The Ultimate 2-Week Costa Rica Travel Itinerary
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Costa Rica is easily the most visited country in Central America and its efforts to gain popularity with tourists in a sustainable way have had an incredible effect. With luscious rainforest, rich biodiversity, stunning beaches and well-protected wildlife it’s a destination for those who love everything outdoors.
You could spend months in Costa Rica and still have plenty of adventures left, however, it’s reasonable to assume that 90% of us don’t have months to spare. 2 weeks is a bit more of a reasonable timescale for a trip, so grab your notepad and let this post inspire you and your Costa Rica travel itinerary.
Costa Rica Travel Itinerary
Day 1-2
La Fortuna
La Fortuna is known for its adventure-filled activities, relaxing hot springs and opportunities to spot and learn more about the wildlife in Costa Rica. Only 2/3 hours away from San Jose airport, it’s the ideal first stop.
Begin the first day by taking a tour of some of the hotspots in La Fortuna. Starting with Arenal National Park where you will get close to Costa Rica’s wildlife and see the mighty Volcano Arenal. After that stop by the powerful La Fortuna waterfall, before heading to a peaceful hot springs resort to unwind from the day.
Bright and early, start day 2 by taking a morning sloth walking tour with expert guides who can help you spot some of the local cuties. Then fill your day with one of La Fortuna’s adventurous activities such as white water rafting, zip lining or canyoning. Before the second day comes to an end, be sure to head to your next stop, Monteverde. If you haven’t got a car, check out Bookaway for your best transport options.
Got more time to spare, see a breakdown of how I spent 4 days in La Fortuna -->
Day 3-4
Monteverde
Monteverde is home to the infamous Costa Rican cloud forest and a worthy stop on your Costa Rica itinerary. The climate here however is a lot cooler and sees a lot of rain, so don’t forget the rain jacket.
Start day 3 by visiting the Monteverde Cloud Forest, a morning should be enough to walk around this dense jungle and take in some incredible views. You then have a few options for your afternoon; visit the hanging bridges, fly through the forest on ziplines, take on the El Tigre waterfall hike or rest for the afternoon and take a nighttime nature walk.
Day 4 depends on your transport situation, if you are getting public transport to Montezuma it may be an early start. If you are driving or have more time you could take on one of yesterday's missed activities or explore the town, a cool spot is the Ficus Tree Bridge a short walk from the centre.
Discover 8 more wonderful things to do in Monteverde -->
Day 5-7
Montezuma
Montezuma is a small town on the tip of the Nicoya Peninsula and you’ll find incredible views of the jungle meeting the sea here. Often overlooked for busier destinations such as Santa Teresa or Tamarindo, you can find a little bit of calm in Montezuma.
On your first morning head to Montezuma Waterfalls, there are 3 different falls to explore and plenty of swimming spots. After that, you could spend the rest of the day on the beach (Playa Grande is the best), or in the evening you could take a tour to see some Bioluminescent Plakton.
For Day 6 you have two options; either take a tour to Tortuga Island or head to Santa Teresa for the day. A trip to Tortuga Island with Zuma Tours will see you boating along the coastline, snorkelling with marine life and eating a BBQ on a beautiful ocean island. Santa Teresa however is a nearby town popular with surfers and beach bums, be sure to catch a sunset before leaving.
Get up early for your final morning in Montezuma to witness a gorgeous sunrise and then if you have the time hike to El Chorro Waterfall. It’s about a 5-hour round trip, but it’s worth it to see this waterfall drop straight into the ocean. If you aren’t driving the quickest way to Jaco is by speedboat, for drivers go for the car ferry between Paquera and Puntarenas.
Read my travel guide to Montezuma for more details -->
Day 8-9
Jaco
Arguably one of the most well-known holiday destinations in Costa Rica, Jaco is home to jungle, beaches and more Costa Rican adventures. Although a touristic destination, Jaco is a great base for exploring the southwest of Costa Rica.
On Day 8 book yourself on a day tour to visit Manuel Antonio National Park, you won’t regret it. During the day you will be able to spot different bird species, monkeys, sloths and even more wildlife. There are also some incredible beaches to stop at in the national park. If you are back in Jaco in time go and watch the sunset from El Miro viewpoint.
Day 9 could see you taking surf lessons, visiting the crocodile bridge, going canyoning or maybe just exploring the nearby beaches. Jaco to Tortuguero National Park is a long drive, so you may want to consider breaking up the journey by spending the night in or near San Jose, this will be necessary if you are going by public transport.
Do you have more time? Consider adding an overnight stop in Manuel Antonio, Uvita, Punta Jiménez or Corcovado National Park.
Day 10-11
Tortuguero National Park
Tortuguero is famous for its sea turtles that nest here between July and October, people flock here to see Costa Rica’s extraordinary wildlife and biodiversity. You’ll find yourself unable to drive to Tortuguero National Park instead ditch the car at La Pavona and catch a boat into this beautiful national park.
As there is a chance you may be arriving late on Day 10, don’t plan too much. If you do arrive at a decent time head to Tortuguero Beach for your first glimpse of the Caribbean coastline, but don’t swim here it’s not safe. However as the sun sets the rainforest comes alive, so head out on a night tour to take a glimpse at those nocturnal creatures.
Make the most of your full day in Tortuguero by joining a boat or kayak tour of the national park's waterways on Day 11. These canals are surrounded by lush jungle and a lot of diverse wildlife, there is even a few hiking trails to check out if you wish.
Day 12-14
Puerto Viejo
Puerto Viejo is located on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica in the south of the country and wins as my favourite destination in Costa Rica. This small town had a completely different feel from everywhere, a strong Caribbean influence gives Puerto Viejo its charm.
Depending on what your transportation plans look like you may not arrive in Puerto Viejo until later on Day 12. When you do arrive, take a walk around the town, grab a bite to eat and soak it all in. Then hire a bicycle to get around and explore the beaches between Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo. Punta Uva was my favourite beach.
Day 13 brings a few options, you can take a day trip to Cahuita National Park, walking through the jungle and snorkelling in search of marine life. Or explore the nearby Bri Bri village and learn more about this indigenous tribe and their spiritual practices. Or your final option is to spend the morning at the Jaguar Rescue Centre, before heading to Manzanillo Nature Reserve for a coastal jungle walk.
And already we find ourselves on the final day, maybe you have time for one of the days mentioned above, or perhaps just a quick dip in the sea before your journey home.
Discover more about Puerto Viejo in my travel guide -->
Costa Rica Travel Tips
The easiest way to get around Costa Rica would be to rent a car, otherwise, tourist shuttles and public buses are running between these destinations. The website, The Bus in Costa Rica, is so handy for looking at public bus routes and times.
Costa Rica is an expensive travel destination, unlike other countries in Central America. Our average daily spend (2023) for the two of us in Costa Rica was £95.
The currency is Costa Rican Colones however most places, especially accommodation and tour companies will accept US dollars.
The national language of Costa Rica is Spanish, although out of all the countries we have visited in Central America, English is widely spoken here. It’s always good to have a few Spanish phrases in your back pocket.
The plug sockets are type A and B which is the same as the US, so unless you have US chargers you will need a travel adaptor. I also recommend the worldwide ones as they not only allow you to charge more than one thing they work worldwide.
This itinerary can be followed exactly or just used as inspiration. It’s likely your trip will look different depending on budget, time scale and travel interests. All though useful to have an idea of what your trip may look like we all know they never go exactly to plan, so be sure to leave yourself some breathing room.
Let me know what you think of this 2 week Costa Rica itinerary in the comments and as always feel free to leave me any questions.
