If you crave adventure, nature and wildlife then Costa Rica makes a perfect getaway. This country has so much to offer that 10 days are definitely not enough, but it makes a practical vacation for just about anyone. I will share my own 10-day itinerary from when I visited this beautiful country with my wife.
Day 1 – Arrive at San Jose airport (SJO) and head to Sarapiqui
Try to book a flight that arrives before noon so that you have enough time to drive out of San Jose. Many travellers like to explore the same city they arrive in on the same day, but that doesn’t have to be the case for San Jose. San Jose might be the most vibrant city in Costa Rica, but there just isn’t much to see here that justifies spending a full day. Keep it for the end so that you can buy souvenirs for a cheaper price at San Jose market.
Plan your Drive
After you land at the airport, pick up your rental car (best way to travel in Costa Rica, but expensive) and head out of the city to your first destination – Sarapiqui. It is about 100 km from the airport and takes just over 2 hours. The drive is very scenic and you will definitely start loving Costa Rica on your very first day. You can make a quick stop at a soda for lunch or supper or get some fruits from a local grocery store.
We stayed at Mirador Prendas. This place is unique as it is deep in the woods and through a rough side road. A 4×4 is highly recommended to reach this place. Try reaching Mirador Prendas before dusk as the area is very remote and no one will be there to assist you in case anything goes wrong with your car at night. You will also drive through two hanging bridges.
There is a hiking trail that starts from the premises of the hotel that you can hit if you still have time. Otherwise just sit, relax and enjoy the sounds of the nature around you.
Try reaching Mirador Prendas before dusk as the area is very remote and no one will be there to assist you in case anything goes wrong with your car at night.
Day 2 –Catarata del Toro and Blue Falls
This is a packed day so make sure you get up early around 6 if you want to make it eventful. Have your breakfast at your hotel and hit the road no later than 8 am. Leaving early would give you enough time to make stops along the way and enjoy the scenic views and may be take some memorable pictures.
The Drive
Driving from Mirador Prendas to La Fortuna only takes about 2 hours so we decided to go through some of the best waterfalls along the view. Put the destination on your GPS for Catarata del Toro which is about 2 hours drive. You will pass through Puerto Viejo where you can stock up on food. Don’t miss the fresh coconut water being sold on the side of the road. We noticed that food here was quite cheap compared to rest of our destinations.
The Experience
Free parking is available when you arrive at Catarata del Toro. Pay your entrance fee and hike down the falls. Although the hike has some stairs, they are not too aggressive. The round trip should take no more than 2 hours. Once back, walk or drive along the road for 300 meters and you will find the entrance for Blue Falls. At the entrance for Blue Falls, you won’t find a sign or indication, but a guy sitting there will greet you and provide hiking instructions. The hike is quite straightforward with wide and clear path. You will meet another guy close to the falls who will take you down to the Blue Falls. Swimming is allowed in this section so bring your swimming gear if you plan to jump in the water.
At the end of the day, drive to La Fortuna for overnight stay. We stayed 3 nights in La Fortuna because there is so much to see there.
Day 3 – Mistico Hanging Bridges, Arenal Hike, Hot springs
Mistico Hanging Bridges
Start early, around 7 am and drive to Mistico Hanging Bridges. This place is beautiful in the morning and you can see a lot of birds. Its only about half an hour drive from La Fortuna. Food is not allowed during the hike and you can only have reusable water bottle. The complete hike takes 2-3 hours depending on your speed and interest. Don’t forget to click some pictures at the end with a view of Arenal Volcano. If you are lucky, you will have a clear view of its peak.
Arenal Volcano Hike
Drive from Mistico to Arenal Volcano hike. Wear good hiking shoes as the trail is rocky. There are two trails here, one is shorter which takes just over an hour. Another one is longer which can take about 2-3 hours. If you have time you can do both, but have to backtrack on a small stretch of the shorter trail to continue to the longer one. There is a possibility to encounter some monkeys on the longer trail.
Ecotermales Hot Spring
Finish this tiring day with hot springs. There are plenty of hot springs to choose from in La Fortuna and the price range varies from free to over $100 per person. We went to Ecotermales and it was amazing. The pool temperature is very optimal and you can just let your muscles relax in the mineral water. Pool side drinks are available for additional purchase. We also booked our dinner there which was buffet style.
Day 4 – Rio Celeste day trip
It’s hard to ignore beautiful blue waters of Rio Celeste when you are only 2 hours drive away in La Fortuna. Set your GPS to Tenorio National Park and leave early in the morning so that you can be there between 8-9 am to beat the crowd. Food is not allowed in the park other than reusable water bottle. The trail is muddy and rocky so good hiking shoes are highly recommended. There are a lot of stairs if you want to go to the main platform by the falls and then return path is the same. Continue to the end of the trail to see how two different streams of water merge to create the blue color in the water.
Horseriding
Finish the Rio Celeste hike before noon and head to horseback riding tour. We went to David’s; he is only 5 minutes drive away from the park entrance. There is also a restaurant at his place for lunch. David will take you down a hill and to a private swimming area if you are interested. We also saw couple of owls and a sloth. David ended the two hour long tour with a far away view of Lake Nicaragua beyond the Costa Rica border.
We returned to La Fortuna in the evening for our last night there.
Continue to the end of Rio Celeste trail to see how two different streams of water merge to create the blue color in the water.
