Do I need a visa to travel to Costa Rica?

Costa Rica is open for tourism for people from most countries around the world. If you're from the US, UK, EU, Canada, or Australia, you can visit Costa Rica visa-free. The Costa Rica Tourism Board provides some more advice, but check with the Costa Rican embassy in your country for your specific visa requirements.

When is the best time to visit Costa Rica?

Costa Rica's dry season (December to April) offers sunny weather and is great for beaches and outdoor adventures. The green season (May to November) brings lush landscapes and fewer tourists, but quite a bit more rain.

What is the weather like in Costa Rica?

Costa Rica has a tropical climate with distinct dry and rainy seasons. The coasts are hot and humid, while the central highlands are cooler.

What is the currency in Costa Rica?

The Costa Rican Colón (CRC) is the local currency, but US dollars are widely accepted. Credit cards work in most places, but it's useful to have cash just in case.

Do you tip in Costa Rica?

A 10% service charge is often included in restaurant bills. Extra tipping is appreciated but not required.

What adaptor do I need for Costa Rica?

Costa Rica uses Type A and Type B plugs, with a voltage of 120V.

What is ATM access like in Costa Rica?

ATMs are common in cities and tourist areas but can be scarce in rural regions.

Can you drink tap water in Costa Rica?

Tap water is safe in most areas, but bottled water is recommended in remote locations.

What should I pack for a trip to Costa Rica?

It all depends on when you're visiting. In general, lightweight clothing, hiking shoes, insect repellent, and sunscreen are recommended. If you're visiting in the green season, definitely pack more rain gear.

How many days should I spend in Costa Rica?

We recommend a good 10-14 days to fully experience the diversity of the country, covering the beaches, rainforests, and volcanoes.

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Costa Rica tours & holidays

Name: Costa Rica Nature Adventure
Brand: Trafalgar
Price: 1755 GBP
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.7 (470 reviews)

Travel guide

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A peace-loving pioneer in ecotourism, Costa Rica is a glorious tribute to the planet. Over a quarter of its lands are protected areas and with half a million species, it’s one of the world’s most biodiverse countries. Walk along the treetops in the Monteverde Cloud Forest to find the Resplendent Quetzal, or canoe the lagoons and beaches of Tortuguero to find sloths, toucans, rare ocelots and sea turtles. Our Costa Rica tours will take you through these wondrous landscapes in ways you could never imagine, from trekking the slopes of Arenal Volcano, to ziplining through the rainforest. While it’s a country where nature rules, we’ll also introduce you to the wonderful culture of the easygoing Costa Ricans. You’ll meet a master chocolatier and taste the world’s best cacao beans, and enjoy lunch on a traditional working ranch. Wherever you go, you’ll hear the phrase ‘Pura Vida’, and it won’t take long before you melt into the relaxed and happy lifestyle of Costa Rica.

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4.7

Costa Rica Nature Adventure

8 Days

1 Country

9 Locations

8-Day Costa Rica Tour from San Jose to Liberia

From

£1,755

Was

£1,950

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Unedited Costa Rica tour reviews

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"A very enjoyable experience"

“Each of the destinations was wonderful in a different way. I really appreciated how Trafalgar went out of the way to create experiences for us to interact with families. The natural beauty of Costa Rica is amazing. All of the guides at the national parks and on the tour were very interesting, friendly and very excited to tell people about their country. It was a very enjoyable experience. I would highly recommend it to anyone. We had an amazing tour guide who has really put a lot of effort into creating a great experience for his guests.”

- Thomas, Monkeys, Jungles and Volcanoes

"A fantastic Trafabulous adventure"

“This was not only an educational experience about Costa Rica’s efforts on sustainability but also a fantastic Trafabulous adventure. We had the opportunity to experience the wildlife of Costa Rica in its natural habitat. Visit Tortuguero and while staying at a remote lodge surrounded by nature, we experienced a sea turtle lay its eggs. View the beauty of the Mountain and Volcano and soak in their magnificence. We Zip Lined through the rainforest and rolled through the rapids while White Water Rafting. On top of all of this, we made friends around the world with our fellow Trafalgar travelers. Trafalgar ensures that they employ the best Travel Directors and they also ensure your experience is full with local guides who are extremely knowledgeable about their country. I will choose Trafalgar again and again.”

