Day 1 – To San José: Fly to Miami with British Airways and on to San José with American Airlines. Transfer to the Ramada Plaza Herradura for 2 nights. (N)

Day 2 – San José: Morning tour of the Doka estate’s coffee plantations on the slopes of the Poas volcano. Afternoon visit to INBioparque for an introduction to Costa Rica’s ecosystems through exhibits and trails. (B, L)

Day 3 – To Tortuguero: Take a shared overland transfer to Caño Blanco on the Caribbean coast. Cruise through the canals and backwaters that lead to Tortuguero, looking for birdlife, monkeys, sloths and other wildlife en route. Stay at Mawamba Lodge for 2 nights. (B, L, D)

Day 4 – Tortuguero: A full day of shared local excursions in Tortuguero. From July to September, an option is available to observe turtles nesting on the beach. (B, L, D)

Day 5 – To Arenal: Transfer to Tortuguero airstrip and fly to San José. Continue to Arenal, stopping in the small town of Zarcero en route to see its church and fine topiary. Stay 2 nights at the Mountain Paradise Hotel, which has tropical gardens and views of the Arenal volcano. (B)

Day 6 – Arenal: Full-day tour to Caño Negro, an important wetland habitat for a range of bird species. Optional evening visit to the hot springs. (B, L)

Day 7 – To Monteverde: Take a shared boat across Lake Arenal, taking in the spectacular views of the lake and its surroundings. Continue through the green mountains to Monteverde for 2 nights at Hotel Poco a Poco or similar. Afternoon visit to the Selvatura Walkways and Butterfly Garden. (B)

Day 8 – Monteverde: Morning tour of the Monteverde cloud forest, a habitat for rare flora and fauna such as the legendary quetzal. Afternoon at leisure or take one of the optional excursions on offer, including the Santa Elena Reserve. (B)

Day 9 – To San José: Return to San José via the town of Sarchi, home to traditional handicrafts and colourfully painted oxcarts. Stay overnight at the Ramada Plaza Herradura. (B)

Day 10 – To London: Morning flight to Miami with American Airlines and on to London with British Airways. (B)

Day 11 – London: Morning arrival. (N)

Accessibility: This tour is fully escorted throughout. All the lodges are clean and comfortable, but do not always have a large range of facilities. The tour includes some long drives on unpaved roads. Domestic flights have a luggage allowance of 12kg per person, but it is possible to leave some of your luggage in San José for days 3 and 4.

Meal Basis: (B) = Breakfast, (L) = Lunch, (D) = Dinner, (N) = No Meals