Peaks, Palms and Paradise Itinerary

The best interary to explore Costa Rica’s diverse natural landscapes

Highlights: Stops on this itinerary include a massive active cone volcano, pristine white sand beaches, and a coffee lover’s paradise with just a little history thrown in the mix.

Airport: Juan Santa Maria (SJO)

Itinerary Length: 5-10 days, depending on the pace you want to take.

Adventure Level: Medium

Best Time of Year: December-April

Starting Point: Punta Uva (Days 1-4)

If you’re like me and have flight anxiety, it’s best to start at the furthest point and make your way back to the airport. Punta Uva is the place to start. From SJO, it takes about 5-6 hours driving (Google Maps will tell you 4), so give yourself the day, but it’s well worth it. On the way there, take Route 32, since you’ll be coming back via Route 10.

Route 32 is one of Costa Rica’s main transport routes from the port in Limon to the Central Valley, so be aware there are many tractor trailers coming and going. From May-November, this road closes frequently, due to rain and fog, so check Waze before starting your route. Route 32 is also like traveling through a portal to a completely different climate, you’ll feel the heat of the Caribbean as you start to descend from the mountains. Stop along the way to take pictures of the towering walls of monsterra plants, and the untouched wilderness of the Braulio Carrillo National Park.

Once you reach Punta Uva, unload all your stress and soak in the Pura Vida lifestyle. Punta Uva is centrally located between the funky towns of Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo, each with a rich culture of Afro Caribe music and delicious food. This is where you must try Rice and Beans - a spicy coconut infused plate usually paired with melt in your mouth, fall off the bone chicken thighs. This area is the only English-speaking area in Costa Rica, and they combine it with some Patua (a mix of Spanish, French and English) as well.

Things to Do in Punta Uva

Punta Uva is great for doing nothing except sitting on the beach and floating in the calm, clear Caribbean waters. But if you’re like my husband and can’t sit still, there is still plenty to do.

You can kayak or paddleboard in the freshwater mangroves of the lowlands and see all sorts of birds, including the Lapa Verde and the infamous howler monkeys. If you want to explore more beaches, spend a day beach hopping in the Gandoca-Manzanillo National Refuge, just make sure to bring water, bug spray and only natural foods (no plastic bags).

One of the many beaches you can dive off the trails to at Gandoca-Manzanillo National Refuge

If you’re interested in Costa Rica’s indigenous culture, take a tour through the Bri Bri Reserve and learn about how they used chocolate and other medicinal flora, then stop at a waterfall on your way back to Cahuita National Park.

After you’ve soaked up the sun and eaten your weight in coconut flavored dishes, it’s time to make your way to cooler temperatures in Turrialba via Route 10!

Turrialba (Days 5-7)

Route 10 is a gorgeous way to see daily life and the agricultural side of Costa Rica. You’ll pass through little villages and dairy farms. Check out the spinach, cauliflower, and onions growing in the cool high altitude regions. Once you arrive in Turrialba, take the afternoon to explore the small town. Buy some empanadas from a local shop with fresh Turrialba cheese melted inside and enjoy a cup of afternoon café as the Ticos do. Turrialba is the jumping off point for many adventurers, and there is plenty to do here if you are seeking thrilling experiences.

Things to Do in Turrialba

If you like high altitude thrilling adventures, you can hike the Turrialba Volcano with a guide. It’s one of the most active in Costa Rica and was closed to the public until 2021 because of major, frequent explosions. While that can sound terrifying, it’s well worth a visit, since the volcanic activity has made it look otherworldly, with burnt trees and ash fields everywhere. We recommend using the Hacienda Central group - we’ve done their tours twice and have always found their guides to be incredibly well-educated, funny and safety oriented. Their facilities are also quite clean and great to enjoy a packed lunch afterward and they offer camping too! They have a short, medium and a long version hike, so you choose your adventure! Keep in mind this is a high altitude hike, with the highest point getting close to 10,000 feet above sea level.

Turrialba Volcano on a clear day with the fertile vegetable crops thriving in its skirts.

Turrialba town is also the jumping off point for many rafting companies on the infamous Paquare River, with a distance of 27 kilometers, mostly class III-IV rapids, plus beautiful waterfalls along the route.

If you’re looking for a more low key activity, you can immerse yourself in a full day coffee experience at the Casa Hacienda La Esperanza, where you’ll learn about the history and culture of coffee production in Costa Rica and even get to plant your own coffee plant.

After you’ve gotten your heart pumping in Turrialba, you’ll move on to the calmer portion of the itinerary in Cartago and Santa Maria de Dota.

Cartago/Santa Maria De Dota (Days 8-10)

Now you’re slowly making your way back towards the airport but, you still have a few days left to enjoy Costa Rica. On your way to Santa Maria de Dota, take a pit stop in Cartago, Costa Rica’s original capital before it was moved to San Jose in 1823. You can visit the Basilica de Los Angeles, where every year, tens of thousands of Costa Rican’s make the pilgrimage from San Jose on the day of the patron virgin of Costa Rica. You can also see the ruins of an old Catholic church destroyed by earthquakes, where you can sit on the lawn and people watch.

If you have time, you can visit the fertile and verdant Orosi Valley and see the Cachi Dam, which produces electricity as part of Costa Rica’s robust renewable energy grid.

The Cachi Valley as seen from above with Lake Cachi in the distance.

As you climb into the mountains outside Cartago, you’ll be entering the aptly named Zone of the Saints (Zona de Los Santos), part of the Costa Rican Highlands, and the most famous coffee region of Costa Rica. You’ll notice the temperature dropping slightly and may even get to experience the Costa Rican mist, which makes everything more magical. Stop by the DOTA Coffee Cooperative and enjoy a coffee with a carrot cake or cinnamon bun (both are the best I’ve tried in Costa Rica) at their riverside café. You can even take a tour of their facilities and surrounding coffee plantations and see the process firsthand.

Lattes and a divine piece of chocolate cake on a cool misty day are the perfect way to warm up.

The magical Costa Rican mist mentioned above

Things to Do in Santa Maria De Dota

There are some cozy Airbnb cabin rentals in the area, for relaxing and reading on the porch, soaking in the freshest air and enjoying the local coffee, but if you’re into camping, check out the Sir Manuel Lake (Lago Don Manuel) for affordable camping and kayak rentals on a small lake.

If you are interested in birding, this area has some of the best spots in the world, and Quetzal Paradise (Paraiso Quetzales) is a beautiful rustic lodge and property that offers private and public hiking and birding tours, plus it has an incredible porch where thousands of hummingbirds gather at their feeders and buzz around your head. You’re also right by Quetzales and Tapanti National Parks for more birding and hiking.

For a little history, spend the day at the La Lucha (translates to the fight for a dream) farm and museum. It features the house of the ex Costa Rican president Jose Figueres Ferrer, who abolished the military and started Costa Rica’s tendency toward renewable energy. There’s also extensive mountain biking and hiking trails, and a restaurant to enjoy afterward. You can easily spend an entire day in this farm.

A male quetzal as seen through a telescope on a tour with Quetzal Paradise Lodge.