The towns and landmarks on our 10-day route, with what first-time visitors need to know about each one. Every page lists its sources and the date we last checked it.
4 areas4 landmarks
The 10-day route
9 nights, one loop from SJO, built for a morning arrival.
Costa Rica's capital and largest city, in the Central Valley. On the 10-day route it is the start and the finish: you land at SJO, head north the same day and come back for your flight home.
What to know
SJO, the country's main international airport, is in Alajuela province, about 20 km (12 miles) northwest of downtown San José.
The route is built for a morning arrival, so you reach La Fortuna in daylight. It gets dark around 6 pm all year.
On the way home, plan backward from your flight and reach the airport 3 hours early. Traffic on Ruta 27 can add time.
The town at the foot of Arenal Volcano and the first base on the 10-day route. Four nights here cover the volcano, the hot springs and La Fortuna Waterfall without rushing.
What to know
Arenal Volcano National Park is about 15 km (9 miles) from town. The volcano's eruptive period ran from 1968 to 2010 and it has been quiet since, so you come for the views and trails, not for lava.
The hot springs are heated by the volcano. Natural water temperatures run from about 30 to 50 °C (86 to 122 °F).
Lake Arenal, the largest lake in Costa Rica, borders the national park. The drive to Monteverde follows its shore on Ruta 142.
A mountain community surrounded by cloud forest reserves, with Santa Elena as its main town. It is the second base on the 10-day route: two nights, with the cloud forest in the morning and a guided night walk after dark.
What to know
Pack a warm layer and a rain jacket. It is never hot up here: the average temperature is about 18 °C (64 °F), and the area gets around 3,000 mm (118 inches) of rain a year.
Santa Elena is the main town and visitor hub. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is the main draw, and the Santa Elena Reserve and the Children's Eternal Rainforest are also in the area.
Arrive by daylight. The drive from La Fortuna takes 3 to 3.5 hours, and the last stretch is a mountain road with no streetlights.
The beach area just south of Quepos on the Pacific coast, next to Manuel Antonio National Park. It is the last base on the 10-day route: three nights, with the park, a beach day and an easy evening before the drive back.
What to know
Manuel Antonio National Park is closed on Tuesdays, and its tickets are sold online only. Book your park day before you arrive.
The park and the beaches sit just south of Quepos. The main road in is Ruta 618.
The drive from Monteverde takes 4 to 5 hours. If Ruta 27 jams, do not accept a mountain detour without checking the road and weather first.
Costa Rica's capital and largest city, in the Central Valley. On the 10-day route it is the start and the finish: you land at SJO, head north the same day and come back for your flight home.
The town at the foot of Arenal Volcano and the first base on the 10-day route. Four nights here cover the volcano, the hot springs and La Fortuna Waterfall without rushing.
The protected area around Arenal Volcano, with marked trails and viewpoints that face the volcano. It covers 12,124 hectares and is run by SINAC, Costa Rica's national parks system.
A waterfall of about 70 meters (230 feet) near town, reached by 530 steps down to the river. It is run by ADIFORT, La Fortuna's community development association, which puts the ticket money into local projects.
A mountain community surrounded by cloud forest reserves, with Santa Elena as its main town. It is the second base on the 10-day route: two nights, with the cloud forest in the morning and a guided night walk after dark.
Monteverde's main draw: a private reserve protecting 10,193 acres of cloud forest since 1972. Visits run in time slots with a cap on visitors, and guided walks take up to 10 people.
The beach area just south of Quepos on the Pacific coast, next to Manuel Antonio National Park. It is the last base on the 10-day route: three nights, with the park, a beach day and an easy evening before the drive back.
A small coastal park on the Pacific: 1,983 hectares of forest on land, with trails that lead to beaches such as Manuel Antonio and Espadilla Sur. Three of Costa Rica's four monkey species live here.
Last verified Oct 8, 2026
The whole loop, day by day
Put these places in order with the 10-Day Costa Rica Itinerary
A day-by-day plan for first-time visitors, with a Car Edition and a Shuttle Edition in one download.
