The Best of Costa Rica: 13 days in January 2027, guaranteed departure

Costa Rica

Duration
13 Days
Category
Guided tour
French Accompanist
Date
Saturday January 30 2027

Description

In Tortuguero, the roads end. You arrive by canoe, along a canal running beside the Caribbean Sea, and the lodge sits in the middle of the forest. The next day, the boat glides through the lagoons as the howler monkeys wake up, and the guide points out a sloth curled on a branch, a caiman motionless on the bank, a toucan crossing the sky.

The tour then heads north. In La Fortuna, you walk on the cooled lava of Arenal volcano, watch cacao beans become chocolate and sugar cane go through the trapiche. In Tenorio park, the Río Celeste turns a turquoise you would swear was retouched. The Tempisque River holds its crocodiles, and the Las Pailas trail in Rincón de la Vieja winds between bubbling mud pots and fumaroles. The journey ends facing the Pacific, with two nights in Tamarindo.

A 13-day escorted tour, guaranteed departure, 28 meals included and two nights at each stop to take the time to look.

Highlights:
-Canals of Tortuguero National Park
-Hike at the foot of Arenal volcano
-Río Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park
-River safari on the Tempisque in Palo Verde
-UNESCO-listed Rincón de la Vieja National Park
-Walking tour of San José

Accommodation categories:
San José: Hotel Autentico 4* or similar
Tortuguero: Foresta Lodge or similar
Arenal: Arenal Lodge or similar
Liberia: Hampton by Hilton Guanacaste 4* or similar
Rincón de la Vieja: Rinconcito Lodge 3* or similar
Tamarindo: Hotel Maravida Boutique 3* or similar

The itinerary is subject to change without notice. The final itinerary will be available from your travel advisor!

The displayed rate is for two adults in double occupancy. Other dates, room categories and occupancy types (single, triple or quadruple) may be available. Price available upon request*.

Inclusions

  • Flights with Air Canada or another carrier
  • Motorcoach transportation
  • 12 nights' accommodation
  • 28 meals: 12 breakfasts, 8 lunches and 8 dinners
  • Services of a tour escort, a tour guide and local guides
  • Scheduled activities (except optional ones)
  • Walking tour of San José
  • Canoe ride, village and canals of Tortuguero National Park
  • Sugar cane farm (trapiche) and cacao demonstration with tastings
  • Parc 1968 trails at the foot of Arenal volcano
  • Hike in Tenorio Volcano National Park and to the Río Celeste
  • River safari on the Tempisque River, Palo Verde National Park
  • Stop at Playa del Coco and visit of Rincón de la Vieja National Park
  • Audio guides
  • First checked bag fee charged by the airline
  • Taxes and service fees

Exclusions

  • Travel insurance
  • Meals and drinks not mentioned
  • Gratuities
  • Baggage handling
  • US$29 airport departure tax
  • Optional activities and excursions
  • Contribution to the Quebec travel agents' client compensation fund (FICAV)
  • Personal expenses
  • Anything not listed in the inclusions

Departure on Saturday January 30th 2027

Départ garanti
 

Itinerary

Flights to San José (2 nights). Airport welcome, transfer and hotel check-in.

San José. Guided walking tour: Teatro Nacional, Plaza de la Cultura, Avenida Central, Metropolitan Cathedral and Mercado Central. (B, D)

San José – Tortuguero (2 nights). Drive through Braulio Carrillo National Park, then a motorised canoe ride up to Tortuguero National Park. Lodge check-in and visit of Tortuguero village. (B, L, D)

Tortuguero. Boat exploration of the park's canals and lagoons: herons, toucans, capuchin and howler monkeys, sloths, iguanas and, with luck, caimans. (B, L, D)

Tortuguero – La Fortuna (2 nights). Return by boat, lunch in Guápiles, then drive to La Fortuna with a stop at a sugar cane farm to discover the trapiche and its products. (B, L, D)

La Fortuna – Arenal. Hike on the Parc 1968 trails at the foot of Arenal volcano, then a demonstration of cacao-to-chocolate processing with tasting. Free time or optional hot springs. (B, L, D)

Arenal – Tenorio – Liberia (2 nights). A 2.5-to-3-hour hike with a naturalist guide in Tenorio Volcano National Park: Río Celeste waterfall, Teñideros and Borbollones. Lunch, then drive to Liberia. (B, L)

Liberia – Palo Verde – Liberia. Welcome at Hacienda El Viejo, river safari on the Tempisque River (crocodiles, monkeys, birds) and buffet lunch. Free time at Playa del Coco. (B, L, D)

Liberia – Rincón de la Vieja (2 nights). The 5-km Las Pailas trail in Rincón de la Vieja National Park: bubbling mud pots, fumaroles, hot springs and the Volcancito. (B, L, D)

Rincón de la Vieja. Free day: hot springs, horseback riding, hiking or a swim near a waterfall (optional). (B, L, D)

Rincón de la Vieja – Tamarindo (2 nights). Drive to Tamarindo, check-in near the beach and free time by the Pacific. (B)

Tamarindo. Free day at the beach, or a walk along the coast with your guide. (B)

Tamarindo – Liberia – Return. Transfer to Liberia airport and return flights. (B)

FAQ

January 30 to February 11, 2027, 13 days and 12 nights. This departure is guaranteed.

Synergia network group departures

Advisors in the Voyages Synergia network build their own escorted group departures every year, with limited places. These are trips born of a passion rather than a catalogue: fishing in Guatemala, safari in East Africa, guided expeditions. The list above changes with the seasons.

What sets these departures apart

  • A Quebec tour leader who knows the destination and travels with the group
  • A restricted number of places, often a few dozen, sometimes fewer than ten
  • A clear theme, built around one activity rather than a destination alone
  • Fixed dates: you join the departure, you do not build it

How to book

Each departure has its own responsible advisor. Choose the trip that interests you in the list, then reach us through the contact page for remaining places and terms. These departures often fill months ahead.

Other ways to travel as a group

If no date suits you, two other routes exist: organized trips, already built and sold by tour operators, and a custom group, built around your own participants. Voyages AquaTerra holds Quebec permit 702703.

Frequently Asked Questions

An escorted trip built by an advisor in the Voyages Synergia network, on fixed dates with limited places, usually built around one specific activity.
No. Most participants do not know each other at departure. That is one reason these trips appeal to people travelling alone.
It varies by product, from a few dozen to fewer than ten on expeditions. The number is stated in each departure file.
Often yes, several months ahead, because places are limited. It is worth enquiring as soon as a date is announced.
Sometimes, depending on the flights and hotels used. Ask the responsible advisor before confirming, since it changes the air booking.