Costa Rica 9-Day Trips & Itineraries

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You'll have time to experience the best of multiple regions with 9 days in Costa Rica—with the flexibility to do it your way. Beach and animal lovers can dig deeper into the country's authentic offerings by heading to the lesser-known Caribbean Coast. If you'd prefer to see the most famous parts of the country, choose an itinerary that takes you from the jungles of Arenal Volcano to the unique eco-system of the cloud forests, ending your adventure with some beach time in Manuel Antonio or Guanacaste. Other tours are all about cycling, rafting, culture, and more—check them out below.

Costa Rica Travel Insights

Arenal Volcano
Map of Family-Friendly Arenal and Manuel Antonio National Park- 9 Days
Family-Friendly Arenal and Manuel Antonio National Park- 9 Days

Fun for the whole family, this itinerary covers two of Costa Rica's most famous areas. Arenal and Manuel Antonio are some of the best representations of Costa Rica; Arenal area features one of the most famous volcanos in the country, surrounded by lush tropical rainforest, while Manuel Antonio National Park is renown for its white sandy beaches and vast diversity of tropical plants and wildlife.

A beach near Puerto Viejo on Costa Rica's Caribbean side
Map of Caribbean Coast Adventure - 9 Days
Caribbean Coast Adventure - 9 Days

On this 9-day trip, you will experience the best of the country's tropical flora and fauna. From rainforest hikes to snorkeling in coral reefs.  This itinerary is ideal for travelers going to Costa Rica during the "green season" (May - November), as the Caribbean coast stays relatively dry during these rainy months. It's also the best time to see turtles nesting on the beaches in Tortuguero National Park (July-October).

The Guanacaste region on the Pacific Coast is known for its arid landscape and beautiful beaches
Map of Coast to Coast Adventure: Tortuguero, Arenal Volcano & Guanacaste - 9 Days
Coast to Coast Adventure: Tortuguero, Arenal Volcano & Guanacaste - 9 Days

Experience both Costa Rica's Caribbean and Pacific coasts on this nine-day adventure. From the capital of San José, you'll make your way to Tortuguero National Park to watch sea turtles hatch on the beach. Then, head inland to Arenal Volcano and its rainforest trails and relax in Tabacón's natural hot springs. After a river wildlife safari and a chocolate lesson, you'll travel to the Gulf of Papagayo. Here, you'll go snorkeling and surfing and end your journey with a sunset cruise around the bay.

Sensoria, in Rincón de la Vieja National Park
Map of Costa Rica Adventure: Whitewater, Volcanoes & Surfing - 9 Days
Costa Rica Adventure: Whitewater, Volcanoes & Surfing - 9 Days

This fun 9-day itinerary highlights Costa Rica's amazing natural scenery through a thrilling series of adventurous activities including whitewater rafting, kayaking, zip-lining, and more. Starting in the nation's capital, you'll make your way to rivers, jungles, waterfalls, and cone-shaped volcanoes, culminating on the Pacific coast with time to do some surfing in Tamarindo's famous beaches.

Costa Rica's dramatic Western coastline
Map of Discover Costa Rica's Nature and Beaches - 9 Days
Discover Costa Rica's Nature and Beaches - 9 Days

Some 25% of the total area of Costa Rica is protected. You'll see evidence of this in the country's many national parks and reserves—the goal being to ensure that Costa Rica's natural wonders and delicate eco-systems remain viable for years to come. This is great for visitors such as yourself, who can luxuriate in Costa Rica's natural beauty on this immersive 9-day itinerary.

Scarlet Macaws
Map of Romance in the Jungle - 9 Days
Romance in the Jungle - 9 Days

This 9-day Costa Rican itinerary is ideal for adventure-loving couples. Starting and ending in San José, the two of you will ford the scenic Río Pacuare (one of the best white-water rafting rivers in the world), explore lush jungle, and enjoy downtime together in a luxury eco-lodge.

End the trip with a visit to the Pacific coast for some beach time
Map of Costa Rica Highlights: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio - 9 Days
Costa Rica Highlights: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio - 9 Days

The jewel of Central America, Costa Rica offers everything—cities, beaches, and many unique ecosystems to explore. This itinerary encompasses the country's most spectacular landscapes, plus an opportunity to savor the culture of local villages and the capital city. Hike near a volcano, experience world-class bird-watching, snorkel with sea turtles, and more.

