeable guides who are either naturalists or biologists. Ask about difficulty levels when you’re choosing a tour—most companies offer “soft adventure” packages for those in moderately good shape, while others focus on hardcore activities geared toward seasoned athletes.

Costa Rican Tour Agencies

Because many U.S.–based companies subcontract portions of their tours to established Costa Rican companies, smart travelers cut out the middleman and set up their tours directly with these companies. That means these packages are often less expensive than those offered by U.S. companies, but it doesn’t mean they’re cheap. You’re still paying for the convenience of having your arrangements handled for you.

These agencies can arrange everything from whitewater rafting to sightseeing at one of the nearby volcanoes or a visit to a butterfly farm. Although it’s generally quite easy to arrange a day trip at the last minute, other tours are offered only on set dates or when enough people are interested. Contact a few companies before you leave home and find out what tours will be offered when you arrive. These local operators tend to be a bit less expensive than their international counterparts, with 10-day tours generally costing in the neighborhood of $1,500 to $4,000 per person, not including airfare to Costa Rica.

Coast to Coast Adventures ( www.coasttocoastadventures.com ; tel. 2280-8054 ) has a unique excursion involving no motor vehicles. The company’s namesake 12-day trip is a completely human-powered 248km (154 mile) crossing of the country, with participants traveling on rafts, by mountain bike, and on foot. Custom-designed trips (with a minimum of motorized transport) of shorter duration are also available, as well as family-friendly adventures and student tours.

Costa Rica Expeditions ( www.costaricaexpeditions.com ; tel. 2521-6099) offers everything from 10-day tours covering the entire country to 3-day/2-night and 2-day/1-night tours of Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve and Tortuguero National Park, where it runs its own lodges. It also offers 1- to 2-day whitewater rafting trips and other excursions. Its tours are some of the most expensive in the country, but it is the most consistently reliable outfitter (and its customer service is excellent). If you want to strike out on your own, Costa Rica Expeditions can supply you with just transportation from place to place.

Costa Rica Sun Tours ( www.crsuntours.com ; tel. 800/359-1684 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2296-7757 in Costa Rica) offers a wide range of adventures and specializes in multiday and small group tours that include stays at country lodges.

Green World Adventures ( www.greenworldadventures.com ; tel. 347/973-9313 in the U.S. and Canada, or 2552-3269 in Costa Rica) has a rare Certificate of Sustainable Tourism from the Costa Rican Tourism Board, and a wide selection of midrange, eco-driven tours of every sort. Their 9-day Eco Adventure Trip includes a rafting on the Pacuare River, horseback riding in Monteverde, and beach time in Samara.

Horizontes Nature Tours , Calle 32 between avenidas 3 and 5 ( www.horizontes.com ; tel. 888/786-8748 in the U.S. and Canada, or 4052-5850 in Costa Rica), is not a specifically adventure-oriented operator, but it offers a wide range of individual, group, and package tours, including those geared toward active and adventure travelers, as well as families and even honeymooners. The company hires responsible and knowledgeable guides, and it is a local leader in sustainable tourism practices.

International Tour Operators

These agencies and operators are known for well-organized and -coordinated tours. Be warned: Most of these operators are not cheap, with 10-day tours generally costing in the neighborhood of $3,000 to $5,000 per person, not including airfare to Costa Rica.

U.S.–Based Tour Operators

Abercrombie & Kent ( www.abercrombiekent.com ; tel. 800/554-7016) offers upscale trips around the globe, including several tours of Costa Rica. It specializes in 10-day highlight tours hitting Monteverde, the Osa Peninsula, and Tortuguero, and also has an excellent 7-day family tour. Service is personalized and the guides are top-notch.

Blue Parallel ( www.blueparallel.com ; tel. 301/263-6670) creates custom journeys around Costa Rica, combining both luxury and a sense of adventure. Itineraries can include destinations such as the Osa Peninsula, Papagayo, and the Lake Arenal area.

Costa Rica Experts ( www.costaricaexperts.com ; tel. 800/827-9046) offers a large menu of a la carte and scheduled departures, as well as day trips and adventure packages, and has decades of experience organizing tours to the country.

Nature Expeditions International  ( www.naturexp.com ; tel. 800/869-0639) specializes in educational and “low intensity adventure” trips tailored to independent travelers and small groups.

Overseas Adventure Travel  ( www.oattravel.com ; tel. 800/955-1925) provides natural history and “soft adventure” itineraries with optional add-on excursions. Tours are limited to a maximum of 16 people and are guided by naturalists. All accommodations are in small hotels, lodges, or tent camps, offering very good bang for your buck.

Southern Explorations ( www.southernexplorations.com ; tel. 877/784-5400) has a range of nature- and adventure-oriented guided excursions—as well as set itinerary self-guided tours—for individuals, groups, and families.

Tauck  ( www.tauck.com ; tel.  800/788-7885) is a soft-adventure company catering to higher-end travelers. It offers an 8-day Costa Rica highlight tour that includes explorations of rainforests and coffee plantations.

In addition to these companies, many environmental organizations, including the Sierra Club ( www.sierraclub.org ; tel. 415/977-5522 ) and the Smithsonian Institute ( www.smithsonianjourneys.org ; tel. 855/330-1542 ), regularly offer organized trips to Costa Rica.

U.K.–Based Tour Operators

Imaginative Traveller ( www.imaginative-traveller.com ; tel. 44/147-385-2316 outside the U.K.) is a good operator specializing in budget student, group, and family travel. Its offerings in Costa Rica focus on nature and adventure travel, and often include other countries in Central America like Panama or Nicaragua. These trips range in duration from 9 to 58 days.

Journey Latin America  ( www.journeylatinamerica.co.uk ; tel. 020/3553-1554 in the U.K.) is a large British operator specializing in Latin American travel. It offers a range of escorted tours around Latin America, including a few that touch down in Costa Rica. It also designs custom itineraries and often has excellent deals on airfare.

Note : This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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Home » Travel Planning and Inspiration » 9 BEST Tours of Costa Rica (Multi-Day Guided Tours) & How to Pick One!

9 BEST Tours of Costa Rica (Multi-Day Guided Tours) & How to Pick One!

By Author Costa Rica Travel Life

Posted on Last updated: March 17, 2024

This blog may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy for more info.

Costa Rica is famous for its natural beauty, diverse landscapes, and abundance of fascinating wildlife . From jungles and cloud forests to volcanoes and secluded beaches , there’s a ton to explore in the most biodiverse country on Earth – so much so that the prospect of planning a week-long trip can feel a bit intimidating. 

Naturally, you want to make the most of your time in Costa Rica , but spending hours crafting an itinerary understandably might not be that appealing. That’s the beauty of joining a multi-day tour around the country – all of the details are taken care of for you, and all you need to do is relax and enjoy the journey.

While living and traveling across Costa Rica, we’ve found some great multi-day tours that helped us see an area or bunch of attractions in a shorter period of time. Plus we found having transport AND a guide were huge advantages when we were exploring a new part of the country.

There are so many different tours available designed to showcase what Costa Rica is most known for ! It’s a matter of finding one that fits your budget, time frame, and includes all of your must-do activities . We’re here to help you narrow it down!

We’ve rounded up the 9 best tours on offer to help you decide which one is right for you. 

Why Join a Guided Tour Around Costa Rica

Obviously, joining a guided tour is a lot easier because you don’t have to worry about booking individual activities, transport, or accommodation since it’s all taken care of in one fell swoop when you book the tour.

But what you may not realize is that joining a guided tour can also be cheaper than booking everything separately! Tour operators often get discounts and bundle deals that they pass along to you. Usually, all of your national park fees, accommodation, and some activities are included in the price of your tour, so the only thing you’ll really need to pay for is food and drink (and sometimes that’s included, too!).

A guided tour also makes for a smoother journey, because you don’t need to worry about organizing bus transfers, securing parking, booking time slots, or how you’re going to get from one place to the next. It’s all taken care of for you! 

We also like joining group tours to connect with other travelers. It’s a great opportunity to meet people, which is a huge benefit if you’re traveling solo or are just a super social person who’s keen to connect with others exploring the country.

Another big advantage we’ve found has come in handy is having a knowledgeable guide along. They will share stories and information about Costa Rica with you, so you’ll get a much better insight into the culture and history of the country than if you were to go it alone. 

Having a guide is also a huge advantage when it comes to spotting wildlife in Costa Rica , because some of the most fascinating animals can be difficult for the untrained eye to see. Lots of Costa Rica’s coolest animals are pretty small or live high up in trees, so you miss a lot without a guide to point them all out to you. We wouldn’t have seen half as much as we did without the guidance of locals who knew exactly what to look for! 

Safety is also a consideration when joining a group tour. While Costa Rica is relatively safe, tourists are often targets for petty theft and occasionally violent crime. We don’t say this to scare you, but we do know that there’s safety in numbers, and having a local guide with you will go a long way to keeping you safe from being a target. Before you go, have a read through our tips to stay safe in Costa Rica so you’re extra prepared!

Now that you know why multi-day tours are such a great pick, it’s time to find one that works for you!

The BEST Multi-Day Tours of Costa Rica 

1. 7-night private tour (all-inclusive).

Everything is taken care of from the moment you land to the day you depart Costa Rica on this week-long all-inclusive tour . You’ll be collected from the San José airport by a friendly guide who will help you settle in and take you to your first night’s accommodation before you embark on your adventure around the country.

I love this tour because, in just a week, you get to see some of the most beautiful and biodiverse places in Costa Rica. These include Poas Volcano and Manuel Antonio National Park where you’ll discover a variety of amazing land and marine wildlife, from dolphins and sea turtles to howler monkeys, agouti, snakes, and deer. You’ll also visit the San Luis Adventure Park for a thrilling canopy adventure and on your final day you’ll go rafting on the Pacuare River.

This tour costs $1,496 USD and includes 7 nights of 4-star accommodation, so you’ll be nice and comfy overnight. You also get breakfast each morning (accompanied by some fantastic Costa Rican coffee!) and lunch most days, too. Dinners and your evening beers aren’t included, but we actually think that’s quite nice as you get the chance to head out on your own each night and try whichever local spot catches your eye. 

Another thing we really like about this tour is that the tour company has a big focus on sustainability and social responsibility. Costa Rica is such an insanely beautiful country with a very delicate ecosystem, and after you’ve traveled around you’ll understand why conservation is so important. 

Plus, there’s a maximum group size of 15 which we think is great as personally, huge tours just aren’t our vibe. Small group trips give you much more of an opportunity to get to know your guide and learn about the local culture, and it’s also much easier to bond with your fellow travelers when you don’t have 60 different names to try and remember! 

Grab your spot on this all-inclusive week-long tour here !

2. 13-Day nature tour of Costa Rica

On this 13-day tour , you’ll get to experience a rich slice of Costa Rica’s beauty and culture with multi-day visits to Tortuguero National Park , the Arenal Volcano, Monteverde Cloud Forest , and either Manuel Antonio National Park or Guanacaste .

So basically, you’ll see pretty much every type of landscape that the country has to offer, from volcanoes, mangroves, and thermal hot springs to rainforests and beaches. 

One thing we love about this tour is that you get plenty of time in each place – it’s not one of those tours where you spend most of the time on the bus rather than actually exploring your destination. You’ll get 2 nights in Tortuguero, 2 nights in Arenal Volcano National Park, 2 nights in Monteverde, and 4 nights in either Manuel Antonio or Guanacaste (depending on which one you choose) before spending a final night in San José before being taken back to the airport on the last day of the tour.

We think that this is a really nicely structured itinerary since you start out by visiting more adventurous destinations and then end your trip with some more relaxed time at the beach. There’s a nice balance between guided activities and free time, which is important because although you want to see as much of Costa Rica as possible, you also need time to actually relax and enjoy your vacation! 

