Exotic Costa Rica - Self-drive Tour

Your Costa Rican adventure begins on arrival to Daniel Oduber Quiros International Airport in Liberia, in the north-western part of the country. Here, a Destination Services representative awaits to greet you and will assist you as you collect your rental car for this exciting trip. Then depart to the region of Rincon de la Vieja for your first night in Costa Rica. Recommended arrival time before 15:00 hrs.

Breakfast at the hotel. Today you can visit the Rincon de la Vieja National Park in the section known as Las Pailas (entrance fee not included). The Las Pailas area, which means ‘the cauldrons’ in Spanish, spectacularly showcases of the awesome power of the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, the largest and most active volcano in the region. Steam and sulphur pour out of the rust-coloured ground from natural fumaroles while coffee-coloured pools boil with hot volcanic water and grey volcanic mud bubbles and explodes in large pits. This special volcano experience is like no other in Costa Rica. Accompanied by your bilingual naturalist guide, hike the 3.5 kilometre Las Pailas loop trail (2.5 miles) through dry tropical forest to discover the best views of the volcano, incredible nature, volcanic activity and wildlife. The park is home to more than 300 bird species and other animals like armadillos, collared peccaries, iguanas, snakes, white-nosed coatis, and white-faced howler and spider monkeys. Once finished with the park visit, walk back to the hotel to collect your bags. (Entrance fee to the park is not included). In the early afternoon, drive your car from Rincon de la Vieja to Bijagua. Bijagua is a small town located between the two volcanoes, Miravalles and Tenorio. There are many activities to enjoy, such as hiking, natural hot springs, horseback riding, agricultural tours, bird-watching, butterfly spotting and much more

Have breakfast at the hotel. Enjoy the day at leisure to explore on your own or participate in an optional activity, for example a horseback ride and hike to Rio Celeste, whose name translates to ‘Light Blue River’. The mysterious colour of the sky-blue waters is one of the most extraordinary natural phenomenon in the country. As you follow the river’s trail, encounter hot springs, an abundance of tranquillity and the remarkable waterfall. Horseback riding lasts 1.5 hours each way, followed by a three-hour hike to arrive to Rio Celeste. Later, return to the hotel to relax.

Begin the day with breakfast at the hotel before you depart in your rental car to mystical Monteverde. Monteverde, located in the Puntarenas province, is a place of cloud forests and mist, coffee plantations, monkeys and friendly locals. The town of Santa Elena is small and quaint, filled with tasty restaurants and folksy artisan shops, while the nearby rainforest hosts a remarkable amount of biodiversity. Enjoy the day at leisure to explore on your own or participate in an optional activity.

After a nourishing breakfast at the hotel, we recommend you drive and enjoy a hike through the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (entrance fee not included). Founded in 1972, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve is world-renowned for its incredible biodiversity, conservation actions and contributions, and scientific research. The reserve’s 3,500 hectare of land is home to 2.5% of the world’s biodiversity, and it is one of the most important private reserves, not just in Costa Rica but the world. In the reserve, we can find four ecological ‘life zones’ with different ecosystems and home to hundreds of species of mammals, birds, butterflies, amphibians, reptiles, insects and arachnids, as well as a large variety of flora, such as mosses, vines and the autochthonous trees of the cloud forest.​​​​​​​

This morning after breakfast, drive your rental car towards the Quepos area, proud home of the Manuel Antonio National Park, the country’s smallest natural park, yet one of the most visited parks of all Costa Rican National System of Conservation Areas. Manuel Antonio National Park is a small biological peninsula found within an area devoted to different economic activities, such as agriculture, cattle and tourism development. It is one of the country’s most scenic and beautiful national parks as it covers pristine beaches, mangroves and forest. Once you are checked in to your hotel, take the rest of the day at leisure or participate in an optional excursion.​​​​​​​

After breakfast, you will have the opportunity to visit the Manuel Antonio National Park on your own (entrance fee not included). The trail is flat and picturesque and loops through the park, making your course about two miles long. The park is a great place to take pictures or just to admire the impressive views. One of the highlights of this tour is that Manuel Antonio is home to three of the four existing tropical primates living in Costa Rica. Half way through the hike, enjoy a leisurely stop at the world-famous ‘Third Beach’. Take a rest on the soft sand or play in the waves. Throughout the hike, it is common to see sloths, birds and reptiles as well as admire wild orchids, butterflies and tropical vegetation. (Note: Manuel Antonio National Park is closed on Mondays)

At the appropriate time, drive from Manuel Antonio to Daniel Oduber International Airport to catch your flight back home. The main office of the car rental company is located en route to the airport. Drop off your car here and then take a shuttle transfer to the Daniel Oduber International Airport. Recommended departure time from 15:00 hrs onwards.  Breakfast included.