Day 5 – Monteverde Ziplining, Night tour
As usual, I will recommend you start early from La Fortuna so that you can enjoy the drive to Monteverde without worrying about time. The total drive is about 3 hours and it is very scenic. Monteverde has a lot of wildlife to explore and since it is a cloud forest, the area gets a lot of rain. Don’t come without a raincoat or prepare to get soaked.
Ziplining
Monteverde is also known for high adrenaline activities. If you are into that, then go for Extremo Canopy tour ziplining. It is a 3-hour tour with 10 ziplines, 1 Tarzan swing and 1 rappelling activity. You can also do bungee jumping if that’s what pleases you. I did the canopy tour and it was totally worth it. You will experience the largeness of nature when you are swinging on the rope from one end to the other.
Night Jungle Tour
To make the most use of our time, we also did a guided night tour the same day. The tour guide provided us with flashlights or you can bring your own headlamp. We saw some sleeping hummingbirds, toucan, and a very beautiful green viper.
Day 6 – Monteverde Hike
Start your day with a morning hike in Monteverde cloud forest or Santa Elena cloud forest. We did Monteverde just for the sake of choosing one. Santa Elena is less crowded and at a higher altitude compared to Monteverde and it is also cheaper. I will recommend a guided tour for either hikes so that you can make the most out of it. The hike is quite easy but you will most likely miss many birds and small animals without a guide to point them for you.
Drive back to San Jose in the afternoon and stay overnight there.
Read about our full Monteverde experience here.
Santa Elena is less crowded and at a higher altitude compared to Monteverde and it is also cheaper.
Day 7 – Orosi Valley, Coffee tour
There are many coffee tours in La Fortuna and Monteverde, but we decided to go for a less popular one. It is a small local farm called Café Artesanal Los Sauces. Drive from San Jose to Orosi Valley which is about 1.5 hours drive and the final stretch to the farm definitely requires a 4×4. The gravel road is extremely steep which a sedan will not be able to climb. The farm owner will show everything from picking coffee beans from the plant to the packing of ground coffee. It was a private tour since it is not advertised and only few people go there. It is believed that Orosi has the most fertile soil in all of Costa Rica and thus it produces the best coffee.
On your way back, make a stop at the oldest church of Costa Rica in Orosi village.
Drive back to San Jose. We returned our rental car at this point since we were done with the self exploring part and next few days were just for relaxing.
Day 8 – San Jose City tour, COVID test
This is the day to explore San Jose on foot with no liability of rental car. Feel free to walk around the busy streets and buy some souvenirs for friends and family back home. This is your day to explore the city the way you want.
Since our trip was coming towards an end, we had to take a COVID test to fly back home to Canada. If your country has any testing requirement for boarding the return flight, then make sure you get the test done at an ideal time. Don’t leave it for the end and don’t get it done too early as it might not remain valid if the flight is delayed by few hours. We went to Clinica Biblica Hospital and the process was very easy. We didn’t have any prior appointment so we just took a number and waited for our turn. We were out in about 2 hours which was expected. The results are delivered via email which for us only took about 6 hours.
After our test, we walked to Tracopa Bus Terminal to board the bus to our final destination – Manuel Antonio. Don’t wait for the last moment to buy your tickets as they don’t allow passengers if the bus is full. If possible, get your tickets earlier in the day or a day before.
Day 9 – Manuel Antonio
Wake up in Manuel Antonio and get ready for an easy hike in Manuel Antonio National Park. You can hire a guide if you want to focus on wildlife, otherwise unguided hike will do if you are just going for the beach. There are a lot of sloths, monkeys and iguanas in the park. There is a restaurant inside the park closer to the beach where you can have breakfast or lunch. The food is not the greatest and also a little expensive, but there is no other option available. While you are on the beach, take care of your belongings as capuchin monkeys will steal stuff if they sense any food.
Stay on the beach as long as you like. Re-entry is not allowed in the park once you exit.
Day 10 – Manuel Antonio
Another day to relax on the beach or wander the streets of Manuel Antonio. You can go to the free Espadilla beach which is just outside the national park.
Catch the bus back to San Jose at the end of the day. You can take the bus either from one of the 5 dedicated bus stops in Manuel Antonio or from Quepos bus terminal. Be sure to purchase the tickets beforehand so that you are not disappointed at the terminal.
Day 11 – Fly Back
Take an Uber to the airport and give yourself enough time if you are staying away from the airport as the traffic can be unpredictable. One thing to note is that Uber is illegal in Costa Rica, but it is much more affordable compared to the legal red taxis.
Costa Rica government charges departure tax for everyone flying out of the country. All the major airlines already have the tax included in the ticket price. I was flying out via Air Transat which apparently does not include departure tax in their ticket so I had to pay it on the airport at a dedicated booth upstairs. The tax was 29 USD per person in December 2021.
Uber is illegal in Costa Rica, but it is much more affordable compared to the legal red taxis.
Final Words
This 10-day itinerary was carefully planned after 2 months of intense research. It includes a combination of adventure, exploration and relaxation to suit everyone’s needs. I hope this itinerary gives you an idea on how to plan your vacation to Costa Rica. There is no best itinerary as many bloggers and travellers suggest. It is up to you to make the best use of your time when you are travelling and that will make the best itinerary for you. Now go pack your bags and have fun in this amazing country. Let me know if there is anything you want me to add in the post or if you want to know more about a specific destination.
