Arenal + Monteverde + Manuel Antonio
10-Day Costa Rica Itinerary: Arenal, Monteverde & Manuel Antonio
Ten days is our recommended sweet spot for a first Costa Rica trip. You get all three icons plus real free time — a slow coffee morning, a spontaneous swim, an unhurried wildlife walk. This is what we design when a family or couple asks us "we don't want to be rushed."
Day-by-day
Day 1
San José → La Fortuna
Arrival
Private transfer SJO → La Fortuna (~3 h).Airport pickup, drive north, dinner in La Fortuna
Settle in.
Day 2
La Fortuna
Volcano + waterfall
Day 3
La Fortuna
Wildlife day
Day 4
La Fortuna
Hot springs + night walk
Day 5
La Fortuna → Monteverde
Scenic transfer
Private transfer via Lake Arenal (~3.5 h).Arrival & rest
Cool mountain air.
Day 6
Monteverde
Cloud forest day
Selvatura Hanging Bridges + Reserve walk
Full-morning naturalist walk.
Coffee, cacao & sugar cane tour
Family-friendly farm experience.
Day 7
Monteverde
Adrenaline or slow day
Zipline canopy (optional)
Some of Costa Rica's longest cables.
Free afternoon in Santa Elena
Craft market, cheese factory, sunset.
Day 8
Monteverde → Manuel Antonio
Down to the Pacific
Private transfer Monteverde → Manuel Antonio (~4.5 h).Beach sunset
Playa Espadilla welcome.
Day 9
Manuel Antonio
Park + free time
Manuel Antonio NP guided tour
Wildlife + beach inside the park.
Catamaran sunset cruise
Optional add-on.
Day 10
Manuel Antonio → SJO
Departure
Private transfer to SJO airport (~3 h).Return home
End of trip.
Ready to make this trip yours?
Tell us your dates and group size. We'll come back with a full private quote — transfers, guided tours, hotel-tier recommendations and a WhatsApp thread that stays open through your entire trip.