Costa Rica Tours
Costa Rica Tailormade Holiday
Your own unique and authentic Costa Rica Tailormade holiday designed just for you. Let our travel experts create the perfect Costa Rica travel experience.
Tour Overview
Craft your ideal Costa Rican escape with a tailormade holiday. Hike misty cloud forests, surf legendary waves, or soak in volcanic hot springs. Spot elusive wildlife, kayak bioluminescent waters, and delve into vibrant culture. From rainforest lodges to beachfront havens, your personalized itinerary awaits. Pura vida, your way.
When it comes to travelling, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Our Costa Rica Tailormade Holiday options understand that everyone has their unique preferences, interests, and budget. This is why a tailor-made tour can be an excellent option for those seeking a more personalised travel experience. In Costa Rica, there are countless benefits to a tailor-made tour, from customised itineraries to personalised attention from local guides.
One of the biggest advantages of a tailor-made tour is flexibility. With a pre-packaged tour, you're often stuck with a fixed itinerary, which may not include all the destinations or activities you're interested in. With a tailor-made tour, you have the freedom to design your itinerary based on your preferences, whether you want to explore off-the-beaten-path destinations or focus on a specific theme, such as wildlife, culture, or adventure.
A Costa Rica Tailormade Holiday can offer a personalized and unforgettable travel experience, tailored to your unique interests and preferences.
A Sample Itinerary
What Your Tailormade Holiday Could Look Like
DAY 1
San José
Welcome to Costa Rica! At the airport you will be met by a representative of our agency, who will give you a detailed explanation of the selected itinerary, hand you your welcome packet and coordinate the seat-in transfer to your selected hotel in San José.
Overnight in San José
DAY 2
San José – Braulio Carrillo
After breakfast, you will drive to the Rainforest Adventure Park, which covers 475 hectares of private reserve bordering directly on the Braulio Carrillo National Park. Your visit begins with a gondola ride of approx. 1 hour 10 minutes through the treetops, followed by a guided jungle walk and the butterfly and hummingbird garden, with terrariums along the trails showing local amphibians and reptiles.
Overnight in Tapirus Lodge, Braulio Carrillo · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
DAY 3
Braulio Carrillo – Tortuguero
Early in the morning you will be picked up by the guide of your Tortuguero Lodge, stopping at a local restaurant for a typical Costa Rican breakfast before heading to the boat landing at La Pavona/Caño Blanco. From here you travel by boat through the canals of Tortuguero National Park, arriving to a refreshing cocktail and lunch. In the afternoon, an excursion to the village of Tortuguero offers the chance to visit the Sea Turtle Conservancy Museum or walk along the beach to watch the sunset.
Overnight in Tortuguero Aninga Lodge, Tortuguero
DAY 4
Tortuguero
This day starts very early in the morning, exploring the hidden corners of the canal network with a good chance of spotting spider, white-faced and howler monkeys, crocodiles, red frogs and toucans. In the afternoon, a hike through the lodge's private trail continues the natural history adventure.
Overnight in Tortuguero Aninga Lodge, Tortuguero · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 5
Tortuguero – La Fortuna/Arenal Volcano
After breakfast, travel by boat back to the pier and then by bus to Guápiles for lunch, continuing to La Fortuna in a seat-in transfer. The main attraction of the village is the Arenal Volcano, with its almost perfect conical shape – although it has shown no increased activity for years, it remains the highlight of the region.
Overnight in Arenal Springs Resort & Spa, La Fortuna · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch
DAY 6
La Fortuna/Arenal Volcano
A full excursion day: the Místico Hanging Bridges (15 bridges across a 3km hike, up to 60 metres high), the La Fortuna Waterfall (530 steps down to the natural pool, and back up again), and a hike to the foot of the Arenal Volcano for panoramic views of the volcano and lake, weather permitting – finishing in the area's hot springs with dinner.
Overnight in Arenal Springs Resort & Spa, La Fortuna · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 7
La Fortuna and Sloth Walk
Take a walk to watch one of Costa Rica's most iconic residents, the sloth, with an English-speaking guide (approx. 1 hour 30 minutes) – the rest of the day is free to relax or explore further.
Overnight in Arenal Springs Resort & Spa, La Fortuna · Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 8
La Fortuna/Arenal Volcano – Monteverde
A collective transfer (approx. 3 hours 30 minutes) takes you to Monteverde, a destination for nature lovers centred on the world-renowned Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, home to the elusive quetzal and the vibrant bellbird.
