Do you have two weeks to get a real feeling of Costa Rica? During this Costa Rica travel package, we combine some of the most attractive spots with sustainable hotels that have a great offer to explore the region with adventures and tours.
Two weeks of pure Costa Rican nature and adventures. During this Costa Rica travel package you will visit pristine rainforests, Arenal volcano, cloud forests of Monteverde, and the beautiful Nicoya Peninsula in the Pacific.
Destinations: San José city hot spots, lake Arenal and Arenal volcano, cloud forest, pristine Pacific beaches, birding paradise Carara, Savegre river jungle glamping.
Activities: Hiking, horseback riding, kayaking, yoga, farming, hot springs, national parks, snorkelling, waterfalls, birding, white water rafting, ziplining, hanging bridges
Your Green Circle Experience is about to start! This will be an unforgettable experience.
A taxi is waiting for you at the airport and will take you to the eco-boutique Hotel Ave del Paraiso in San Pedro which is the hippest district of San José, the starting point of this trip. The hotel combines the proximity to San José hot spots but offers also a green recreation area for a relaxing start to your holidays. You can enjoy meals at the Kracovia café restaurant next door or try the huge gastronomic offer in Barrio Escalante.
In the morning, you will have breakfast at your hotel. After breakfast, you receive your 100% electric rental car before you take off to explore the beautiful country. On the last day of your trip, you will have some more time to get to know the vibrant capital of Costa Rica.
Your time at the Eco-Boutique Hotel in San Jose is a great start of your ‘Green Circle Experience’!
As you have a 3.5-hour drive ahead of you, you might not wait too long to take off to Rancho Margot. You will spend the next two days on this beautiful and inspiring place literally at the end of the road. Your destination is known as the most sustainable hotel in Costa Rica. Judge for yourself if you agree! The ranch is completely self-sufficient and carbon-negative (and that is very positive!)
During the farm tour, which is free for you as a guest, you will undoubtedly get inspired and you often be amazed. The vision and philosophy that is implemented here is unique and make your stay truly unforgettable! All meals served here are produced in a sustainable, organic way. If you want to lend a hand, you can milk cows, collect eggs, pick herbs or see how soap is made.
A beautiful natural swimming pool has been created on the grounds of the ranch. You can also join a (free) yoga class or go hiking. There is plenty to do around the Arenal volcano and from where you are you can easily make various day trips (all optional).
The three-hour drive to Monteverde takes you around lake Arenal where you can enjoy amazing views across the lake to Arenal volcano. If you like to make a coffee break, Nuevo Arenal is a charming Costa Rican village offering a few nice bakeries and cafés. After a more rustic stay at Rancho Margot you are now about to experience how sustainability and luxury have come together.
The luxury Hotel Belmar is run carbon-neutral, and you can learn a lot about sustainable practices of ecotourism. This beautiful Austrian-style chalet is a great place to plan your Monteverde adventures while enjoying the fantastic meals or home-brewed beer in Belmar Restaurant and eventually dip a toe into the nice hot jacuzzi.
Monteverde is known for its unique cloud forest reserve and is also home to the beautiful quetzal. The area is popular for hiking and the amazing world-famous zipline of Monteverde! Fly through the treetops and explore the area from a whole different perspective! Keep in mind that you’re staying in the mountains (1400 m above sea level) and the evenings can be fresh.
The drive to your next destination is another 4 hours drive but it is definitely worth doing and it includes a one-hour ferry ride. Do make sure you leave on time after breakfast as you will take the ferry at Puntarenas harbor at 11 am. You should be there at least 45 minutes before the ferry takes off. The route to the harbor of Puntarenas is a 1.5-hour drive and takes you all the way down to the Pacific Coast. You will have a stunning view above the cloud forest and may spot amazing rainbows on your way.
Ylang Ylang Beach Resort in Montezuma is not easy to reach, which definitely adds to the charm and exclusive feeling of this hotel! You have to drive a short way across the beach as there is no road. To be able to do this you need a 4×4 as other cars will not make it across the sand. Once you arrive at the lodge – welcome to paradise!
