Top San Jose Private Sightseeing Tours

Escape the city and experience San Jose’s surrounding nature in the most relaxing way possible—with this private, full-day tour to waterfalls, gardens, and hot springs. Picked up from your hotel, you’ll traverse the countryside until you reach the rainforest, where you’ll explore gardens, spot sloths, and get misted by waterfalls. Then you’ll head to nearby hot springs for lunch, a soak under the Arenal Volcano, optional spa treatments, and more.

Switch up your daily routine with this enchanting night walk tour that takes you on a journey into the forest after dark. Discover the vibrant nocturnal wildlife in action during this 2-hour tour through a transitional forest. Led by a private guide, stop to spot a variety of mammals, birds, and insects that exhibit unique behaviors at night. Ideal for families seeking adventure, explore the area and observe everything from sleeping birds to creepy crawlers.

Enjoy a private tour to Manuel Antonio National Park from San José with a naturalist guide and professional photographer. Includes high-quality photos, drone videos, private transport, and time to relax at Espadilla Beach. Support local businesses and travel stress-free.

Discover the highlights of San Jose, Costa Rica on this self-guided walk that takes you to the most interesting monuments, buildings, museums and tells you their stories. This tour is the perfect introduction to the city for first time visitors. You will learn how coffee culture shaped this city, hear the surprising story behind the national monument and find out what different museums have to offer. On this tour you will discover 12 different spots and end at a market. You can decide which spots you want to enter and explore further and pause wherever you wish to.

San Jose is the cultural capital of Costa Rica and boasts a rich and varied history. Get acquainted with the city’s charms on a private tour, featuring a customizable itinerary of must-see attractions and private transportation through the city’s maze of trafficked avenues.

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.

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.

Just 90 minutes from San Jose lies a world of fiery, steaming, white-hot adventure, and with this private tour, you’ll walk into it yourself. Picked up from your hotel, you’ll make the drive to Poas Volcano National Park, where you’ll literally step into the volcanic crater. After getting your fill of this lava land, you’ll cool down with stops at a bucolic farm, coffee plantation, or other Alajuela attractions.

Discover the natural beauty of Panama with an exciting ATV tour of the dry forest and Ensenada Beach. Drive through stunning scenery while exploring local wildlife and enjoying unique views. The tour includes a short walk along the Mata Ahogao River, where you can appreciate the biodiversity of the area, before relaxing on the Pacific coast at La Ensenada beach. An ideal adventure for nature and adrenaline lovers. Important Information: One ATV Team will be assigned for every two people. A minimum of 1 person is required for the tour.

Marvel at one of Costa Rica's most impressive volcanoes and get close to its enchanting wildlife on this 2-in-1 combo tour. Stand above the steaming fumaroles and lake-filled crater of Poas Volcano with direct summit access, and then admire smaller-scale natural wonders at the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, a beautifully landscaped animal sanctuary. A typical Costa Rican lunch and hotel pickup complete this all-inclusive tour.

Explore the artistic sculptures of La Chimba without the need to walk, on this guided tour in 4x4. Meet Costa Rica’s iconic Mantra Hand, Buddha and Letters while enjoying panoramic views of the Central Valley. Each stop allows you to briefly explore the art and culture of the place, with a professional guide sharing enriching stories. The tour culminates with a coffee tasting, where you can taste the local flavors and learn about the coffee traditions of Costa Rica. This tour is designed for all ages and fitness levels, being an ideal choice for families and those looking for comfort in their adventures. - Tour in a guided 4x4 vehicle to easily access all the main sculptures - Enjoy breathtaking panoramic views of the Central Valley - Participate in a Costa Rican coffee tasting and explore the Coffee Experience area - Departures every hour from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM, adapting to any schedule

See the active Irazu Volcano and other highlights of Costa Rica’s Cartago province at your own pace on a private tour from San Jose. Reach the summit of the peak known by locals as ‘El Colosso,’ famous for its modern eruptions and lake-filled craters. Soak up regional culture in the artsy, historic town of Orosi, and spend the afternoon relaxing in mineral-rich hot springs and dining at a volcanic resort.

Discover one of Costa Rica’s best-kept secrets on this private, all-inclusive journey to Playa Quesera — a secluded paradise of turquoise waters and white sand, known only to locals. Cross the Gulf of Nicoya by ferry and boat, explore the lush Curú Wildlife Refuge, and enjoy authentic coastal flavors along the way. This experience blends natural beauty, cultural insight, and personalized service for a truly exclusive day at the beach — far from the crowds, close to the real Costa Rica.

It is a private family reserve, managed by local national owners who are dedicated to forest conservation and tourism. Thanks to our exceptional location and easy access to our private reserve, nestled in the heart of Costa Rica’s vibrant rainforest, you can easily see the wonderful flora and fauna of the site What makes our tour special is the quality of our tour guides, always gentle and willing to share their knowledge about nature; our paths, composed of cement and gravel, guarantee excellent accessibility; and you will be provided with high quality lanterns to discover the various living things that the wonderful forest gives us. It should be noted that this is a tour suitable for the whole family, designed to enjoy without great difficulties. By visiting us, you will actively contribute to the preservation of the flora and fauna species of Sarapiquí.

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.

This day we will leave your Hotel for the Poás de Alajuela area, we will make a stop for a brief explanation about our golden grain, the coffee where we will stop to see the coffee bushes, also having the opportunity to take a photograph of the Ventral Valley and from the coffee plantation. We will continue the tour through fern, flower and strawberry crops. .

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.

Seeing Costa Rica’s wildlife is great—getting up-close encounters on a private tour, led by a naturalist guide, is even better. Picked up from your San Jose hotel, you’ll head to one of the best wildlife rescue centers in the country to spot tapirs, spider monkeys, pumas, peacocks, and more in their natural habitat. Great for all ages, you’ll get to discover this world and get all your questions answered.

Thanks to its warm waters and lushly forested shores, the Pacuare River is widely considered one of the most beautiful rivers in Costa Rica. This white-water rafting tour from San Jose is a fun and exciting way to experience the river in just one day. Go up against class III and IV rapids along with a guide who helps you spot wildlife like blue morpho butterflies, sloths, and toucans along the way. Then, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before heading back to San Jose.

It is a tour where you will see all the traditions that our grandparents lived in their towns and dances and the food that is a delight for all people and everything with the flavor of our Grandparents And the most important thing is to see our Capital at night in the distance and then return to our hotels, it is an experience of knowing our customs of our ancestors.

Explore three levels of lush Costa Rican rainforest from the floor to the canopy on an Aerial Tram tour of Braulio Carrillo National Park. Learn about local flora and fauna as you walk along nature trails, explore specialty gardens, and glide over treetops in an aerial tram for unrivaled views of the natural landscapes.

With its cascading waterfalls and abundant wildlife, the Pacuare River is rightfully famous for its natural beauty. Paddle through the river gorge, navigating 52 Class II-IV rapids as you go, on this 12-hour trip from San Jose. Take in views of the tropical rain forest and wildlife such as sloths, parrots, and toucans as you ride the river (and your adrenaline rush) over the course of the day.

Combine Costa Rica’s best sensations into one with this private full-day tour. First, you’ll sink deep into the wild rainforest, where you’ll learn all about the country’s obsession with chocolate—and you’ll taste some of the best, too. After your time on land, you’ll soak in Baldi Hot Springs, heated by the Arenal volcano, taking in the views and that Costa Rica feeling. Hotel pickup is included for your convenience.