End the trip with a drive to the Pacific coast for some beach time
Map of Highlights of Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio - 9 Days
Highlights of Costa Rica: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio - 9 Days

The jewel of Central America, Costa Rica, offers an array of adventures, from city to cloud forest to the sea. This weeklong itinerary includes trekking near an active volcano, some of the world's best bird-watching, and snorkeling with sea turtles. It's a trip that encompasses the country's most spectacular and varied landscapes, plus an opportunity to savor the culture of local villages as well as that of San José, Costa Rica's dynamic capital city.

Sunset off the coast of Guanacaste over the Pacific Ocean
Map of Coast to Coast: Beach and Cloud Forest Adventure - 9 Days
Coast to Coast: Beach and Cloud Forest Adventure - 9 Days

Experience both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Costa Rica — and all that's in between — on this 9-day adventure. Starting in the bustling capital of San Jose, you'll make your way to Tortuguero National Park, where you'll watch sea turtles hatch on the beach. Then head inland to the Monteverde Cloud Forest for incredible wildlife and rainforest trails. After two nights in the heart of the jungle, you'll travel to the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Papagayo. Here you'll go snorkeling and surfing, and end your journey with a spectacular sunset cruise around the bay.

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Meet our Local Travel Specialists

Experienced travel agents with a passion for Costa Rica
Travel specialist Elena Mora
active 14 hours ago

Elena Mora

"I was born in Costa Rica and grew up on my family's sugar and coffee plantation farm in the mountains of Turrialba. From an early age, I learned from my family to deeply cherish and respect our...

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Travel specialist Olman Romero
active 8 hours ago

Olman Romero

I was born in Turrialba, it is a region famous for hosting the Guayabo Archeological Monument, which is the oldest and most important pre-hispanic archeological site in the country. Turrialba is...

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Travel specialist Bryan Leon
active 20 hours ago

Bryan Leon

Growing up in a coffee plantation area near San Jose, Costa Rica's vibrant capital, I was fortunate to have parents who instilled in me a deep love and appreciation for nature. As a certified...

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Travel specialist Yuliana Valverde
active 2 days ago

Yuliana Valverde

For over a decade, my passion for creating unforgettable trips in Costa Rica shines a deep understanding of the country's diverse attractions and activities, as well as a genuine commitment to...

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Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

The latest reviews by travelers who booked their trip on kimkim

Highly Recommended!
Costa Rica | Mar 25 - Apr 2, 2026

Abigail
Abigail F.
Minneapolis, MN, USA | Reviewed on Apr 10, 2026
Yuliana was prompt & easy to work with. Her trip recommendations and guidance were a perfect fit for our family. We enjoyed every moment our trip! Read more

Yuliana was prompt & easy to work with. Her trip recommendations and guidance were a perfect fit for our family. We enjoyed every moment our trip!

Hotel Review
Hotel Arenal Montechiari
La Fortuna

Great spot for our group of 12. The pool was a hit.

Authenticity & Character
The tropical gardens & views of Arenal were beautiful.
Location
Easy to get to, within walking distance of town center
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Yuliana Valverde
Yuliana
Yuliana Valverde
Local specialist in San José, Costa Rica | Replied on Apr 10, 2026

Hi Abigail,
Thank you very much for your kind words. It was truly a pleasure helping you plan your family trip to Costa Rica.

I am very happy to hear that the recommendations and guidance were a great fit for your family and that you enjoyed every moment of the journey. That is always my goal when designing a trip.

Thank you again for trusting me with your travel plans. I hope the memories from your time in Costa Rica stay with you for many years, and it would be my pleasure to help you explore more of the country in the future.
Pura Vida!
Yuliana

Read all Costa Rica reviews

Great experience with KimKim!
Costa Rica | Mar 23 - Apr 2, 2026

Betsy
Betsy R.
Dallas, TX | Reviewed on Apr 09, 2026
I found Kimkim while looking to book a birding trip to Costa Rica. I love that they put us in touch with local experts while providing an easy-to-use planning platform. We just got back from a Costa Rica birding trip planned by Yuliana and I can say that she put together a thoughtful, well-planned out trip that delivered exactly what we were looking for - birding experiences, off-the-tourist track, ecolodges, and the feel of Costa Rica, on a limited budget. The trip included a well,... Read more

