COSTA RICA – Arenal to Manuel Antonio
Overview
Welcome to the paradise of rare ecosystems and adrenaline-soaked adventures at the national parks, waterfalls, cloud forests, rainforest, beaches, hot springs, diving destinations, animal sanctuaries, adventure parks, and cave systems of Costa Rica. The small towns welcome backpackers and surfers, and the cloud forests and volcanic mountains flirt with hikers and adventurers. Have fun at the vibrant city of San Jose, that boasts of bustling squares and grand museums. From soaking in Hot Springs at La Fortuna to hiking at the trails of the cloud forest and the towering Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica has a lot to offer for thrill-seekers and luxury travelers too.
Highlights
Visited Places:
• San Jose
• Arenal Volcano National Park
• La Fortuna Waterfall
• Cloud Forest of Monteverde
• Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio
• Manuel Antonio Beach
Travel Experience:
• Exploration of the rare ecosystem of Monteverde Cloud Forest
• Monteverde Sky Walk at the swaying and swinging Hanging Bridges
• Guided hiking tour of the Arenal Volcano
• Caribbean cuisine
• Ziplining in the Cloud Forest
• Snorkeling
• Bathing in hot springs
• Snorkeling and swimming
Notes
San Jose
San Jose
Costa Rica
Flights
- Arrival: Day01 before 2pm
- Return: Day06 anytime after 9am (flexible)
Airport: Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)
Availability
- Seat available till the booking is open!
- Balance due 2 months before the tour departure date!
* Minimum number of members requires for all group tour. Please confirm with the organizer before any flight booking!
Itinerary
San Jose
Description:
The splendid tour of Costa Rica begins with the arrival at San Jose, the throbbing capital of Costa Rica. It’s a free time till 2pm to explore the city on your own. Spend a few hours in the city before setting out on the long drive (3 hrs) to the Arenal Volcano. (Make sure you arrive before 2pm)
(Optional: Catedral Metropolitana to admire the stained glass window work, Pre-Columbian gold exhibits at Museo del Oro Precolombino, National Theater of Costa Rica). Spend the night at the hotel in Arenal and save up your energy for the most enthralling tour the next day.
Activities Included:
- N/A – Free time till 2pm
Accommodation:
- Hotel in Arenal
Arenal Volcano - Hot Spring
Description:
Rise and shine, and have a hearty breakfast at the hotel before setting out for an exhilarating hiking tour of the mighty Arenal Volcanoes. Towering above the lush rainforest in the Arenal Volcano National Park is the Arenal Volcano, which adorns the skyline with perfect symmetry and boasts of the most stunning views. Set out on an exploration tour again after a lunch break, take a short hike to the very popular La Fortuna Waterfall. Call it a day with a peaceful soak in the Hot Springs with over 20 different pools, waterfalls, swim-up bars, locker rooms, restaurants & lively atmosphere.
Activities Included:
- Guided hike to Arenal volcano
- Hot Springs
- La Fortuna waterfall hike
Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodation:
- Hotel in Monteverde
Monteverde - Ziplines
Description:
Set out on another long and scenic drive to the world-renowned Cloud Forest of Monteverde. Explore the unique biodiversity of the rare Cloud Forest where lush greenery blends in with billowy clouds to form the most picturesque landscape ever. Quench your thirst for adrenaline by ziplining across the forest of Monteverde. Strap on the safety gear and fly across the cloud forest through fantastic views. Check out the most expansive butterfly and hummingbird gardens in Northern Costa Rica! Spend the closing hours of the day with a stroll along the swaying bridges at 500m above sea level, before driving off to the fantastic Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio.
Activities Included:
- Zip lining
- Butterfly & hummingbird gardens
- Hanging bridge walk
Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodation:
- Hotel in Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio NP - Catamaran Tour
Description:
Manuel Antonio National Park boasts of breathtaking landscapes of the rugged rainforest, sprawling coral reefs, glittering beaches of white sand, and vast tropical biodiversity. Watch out for the three-toed sloth, hundreds of birds, and white-faced capuchin monkeys. Go hiking along the picturesque trails to the beach. Take a lunch break before embarking on the delightful Catamaran Tour. Admire the spectacular views of the Pacific coastline and watch out for the cute dolphins. Check out the towering rocks and cliffs, and have fun with dolphin-watching, swimming and snorkeling amidst the coral reefs too.