The tour costs $2,725 USD including all of your accommodation and round-trip transportation from San Josè, Alajuela, or Herida. You also get breakfast every morning, lunch on 5 days, and 3 dinners. If you choose to visit Guanacaste instead of Manuel Antonio National Park, you’ll stay in an all-inclusive Costa Rica resort , so all of your meals and drinks will be taken care of, too.

There are also only 8 travelers (or fewer) in each group, so you’ll get to know everyone really well by the end and come away with some newfound friends. Because it’s a smaller group, make sure you book online early to guarantee you get the dates you want !

Related Read: If you choose to visit Guanacaste, make sure to stop in the cute beach town of Playa Flamingo !

3. 10-Day nature group tour

This 10-day tour starts and ends in San José, giving you 2 nights in Tortuguero National Park, Arenal Volcano National Park, Monteverde (which is home to the famous cloud forest), and Manuel Antonio National Park, which is known for its excellent beaches, as well as its incredible rainforest which is one of the best places to spot tropical primates in Costa Rica. 

One of my favorite parts of this tour is the cruise along the rivers of Tortuguero National Park. This is one of the most remote parts of the country and the best view of the area is from the canals that wind through here. We’ve spotted several different types of monkeys and even a manatee from the water! Plus, you’ll get to spend the night in a Costa Rican ecolodge .

If you can, book this tour during turtle nesting season (July-September) or turtle hatching season (September-December) so you have the chance to see turtles ! You might be lucky enough to spot mama turtles laying their eggs or baby turtles making their way to the ocean. We were here in December and watching those cute little guys head to the water was a highlight!

Another incredible part of this tour is the chance to hike through the Monteverde Cloud Forest . This place is honestly magical. It’s one of the top nature reserves in Costa Rica  and is home to HALF the country’s flora and fauna, which is really saying something.

You’ll also be in one of the best places to spot a sloth in Costa Rica with your visit to Manuel Antonio National Park. I always seem to spot a sloth here – especially if you walk along the appropriately named “Sloth Trail”.

For $1,826 USD, you get 9 nights accommodation and breakfast, as well as two lunches, return transfers to San José airport, and lots of guided hikes and tours along the way, although there are a few free days to enjoy, too. 

This tour will give you a well-rounded overview of Costa Rica and ensure that you get to experience some of its most beautiful destinations to the fullest. There’s a maximum group size of 25, so we think that this tour is ideal for couples, families, or groups of friends.

Check availability and book this nature-focused group tour online !

Why We Book Tours with Viator

Viator is a trusted online booking system for tours around the world! We almost always book our tours using Viator for a couple of reasons:

• Free cancellation on most tours – Most of the tours on Viator allow you to cancel and get a full refund up to 24 hours in advance. This is handy in case plans change, or if booking an outdoor activity, the weather forecast is looking grim.
• Reserve now and pay later – You can secure your spot on some of the most popular tours well in advance and not pay until closer to the day of the tour.
• Lowest price guarantee – If you happen to find the same tour at a lower price elsewhere, Viator will refund you the price difference.
• Pay in your chosen currency – Avoid costly international transaction fees by choosing to pay in your home currency.
• Peace of mind – When booking with tour operators you find in person on the street or in small booking offices, you are often promised one thing and given another. This online platform holds tour operators accountable with a written description of inclusions as well as the opportunity for customers to leave reviews.

Check out the Viator website here ! Or, for more info, read our detailed review about Viator here .

4. 9-Day best of the Northwest tour

The Northwest part of Costa Rica has the driest weather in the country (although it’s still pretty wet by most standards) and it’s a popular destination for beach lovers. It’s also home to Monteverde Cloud Forest, which is famed for its biodiversity, large population of exotic birds , and beautiful wild orchids. 

The Guanacaste Province is also located in the Northwest, where there are lots of scenic beaches and mountains to explore, as well as Aventura Nature Park, where you can go horse riding, ziplining, or take a mud bath while you admire volcanoes in the distance. Finally, you’ll also find Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge here, where you can spot an incredible variety of Costa Rica’s rarest and most interesting species.

This tour will show you everything that the Northwest of Costa Rica has to offer, and since you’re just staying in one area, you get to see a ton of amazing things without having to spend hours on end in a bus or van. 

It also includes some pretty neat experiences like a floating safari, ziplining, and the Skywalk through Monteverde Cloud Forest – think a hanging bridge with epic views!

Although you won’t cover as much ground with this one as with some of the other tours on this list, you’ll get to know Northwest Costa Rica pretty well and still see some of the country’s top destinations.

The price of the tour is $1,459 USD and includes 8 nights of accommodation, 7 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 1 dinner, all of your entry fees, and the SkyWalk fees. There are some optional tours in Guanacaste that will cost extra, but if you don’t want to spend the extra money you can just explore independently. 

Your group will have no more than 10 people in it, so you don’t need to worry about things being overcrowded and you’ll have plenty of opportunities to get to know your fellow travelers. You can choose to stay in a single, double, or triple room, depending on whether you’re traveling with others or by yourself.

If exploring this part of Costa Rica sounds perfect, book a ticket for this tour online now !

Related Read: A great add-on to your time in the area is seeing it from above on one of the best hanging bridges in Monteverde !

5. 8-Day jungles and cloud forests tour

If you’re looking for an action-packed trip that’s more about traversing through rainforests and spotting rare wildlife than lounging on the beach, then this 8-day tour has the ideal itinerary. 

You’ll be collected from San José airport and stay overnight in the city before heading to Tortuguero National Park, whose creeks and lagoons are home to endangered green sea turtles. In addition to seeing turtles, you’ll also go on a wildlife hike where your guide will help you to spot everything from blue jeans frogs (named for their blue legs!) to monkeys, sloths, and iguanas.

You’ll also spend a night in Arenal Volcano National Park where you can admire the famously symmetrical volcano and discover even more wildlife in the park’s cloud forests. Then, it’s onto Monteverde Cloud Forest where you’ll see even more unique flora and fauna before you go back to San José on the final day. 

As massive wildlife enthusiasts, this tour is pretty much our idea of heaven! You’ll be able to spot so many different species and really make the most of your time in the world’s most biodiverse country.

The tour costs $1,185 USD and includes airport transfers, accommodation in a mixture of standard and superior rooms, 6 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 3 dinners. Guided activities in each destination are also included, but there’s also some free time to explore independently. 

This tour is really a fantastic option for nature lovers who want to see as many different species as possible in Costa Rica and immerse themselves in the country’s unique cloud forests and jungles. There’s a maximum of 25 travelers, so it’s not a huge group, but this is definitely one for more social solo travelers or those already traveling in a small group.

Book this jungle and cloud forest tour online here !

6. 8-Day adventure tour 

Adrenaline junkies, listen up: this is the ultimate adventure tour of Costa Rica ! 

Rather than focusing on wildlife and beautiful landscapes (although, of course, there’s still plenty of that on offer) this tour is all about adventurous activities, from ziplining and kayaking to whitewater rafting and snorkeling . 

You’ll spend time kayaking along the Pejibaye River; rafting, swimming and ziplining around the Pacuare River; snorkeling and wildlife spotting in Puerto Viejo ; and waterfall rappelling in Turrialba. If that doesn’t sound like an exciting adventure, then we don’t know what will! 

This tour includes 7 nights’ accommodation, all of your meals, all national park fees, and all of the activities we’ve just talked about for $2,327 USD. So basically, everything except drinks, snacks, and souvenirs are taken care of! 

As you’d hope, the guides from this tour company are friendly and fun-loving, and we think that this tour is absolutely perfect for active and adventurous travelers who are really to push themselves and combine an adrenaline rush with some truly incredible landscapes. 

If adventure is calling your name, don’t miss booking this tour online before it sells out !

7. 5-Day San Jose and area tour

Lots of travelers skip San Jose , but it’s actually a cool city with a nice vibe and plenty of culture. If you’re interested in checking out the Costa Rican capital, but also want to experience some of the nearby nature, then we think that this 5-day tour is a great way to go about it. 

All of your accommodation is organized for you, as well as transfers to and from San José international airport. A buffet breakfast is included each morning, as well as lunch on the two days that involve organized tours, and then you’re free to discover San José’s top restaurants for yourself in the evenings. 

On the second day, you’ll get a super informative city tour with a local guide, as well as a shopping tour that will take you to all of the city’s best markets and boutiques. We think that this is a great way to get acquainted with the city so that you’ll be able to enjoy exploring independently later on, and it will help you to uncover some of San José’s retail hidden gems! 

On the third day, you’ll venture out on a couple of day trips from San Jose to tour Irazu Volcano National Park, where you’ll see the country’s highest volcano and its super impressive crater, which is filled with bright turquoise water. It really is a fantastic sight to see! You’ll also take a trip to the Orosi Valley, where you’ll visit some colonial churches and learn more about Costa Rica’s history. 

Then, there’s a free day to explore San José by yourself before you fly out of the airport or continue to your next destination in Costa Rica. 

Visiting a big city alone can be quite intimidating, which is why a small group tour like this one is the perfect way to experience San José. There will be around 10 travelers in your group, so you can get to know the other people on the tour pretty well and find friends to experience the city with, which is ideal if you’re traveling alone.

This is one of the cheaper tours on our list at under $750 USD and it can be easily booked online .

Related Read: If you’re spending a longer period of time here, these are the best areas and hotels in Costa Rica to stay in !

8. 5-Day romantic all-inclusive tour 

Costa Rica is the perfect destination for a honeymoon or a romantic trip ! We think that all-inclusive is a must when planning a romantic vacation, because stressing about planning and logistics really ruins the mood! 

This 5-day romantic tour includes 4 nights at one of the most luxurious all-inclusive beach resorts in Costa Rica, where you’ll enjoy relaxing poolside and on pristine beaches, snorkeling with dolphins and turtles, an exciting canopy adventure, and complimentary 24-hour room service. We think that it really is the perfect way for couples to kick back, relax, and take in the beauty of Costa Rica’s Northwest Pacific coast.

One of the highlights for us has to be the catamaran ride. You’ll be picked up by a catamaran at Conchal Beach and then taken to a stunning beach nearby to spend the afternoon. You have a good chance of spotting dolphins on the ride over and then your cruise back is at sunset – so gorgeous!

Since the resort is all-inclusive, all of your food, drinks, and minibar snacks are included in the $1,700 USD price tag. You also get a private return transfer from Liberia Airport, which is just under an hour away. Your guide will be super friendly and take good care of you, but you’ll also have lots of privacy and free time to enjoy the resort. 

Easily book your romantic getaway online here !

9. 3-Day tour with Arenal Volcano 

This short but sweet tour takes you to 3 of Costa Rica’s natural gems in as many days: Arenal Volcano, Monteverde Cloud Forest, and Manuel Antonio National Park. Starting in San Jose, you can be picked up from either the airport or your hotel, and you’ll be dropped back in the capital at the end of the tour. 

In Arenal Volcano National Park, you’ll enjoy a 3-hour guided walk in the morning to spot wildlife, visit waterfalls, and enjoy views of the volcano from several different perspectives. Then, in the afternoon, you’ll get the chance to relax in the Natural Hot Springs Resort and enjoy the healing mineral properties of the water. 

On the second day, you’ll explore Monteverde Cloud Forest with the help of your guide, who will help you to spot a ton of interesting wildlife species that you probably otherwise wouldn’t have been able to see. 

