Costa Rica North & South: Parks, Wildlife & Hot Springs — Self-Launched

Land at Juan Santamaría (SJO) and take an official orange airport taxi (~£15 / $18 fixed rate) or the TUASA bus (~£1.50) into the centre. Base yourself in a hostel or guesthouse in Barrio Amón or Barrio Escalante, where there's good coffee and food on the doorstep. Withdraw enough colones for the first week — ATMs get scarce in Tortuguero and Caño Negro. Evening stroll along Avenida Central and an early night.

🚌Airport taxi or TUASA bus

🛏Hostel/cabinas, Barrio Amón or Escalante (~£15-22/night)

• →Avenida Central & Mercado Central wander
• →Barrio Escalante food & coffee

The cheapest route is San José → Cariari by bus (Mepe, ~2.5 hrs, ~£4) then local bus to La Pavona dock (~£2) and the public boat down the canals to Tortuguero (~£6, 1 hr). Total ~5-6 hours. Private shared shuttles door-to-dock run ~£35-45 if you prefer ease. Arrange a kayak or canoe tour (self-book via your lodge or GetYourGuide, ~£22-28 for a 2-3 hr canal paddle) and settle into a family-run lodge — hammocks, no cars, jungle noise all night.

🚌Bus San José→Cariari→La Pavona + public boat (~£12-14) or shared shuttle (~£35-45)

🛏Cabinas/lodge in Tortuguero village (~£16-25/night)

• →Kayak/canoe tour of Tortuguero canals
• →Village beach walk
• →Sunset at the canal mouth

Get up before sunrise for a guided boat canal tour — the best birding and the best odds on monkeys, caimans and sloths (~£30-35 with a local guide; boat entering the park costs ~£10). In the afternoon hire a kayak or walk the village trails and the beach, and climb the Cerro Tortuguero hill for views. From July to October you can join a night turtle-nesting walk on the beach with a licensed guide (~£20-28) to see green and leatherback turtles laying eggs.

🚌Walking; optional boat

🛏Cabinas/lodge in Tortuguero village

• →Sunrise boat tour of canals
• →Cerro Tortuguero viewpoint
• →Seasonal turtle nesting night walk (Jul-Oct)

Boat back to La Pavona and retrace your steps to Cariari, then pick up the bus (or shared taxi) toward Sarapiquí. Break the journey at a coffee cooperative near Sarapiquí for a farm tour and cupping — independent co-ops charge ~£10-15 and you can often pay on arrival. Continue to the Caño Negro area (via Los Chiles road or a shared shuttle) for the night at a simple lodge on the wetlands' edge.

🚌Boats and public buses (~£10-14) or shared shuttle (~£30)

🛏Eco-lodge/simple cabinas near Caño Negro (~£18-28/night)

• →Coffee cooperative tour & tasting near Sarapiquí
• →Short waterfall/stretch-the-legs walk

Book a boat trip on the Río Frío through the Caño Negro wetlands (~£28-35 pp with a local guide, 2-3 hrs) — one of the richest wildlife spots in the country for caimans, river turtles, basilisk lizards and huge bird numbers. In the afternoon, visit a local village for a home-cooked casado lunch (~£7) or take a Maleku indigenous community visit for cooking and crafts (~£15-20).

🚌Local boat and walking

🛏Eco-lodge/simple cabinas near Caño Negro

• →Río Frío wetlands boat trip
• →Local community lunch
• →Optional Maleku cultural visit

Take a shared shuttle or local bus toward Bijagua, then a taxi/shuttle to the Volcán Tenorio National Park entrance (~£2). Hike the 3-4 hr trail to the impossibly blue Rio Celeste waterfall and the bubbling blue lagoon (park entry ~£13; book entry slot online in high season). Dry-season roads stay muddy — grip matters. Afternoon onward to La Fortuna by shared shuttle (~£15-20) or via Upala–Muelle buses for less.

🚌Shared shuttle/taxi + bus to La Fortuna (~£18-25)

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in La Fortuna (~£18-28/night)

• →Rio Celeste waterfall hike
• →Volcán Tenorio trails

Pick one adrenaline option: zip-lining over Arenal (~£40-50 with a canopy operator, or a cheaper shorter line) or the Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges walk (~£18-25, great for wildlife). In the afternoon, soak in hot springs — free riverside pools at El Chollín by Tabacón, or a day pass to a developed hot springs resort (~£30-55; Termales El Bosque and Eco Termales are mid-range options). Dinner in La Fortuna town (sodas ~£6-8).

🚌Local taxi or bike rental (~£5-8)

🛏Hostel or budget hotel in La Fortuna

• →Zip-line canopy tour or Mistico hanging bridges
• →Hot springs soak
• →Arenal volcano viewpoint

Bus back to San José (~4 hrs, ~£4) or a shared shuttle (~£15-20). Join an afternoon bike tour of the capital's architecture, markets and neighbourhood gems (self-bookable, ~£30-35) or hire a bike and DIY the Avenida Central, Parque Morazán, Barrio Escalante and Mercado Central loop. Coffee and snacks en route; evening with a craft beer in Escalante.