Overnight in Monteverde Country Lodge, Monteverde · Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 9
Monteverde Cloud Forest Walking Tour, Coffee, Sugar Cane & Chocolate Tour
A guided walking tour of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve's 13km of trails (3-4 hours), followed by a family-run coffee, sugar cane and chocolate tour in the afternoon – tasting raw cacao beans, making your own chocolate, and trying freshly extracted sugarcane juice and coffee.
Overnight in Monteverde Country Lodge, Monteverde · Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 10
Monteverde – North Pacific Beaches
The journey continues to the beaches of the North Pacific (approx. 4 hours 30 minutes), an area covering more than 200km of coastline with a pleasant climate and a variety of sandy beaches.
Overnight in Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort, North Pacific · Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 11-12
North Pacific Beaches
Free days to discover the natural wonders of this place – fishing, canopy tours, national parks, biological reserves, swimming, diving, surfing, or simply relaxing on the warm sand.
Overnight in North Pacific Beaches · Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 13
North Pacific Beaches – San José
Transfer from the North Pacific beach area back to San José – a good option for your last day is a walk through the capital to enjoy the essence of the Ticos.
Overnight in San José · Meals included: Breakfast
DAY 14
San José International Airport
Transfer to Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José for your flight back home – the end of your Costa Rica tailormade holiday.
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Tour Map
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Dates & Prices
This tour is an example of what our travel experts can arrange for a Costa Rica Tailormade Holiday. Get in touch with us and we can discuss options depending on your preferences and budget.
From £2,345 to £2,845 per person, depending on the season
Good to Know
Travel Information
Safety, Passport, Visa and Health Information
We strongly recommend that you check your government’s travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination: safety and security, entry requirements, health, local laws and customs. For UK citizens, check the latest Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advice for Costa Rica.
Citizens from the UK, US, Canada and most EU countries do not require a visa for a stay up to 90 days. Citizens of Australia, New Zealand and the Republic of Ireland do not require a visa for stays up to 30 days. Other nationalities should consult the relevant consulate, and you should confirm all visa-related issues with the relevant Embassy prior to departure.
There are no compulsory vaccinations for this tour, though we recommend protection against typhoid, infectious hepatitis and polio. Please consult your travel clinic for the latest advice on Malaria, Dengue and Zika Virus, and take preventative measures to avoid mosquito bites, including repellent and long trousers/sleeves when necessary. Many countries in Central America, South America and the Caribbean require a yellow fever vaccination certificate if travelling from infected areas – please check the latest requirements with your travel clinic or doctor prior to departure.
It is a condition of booking with Our Local Tour that you have adequate valid travel insurance, fully covering medical expenses and emergency repatriation, including medical emergency helicopter evacuation, for the entire duration of your holiday and all activities you intend to undertake, including optional activities.
What to Bring
Lightweight clothing is essential in midsummer, though a warmer jumper is advisable for cooler evenings in the highlands. A good waterproof is essential, and you should consider waterproof trousers – the jungle lowlands are hot and muggy, and it can rain at any time of year, so long trousers and long-sleeved shirts are recommended on jungle walks. Lightweight trail/walking boots are ideal for jungle walks, alongside comfortable shoes/trainers and sandals – waterproof footwear is recommended.
Please allow yourself one main piece of luggage and a day-sack – you're expected to carry your own baggage, so don't overload yourself; a soft wheely bag may be easier to manage than a suitcase. We also recommend a sunhat, sunscreen, a torch, insect repellent, a water bottle, and binoculars for bird and animal spotting, plus a solar charger for your phone and other electronics.
While You're There
Tipping isn't compulsory, and we work hard to ensure our local guides all receive a fair wage – but you might want to recognise a job well done with a tip, and we'd recommend between £15 to £20 per person per week as a guideline. Your guide may also organise a voluntary group tips kitty for included activities and meals, for which we'd suggest allowing around US$30 (approx. 18,000 Colones).
The Costa Rican Colón (CRC) is the local currency – you can change money in advance or on arrival at the airport, where there are both ATMs and a Bureau de Change. USD are accepted in some shops and restaurants, and we recommend taking some emergency cash in USD as the GBP exchange rate isn't very good; notes should be in good condition or they may not be accepted. Credit cards are widely accepted in many shops and restaurants, though some may add a service charge.
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Get in touch with our expert travel consultants now. We can help you with tailormade options, best times to travel and much more.