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Canals, cloud forest and Manuel Antonio

12 days · 11 nights

Jungle canals, a volcano trail, the cloud forest canopy and three slow nights by the Pacific.

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days
12
stops
5
From
On enquiry
price for your dates

Choose your dates when you enquire

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The journey

Start with coffee in the hills around San José, then travel by road and boat to the canals of Tortuguero on the Caribbean side. Cross to Arenal for a forest hike below the volcano and to Monteverde for the hanging bridges, and finish with three unhurried nights at Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast.

Highlights

  • The canals of Tortuguero by boat
  • A forest hike below Arenal Volcano
  • Hanging bridges in the Monteverde cloud forest
  • Three nights at Manuel Antonio
Arenal Volcano rising beyond the waters of Lake Arenal

Take a look around Canals, cloud forest and Manuel Antonio

Turquoise Pacific water meeting a forested headland, seen from above
A walker crossing a green hanging bridge through tall forest
A still forest canal under an arch of green trees
A keel-billed toucan with a bright bill among leaves
A white-faced capuchin monkey among sunlit leaves

Planned by one Wedded Advisor

The same person from your first question to the flight home, with a wedding or vow renewal planned alongside if you like.

Speak with a Wedded Advisor
  • One advisor, start to finish
  • Hotels our team knows well
  • Dates and pace set around you
  • Flights and extra nights on request

Day by day

How the days unfold. Your advisor tailors the pace, the hotels and the extras to you.

Your route

12 days · 5 stops
  1. San José2 nights
  2. Tortuguero2 nights
  3. La Fortuna2 nights
  4. Monteverde2 nights
  5. Manuel Antonio3 nights
  6. San José

+1 day beforeA night in San José first

  1. San José

    Day 1 · San José

    Arrive in San José

    You are met at Juan Santamaría International Airport and driven privately to your hotel, about 30 minutes away.

    Travel
    20 km, about 30 minutes

  2. Day 2 · San José

    A coffee farm tour

    Follow coffee from the nursery and the harvest to the roaster, and learn how tasters cup and grade the beans. There is time afterwards for a buffet lunch with music in the garden, at your own cost.

    A coffee farm tour
    Meals
    Breakfast, Dinner

  3. Tortuguero

    Day 3 · Tortuguero

    Into Tortuguero

    An early start by road through Braulio Carrillo National Park, with breakfast on the way, then on by boat along the rivers and canals to your lodge. After lunch, cross by boat to Tortuguero village to walk its streets and beach.

    Into Tortuguero
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
    Travel
    120 km, about 3 hours, then by boat

  4. Day 4 · Tortuguero

    Tortuguero National Park

    A guided boat trip through the lagoons and canals of the national park, where the trees close overhead and you may see monkeys, parrots, caimans and crocodiles.

    Tortuguero National Park
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch

  5. La Fortuna

    Day 5 · La Fortuna

    On to Arenal

    Leave Tortuguero by boat and road, with lunch in Guápiles, then continue to La Fortuna at the foot of Arenal Volcano. The afternoon is yours at the hotel.

    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
    Travel
    220 km, about 4 hours

  6. Arenal

    Day 6 · Arenal

    A volcano trail

    A gentle guided hike on the El Silencio trail through rainforest and old lava rock, watching for birds, monkeys and frogs, with open views of Arenal Volcano on clear days.

    A volcano trail
    Meals
    Breakfast

  7. Monteverde

    Day 7 · Monteverde

    Across the lake to Monteverde

    Cross Lake Arenal by pontoon boat to Río Chiquito, about 30 to 40 minutes, then continue by road up to Monteverde. The afternoon is free.

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Travel
    100 km, about 3.5 hours by boat and road

  8. Day 8 · Monteverde

    Hanging bridges in the cloud forest

    Spend the morning on suspension bridges and platforms high in the cloud forest canopy. The afternoon is free to explore or join a coffee, chocolate and sugar cane tour.

    Hanging bridges in the cloud forest
    Meals
    Breakfast

  9. Manuel Antonio

    Day 9 · Manuel Antonio

    Down to the Pacific

    Drive to Manuel Antonio on the Central Pacific coast, with the rest of the day free at the hotel.

