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Birdwatching

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Choose when you go and with how many, change the nights at each stop (0 skips it) and tick the tours you want. The route, the kilometres and the costs follow.

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Day by day

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Day 1 · 100 km · 2 h Day 4 · 80 km · 1 h 10 min Day 6 · 110 km · 2 h 40 min Day 9 · 230 km · 5 h 20 min Day 11 · 110 km · 2 h 50 min Day 12 · 10 km · 10 min 1Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí 2La Fortuna 3Monteverde 4San Gerardo de Dota 5Alajuela

Big map and driving plan →

Map: Natural Earth (public domain) · roads © OpenStreetMap contributors

  1. Day 1 Land at San José (SJO), drive to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí About 100 km, 2 h

  2. Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Heredia

    Days 1–3 · 3 nights

    Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Heredia

    Toucans and poison dart frogs at La Selva

    Highlights

    • La Selva biological station
    • Rafting on the Sarapiquí
    • Chocolate tour at a cacao farm

    Another night here? With an extra night: rafting on the Sarapiquí, or a second early bird walk.

    Tours to book

    Hotels in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí

  3. Day 4 Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, drive to La Fortuna About 80 km, 1 h 10 min

  4. La Fortuna, Alajuela

    Days 4–5 · 2 nights

    La Fortuna, Alajuela

    The cone of Arenal volcano

    Highlights

    • Lava trails in Arenal National Park
    • La Fortuna waterfall
    • Hanging bridges through the rainforest
    • Hot springs at the foot of the volcano

    Another night here? With an extra night: canyoning or rafting on the Balsa, or a day along Lake Arenal.

    Tours to book

    Hotels in La Fortuna

    Alojamientos N&S Alojamientos N&S ★★★★★ · 10.0 Cabañas Litos Cabañas Litos ★★★★★ · 10.0 Jarabacoa Family Hostel Jarabacoa Family Hostel ★★★★★ · 10.0 Natural Green Lodge Natural Green Lodge ★★★★★ · 10.0 Fortuna Retreat Fortuna Retreat ★★★★★ · 9.8

  5. Day 6 La Fortuna, drive to Monteverde About 110 km, 2 h 40 min

  6. Monteverde, Puntarenas

    Days 6–8 · 3 nights

    Monteverde, Puntarenas

    Walking in the cloud forest

    Highlights

    • Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
    • Hanging bridges through the canopy
    • Hummingbirds at the Hummingbird Café

    Another night here? With an extra night: the Santa Elena reserve, or a coffee and chocolate tour.

    Tours to book

    Hotels in Monteverde

    El Nido Lodge El Nido Lodge ★★★★★ · 10.0 ÉWA Homes Monteverde ÉWA Homes Monteverde ★★★★★ · 10.0 Finca Aquarius Finca Aquarius ★★★★★ · 10.0 The Green Tree Lodge The Green Tree Lodge ★★★★★ · 10.0 Villa Golondrina Villa Golondrina ★★★★★ · 10.0

  7. Day 9 Monteverde, drive to San Gerardo de Dota About 230 km, 5 h 20 min · a long driving day

  8. San Gerardo de Dota, San José

    Days 9–10 · 2 nights

    San Gerardo de Dota, San José

    The quetzal in the oak forests

    Highlights

    • Looking for quetzals at sunrise
    • The Savegre waterfall
    • The top of Cerro de la Muerte

    Another night here? With an extra night: trout fishing on the Savegre, or hiking in Los Quetzales.

    Tours to book

    Hotels in San Gerardo de Dota

    Entre Árboles Lodge Entre Árboles Lodge ★★★★★ · 9.5 Miriam'S Quetzals lodge Miriam'S Quetzals lodge ★★★★★ · 8.9 Hotel de Montaña Suria Hotel de Montaña Suria ★★★★★ · 8.8

  9. Day 11 San Gerardo de Dota, drive to Alajuela About 110 km, 2 h 50 min

  10. Alajuela, Alajuela

    Day 11 · 1 night

    Alajuela, Alajuela

    Poás crater, an hour from the airport

    Highlights

    • Poás volcano crater
    • La Paz waterfall gardens
    • Coffee farm in the hills of Alajuela

    Another night here? With an extra night: La Paz waterfall gardens, or a day in San José with the Gold Museum and the Mercado Central.

    Tours to book

    Hotels in Alajuela

    Casa Cafetal Aeropuerto Two Bedrooms Casa Cafetal Aeropuerto Two Bedrooms ★★★★★ · 10.0 Hotel Bamboo Aeropuerto Hotel Bamboo Aeropuerto ★★★★★ · 9.4 Las Carmelas, Airport Juan Santamaría, Alajuela, San José Las Carmelas, Airport Juan Santamaría, Alajuela, San José ★★★★★ · 9.4 Hildas Bed and Breakfast Hildas Bed and Breakfast ★★★★★ · 9.2 Hostal Casa Azul Hostal Casa Azul ★★★★★ · 8.5

  11. Day 12 Alajuela to San José airport (SJO), fly home to Amsterdam About 10 km, 10 min

Tours: €0 The trip, roughly: €3,870 (€1,940 a person)

Arrange something yourself

A few days with family or friends, a train ride, local transport: a part of the trip you arrange yourself. No hotel and no tours of ours; without the car, no kilometres and no hire those days. Enter what it costs and it counts in the total.