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ABTA and ATOL Protected
Escorted Tours

Best of Costa Rica


Route:
  • UK
  • Alajuela Province
  • Tortuguero
  • La Fortuna
  • Monteverde
  • UK
Tour Pace:

8 DAYS from £2099pp

Tour Highlights
  • Explore Tortuguero National Park, including Turtles nesting upon the beaches
  • Sample traditional Costa Rican Cuisine
  • Marvel at spectacular views of Arenal Volcano
  • Embark on a nature trail along the base of Arenal Volcano
  • Arenal Vida Campesina Cultural Experience
  • Stroll the soaring treetop walkways and search for wildlife in Sky Adventure Park

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Best of Costa Rica

Explore mystical waterways and wildlife rich National Parks emerging from this biodiverse wonderland. Trace along old lava flows at the foothill of Arenal Volcano, walk above rainforest canopies in Sky Adventure Park.

Tour Itinerary

1
UK to Alajuela Province

Depart London on your scheduled flight to San Jose and meet your tour guides upon arrival. Transfer to tonight's hotel and become acquainted with your fellow travellers during a welcome dinner this evening.

  • Dinner
2
Alajuela Province to Tortuguero

This morning you will leave Alajuela and start your journey to the mystical town of Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast. We schedule breakfast before leaving the hotel for your first taste of the traditional gallo pinto (black beans and rice), then a quick stop in Guapiles. Continuing your journey to the port you will travel through small villages and banana plantations. A gentle boat ride through the jungle canals will follow to arrive at your lodge in Tortuguero. Following lunch, travel by boat through the maze of canals within the national park, for the best chance to spot the wildlife of the rainforest. Tortuguero literally means 'region of turtles' and it is no surprise that it is home to seven species of turtles as well as being the most important nesting site for the green sea turtle. The area also contains a great diversity of crustaceans and many species of freshwater fish.

  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
3
Tortuguero

Following an early breakfast, start your day with a fascinating hike through the rainforest nature trails at your lodge, home to a diverse range of flora and fauna. Enjoy lunch at your lodge and then a visit to Tortuguero town. With no cars or streets, the town is sandwiched between a Caribbean beach on one side and waterways on the other. Spend some time exploring this charming town where you may even be lucky enough to spot some turtles nesting on the beach if you are travelling between July and October. The rest of the afternoon will be free to relax with dinner at your lodge.

  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
4
Tortuguero to La Fortuna

Return through a system of snaking canals before continuing to Arenal, whose dramatic landscape is spectacularly dominated by the mighty Arenal Volcano. Pause en route to enjoy a traditional Costa Rican lunch.

  • Breakfast & Lunch
5
La Fortuna

After breakfast, trace old lava flows around a private hiking trail at its base of the Arenal Volcano. Along the way, discover wild sloths, monkeys and toucans inquisitively peer out of their fertile habitats, and relish in vistas overlooking the imposing Volcano, as well as visit the remains of the last volcanic eruption in 1968. Once you have completed the hike, you will visit the La Fortuna Village with free time for shopping and lunch.

  • Breakfast
6
La Fortuna to Monteverde

Monteverde is a world above the coastal towns at high altitude (1440m above sea level) allowing it to receive the steady supply of clouds and the life-giving moisture they contain. On the journey, take in the beautiful landscape of Lake Arenal and pass through some typical country villages, before visiting the Arenal Vida Campesina Cultural Experience. During the tour of the organic farm, we will enjoy the cultural activity of grinding sugar cane in the trapiche troja with a tasting of three different derivatives: sugar cane juice, guaro (national liquor), and peeled cane. Folkloric dances will be performed accompanied by music and colourful typical Costa Rican costumes. You will also be able to taste the fruits in the harvest of the farm and receive a tortilla class, where you will have to demonstrate your skills to knead and prepare the tortilla with the palms of your hands. In the end, you will be delighted with a delicious typical organic lunch prepared over wood and buffet style. Later, arrive at your hotel where you will be taken for an introduction to the town of Santa Elena, famous for one of South America's most resplendent birds, the Quetzal.

  • Breakfast & Lunch
7
Monteverde

Soaring high above the clouds, bask in a vision of tranquillity in Monteverde Cloud Forest this morning, observing a hazy mist which drifts under the cloud forest; teeming with an astonishing 3000 species, witness some of nature's most stunning creatures, ranging from vibrant butterflies to prowling primates who reside in this biodiverse oasis. Delight in awe-inspiring jungle views from the dizzying heights of Sky Adventure Park's Treetop walkways before indulging in a delicious lunch, freshly prepared in front of your eyes. Conclude today with a gentle hike in the tropical lowlands of the Ecological Sanctuary, a small patch of rainforest with an incredible variety of birds, mammals, plants and insects.

  • Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
8
Monteverde to the UK

Transfer to San Jose airport for your return flight to the UK (via Houston, USA) or continue onto your extension.

  • Breakfast

Important Information

Visas

UK passport holders are not currently required to obtain a visa for Costa Rica prior to travel. You must also pay a departure tax of USD $29 when leaving the country. This must be paid before you check-in at San Jose airport and must be paid in USD cash. Further visa advice should be sought from the applicable tourist authority for other nationalities and for general queries. We strongly advise you to check with your destinations' Tourist Board or Embassy for the most up to date guidelines regarding required passport validity.

