Overview
Visitors can experience extraordinary diversity in short distances on holidays to Costa Rica. Separating the lowlands facing the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean is a range of active and dormant volcanoes surrounded by cloud forest, lowland tropical jungle and savannah grasslands. Plantations of world-famous coffee blanket the sunny slopes, while trees laden with orchids are home to quetzals and trogons.
On the Pacific coast, the jungle creeps down to the shoreline, enlivened by the chattering of monkeys and parrots in national parks like Corcovado and Manuel Antonio. The Caribbean shore hosts volcanic beaches, palm-sheltered coves lapped by a turquoise sea, and Tortuguero National Park, where four different turtle species nest. In the highlands, steaming volcanoes like Arenal and Poas dominate the landscape, while the cloud forests of Monteverde are paradise for birdwatchers to see resplendent quetzals, toucans and hummingbirds.
Costa Rica is a country so laid-back and peaceful that it has no army. There is a well-developed, sustainable network of national parks covering much of the country and road travel is always scenic. There are also many light aircraft services to reach more remote spots.
Our Costa Rica Tours
Whether you're a solo traveller, a group of friends looking to join one of our escorted group tours, or a family looking to experience the wonders of this beautiful country, we have a holiday for you.
One of our most popular tours is our Family Costa Rica: Jungle walks and turtle spotting holiday with an action-packed itinerary, including canoe trips, wildlife-spotting, zip-lining and white-water rafting. Wow the kids with an extraordinary diversity of landscapes, flora and fauna on your two-week trip.
For a shorter stay suitable for everyone, why not join our Signature Costa Rica: Wildlife and volcanoes holiday? Explore the jungle waterways and mangrove forests, and visit the mystical Monteverde cloud forest before heading to Arenal volcano and La Fortuna waterfalls.
All our Costa Rica holidays can be tailor-made to your exact requirements so contact our Costa Rica Travel Experts today and start planning your trip.
Our top holiday styles to Costa Rica
Costa Rica Tours
From expertly designed Private Journeys to trail-blazing Group Tours, browse our range of carefully crafted holidays.
Group - Discovery
Panama / Costa Rica / Nicaragua / El Salvador / Honduras / Guatemala
Alcion: Central America Discovery
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Private Journeys
Costa Rica
Costa Rica Wildlife Discovery
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Private Journeys
Costa Rica / Panama
Explore and Relax Costa Rica and Panama Coast: Pacific route
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Private Journeys
Costa Rica
Explore and Relax in Costa Rica: Volcanoes to the beach
(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)
Places To Visit In Costa Rica
Discover our guide to the most exciting, memorable and inspiring places to visit.
Arenal and the north
The thick forests of this conservation area, overlooked by the conical volcano Arenal, contain half the known species of birds, mammals and reptiles in the country.
Caribbean coast
Visit exquisite volcanic beaches, verdant banana plantations and the wildlife rich Tortuguero National Park, submerged in a network of canals, lagoons and swamps.
Monteverde and the cloud forest
The misty cloud forest is cloaked in mosses, ferns and elegant orchids, and is one of the best places to observe thriving mammals and birds.
Nicoya Peninsula
Explore endless stretches of soft sandy beaches dotted with small, tranquil towns. Go turtle-watching at Playa Grande and scuba-diving on the Nicoya Peninsula.
Things to do
We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.
Accommodation
Browse our unrivalled portfolio of accommodation . Every option has been carefully chosen by our team of travel experts, so you can rest assured that you’ll relax in utter comfort.
Where to go when - our guide to Costa Rica
The weather in Costa Rica is wide and varied
Costa Rica’s climate is similar to that of its larger neighbours, Nicaragua in the north and Panama in the south. The climate can be roughly split into the dry season (December to April) when the country experiences plenty of sunshine and higher temperatures, and the rainy season (May – November) when rainfall is heavier.
Despite its small size, Costa Rica experiences a number of distinct microclimates. The Caribbean coast remains humid all year round and its driest months are September and October. On the golden sands of the Pacific coast, the rains arrive a month earlier. The highlands are cooler at night, while some of the more northern provinces are affected less by the seasons and remain drier year round. The country is renowned for its thriving flora and fauna, so for wildlife enthusiasts the time of year to visit may be influenced by animals and their patterns.
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