I found Kimkim while looking to book a birding trip to Costa Rica. I love that they put us in touch with local experts while providing an easy-to-use planning platform. We just got back from a Costa Rica birding trip planned by Yuliana and I can say that she put together a thoughtful, well-planned out trip that delivered exactly what we were looking for - birding experiences, off-the-tourist track, ecolodges, and the feel of Costa Rica, on a limited budget. The trip included a well, thought-out driving schedule and pre-booked birding guides along with enough free time to do some hiking or extra tours on our own if we felt like it at the time. Yuliana answered my questions that I dropped in the chat box in a timely manner. The only negative that I had was that I did not get the detailed package drop as soon as I would have liked. I think at least 2 weeks before a trip would be a better timeline than one week.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel de Montaña Suria
San Gerardo de Dota

Fantastic location at the bottom of a canyon. Hotel has nice gardens for birding. Located within walking distance of a waterfall hike and 2 km from a Quetzal nest. Food at the restaurant was good and reasonably priced. Restaurant staff was phenomenal! So nice and pleasant and always there (we hope they get to go home sometimes)! The drive in is challenging if you are not used to downshifting and mountain roads. Room was clean. Mattresses were a little worn and need flipping. Did not like that they wanted to charge an additional $10 per person to walk into their birding garden that they have onsite where they put out feeders. That should be included with the room if you are staying there. Or, just put feeders around the grounds. That would be even better.

Authenticity & Character
Nice setting. Feeders should be around the grounds instead of locked in a small area.
Location
Staff
Front desk staff was impersonal. Restaurant staff was great.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Needs new mattresses or rotate the mattresses more.
Auténtico Hotel
San José

This hotel was a good start to our trip. After a long flight, it was nice to walk the 1.8 miles into downtown to the artisan market and theatre area and only ~$6 to take Uber back after dark. The hotel room was quiet and clean and they upgraded us to two queen beds which was very nice. The breakfast was plentiful with many options and the staff was helpful and pleasant. We ate dinner in the downtown area before heading back as the options near the hotel looked limited. Overall, a nice stay.

Authenticity & Character
Cute pool situated near the breakfast area. In an urban area. Good for passing through.
Location
Walking distance to downtown. Streetside hotel, but still pretty quiet.
Staff
Very pleasant and hospitable.
Cleanliness & Comfort
Clean. AC was quiet.
Local specialist: Yuliana Valverde
Yuliana
Yuliana Valverde
Local specialist in San José, Costa Rica | Replied on Apr 10, 2026
Hello Betsy,
Thank you very much for your thoughtful review. It was truly a pleasure helping you plan your birding adventure in Costa Rica. I am very happy to hear that the trip delivered the experiences you were hoping for, especially the birding opportunities, visits to ecolodges, and time exploring areas off the typical tourist path. Costa Rica is such a special destination for birdwatching, and I am glad you were able to enjoy the incredible biodiversity and have time for both guided... Read more

Hello Betsy,
Thank you very much for your thoughtful review. It was truly a pleasure helping you plan your birding adventure in Costa Rica.

I am very happy to hear that the trip delivered the experiences you were hoping for, especially the birding opportunities, visits to ecolodges, and time exploring areas off the typical tourist path. Costa Rica is such a special destination for birdwatching, and I am glad you were able to enjoy the incredible biodiversity and have time for both guided birding and independent exploration.

Thank you as well for mentioning the planning process and communication. I always do my best to respond quickly and make the planning experience as smooth as possible.

I also truly appreciate your feedback regarding the timing of the final detailed trip documents. Your comment is very helpful, and I will certainly keep this in mind as I continue improving the experience for future travelers.

It was a pleasure working with you, and I hope the memories of your birding journey in Costa Rica stay with you for many years. You are always welcome back if you decide to explore more of the country in the future.

Warm regards,
Yuliana

Read all Costa Rica reviews

Our family of four (two adults, two kids ages...
Costa Rica | Apr 1 - Apr 8, 2026

Walt
Walt I.
Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Apr 09, 2026
Our family of four (two adults, two kids ages 11 and 12) just returned from an 8-day trip to Costa Rica — our first time — and it was incredible. Elena, Nancy & Adrian at Serendipity Adventures planned everything: airports transfers, two fantastic properties (Arenal Springs Resort and Hotel La Mariposa), and a full slate of daily adventures across Arenal/La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio. The itinerary was perfectly paced. We hiked Arenal Volcano and the La Fortuna Waterfall and walked the... Read more

Our family of four (two adults, two kids ages 11 and 12) just returned from an 8-day trip to Costa Rica — our first time — and it was incredible. Elena, Nancy & Adrian at Serendipity Adventures planned everything: airports transfers, two fantastic properties (Arenal Springs Resort and Hotel La Mariposa), and a full slate of daily adventures across Arenal/La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio.

