Guanacaste Tours & Trip Packages

Guanacaste Tours & Trips

23 Guanacaste trips. Tours from 11 tour companies. 24 reviews. 4.8/5 avg rating.

23 Trips match your criteria (1 - 20 shown)

Premium Costa Rica in Depth
4.5/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Why we love them
They're highly committed to sustainable tourism and contribute to crucial initiatives like climate action, focusing on local cultures and more.
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy

Visits

Caribbean, Guanacaste

Highlights

  • Learn about the culture of Costa Rica with Premium exclusive experiences: spend time with a local family and learn how to create traditional dishes in their kitchen, and visit Matambu, the only indigenous territory of the Chorotegan people, to learn ancient pottery techniques passed down for generations.
  • Experience the magnificent landscapes Costa Rica from all angles with a gentle hike in Arenal Volcano National Park, a cruise on the Tortuguero canals, and a treetop walkways experience in the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
  • Enjoy two nights at your Feature Stay – a stunning and sustainable jungle hotel next to the electric-blue Rio Celeste River. Settle into your cosy casita (bungalow), an exclusive retreat just for you, and surround yourself with the sounds of nature.
  • End your trip with a free day at the beach, capped off with a sunset sailing cruise and a farewell dinner – the perfect way to reflect on your journey across Costa Rica.
  • Costa Rica is a nature lover’s dream. Keep your eyes out for green turtles, sloths, monkeys, coatis, anteaters, tropical birds, and more as you cross the width of Costa Rica, experiencing a variety of different habitats and environments.
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Themes

High Adventure

What travelers are saying

"Completed 3 trips with Intrepid this year. A prior last year. The Leaders are well organized, informative and fun. Travelling inland in Greece and the Greek Islands (second time), Intrepid through their amazing leaders, introduce you and share history, way of life, amazing scenery and places to eat. Yes, they are busy days and you walk a lot, but the days are full and stimulating. You make life long friends in the group and leaders. Thank you Mia, Dina and Nasos. Your energy and knowledge is a future of memories."

Trip dates & details
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Costa Rica Explorer
4.1/5 Great
100+ reviews
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Guanacaste

Highlights

  • Arrive in Costa Rica's capital San Jose and tour a few of the city's highlights including the neoclassical Teatro Nacional.
  • Watch thousands of turtles nest at Tortuguero National Park, then tour its canals and village!
  • Explore the secret waterfalls and rainforests of Bajos del Toro, one of the most beautiful areas in the country.
  • Hike, bike, and see the elusive Resplendent quetzal bird at Arenal Volcano and its national park.
  • Learn to surf in Guanacaste, a northwestern province on the Pacific known for its pristine beaches and perfect waves!

Themes

Local Immersion & Homestays, Nature & Wildlife, Relaxing Retreats

What travelers are saying

"Great value package says breakfast included. But cosmos and tour guide said no breakfast included. Also all six day between 4pm-5pm we were given to go our own. There was lot to see according to attractions on cosmos. I think they should include more attractions. Overall ok trip definitely can be improved."

Trip dates & details
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Costa Rica 360
4.1/5 Great
100+ reviews
Self-Guided / Independent Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Flexible schedule

Visits

Arenal Hot Springs, Arenal Volcano, Guanacaste, Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Highlights

  • Sea turtles, monkeys, tree frogs, toucans - you name it, you'll see it. Keep your eyes peeled for amazing wildlife!
  • Check out some local markets! Try some sweet, hand-picked fruits while you mingle with natives.
  • For a bit of adrenaline, take a walk across Moteverde's famous hanging bridges.
  • Try casado, plantains, arroz con leche, and tons of other local favorite foods.
  • Enjoy the comfort and convenience of included transfers between all destinations and airports.

Themes

Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Relaxing Retreats

What travelers are saying

"Great value package says breakfast included. But cosmos and tour guide said no breakfast included. Also all six day between 4pm-5pm we were given to go our own. There was lot to see according to attractions on cosmos. I think they should include more attractions. Overall ok trip definitely can be improved."

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
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Costa Rica: Jungles & Rainforests 2025
4.2/5 Great
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate

Visits

Guanacaste, La Fortuna

Highlights

  • Life is pretty colorful on a Costa Rica family vacation
  • where even butterflies like the electric-blue morpho make visitors gape in awe.More than 850 different species of birds make their homes here
  • from emerald-green parrots
  • scarlet macaws and bright-billed 'flying banana' toucans to purple-throated hummingbirds
  • orange-bellied trogons
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Themes

Family Friendly

What travelers are saying

"My husband and I booked the Yellowstone tour with Tauck expecting so much more with the accommodations, food, and tour director based on the price point. We were sadly disappointed but still tried to enjoy the experience. Rooms were dirty, food were often buffets and other group dinners with some food inedible. We noticed other tours staying in our hotels and paying much less for their tours. One positive was we never touched our luggage which was nice but my small suitcase was damaged during one transfer. Word to the wise… read their emails thoroughly as the email we received a few weeks before our trip reads like a disclaimer for poor service and accommodations."