- Marguerite, Costa Rica Nature Adventure

"Beauty, culture, and a wealth of information"

“Trafalgar brought the beauty, culture, and a wealth of information to us along with hikes around a volcano, zip lining through the jungle, beach time on the Pacific side and the resorts we stayed at were gorgeous.”

- Trusted Customer, Monkeys, Jungles and Volcanoes

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Costa Rica experiences with Trafalgar

With Trafalgar, you’ll journey into the heart of each destination. Be My Guest invites you to connect with locals, while MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences let you positively impact communities. Plus, on many tours, you’ll overnight at Stays with Stories accommodations with tales as rich as the places you explore. Here are just a few of these unforgettable experiences on a Trafalgar Costa Rica tour.

Be My Guest

Meet the Quintana family at Hacienda Pozo Azul, Sarapiquí

The Quintana family welcome you to their eco-friendly farm for a Be My Guest experience filled with local culture. Explore their organic orchard, hear about the farm’s impact on the community, and savour their family recipes made with exotic crops, all while enjoying views of the Sarapiquí River. Experience on Costa Rica Nature Adventure and Costa Rica Nature Adventure with Guanacaste.

Cheryl And Al Outside Lodge Accommodation At Laguna Lodge

Stays with Stories

Stay at Laguna Lodge, Tortuguero

Welcome to Laguna Lodge Tortuguero, a 15-acre eco retreat in the heart of Costa Rica’s jungle. You’ll connect with nature as you wander the gardens, spot birds and butterflies, or relax by the pool. Feel good knowing your stay helps protect this biodiverse paradise for future generations. Stay here on Costa Rica Nature Adventure and Monkeys, Jungles and Volcanoes.

MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience

Visit Heart of Palm Plantation

On your Costa Rica Nature Adventure, you’ll visit Gerardo and Nidia’s palm plantation for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Learn how hearts of palm are harvested, taste fresh local treats, and enjoy Nidia’s traditional coffee, connecting you to the heart of Costa Rican culture. Your visit supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. Experience on Costa Rica Nature Adventure and Monkeys, Jungles and Volcanoes.

Discover what you can unlock on a Costa Rica tour with Trafalgar

Get a glimpse of our guests on Costa Rica Nature Adventure and hear why they love touring with Trafalgar. Meet the locals on Trafalgar’s Be My Guest and MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experiences, and watch as our guests taste Costa Rican chocolate, enjoy adventure activities, and explore the wildlife and scenery of this biodiverse country.

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As seen on

A brown and white sloth hanging from a tree

Costa Rica at a glance

Walk the treetops of Monteverde, canoe the lagoons of Tortuguero to find sloths, trek the slopes of Arenal Volcano and meet a master chocolatier. Join your expert Trafalgar Travel Director and discover one of the world's most biodiverse countries and the 'Pura Vida' pioneer in ecotourism.

Currency

Costa Rican colón

Capital City

San José

Winter avg

22°C

Language

Spanish

Summer avg

25°C

Good morning

Buenos dias

Time Zone

GMT-6

Good evening

Buenos tardes

"From beaches to jungles to volcanoes, and all the weird and wonderful wildlife in between, I could never choose just one favourite place in Costa Rica. Relax and enjoy the pura vida, mae!"

Travel Director

Weather in Costa Rica

Discover the weather, temperatures, and seasonal trends across Costa Rica to plan your trip.

Our top 5 things to do in Costa Rica

From hiking up volcanoes to walking through treetops, our Costa Rica guided holidays take you to the heart of the country in ways you could never imagine.

Visit Tortuguero National Park

A spectacular wilderness of rainforest, beaches and lagoons, Tortuguero National Park is filled with incredible wildlife. We’ll take you through the canals on a river boat to spot caimans, howler monkeys, sloths, iguanas, toucans, crocodiles and scores of bird species, plus endangered ocelots, river otters, manatees and six species of sea turtles.

View Arenal Volcano

One of the most active volcanoes in the world, rising to 1,670 metres over the lush rainforest, Arenal Volcano is a magnificent sight. Our Costa Rica holidays will take you up close to the volcano, from guided treks through old lava rocks, to ziplining on the slopes of the volcano.

