Costa Rica Itinerary: Perfect 3-4 Week Route + Costs & Tips (2026)
Costa Rica. Sloths in the trees, howler monkeys as an alarm clock, volcanoes on the horizon and beaches where the sun puts on a show every evening. In March and April 2026 we traveled for six weeks through this country. Six weeks that flew by. But most people only have three to four weeks. So we turned our experiences into the perfect Costa Rica itinerary for 3 to 4 weeks. With the route, the real costs and all our tips on top. A true ‘Let Us Stay For A Day’ recommendation… Pura Vida!
Actually, Sri Lanka and Vietnam were on the plan this year. But flying with Emirates via Dubai did not seem wise to us given the unrest in the Middle East. So it became a last-minute Costa Rica. We then flew with KLM from Amsterdam to San José. Little sleep, cramped legroom, but great staff all the same. And as soon as you spot your first sloth, you have already forgotten the long flight.
Costa Rica itinerary at a glance
- Trip length: 3 to 4 weeks is ideal for this Costa Rica itinerary. With 2 weeks you have to make choices.
- Best time to travel: the dry season, from December to April. We went in March and April, for example: plenty of sun, 82 to 99 °F.
- Transport: rent an SUV or 4×4. Many roads are unpaved and sometimes you even drive through a river.
- Budget: Costa Rica is expensive, though. Really expensive. Expect European prices or higher. Further down you can read what we spent.
- Language: Spanish, but in tourist areas you get by fine with English.
- Money: the local currency is the colón, although you can also pay in dollars. Dollars are accepted almost everywhere.
- Safety: before you leave, check your own government’s current travel advice, for example the Dutch travel advice for Costa Rica.
Our Costa Rica itinerary: 3 to 4 weeks
This Costa Rica itinerary is a loop around the country. You start on the Caribbean coast, head through the interior to the volcano and the cloud forest, and finish on the Pacific coast. That way you see all sides of Costa Rica in a short time. You will find more inspiration on the official tourism site Visit Costa Rica.
| Days | Destination | Nights | Highlight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San José | 1 | Recover from the flight |
| 2 – 5 | Puerto Viejo | 4 | Sloths, Cahuita NP, Caribbean vibe |
| 6 – 7 | Tortuguero | 2 | Boat trips through the jungle |
| 8 – 10 | La Fortuna (Arenal) | 3 | Volcano and waterfall |
| 11 – 13 | Monteverde | 3 | Cloud forest, hummingbirds, coffee tour |
| 14 – 16 | Sámara | 3 | Relaxed beach town, day trip to Nosara |
| 17 – 20 | Santa Teresa | 4 | Beach clubs and sunsets |
| 21 – 23 | Manuel Antonio | 3 | National park and macaws |
| 24 – 25 | Uvita | 2 | Whale Tail and Nauyaca waterfalls |
| 26 | San José | 1 | Back home |
Only 3 weeks? Then skip Tortuguero and Uvita. Or choose between Sámara and Santa Teresa. That way your Costa Rica itinerary stays relaxed instead of a race against the clock. You are then left with a nice route of about 21 days.
Prefer partying to peace and quiet? Then swap Sámara for Tamarindo. There is more nightlife, more surfers and a lot more Americans. Not for nothing do the locals call it ‘TamaGringo’.
Part 1: the Caribbean coast and Tortuguero (days 1 – 7)
After a night in San José you first take a shuttle to Puerto Viejo. 93 miles, normally 3.5 to 4 hours of driving. We were stuck in heavy traffic and took no less than 6.5 hours. No hardship, because you see palm trees, lianas and waterfalls as far as the eye can see. Puerto Viejo is also a small and cozy village with a relaxed Caribbean atmosphere. This is where we spotted our first sloth. Then on to Tortuguero, a place you can only reach by boat.
👉 Read everything about this part in our blog: Caribbean coast of Costa Rica: Puerto Viejo, Cahuita & Tortuguero
Part 2: the interior, Arenal and Monteverde (days 8 – 13)
Next you go from the jungle to the volcano. In La Fortuna you sleep at the foot of Arenal. Then you wind your way in 3.5 hours up to the cloud forest of Monteverde. Bring sweaters, because it is chilly here!
👉 Read everything about this part in our blog: Arenal & Monteverde: volcano, waterfalls and cloud forest
Part 3: the Pacific coast (days 14 – 26)
Finally it is time for beaches, surfing and sunsets. Sámara, Santa Teresa, Manuel Antonio and Uvita: four completely different places on the west coast. Between Santa Teresa and Manuel Antonio you also take the ferry from Paquera.
👉 Read everything about this part in our blog: Pacific coast of Costa Rica: from Tamarindo to Uvita
👉 Popular tours at Manuel Antonio:
Getting around: car, shuttle or bus?
Rental car (recommended): for this Costa Rica itinerary a rental car is the easiest option. We drove most of the way in an SUV and later in a 4×4 jeep. We called him Jimmy, by the way. Asphalt is scarce on the west coast. So expect dust, steep hills, big potholes and, between Sámara and Santa Teresa, even three rivers you have to drive through. In the dry season that is doable. In the rainy season, first ask the locals whether it is wise. Note: with almost all rental companies your insurance is void if you get damage from water. In doubt? Then don’t drive through. You can read more tips in Renting a car in Costa Rica.
Shuttle: handy for long journeys, for example if you don’t (yet) have a car. From Manuel Antonio to Tamarindo we had a 6-hour minibus all to ourselves.