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
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Costa Rica: Jungles & Rainforests 2024
4.2/5 Great
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate

Visits

Guanacaste, La Fortuna

Highlights

  • Life is pretty colorful on a Costa Rica family vacation
  • where even butterflies like the electric-blue morpho make visitors gape in awe.More than 850 different species of birds make their homes here
  • from emerald-green parrots
  • scarlet macaws and bright-billed 'flying banana' toucans to purple-throated hummingbirds
  • orange-bellied trogons
Show more

Themes

Family Friendly

What travelers are saying

"My husband and I booked the Yellowstone tour with Tauck expecting so much more with the accommodations, food, and tour director based on the price point. We were sadly disappointed but still tried to enjoy the experience. Rooms were dirty, food were often buffets and other group dinners with some food inedible. We noticed other tours staying in our hotels and paying much less for their tours. One positive was we never touched our luggage which was nice but my small suitcase was damaged during one transfer. Word to the wise… read their emails thoroughly as the email we received a few weeks before our trip reads like a disclaimer for poor service and accommodations."

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
More
Costa Rica: Jungles & Rainforests 2021
4.2/5 Great
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate

Visits

Guanacaste

Highlights

  • Life is pretty colorful on a Costa Rica family vacation
  • where even butterflies like the electric-blue morpho make visitors gape in awe.More than 850 different species of birds make their homes here
  • from emerald-green parrots
  • scarlet macaws and bright-billed 'flying banana' toucans to purple-throated hummingbirds
  • orange-bellied trogons
Show more

Themes

Family Friendly

What travelers are saying

"My husband and I booked the Yellowstone tour with Tauck expecting so much more with the accommodations, food, and tour director based on the price point. We were sadly disappointed but still tried to enjoy the experience. Rooms were dirty, food were often buffets and other group dinners with some food inedible. We noticed other tours staying in our hotels and paying much less for their tours. One positive was we never touched our luggage which was nice but my small suitcase was damaged during one transfer. Word to the wise… read their emails thoroughly as the email we received a few weeks before our trip reads like a disclaimer for poor service and accommodations."

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
More

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Costa Rica: Jungles & Rainforests 2022
4.2/5 Great
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate

Visits

Guanacaste, La Fortuna

Highlights

  • Life is pretty colorful on a Costa Rica family vacation
  • where even butterflies like the electric-blue morpho make visitors gape in awe.More than 850 different species of birds make their homes here
  • from emerald-green parrots
  • scarlet macaws and bright-billed 'flying banana' toucans to purple-throated hummingbirds
  • orange-bellied trogons
Show more

Themes

Family Friendly

What travelers are saying

"My husband and I booked the Yellowstone tour with Tauck expecting so much more with the accommodations, food, and tour director based on the price point. We were sadly disappointed but still tried to enjoy the experience. Rooms were dirty, food were often buffets and other group dinners with some food inedible. We noticed other tours staying in our hotels and paying much less for their tours. One positive was we never touched our luggage which was nice but my small suitcase was damaged during one transfer. Word to the wise… read their emails thoroughly as the email we received a few weeks before our trip reads like a disclaimer for poor service and accommodations."

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
More
Costa Rica: Jungles & Rainforests 2023
4.2/5 Great
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate

Visits

Guanacaste, La Fortuna

Highlights

  • Life is pretty colorful on a Costa Rica family vacation
  • where even butterflies like the electric-blue morpho make visitors gape in awe.More than 850 different species of birds make their homes here
  • from emerald-green parrots
  • scarlet macaws and bright-billed 'flying banana' toucans to purple-throated hummingbirds
  • orange-bellied trogons
Show more

Themes

Family Friendly

What travelers are saying

"My husband and I booked the Yellowstone tour with Tauck expecting so much more with the accommodations, food, and tour director based on the price point. We were sadly disappointed but still tried to enjoy the experience. Rooms were dirty, food were often buffets and other group dinners with some food inedible. We noticed other tours staying in our hotels and paying much less for their tours. One positive was we never touched our luggage which was nice but my small suitcase was damaged during one transfer. Word to the wise… read their emails thoroughly as the email we received a few weeks before our trip reads like a disclaimer for poor service and accommodations."