On your third and final day, you’ll visit Manuel Antonio National Park to relax on its pristine white sands and trek through the rainforest to see even more wildlife, including capuchin monkeys, snakes, and sloths. Then, you’ll head back to San José to either fly out of the country or head to your next destination, 

This tour costs $699 USD and includes 2 nights accommodation, breakfast and lunch on all 3 days, and all of your guided experiences. Basically, pretty much everything but your dinners and drinks are covered, which makes budgeting nice and easy. 

We think that this tour is perfect for anyone who’s short on time, but wants to get an accurate snapshot of the beauty and variety that Costa Rica has to offer. You’ll visit 3 of its top destinations, spot unique wildlife, and experience both rainforests and beaches, so you’ll get a very well-rounded experience in spite of the short timeframe. In fact, the company behind this tour is focused on ecotourism and is passionate about showcasing Costa Rica’s incredible biodiversity, which is probably why this tour has such an excellent itinerary! 

To see some of the best places in the country in one tour, book online now !

Related Read: If you’re heading out on your own after this short tour, make sure to read all our tips on renting a car in Costa Rica !

Getting Around Costa Rica

How you choose to get around Costa Rica is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make when planning your holiday here! How you do it depends on your budget, travel style, and comfort level. 

Renting a Car

Without a doubt, the number one way to explore Costa Rica is in a rental car. We book rental cars on the Discover Cars website as we have had good experiences with them in the past.

One of the things you need to watch for when renting a car in Costa Rica is the mandatory insurance that the government requires you to have. There are a lot of very cheap rentals that don’t include this mandatory insurance (TPL) in the original booking price, but there are also ones that do. To avoid additional surprise charges when you pick up your rental car, be sure to rent a car that includes the mandatory insurance when you book.

Thankfully, on Discover Cars it’s easy to tell apart the companies that include the mandatory insurance and those that don’t. The trick is you can’t pick any car on their website. In the picture below, you can see this rental car, with pick up in Jaco, includes the TPL. That means the mandatory insurance is included in the price. Any cover you get above that is extra.

Of course, I still suggest getting the full coverage offered by Discover Cars, which covers you even more.

You can  browse cars on Discover Cars here .

Book Shuttles

If renting a car isn’t in your budget, you don’t feel comfortable driving in Costa Rica , or you just don’t like driving, shuttles are the next best option. There are hundreds of shuttle routes available all over the country, and they are very affordable.

Shuttles in Costa Rica are specifically for tourists and often include pick up and drop off at your selected hotels and airports. The drivers also speak some English, and the vehicles have air conditioning. You’ll also be guaranteed a seat when you book a shuttle (which isn’t the case with the public bus system.)

To get the best price, use the website  Bookaway . They compare all the offers and prices of shuttle companies in Costa Rica so you get the best price! Honestly, we have saved so much money using Bookaway! 

You can search for shuttles online on Bookaway here.

Lastly, you can use the public bus system. On short journeys, such as from San Jose to La Fortuna or Uvita to Manuel Antonio, this system is great. However, the longer the journey the more hassle and time spent on a bus. It’s undoubtedly best to save the public bus in Costa Rica for short and straightforward trips!  

The public buses are definitely the cheapest way to get around Costa Rica, but they are not always very reliable and schedules often change without notice and delays are to be expected. The buses can also be very crowded and hot – so just be prepared!

It’s also good to speak some Spanish if you plan on riding the public bus since most drivers and ticket booth operators don’t speak English.

There you have it, the top 9 multi-day tours to help you discover Costa Rica. There’s lots of variety on this list whether you’re looking for an add-on to your vacation or want a tour that plans your entire trip from start to finish. You really can’t go wrong with any of these!

Thanks so much for reading! If you’re in the midst of planning your dream trip to Costa Rica, make sure to browse around our other blogs. We have lots of inspiration for your upcoming vacation as well as tips to help you have the best time once you arrive.

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Best places to go surfing in Costa Rica

BEST waterfalls in Costa Rica you need to visit

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• Travel Planning Guide

The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in Costa Rica

Ready for a 7-day journey to Costa Rica that combines relaxation, adventure, and cultural discovery? We've sifted through a wide range of multi-day guided tours, meticulously analyzing them based on service, price, guest ratings, and activities. These 7-day tours to Costa Rica are the absolute best based on these criteria, so that your trip planning can be easy and fun. They offer the perfect balance between a leisurely holiday and thrilling escapades, allowing you to immerse yourself in the essence of each destination for a full week. From exploring iconic landmarks to savoring the local cuisine, every moment of these tours is designed to provide an enriching and unforgettable experience. Get ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime and make the most of your week-long escape with one of these amazing tours below.

• Costa Rica: Monteverde and La Fortuna 7 Days, $1399.00
• Costa Rica & Manuel Antonio 7 Days, Self-Drive 7 Days, $555.51
• Raft, Hike and Explore Costa Rica 7 Days, $1437.00

Which 7-day tour options are available in Costa Rica?

Here are the important factors:

• 6 trip options analyzed
• $155 average price per day (USD)
• 4.5 of 5 average rating
• 21 people or less on average

Curious about the diverse range of tours lasting 7 days? Prepare to be amazed by the array of options available to suit every traveler's preferences. It comes as no surprise that visitors adore these tours, given their exceptional average guest rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. When it comes to group sizes, the average maximum capacity stands at 21 people, allowing for a comfortable and sociable experience. With a comprehensive analysis encompassing 6 tours lasting 7 days, you can rest assured that Costa Rica has something tailored to your interests and preferences, promising an unforgettable experience for all.

(All tour prices are in US Dollars before taxes, and come from a base price that is reported by TourRadar. Peak season prices can vary significantly, particularly in destinations where seasonal travel fluctuates dramatically.)

So, let's get to it and see...

The 6 Best 7-Day Tours in Costa Rica

Costa rica: monteverde and la fortuna.

• High Quality: guest ratings are higher than average.

This exceptional trip offering by G Adventures has received a 5 out of 5 rating. On this 7-day trip you can unwind while also making new memories. Your adventure starts and ends in San Jose. With a group size of 16 people, it's suitable for travelers aged 12 to 90 years old. This remarkable trip is priced at an unbeatable $200 per day.

Costa Rica & Manuel Antonio 7 Days, Self-Drive

• On Sale: 15% Off See Prices
• Great Value: the daily price is lower than average for tours lasting 7 days.

Check out this voyage that has received rave reviews, earning a stellar 5 out of 5 rating. San Jose will be the beginning and end of your trip. And since the priority is on wildlife and family-friendly activities, this tour is a great choice. Spanning across 7 unforgettable days, this voyage offers an intimate group experience with 30 participants, and it's great for travelers aged 10 or older. Brought to you by the renowned Destination Services Costa Rica , this exceptional opportunity is priced at an incredible $67 per day - an unbeatable value. Act now to take advantage of the special sale price!

Raft, Hike and Explore Costa Rica

• On Sale: 10% Off See Prices

This 7-day journey is ideal for travelers aged 12 to 65 years old. And priced at only $185 per day, it's a great value, too. Begin and conclude your remarkable journey in the gorgeous destination of San Jose. It's offered by Green World Adventures , a very popular company with rave reviews and knowledgeable guides. It's currently on a special discounted offer.

Costa Rica Escape

Priced at just $143 per day, this terrific 7-day journey is ideal for travelers aged 5 to 80 years old. Experience a trip that takes you to 5 remarkable destinations, including Monteverde, Santa Elena, and Arenal Volcano National Park. You'll start and end your journey in beautiful San Jose. Organized by the reputable Globus , this is one of the best tours on this list.

The Costa Rican Caribbean Adventure

Check out this incredible journey that has received a 4 out of 5 rating from previous guests. This terrific trip also highights beaches and family-friendly activities. With a duration of 7 days, this journey ensures an intimate group size of 16 people, and is good for travelers aged 2 to 75 years old. San Jose kicks off your expedition, serving as both the starting and finishing point. This fantastic option, organized by Green World Adventures , presents an unbeatable value at just $163 per day. Hurry and secure your spot while this incredible sale lasts!

Mountain & Volcano Costa Rica Tour

Spanning over 7 days, this trip has a maximum size of 15 individuals. Welcoming travelers aged 15 to 80 years old, it is organized by Marvelus Travel , a very popular company with plenty of great reviews. Discover a journey that spans 5 destinations, with notable stops in Monteverde, La Fortuna, and Arenal Volcano National Park. You'll start and end this amazing trip in San Jose. Available at an unbeatable price of only $171 per day, this option also has a rating of 3.9 out of 5 stars from previous guests.

See also The Best Family-Friendly Tours to Costa Rica , The Best Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica , The Best Hiking & Trekking Tours in Costa Rica , The Best Historical Tours in Costa Rica , The Best 10-Day Tours in Costa Rica , The Best 3-Day Tours in Costa Rica , The Best 2-Week Tours in Costa Rica , The Best Bicycle Tours in Costa Rica , Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Costa Rica , The Best Christmas & New Years Tours in Costa Rica , The Best Coach Bus Tours in Costa Rica , The Best Adventure Tours to Costa Rica , The Best Eco Tours in Costa Rica , The Best Thrill-Seeking Tours in Costa Rica , The Best Sightseeing Tours in Costa Rica , The Best Cultural Tours in Costa Rica , The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Costa Rica , The Best Self Drive Tours in Costa Rica , The Best Safaris in Costa Rica , The Best Jungle Trekking Tours in Costa Rica , The Best Tours Under $1000 in Costa Rica , The Best Luxury Tours to Costa Rica , The Best Budget Tours to Costa Rica , The Best Tours for Seniors to Costa Rica , or The Best G Adventures Tours to Costa Rica for more tour ideas. With so many options, there's a guided tour or vacation package for every type of traveler.

Also, if you're departing from a specific destination, see The Best 3-Day Tours from San Jose , The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from San Jose , The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from San José , The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Liberia , The Best 10-Day Tours from San Jose , The Best 2-Week Tours from San Jose , The Best 2-Week Tours from San José , or The Best 2-Week Tours from Liberia for more package tour options.

How much do 7-day tours to Costa Rica cost?

After analyzing 6 tours lasting 7 days in Costa Rica, we found the average price to be a remarkably economical $155 per day. Naturally, this region has many fantastic options for tours lasting 7 days with a variety of prices. The individual costs will vary by the destinations, travel style, available dates, and other factors. If you're interested in more information about tours here, see our guide to tour prices in Costa Rica .

And for more information on Costa Rica, see Costa Rica Travel Costs and Costa Rica Hotel Costs .

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The 6 Best Costa Rica Tours For Unforgettable Adventures That Are Achievable & Affordable!

Posted on Last updated: October 13, 2023

Categories Tours , Costa Rica

Expert travel storyteller Jordan Adkins, founder of InspiredByMaps.com, brings a decade of adventures across 101 countries and 450+ UNESCO sites into rich, off-the-beaten-path narratives, melding ecological expertise with genuine, seasoned travel insights. His full bio can be found here.

Costa Rica is a dream. The magical rainforests of Costa Rica enchant those looking to retreat to a tropical paradise where they can completely immerse themselves in the sounds and sights of nature. Known for its peace, phenomenal wildlife, and perfect weather, Costa Rica is a bucket-list destination for everyone.

Home to some of the most well-preserved rainforests in the world, Costa Rica is also home to some of the top adventures and can be considered the adventure capital of Central America. Spot some unique and diverse species as well as enjoy the eco atmosphere while traveling and learning about the country of Costa Rica.

This paradise nation is also home to some of the best yoga and wellness retreats and relaxing spas so if you aren’t looking for a thrilling adventure, you can take up the relaxing side of the country. 

Considered a nation of peace, Costa Rica is the only central American country with no standing military.  As the world was still dealing with the aftermath of World War Two, Costa Rica decided to go a different route and seize all military operations entirely on Dec 1st, 1948.

