Top San Jose Car Tours

Adventure-loving travelers won’t want to miss this combined zip lining, rappelling, and hiking tour. The Carpintera Hills are close to San Jose and offer the easiest way to go zip lining from the capital. Glide through the forest canopy on steel cables strung between 19 platforms. Rappel from as high as 130 feet. Enjoy the forest views along the way and look out for birds and animals.

Safely immerse yourself in Costa Rican nature and wildlife on a 7-hour tour to La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Leave the busy streets of San Jose behind in comfortable air-conditioned transportation from your hotel. Discover more than 100 species at the sanctuary, including titi monkeys, 2-toed sloths, pumas, and toucans. You can even feed hummingbirds by hand. Have your camera ready for the cloud forest, waterfalls, and aviary.

Explore San Jose on this guided half-day sightseeing tour. Great for first-time visitors to the city, the tour includes stops at historic and cultural sites such as the Costa Rican Art Museum in La Sabana, the city center, the National Theater, the University of Costa Rica, and the arts and crafts market. Plus, enjoy lunch at a local Costa Rican restaurant.

Learn about coffee production at Costa Rica's largest coffee farm on this guided tour. At the Aquiares Estate, you’ll see the process from seed to cup after visiting the local community and hearing about coffee agronomy and its importance to Costa Rica. Then, learn about coffee roasting and cupping and get a taste.

Navigate Class III-IV rapids under the guidance of an expert during this white-water rafting course down the Pacuare River from San Jose. Paddle your way through one of Costa Rica's most picturesque river gorges, looking out for native wildlife between rapid runs, on an exciting day trip ideal for thrill seekers. Hotel pickup and drop-off, equipment, and lunch are all included, so you can focus on the thrills.

Explore Manuel Antonio National Park on this all-day tour from San Jose. On the way to the park, stop for a traditional Costa Rican breakfast. Then, once you arrive, choose to relax on the scenic beaches or hike one of the many trails throughout the tropical rainforest. Be on the lookout for monkeys, iguanas, birds, and three-toed sloths during your visit.

Get out of the city and experience Costa Rica’s rich wildlife heritage with this half day private tour to the Toucan Rescue Ranch. What started out as a rescue facility for toucans has expanded to include other charismatic species such as sloths, monkeys, parrots, and owls. Learn all about them from the dedicated staff committed to their care.

Visit the Irazú Volcano National Park in just half a day with this excursion from San José. Your driver will pick you up early in the morning and take you to the volcano, where you can see the crater and learn about the history of the area from a local guide. Next, you'll head to the Los Angeles Basilica, a church and museum with a holy water source.

This sampler adventure tour from San Jose fits the best of Costa Rica's rivers and rainforests into one action-packed day. En route, go croc-spotting at a famous overlook on the Tarcoles River. Then head to the jungle adventure park where you can choose two activities from a list of thrilling options, including ziplining, horseback riding, surfing lessons, an ATV adventure, and a mountain bike tour.

Visiting Arenal Volcano on a guided tour makes transportation a cinch as you hit area highlights such as the Baldi Hot Springs, Sarchi craft market, and downtown La Fortuna—all in a day. In addition to a guide to take you to all of the activities on the itinerary, this tour also includes lunch and dinner so you don’t run into unexpected expenses.

Home to over 100 species of animals, five waterfalls, and a cloud forest the Wildlife Refuge La Paz Waterfall Gardens is bursting with biodiversity. Visit, explore, learn, and even hike among the sloths, monkeys, tropical birds, pumas, ocelots, and more who call Costa Rica’s most visited private ecological reserve home. Take in the incredible plant life like wild orchids on this full-day tour from San Jose with lunch included.

Head to La Fortuna, home to the Arenal Volcano, on this guided all-day tour from San Jose. Sit back and relax as you travel through diverse plantations and cattle ranches on the roughly 3.5-hour drive. After arriving, enjoy lunch with a view of the volcano. Then, take a dip in the area’s thermal waters and indulge in an optional massage or other treatment.

Spend an evening enjoying a delicious dinner while taking in panoramic views of San José. As you dine, enjoy typical Costa Rican entertainment, including a folkloric dance and comedy show, and learn about the country's history and culture. The buffet-style dinner includes two alcoholic beverages, such as wine or beer.

