2021 & 2022 Globus Guided Tours - Globus® Vacation Packages

Costa Rica Escape with Tortuguero (K3Q)

10 Day Tour from San José to San José

2024 Tour Details View 2025 Tour Details »

Escape to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, reachable only by air or water, to explore Tortuguero National Park. As its name suggests, it is here where sea turtles like loggerheads and leatherbacks lay their eggs each year. Visit the Sea Turtle Conservancy, home to the Western Hemisphere’s largest green sea turtle nursery. Cruise the canals to spot fantastic creatures large and small that stalk, slither, and soar in this natural paradise of wildlife diversity. Depart by boat before driving to San José and pass pineapple and banana groves en route to the heart-stirring rainforest canopies of Arenal. Here, the hanging bridges stretch to heart-stirring heights through the rainforest canopy, while the depths of the earth deliver lava trails to follow. See Arenal Volcano and explore the wild places where pumas and jaguars prowl. Look skyward to spot the hundreds of multi-hued birds, butterflies, and a dizzying diversity of wildlife in the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Find your head in the clouds in a primeval forest blessed by trade winds, rain, and fog by day, and unfettered stars above by night. Go where monkeys and macaws make your day with mischief and count yourself charmed to see some of the 160-plus reptile species—from tiny amphibians to titan snakes. Get civilized too, with visits to an artisan village and a tour of Costa Rica’s largest city and cultural capital of San José.

Small-Group Discovery Dates Available

Each Globus South America tour is limited to an average of just 20 guests per departure. There’s always room to roam with extra space between you and other travelers—while still getting up close and personal to the experiences you’ve been dreaming of. Small-Group Discoveries include all the features of a traditional Globus escorted vacation, complete with expert Tour Director, Driver, and Local Guides who ensure that your health and safety is our top priority. A Small-Group Discovery vacation is the perfectly sized tour—without the crowds.


Dates & Prices Book Online
800.268.3636
Costa Rica Escape with Tortuguero map
Escapes by Globus

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Breakfast daily, 3 lunches, 2 dinners


Notes:

Maximum elevation on tour is 9,000 ft.

Tour Directors do not accompany guests on extensions. Local Guide and Naturalist service is provided as outlined in day by day itinerary. Some transportation segments may be shared with other travelers.

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN SAN JOSÉ, COSTA RICA

Welcome to San José!
Upon arrival, a Globus representative will provide details about your Tortuguero National Park adventure.

Please note: You will meet your Tour Director on day 4 in San José.

SAN-JOSE-WELCOME.jpg

Day 2 SAN JOSÉ–TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK

Shell Games
Journey east to the Caribbean shore and Tortuguero National Park. On the way, pass by several banana plantations and see one of Costa Rica’s main exports being harvested. Later, board a motor launch for your cruise along the Tortuguero Canals, waterways crisscrossing a national park dedicated to the protection of endangered turtles. The trained eyes of your guide and boatman help you spot freshwater turtles, caimans, herons, toucans, egrets, and monkeys. Upon arrival, enjoy a welcome drink and briefing at your lodge before free time before dinner this evening.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
WONDERS OF NATURE Your time in Tortuguero National Park includes Naturalist-guided visits to the bio-diverse park—home to many species, including white-faced capuchin, howler, spider monkeys, toucans, macaws, tapirs, ocelot, manatees, and jaguars! The area is also famous as the annual nesting site for the five species of turtles.

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Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 3 TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK

Natural Beauties
A local Naturalist accompanies you on a guided cruise of the remote yet extensive Tortuguero canals. Watch for abundant wildlife, including over 125 species of mammals, 124 species of reptiles, and over 375 species of birds. Return to the lodge for a nature walk into the rainforest with your Naturalist guide who explains the flora commonly found here and its uses. This afternoon, visit the small town of Tortuguero and visit the Sea Turtle Conservancy Museum in the protected nesting habitat and largest green turtle rookery in North America, as well as Hawksbill, Leatherback, Loggerhead, and Olive Ridley turtles.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CONSERVATION MATTERS The Sea Turtle Conservancy Museum has been working with green turtles in Tortuguero since 1959, making it the world’s oldest sea turtle research and conservation group. Learn about sea turtle species that nest in Tortuguero, their life cycle, migratory routes, the research that was started in the early 1950s, and preservation efforts to help protect these endangered species.

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Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 4 TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK–SAN JOSÉ

Make Waves
A morning boat cruise and drive take you back to San José where you will meet your Tour Director.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
SCENIC RIDE Pass the plentiful fields of banana trees on your way to San José where the Costa Rican plantations produce this main export to the rest of the world.

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Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 5 SAN JOSÉ–ARENAL

Lava Love
Depart on a scenic drive past banana groves and pineapple and sugar cane fields en route to Arenal. Visit to La Fortuna Village in the shadow of mighty Arenal Volcano (currently dormant but known for consistent lava flows before 2010). Arenal is home to cascading waterfalls, thriving rainforests, abundant wildlife, and a wealth of outdoor activities with nearby nature trails and 400-year-old trees. Watch for frogs, monkeys, birds, and native wildlife.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
WONDERS OF NATURE For 42 years, Arenal Volcano was Costa Rica’s most active volcano until 2010 when entered a passive phase. This area is one of the most bio-diverse areas in the world and is home to more than 850 species of birds and other wildlife. Time here can be spent hiking the trails around the volcano or relaxing in the many thermal hot springs.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 6 ARENAL

Bird’s Eye View
Today, take a guided excursion with your Naturalist to Arenal Hanging Bridges. Explore the jungle canopy atop 15 bridges suspended in the treetops to see various species of plants, birds, butterflies, monkeys, sloths, and other local wildlife. On a clear day, get a 360-degree view of the tropical rainforest and stunning views of Arenal Volcano. Free time the remainder of the day.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
PICTURE PERFECT Explore the rainforest from a bird’s-eye perspective high above the jungle floor from the Arenal Hanging Bridges. This Naturalist-guided tour introduces you to the flora and fauna of the Costa Rican rainforest. With some bridges spanning over 700 feet long and 200 feet high, this is truly a unique way to admire the forest canopy.

