Discover Costa Rica

Welcome to San José, the culture-rich capital of Costa Rica. Aim to arrive at the hotel by 5pm so that you can meet your fellow travellers and tour leader, who will give you a warm welcome to Costa Rica. If you miss today's welcome briefing, the tour leader will give you all relevant information on the morning of Day 2. A free transfer is available to take you to our hotel in San José. Read the Joining Instructions in the Trip Notes for more information on booking your seat. Stay: Presidente Hotel (or similar).

Our adventure begins early this morning, leaving San José behind as we travel to the northeast of Costa Rica to Tortuguero National Park. Accessible only by boat or light aircraft, Tortuguero has a vast network of waterways, canals and swamps that is remarkably tranquil, unspoilt and devoid of noise pollution. On reaching the pier, we board a small motorboat for the journey to our lodge (up to 1hr 30min), which is a short distance from the main lagoon.

Please note the transfer from San José to Tortuguero is not private for Exodus clients. Our afternoon is spent in Tortuguero village, where it's possible to visit the Sea Turtle Museum (a donation will be requested at the entrance). Tortuguero is probably most famous as a nesting site for the endangered green turtle, which arrives onto the beach to lay eggs from late July to October (witness it as part of an optional excursion).

Hawksbill, loggerhead and giant leatherback turtles also nest in this region. During November to January, baby turtles hatch and make their way towards the ocean. Today's travel time will be in the region of six hours including a break for breakfast. Stay: Laguna Lodge (or similar) (B/L/D).

A morning boat trip enables us to discover the extraordinary flora and fauna of Tortuguero, passing serenely along the waterways. At this time of day, wildlife is usually at its most active, and with the help of our expert guide we are likely to encounter monkeys, caiman, iguanas, butterflies and many of the 300-plus bird species recorded here. The lodge is a tranquil spot to relax this afternoon if you want to take some time out to enjoy the facilities, or you can join a second boat trip or follow a short walking trail through the forest. Stay: Laguna Lodge (or similar) (B/L/D).

We leave Tortuguero the same way we arrived by taking a small boat to the pier. Our bus will be at the pier waiting to drive us to the region of Arenal, passing huge banana, pineapple and sugar cane plantations on the way. Arenal was the most active volcano in Costa Rica until fairly recently when it entered a resting phase, and can no longer be seen spitting ash, smoke or lava.

However, there is still a lot of geothermal activity in the area and you'll have the opportunity to visit one of the excellent hot springs this evening. In clear weather, there are great views of the volcano from our overnight base in the nearby town of La Fortuna. Today's travelling time is around 5hr 30min including a lunch stop. Stay: Arenal Montechiari or Eco Arenal (or similar) (B/L).

This morning we take a short scenic hike within Arenal National Park, walking through secondary rainforest and seeing some of the lava fields from past eruptions. The high vantage points on this walk allow great views overlooking Lake Arenal, and the birdlife is plentiful. Waterfalls are abundant in the region of Arenal and we visit La Fortuna, a 213ft (65m) cascade plunging into an emerald pool.

A short trail through the rainforest brings us to a relatively steep set of steps that we must descend to reach the waterfall and then ascend to the exit – the hike/climb takes around 20-30 minutes and is within the capabilities of anyone with reasonable fitness. Reward your efforts with a cooling dip in one of the natural pools punctuating the foliage. Alternatively, you could visit the lookout point and wait for the group. After lunch, the rest of day is at leisure to enjoy optional activities such as a chocolate tour or the exhilarating Ecoglide Zipline. Stay: Arenal Montechiari or Eco Arenal (or similar) (B).

From Arenal we travel to the Tilaran Mountain Range in the central highlands for our first taste of a Costa Rican cloud forest. The journey provides breathtaking views of the Gulf of Nicoya and the islands below as we ascend the hills towards Monteverde, a forest-cloaked region whose name literally means Green Mountain.

The high altitude supports a complex ecosystem where plants thrive, particularly orchids of which there are more than 400 varieties here. Today's drive is around four hours — the last 25mi (40km) of road is gravel and can be bumpy, particularly following heavy rain. Stay: Monteverde Country Lodge or Montaña Monteverde (or similar) (B).

This morning we have a guided walk in Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, one of the first community-managed reserves in Costa Rica and an area celebrated for its biodiversity. To this day, the reserve is managed by the Santa Elena High School with funds channelled into protecting the reserve and providing environmental education classes within the community. Thanks to its high elevation, Santa Elena is bathed in thick misty clouds, which support a huge range of flowers, ferns, mosses, vines and orchids. Birdlife thrives in the cloud forest with more 425 species recorded here. Santa Elena is also one of the best places to spot noisy howler monkeys swinging through the trees.

