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Best of Costa Rica | Small Group
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Length
8 Days
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Quality
This indicates the overall quality of the tour operator's products. A low rating does not mean it is not good - it just means that it does not include as much, or perhaps is of a more standard quality than the higher quality tours. For example, a 3 star quality rating means that it is a more standard/economical tour, while 5 stars is a very luxurious tour that often includes a lot of amenities. -
Starts in
San Jose (Costa Rica)
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Ends in
San Jose (Costa Rica)
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Available Tour Start Dates
JAN 23, 2027 to DEC 11, 2027
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Activity Level
No Rating Provided
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Language
English
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Guaranteed Date(s)
Yes means that there is at least one tour date that the vendor guarantees will occur. No means that there is not at least one tour date that the vendor guarantees will occur, which usually means that the vendor wants a certain amount of reservations on each tour in order for each one to occur. Of course, the terms and conditions of the vendor do allow for the vendor to cancel guaranteed tour dates for certain reasons (for example, a natural disaster).No
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Special Interest(s)
18-to-Thirtysomethings
Contiki tours are only available for 18- to 35-year olds.
From
Pricing listed is per person, based on double occupancy, and is the least expensive price for at least one departure date of this tour. Price is for the tour only. Additional items, including but not limited to, airfare (unless noted otherwise), travel insurance, and more, are additional.
$1,455.36
Overview
Volcano views? Beach days? Misty cloud forests? Say less. This Costa Rica trip will bring together the country’s greatest hits in one seriously good small-group adventure. Starting in San José, you’ll travel through Sarapiquí, Arenal, Tamarindo, Monteverde and Jacó, with wildlife, wild scenery and optional thrills built in all along the way. Think canyon rappelling, hot springs, surf-town sunsets, rainforest walks and a brill lil' crew to experience it all with.
Visited During Tour
Arenal Volcano National Park (Costa Rica) | Jaco (Costa Rica) | Manuel Antonio National Park (Costa Rica) | Monteverde (Costa Rica) | San Jose | Sarapiqui (Costa Rica) | Tamarindo (Costa Rica)
Dates, Offers & Prices
Tour Itinerary
More Details
Dates, Offers & Prices
The following are Best of Costa Rica | Small Group tour dates available from Contiki. Select a bonus offer graphic to view its details, including its terms.
Tour Itinerary
Contiki Tour Code 263-2615
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Day
1San José to Arenal via Sarapiquí
Hola San José! After meeting up with your fellow Costa Rican explorers this morning we'll get straight on the road, bound for the biodiverse beauty of Sarapiquí.Known for fertile land and seriously gorgeous scenery, Sarapiquí will serve up our first taste of fresh Costa Rican air — and our first hit of adventure for anyone keen to get a little wild.We’ll round off day one with our first glimpse of one of Costa Rica’s most iconic volcanoes. Near-perfect in shape and famous for its hot springs, Arenal will make a strong first impression. Dinner will be with the group in town, then we’ll settle into our stay surrounded by lush gardens in the shadow of the volcano. Feel free to take a dip in the pool or watch iguanas bask atop the trees. Not a bad start, right?
- Meals Included:
- Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Arenal Montechiari (or similar) -
Day
2Arenal
This morning, we’ll have the chance to wake up with a rainforest canyon rappelling adventure. Prefer to slow it down? How about soaking in the region’s geothermal hot springs? There’ll also be the option to visit a local chocolate farm to discover a sweeter side of Arenal.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel Arenal Montechiari (or similar) -
Day
3Arenal to Tamarindo
We’ll leave the towering Arenal behind this morning and head for a taste of Costa Rica’s beach life. Playa Tamarindo has the reputation of being Costa Rica's numero uno surf and nightlife destination, and for good reason. This northern beach town boasts tasty waves and golden sands dotted with lounge bars and awesome restaurants. And we'll be staying right by the beach - so early morning swims are high on the agenda.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Maravida Boutique Hotel (or similar) -
Day
4Tamarindo
The bohemian atmosphere of Playa Tamarindo? Utterly infectious. Spend the day in the water snorkelling amongst the marine life, or stay above the waves and give surfing a try. This afternoon, you can opt in for a catamaran cruise. Just another unique way to experience this beautiful ocean paradise.
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Maravida Boutique Hotel (or similar) -
Day
5Tamarindo to Monteverde
Say goodbye to beach life. The mountains are calling.Fresh air, misty forests and a whole new vibe — Monteverde will be a total switch-up in the best way. This leafy wildlife hotspot is home to butterfly gardens, coffee plantations, curious monkeys and a community deeply connected to the land. On the way, we’ll join a tree planting experience to help protect and regenerate the local forest. And yes, you’ll even get to name your tree!
