Insider's Costa Rica

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: San Jose

Depart from the USA. Arrive in the Costa Rican capital of San José, meet your ACIS Tour Manager, and begin to discover the country's famous Tico hospitality.

Day 2: San Carlos

Journey to Sarchí, the hub of Costa Rica's arts and crafts trade, known for its ox-carts and leather rocking chairs. You'll participate in a craft workshop, learning about the history and the methods of creating this brightly colored furniture before painting your own small souvenir to take home. Then continue to the San Carlos region in the shadow of the Arenal Volcano. In the afternoon visit a local school to practice your Spanish with the students, discovering the similarities and differences between their typical school day and yours at home. This evening view the Arenal Volcano, a perfect cone more than 5,000 feet high.

Day 3: San Carlos

Today travel north to the Río Frío. Enjoy a boat trip on the calm river while you share company with exotic creatures such as osprey, storks, caimans, monkeys and freshwater sharks. Lunch will be included today on the excursion instead of dinner. Return to San Carlos for the evening.

Day 4: Monteverde

This morning is something truly special: travel by bus from the Arenal area along the shores of Lake Arenal toward the lush cloud forest of Monteverde. When you arrive in Monteverde saddle up for a horseback ride, giving you a new understanding of how the local native populations traveled and a deep appreciation of just how spectacularly beautiful Costa Rica can be.

Day 5: Monteverde

Today explore this important and fascinating cloud forest. Originally settled in the 1950s by a group of Quakers from Alabama, Monteverde Cloud Forest is home to more than 400 species of birds, 100 species of mammals and 2,500 species of plants including the jaguar, ocelot, Baird's tapir, three-wattled bellbird, bare-necked umbrellabird, and the famously elusive resplendent quetzal. Get ready for a different perspective on the forest, as this afternoon you will swing far above the forest floor on the world famous Monteverde Canopy Tour and Hanging Bridges. You will have views from a series of platforms, suspension bridges and thrilling zip-lines. In the afternoon, you're back on solid ground with more earthly delights: a Costa Rican cooking lesson. Learn about the ingredients and techniques used in traditional meals before joining together to prepare a sample dish.

Day 6: Puntarenas Region

Observe the shift in landscape as you travel from the mountainous inland cloud forest to the beaches and Pacific breezes of the Puntarenas region on the Golfo de Nicoya. This area draws visitors from around the world, and, once you see the curving coastline dotted with bays and islands, you will understand why. Enjoy time to relax on the beach and settle in to your new neighborhood.

Day 7: Puntarenas Region

Although you may not want to leave, this morning's excursion to Manuel Antonio National Park brings you to one of the most stunning parks in Costa Rica. A series of small beaches with lush forests and well-maintained trails are yours to discover for the day. Explore the park and its wildlife (Capuchin monkeys play in trees just behind the beach) before returning to Puntarenas for the evening.

Day 8: San Jose

Say adiós to the coast and drive through lush vegetation back to San José for your last night in this beautiful country.

Day 9: Departure

Depart for the USA.



Optional Extensions and Extra Nights:

Further immerse yourself in the culture and wonders of Costa Rica with an extra night in San José, including the services of your ACIS Tour Manager, at the beginning or end of your tour.