In the afternoon it's possible to join an optional coffee tour to learn about the importance of this crop to the socio-economic development of the country or join a canopy tour to get a different view of the forest. Stay: Monteverde Country Lodge or Montaña Monteverde (or similar) (B).

Our journey takes a southeasterly turn today as we follow the Pan-Am Highway along the coastline to Manuel Antonio, passing African oil palm and teak plantations on the way. Manuel Antonio National Park consists of a vast marine reserve as well as 1,700 acres (690ha) of mangrove swamp, primary and secondary rainforest. The forest vegetation stretches as far as the high-tide line and provides a stunning backdrop to the expansive sandy beaches, forested islands and dramatic rocky headlands. Our drive to Manuel Antonio takes around four hours (not including rest stops and lunch). We settle into our accommodation and, depending on our arrival time, can make use of the hotel's facilities. Stay: Villa Bosque Hotel or San Bada Hotel (or similar) (B).

A guided tour of Manuel Antonio National Park this morning should enable us to have close wildlife encounters. White-faced capuchin monkeys play in the trees and are frequently sighted on the beaches, while noisy howler monkeys are usually heard moving through the trees and calling to each other before they are seen. The endangered titi monkey (squirrel monkey) are fewer in number but can sometimes be spotted in this area. Iguanas, agouti and two- and three-toed sloths are also commonly sighted in the national park.

Manuel Antonio's beaches rank among the most beautiful in the country and we have all afternoon to enjoy them or try one of the optional activities in this region. Please note that Manuel Antonio National Park is closed on Tuesdays. If your visit falls on a Tuesday, the timing of this activity will be adjusted so that you visit the park on the previous (or following) day and today will be at leisure to enjoy the many optional excursions of the region. Stay: Villa Bosque Hotel or San Bada Hotel (or similar) (B).

Travel four hours south towards Golfito, a relatively wild and undiscovered region. The dense jungle here has hardly been explored or researched. The next two nights are spent in the beautiful Esquinas Rainforest Lodge set in the heart of primary rainforest and bordered by the Piedras Blancas National Park and Golfito Nature Reserve. The lodge was originally financed by the government of Austria as a project combining forest research, development aid, and nature conservation. Most employees are local and profits are used to help with projects in the nearby village.

This afternoon we discover our peaceful surroundings and search for the abundant bird and insect life that resides here. Stay: Esquinas Rainforest Lodge (or similar) (B/L/D).

Hike through the rainforest this morning with your guide and experience all the sights and sounds of the jungle. During this activity we are likely to see snakes, monkeys and maybe sloths. This hike can be quite slippery after rainfall but is a real highlight and well worth the effort.

This afternoon has been left free for optional activities — delve deeper into the forest on a network of trails departing directly from the lodge, or simply relax by the pool.

In the evening you can join a night walk around the Esquinas trails in search of nocturnal species (optional, no charge). Stay: Esquinas Rainforest Lodge (or similar) (B/L/D).

Our journey takes a northwesterly turn through San Isidro and up and over the Cerro de la Muerte mountain range to our next destination, the Savegre Valley, around a 4hr 30min drive from Golfito (not including stops). The cloud forest of Savegre is said to be one of the best places in Costa Rica to see the beautiful, colourful and notoriously shy resplendent quetzal and we have two nights here to discover the region.

These endangered birds rely on the cloud forest for their habitat — the males in particular are striking with a green crest, red breast and tail feathers that can reach a metre long. A good pair of binoculars will be helpful for quetzal spotting as these birds camouflage themselves well among the wet leaves of the forest.

In the afternoon, we take a short walk from our lodge into the cloud forest. Stay: Savegre Hotel & Spa or Trogon Lodge (or similar) (B/L/D).

Today is free to relax and explore Savegre Valley. Bring your binoculars to spot some of the 170 bird species, trek through the tropical cloud forest or simply enjoy the incredible view from the lodge. Your leader will suggest walks for today so you can discover the tropical cloud forest and sub-Andean vegetation of the area. Stay: Savegre Hotel & Spa or Trogon Lodge (or similar) (B/L/D).

Visit the Copey valley this morning to step momentarily into the agricultural lives of those living in the highlands of the Central Mountain Range. We take a short walk through this picturesque area, stopping for a typical lunch prepared for us by a local family - sure to give a memorable touch of Costa Rican hospitality. A 2hr 30min journey takes us back to San José, where there is time to explore the modern capital. Stay: Presidente Hotel (or similar) (B/L).

A final breakfast at the hotel is your chance to say goodbye to the group and perhaps start planning your next adventure. For those joining our post-trip extension to Tamarindo Beach, the wait won't be long. No matter what your future plans are, though, there's a free transfer to San José airport for onward flights (B).