This effort was made by president Jose Figueres Ferrer who won the election despite the civil war in the country at that time. With that being said, Costa Rica is also very safe for tourists and one of the safest countries in Central America. However, it is always good to take precautions even in safer countries as the crime happens everywhere!

Costa Rica is a unique country and (somewhat) one off the beaten path. More often than not, the countries off the beaten path are the best ones. Having access or having the ability to plan and book all the excursions you want will be difficult because of this. It can also be tough trying to narrow down exactly what you want to do.

That’s why it’s always recommended to take an organized or even a group tour. This helps gives you an idea of not only the cost of things in the country but gives you an idea of what the best things to do and see are and provides you with a knowledgeable and more often than not, a local guide that will be there to help you get around and take you to some of the best places to see in the country.

So, much as we have done for the best Philippines tours , the best New Zealand tours , or the best Sri Lanka tours , here we are going to be talking about one of the best Costa Rica tours (and their operators), so you can be inspired – and then choose with confidence.

Let’s take a look at some of the best places to tour in Costa Rica, many of which you may be familiar with already if you have already been inspired by movies set in Costa Rica .

• San Jose, Costa Rica

Known as the capital of Costa Rica, San Jose is the nation’s largest city with a population of 339,581. Located roughly 3,800 feet above sea level, in Valle Central, the city was known as a Tobacco hub during the Spanish Colonial era. Settled in 1736, the city was originally named Villa Nueva.

In 1823 the city of Villa Nueva became the capital of Costa Rica shortly after the Spanish decided to move the capital from Cartago. In the 1840s the city began to produce large amounts of coffee and officially became the main source of income for the country throughout the 19th century. With this in mind, San Jose is home to many coffee plantations that are open to exploring.

Take a tour to learn about the production of coffee or learn about the surrounding rainforest and how the locals are striving to protect it. Now although Costa Rica as a whole is known for its rainforests, it doesn’t hurt to explore the capital. Take the time to learn about the cultures and traditions of the Costa Rican people and indulge in the traditions of the country. 

• La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Located in the northern highlands of Costa Rica, in the center of two of the biggest cities within the country, La Fortuna is a very popular tourist destination for nature lovers and those bound for an eco-adventure. You’ll see some of the biggest churches within the country as well as many national parks, stunning chic restaurants, many hotels, and the infamous, Lake Arenal and the Arenal Volcano.

It doesn’t matter where you are in Arenal, you’ll see the stunning view of the volcano everywhere you go. La Fortuna was originally named  El Borio when it was originally settled as a town in the 1950s. The volcano erupted in 1968 destroying the local villages surrounding the volcano including El Borio. The city was renamed La Fortuna just shortly after the eruption. 

This destination is a base for many tour operators and a perfect place to tour while you’re in Costa Rica. La Fortuna is especially good for nature lovers looking to retreat to their favorite place on the planet, nature! 

Nonetheless, Costa Rica is a perfect place to tour and with so many options available it can feel impossible to plan the perfect tour or plan all the excursions you want to see and do within the country. That’s why it’s always best to take a multiday organized tour! Organized by some of the best and guided by expert guides, you can sit back and relax without having to plan and perfect your itinerary.

It’s also important to note that as most organized tours include accommodations, meals, and transportation, are included in the cost of most tours so you don’t have to worry much about planning either of those very important aspects of the trip either. So take a deep breath and let’s look at the best tours within Costa Rica. 

Page Contents

Costa Rica Quest

Costa rica adventure, costa rica adventure (7 days), natural wonders of costa rica with manuel antonio, eco-adventure in costa rica, mystic waterfalls & forests of costa rica, g adventures.

Most are drawn to Costa Rica for its exceptional nature and peaceful feel. it s your time to relax in the jungles of costa Rica. Enjoy the sounds of the birds and the array of beautiful plants and flowers around you as you retreat in nature and relieve any stress that may be bothering you. This tour is ideal for an adventure traveler looking to explore the untouched jungles of Costa Rica.

You’ll get the once-in-a-lifetime chance to hike to the bottom of a waterfall, visit Manuel Antonio national park, or relax and take in the relaxing ocean breeze as you take in the sights and sounds of the many tropical beaches of Costa Rica.

With this tour, you’ll start and end your journey in the capital, San Jose with a chance to visit a total of five Costa Rican cities over nine days! You can also count on your food, transportation, lodging, and an expert guide as being included in the tour. Here is a look at what you would be doing over nine days in the paradise country of Costa Rica. 

Day One: Arrival in San Jose.

Day Two: Drive to Sarapiquí, Continue to the Arenal region, and take advantage of a free afternoon 

Day Three: Free day in La Fortuna.

Day Four: Travel by van and boat through the cloud forest and Travel across Lake Arenal into the mountains and onto Monteverde Cloud Forest.

Day Five: Free day in Monteverde

Day Six: Travel to Quepos and Travel to the Pacific Coast. Enjoy Quepos or opt to visit Manuel Antonio National Park.

Day Seven: Enjoy an included entrance into Manuel Antonio National Park and Opt to sail or swim in the Pacific. Or choose to kayak through mangroves and relax on the beach.

Day Eight: Free day. Opt to relax at the beach or the resort.

Day Nine: Departure from San Jose.

Enjoy the beauty of Costa Rica on this 9-day trip to some of the top sites and best cities within Costa Rica. You’ll get the perfect combination of culture and city life in addition to exploring Costa Rica’s abundant nature and unique wildlife.

Rated 4.4 out of five stars, this tour is operated by G-Adventures. G-adventures is a parent company to national geographic and is one of the best tour companies in the world. Focused on giving travelers a truly authentic option, this is the perfect tour to begin to learn about the country of Costa Rica and explore some of the best sites in the country. 

Costa Rica, a paradise just full of lush green rainforests, deep jungles, and untouched natural ecosystems. A place with a variety of hot springs, unique wildlife, and volcanic activity. Costa Rica is considered one of the world’s adventure capitals for a wild variety of things to do and its wide variety of wildlife and landscapes that you can only see here.

You’ll get the opportunity to visit the Coope San Juan village life, take a night safari in Monteverde, see the volcanic springs of La Fortuna, or relax and take a yoga class in Santa Teresa. You’ll start your journey in San Jose and you will end in Santa Teresa.

Spend 10 days touring Costa Rica to the fullest with a chance to see a total of six different Costa Rican cities. You can also travel with ease knowing transportation, food, lodging, a knowledgeable guide, and much more are completely included in the cost of the tour. Let’s look into your day-to-day itinerary for your Costa Rican adventure. 

Day One: Arrival Day!

Day Two:  travel to Coope San Juan and spend the day in a local village.

Day Three: visit La Fortuna! 

Day Four: free day 

Day Five: t ravel to Monteverde and Night Safari

Day Six: zipline in Cloud Forest.

Day Seven: Visit the beach town of Santa Teresa. 

Day Eight: Beach day and Yoga class

Day Nine: Waterfalls & Cabuya Island

Day Ten: Departure at any time. 

Enjoy the stunning beauty and landscapes within Costa Rica on this 10-day tour around the country. You’ll get to see the top tourist sites in Costa Rica as well as a few hidden gems along the way. 

Offered by the platinum tour operator of TruTravels, this tour operator is one of the best in the world. With some of the best tours paired with local well-educated guides, you’re bound to have an unforgettable adventure. 

Enjoy Costa Rica to the fullest and simply take in all the nature with this 7-day Costa Rican adventure. Take a trip into the heart of the Costa Rican jungle where you’ll explore mud baths, wildlife-rich rainforests, active volcanos, and turtle nesting areas as well as a trip to the rainforest canopy skywalk.

Learn about the culture of the country by starting and ending your tour in San Jose, the capital of Costa Rica. this seven-day package includes a visit to 4 cities within costa with a knowledgeable guide, transportation, meals, and more being included in the tour.  Let’s look at the itinerary and see exactly what this tour entails.

Day One:  Arrive San José

Day Two: travel little town of Sarchí, the Tilaran Mountain range, and the misty Cloud Forest.

Day Three: Monteverde sightseeing and free time

Day Four: Enjoy the ride this morning as you travel past cattle ranches and coffee plantations on your way to Arenal Volcano National Park. 

Day Five: walk through lava fields, observe leftover lava rocks and boulders, and walk through forest land for wonderful views of both the volcano and Arenal Lake, 

Day Six: Arenal sightseeing and free time

Day Seven: Departure from San Jose

On this seven-day tour, you’ll get the opportunity to see some of the top sites in Costa Rica while enjoying and learning about the culture/traditions to the fullest. You’ll fall in love with Costa Rica after this tour as the areas covered such as the Arenal Volcano and the cloud forest are bucket list destinations that will truly change your view on true beauty.

Offered by the Gold standard tour operator of cost-saver, this operator has some of the highest ratings and is the best option for budget travelers. Built on the concept of affordability this tour operator offers authentic and culturally immersive tours for a good price.

Costsaver strives to rebrand travel as more affordable and something that is accessible to almost everyone. With an overall rating of 3.7 out of five stars, you can count on a great tour with a great operator.

Take a journey to the central American rainforest country of Costa Rica. Explore some unique wildlife, and landscapes as well as some of the best cultures and some intense Spanish Roots. Costa Rica is the perfect getaway for those adventurous travelers looking for something different and exotic.

On this Natural Wonders tour of Costa Rica, you will see some of the lava trails, Cloud Forest, sky-high suspension bridges, boat cruises, nature walks, natural hot springs, and much more. Starting and ending in the capital of the country, San Jose, you’ll travel around to 6 different Costa Rican cities over 11 days.

This in-depth adventure tour includes almost everything including accommodations, a knowledgeable guide, transportation, and much more. Now that you have the basics of this tour, here’s a look at everything you would be doing over 11 days in the beautiful country of Costa Rica!

Day One: Arrive in San José, Costa Rica

Day Two:  San José–Tortuguero National Park

Day Three: Tortuguero National Park Tour & Canal Cruise

Day Four: Tortuguero–Sarapiqui–Arenal

Day Five: Arenal. Excursion to La Fortuna & Arenal Volcano National Park

Day Six:  Arenal–Monteverde (Cloud Forest)

Day Seven: Monteverde

Day Eight: Monteverde–Quepos–Manuel Antonio National Park Area

Day Nine: Manuel Antonio National Park Area

Day Ten:  Manuel Antonio National Park Area (Free Day)

Day Eleven: Manuel Antonio National Park Area – Departure at Any Time.

This Costa Rican adventure is just absolutely bananas! With stops at active volcanos, exotic fruit plantations, and many meet & greet photo ops with the animals, adventurers and travelers alike are drawn to the natural world of Costa Rica and everything it has to offer.

Offered by Globus tours, a world-renowned tour operator dedicated to giving tourists the best experiences available with some of the best local guides. So you can be sure you’re going to have a great time. So with that being said, We can confidently recommend this tour for its exceptional look into Costa Rica wildlife and its unique once-in-a-lifetime experiences. 

Green World Adventures

Are you ready for an eco-adventure into the jungles of Costa Rica? It’s time to enjoy this multisport tour or eco-adventure! You’ll get the opportunity to go whitewater rafting, visit cloud forests, and explore the capital of the country, San Jose. start and end your journey in San Jose with this nine-day tour around the country of Costa Rica!

Get a chance to see four Costa Rican cities and you can count on an expert guide, accommodations, meals, transportation, and much more! Here’s a look at what you would be doing throughout your nine-day Costa Rican adventure. 

Day One: Arrival to San Jose, Costa Rica.

Day Two: White Water Rafting at Pacuare River. Transportation to Arenal

Day Three: Canyoning, Nature Walk, And Hot Springs.

Day Four: Transfer Arenal Volcano to Monteverde. Horseback riding in the cloud forest.

