Costa Rica: Tortuguero, La Fortuna & Rio Celeste

Why I Love This Trip

Costa Rica is one of the easiest places in the world to fall for nature, and this trip goes beyond the usual highlights. You get two full days on the water in Tortuguero, where the only way around is by boat, plus time with the people who make this country special: coffee farmers in Sarapiquí, a community lunch near Caño Negro, and a Maleku cooking demonstration followed by a tasting dinner.

Then it ends the right way, with a waterfall the color of a swimming pool, a zipline over the rainforest and an evening in volcanic hot springs. It is active without being exhausting, and nearly every meal is taken care of.

Where You Sleep

A loop from San José: out to the Caribbean side for the canals, north to the wetlands, then down through the volcanoes. The numbers on the map match the places you sleep.

1. 1night

   San José

   Day 1. Welcome dinner

2. 2nights

   Tortuguero

   Days 2 and 3. Jungle lodge

3. 2nights

   Caño Negro

   Days 4 and 5. River and wetlands

4. 2nights

   La Fortuna

   Days 6 and 7. Volcano country

Day by Day

1. Day 1Overnight in San José

   San José

   Land, and a driver takes you to the hotel. Tonight we meet the group over a welcome dinner.

2. Days 2 and 3Overnight in Tortuguero

   Tortuguero

   Head to the Caribbean side and settle into a jungle lodge for two nights. Spend both days kayaking the canals, watching for sloths, monkeys, toucans and caimans along the banks.

3. Day 4Overnight in Caño Negro

   Sarapiquí to Caño Negro

   Visit a coffee co-op, learn how the beans go from plant to cup, and take a walk out to a waterfall. Then continue north to Caño Negro.

4. Day 5Overnight in Caño Negro

   Caño Negro

   Cruise the river through a wildlife refuge known for its birds, share a lunch cooked by the local community, and end the day with a Maleku cooking demo and tasting dinner.

5. Day 6Overnight in La Fortuna

   Rio Celeste to La Fortuna

   Hike to the Rio Celeste waterfall, where minerals turn the river a bright, milky blue. Then visit the Maleku community for a traditional lunch before driving on to La Fortuna in the shadow of the Arenal Volcano.

6. Day 7Overnight in La Fortuna

   La Fortuna

   Pick your adventure: ziplining through the treetops or a calmer walk across the hanging bridges. Then spend the evening at Tabacón, a hot springs resort with thermal pools and waterfalls, with dinner there.

7. Day 8Flight home

   Depart

   A transfer takes you back to San José for your flight home. Book a flight that leaves after 3 pm.

Who It's For

This trip is for people who like to be outside and moving, but still want a good bed at night. You should be comfortable getting in and out of a kayak and walking a few miles on uneven, sometimes muddy trails. Everyone on the trip must be 18 or older.

Traveling solo?You will not pay a single supplement. You will be paired with a roommate of the same sex, or you can choose to pay for a room of your own.

Why Book Through Me

This trip is run by G Adventures, and you'll pay the same price you would booking with them. Booking through me adds everything around it: flights that line up with the start and end of the trip, an extra night or two before or after, airport transfers and travel insurance. If plans change or something comes up on the road, you call me, not a call center.