Insurance

We strongly recommend that you and all members of your party are suitably insured as soon as you book your holiday. It is a condition of booking that you must have suitable travel insurance. It is important that you purchase travel insurance that suitably covers your participation in whatever activities you may undertake at the time that you make your booking. To assist you with this, we have arranged travel insurance in partnership with Holiday Extras. To arrange your travel insurance with Holiday Extras, please call 0800 781 4237 and quote 'WK830' for preferential rates. Please ensure you provide us with the name of your insurer, policy number and their 24-hour emergency contact number as soon as possible. Mercury Holidays will not be liable for any costs incurred by you due to your failure to take out suitable travel insurance from the date of booking.

Payment

If booking more than 10 weeks before departure a deposit of £250pp will need to be paid at the time of booking with the full amount payable at 10 weeks prior to departure. The deposit applies to adults and children. If you are within 10 weeks of travel then the full balance of the holiday will be payable.

Flight Information

Your flight is to San Jose Airport will be direct with British Airways, departing from London Heathrow. Each passenger is entitled to 23kg of hold luggage and hand luggage Size and weight restrictions will be finalised on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure.
From 22/04/2023 - Your flight is to San Jose Airport will be direct with United Airlines, departing from London Heathrow. Each passenger is entitled to 23kg of hold luggage and hand luggage Size and weight restrictions will be finalised on your final documentation. Should you wish to take additional luggage you will need to pay extra at check-in. Check-in should be at least 3 hours before departure.
IMPORTANT: Please note that final flight details will be confirmed on your final documentation which will be sent to you approximately 10 days before departure. A printed E-ticket is no longer required at check-in, all you need to do is present your passport to the staff at the desk and your boarding pass will be given to you.

Health and Vaccinations

It is your responsibility to check any health and vaccination requirements applicable to your booked arrangements. We can only provide general information about this. Health and hygiene facilities and disease risks vary from country to country. You should take health advice about your own needs as early as possible and in good time before your departure. Sources of information include; www.fco.gov.uk, http://travelhealthpro.org.uk/, www.hpa.org.uk, your General Practitioner or a specialist clinic.

Physical Accessibility

This tour is accessible to most people with an average level of fitness and normal mobility. It involves full days of sightseeing, often on foot and includes some climbing of stairs and getting on and off coaches and boats. This tour is not suitable for anyone with walking difficulties.

Currency Information

Currency is Costa Rican colon. Prices in Costa Rica are frequently listed in US dollars, especially in hotels and restaurants, where you can expect to pay international prices. US dollars are widely accepted and some ATMs dispense dollars. Credit cards are also accepted as a form of payment. It is very important that you budget carefully and ensure you have the right form or currency before you arrive in the country.

Tour Dates & Prices

Depart UKArrive UKPrice
2024 Dates
20 Apr 202427 Apr 2024SOLD OUT
11 May 202418 May 2024SOLD OUT
21 Sep 202428 Sep 2024£2099.00
08 Oct 202415 Oct 2024£2199.00
12 Nov 202419 Nov 2024£2299.00

Included in the Price

  • Local English-speaking Guides
  • Scheduled Flights from the UK.
  • All internal travel including air-conditioned/heated transportation.
  • Accommodation, meals as specified and entry fees to all sights.
  • All airport taxes and security charges.

Additional Expenses

  • Visas
  • Insurance
  • Tips
  • Any meals not specified in your itinerary

What to expect

Fact File
Currency

Colon

Min/Max temperature

21 °C / 33 °C

When to go

Please familiarise yourself with the climate charts below.

San Jose

Tortuguero

La Fortuna

Monteverde

What to pack
  • Sunscreen
  • Insect repellent
  • Sun Hat
  • Waterproof lightweight jacket
  • Comfortable walking shoes
  • Flip flops or sandals
  • Camera
  • Plug adaptor
Tour Map
Best of Costa Rica Route Map
Tour Dossiers
Extensions
  • Costa Rica
    Volcano Mini Tour

    4 nights from £539pp

    View
  • Costa Rica
    Manuel Antonio Beach Stay

    4 nights from £569pp

    View
Here to help
  • Call our experts 0330 818 8907

Hotels & Accommodation

Extensions

Volcano Mini Tour
Tour Route
  • UK
  • Alajuela Province
  • Tortuguero
  • La Fortuna
  • Monteverde
  • Volcano Mini Tour
  • UK

Extend your stunning Costa Rican experience with this Volcano Mini Tour and marvel at some of the most incredible natural creations in the world. From Poas Volcano National Park and Grecia, to the to the Irazu Volcano and the Valley of Orosi; this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to discover natural beauty at its most impressive.

4 nights
from £539pp
View Tour + Extension
View Tour + Extension
Manuel Antonio Beach Stay
Tour Route
  • UK
  • Alajuela Province
  • Tortuguero
  • La Fortuna
  • Monteverde
  • Manuel Antonio
  • UK

Extend your stay in Costa Rica and spend some time relaxing on the white sandy shores or choose to take part in some of the various activities on offer in the local area including hiking, guided tours and canopy walks.

4 nights
from £569pp
View Tour + Extension
View Tour + Extension