San Jose & Central Valley

Costa Rica Destinations

Relaxing Holidays

Tailor Made Tours

Honeymoons in Costa Rica

When To Go

Hidden Waterfall, Central Valley

View Unique Costa Rica

Poas Volcano

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Discover San Jose

Stay at Grano de Oro

Doka Coffee Plantation

San Jose National Theatre

Welcome to the heart of Costa Rica, home to active volcanos, coffee plantations, white water rafting and lush rainforests, plus San José, the lively and welcoming capital of Costa Rica.

Most visitors arriving in Costa Rica spend their first day or more in San José which features an array of cultural activities including museums and theatres.

Discover great restaurants, art galleries and colonial mansions now converted into boutique hotels or go shopping and enjoy San Jose's exciting nightlife.

Easily accessible from San José are the Central Valley’s main tourist attractions including Poas Volcano National Park, Irazu Volcano, Botos Lagoon, Turrialba, the Pacuare River and La Paz Waterfall Gardens.

Casa Turire

This magnificent colonial-style hacienda is located in the heart of Turrialba, within driving distance of the Pacuare River Area.

Colonia-stlye Hacienda

Turrialba & Pacuare River

3 Nights from

£246_pp

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Breakfast & Transfers Included

Grano de Oro

This exclusive boutique hotel is located in San José city centre and features a fantastic rooftop terrace with two Jacuzzis.

Luxury Boutique Hotel

Pure Luxury

2 Nights from

£268_pp

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Breakfast Included

Xandari Resort & Spa

20 minutes from San Jose Airport, set on a ridge overlooking Costa Rica’s majestic Central Valley close to Poas Volcano.

Back to Nature Luxury

20 minutes from Airport

2 Nights from

£268_pp

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Breakfast & Transfers

Villa Blanca Cloud Forest & Spa

Set in a lush cloud forest reserve, Villa Blanca Cloud Forest offers rustic-style bungalows and exciting outdoor activities.

Rustic-style Eco Lodge

Los Angeles Cloud Forest

3 Nights from

£315_pp

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Breakfast & Transfers Included

Finca Rosa Blanca

Picturesque setting, gourmet restaurant, exclusive coffee tours and beautiful, intimate rooms.

Boutique Finca

Coffee Plantation Experience

3 Nights from

£399_pp

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Breakfast & Transfers Included

Pacuare Lodge

The Pacuare Lodge 3 Day Adventure is the perfect way to explore one of Costa Rica’s most pristine rainforest.

The Ultimate Rainforest Experience

Adventure Package

2 Nights from

£535_pp

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White Water Rafting

El Silencio Lodge & Spa

This luxury retreat is set in Costa Rica's Central Valley. El Silencio Lodge & Spa features Suites and Villas, an organic restaurant and a Spa.

Eco-luxury Lodge

Poas Volcano & Cloud Forest

3 Nights from

£584_pp

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Guided Mystic Hike Included

The Peace Lodge

The Peace Lodge is set in La Paz Waterfall Gardens, just 20 minutes' drive from the Poás Volcano. It offers rustic-style rooms with a private hot tub.

Award-winning Rainforest Lodge

La Paz Waterfall Gardens

3 Nights from

£615_pp

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Breakfast & Transfers Included

Alta Las Palomas

Upscale and sophisticated, the terracotta roofs and high ceilings are reminiscent of a quaint European village.

12 km from Airport

Ideal First or Last Night

2 Nights from

£908_pp

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Flight Inclusive Price from UK

Essential Costa Rica

Combine Arenal & Monteverde with Manuel Antonio on a 10 nights trip combining a few days touring with a relaxing beach stay.

Includes Manuel Antonio

Arenal & Monteverde

11 Nights from

£2895_pp

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Flight Inclusive Price from UK

Bird Lovers Costa Rica

Perfect for bird enthusiasts, this tour offers unforgettable encounters with the country’s most stunning wildlife and landscapes.

Nature and Beach Holidays

A different Costa Rica

11 Nights from

£2990_pp

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Flight Inclusive Price from UK

Classic Costa Rica

Discover Costa Rica's most iconic places on a 13 day trip including Poas Volcano, Tourtuguero, Monteverde and the Pacific Coast.