The lodge has been a dream come true for a Dutch / American couple. They did a fantastic job in creating their own piece of paradise and now their children are managing the hotel. The next few days are all about relaxing on and near the beach, Costa Rica’s Pura Vida could definitely have been invented here!
Unfortunately, you have to leave this beautiful spot now, but you will head to the next amazing place – Macaw Lodge. Again, please do make sure you leave on time as you need to take the ferry back to Puntarenas. You will drive along the Pacific Coast and cross Tarcoles Bridge, which is famous for the huge crocodiles that are lying lazily underneath the bridge – make a stop and have a look! The last 45 min are a rather tough gravel road into the mountains but quite a fun ride.
Macaw lodge is a very unique place. The lodge is built next to beautiful lagoons in a huge botanic garden that is a refuge for many birds, reptiles, and other animals. This is a place to observe the wildlife at night and day, do some hiking to the nearby waterfall, and do the cacao Tour. Their own chocolate brand Macaw Kakau is getting international attention, and you can learn a lot about the indigenous culture as well.
All delicious meals are included here and can be enjoyed with a great view into the garden.
Your ‘Green Circle Experience’ is slowly but surely coming to an end. This doesn’t happen, however, before exploring the amazing Savegre valley from Rafiki Safari Lodge. You reach the lodge in about 2.5 hours. After passing the Pacific Coast again, you will have another exciting ride on a gravel road. Once you arrive, you will definitely be amazed by this place. From the main lodge, you have a great view into the valley full of green plants and the Savegre river as well as into the surrounding rainforest. The luxury safari tents allow you to truly dive into the jungle and have the charm and sounds around you day and night.
There are a lot of fun activities to do at Rafiki Safari. Adventurous white-water rafting on the Savegre river – the cleanest river in Central America – go horseback riding in the rainforest or go hiking for yourself or on guided tours. On top of that, you should try the water slide and enjoy the stunning view from the natural freshwater jacuzzi.
In the restaurant you enjoy delicious meals, dinner and breakfast are included, and you should try one of the fantastic exotic or classic cocktails that are made with high expertise by the barkeeper.
At the end of your journey you will return to San Jose: familiar territory. As in the beginning you had little time here and were excited to dive into nature you will have a last full day in San José. Hotel Grano de Oro will ensure a very comfortable end to a beautiful trip that you will never forget.
In the city there are a number of historic buildings to admire, including the Teatro National build in 1928 or the national post office from 1917. But we also recommend you to go to the market to taste tropical fruits and local delights and eventually shop some souvenirs. In addition, there are various museums and nice parks to sit and enjoy the busy street life.
Once you’re back at the hotel, relax in the rooftop jacuzzi and prepare for an exquisite dinner in the hotel restaurant.
We hope that The Green Circle Experience has inspired you, has amazed and surprised you, made you laugh, but also made you think. Above all, we hope you’ve experienced the soul and beauty of Costa Rica, a country with friendly residents and the place where the Green Circle Member hotel owners decided to live and work for the rest of their lives. A life in paradise …
The Green Circle Experience provides you with the most sustainable and environment-friendly Costa Rica travel package, you’ll stay at hotels and lodges with a strong personal and sustainable character and travel with zero emissions in an electric SUV. We are sure these locations are one-of-a-kind, and the owners will make your journey unforgettable. How? Check out our travel description for more detailed information.
If you need the Green Circle Experience to be tailored to your needs, please let us know! We can adjust your Costa Rica travel package, so it fits your individual preferences. Together we create an unforgettable, sustainable, and truly one-of-a-kind experience.
The Green Circle Experience is now even greener! You explore Costa Rica driving a fully electric SUV. The car can be charged free of charge at all Green Circle Member hotels.
Nice fact: 100% of the electricity in Costa Rica is generated sustainably and all profits of the Green Circle Experience are reinvested in sustainable initiatives in Costa Rica.