When to go
January – April and October
Price
From £3,895 pp (including flights)
Flight time
11hrs 4mins
Introduction
Despite being a small region, Costa Rica & Panama provides a diverse ecosystem, including volcanoes, mountains, cloud forests, lakes, and rainforests. The tour covers Costa Rica and Panama’s most well-known landmarks, including Tortuguero, the La Selva Biological Station, and Arenal Volcano.
At a Glance
Duration
14 days 12 nights
Guide price
Group: £3,895pp (including flights)
Cities/Destinations (in order)
Panama City | San José | Tortuguero | La Selva Biological Station | Arenal | Monteverde | Carara | Tarcoles | Manuel Antonio
Tour Type
Experienced local tour manager and guided sightseeing
Tour Theme
Group Tour
Activity Level
Age Range
N/A
Star Rating of Tour
Standard
Accommodation
Best Western Plus Panama Zen Hotel | Crowne Plaza Corobici Hotel | Pachira Lodge | Arenal Paraiso | Monteverde Country Lodge | Villa Lapas Hotel
Board Basis
Varied - please see the sample itinerary for details
Min|Max Group Size
Average 12 people with a maximum of 18
Start/Finish
Panama City | San José
Extensions
Highlights
Walking Tour of Manuel Antonio National Park
Full of amazing flora and fauna, as well as a unique atmosphere and many activities, the Manuel Antonio National Park is a visually striking and memorable place to visit. During your guided walking tour, you will see beautiful and diverse wildlife, rainforests, beaches, and coral reefs. The park is also home to 2 and 3-fingered sloths, toucans, iguanas, the rare squirrel monkey, and millions of colorful crabs.
Cruise Along the Panama Canal
Take a shared and luxurious boat ride across the Panama Canal. Completed in 1914, the Canal is about 40 miles long, and is one of the two most strategic artificial waterways in the world, the other being the Suez Canal. It connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans across the Isthmus of Panama.
View the Arenal Volcano from Your Hotel
From the comfort of your hotel, you can view the Arenal Volcano, which towers over the town of La Fortuna. The volcano still spews smoke on occasion, and visitors often hike on lava from previous eruptions. There are many trails around the volcano, giving tourists many ways to appreciate the volcano from all angles.
Cruise the Canals of Tortuguero
The Canals of Tortuguero are the second largest wetlands in Costa Rica. It is famous for its bird watching, natural richness, and impressive biodiversity, with much local wildlife near the canals.
Recommended Hotels
Best Western Plus Panama Zen Hotel | Crowne Plaza Corobici Hotel | Pachira Lodge | Arenal Paraiso | Monteverde Country Lodge | Villa Lapas Hotel |
Sample Itinerary
Panama & Costa Rica Experience
In this sample itinerary, you will learn about all that Panama and Costa Rica has to offer, from the mysterious cloud forests and colorful wildlife, to the memorable boat rides and much more. With something new just around the corner, every day will feel like a new adventure, beckoning you to explore its majestic sites.
Day 1: Fly to Panama City via Madrid
Fly from London to Panama City via Madrid or Miami. Regional connections available. Head to the Best Western Plus Panama Zen Hotel to stay for 3 nights.
(N)
Day 2: Panama City
In the morning, tour the ruins of old Panama and the colonial district. Founded in 1519, the site is the oldest European settlement on the Pacific coast of the Americas. Enjoy a welcome dinner at a local restaurant in the evening.
(B, D)
Day 3: Panama Canal
Take a shared partial transit and cruise through the Panama Canal, a constructed waterway that connects to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.
(B, L)
Day 4: Fly to San José
In the morning, fly to San José and visit a coffee plantation. Aside from being a prominent coffee production site, the plantation lies on the slopes of the active Poas Volcano. Depending on current volcanic activity, you can visit the crater lake below. Stay for 1 night at the Crowne Plaza Corobici Hotel
(B, L, D)
Day 5: Tortuguero
Make your way to Caño Blanco on the Caribbean coast. This quaint, small town is just a short distance from the Tortuguero Park. It has a beach with hawksbill, leatherback, and green sea turtles, which come to lay eggs between March and October. Here, you will take a boat along the backwaters to Tortuguero. Stay at the Pachira Lodge for 2 nights.
(B, L, D)
Day 6: Tortuguero
Enjoy a full day of shared excursions in Tortuguero. Highlights include turtle watching and boat tours.
(B, L, D)
Day 7: La Selva Biological Station • Arenal
Return to Caño Blanco by boat and drive to Arenal. On the way, visit the La Selva Biological Station, and learn about the scientific and conservation work being done by local researchers. Established in 1968, the research station is dedicated to the research of tropical ecology, and it pioneered forest conservation in Costa Rica.
Enjoy a short walk in the nearby protected rainforest. Stay 2 nights at Arenal Paraiso and enjoy stunning views of Arenal Volcano.
(B, L)
Day 8: Arenal
Take a morning tour of the trails and suspension bridges in Arenal. There are multiple hanging suspension bridges, which gives you a unique perspective of the forests and tree canopies from within. There are also optional evening visits to the hot springs.
(B)
Day 9: Monteverde
Drive along the shores of Lake Arenal, the largest lake in Costa Rica, and a vital source of hydroelectric power generation for the country. Along the way, you can marvel at the spectacular views of the lake and enjoy the surroundings, such as the cloud forests.
Proceed to the mountains of Monteverde. Stay for 2 nights at Monterverde Country Lodge.
(B)
Day 10: Monteverde
Enjoy a morning tour of the Monteverde cloud forest. This beautifully reserved forest is one of the most endangered ecosystems on Earth, as only 1 percent of remaining forests on Earth are classified as cloud forests. The forest is home to all kinds of rare flora and fauna, such as the white-face capuchin, toucanets, two-toed sloth, and the mantled howler monkey, to name a few.
In the afternoon, enjoy leisure or take an optional excursion to the Santa Elena Reserve.
(B)
Day 11: Carara • Tarcoles
Drive to the Central Pacific Coast. Visit the Carara National Park. This visually stunning and beautiful location is home to crocodiles, monkeys, and scarlet macaws. Then head to Tarcoles and enjoy a 2-night stay at the Villa Lapas Hotel (or similar).
(B)
Day 12: Manuel Antonio
In the morning, visit Manuel Antonio, a local park full of amazing flora and fauna, home to one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Here, the rainforest extends to the beaches, and is home to many native wildlife, such as sloths, iguanas, and colorful birds. In the evening, visit a local restaurant for a farewell dinner near your hotel.
(B, D)
Day 13 & 14: Fly to London
Transfer to San José. Fly back to London.
(B, N)
