
Hotel Balmoral (or similar)
- San José
Embark on a Costa Rica adventure and soak up sun, sand and scenery in this beautiful Central American destination!
Embark on a Costa Rica adventure and soak up sun, sand and scenery in this beautiful Central American destination!

This 9-day Costa Rica coach tour takes you to the active Arenal Volcano and through the misty Monteverde Cloud Forest! Swim in Quepos' tropical waters and discover the sweeping beauty of Manuel Antonio National Park. You'll also explore San José, Costa Rica's vibrant capital city!
21 YEARS ON TOUR
“THE BEST PART OF A GROUP TOUR? THE GROUP.”
JAKES MARITZ, CO-FOUNDER
All the flexibility to book on your terms.
Your tour is going ahead. Every single one, guaranteed.
10% secures your seat. Pay the rest with interest-free instalments or all at once.
Plans change? We've got you. Get in touch and we'll help you work through your options.
Changed your mind? We'll refund every penny.
Need us? We're there. Day or night, on the road or off it.
Not sure how to spend your free day? Explore the city on your own, or choose from these handpicked optional experiences designed to show you the best of the region.
Unless marked as "Pre-Book", all optional experiences can be booked directly with your tour leader on tour, payable in cash or by card in the stated currency. Prices and availability are subject to change.
9 days itinerary trip from San José to San José visiting 1 country
We partner with a range of hand-picked hotels in each destination. The hotels listed below are those we stay at most frequently. However, you may stay at different hotels of a similar standard.
All rooms are twin share with private, en suite bathrooms. Solo travellers will be paired with another traveller of the same gender. Single supplements are available upon request at checkout. A confirmed list of hotels is emailed to all travellers prior to their tour departure. To extend your stay in Rio de Janeiro, click here to book pre and post-tour accommodation through our partner Booking.com.









Welcome to your Costa Rica Escape! Arrive in San José, the capital, and meet up with your tour leader and fellow travellers at the hotel this evening. After an overview of the exciting upcoming itinerary, head to a local restaurant for a delicious welcome dinner. Get to know your tour leader and group over an authentic Costa Rican meal!

Tuck into a delicious meal of patacones (fried plantain) and your choice of main course!

After breakfast, head to La Fortuna. This small town is the gateway to the spectacular Arenal Volcano National Park. Arrive and set off on an orientation walk. This evening is free to join the highly recommended Hot Springs optional excursion! Admire the crystalline waterfalls and relax in these hot spring waters before enjoying an included buffet dinner.

La Fortuna is renowned for its natural hot springs as well as being the gateway to the Arenal Volcano National Park.

Relax in the rejuvenating waters of the Baldi hot springs! The mineral water reservoirs flow right from the base of the Arenal volcano.

From volcano views to lush rainforests and plenty of hiking trails, La Fortuna has so much to offer on this free day. To experience the beauty of the Arenal Volcano, join today’s optional excursion for an expertly-guided hike around the volcano and national park. This evening, learn more about (and taste more) Costa Rican cuisine with an interactive cooking class!

Hike along the volcano skirts and old lava flows of the Arenal Volcano National Park while learning about the history of this volcano.

Indulge in the diverse culinary traditions of Costa Rica by enjoying a traditional cooking lesson, a drink and a hearty home-cooked meal!

This morning, begin the journey to Monteverde travelling through the magnificent Cloud Forest. Arrive and embark on an orientation walk through town. The rest of the day is free to explore or join the Coffee Farm Tour and discover how Costa Rican coffee, chocolate and sugar cane are made. Later, enjoy dinner at a vibrant restaurant surrounded by lush greenery.

Known as the “Crown Jewel” of the world’s cloud forests, Monteverde is by far the country’s most famous and stretches over 10,000 hectares!

Tour one of the Cloud Forest’s top coffee farms! Learn about the history of coffee in Costa Rica and enjoy freshly-brewed coffee.