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel Don Taco (or similar) -
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6Monteverde
The adventures don't stop. And there's so much for you to choose from. First option? An exhilarating adventure at Selvatura Park for one of Costa Rica's most renowned ziplines. (Think: soaring through the misty treetops and catching unparalleled views of the forest below!). Looking for something a bit more tranquil? Choose to walk over the hanging bridges amongst the lush cloud forest. Wow.
Accommodations: Hotel Don Taco (or similar) -
Day
7Monteverde to Jacó to via Manuel Antonio National Park
Rise and shine! This morning we'll head over to Manuel Antonio, a spectacular national park.Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio serves up a dizzying mix of ancient rainforest, pristine beaches and dazzling coral reefs. Get your cameras ready and be on the hunt for wildlife as we walk through this hub of mind-boggling biodiversity.Beachside Jacó is all about surf, coastal energy and easy access to some of Costa Rica’s best natural spots. After a full day of exploring, you'll have the option to grab a final dinner with the crew.
Accommodations: Amapola Resort (or similar) -
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8Jacó to San José
We know, it's hard to leave Jacó. But good all things come to an end. After breakfast, we'll make our way back to San José.What a ride! Swap deets, relive the highlights, and call it a trip — until next time!
- Meals Included:
- Breakfast
More Details
Contiki is informing us of the following additional details regarding their Best of Costa Rica | Small Group tour:
Travelers Notes
* START/END TIMES: Trip starts in San Jose at 7:30am and ends in San Jose at 12:00pm. It is not recommended to book flights departing prior to 3:00pm on the last day of the trip. We recommend booking a pre night for this trip. Please join your trip at the start accommodation outlined in your trip documents. Hotels are subject to change. Check your travel documents for How To Get There & Kick-Start Meeting information.* TRANSFERS: Contiki does not offer transfers unless stated otherwise.* PASSPORT: A passport is needed to enter Costa Rica for all passengers unless they are residents or citizens of Costa Rica. Passport details are required for all Latin America trips. The clients name as it appears on their passport, date of birth, gender, passport number, expiry date with 6 months validity, and nationality is required.* VISAS: Visas may be required for this trip. It is the client's responsibility to obtain the necessary documentation.* GROUND HANDLER:This trip is operated on behalf of Contiki by our trusted third party supplier Destination Latin America DMC and led by one of our own wonderful Contiki Trip Managers.* VACCINATIONS: Yellow Fever vaccination is required when travelling directly from at risk countries including Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador and Peru. Please check with consulate for more information.
Pricing listed above for tours is per person, in US Dollars, and is based on double occupancy. Pricing may change for other occupancy types. Pricing is based on the last time the vendor electronically sent us pricing data, which varies by vendor (usually occurs overnight or multiple times throughout each day).
Pricing and availability are subject to change and must be confirmed by one of our travel advisors, who can contact the vendor to do so. Intra-vacation air (also referred to as internal air) is usually based on economy class seating (do not assume otherwise, unless explicity noted otherwise) and may be 100% non-refundable at time of final payment. Air quotes (including intra-vacation airfare) may be subject to change until final payment has been received by the vendor. Flight confirmation may be based on availability. Air reservations may not be able to be confirmed until a passport copy is received by the vendor. The following charges are not included in the vacation price unless otherwise noted: airfare to and from the start of your vacation; airline baggage fees including checked and/or excess baggage fees; Federal inspection fees for the Federal U.S. Customs and Immigrations; International Air Transportation tax; agricultural tax; other per person taxes imposed by government entities; airport taxes and fees, including the September 11th Security fee, passenger facility charges, Federal domestic flight segment fees, and U.S. and international arrival and departure and other government-imposed fees added by the airline and applicable at time of booking; port taxes; passports; visas and vaccinations; tips to your Cruise Director, Local Host, driver, Local Guides, and/or ship's crew; gratuities on ferries, trains, and cruise ships; laundry; telephone; minibar; alcohol, beverages, and food outside of the contracted menu as presented at a hotel or restaurant or onboard your vessel (these extra items will be billed to you before leaving the hotel, ship, or restaurant); airport transfers on non-qualifying flights; optional excursions; additional activities and excursions purchased online; porterage at airports and train stations; Travel Protection; and all other items of a personal nature. Itinerary details are provided by the vendor. Vendors may reserve the right to change itineraries, even on existing reservations. There may be instances where the name of a tour contains a tour length in it, but where there is a version of the tour that is a different number of days in length. You can check the true length of a tour by referring to the length value listed in association with that tour. Destination images displayed on this web page, some which are supplied by the related vendor and some which are not, are intended to simply give a general representation of the region of the world being visited during the tour. Such images are not necessarily of the exact areas being visited during the tour. Hotel details (including, but not limited to: rating/class, descriptions, images, amenities and addresses) are provided by Contiki. Hotel amenities may be communicated in shorthand by Contiki (for example, if "Laundry" is listed that may only mean that the hotel has an optional fee-based service that would allow for your laundry to be done by their staff). We reserve the right to correct errors.