2021 & 2022 Globus Guided Tours - Globus® Vacation Packages

Natural Wonders of Costa Rica (SR)

9 Day Tour from San José to San José

2025 Tour Details View 2024 Tour Details »

If you were the type of kid who always marched to your own drum, this bold tour of Costa Rica is just the escape for you. Wide-open spaces, multi-hued creatures, and bright, vivid scenery welcome you with open arms and a no-holds-barred spirit. As you make your way through Costa Rica, lava trails, cloud forests, and high-in-the-sky suspension bridges invite you to take a walk on the wild side while scenic boat rides, nature walks, and natural hot springs beckon you to leisurely soak in the views. Frolic among hundreds of species of butterflies, birds, reptiles, and wildlife in the most vibrant rainforests, and feast on your own delicious Costa Rican creations in an authentic cooking class. With visits to an active volcano and exotic fruit plantations, plus several meet-and-greets with the native macaws and monkeys, this vacation to Costa Rica is bananas!

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.

Prime viewing season for endangered green turtle nesting and egg laying in Tortuguero National Park occurs mid-July to mid-October.

Dates & Prices Book Online
800.268.3636
Natural Wonders of Costa Rica map

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

Breakfast daily, 6 lunches, 5 dinners

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN SAN JOSÉ, COSTA RICA

Welcome to San José!
Upon arrival, you will be met by your tour director!

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. An afternoon at leisure lets you explore your jungle lodge until you meet for an informative slideshow presentation on the area.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
WONDERS OF NATURE Tortuguero National Park was once a volcanic archipelago until sediments from the nearby mountains filled in the valleys forming a network of marshy islands and turtle nesting beaches that make this region so famous. With its 11 different habitats, this lush, protected area is rich with wildlife and biodiversity.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 3 TORTUGUERO NATIONAL PARK TOUR & CANAL CRUISE

Natural Beauties
A local Naturalist accompanies you on a leisurely boat ride along remote, unspoiled sections of the park’s waterways, explaining the bountiful flora and fauna. Enjoy a fascinating stroll through an accessible portion of the nearby rainforest. During the peak nesting season (mid-July to mid-October) you may be lucky enough to observe an endangered green turtle laying her eggs under the starlight on an optional tour. Later this afternoon, meet a local Naturalist for an informative presentation on the ecology of the area.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CONSERVATION MATTERS Tortuguero’s turtles that come to nest in the national park named for them are easily considered one of the main attractions of the park. Green Sea Turtles, leatherback, and Hawksbill turtles can all be found nesting on the beaches here. During your time here, learn about the conservation efforts that have been in place since 1955 to help protect these endangered species.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 4 TORTUGUERO–SARAPIQUI–ARENAL

Fruitful Experiences
A morning boat transfer begins your journey to the Sarapiqui area. Tour a Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite pineapple farm, owned by a local family, and learn about the history, cultivation, and industry of pineapples and other indigenous crops. Continue to your hotel in the lush town of Arenal, located in the shadow of Arenal Volcano. After settling in, experience the magic of the resort before dinner at your hotel

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ACCOMMODATION SPOTLIGHT Lush tropical gardens, the sound of crashing waterfalls, and striking views of Costa Rica’s famed Arenal Volcano from Volcano Lodge will leave you feeling as though you have been transported into the middle of a hidden rainforest jungle but, with all of the comforts and amenities of a well-tended retreat. Experience the magic of the resort’s pool and hot spring-fed jacuzzi, or consider a walk in the nearby nature trail in search of 300- to 400-year-old trees, frogs, monkeys, birds, and possibly small animals native to the area.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 5 ARENAL. EXCURSION TO LA FORTUNA & ARENAL VOLCANO NATIONAL PARK

Lava Love
This afternoon, visit Arenal Volcano National Park, where your guide takes you on a walk through lava trails of the volcano and shows you how nature has found a way to recover from past lava flows. Next, enjoy a walking tour of the town of La Fortuna de San Carlos, offering spectacular views of the active Arenal Volcano. This evening, drive to nearby Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite Ecotermales Hot Springs for a dip in the curative and relaxing pools. Later, enjoy a dinner at the hot springs.

LOCAL FAVORITE
WONDERS OF NATURE Towering over the town of La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano is a perfect conical shape. It was once the most active volcano in Costa Rica with its lava flowing and gas consistently flowing from the crater amazing visitors of the area. In 2010, it entered a resting phase. But, because of the seismic activity of the area, you will find some of the best natural thermal hot springs.

FREE TIME TIPS
EXPLORE MORE During your morning at leisure, you may wish to go on an optional horseback ride or float trip. Or, you can take advantage of your resort’s amenities by walking along the shaded trails nearby. This and more options throughout your tour are available for purchase with MyGlobus. Get local maps and tips for free time on your GlobusGO mobile app.

Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 6 ARENAL–MONTEVERDE

Heads in the Clouds
After breakfast, continue to Monteverde, where you will enjoy two days in the cloud forest. This afternoon, take a guided tour on the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges, which combines trails and suspension bridges through the canopy of Monteverde Cloud Forest, to search for flora and fauna.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
PICTURE PERFECT Explore the cloud forest from the Sky Walk Hanging Bridges for a bird’s eye view high above the jungle floor. This Naturalist-guided tour introduces you to the flora and fauna of the Costa Rican cloud forest. Consisting of 6 bridges with some bridges spanning over 700 feet long and over 150 feet high, this is truly a unique way to admire the forest canopy.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 7 MONTEVERDE

SANTA ELENA CLOUD FOREST RESERVE Butterfly Kisses
This morning, visit Santa Elena Cloud Forest for a guided walking tour. Over 600 species of butterflies and 400 species of birds have been recorded inside this private reserve, along with 100 reptile and 120 mammal species that hide within the dense vegetation. Later, visit the family-owned Globus Local FavoriteGlobus Local Favorite Ecological Sanctuary, where you will explore the trails through coffee and banana plantations filled with endemic wildlife and beautiful scenery. After the walk, enjoy a cooking class. Tonight, your Tour Director hosts a farewell dinner, toasting an unforgettable discovery of Costa Rica.

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES Treat yourself to a visit to a leisurely stroll through a banana and coffee plantation, and take a cooking class to learn how to prepare authentic Costa Rican food like hand-made tortillas, picadillos, and gallo pinto. Dine on your creations for a homemade lunch!

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch
DinnerDinner

Day 8 MONTEVERDE–SARCHI–GRECIA–SAN JOSÉ

Costa Rican Craftsmanship
En route to San José, visit Sarchi Village, known as the center of Costa Rican handcrafts and where you will see the artists in their workshops making the famous oxcarts. Next stop is Grecia Village to see the metal church that was imported from Belgium to Puerto Limon in 1897. The church was transported by oxcarts to its present-day location, but sat in the plaza for 10 years before being reconstructed.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURAL GEMS 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.

Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 9 SAN JOSÉ

Safe travels until we meet again!
Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

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

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: $$$

Ecoglide Arenal Park

Ecoglide Arenal Park

Arenal Ecoglide Park is one of Costa Rica's newest adventure parks featuring a canopy tour built to highest safety standards. The canopy tour not only offers you a great zipline adventure but also an opportunity to observe all the animal life in its natural habitat.

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: $$$$

Arenal Hanging Bridges

Arenal Hanging Bridges

Along this guided naturalist walk, you will walk along 15 different bridges suspended in the rain forest canopy. Take in the sites from an unrivaled perspective, showing you the fascinating and colorful Tropical Rain Forest world.

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

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: $$



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.