Activities Included:
- Guided sightseeing & hike at Manuel Antonio NP
- Swimming & snorkeling
- Catamaran tour
Meals Included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
Accommodation:
- Hotel in Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio - San Jose
Description:
Relax early morning at the sprawling Manuel Antonio Beach and feast your eyes on the shimmery blue waters of while sipping at smooth Costa Rican cocktails. Afternoon drive to San hose, you will have free time for some last minute shopping and to explore the downtown.
Activities Included:
- Beach day
- San Jose
Meals Included:
- Breakfast
San Jose
Description:
It’s time to say goodbye to your fellow travelers and the guide as the tour ends today with breakfast at the hotel. Check-out is usually by 11 am so book the flight accordingly. Hoping that you have captured the best moments on camera and packed in a host of travel memories to carry back home with you
Activities Included:
- N/A – Free time
Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Inclusions
Price Includes
- 5 Nights hotel stay
- 5 Breakfast
- All transportation by SUV / VAN + Gas
- Guided Arenal Volcano hike + Hot Spring + Lunch (1/2 Day)
- Ziplines + Butterfly garden + Hummingbirds (1/2 Day)
- Monteverde Sky Walk – Hanging Bridges (Self-guided)
- Manuel Antonio Catamaran + Snorkelling Tour
- All 3 parks entrance fees
- Guided activities
Price Excludes
- Flights
- Meals
- Personal Expenses
- Travel insurance
Reviews
Most of the hotels were good except the La Quinta in Las Vegas was a true one star hotel.
All in all, a good trip. Great people on the trip also. I would travel with bucket list again but ask a lot more questions in the future.
We did New Year in Las Vegas over 4 days with 3 Americans, staying at the Luxor Hotel & Casino. The itinerary included Helicopter ride over the strip, socialising to get to know the group, Little Church of the West, Strat Observation tower with rides, New Year celebrations and Casinos, drive to Red Rock Canyon for hiking, 7 Magic Mountains stone art, Shark Acquarium, Zipline over Fremont Street, drive to Death Valley for Zabriskie point, Furnace Creek, Badwater Creek salt planes, Artist Palet, Mosaic Creek, Mesquite Flat Sand Dunes, Star Gazing in Nevada, Gondola ride at Venetian Hotel, Indian dining.
Very flexible and accommodating, great communicator before and during tour, and even on the departure day helped give airport taxi and accompanied to hotel exhibitions of Titanic, and the Human Body.
Good degree of being part of the group whilst also sitting back allowing the group to interact and take photo opportunities while friendships were formed. Highly recommended.
Truly one of the best trips I've ever had. It was my first time ever doing a solo trip. Himanshu gave us an itinerary and a list of good traveling tips for Egypt months in advance. He is very organized and responsive so I never had any concerns. Everything was already taken care of. All I had to do was show up.
The scenes in Egypt were breathtaking and I saw places that I never thought I'd see. I got to experience floating over the Valley of Kings in a hot air balloon! How many people can say they got to travel via plane, train, bus, hot air balloon, and boat all within one week?! Such an adventure!
The people I met in our group were so cool and accommodating, all with their own unique backgrounds and stories. Dancing on the boat with them while sailing up the Nile River is one of my favorite memories. I now have new friends scattered all over the United States. The tour-guides were so friendly and patient despite the fact that our group kept scattering in different directions taking pictures. If you're looking for a fun, stress-free vacation where you get to move around, meet new fun people, and immerse yourself in new cultures, TripNTrek is for you. I'm definitely doing another trip.
Trip at a reasonable price. Hope to try another in the new year!
Eric Ehlers
Costa Rica was fun. Also did an Appalachian trip with Bucketlist Travel group, and that too was a great time. Will go on more tours with Bucketlist Travel Group and highly recommend them.