Day Five:  Zip Line Tour in Monteverde.

Day Six: Transfer Monteverde to Samara Beach.

Day Seven: Samara beach: Choose the activity

Day Eight:  Transfer Samara Beach to San Jose.

Day Nine:  Departure Costa Rica.

On this 9-day adventure through the country of Costa Rica, you’ll get a chance to see some of the best local cities as well as some of the best natural wonders of the country. The breathtaking landscapes and precious wildlife are waiting for you and can’t wait to journey into the beautiful country of Costa Rica.

Operated by Green World Adventures, a platinum tour operator gives not only affordable travel to everyone but this company works to make each adventure as eco-friendly as possible. Green World Adventures is a local Costa Rican tour company that strives to give tourists the best experience possible.

Hence the excellent reviews reflect this. With an overall rating of 4.6 out of five stars, this operator is one of the best-rated tour operators in Costa Rica and is one you should consider as you plan your Costa Rican adventure. 

Destination Services Costa Rica

Surround yourself with the beauty of the rainforest and discover Costa Rica to the fullest with trips to the cloud forest, amazing rainforests, breathtaking waterfalls, mountains, and more. Experience the tropical paradise of Costa Rica and discover some of the hidden treasures of the country in combination with some of the top experiences and attractions like cloud forest and exploring the capital which is San Jose.

With this tour, you will start your journey in Liberia and ends in San Jose. You’ll also experience six different cities across the country of Costa Rica over 8 days. This tour includes hotel accommodations, meals, transportation, an expert guide, and much more. Here’s a good look at what you would be doing over 8 days and how your itinerary would play out. 

Day One: Liberia – Rincon De La Vieja 

Day Two: Horseback riding and two of Rincon de la Viejas’s magnificent waterfalls, Chorreras Waterfalls and Victoria Waterfall 

Day Three: Visit Cloud Forest and Monteverde

Day Four: El Tigre Falls, observe the volcanoes: Arenal, Rincon de la Vieja, Tenorio and Miravalles

Day Five: La Fortuna de San Carlos and Arenal.

Day Six: Arenal Volcano and La Fortuna Waterfall.

Day Seven: 4×4 ride on a mountain road to a ranch house. descend into the canyon where you’ll see a National Rainforest Park.

Day Eight: Departure to San Jose. 

On this eight-day tour through the jungles of the Costa Rican rainforest, you’ll discover a wide variety of unique animals and plant species as you experience all of Costa Rica’s natural beauty to the fullest. 

Offered by Destination Services Costa Rica a well-known and popular local company. Driven to give tourists the best experience when traveling in Costa Rica, this tour operator is rated four out of five stars and is also a platinum operator. 

After looking at some of the best tour operators in Costa Rica, it can make things exciting. Costa Rica is absolutely one of the best countries to visit in terms of experiencing unique wildlife and rainforests. You will be able to connect with nature in almost every aspect as you step foot in Costa Rica.

You may even love the country so much, you won’t want to leave. Rest assured, you will enjoy the tropical paradise of Costa Rica and everything it has to offer. embrace the laid-back, Pura Vida lifestyle of Costa Rica. Visit costa rica – Pura Vida. 

If none of these tours work for you in Costa Rica, please do not worry. There is a wide variety of tour options in the country, and we are confident that there will be something that fits your needs and interests.

Take a look at all the group tours in Costa Rica now , which you can sort by private or group, maximum sizing, budget, dates and much (much more). The team at TourRadar is also always more than happy to answer any questions, provide further information or assist in any way in finding the perfect tour for you.

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Costa Rica Grapples with Growing Social Gaps and Crime

The National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), the Ministry of Finance, the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS), and the State of the Nation agree that social gaps are widening in the country and violence is on the rise.

Costa Rica is abandoning its ideals of human development, evidenced by the increase in violence rates and confirmed by the homicide figures linked to drug trafficking that feeds on young people from homes with significant shortages, according to the State of the Nation report.

Additionally, various institutions point out that Costa Rica is one of the Latin American countries where inequality in income distribution has been growing for the last 20 years. This, combined with cuts in social investment, prevents improvements in the quality of education, access to scholarships, transportation, and care spaces for children in poverty.

Laura Fernández, director of the Children and Adolescents Area of the Ombudsman’s Office, warned that 38% of Costa Rican children live in very unfavorable contexts, with the percentage increasing in coastal and border areas. Children living in poverty and extreme poverty, who are 4 out of 10, are vulnerable to dropping out of school. She explained that once out of the educational system, they are easy prey for organized crime groups.

“They are growing up in an environment of severe deprivation, which leads to adolescents dropping out of school, disconnecting from the labor market, and ultimately resorting to the criminal economy as their only means of survival,” added Oscar Valverde, PANIAMOR’s executive director.

Specialists agree that the situation will not be reversed until social investment is increased and these resources improve the quality of life for people living in poverty. “The death toll is actually the most grotesque expression of a situation of exclusion, social inequality, and poverty that has been forged over time,” said Oscar Valverde.

All these factors contribute to creating a breeding ground for criminal organizations to recruit these young people and increase the cycle of violence. The lack of access to quality education and employment opportunities leaves these adolescents in a very vulnerable situation. 

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Costa Rica Tours & Holidays

Biodiverse, brilliantly colourful and naturally breathtaking, Costa Rica embraces a slower pace of life.

An adventure hotspot for some, a cultural haven for others and a tropical paradise for most, Costa Rica definitely lives up to its translation as the ‘rich coast’. And as you journey under lush jungle canopies and through laidback surf towns, you’ll soon be rich with  memorable experiences.  Lean into the slower pace of life as you become a pro at spotting toucans in Monteverde’s  steamy cloud forests  or listening out for the distant whoop of white-faced capuchins in Manuel Antonio. The phrase ‘hustle and bustle’ isn’t in Costa Rica’s vocabulary, as you’d expect from a country whose unofficial motto is ‘ pura vida ’ – the pure life.

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Costa Rica at a glance

Capital city.

San Jose (population approximately 340,000)

Approximately 5.1 million

(GMT-06:00) Central America

CALLING CODE

Electricity.

Type A (North American/Japanese 2-pin) Type B (American 3-pin)

Learn more about Costa Rica

Culture and customs.

Costa Rican culture can be summed up in two words: 'pura vida', or the pure life. It's as a greeting, farewell and a way to show appreciation. Like any good life motto, pura vida is better experienced than explained. It means being friendly and polite, taking it easy and being thankful for what you have. Costa Ricans' carefree way of life, coupled with living in one of Central America's most progressive and prosperous nations, makes the locals some of the happiest in the world.

You'll find that people in Costa Rica are generally in less of a hurry than most North Americans or Europeans. Following what is affectionately known as 'Tico time', people will often be fashionably late, except for things with schedules – Tico time does not apply at work, the movies or the train station.

Costa Ricans (or Ticos and Ticas) are known for their conflict-averse nature. Peace is so highly valued here that their army was abolished in 1949, with all funds reallocated to create an 'army' of teachers instead.

History and government

Ancient history.

Like most Central American countries, indigenous communities thrived for thousands of years as hunter-gatherers, and it's believed that humans have lived in Costa Rica's jungles and rainforests for as many as 10,000 years. However, with no urbanised civilisation like the Aztecs or Mayans, and little to no cultural preservation during the time of Spanish colonisation, not much is known about Costa Rica's true indigenous populations.

Colonisation, independence and trade

At the time of Spanish colonisation, it was estimated that 400,000 people lived in what is now known as Costa Rica. Christopher Columbus arrived in the region in 1502 on his fourth voyage, leading to the settlement of the first Spanish colony in Costa Rica.

As settlements grew, indigenous populations dwindled due to disease and forced labour. After around a century, the population had fallen to 20,000, and a century later, down to 8000.

In 1821, the Americas broke free of Spanish control following the Mexican War of Independence. Costa Rica became part of the Federal Republic of Central America in 1823 before gaining complete independence in 1838

Costa Rica eventually found its feet in the global coffee trade, and by the end of the century, coffee crops accounted for nearly 90% of Costa Rica's exports and 80% of its foreign income. Not only was coffee production an indicator of wealth in Costa Rica, it was also a powerful political tool prompting the emergence of other industries, including the banana trade, which surpassed coffee exports in the early 20th century.

Costa Rica's economy relies on eco-tourism, and the country has championed the idea that the 'rich coast' refers not to resources dug from the ground but to the natural wonders above ground. The easygoing attitude of Ticos comes from a love of their country and pride that their democracy has endured in a conflict-ridden region.

Eating and drinking

Costa Rican cuisine is wholesome and fresh with influence from  Spanish ,  South American , and  Caribbean  culinary traditions. On the Caribbean coast, you'll find dishes with Afro-Caribbean flair, usually featuring more meats, spices and coconut milk. 

Capital city, San Jose, not only has an up-and-coming food scene but has established itself as the craft beer hub of Costa Rica. Enjoy seasonal samplings on a San Jose Bites and Sites tour with Urban Adventures

What to eat in Costa Rica

• Gallo pinto Gallo pinto, the most common side dish in Costa Rica and across the Americas is served alongside meals morning, noon and night. It’s made of rice, beans, onions, peppers and spices, and the name translates to ‘speckled rooster’ because of the pops of colour in the rice.
• Casado If you eat at a ‘soda’ or a traditional Costa Rican restaurant, when travelling, chances are a casado will be on the menu. Although there are multiple variations of this tasting plate, you’ll likely get served up some gallo pinto, fried plantains and salad with either chicken, beef or fish, and freshly squeezed juice, covering all your food groups in one
• Chifrijo Chifrijo is a common bar snack in Costa Rica. The word is a combination of its two main ingredients – chicharrones (fried pork rinds) and frijoles (beans). The chicharrones and beans are layered together and topped with guacamole and pico de gallo and served with fresh tortilla or plantain chips for dipping.
• Ceviche While ceviche is probably more often associated with Peru, the Tico version is a delicious variation. Made with raw fish cured in citrus juice, onions, coriander and peppers and served with tortilla chips or fried plantains, this dish is light, refreshing and a great start to a meal.
• Patacones Patacones are deep-fried green plantains that are ideal for a snack or as a dipping device for chifrijo, guacamole or pico de gallo.
• Sopa negra Sopa negra is a Costa Rican black bean soup, often flavoured with tomatoes and spices and served with egg and coriander.
• Rondon Rondon is a seafood chowder that comes from Jamaica. Other Caribbean countries who’ve adopted the recipe have put their own spin on it with their choice of seafood – fish, crab, small lobster – as well as the coconut milk broth and spices.
• Arroz con leche Sweet tooths can rejoice with this Central and South American dessert staple of arroz con leche – a spiced, sweet rice pudding made with cinnamon, cloves and raisins. Try it as a warming snack or a special dessert.
• Pejibayes This unusual fruit comes from a type of palm known as the peach palm – the same tree that heart of palm comes from. After boiling for a few hours and discarding the inner seed and outer skin, the fruit is finished with a squeeze of lime or a dollop of mayonnaise to eat the local way. The taste has been likened to a mix between a squash, potato and cashew.

What to drink in Costa Rica

• Coffee Costa Rica produces some of the best coffee in the world, so you’re set for your caffeine fix during your time in Costa Rica. It has both the ideal soil composition and the perfect elevation to grow the perfect coffee crop, so be sure to sample as many fresh local brews as you can.
• Alcohol If you’re looking for drinks of the alcoholic variety, try guaro – a liquor made from sugar cane, best enjoyed in a guaro sour (with lime, simple syrup and soda). The craft beer scene is growing quickly here as well, so look for microbrews from a multitude of small local breweries. And if you’re wondering how to say cheers, just say ‘pura vida’ again!
• Naturales Naturales – sometimes also called refrescos or batidos – are delicious fresh fruit juices blended with either milk or water. You can find them all over the country at small kiosks or booths in a variety of flavours like mango, pineapple and guanabana.