ARENAL-HANGING-BRIDGE.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 7 ARENAL–MONTEVERDE

Heads in the Clouds
This morning, depart Arenal on scenic drive to Monteverde for the next two nights. Arrive in the cloud forest of Monteverde, situated on the continental divide under misty cloud coverage in one of the world’s most bio-diverse areas. Enjoy an afternoon and evening at leisure.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
WILD & WONDERFUL Explore Monteverde Cloud Forest, home to over 3,000 species of plants, 400 species of birds, 60 species of bats, 1,200 species of amphibians, and 700 species of butterflies in one of the last remaining natural habitats of all six Costa Rica wildcat species—ocelots, jaguars, jaguarundi, pumas, oncillas, and marguays. Perhaps you’ll catch a glimpse of one of Costa Rica’s most beautiful birds, the resplendent quetzal.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 8 MONTEVERDE

Creatures of the Cloud Forest
This morning, take a Naturalist guided walking tour of Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve home to forest fauna such as sloths, jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, coatis, and numerous species of birds. With almost 100% humidity throughout the year, the cloud forest experiences almost 12 feet of rain per year. Free time this afternoon.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
PARADISE FOUND This unique, high-elevation ecosystem of Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve is constantly enveloped in moisture-rich clouds formed from the warm winds from the Atlantic Ocean as they sweep over the Continental Divide, creating one of the most bio-diverse and rich ecosystems in the world. Prolific in many animal and plant species, this is a nature lover’s paradise.

MONTEVERDE-SLOTH.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 9 MONTEVERDE–SARCHI–SAN JOSÉ

Artistry & Drama
En route to San José, visit Sarchi Village, the hub of Costa Rican craftsmanship, and see the artists in their workshops making their famous ox carts. Upon arrival in San José, a guided city orientation introduces downtown San José includes the historic National Theater and the Metropolitan Cathedral.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURE & TRADITION Visit the local village of Sarchi and see firsthand how the traditional ox carts are hand-painted. Once used to transport coffee and sugarcane, these are now pieces of art with intricate designs.

SARCHI-OX-CART.jpg

Breakfast Breakfast

Day 10 SAN JOSÉ

Adios y Gracias, San José!
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

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Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With GLOBUS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

JORGE AVILA

Escorting tours for more than 15 years

“Born in San José, I developed an interest in knowing the different attractions, customs and traditions across beautiful Costa Rica. I have always enjoyed at the fullest what I do, so I share my passion with everyone. I like making new friends, being helpful, leading groups, sharing my knowledge of my home country, and always having a smile for people around me.”

Tour Director - JORGE AVILA

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyGlobus site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 CAD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 CAD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 CAD)
$$$$ (Over $150)


Arenal
Monteverde

Arenal

Eco Termales Hot Springs and Dinner

Eco Termales Hot Springs and Dinner

Visit Eco Termales Hot Springs for a dip in the curative and relaxing pools followed by dinner.

Price Range: $$$

Peñas Blancas Safari Paddle Trip

Peñas Blancas Safari Paddle Trip

Enjoy the sights and the sounds of the rain forest and experience its peacefulness while paddling the Peñas Blancas River.

Price Range: $$$

Horseback Ride to La Fortuna Waterfall

Horseback Ride to La Fortuna Waterfall

This tour begins with a horseback ride through the beautiful countryside of San Carlos Valley with stunning views of the Arenal Volcano. Next take a short walk to La Fortuna Waterfall where you can swim in the natural pool.

Price Range: $$$$

Adventure at Sky Tram & Sky Trek

Adventure at Sky Tram & Sky Trek

Located in a unique area between the rain forest of the Arenal Reserve and the Monteverde Cloud Forest, on this tour you will experience full adrenaline and the most spectacular views of the Arenal Volcano & Lake from the aerial Sky Tram and the Sky Trek zip lines.

Price Range: $$$$

Monteverde

Children's Eternal Rainforest Night Hike

Children's Eternal Rainforest Night Hike

This incredible tour at night will give you the chance to see plenty of wildlife and insects that are not common during daytime.   

Price Range: $$

Cultural Farm Tour

Cultural Farm Tour

Take a guided tour of a family-run farm and learn all about the traditional methods of production of typical Costa Rican exports including sugarcane, coffee, bananas, arracache (a local legume), avocado, and macadamia nuts.

Price Range: $$

Sky Tram & Sky Trek

Sky Tram & Sky Trek

Appreciate the nature of the tropical cloud forest, which encompasses 2 different activities - Sky Tram & Sky Trek. Begin with a ride on the Sky Tram through the cloud forest that brings you to the Sky Trek, a thrilling zip line course.

Price Range: $$$$



The “Starting at” or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on twin occupancy and any applicable port charges, non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.