GuardTrailsCosta Rica · February
The classic
The Costa Rica Explorer
The stops adventure tour operators put in their flagship trips here — even if it strays a little from your request.
Experience a diverse journey through Costa Rica, featuring the Arenal Volcano, the Monteverde Cloud Forest, the beaches of Manuel Antonio, the Tarcoles River, and the volcanic landscapes of Bijagua.
- days10
- bases6
- stages7
- nights9
- transfer days6
- stage to stage678 km
- at the wheel, day by day14 h 27
The season for your dates
- Less favourable74% of days exceed the gust threshold during activity hours, over the whole requested window.
In February, 10.1 h of usable time per day (heat); no other month does better without closing a highlight activity.
Historical statistics (Open-Meteo), not a forecast.
Who this itinerary is for
This itinerary suits a traveller looking for: a trip in February, getting around by car, sleeping in hotels, wildlife watching, a day hike, days of walking, kayak or canoe, a village stroll, a town walk (2 h), easy cycling, via ferrata, a museum or cultural visit and a park or garden.
The area
A comprehensive loop covering San Jose, Manuel Antonio, Tarcoles, Monteverde, Bijagua, and La Fortuna.
The map
Loading the map…
The days at a glance
One line per day: where you sleep, what the day is, the road, and how its time is split.
| Day | Evening base | The day | Road | Time of the day |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day1 | Evening base : San Jose | TransferSan Jose Museums | Road 23 min | 11.7 h usable |
| Day2 | Evening base : Manuel Antonio | TransferWildlife | Road 3 h 01 | 8.0 h usable |
| Day3 | Evening base : Manuel Antonio | Day on siteWildlife | — | 8.0 h usable |
| Day4 | Evening base : Tarcoles | TransferTarcoles River | Road 1 h 59 | 5.0 h usable |
| Day5 | Evening base : Monteverde | TransferMonteverde Cloud Forest | Road 2 h 29 | 11.7 h usable |
| Day6 | Evening base : Bijagua | TransferRio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano National Park | Road 2 h 34 | 11.7 h usable |
| Day7 | Evening base : Bijagua | Day on siteRio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano National Park | — | 11.7 h usable |
| Day8 | Evening base : La Fortuna | TransferArenal Volcano | Road 1 h 03 | 11.7 h usable |
| Day9 | Evening base : La Fortuna | Day on siteArenal Volcano | — | 11.7 h usable |
| Day10 | — | DepartureSan Jose, departure | Road 2 h 58 | 11.7 h usable |
- programme
- road
- free time
Good to know
What it leaves aside
This route focuses on a wide variety of natural landscapes, meaning you will skip the remote Osa Peninsula, the Caribbean coast, and the Guanacaste beaches.
Places it did not keep
Osa Peninsula · Tortuguero National Park · Guanacaste Beaches · Caribbean Coast (Puerto Viejo)
Getting there
Fly to Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría (SJO), 23 min by road from the start.
Where you sleep
The region offers a diverse range of accommodations including eco-lodges, boutique hotels, and rustic cabins, with advance booking highly recommended during the peak tourist season.
Safety
Costa Rica: no warning from the UK authorities (FCDO). Advice of 2026-05-19 · Official advice
Check before booking and before taking out insurance: the advice may have changed since.
Why this version, the cost in detail and the sources are on the method page. Read the method →
When, and for how long
How long?
10 days: what you ask for, the minimum the area needs and the length kept all coincide.
Travelling in February.
The climate — February
- Daily high, 1 day in 4 is hotter
- 24 °C
- Daily high, 1 day in 20 is hotter
- 25 °C
- Unfavourable day
- 0%
- Windy day
- 75%
Rain, wind and temperature are measured over the 8 h in the middle of the day, on a historical baseline of 55 observations (Open-Meteo). It is a measuring window, not the length of your day: each day of the programme counts 11 h 43 of usable time.
The itinerary, day by day
7 stages over 10 days, in the order of the days. A stage appears on the day you first reach it: you sleep several nights at some, and a day trip leaves from your base and brings you back to it. Each day has its own page.
Every day of this trip has 11 h 42 of usable time, except D2 and D3: 8 h; D4: 5 h. Room to breathe — we have not padded these days to fill them: the free time left is part of the trip.
- Day 1San Jose Museums · night in San Jose3 h planned · 23 min on the roadSee the day →
- Day 2TRANSFERWildlife · night in Manuel Antonio4 h planned · 3 h 01 on the road · 8 h usableSee the day →
- Day 3AT BASEWildlife · night in Manuel Antonio7 h 30 planned · 8 h usableSee the day →
Stage 3 · Tarcoles
Tarcoles River
We sleep at Villa Lapas, 2.4 km away
1 night · climate to watch
- Day 4Tarcoles River · night in Tarcoles3 h planned · 1 h 59 on the road · 5 h usableSee the day →
Stage 4 · Monteverde
Monteverde Cloud Forest
We sleep at Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde, 800 m away
1 night · climate favourable
- Day 5Monteverde Cloud Forest · night in Monteverde5 h planned · 2 h 29 on the roadSee the day →
Stage 5 · Bijagua
Rio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano National Park
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 6TRANSFERRio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano National Park · night in Bijagua5 h 30 planned · 2 h 34 on the roadSee the day →
- Day 7AT BASERio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano National Park · night in Bijagua8 h plannedSee the day →
Stage 6 · La Fortuna
Arenal Volcano
We sleep in La Fortuna, 8 km from the place visited
2 nights · climate favourable
- Day 8Arenal Volcano · night in La Fortuna6 h planned · 1 h 03 on the roadSee the day →
- Day 9AT BASEArenal Volcano · night in La Fortuna5 h plannedSee the day →
- Day 10DEPARTURESan Jose, departure · end of the trip2 h planned · 2 h 58 on the roadSee the day →
What it costs, roughly
€1,039 to €1,626 per person
€104 to €163 per day
Based on: 2 people.
The cost estimate and the availability of accommodation, transport and activities are as of 31 October 2026: prices and availability change over time.
Where the money goes, and how this figure is obtained →To check
1 point to look at before booking.
D2Quota-limited access: book in advance — Wildlife (Manuel Antonio)
quota to apply for ~30 days ahead — to arrange before you leave
The method
Why this version, what sets it apart from the others, the cost in detail, the interest of the places, the automatic review and the sources.
Read the method →