The Best of Costa Rica

Costa Rica in under 2 weeks

13 Nights from

£3295_pp

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Flight Inclusive Price from UK

Costa Rica Family Holiday

This tailor-made family tour offers an exciting oportunity to discover Costa Rica's most beautiful places.

Costa Rica for Families

Adventure & Beach Holidays

13 Nights from

£3495_pp

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Flight Inclusive Price from UK

Best of Costa Rica & Nicaragua

Discover Costa Rica and Nicaragua's on a privately guided tour - lush rainforests, volcanoes, wild beaches and charming colonial cities.

Ideal Central American Journey

Rainforest, Volcanoes, Beach

12 Nights from

£3985_pp

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Flights Inclusive Price from UK

Costa Rica & Colombia

Costa Rica and Colombia's most iconic attractions in under 3 weeks. Private tailor-made journey staying in charming boutique hotels and unique lodges.

Highlights of Costa Rica & Colombia

Culture, Nature & Beach

19 Nights from

£4490_pp

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Flight Inclusive Price from UK

Wild Costa Rica

Explore the Central Valley, the North Pacific Coast and the Osa Peninsula staying in some of the best eco-lodges in Costa Rica.

Luxury Eco-lodges

Best of Costa Rica Nature

12 Nights from

£4595_pp

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Flight Inclusive Price from UK

Caribbean Rainforest Adventure

Explore Costa Rica’s rainforest, enjoy an exciting river adventure and relax in Puerto Viejo, a vibrant seaside town with isolated beaches.

The Ultimate Costa Rica Adventure

Adventure & Beach Holiday

11 Nights from

£4695_pp

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Flight Inclusive Price from UK

Costa Rica, Guatemala & Belize

Luxury 16-day journey across the best of Central America. Wildlife, pristine nature, Mayan ruins and idyllic beaches.

Jewels of Central America

Luxury Central America

15 Nights from

£8125_pp

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Flight Inclusive Price from UK

Traditional San Jose

This is an excellent opportunity to learn of the past and culture of Costa Rica. Visit different residential neighborhoods of the capital, parks, the heart of San Jose, the University of Costa Rica, and some of the government buildings.

The tour includes a visit to the National Theatre and to the National Museum and includes entrance fees.

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From £35_pp

Cloud Forest Trek

Spend the morning with an expert guide on walk in the Cloud Forest near San Gerardo de Dota. Spot magnificent birdlife (including Quetzals if you are lucky), search for wildlife and marvel at the sounds, smells and sights of the Costa Rican Cloud Forest.

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From £45_pp

Resplendent Quetzals

Los Quetzales National Park is the newest National Park in Costa Rica and one of the best places for spotting Quetzals in Costa Rica, alongside more than 150 other species of birds. Spend the early morning with an expert guide on a Quetzal spotting trip.

Quetzals nest in the cloud forests covering the valley walls and are easily seen during breeding season in February and March and can also be seen throughout the year, which is not normally possible elsewhere in Costa Rica.

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From £45_pp

Poas Volcano, La Paz Waterfall, Doka

Feel the true essence of Costa Rica and visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Poas Volcano and Doka Coffee Plantation on a full day private excursion from San Jose, including typical Costa Rican breakfast and lunch.

The first stop is at a local cafe where you will enjoy an authentic Costa Rican style breakfast. Then visit a third-generation coffee plantation and learn how coffee is picked, milled, ground and roasted.

Once you’ve found out first hand, or cup, why Costa Rica is known for its coffee, it’s off to the Poas Volcano, one of the four active volcanoes in Costa Rica.

The crystal blue sulfur pools will amaze you along with the steam rising from the various volcanic vents.

Last stop is La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Your personal tour guide will take you through the butterfly observatory, the hummingbird garden and the waterfall trails.

After the hike, enjoy a Costa Rican buffet lunch before returning to your hotel in San Jose.

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From £70_pp

Irazu National Park

Visit Irazu National Park and experience one of Costa Rica’s most impressive volcanoes. Irazu is an active volcano with a long history of eruptions and eruptive cycles, located on the Central Volcanic Mountain Range, 31 km northeast of the city of Cartago.

On clear days, from the top of Irazu (the Western edge of the main crater) both the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean are visible.