Geography and environment

Costa Rica is known for its incredible beaches and magical rainforests. But the backbone of this coastal nation is truly stunning mountain ranges, many of which contain both active and dormant volcanoes. You’ll also find heaps of waterfalls, lakes and rivers throughout the country. For this reason, adventure sports such as zip-lining, whitewater rafting and cycling are popular in inland destinations such as La Fortuna and Montverde, and adventure-packed activities are a popular way to experience the country.

Get active on an 8 day Costa Rica: Hike, Bike & Raft trip

Costa Rica’s diverse topography is home to many microclimates, and the temperature and weather can vary dramatically depending on elevation and how close you are to the coast. Rainforests, cloud forests, jungles and mountains exist side by side. The varied land and climate foster over 5% of the world’s total biodiversity.

Witness ecological diversity first-hand on a 10 day Best of Costa Rica trip

Costa Rica is home to over 500,000 species of plants and animals. Those seeking to  spot local wildlife  will be enthralled by Costa Rica’s unique flora and fauna. And the spectacular variety of wildlife isn’t limited to the land – scuba diving is another popular activity, with Costa Rica boasting some of the most beautiful bays, beaches and reefs in the world.

Four of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica

• Tortuguero National Park One of Costa Rica’s best-kept secrets, this national park is the unspoilt paradise you’ve been searching for. Take a dip in Tortuguero’s warm turquoise waters or just relax on the idyllic shores
• Manuel Antonio A true eco-playground, you can spend a day exploring misty rainforests and searching for sloths and monkeys before cooling off on one of the delightful beaches. Head into Quepos town for some good food and fiery nightlife after the sun sets.
• Jaco Once a sleepy beach town, Jaco’s proximity to San Jose has made it a one-stop shop for those seeking big waves and even bigger parties. The gateway to national parks and  active adventures , there’s no denying Jaco’s uber-cool surf-town vibe.
• Corcovado Well off the tourist trail, Corcovado isn’t your average beach experience. Boasting a diversity of colour, landscapes and wildlife, Corcovado is perfect for those seeking beaches with character and charm. Oh, and it’s got the largest primary forest in the American Pacific if you needed another reason to visit. 

Whether you’re buying souvenirs or groceries, your best bet in Costa Rica is to shop at local markets. Head to the Mercado Calle Nacional de Artesania y Pintura (National Craft Market) in San Jose for the best selection of handmade goods and souvenirs. Here you can stroll through dozens of stalls selling handmade hammocks and painted oxcarts as well as t-shirts and shot glasses that say ‘pura vida’. San Jose's Mercado Central is also a great place to grocery shop and pick up souvenirs, and vendors offer everything from fresh produce to coffee to leather goods.

You’ll often see carved wooden masks for sale but, while all of them are beautiful, for a truly authentic mask you can should aim to buy directly from indigenous communities who make them.

As in any destination, check that any souvenirs made from natural materials have been ethically sourced. Avoid buying products made from rainforest woods that were not sustainably harvested,  sea turtle  shells and other animal products. Before heading home, check with your local customs officials to ensure that you are able to bring certain items back into your home country. Australia and New Zealand, for example, have strict quarantine laws regarding some materials, such as food and wooden objects.

Festivals and events

Costa Ricans definitely know how to throw a party, and place a lot of importance on food, family and community. Many Costa Rican festivals celebrate the country’s farming and ranch heritage, and a lot have a Catholic element. No matter which festival you’re celebrating, you’re pretty much guaranteed a deep dive into Tico culture. Here are a few of the biggest festivals in Costa Rica:

Las Fiestas de Zapote

This festival, celebrated from Christmas until New Year’s Eve every year in the town of Zapote, is a week-long fiesta. It’s home to the biggest rodeo in Costa Rica, many carnival games, as well as rides and food stalls.

Palmares Fiestas

After the festivities of Christmas, New Year’s and the Zapote festival have wound down, it’s time for the Palmares festival. In mid-January, more than one million Ticos and tourists head to the town of Palmares for one of the largest festivals in Costa Rica. Revellers drink beer, enjoy food, listen to international acts and watch traditional bullfighting and the ‘tope’ – a horse parade through the streets.

Fiesta de los Diablitos

The ‘Festival of the Little Devils’ is celebrated twice each year (in December and February) in the indigenous communities of Boruca and Rey Curre. The festival celebrates the triumph of the original inhabitants over the Spanish conquistadors, with dancing and performances featuring costumes and painted masks.

Limon Carnival

If you’re travelling to Costa Rica in October, you’ll probably find yourself in the festive spirit as you touch down, as this is the month of Carnival. Notably, it’s when the Caribbean town of Puerto Limon celebrates this annual festival, with elaborate costumes, floats, parades and food stalls aplenty, spread across two weekends.

Public holidays that may impact travel include:

Juan Santamaria Day

Guanacaste Day

Our Lady of Los Angeles Feast Day

Independence Day

Natural Cultures Day

Please note:  Costa Rica's public holidays may vary.

Further reading

For inspiring stories to prepare you for your Costa Rica adventure, check out these books:

• Green Phoenix: Restoring the Tropical Forests of Guanacaste, Costa Rica – William Allen
• The Ticos: Culture and Social Change in Costa Rica – Mavis Hiltunen Biesanz
• Off the Map – Dorien Kelly
• The Costa Rica Reader: History, Culture, Politics  – Steven Palmer and Ivan Molina
• Mamita Yunai – Carlos Luis Fallas
• Unica Looking at the Sea – Fernando Contreras Castro
• Monkeys are made of Chocolate: Exotic and Unseen Costa Rica – Jack Ewing

Costa Rica travel FAQs

Do i need a covid-19 vaccine to join an intrepid trip.

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

When is the best time to visit Costa Rica?

Year-round tropical warmth means there really isn’t a bad time to visit Costa Rica. December to April are normally the driest months; however, Costa Rica’s diverse topography and blanket of rainforests suggest that you should be prepared for at least some rain any time of the year – a very small price to pay for such lush surrounds.

The good news is that even during the rainiest of seasons, the rainfall tends to be limited to a couple of hours a day – just enough time for you to enjoy a cup of Costa Rica's acclaimed coffee in one of its many cafes.

The most popular time to visit Costa Rica is between December and March – the driest and hottest months along the Pacific Coast. May to October brings the most rainfall across the country, but this is dependent on region, as the wetter seasons are extended on the Osa Peninsula and northern sections of the Caribbean Coast.

Do you need a visa to travel to Costa Rica?

Generally, Costa Rica grants visas to most countries’ passport holders for a period of 90 days, providing travellers have a valid passport, a return or onward ticket and their trip is for leisure. Some countries’ citizens must apply for a visa before leaving their home country, but most do not.

Visas are the responsibility of the individual traveller. Entry requirements can change at any time, so it's important that you check for the latest information. Please visit the relevant consular website of the country or countries you’re visiting for detailed and up-to-date visa information specific to your nationality. Check the Essential Trip Information section of your tour itinerary for more information. This is for general information only and may be subject to change. It is your responsibility to obtain relevant visa and travel information required for entry, departure and travel to each country or region you visit on your trip. You should confirm these with the relevant embassies and/or consulates. 

Last updated: 14/12/2023

Is tipping customary in Costa Rica?

While tipping isn't mandatory in Costa Rica, rounding up the bill and leaving spare change at restaurants and cafes is standard practice. Many restaurants do add a service charge to the final bill which is usually a 10% gratuity; however, 500 colones (or around USD 1) of local currency is an appropriate extra amount.

What is the internet access like in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica's cities and tourist centres have wi-fi and internet access available in hotel lobbies and internet cafes. Internet access is less available in rural and remote areas.

Can I use my mobile while in Costa Rica?

Mobile phone coverage is generally good in Costa Rica's cities and metropolitan areas, although expect limited coverage in remote or mountainous areas. Ensure you have global roaming activated with your carrier if you wish to use your phone while in Costa Rica, but, be sure to check with your service provider first to find out about any fees you may incur, as sometimes this can be expensive.

Costa Rica has one state-owned phone provider – Kolbi – as well as a selection of private companies, should you wish to purchase a SIM while abroad. Depending on what connection and coverage you need during your stay in Costa Rica, a prepaid option with one of these providers may be the cheapest way to go.

What are the toilets like in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica's toilets are a mixture of flushable and squat toilets, so be prepared to encounter both. Carry your own supply of toilet paper and soap or hand sanitiser, as these aren't always provided.

Can I drink the water in Costa Rica?

Although tap water is considered safe to drink in Costa Rica's cities, it's probably a good idea to avoid drinking tap water in Costa Rica. For environmental reasons, try to avoid buying small bottles of water. Ask your leader where filtered water can be found as some hotels provide this, so you’re able to use a reusable bottle. It's also advisable to avoid ice in drinks and to peel fruit and vegetables rather than eating washed or unwashed produce.

Are credit cards widely accepted in Costa Rica?

Major credit cards are accepted by most large shops, hotels and restaurants, although smaller vendors and market stalls often only accept cash, so be sure to have a combination of both when travelling.

What is ATM access like in Costa Rica?

ATMs are easily found in the large cities and airports, although are less common in rural and remote areas. When travelling out of the city, come prepared by having enough cash, as ATMs aren't always an option.

Is Costa Rica safe for LGBTQIA+ travellers?

Generally speaking, Costa Rica is a safe destination for LGBTQIA+ travellers. Same-sex relationships are legal and, in 2015 Costa Rica became the first country in Central America to recognise gay relationships; however, recognition of same-sex marriage is currently pending government approval. In many places in Costa Rica, public displays of affection might attract unwanted attention, but there are a few places in Costa Rica with a thriving LBGTQI scene. Quepos has long been known as the LGBTQIA+ capital of Costa Rica, and the actual capital, San Jose, has a good number of gay bars and clubs.

For more detailed and up-to-date advice, we recommend visiting   Equaldex  or   ILGA   before you travel.

If you are travelling solo on an Intrepid group tour, you will share accommodation with a passenger of the same gender as per your passport information. If you don’t identify with the gender assigned on your passport, please let us know at time of booking and we’ll arrange the rooming configuration accordingly. A single supplement is available on some tours for travellers who do not wish to share a room.

What is the weather like in Costa Rica?

Being in the deep centre of Central America, Costa Rica gets hot and oh so humid. However, there’s a whole number of microclimates inside its borders – that’s a fancy way of saying that the terrain is pretty hilly – so depending where you are in the country, the temperature may fluctuate. Generally speaking, Costa Rica enjoys a tropical climate year-round with temperatures averaging at 18°C minimum and 27°C maximum.

Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast has tropical heat almost all year round. March is the driest and hottest month, and May to October brings the wet season to the region. The Western Central Valley, including cities like San Jose, indirectly follow the Pacific Coast’s weather trends.

The Caribbean Coast has pretty steady rainfall all year round with no distinct dry season. September to October and February to March are considered the best months to travel to this side of the country as they are drier than most, but still experience rainfall. The Eastern Central Valley usually follows a similar weather pattern.

Is Costa Rica accessible for travellers with disabilities?

Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. We’re always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.

Much of Costa Rica’s travel highlights are based around the coast and in nature, so depending on travellers’ level of mobility, this may present obstacles. Many national parks are difficult to visit for travellers using a wheelchair, as jungle paths are mostly remote and not stable. Manuel Antonio does have wider paths and more accessible routes to venture into the rainforest, and the wide boardwalks and beaches are wheelchair friendly. The capital, San Jose, is a bit tricky to get around, with rough sidewalks and a lack of ramps. There are, however, taxi companies in the capital that offer wheelchair-accessible vans.