Connect with two key pieces of Costa Rican life: coffee and wilderness on this combination tour to La Paz Waterfall Gardens and the Doka Coffee Estate plantation. This full-day, guided tour kicks off with a tour of plantation where you’ll learn how your cups gets from bean to breakfast. Afterwards, hike over volcanic terrain, under waterfalls, and into the rainforest during a challenging hike in the nature reserve.

Take a trip to the beautiful Manuel Antonio National Park on a small-group tour. This park is known for its great surf, picturesque scenery, and abundance of flora and fauna. Choose your own activity for the day such as sunbathing, snorkeling, trekking or surfing—equipment is available to rent—and enjoy the beauty of the park. This tour is inclusive of breakfast, lunch, and park entrance tickets.

Experience two of Costa Rica’s impressive natural wonders in one day with this private full-day tour from San Jose. Enjoy a scenic hike through the Poas Volcano National Park, admire magnificent views of the crater, and look out for hummingbirds and quetzals in the cloud forest. After lunch, explore the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, where you can spot wildlife such as white face and spider monkeys, wildcats, snakes, and butterflies. Finally, visit a coffee farm to learn about its production process.

Visit the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, a 26,000-acre (10,500 hectare) oasis of virgin cloud forest. Visited by roughly 70,000 people a year, the reserve is home to about four percent of the world’s animal species. Walk across suspended bridges and hike among native flora and fauna. You can also pay extra to zipline through the canopy. Lunch and a guide are included.

Discover San Jose’s hidden delights with this unique evening tour of the Costa Rican capital. Get up close and personal with the nightlife in San Jose, starting with the Morazán Park where you'll learn post-colonial Costa Rican history. From there, gain an appreciation for San Jose’s historical architecture, with a walk by the Metallic Building, then on to Spain Park for a fantastic view of the Yellow House (now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Continue to charming Barrio Escalante, one of the oldest residential areas in San Jose.  Finish the night with a tasty traditional meal (and wine or beer) at a gourmet Costa Rican restaurant.

Escape the city and spend the day surrounded by nature on this private tour from San José. Discover towering waterfalls hidden by lush jungle, walk over hanging bridges for a unique perspective on the local flora and fauna, and relax in a thermal spa with more than 25 pools. This excursion has everything you need to feel rejuvenated, while offering the best views of the Arenal Volcano.

Our company focuses on going beyond what first meets the eye, this means that we'll guide you through the jungle with a naturalist spirit, full of curiosity and wonder. We have designed this experience to go deep into the tropical forest and also have a dose of relaxing but exciting time while jumping on a boat ride that will leave you amazed by the biodiversity and richness of a mostly overlooked destination. We carefully design every stop in order to support local families and businesses to get you closer to the costarican culture and to let our Pura Vida lifestyle embrace you. • The only birdwatching and wildlife One Day Tour to Carara National Park • Walk the trails of the most important forest in the Central Pacific side-by-side with our biologists • Embark with us on a boat journey • A percentage of the earnings goes to Funga Conservation, a non-profit foundation. • Small-group tour with a maximum of 4 people ensures an intimate experience

Spend a day exploring Costa Rica's rich wildlife on this tour to a coffee plantation, waterfall, and volcanic lagoon from San Jose. After learning how coffee is harvested and roasted on a coffee farm tour, head to Poas Volcano National Park and La Paz Waterfall Gardens for a chance to see animals like birds, butterflies, and monkeys in their beautiful natural habitats.

Traveling to the Caribbean coast from San Jose is a big trip, but this tour makes it possible to achieve in just one day. Private transportation makes it possible to breeze straight across the country to Cahuita National Park, known for its picture-perfect beaches and turquoise waters. When you arrive, your guide takes you to park highlights to make sure you get the most out of your trip.

Save yourself the hassle of planning your eight-day Costa Rica excursion, and leave the itinerary, accommodation, and most meals to the experts. In just over a week you can explore many of Costa Rica's highlights, such as national parks, coffee plantations, volcanoes, and activities like river rafting, zip-lining, and much more. The tour includes a lot of variety and will appeal to travelers with a wide range of interests.