Total distance: approx. 230 km.
Estimated driving time (without stops): 5.5–6 hours.
Arrival: Around 15:00–16:00 (depending on stops).
After breakfast and checking out (around 08:00–09:00), you’ll pick up your rental car at the accommodation and set off towards Puerto Viejo.

Route: Follow Route 1 towards San José, then take Route 32 through Braulio Carrillo National Park to Limón, and finally take Route 36 to Puerto Viejo.

Highlights and suggested stops on the way:

🟢 Braulio Carrillo National Park (about 1 hour after departure).
Drive through lush rainforest with spectacular views. Depending on the time, you can choose to stop and take a short walk near Quebrada González.

🟢Guácimo (midway break and lunch stop). A nice spot to pause at around 11:30 – 12:00.

Recommended lunch spots:

• Restaurante Rancho Roberto’s (in Guápiles): local cuisine, spacious parking, and a garden setting.
• Soda El Rinconcito Caribeño: simple, tasty Caribbean dishes.

🟢 Limón (optional short stop)
Here, you’ll start to feel the Caribbean vibe. You can visit the beach or stroll along the boulevard.

In the afternoon, you will arrive in Puerto Viejo. The final 50 minutes from Limón take you along the coastal Route 36.
Enjoy views of the jungle, palm trees, and the occasional glimpse of the sea.  You should arrive in Puerto Viejo at approximately 16:00.

Upon arrival, explore and unwind
Check in at your accommodation.
Take a walk through the vibrant centre of Puerto Viejo, with its colourful houses, reggae music, and charming local shops.

Optional: Watch the sunset at Playa Cocles or Playa Negra.

NOTE: The itinerary only includes details for the first two days of your trip. We would be happy to send you the full itinerary, including information on accommodation, upon request.

Prepare for coastal adventures, exciting wildlife encounters, and immersive experiences in local culture, with relaxing moments in between.

The choice is yours: enjoy jungle hikes, explore indigenous cultures, visit wildlife refuges, partake in chocolate tours, or go birdwatching at the Kekoldi Indian Reserve. You can also unwind on beautiful beaches, tour small organic farms and sustainable local restaurants, explore national parks, or visit the Sloth Sanctuary or the Jaguar Rescue Centre.

After breakfast and checking out of your accommodation, you will depart for Parismina via Siquirres at around 08:00 to 09:00. The travel time is approximately 7 hours, including the boat transfer along the Parismina River.

By day, explore the jungle and canals by boat while observing the local mangrove forests and their wildlife. By night, join a turtle-watching tour on foot during the nesting season.

After breakfast and checking out of the Station Biological, take a boat to Siquirres, where you will find your car. Then, drive to Agua Caliente and settle into your eco-lodge. The total travel time is approximately 6 to 7 hours, including breaks, covering a distance of about 250 km.

Options to consider: Soak in natural hot springs, hike through Tenorio National Park, and visit the Río Celeste waterfall and its surroundings. Participate in a cooking session with a local family and enjoy a chocolate-making experience.

After breakfast and check-out, you will leave for Santa Elena. The distance is 100 km, and the drive time is approximately 2 hours.

After breakfast and check-out, you will leave for Santa Elena.

Here are some options for activities:

• Visit the cloud forest reserve, where scenic trails and hanging bridges provide opportunities to spot Quetzals, hummingbirds, and tree frogs.
• Experience zip lining.
• Learn about traditional farming methods, including chocolate production, sugarcane juice, and roasted coffee.
• Participate in hands-on activities, which are often included.

Start your day with breakfast, then check out and leave around 9:00. The distance to your destination is approximately 220 km, with an estimated driving time of 4 to 5 hours, depending on the route (which may include a ferry) and road conditions. You’ll have time to relax on the beach and enjoy the sunset. Dinner will be provided, along with live music.

After breakfast, enjoy a relaxing day with beach activities, swimming, snorkelling, and chilling while watching the sunset. Indulge in dinner at a cosy, atmospheric restaurant.

Breakfast and check-out are scheduled from 7:30 to 9:00. The distance to your destination is 260 km, with an estimated driving time of approximately 5 to 6 hours. Begin your drive from Mal País heading toward Puntarenas port. You will take the ferry across the Gulf of Nicoya. Be sure to stop at the Río Tárcoles to see the famous crocodile bridge, a well-known local wildlife landmark. You can expect to arrive in Dos Bocas around 16:00, where you can check in to the Family Farm.

After breakfast, you can choose your activities for the day. You can visit stunning hot springs and pristine waterfalls, or you can join a night frog tour. In the evening, enjoy the breathtaking starry sky.

The following day, you will visit Nauyaca Waterfall, one of the most impressive in Costa Rica. Alternatively, you can explore Marino Ballena National Park and enjoy a Whale and dolphin-spotting tour (available during the season). In the evening, you can have dinner at a cosy restaurant in Dominical Village.

Depart after breakfast at around 9:00. The drive to Carate, where you’ll leave your car, will take approximately 6 hours. From there, you will walk 3 kilometres along the beach to reach your accommodation. Your belongings will be transported in a cart pulled by a horse. Check in, relax, and enjoy the sunset on one of the most remote and beautiful beaches in Costa Rica.

Consider visiting Corcovado National Park (La Leona Ranger Station) after breakfast for a hike and a chance to spot some wildlife. Be sure to make a reservation in advance. Alternatively, you can relax and enjoy the tranquillity of the Osa Peninsula. Keep an eye out for the scarlet macaws that are commonly seen in the area. In the afternoon, you could unwind in a hammock under the palm trees, with the sea just a few meters away.

Have breakfast and check out. It’s best to leave early in the morning, around 8:00 . The estimated travel time is 6 to 7 hours. Walk the 3 km back along the beach to your car, then drive to Copey.

After breakfast, consider going hiking in the nearby mountains. You could also visit local coffee farms or enjoy birdwatching in the cloud forests, where you might catch a glimpse of the Quetzal.

In the afternoon, you will leave Copey and head to Alajuela for your last night of the trip. The estimated driving time is about 2 hours.

After breakfast and check-out, you will return the car. Relax in the morning. After lunch, we will take you to the airport in the afternoon.