If you do live with a visual, hearing or other impairment, let your booking agent or group leader know early on so they’re aware and suitable arrangements can be made. As a general rule, knowing some common words in the local language, carrying a written itinerary with you and taking to the streets in a group, rather than solo, can help make your travel experience the best it can be.

What to pack for a trip to Costa Rica

Packing for a trip to Costa Rica doesn't have to be difficult as long as you take into account the weather conditions you're likely to experience while you're over there. This means packing lightweight, comfortable clothing, walking shoes for exploring, appropriate sun protection items like sunscreen and hats, and a backpack so you can carry your camera and a reusable drink bottle. 

What language is spoken in Costa Rica?

Spanish is the official language of Costa Rica, however, there are five indigenous languages that are still spoken throughout the country, as well as a mixture of English, Portuguese, German, and French spoken by a percentage of the population. 

How do I stay safe and healthy while travelling?

Intrepid takes the health and safety of its travellers seriously and takes every measure to ensure that trips are safe, fun and enjoyable for everyone. We recommend that all travellers check with their government or national travel advisory organisation for the latest information before departure:

From Australia?

Go to: Smart Traveller

From Canada?

Go to:  Canada Travel Information

From the UK?

Go to:  UK Foreign Travel Advice

From New Zealand?

Go to:  Safe Travel

From the US?

Go to:  US Department of State

The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before travelling?

Absolutely. All passengers travelling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

Does my trip support The Intrepid Foundation?

Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. Trips to this country directly support our global Intrepid Foundation partners Eden Reforestation Projects and World Bicycle Relief. Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

Eden Reforestation Projects

Eden Reforestation Projects are helping to mitigate climate change by restoring forests worldwide; they also hire locally and create job opportunities within vulnerable communities. Donations from our trips support restoration across planting sites in 10 countries around the globe. Find out more or make a donation World Bicycle Relief

World Bicycle Relief provides people in low-income communities with bicycles to mobilise school kids, health workers, and farmers in far-out areas – giving them access to vital education, healthcare, and income. Donations help provide Buffalo Bicycles – specifically designed to withstand the rugged terrain and harsh environment of rural regions – to those who need them most. Find out more or make a donation

5,000 Miles, 8 Countries: The Path to the U.S. Through One Family’s Eyes

By Luis Ferré-Sadurní and Juan Arredondo

With three children and a dog, the Aguilar Ortega family trekked through the jungle, hopped freight trains and toured Times Square. Significant challenges still lay ahead.

Luis Ferré-Sadurní and Juan Arredondo reported from Mexico, Texas, New York and Connecticut as they followed the family’s monthslong journey.

The three children had not bathed in four days.

They had been sleeping in a makeshift tent on a dirty street outside a bus terminal in Mexico City, and Hayli, only 6, was developing a rash between her legs. But the parents could not spare the 20 pesos, or roughly $1, for a bucket shower.

After a 55-day trek through Latin America, the five members of the Aguilar Ortega family were stranded more than 3,000 miles from their Venezuelan homeland, and almost as many miles from their intended destination: New York City.

It had been a week since they had arrived in Mexico City, and they had no money to proceed north. The children — Hayli, Samuel, 10, and Josué, 11 — were in good spirits, imagining aloud what it would be like to live in New York. But for the parents, Henry Aguilar, 34, and his partner, Leivy Ortega, 29, the lull demanded a reassessment of what still lay ahead.

While Mayor Eric Adams of New York spoke at a nearby conference in Mexico City, the Aguilar Ortega family slept in tents.

Millions of Venezuelans like the Aguilar Ortega family have fled economic misery and political repression in their homeland as it descended into turmoil. The exodus has led to a sharp increase in crossings at the U.S. border, reigniting immigration as one of the most polarizing issues ahead of the presidential election.

Indeed, the Biden administration recently took executive action to limit the number of migrants crossing the southern border. The decision angered critics who contend that it contradicts America’s image as a safe harbor for the vulnerable. But others welcomed the move amid concerns that migrants were being let in with few checks.

Mr. Aguilar embodied that paradox. He set off for the United States with a turbulent past as a soldier, police officer and bodyguard in Venezuela, and after a prison stint that could derail his chances of securing asylum.

But Mr. Aguilar was hoping to start anew.

Ms. Ortega dreamed of maybe one day opening a restaurant. Both were chasing a vague promise of a better future in the United States while casting aside the real possibility that his criminal history could render the family’s hardship for naught.

The New York Times documented the family’s one-year odyssey, first meeting them in Mexico City, and then rejoining them at the U.S.-Mexican border. The ordeal would test their mental and physical fortitude, strain the parents’ relationship, and challenge their commitment and ability to build a new life in the United States.

The family’s dog, Donna, was with the family every step of the journey.

The journey took them through a jungle of dead bodies and was filled with dangers that terrified the parents, including an obstacle course of dirty police officers, smugglers and immigration checkpoints they traversed on foot and by bus. They had to panhandle, sell lollipops and hustle up odd jobs along the way.

But for the children, the journey was framed as a daring family experience. They took pictures and recorded video that they shared with The Times. They even brought their coffee-colored Labrador mix, Donna. In their eyes, it was all part of a big adventure that would end in a place they had seen only in movies.

“The kids want to go to New York,” Mr. Aguilar said in Spanish as he stood by his tent in Mexico City. “They want to see Times Square.”

But his American dream was even simpler: “All I want is to take my kids to play ball in a park,” he said.

MAY - AUGUST 2023 COLOMBIA

Samuel, Hayli and Josué pose for a photo in Colombia, where along the way they slept in a town plaza for two weeks.

The Decision to Go to New York

Mr. Aguilar left Venezuela about six years ago, part of a flight of more than seven million people who have escaped a once-wealthy country where the economy collapsed and crime skyrocketed under President Nicolás Maduro.

Three years later, Mr. Aguilar found himself in Chile, where he sparked a romance with Ms. Ortega, who is also Venezuelan, and they blended their families. Ms. Ortega left behind a 13-year-old daughter in Ecuador because she was too sick to travel.

Besides Ecuador, the family also spent time in Peru before setting their sights on the United States at the children’s prodding. So they headed to Colombia but with no money, no plan and no place to sleep — a frequent plight during their voyage.

They slept in a town plaza there for two weeks before Mr. Aguilar and Ms. Ortega gathered enough money to rent a home. Colombia, Mr. Aguilar thought, was where he would prepare the children for the menacing rainforest between Colombia and Panama known as the Darién Gap.

“It’s going to be a grand adventure,” Mr. Aguilar recalled telling them. “But with real-life obstacles.”

So Mr. Aguilar put them through an at-home boot camp with a summer camp feel, letting them ride bicycles to boost their stamina.

He woke them up before 7 a.m., but their breakfast portions were small to brace for the coming hunger.

AUG. 11-17 DARIÉN GAP

Crossing the Darién Gap

At first, the journey into “la selva,” or the jungle, had the trappings of an organized tour.

The family was given pink wristbands after paying $300 to the armed men who control access to the Darién Gap. And surrounded by hundreds of Venezuelans, they even had a sense of anticipation as they smiled for selfies, their clothes still clean.

That excitement would fade as they waded into the jungle’s depths.

Their feet were rubbed raw as they trudged through mud. Hayli lost two toenails and cried as dirt seeped into the exposed skin. Torrents of rain made rivers roar, forcing Mr. Aguilar to ferry each family member across, one by one — with Donna the Labrador’s stubbornness nearly drowning him.

“Muerto! Muerto!” those toward the front would call back as they passed the bodies of migrants. “Dead! Dead!”

Ms. Ortega generously, but perhaps naïvely, shared the family’s food with other migrants, leaving the family to subsist on nothing but river water on the last two days of the six-day hike through the jungle.

It was hard to hide the brutality of the journey from the children.

“No puedo,” Ms. Ortega would say. “I can’t.”

AUGUST - OCTOBER PANAMA TO MEXICO CITY

The parents presented the journey as a grand adventure to the children.

The family used currency to keep track of places they went through in Guatemala and Mexico.

Getting to Mexico City

Once out of the jungle, the children were committed to the adventure as they crisscrossed dirt roads and slipped from one country into the next.

Josué, ever talkative, told anyone within earshot that they were headed to New York to see Times Square, or las pantallas: the screens.

Samuel, the most reserved of the three, assumed the role of navigator. He quietly tracked their trek on a wrinkled map of Central America as Donna meandered without a leash.

Hayli was always the first to smile for pictures, flashing her tooth gap. Her small legs carried her for hours, as the family circumvented border checkpoints in Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras and Guatemala.

But for the parents, the burden of not having money was inescapable.

There was transportation to arrange and immigration officers to grease. Bus companies would charge them double or refuse to sell them tickets because they were migrants, a taste of the prejudice that awaited them further north.

They often slept in tents on the street, and going to sleep without eating became normal.

In Guatemala, police officers patted down migrants to steal their money. They groped Ms. Ortega’s breast, leaving her feeling violated, she said. Mr. Aguilar created hiding places for their cash, using toenail clippers to cut small openings into Hayli’s jacket and Josué’s pants. The ruse worked.

They mostly came to rely on the charity of strangers and sporadic money transfers from friends and relatives: more than $8,000 in total, the parents acknowledged with a trace of shame.

OCTOBER - NOVEMBER MEXICO CITY TO CIUDAD JUÁREZ, Mexico

Hopping Freight Trains

The family rode a succession of freight trains to the U.S. border.

The wait for a train could last for hours, especially in the dead of night. When one stopped, they would all emerge from hiding near the tracks and clamber onto a car’s metal roof.

They fastened themselves as best they could, wrapped loosely in rope and blankets, the wind blowing against their faces as they left behind Mexico City.

They were riding “la bestia,” or the beast, the frightening nickname for the cargo trains that many migrants hop illegally , hoping to evade checkpoints and cartels. Countless people have died or lost limbs riding the trains.

Ms. Ortega wrapped her legs around Hayli and prayed that the boys would not fall off. Bundled in quilts, the boys squinted their eyes against the cold breeze, taking in the arid shrub land.

The nights were the hardest. They battled falling asleep, fearful with each jerk of the train that they would fall off.

NOV. 9-10 CIUDAD JUÁREZ, MEXICO

A family selfie along the border in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico, before they crossed into Texas.

Ms. Ortega looks at a family ring, the only heirloom she brought from Venezuela.

On their last night in Juárez, the family left for the border patrol checkpoint at 3 a.m.

Approaching the Border

The Times reconnected with the family in Ciudad Juárez, a Mexican border city where migrants are regularly smuggled and kidnapped for ransom, and sometimes murdered . The Aguilar Ortegas were visibly disheveled, emerging from the last train with little but the clothes on their back, closer than ever to the United States.

“Time is going by slowly now,” Mr. Aguilar said after taking the children to glance at the Rio Grande. Texas was just a few yards away, behind a towering fence.

Using a mobile app that the Biden administration has relied on to curb illegal crossings, the family had secured a coveted appointment to enter the United States legally the next day — the first step for many migrants seeking asylum.

But with no money left for food that night, they decided to pawn Ms. Ortega’s white gold ring, her last family heirloom.

A pawnshop offered her 400 pesos, or $23 — a lowball price, she thought, perhaps because she was Venezuelan. She found a Mexican man to sell the ring for her.

The shop offered him more than double, about $70. She took the money, feeling sad but clever, and slightly empowered.

NOV. 10 U.S. BORDER

Entering the United States

As dawn crept across the Rio Grande, migrants from Cuba, Haiti and Venezuela with immigration appointments braced the frigid desert air on a bridge connecting Ciudad Juárez to El Paso, Texas.

