Welcome to Costa Rica! Upon arrival in San Jose make your own way to our hotel. Spend the remains of the day at leisure in Costa Rica's cosmopolitan capital city, which is nestled in a fertile valley among coffee and sugar-cane farms.

San Jose - La Fortuna. First stop on our Costa Rican adventure is the sleepy rural town of La Fortuna which is located in the shadow of the active Arenal Volcano, which has been constantly erupting since 1968. After settling into our hotel you'll have time for a leisurely lunch and to explore the town. In the evening there is an exciting optional excursion to a site near the volcano to listen to it's rumbles and sample the local alcoholic spirit which is almost as explosive as the volcano itself! On a clear night you'll be rewarded with incredible views of red hot lava discharging from the volcano crater. After this there's the option to indulge yourself with a visit to the luxurious hot springs for a well-earned dip. Spend day 3 at leisure or partake in a variety of exciting optional excursions; from caving or white water rafting, to canoeing, horse-riding or trekking in search of the local wildlife and beautiful waterfalls. Overnight - La Fortuna

La Fortuna - Santa Elena. On day 4 we travel up into the mountains to Lake Arenal, where take a boat to the other side of the lake, enjoying the picturesque views en route. We then continue our journey to the small town of Santa Elena, which is our base for exploring the beautiful Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve with its unique canopy of cloud. The reserve is a nature lovers paradise and an excellent place for bird watching, we go in search of the endangered Quetzal, a bird with incredibly beautiful and unique plumage and visit the Hummingbird Gallery where these energetic birds buzz around sipping on nectar. The reserve has excellent trails for walking and hiking, one of which takes you to the continental divide. On a clear day both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans can be seen!

There are lots of optional activities on offer in and around Santa Elena to keep us entertained, from its famous ziplines over the cloud forest and sky walks on suspension bridges above the forest canopy, to horse treks and nature-spotting twilight walks. Overnight - Santa Elena

Santa Elena - Manuel Antonio. Leaving the lofty heights of Santa Elena behind we travel south through lush green countryside to Manuel Antonio which is famous for its stunning beaches and rainforest. Manuel Antonio National Park is one of the most popular parks in the country; blessed with beautiful lagoons, palm fringed beaches and a plethora of animals including sloths, pelicans, white-faced monkeys, anteaters and huge iguanas. Enjoy time at leisure exploring the park and relaxing on the beach. Overnight - Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio - San Jose. On day 8 we travel back to San Jose for our final night in the capital. After hotel check out on day 9, our journey through Costa Rica comes to an end. San Jose (1)