The itinerary was perfectly paced. We hiked Arenal Volcano and the La Fortuna Waterfall and walked the hanging bridges above the rainforest canopy with our excellent and personable guide Mariano, we went whitewater rafting on the Sarapiquí River (Flow Trips was great!), flew through the trees on Sky Adventures zip lines, explored Manuel Antonio National Park with a guide (big shoutout to Soccio and his son/CR's next best guide, Luther, from Endemic Birds), and wrapped up with a catamaran cruise. Every activity was age-appropriate and kept the whole family engaged. All pickups, transfers, and logistics were handled seamlessly — we never had to figure anything out on our own.

There was one minor hiccup on our first full day where a miscommunication about pickup time caused us to miss an excursion, but Elena and Adrian jumped on it immediately and made adjustments to make it right. That was the only issue across the entire trip, and how they handled it actually reinforced our confidence in them.

If you're considering Costa Rica and don't want to deal with the stress of coordinating everything yourself, I'd highly recommend Serendipity Adventures. Elena was responsive, knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and clearly knows the country inside and out. We'd book with them again without hesitation.

Hotel Reviews
Hotel La Mariposa
Manuel Antonio

I've rated everything else about our Costa Rica trip very highly because we had a truly amazing trip overall. Hotel La Mariposa was beautiful -- it has the best panoramic views around -- and, truly, our room was perfectly nice and we had no major issues. I want to give credit to 99% of the staff for being friendly, helpful, and housekeeping was excellent. But, overall, the hotel sure is leaning heavily on that stunning view... The restaurant in particular needs improvement. At the same desk where I made our dinner reservation for our grand finale-- our last dinner of the trip, to be had watching the exquisite sunset over the ocean, when we showed up to that desk at said reservation's time, they treated us as though WE had made some mistake when the reservation was missing from their paperwork. Begrudgingly, it seemed, they sat us despite our "missing" reservation-- but behind other tables and poles, blocking that sunset view. Unfulfilled promises of homemade bread. Drinks stamped with past expiration dates. Cold entrees. Inattentive service. Bland meals. Bland welcome drinks. The pool is illuminated at night, neat... but what's with the strobe effect?! (Read the room, this isn't a rave crowd.) Our shower had weak water pressure, low temperatures, and gross mold and mildew all over the caulking. I know these are all nitpicks, but they're so easy to solve that it was frustrating. It just felt like they're depending on that stunning view to make up for mediocrity elsewhere.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Arenal Springs Resort
La Fortuna

The FOOD!!!! But, also, everything else. Well done everyone who works at the resort. The views, the hot springs, gardens, wildlife, friendly faces, yummy food, helpful coordination, all of it. We loved the animals made from blankets by housekeeping =) 10/10 would recommend.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Local specialist: Elena Mora
Elena
Elena Mora
Local specialist in Cartago, Turrialba | Replied on Apr 09, 2026
Hola Irby, Thank you so much for sharing such a thoughtful and detailed review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ !
We are absolutely delighted to hear that your family’s first trip to Costa Rica was such an incredible experience. It was truly our pleasure to plan your 8-day adventure. Knowing that you enjoyed your stays at Arenal Springs Resort and Hotel La Mariposa, as well as the exciting activities in Arenal/La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio, means the world to us. Your kind words about Mariano, Soccio, Luther, and... Read more

Hola Irby,

Thank you so much for sharing such a thoughtful and detailed review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ !
We are absolutely delighted to hear that your family’s first trip to Costa Rica was such an incredible experience.

It was truly our pleasure to plan your 8-day adventure. Knowing that you enjoyed your stays at Arenal Springs Resort and Hotel La Mariposa, as well as the exciting activities in Arenal/La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio, means the world to us. Your kind words about Mariano, Soccio, Luther, and the exceptional service provided by Flow Trips and Endemic Birds will surely be shared with them—they will be thrilled to receive your recognition.

We are especially grateful for your understanding regarding the minor hiccup on your first full day. Providing prompt solutions and ensuring your satisfaction is always our priority, and we are pleased that our response reinforced your confidence in our team.

Thank you for highlighting the efforts of Nancy, Adrian, and the entire Serendipity Adventures team. Your recommendation is the highest compliment we could receive. It brings us great joy to know that every detail—from logistics to age-appropriate adventures—contributed to a seamless and memorable family vacation.

We would be honored to assist you again on your next journey to Costa Rica. Until then, we wish you and your family many more wonderful adventures together.

Warmest regards, Pura Vida!

Elena Mora
Serendipity Adventures Costa Rica 🦥🌋🦋🐒

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