Indulge in gourmet chocolate from the best cacao beans

Dive into Culture with Trafalgar, as we journey to San Isidro de Heredia, where you’ll meet master chocolatiers, Julio Fernandez and George Soriana. You’ll learn about the history and production of chocolate in their workshop, and sample some of the sweet delicacies made from the world’s best cacao beans.

Have Costa Rican lunch at a traditional working ranch

When you visit Costa Rica with Trafalgar, we’ll meet the people behind the country. Join Don Alberto and Doña Ana Quintana for a traditional Costa Rican lunch at their eco-friendly Hacienda Pozo Azul, a 2000-acre working ranch. You’ll learn about classic Costa Rican cuisine and life on a working farm.

Spot wildlife at Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Take to the sky in Monteverde Cloud Forest, where you’ll join your Local Specialist for a walk through the rainforest along the treetop Sky Walk bridges. The forest is home to a staggering abundance of wildlife, with around 2.5 percent of the world’s species, including jaguar, puma, tapri, coatis, toucans and hummingbirds.

Best museums in Costa Rica

Our Costa Rica tour packages delve deeper into the history and culture of Costa Rica through their wonderful museums.

San José

Museo de Jade

Founded in 1977 by Fidel Castro, the Museo del Jade is an archaeological museum with a massive collection of pre-Columbian items. Located in San José, you can discover the world’s largest collection of American jade, along with ceramics, stone tables and ceremonial heads.

San José

Museum of Costa Rican Art

With more than six thousand pieces of art, the Museum of Costa Rican Art holds one of the world’s largest collections of Latin American art. You’ll find pieces from artists like José Sancho and Max Jiménez, with paintings, sculptures and pieces dating back to the early 19th century.

San José

Museo Nacional de Costa Rica

The National Museum of Costa Rica is set in the Bellavista Fortress, built in 1917 with bullets still lodged in the exterior walls from the country’s civil war. The building became a museum in 1950, and today has an excellent collection of colonial furniture and pre-Columbian artefacts like ceramics and stone tables.

Best food in Costa Rica

Full of fruits, vegetables, rice and beans, Costa Rican food is fresh and filling, and we’ll show you all the best places to taste the country’s most-loved dishes.

Tamales

The tamale is a quintessential Costa Rican dish, made from dough filled with a mix of meat (like chicken or beef), corn flour and broth. The tamales are then wrapped in banana or plantain leaves, and although they are traditionally enjoyed at Christmas, our Local Specialists will show you where to taste tamales all year round.

Gallo Pinto

A beloved dish of rice and beans, Gallo Pinto is the pride of Costa Rica. The name translates as ‘spotted rooster’ and the local saying ‘mas tico que el gallo pinto’ means ‘more Costa Rican than spotted rooster’. It’s usually eaten at breakfast, but can be enjoyed throughout the day.

Casado

A classic staple of Costa Rican cuisine, casado is a dish of rice, black beans, salad, plantains and a tortilla, with an optional serving of meat like beef, pork, chicken or fish. The dish comes in many variations with added flavours like corn, eggs and avocado, and you can mix and match as you please.

What to pack for a tour in Costa Rica

Consider your environmental impact when you next take a trip and go single-use-plastic-free by packing a reusable water bottle, a steel straw, your own shopping bags and refillable toiletry bottles.

A man standing and packing suitcase next to a woman sitting on a bed

Spanish phrasebook

Learning a few Spanish phrases is highly appreciated and will make it easier to connect with the locals. The first Costa Rican saying to learn is ‘pura vida, mae!’

Mosquito repellent

Costa Rica has plenty of mosquitoes, so to avoid any nasty bites from mosquitoes or other insects, bring a strong repellent with DEET (diethyltoluamide) and apply it regularly.

Reef-safe sunscreen

Protect yourself from the harsh sun with SPF 30 or higher and protect the environment with reef-safe sunscreen. It’s recommended to bring your own, as sunscreen is expensive in Costa Rica.

Adaptor plug

In Costa Rica, the standard voltage is 120 V and the power plugs and sockets are of type A and B. The standard frequency is 60 Hz.