Make the most of a free day in this beautiful part of Costa Rica. Explore Monteverde’s famous cloud forest and take to new heights on the Hanging Bridges & Sloth Sanctuary excursion for an adrenaline-pumping experience featuring amazing views followed by a visit to a sloth sanctuary! Or, explore the area at your own pace. The choice is all yours!

Explore the hanging bridges in the rainforest of Monteverde and visit a sloth sanctuary! Admire the incredible scenery and wildlife as you go.

Journey from Monteverde to coastal Quepos, a paradise for beach lovers and wildlife enthusiasts with its clear waters and rich biodiversity. After hotel check-in, enjoy free time or join the optional sunset catamaran cruise offering marine wildlife viewing, snorkeling, and stunning views of Manuel Antonio National Park. Depending on the season, you may even spot whales, dolphins, and stingrays!

This tropical paradise is where the rainforest meets the Pacific Ocean resulting in unparalleled biodiversity. Look out for incredible marine and wildlife!

Embark on an extraordinary tour through nature aboard a catamaran and see whales (seasonal), dolphins and stingrays as you cruise.

This morning, set off on an adventure through the impressive Manuel Antonio National Park. Experience a vast diversity of landscapes from white-sand beaches to forests and mountains! Within this park, around 184 species of birds and 109 species of mammals reside including sloths, monkeys, and toucans. Take the opportunity to swim in the crystal clear waters of the beautiful beaches!

Keep an eye out for toucans, monkeys, sloths and iguanas! Take a dip in the crystal-clear waters of one of the park’s picturesque beaches.

Departing Quepos this morning, the tour travels back to San José! This afternoon, get to know Costa Rica’s vibrant capital on a driving tour. Admire San José’s unique Spanish colonial architecture and see top sights including Casa Amarillo, the National Theatre and the main town square. This evening, sit down for one last farewell dinner with the group.

As Costa Rica’s capital and largest city, San José is full of historic buildings, attractive architecture and natural scenery in its parks and surrounding landscapes.