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Travel
    190 km, about 4 hours

  10. Days 10 to 11 · Manuel Antonio

    Manuel Antonio at your pace

    Two free days by the beach and the forest. You could sail along the coast by catamaran and snorkel at Biesanz Bay, kayak through the mangroves of Damas Island, or join a guided night walk in the forest.

    Manuel Antonio at your pace
    Meals
    Breakfast

  11. Manuel Antonio and San José

    Day 12 · Manuel Antonio and San José

    Depart

    A private transfer takes you back to Juan Santamaría International Airport, timed to your flight.

    Meals
    Breakfast
    Travel
    170 km, about 3.5 hours

+1 day afterAnother night at Manuel Antonio

Where you stay

The hotels for each stop. Your advisor confirms them, or something just as good, for your dates.

  1. San José · 2 nights

    Your San José hotel

    Or similar

    Standard, 3 star
    Irazu Hotel & Studios

  2. Tortuguero · 2 nights

    Your Tortuguero lodge

    Or similar

    Standard, 3 star
    Pachira Lodge

  3. La Fortuna · 2 nights

    Your Arenal hotel

    Or similar

    Standard, 3 star
    Faro Arenal Hotel

  4. Monteverde · 2 nights

    Your Monteverde hotel

    Or similar

    Standard, 3 star
    Elida Lodge Hotel

  5. Manuel Antonio · 3 nights

    Your Manuel Antonio hotel

    Or similar

    Standard, 3 star
    Planeta Sano

What's included

Included

  • 11 nights' accommodation, with hotel taxes
  • 11 breakfasts, 3 lunches and 2 dinners
  • Private airport transfers on arrival and departure
  • Shared transport between regions, including the boat to Tortuguero and the Lake Arenal crossing
  • A coffee tour, the Tortuguero canals and village, the El Silencio hike and the Monteverde hanging bridges
  • Local guides who speak English and Spanish for the planned activities

Not included

  • International and domestic flights
  • Visa fees
  • Meals and drinks not listed
  • Optional tours
  • Porterage and gratuities
  • Travel insurance and personal expenses

Make it longer

Add a few days before or after. Your advisor quotes them with the journey.

  • Before the journey · +1 day

    A night in San José first

    Arrive a day early and rest before touring, at the same San José hotel.

  • After the journey · +1 day

    Another night at Manuel Antonio

    Stay one more night by the Pacific before your transfer to the airport.

Good to know

Pace
Easy, with three free days at the end
Starts
Juan Santamaría International Airport, San José
Ends
Juan Santamaría International Airport, San José
Arrival
Arrive in San José by 8 pm, as one pickup is around 5.30 am
Guides
Local guides speaking English and Spanish for the planned activities
Departure
The airport is about 3.5 hours away, so a flight after midday is best

Plan Canals, cloud forest and Manuel Antonio with an advisor

Tell us when you would like to travel. Your advisor confirms dates and hotels, tailors the trip to the two of you, and stays with you until you are home.

  • Dates, hotels and the price confirmed for your travel window
  • Every day adjusted to your pace, with time for the two of you
  • Flights and the nights before and after planned on request
  • One advisor from first question to the flight home

Enquire about Canals, cloud forest and Manuel Antonio

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Questions couples ask

Do we travel with a group?
Transport between regions is shared, and local guides who speak English and Spanish lead the planned activities. Outside those, your time is your own, and you may not travel with the same people throughout.
Can we add nights?
Yes. A night in San José before the trip, or an extra night at Manuel Antonio after it, can be added when you enquire.
Will we see turtles at Tortuguero?
Possibly, in season. Turtles nest from July to September and hatchlings head for the sea from September to December, and the village visit looks for them then.

Ask a Wedded Advisor

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See what this trip covers

Start with coffee in the hills around San José, then travel by road and boat to the canals of Tortuguero on the Caribbean side. Cross to Arenal for a forest hike below the volcano and to Monteverde for the hanging bridges, and finish with three unhurried nights at Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast.

  • The canals of Tortuguero by boat
  • A forest hike below Arenal Volcano
  • Hanging bridges in the Monteverde cloud forest
  • Three nights at Manuel Antonio

Make this trip your own

Every trip can be shaped around you before you book.

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