Trip dates & details
Save this trip to your favorites or other list
More

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Guanacaste Reviews & Ratings

4.8/5  Excellent
24  Reviews
See all Guanacaste tour reviews
Excellent
4
Great
0
Average
0
Disappointing
0
Terrible
0
G

Graham

Nov 2023

Written on

Cycle Costa Rica

Well planned, varied, good guide. Ideal for wildlife enthusiasts.

A

Adrian

Feb 2023

Written on

Cycle Costa Rica

Great itinerary with varied days seeing lots of wildlife and plants. ...

M

Maureen

Nov 2022

Written on

Cycle Costa Rica

So many highlights! Stopping for a swim in the lake at Arenal and having a delicious picnic lunch prepared by the trip leader Carlos and the back up crew Geoffrey Ju...

T

Trudy Hofstede

Dec 2022

Written on

Costa Rica Eco Adventure with Guanacaste Beach

Both German and Mikol were so knowledgeable on all wildlife and forest det...

C

Cynthia Tramonte

Jul 2019

Provided byCollette

Review of Tropical Costa Rica

Service rating : Yes. Everything was organized well and the guide was outstanding. It was a wonderful tour of New York. Product : It was a great tour. The guide w...

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Guanacaste Tour Selection Trips

  • Decide ahead of time whether or not you’re looking for a relaxing beach vacation, or an active, hiking-focused one. The differences between the two can be quite stark. While the coastlines are developed and very tourist friendly in Guanacaste, the national parks in the area can be very rustic and vast.
  • If you are looking to save some money, consider buying your own groceries. There can be up to a 23% “tourist tax” (VAT and included tip) at local restaurants, so limiting your meals out can save a significant amount of money.
  • If you are visiting one of the more popular beaches, like Tamarindo, don’t worry about packing snacks. You can expect locals hawking freshly cut coconuts, plantain chips, and other goodies to make their rounds. These treats are inexpensive, and delicious!  

Additional details

When to Visit Guanacaste

Guanacaste has the driest climate in all of Costa Rica, although it does have a rainy season. The tourist season takes place during the dry season, which falls between December and March.

During this time, prepare for the heat (Guanacaste typically reaches temperatures of 94 to 100 F), but you will also never have to worry about the rain cancelling a beach day. The dry season is also well known for the trees that flower during it, and the monkeys they attract.

If you want to visit during the wet season, we recommend that you still do. You will not only benefit from lower prices, but it's unlikely that you will ever be drenched. The rainy season in Guanacaste usually consists of only partly cloudy days and occasional afternoon shower. You will still be able to visit the beach, probably everyday if you want to!

What to Wear in Guanacaste

Guanacaste is notoriously hot, sunny, and dry throughout its main tourist season, so make sure to dress appropriately. Wearing light, layered clothing, and bringing bathing suits as well as sun caps are musts.

If you are planning on exploring Guanacaste’s natural parks (which you should), make sure to pack some sturdier footwear, like waterproof sandals or sneakers.

Top 3 National Parks in Guanacaste

There are multiple national parks in the province of Guanacaste, and if you have a limited time there, it may be hard to decide where to go. Here is a list of the best parks in Guanacaste:

1. Palo Verde National Park - This park is spectacularly diverse for its size; it is both a wetland and prime example of a tropical dry forest. This park is known for its spectacular birding, and even has a small island called Isla de Pajaros -- or “Bird Island” -- the breeding ground of spoonbills, egrets, ibises, and herons.

The best season for birdwatching is the dry season, when many migratory birds spend their winters in the park. Another popular activity in Palo Verde is mountain biking, and there are many trails throughout the park to explore.

2. Rincón de la Vieja -This massive park has access to both Caribbean and Pacific coasts, and dozens of hiking, cycling, and horseback riding trails. The many tropical forest biomes in the park provide habitat for a variety of animals, include rarer mammals such as kinkajous, jaguars, monkeys, sloths, tapirs, and pumas.

For families and the adventurous, there are also great freshwater lagoons and hot springs throughout the park that are open to swimming, and if you love geothermal activities, be sure to check out the bubbling mud pits!

3. Guanacaste National ParkThis park is for dedicated outdoorsmen who truly want to step off the beaten path. Guanacaste is a rustic, massive park with virgin forest, open pasturelands, and a prime destination for wildlife observation.

It is home to a wide variety of bird and animal species, which are able to travel freely between Guanacaste and neighboring Santa Rosa park. There are more scientific researchers in this untouched wilderness than tourists, so if isolation in nature appeals to you, Guanacaste is your park.

Food in Guanacaste

Most restaurants in Guanacaste serve typical Costa Rican fare, meaning rice, beans, plantains and corn are staples in the majority of dishes, along with a solid cup of coffee. However, some of the beach areas in Guanacaste are also popular tourist territories, so you can be sure to find some international and American fare in the region as well.

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