Wildlife of Costa Rica

This morning, you head off on a birdwatching tour with a specialist guide in search of hummingbirds and a variety of other species, many endemic to the region. You have the afternoon free to relax or keep exploring the area under your own steam. We suggest getting out on one of the forest's walking trails or taking a trip to the nearby arty town of San Ramón with a local guide.

Today take a private transfer to your next destination, Arenal Volcano. The drive takes around three hours, passing mountain ranges, pasture land and several volcanoes before reaching your accommodation. After arriving, relax in your hotel's grounds or start exploring: we can help you to arrange hikes around Arenal Volcano, or a visit to the cyan-blue Rio Celeste waterfalls.

This morning, you're woken early to depart on a shared group tour to the Arenal Hanging Bridges — a beautiful canopy walkway through the cloudforest, where your guide will point out the flora and fauna that grow in this habitat. This afternoon, explore the geology of Arenal National Park, followed by an evening soak in the secluded hot springs at Eco Termales. Dinner is included as part of this trip, after which you'll be dropped off back at your hotel.

Today enjoy a group trip to the Caño Negro Wildlife Reserve. You're picked up from your hotel by bus and take a four-hour journey to Los Chiles near the Nicaraguan border. Here you'll take a rainforest boat safari in search of sloth, caimans, monkeys and turtles. Keep an eye out for Jesus Christ lizards (so-called because they can walk on water), among other species. This full-day return trip includes drinks, snacks, and a traditional Costa Rican lunch.

Take a private transfer to Manuel Antonio on the Central Pacific Coast, where jungle meets beach. The journey takes about five hours as you leave the mountains behind and descend through cloudforest via pasture land to the warmer Pacific coast. The final part of the drive follows the coast road southeast. After arriving you're free to relax in your hotel for the rest of the day.

Enjoy a private three-hour guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park. Explore some of the coastline walking trails that lead to beaches, and keep an eye out for wildlife such as white-faced capuchin monkeys, raccoons and tropical birds. Many trips end with some time to swim in the ocean. After your tour is over, you're free to explore on your own. We recommend bringing a picnic lunch and taking a private transfer back to your hotel in the late afternoon.

Journey by private transfer to Puerto Jiménez, the gateway to Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula. Here you're met by your hotel representative and take a shared transfer to your lodge. The first part of the journey takes four hours, then you continue to your lodge on unpaved roads which may take up to an hour. On arriving, you'll meet with lodge guides who will run through the activities and experiences taking place over the next couple of days.

A day at leisure. To make the most of your time in the wildlife-rich Osa Peninsula, we recommend spending as much time as possible on the forest trails with your lodge's specialist naturalist guides. They'll help you to spot toucans, macaws, squirrel monkeys and the many local species of butterfly. Enthusiastic birders with a head for heights can take a zip-line to a special birdwatching platform, allowing you to immerse yourself in the canopy.

Another day at leisure in the Osa Peninsula. In addition to wildlife walks, we can also help you arrange horse riding, surfing lessons and sea kayaking, or even waterfall rappelling for the more adventurous. Dolphin watching, tree climbing and yoga sessions are also on offer.

Take a shared 4x4 transfer back to Puerto Jiménez where you'll catch a domestic flight back to San José, in time for your international flight home.

Arrive home today to complete your journey.