Enjoy a full day private excursion from San Jose with your own vehicle, driver and guide to visit Irazu Volcano National Park, Lankaster Botanical Gardens and the colonial town of Orosi.

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From £90_pp

Turrialba

Easily accessible from San José (60 km away), the area is perfect for those seeking adventure, outdoor activities and pristine nature.

This is a place to explore Turrialba Volcano National Park and visit the Monumento Nacional Arqueológico Guayabo, Costa Rica’s most important archaeological site.

Turrialba Volcano (3,200 metres high) is active and occasionally sees some quite spectacular action. In May 2016 an eruption spewed volcanic ash 3 km into the sky and coated cars and buildings in San Jose with a thin layer of ash.

In the event of increased siesmic activity, Turrialba Volcano National Park can sometimes be closed to visitors.

Much of the National Park protects primary and secondary rainforest, and hiking the trails here often reveals much of the smaller wildlife species calling this area home.

Turrialba has some great local cuisine including the local delicious cheese, produced on the slopes of the Turrialba Volcano.

The Pacuare River

The Pacuare River, popular for white water rafting offers incredible scenery with lush tropical rainforests and abundant wildlife.

The river runs for a little over a hundred kilometres into the Caribbean and is the most popular destination for white water rafting in Costa Rica.

The surrounding rainforest is home to ocelots, jaguars, monkeys and abundant birdlife.

Rafting trips on the "Upper Upper Section" cover a number of Grade II and III rapids, making this ideal for first time white water rafters.

More technical and more exciting is the "Upper Section" which has technical Class IV and V rapids (challenging and exciting).

Most rafting trips on the Pacuare River however take part on the Lower Section which runs for 23 miles and has a number of excellent grade III and IV rapids.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens

La Paz Waterfall Gardens is an eco-park easily accessible from San Jose and offering superb hiking trails, Costa Rica’s most famous waterfalls and a wildlife reserve home to over 100 species of animals.

The area covers both Rainforest and Cloud Forest and offers safe hiking trails as well as an aviary, insect exhibit, various gardens and the world's largest butterfly observatory (the length of a football field).

Being able to get up close to Costa Rica’s wildlife in one area makes this a great destination for anyone interested in nature and wildlife as well as a great option on a family holiday to Costa Rica.

Three kilometres of paved walking trails wind through the area, which has 5 waterfalls and viewing platforms below, above and amidst the waterfalls.

We love the hummingbird garden here, where the feeders attract most of the species of hummingbird in the area.

This is also a great place to see some of Costa Rica's species of colourful frogs.

Peace Lodge

Under an hour from San Jose Airport, an overnight stay at Peace Lodge on the grounds of La Paz Waterfall Gardens is a great way to start or end a tour of Costa Rica.

One of Costa Rica’s most popular sights, Poas Volcano is also only 20 minutes away.

Views of Poas Volcano and La Paz River Valley are amongst the highlights of a stay at this upscale mountain lodge.

A stay at the lodge offers guests the opportunity to be in the park before and after closing time, when birdlife is at it's most active - it's a great way to be able to see some of the harder to spot species.

Peace Lodge has an enviable reputation and the balcony of each accommodation offers the chance to enjoy the best of Costa Rican nature at leisure.

Irazu National Park

Irazu is an active volcano with a long history of eruptions and eruptive cycles, located on the Central Volcanic Mountain Range, 31 km northeast of the city of Cartago.

On clear days, from the top of Irazu (the Western edge of the main crater) both the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean are visible.

Both Cloud Forest and Tropical Rainforest are protected in Irazu which extends from 2,800 up to 3,400 metres, topping above the treeline.

The volcano is more or less dormant at present, the last major eruptions being in the 1960's.

The volcano does still emit steam from fumeroles but nothing more than that, for now at least.

Visiting Irazu

Irazu is the most visited National Park in Costa Rica because of the proximity to San Jose.

The craters are dramatic, and an early morning visit (preferably in the dry season between Decemkber and April) is recommended.

The altitude means that things can get very chilly indeed here, especially in the wind, so come prepared with warm clothing for the crater rim.

On the other hand if the sun is out, the altitude, wind and equatorial location means sunburn is something also to take precautions for.

The altitude means that the crater rim is often above the clouds and in bright sunshine, even when the valley below is shrouded in cloud and mist.