Itinerary - Costa Rica 360°: between jungle, beaches and volcanoes

Roundtrip flights or transportation to reach the destination are not included in the package, so you can decide from where and when you want to leave! This gives you complete freedom of choice to adjust your travel itinerary to your needs.

Check into your hotel in San José before getting ready to head out to discover the lively neighbourhood of Escalante and its many bars and restaurants. It will be the perfect opportunity to taste our first casado, a dish made up of rice, beans, salad, fried plantain and meat or fish.

Let our adventure begin! Our first stop takes us to the Caribbean side of the country – welcome to the vibrant town of Puerto Viejo! After a few hours in the van crossing the scenic and pristine Braulio Carrillo National Park, we can rent bicycles to go from white-sand beach to white-sand beach while being cheered by the families of howler monkeys that love to hang out during the sunset hours. This evening we will enjoy a traditional Caribbean-style dinner – bring your appetite with you!

Today we'll have the chance to experience our first encounter with the local wildlife in the beautiful Cahuita National Park. We can explore the different trails that cross the jungle and grab our snorkels to take a peek at the amazing underwater world filled with coral and tropical fish. But it's not just wildlife that we can observe – we will also get in close contact with the indigenous people of the area, the Bribri, and their centuries-old way of preparing chocolate!

It takes a little patience to reach Tortuguero National Park , but it's worth it! We will have 3 hours to try to spot caimans, toucans and monkeys during an excursion in a shared boat that will take us from the port of Moin to the village of Tortuguero. The park functions as the lung of the area: nature reigns supreme here, with lagoons, rivers, rainforest and animals of all species. The name Tortuguero is derived from the word for 'turtle' in Spanish, as turtles come to the park's beaches every year to lay their eggs. If you are lucky, we might witness newborn turtles on their journey to reach the sea. If it's the right season, this is something we simply cannot miss!

In the afternoon we can stretch our legs with a hike up to Cerro Tortuguero, an extinct volcano with the best views of the area. We'll be on the lookout for monkeys, geckos, lizards, frogs and brightly-coloured birds that inhabit the forest – and may keep us company during our adventure!

The best time to spot animals around here is early in the morning, so we'll wake up before dawn for a kayak tour through the park's mangrove channels. No one likes to have their alarm clock set so early, but this time it will be worth it. The magic of the early-morning silence, broken only by the sounds of the animals and accompanied by the colours of the rising sun, will take us into a world far removed from our daily routine. Let's enjoy these moments of peace and quiet in nature before... a nice breakfast!

After breakfast it's time for a change of landscape as we move inland towards the central valley region. In the afternoon we reach our lodge in the middle of the rainforest surrounding the Sarapiquí River. After an early morning, we have the afternoon at our leisure. We can take it easy and soak up the chilled-out vibes of the riverside town or if we're still in the mood for more exploration, we can go on a hike out of town for a glimpse of the rapids and waterfalls awaiting us tomorrow. But wait, there's even more planned! We'll get to learn how to prepare an authentic Costa Rican empanada with our local chef.

Another early morning today, but we won't need a brew this time as adrenaline will be our caffeine! This morning we raft down the Río Sarapiquí – there will be times when we go through calm stretches of the river and we'll be able to enjoy the scenery, while other parts will see us paddle hard to conquer the rapids! Is there a risk of getting wet? Absolutely, and we can't wait! After lunch, the waterways of Costa Rica will remain our focus as we to explore what's considered the waterfall capital of Costa Rica: Bajos del Toro in Juan Castro Blanco National Park. We have more than 30 falls to choose from but trust us, all of them are equally impressive.

Fun fact: Costa Rica has 5% of the world's biodiversity. We're on a mission to see as much of it as possible, so it's a new day and another national park – and perhaps one of the most famous in Costa Rica. Arenal Volcano has a symmetrical conical shape which dominates the park's landscape. Until recently it was one of the country's most active volcanoes, with an average of 41 eruptions a day, but luckily for us it is currently in its dormant phase!

It's time to take advantage of the several hot pools and enjoy a dip surrounded by lush jungle and perhaps accompanied by a cool pipa fría, a drink served directly in a coconut. What more could we wish for? Well, we could also add one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the country and the opportunity to feel on top of the jungle walking across several hanging bridges observing the wildlife up close. Sounds like a pretty cool day doesn't it?

After driving all around Lake Arenal waving goodbye to the iconic volcano, we start gaining altitude immersing ourselves in one of the most distinctive landscapes of Costa Rica: the mystic cloud forest of Monteverde. Home to a unique flora and fauna we'll get to explore the area late in the evening when the sun goes down and the nocturnal wildlife comes out... sloths, armadillos, racoons, red-eyed tree frogs, scorpions and tarantulas! They'll be our walking companions for the night.

Let's keep some of the adrenaline going into the morning, as we'll get the chance to fly through the clouds on one of the longest zip lines in all of Latin America before heading down towards the Pacific coast. If that's not our thing though, we can find out more about where our morning cappuccino comes from with a visit to a sustainable coffee farm. We'll discover the importance of the coffee industry in Costa Rica, and of course we'll get to try it too!

The last few days of our adventure are spent in paradise, Uvita! We can take surfing lessons, go snorkelling, go hiking... there are plenty of options to choose from!

This is also home to Marino Ballena National Park, where every year humpback whales come to carry out their reproductive cycle so keep an eye out! Funnily enough, the whole bay has the shape of a whale tail. We're also close enough to pay a visit to famous Manuel Antonio National Park. In the evenings we can find our favourite place for sunset and enjoy a drink or two – ticos (Costa Ricans) know how to party!

This morning the last immersion in the jungle that has accompanied us these days awaits us with the guided tour of the Manuel Antonio National Park. This 680 m park overlooks the Pacific Ocean and is made up of a rainforest inhabited by curious little creatures such as the sloth , but also of pristine sandy beaches. A park guide will take us to discover the dozens of paths that cross it and if we have time and desire to relax a bit, we take out the towel and lie down on these wonderful beaches, among the most beautiful in all of Costa Rica.

We return to the capital in the evening for our last evening in Costa Rica. For dinner we can taste more typical dishes, such as marisco soup, chicharrones or chifrijo. And we should undoubtedly raise a glass to us and to the memories we have made together through this trip!

Check-out and goodbye – until your next WeRoad adventure!