🚌Public bus or shared shuttle (~£4-20)

🛏Hostel/cabinas in Barrio Amón or Escalante

• →San José bike tour or self-guided bike loop
• →Mercado Central tasting
• →Barrio Escalante food street

Take the public bus to Irazú Volcano from San José (goes Saturdays/Sundays and some weekdays; ~£2, otherwise a tour/shuttle ~£25-35 plus ~£13 park entry). At 3,432 m you're at Costa Rica's highest active volcano — clear days reveal both Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Continue south toward San Gerardo de Rivas at the foot of Mount Chirripó by bus (~£6-8 via Cartago and San Isidro de El General) and check into a family-run eco-cabin or hostel with mountain views.

🚌Public buses (~£10-12) or shuttle/tour to Irazú (~£30)

🛏Eco-cabin/hostel near San Gerardo de Rivas (~£18-28/night)

• →Irazú Volcano crater and viewpoints
• →Highlands drive & mountain village evening

A flexible day out: hike the Cloudbridge Nature Reserve trails (~£7-8 donation/entry, waterfalls, excellent birdlife and quetzal odds) or do the shorter local waterfall hike and a swim. Budget yoga sessions are offered by several cabins in San Gerardo (~£8-12). If you want the summit, note that Chirripó summit permits must be reserved months ahead through Sinac and are a two-day trek in themselves — this self-launched version treats the area as a relaxed highlands stop rather than a summit attempt.

🚌Walking and local taxis

🛏Eco-cabin/hostel near San Gerardo de Rivas

• →Cloudbridge Nature Reserve hike
• →Waterfall swim & yoga
• →Optional thermal river soak

Bus from San Isidro de El General to Puerto Jiménez (~4-4.5 hrs, ~£7-9 on Tracopa/Blanco schedules) — the road winds through palm oil country and into the wild south. Orient yourself around the two-street town, book tomorrow's Corcovado guide, and find a hostel or cabina on the edge of the Golfo Dulce. Sunset over the water, cheap seafood dinner.

🚌Public bus (~£9)

🛏Hostel/cabinas, Puerto Jiménez (~£15-22/night)

• →Puerto Jiménez orientation walk
• →Golfo Dulce sunset
• →Book Corcovado guide & boat

Go into Corcovado with a licensed naturalist guide — required for all park visitors. The classic day trip is the boat to Sirena Ranger Station and a return boat or hike out (~£110-140 pp all-in including boat, guide and park entry, booked direct with an Osa operator or via GetYourGuide). Expect tapirs, spider and howler monkeys, scarlet macaws, toucans and mud. Some operators do the cheaper Carate–La Leona–Sirena section. Back to Puerto Jiménez for dinner.

🚌Boat/4x4 transfer to park

🛏Hostel/cabinas, Puerto Jiménez

• →Sirena Ranger Station wildlife hike
• →Boat crossing of Golfo Dulce
• →Wildlife spotting: tapirs, macaws, monkeys

Long transfer day: bus from Puerto Jiménez to San Isidro or Chacarita, connecting onward to Quepos (~6-7 hrs total, ~£10-12). Alternatively a direct shared shuttle (~£35-45, 4.5 hrs). Base in Quepos or Manuel Antonio for a hostel or budget hotel near the beach road. Afternoon beach time; sloths are often visible in trees along the road to the park.

🚌Public buses (~£11) or shared shuttle (~£40)

🛏Hostel/budget hotel, Manuel Antonio or Quepos (~£18-30/night)

• →Beach afternoon
• →Sloth spotting along the park road

Get park tickets online in advance (~£14 entry, limited daily capacity) and arrive at opening (7am) with a licensed guide if you want the wildlife details (~£20-25 for a 2-3 hr shared walk) — or self-walk the well-marked trails. Sloths, white-faced monkeys (who will steal your snacks), iguanas and toucans are near-guaranteed, plus beaches inside the park. Afternoon option: surf lesson (~£30-40) or kayaking in the mangroves (~£35-45).

🚌Local bus from Quepos (~£0.50)

🛏Hostel/budget hotel, Manuel Antonio or Quepos

• →Manuel Antonio National Park walk
• →Park beaches & snorkel
• →Optional surf lesson or mangrove kayak

Bus from Quepos to San José (direct, ~3.5 hrs, ~£6) or a shared shuttle (~£20-25) — allow plenty of time before an international flight, and don't book a departure earlier than mid-afternoon. If you have a late flight, drop bags at a hostel near the airport and grab a final casado or gallo pinto. Buy the exit tax within your airfare or budget ~£23 if it's payable separately.

🚌Public bus (~£6) or shared shuttle (~£22)

🛏None (departure day) or airport-area hostel if needed

• →Final souvenir stop
• →Optional San José coffee tasting