Sit down for one last dinner with the group as you bid farewell to Costa Rica.
Kathleen
Beautiful Country and Experience
The Costa Rican Escape was a thorough exploration of a beautiful country. The experiences, scenery and local food was fantastic. Our (very) small group of 5 ladies meshed well (thank goodness). Our local tour leader was happy and enthusiastic about his country.
Cj
Costa Rica is a must
Beyond beautiful. Woodie our tour guide never stopped trying to ensure we had a great time. The worst hotel was good. The rest were great. Each place has excellent staff who worked to make sure your stay was excellent Take excursions. Ask about additional trips locally available. Not only does Woodie know about them but it seems he knows everyone in the industry. Bring a poncho or two. When it rains it R A I N S !!!!! You will have a great time. Woodie won't have it any other way
Rak
Excellent ?
It was good only 2 of us. Tour guide Woody was excellent took extra care full of laugh ? and caring?
Price is based on a sharing twin room.
Private Room Upgrade (optional) +R20,885 pp
Instalment option available for as little as R14,843 per month
Price is based on a sharing twin room.
Private Room Upgrade (optional) +R20,885 pp
Instalment option available for as little as R7,422 per month
Price is based on a sharing twin room.
Private Room Upgrade (optional) +R20,885 pp
Instalment option available for as little as R2,699 per month
Personalise Your Trip
Explore the optional experiences available at each stop, find the ones that match your interests and get an idea of the cost before you go.
Note: This tool is for estimation only.
When You Arrive
Everything you need to know about meeting your Tour Leader, when to arrive, where you’ll finish and who to contact if you need help along the way.
Every Travel Chasers tour departure is guaranteed to run. We'd only cancel in circumstances that prevent us from operating safely.
Once you've booked, we've already planned around you being there, so you can secure your flights and tell your friends. It’s confirmed.
See our Terms & Conditions for all the details.
Full days, zero filler. Most mornings start with breakfast before heading out to the main sights with your Tour Leader or a local guide. Afternoons often include free time to wander, find a coffee or join an Optional Experience. Expect a good amount of walking too. On some days, you could spend two to three hours on your feet. Comfortable shoes are your best friend.
People from all over the world. Different ages, different backgrounds, same instinct to see more. Classic groups have on average between 35-45 Chasers. By day three, you’ll already know everyone's name.
Your accommodation, transport, Tour Leader and driver, breakfast most mornings, select lunches and dinners, and the Included Experiences on the tour page. Everything else is yours to choose. Check the individual tour page before you book for the exact inclusions.
Clean, comfortable and well located. Mostly 3 to 4 star, with private en-suite bathrooms. They're chosen so you can sleep well and feel ready for the next day. They're not the centrepiece. The destinations are. But they're never an afterthought.
All travellers carry their own bags, including up hotel stairs where needed. Walking tours can last up to three hours, and some sites involve a fair number of steps. Read through the itinerary to decide if the pace is right for you.
Optional Experiences happen during your tour's free-time slots, and your Tour Leader will tell you about what's on offer during the tour. Most can be booked on the day, but some are pre-sold and must be purchased before your tour begins, so it's worth checking the tour page beforehand to see what's available and get in touch with our team to book anything in advance.
Maximum value, not minimum comfort. Twenty-one years of supplier relationships mean we know where to find the best for less, and we pass that directly to you. Comfortable hotels, included meals and local experiences, without paying for the premium tier.
Yes. Free time is built into Classic itineraries, giving you space to wander and explore at your own pace. Your Tour Leader can point you towards the places worth your time, so you're never left completely to figure it out yourself.
Absolutely. Many Chasers travel solo, and there’s no compulsory single supplement when you travel with us. For accommodation, solo travellers share a twin room with another solo traveller of the same gender. If you’d prefer your own room, you can choose to pay a single supplement instead. Check the individual tour page for pricing.
You might arrive alone. You won't feel that way for long.
Yes. You don't need any previous group travel experience. Your Tour Leader is with you throughout, and you'll have a whole group of people discovering the destination alongside you. If you're not sure which Classic tour is right for you, we can help.
No. Flights aren't included, giving you flexibility over how you get there and when you travel. Your tour information will tell you where and when to meet the group on day one.
Yes. Travel insurance is a condition of booking. Your policy should cover the full duration of your trip, including medical expenses, cancellation and repatriation. Find out more about our travel insurance requirements here.
Our 10-Day Money-Back Guarantee gives you 10 days to decide after booking. Change your mind? Full refund, no questions asked.
After this point, your deposit is non-refundable. However, you can always change your tour or departure date free of charge, as many times as you like, up to 60 days before departure on Classic tours and up to 90 days before departure on Premium and Signature tours. Changes may incur an amendment fee. The current website price applies to any new tour or date.
See our Terms & Conditions for all the details.
Your Tour Leader is there to look after you during your tour. They know the places most people walk straight past, they'll have a restaurant recommendation ready before you've asked, and they'll sort anything that comes up along the way. All transport and accommodation are arranged for you.
You'll also have a 24-hour emergency contact number and our head office team.
Travel Chasers is a member of ABTA (No. Y6593) and ABTOT (No. 5517). Both organisations have codes of conduct and standards that members are required to meet, giving you an extra layer of confidence when you travel with us.
Our Classic & Premium tours have a minimum age of 10 years old, while our Signature tours have a minimum age of 18 years old. We may consider younger children on certain tours on a case-by-case basis. Get in touch in writing and we'll let you know what's possible.
Before the tour starts, we'll email you to ask about any dietary requirements. A vegetarian option is available at all included meals. We can't guarantee vegan, gluten-free or lactose-free options, so if your requirements are strict, it's worth bringing snacks as backup.
For visa requirements, pre-departure information and everything else you need to know before you travel, visit our Help Centre.

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