Local bus: dirt cheap and an experience in itself. 370 colones from Manuel Antonio to the beach. A packed bus, no air conditioning and smoldering brakes on the way down the hill.
Distances: so think in hours, not miles. 52 miles from Sámara to Santa Teresa took us almost 3 hours. From La Fortuna to Monteverde it is 16 miles as the crow flies, but you drive almost 62 miles.
🚗 Rental car: compare prices for a rental car in Costa Rica with Economybookings.
What does this Costa Rica itinerary cost?
Let’s be honest: a Costa Rica itinerary like this is expensive. So take out an extra mortgage on your house before you go. This is what the supermarket in Santa Teresa looked like, for example:
| Product | Price (April 2026) |
|---|---|
| Local beer (Imperial) | $2 |
| Bread | $6 |
| Bar of local chocolate | $11 |
| Small piece of cheese | $11 |
| Toothpaste | $10 |
| Jar of Nutella | $17 |
| Full tank of gas | $46 |
Other examples:
- Hanging bridges at Arenal: $40 per person (too much, in our opinion)
- Sun loungers in Manuel Antonio: 10,000 colones for two, with a parasol
- Tacos in Tamarindo: $3 each on taco Monday and Tuesday
- Lunch at a local soda: often the cheapest and tastiest option
Money-saving tip: eat at a soda, a local restaurant serving rice, beans, chicken or fish, salad and fried banana. Plenty of food for little money, because you eat what the locals eat. And watch out for ‘free’ sun loungers. In Manuel Antonio we paid $189 for a lunch with a few smoothies, because the loungers were only ‘free’ if you ordered something.
Sunscreen: bring plenty from home. In Costa Rica it is ridiculously expensive.
📱 Stay connected: an Airalo eSIM for Costa Rica works as soon as you land, so you can skip the SIM card hassle.
Our 10 golden tips
- Hire a guide in the national parks. In Cahuita our guide Eduardo spotted animals we would never have seen ourselves. He picks them up by sound.
- Book tours online in advance. At the entrance to Manuel Antonio there are lots of pushy sellers. Our ‘private tour’ turned out to be a group of 14. You buy tickets for the national parks on the official website of SINAC.
- Swim carefully. The waves and undertow are fierce in many places. We saw the coast guard pull people out of the sea several times. Red flag? Then don’t go in the water.
- Get up early. The animals are most active in the morning anyway. And the howler monkeys will wake you at 4 am regardless.
- Take an SUV or 4×4. Especially on the Pacific coast, because that is where the roads are at their worst.
- Choose adults-only accommodation if you want peace and quiet. Indalo in Puerto Viejo and Coyaba in Manuel Antonio were great.
- Put on sunscreen. The sun is merciless. Skip it and you pay for it immediately.
- Learn a few words of Spanish. Even though they often just speak English at the bakery.
- Drink an Imperial and try a Chiliguaro. The local beer and our favorite spicy shot.
- Take it easy. Follow the example of the sloth. Pura Vida!
Extra tips in the Central Valley
Got a spare day around San José or Alajuela? These places are on our Google Maps:
- Poás Volcano – active volcano with a huge crater, easy to combine with a day trip from San José.
- Catarata del Toro – one of the highest waterfalls in Costa Rica, in an old volcanic crater.
- Catarata Tesoro Escondido – waterfall in a nature reserve.
- Restaurante y Cabañas Bongos – restaurant.
Popular tours for your Costa Rica itinerary
Want to go out with a guide along the way? These tours fit our Costa Rica itinerary and all score highly, with hundreds to thousands of reviews.
👉 From Cahuita and Tortuguero to Arenal and Monteverde:
👉 Manuel Antonio and whale watching at Uvita:
Frequently asked questions about a Costa Rica itinerary
For a complete Costa Rica itinerary, 3 to 4 weeks is ideal. Then you see the Caribbean coast, the Arenal volcano, the cloud forest of Monteverde and the Pacific coast. With 2 weeks you are better off choosing one or two regions.
The best time is the dry season, from December to April. It is sunny and the unpaved roads are at their most passable. We traveled in March and April and had sun almost every day.
Yes, Costa Rica is one of the most expensive countries in Central America. Supermarket products, restaurants and entrance fees are often at or above European levels. Eating at local sodas saves a lot of money.
For the Caribbean coast and the interior a regular car is fine. For the Pacific coast, such as Santa Teresa, Nosara and Sámara, an SUV or 4×4 is strongly recommended because of unpaved roads and river crossings.
In six weeks we never felt unsafe anywhere. The biggest danger was in the sea: the current is strong on many beaches. Only swim where it is safe and watch the flags.
More about Costa Rica
- What does Costa Rica cost? All costs and a sample budget
- Renting a car in Costa Rica: insurance, deposit and the roads
- Costa Rica in 2 weeks: two shorter routes
- Spotting wildlife in Costa Rica: where and when do you see which animal?
Why Costa Rica belongs on your bucket list
After six weeks, hundreds of sloths, monkeys, iguanas and hummingbirds, we can say with certainty: this Costa Rica itinerary is an absolute must. It is expensive, the roads are bad and the howler monkeys keep you awake. But it is all worth it anyway.
Costa Rica in a nutshell:
- Wildlife like you won’t see anywhere else
- Two coasts in one trip: Caribbean and Pacific
- Volcanoes, waterfalls and cloud forests
- Beach clubs with the most beautiful sunsets
- Pura Vida: the relaxed outlook on life of the Ticos
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