2 Weeks in Costa Rica: My Complete Travel Itinerary
Costa Rica is considered a dream destination for many people, and of course it had to be on my bucket list too. The combination of species-rich rainforests, beautiful beaches, and impressive volcanic landscapes sounded too good to be true. I spent two weeks traveling around this diverse country and gathered countless impressions. In this post, I’ll take you along on my route and share my personal highlights. At the same time, I’ll look back and show you what I would plan differently today – so you can benefit from my experiences for your own trip.
Day 1: San José
When flying to Costa Rica, you will usually land in San José first. Depending on your arrival time, it may be a good idea to continue your journey straight away. For me, however, this meant spending a night in the capital before continuing the next day.
If you only have limited time, I think you can easily skip San José. Even if I had been staying longer, I would probably have preferred to spend my time in other regions of the country, as Costa Rica has much more to offer outside the capital.
Tip: Invest in a good Hotel, because I stayed in a sketchy area, which didn’t make me feel safe.
Day 2-3: Tortuguero
My first destination was Tortuguero – not least because this place has one of the most adventurous and complicated journeys to reach in Costa Rica. Tortuguero can only be reached by boat, which makes the journey there an experience in itself. You can find out how to get to Tortuguero here.
In Tortuguero, you have to get up early, as many activities start around 6 a.m. Canoe or kayak tours through the water channels are particularly popular, and with a little luck, you can see numerous animals. I opted for a relaxed canoe tour. Accompanied by a guide, we glided silently through the channels while he pointed out various animals and explained interesting facts about the wildlife.
Also worth seeing is the Jaguar Trail, a short hiking trail where you can observe animals on the mainland. If you want to discover even more, you can also visit the inactive volcano Cerro Tortuguero. No guide is necessary for this; at the boat dock, you can find out when boats go there and plan your trip accordingly.
An absolute highlight during the season is the Turtle Nesting Tour. The best time to watch green sea turtles laying their eggs is between July and October, with the peak season in the summer months. The tours take place at night and exclusively with red light so as not to disturb the animals. It may seem a little strange to observe such an intimate moment, but it is definitely an impressive and very special experience that should not be missed.
My highlights in Tortuguero:
- Arrival by boat through rainforest canals
- Early morning canoe tour with wildlife viewing
- Walk on the Jaguar Trail
- Turtle Nesting Tour
Days 4-7: La Fortuna
After my eventful days in Tortuguero, I continued on to La Fortuna, one of Costa Rica’s most famous regions. The town is located at the foot of the Arenal Volcano and offers the perfect mix of nature, adventure, and relaxation.
La Fortuna is particularly well known for its hot springs. There are numerous resorts that offer day passes for thermal baths. However, I opted for the free option: a dip in the Río Choyen thermal river, which is also used by many locals. It’s a very relaxing and authentic place to end the day.
Another highlight was a visit to the Mistico Hanging Bridges Park. The suspension bridges lead through dense rainforest, offering great views and plenty of opportunities to spot animals. Of course, I couldn’t miss the Arenal Volcano, which dominates the entire region and can be seen from different perspectives during hikes.
I also took a day trip to Río Celeste in Tenorio National Park. The intense blue water is one of the most impressive natural phenomena I have seen in Costa Rica. The smell takes some getting used to in places, as the color is caused by a chemical reaction. Nevertheless, it is well worth a visit, and further downstream, where the water mixes with clear river water, you can even swim.
My highlights in La Fortuna:
- Río Choyen thermal river
- Mistico Hanging Bridges Park
- Arenal Volcano hike
- La Fortuna waterfall
- Day trip to Río Celeste
Days 8-9: Monteverde
Fun fact: it appears blue due to the reflection of light.
From La Fortuna, we continued on to Monteverde, first by boat across Lake Arenal. The route is scenically impressive, even if the roads are quite bumpy afterwards. Monteverde is located high in the mountains, which ensures pleasantly cool temperatures and spectacular views. As soon as I arrived, it became clear why the forest here is called Cloud Forest. I was there during the rainy season, and while most other places often remained sunny until the evening, here thick fog rolled in early in the afternoon and it started to rain.
Nevertheless, I ventured out into the storm again in the evening and went on a night walk, which became one of my absolute highlights in Costa Rica. At first, I was a little skeptical, as nocturnal animals are not necessarily my favorites. So it was all the more wonderful that we were able to see many cute animals, including toucans and kinkajous.
The next day, I set off early on the approximately 8-kilometer hike to the El Tigre waterfalls. You can easily book a shuttle via the website to take you directly to the starting point. The last 3-kilometer climb can be done on foot, by 4×4 vehicle, or on horseback. Personally, I would advise against the horseback option, as I don’t think it’s fair on the animals. If you want, you can also combine the hike with ziplining, but I opted for the hike alone without any extras.
Another big highlight for me was visiting the Butterfly Gardens. It was particularly impressive to see the large, iridescent blue butterflies, the Blue Morpho, which is considered the national symbol of Costa Rica, up close.
My highlights in Monteverde:
- Kinkajou Night Walk
- El Tigre Waterfalls
- Monteverde Butterfly Gardens
Day 10: Manuel Antonio
Manuel Antonio was just a stopover for me, as there was no direct shuttle from Monteverde to Uvita during the off-season. I used the day to relax, enjoy the pool, and unwind.
Nevertheless, I was able to see some of the surroundings. Manuel Antonio is known for its beautiful national park, and I even had a visit from an iguana right by my hotel. If I had had more time, I would have liked to stay longer in Manuel Antonio and explore the area in more detail, but I had to continue on to Uvita.
Days 11-15: Uvita
My last stop was Uvita, a small, relaxed town on the Pacific coast. Uvita is known for its beach, which looks like a whale’s fin at low tide. It is part of the national park, so there is an entrance fee per day. Uvita is also ideal for whale watching, which I naturally didn’t want to miss. It was incredibly impressive to watch a mother with her baby.
Another highlight was a walk through the narrow strip of forest in the national park right by the sea. As I hadn’t seen a sloth yet, I took a tour guide with me, but you can also walk through on your own if you prefer.
On Wednesdays, there is always a small market selling food, clothing, jewelry, and local handicrafts.
At the end of my trip, I took a day trip by boat to Corcovado National Park, one of the most biodiverse regions in the world. Unfortunately, it rained all day during the rainy season, so we couldn’t see as many species.
My highlights in Uvita
- Whale watching
- Corcovado National Park
After two eventful weeks, I returned to San José to catch my flight home. I left Costa Rica with a heart full of wonderful memories and a touch of sadness because the trip was already over.
My extended dream itinerary
If I could have stayed longer in Costa Rica, I would have loved to explore the Nicoya Peninsula, with places like Samara, Santa Teresa, Montezuma, and Isla Tortuga. From there, you could take the ferry to the mainland to Puntarenas and continue on to Manuel Antonio, which I could have incorporated into my itinerary.
I would also have liked to get to know the Caribbean coast better, for example Puerto Viejo, which is definitely worth a visit with its beaches, relaxed atmosphere, and Afro-Caribbean culture.
