10 Day Costa Rica Itinerary

Costa Rica is a country that has so much to offer. From lush rain forests, to beautiful beaches, and exciting volcanos - it can be hard to decide where to split up your time. While the country isn't large, it can be difficult and time consuming to travel from one destination to another and you don't want to over commit yourself. If you only have 10 days to explore Costa Rica, I recommend choosing three main destinations so you can fully experience each one without feeling rushed. To get a good feel of the country we recommend the following 10 day Costa Rica itinerary.

Day 1-3 Monteverde

Most likely you are flying into and out of San Jose. After landing, hop on a bus or shuttle and head for the cloud forests of Monteverde. Set in northwestern Costa Rica, Monteverde is a region known for its extreme biodiversity, cloud forests, and adventure sports. There are endless activities to partake in while visiting Monteverde with the most popular being zip-lining and canopy walks. Zip-lining was invented in Costa Rica and Monteverde is arguably one of the best places in the world to go zip-lining. I recommend Selvatura Park, where you can zip-line and then go on a canopy walk afterwards.There are two main cloud forests in the area to visit and both are equally as amazing. The two are Monteverde Cloud Forest and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve. Monteverde Cloud Forest is the more popular of the two, so it's likely that it will also be busier. The entry fee is $20 and there are 11 walking trails of varying length. Santa Elena Cloud Forest is not as crowded as Monteverde and you will likely have most of the trails to yourself! There are five trails of varying length, with some longer trails that take a few hours. Santa Elena Cloud Forest is also at a higher elevation than Monteverde and therefore has more moisture. This leaves a heavy fog that hangs low and gives all of the trails a mystic feel. The entry fee is $13 and you could easily spend all day walking the trails.

Day 4-7 La Fortuna

Getting from Monteverde to La Fortuna isn't quite as easy as it looks. The best way to get between the two destinations is to go with the taxi-boat-taxi option, which you can book online or through your accommodation. You will take a shuttle from Monteverde, stop at Lake Arenal to hop on a boat, and then after crossing the river, get in another shuttle which will take you to La Fortuna.Once you've made it to La Fortuna there are plenty of adventurous activities to partake in. Arenal Volcano looms over the town and there is a good chance you will see it while exploring around t. If you love to hike and are up for a challenge, hike the dormant volcano Cerro Chato. This hike isn't for the faint of heart, but finishes at the top of the volcano where you can swim inside the crater. It also offers unmatched views of Arenal Volcano.  Visit La Fortuna waterfall, the iconic 200ft waterfall which is the perfect spot to swim and take pictures. After a long day of hiking and visiting waterfalls, head to one of the many hot springs in La Fortuna. There are several hot springs that have an entrance fee, with some popular ones being Titoku, Paradise, Ecotermales, Baldi, and Tabacon. If you are feeling a bit more adventurous and are looking to save some money, there are free hot springs as well. The entrance is right across from Tabacon, just park on the road, walk down to the hot springs, and get ready to hang out with some locals.

Day 7-9 Puerto Viejo

We're big fans of ending a trip at the beach. Something about kicking back and relaxing, especially when the first half of the trip is packed full of adventure. While the Pacific side of Costa Rica is usually thrown in the spotlight more often, we decided to head to the Caribbean side which is less touristy but has just as much to offer.Popular activities in Puerto Viejo are snorkeling, surfing, kayaking, and nature walks. Be sure to check out Cahuita National Park, which is a beautiful park on the water that is ideal for spotting wildlife. The suggested admission is $5 and you also have the option to hire a guide. Hiring a guide is inexpensive, a great way to support the locals, and well worth it for the wealth of information you get; they are also very good at spotting wildlife!Finally, I recommend hiring a bike for the day and riding out to Punta Uva Beach. This was possibly one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever visited and we had it all to ourselves! Clear water, white sand, and palm trees galore. It is a bit of a ride from the center of town in Puerto Viejo, but you pass several restaurants along the way if you need a break. Be sure to pack plenty of water!

Day 10 San Jose

This itinerary focuses more on outdoor and adventurous activities, but if you are flying out of San Jose the city is worth exploring. I recommend taking the bus back from Puerto Viejo, checking into your accommodation, and then spend the rest of the day wandering about. Just because we only allotted one day to San Jose, doesn't mean that the city has nothing to offer. Head to the Central Market to get a glimpse into the hustle of the local life. Check out one of the many museums in the city with some popular ones being the Jade Museum, the Gold Museum, the Children's Museum, and the National Museum.

Getting Around

Costa Rica is a relatively small country, but getting from town to town can take much longer than you think. There are several options on traveling between destinations but the main two are either a shared shuttle or the public bus. The public bus is much cheaper than a shared shuttle, but also takes longer. Most hotels/hostels can help you book a ticket for either transportation option. Be sure to think how much your time is worth on a trip as short as 10 days! Personally, we used shared shuttles for all transfers except for one.

Quick Tips

Whether you are visiting in the rainy season or not, it is wise to book activities in the morning. Often times rain will roll through in the afternoons, so to play it safe be an early riser on this trip. Also be sure that you are packing all the necessities - check out our Costa Rica packing guide.What do you think of the 10 day Costa Rica Itinerary? Are there any destinations would add on?