After entering so many countries illegally, the family’s final border crossing was to be entirely lawful. But that did little to ease their nerves as federal officers began to check their passports, take fingerprints and photographs, and swab their cheeks for DNA.

It is not clear what immigration officials knew of Mr. Aguilar.

He had a tumultuous upbringing in Venezuela: He said he was kicked out of the house as a teenager, and was in a motorcycle accident that resulted in permanent memory loss that blurs his childhood.

Still, he recalled dreaming of becoming a detective, and after a stop in the military, he joined Venezuela’s largest national police agency, which is heavily politicized and has a history of corruption.

Mr. Aguilar was part of a SWAT-like unit that specialized in taking down organized crime when, as a 21-year-old police officer, he was arrested and charged in 2010 with abusing his authority.

Venezuelan prosecutors accused him of participating in an armed shakedown of someone who owed his friend money. The friend and Mr. Aguilar, said to be carrying another officer’s gun, were accused of holding several people at gunpoint and stealing money and bottles of whiskey. Mr. Aguilar was charged with aggravated robbery, extortion and embezzlement, according to the few court documents available online.

Mr. Aguilar says Venezuelan prosecutors distorted the charges and that he and his friend weren’t violent. In court documents, he portrayed himself as accompanying his friend for backup. He eventually served two years in prison, he said.

At the U.S. border, background checks did not appear to turn up Mr. Aguilar’s criminal past. The family was released on parole — a status that allows migrants without visas to live and work in the country as their asylum cases wind through the courts.

Mr. Aguilar’s first court appearance before an immigration judge is scheduled for April 2025. He doesn’t know how he intends to deal with his past: The government can bar asylum for people convicted of serious crimes, and Mr. Aguilar would have to disclose his record on his asylum application.

None of that was front of mind as the family walked into downtown El Paso, ushered in by an archway with a familiar greeting: Bienvenidos.

NOV. 10-24 EL PASO, TEXAS

The family shared tight quarters in a shelter with other migrants arriving daily to El Paso.

Mr. Aguilar slept outside the shelter in El Paso with Donna, because dogs weren’t allowed.

Tumult in Texas

By Day 3 in El Paso, the family was already in turmoil. Ms. Ortega had gotten in a fight at a shelter with three Venezuelan women after tempers flared in the dinner line. The family was forced to go to another shelter.

Ms. Ortega sat down on a stoop, her face scratched, and began to cry.

They were told they did not qualify for free migrant buses out of Texas. And while they had collected $120 — mostly thanks to Donna, who attracted generous passers-by — commercial bus transport to New York was up to $450 per person. They had survived a treacherous monthslong journey, only to be stranded again.

Ms. Ortega thought of the upcoming birthday of her daughter in Ecuador, and wondered if she would have money for a gift. She spoke wistfully about a friend who had made it to New York and already had an apartment and enough money to help his family in Venezuela.

“It’s not envy, but I want to be over there already,” she said through tears. “I feel stuck here. It hasn’t even been 72 hours and I’ve already been hit.”

Mr. Aguilar consoled her. “It’s always been like this,” he said. “But we always figure it out.”

The journey had taken its toll on the children. When Josué and Samuel played with toy cars on the sidewalk, they re-enacted scenes from their young lives: immigration police officers chasing migrants.

And tensions between the parents began to simmer as they deciphered what to do next. Was New York even the right place to go?

“Things are tough in New York with the 100,000 migrants who have arrived there,” Father Rafael García warned them gently at their first shelter, which is run by the Roman Catholic Church.

Taped to the shelter wall, a flier in Spanish paid for by New York City offered a more dire assessment: “It’s best if you go to a more affordable city.”

NOV. 24 NEW YORK CITY

The flight the family took to New York was the first time Ms. Ortega had been on a plane.

After arriving, the family headed for a familiar migrant starting point, the Roosevelt Hotel.

Fasten Your Seatbelts

Hayli cried when her ears popped for the first time as the plane gained altitude, but once it glided into La Guardia Airport, her sense of wonder took over.

“Papi, the bathroom was magical!” she exclaimed, recounting how the hand dryers and toilets sprung to life via sensors.

Just a few weeks earlier, New York had seemed out of reach. But in El Paso, the family met a group of Christian missionaries from Michigan who, taken aback by their story, raised nearly $2,000 for Delta flights.

And so it was that the family landed in New York the day after Thanksgiving with 20 cents, their few belongings stuffed inside a donated suitcase and a pink sleeping bag that Mr. Aguilar hauled like Santa Claus.

The family had heard that if they went to a place called Manhattan, they could get free shelter at the Roosevelt Hotel, the welcoming center for the 200,000 migrants who have recently come to the city.

At a Queens subway station, they persuaded a Spanish-speaking police officer to let them in without paying the fare. They climbed a maze of stairs and almost boarded the wrong train until a passer-by offered them guidance.

The children stared out the 7 train in awe as the city skyline materialized against an orange sunset.

“Better than riding the top of a train,” Mr. Aguilar said.

NOV. 25 - DEC. 9 MANHATTAN AND BROOKLYN

For the children, Times Square was the goal. They stared in awe at the lit-up screens and the costumed superheroes.

The family celebrated Ms. Ortega’s 29th birthday at the Floyd Bennett Field shelter in Brooklyn.

Trying to Make It in New York

The children held hands in Times Square. They strolled around Central Park, posing for a picture by the statue of Simón Bolivar, the revered Venezuelan who fought Spain.

But the allure of sightseeing quickly gave way to challenges: finding jobs, permanent housing, a sense of stability.

They had been assigned to a far-flung Brooklyn shelter at Floyd Bennett Field, an old airfield on Jamaica Bay where the city is housing hundreds of families in a giant tent dormitory.

Upset by the tent environment and its distance from Manhattan, Mr. Aguilar, prone to making rash decisions, initially rejected the shelter’s free room and board before acknowledging it was the family’s only option.

“I was being rebellious,” Mr. Aguilar said. “I’ve been wrong so many times before. I’m not perfect.”

But the parents began getting antsy. The shelter was getting crowded. They didn’t speak English or know how to apply for a legal work permit.

So after just three weeks, Mr. Aguilar uprooted his family again.

DECEMBER - MARCH MIDDLETOWN, CONN.

The family was placed into a two-bedroom home in Middletown, Conn., after leaving the shelter system in New York.

Hayli and the boys were enrolled in schools, where they quickly picked up English.

A New Home in Connecticut

A few days before Christmas, the family was sleeping in a car outside a gas station in Brooklyn.

The children snuggled tightly in the back seat, braving the cold in a beat-up Honda sedan Mr. Aguilar had found on Facebook for $800. Then good fortune intervened.

During a brief stay in Connecticut a few weeks earlier, the family had met Maria Cardona, who works at a social services provider there. She called Ms. Ortega to check in, and learned of the family’s setup. She immediately made some calls.

“Their situation impacted me deeply,” Ms. Cardona said.

She helped them move into a two-bedroom house on a leafy street in Middletown, Conn., operated by a local nonprofit that provides free emergency housing for homeless families. The family was allowed to stay on a month-by-month basis if they showed a case manager they were actively looking for employment and a permanent home.

More help arrived.

Amy Swan, the psychologist at the children’s elementary school, gathered donations of food and clothes, as well as money to pay the $410 fee for Mr. Aguilar to apply for a permit to work legally.

Her husband, Ray Swan, owns a wood workshop and was looking for a worker. So he hired Mr. Aguilar, who worked in carpentry after leaving Venezuela, and began paying him $20 an hour to build furniture and kitchen cabinets.

“He works hard and doesn’t complain,” Mr. Swan said at his workshop in March. “I can’t stop singing his praises.”

MARCH - JULY MIDDLETOWN, CONN. TO HOUSTON

After abruptly leaving Connecticut for Houston, the family faced new challenges.

The parents share news of Ms. Ortega’s pregnancy with their three children.

More Turmoil and an Uncertain Future

In early March, the family received more welcome news: Ms. Ortega was pregnant.

She’s expected to give birth later this year. Having a child who is a U.S. citizen would not give the parents any special protections against deportation, leaving the family’s immigration status in flux.

Immigration lawyers said that Mr. Aguilar’s past will seriously complicate his bid for asylum, an uphill process that usually ends with judges saying no.

“If it’s God’s will that I’m not here in two years, then so be it,” Mr. Aguilar said in Connecticut in March. “I’m happy being with my family and making them happy.”

But the parents were still stressing about their future, and their relationship continued to fray. One night in mid-April, Ms. Ortega grabbed a baseball bat and swung at Mr. Aguilar, hitting his hands. She said it happened in the heat of the moment. Mr. Aguilar was not injured and did not hit back.

She was arrested on a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct, and a protective order was issued to keep Ms. Ortega away from Mr. Aguilar. He lost his carpentry job, and the family was forced from the house. Mr. Aguilar was placed in a shelter for domestic violence victims with his children, Samuel and Hayli; Ms. Ortega was set up elsewhere with Josué, her son.

The family was languishing again — apart, with a baby on the way and their immigration status still in question.

Desperate, they fell back on the same spur-of-the-moment manner that guided their travels. Ignoring the protective order and strapped for money, the parents reconciled and abandoned Connecticut, leaving Ms. Ortega’s court case unresolved. They hauled the children and Donna south in the old Honda, hoping it wouldn’t break down.

About 1,700 miles and five days later, they arrived in Houston, where the mother of Mr. Aguilar’s two children took the family in, cramming into a small apartment with mattresses on the floor.

Mr. Aguilar is applying for landscaping jobs while doing delivery gigs. Ms. Ortega has been satisfying her pregnancy cravings with mangos.

But, ever restless, the parents were already hatching next moves.

Denver seemed promising. Salt Lake City, perhaps.

In Houston, at least, Mr. Aguilar had fulfilled his wish: He found a park to play catch with the children.

Behind the Story

With empathy, bearing witness to one family’s plight.

By Luis Ferré-Sadurní

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We had the best time on this tour; the adventures, the guides, the drivers, the hotels and the food were all great! What an amazing and fun experience. This trip is a bit frontloaded with activities so after a few days a break is needed.

Was strange that there was not a tour guide that stayed with you throughout the tour. Every segment had different people , vehicles, usually crammed together... No pointing out highlights during travel, strictly activities, which were all good except the horseback riding was below average.

Our family of 4 with kids (ages 15 and 10) from the USA really enjoyed this trip! We like to see a lot of different things on our trips rather than just lounging. This trip definitely does that. Everything went very smoothly. Accommodations were great, and the food was delicious. All driver pick ups were on time, clean, and courteous. A few improvements or things for other travelers to ask about: I would have liked to get the final, detailed itinerary sooner. The web site indicated we would get it 2-3 weeks before the trip, but I received it less than 2 days before. I was trying to pre-book a couple of excursions in La Fortuna and Monteverde, and it would have been nice to have the confirmed dates and accommodations sooner. Also, I forgot to mention during booking - and no one asked - that we would want vegetarian meals. Most meals included in the package were buffet style, so that was fine. But on the day trip to Isla Tortuga, there wasn’t much for us to eat. We also did not know that the snorkeling at Isla Tortuga was an “add-on” part of the trip. Snorkeling near the main beach isn’t good, so don’t bother bringing snorkel gear if you don’t book the extra excursion. At the end of the trip we stayed in downtown San Jose, so we were the first to be picked up for Isla Tortuga at 5:20am (that’s rough with kids!), but then stopped to pick up people at many other hotels along the way - so we did not even leave the city until about 6:45am. I wondered if there would have been a different hotel to stay in for the end of the trip that would have been closer to west side of the city (later pick up!), but also not too far from the airport for the departure day.

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