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Private tours in Costa RicaCosta Rica with your own driver

Private tours in Costa Rica that start at your hotel in San José or La Fortuna, with a car and a driver for your group alone.

  • 10private tours
  • 2departure cities
  • €150starting price per group
  • 24hfree cancellation before pick-up
San José seen from the air in the morning
Photo by César Badilla Miranda on Unsplash

Costa Rica has active volcanoes, cloud forest, coffee farms and a Pacific coast within a day's drive of its two main bases. Our private tours in Costa Rica leave from San José, the capital in the Central Valley, and from La Fortuna, the town below Arenal Volcano. The car and the driver are yours for the day, so you set the pace and can change the order of the stops as you go.

From San José you can stand on the crater rims of Poás and Irazú, see the basilica in Cartago and the colonial church in the Orosi Valley, visit a coffee farm and the painted oxcarts of Sarchí, or drive down to the Pacific for Manuel Antonio National Park, with a stop at the crocodile bridge over the Tárcoles river. A four-hour city tour covers the National Theatre, the Central Market and Barrio Amón.

From La Fortuna the days turn around Arenal: the old lava trails of the national park, La Fortuna Waterfall, the hanging bridges at Mistico and the shore of Lake Arenal. Longer days go to the sky-blue river of Río Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park and up to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. To compare them, read our guides to day trips from San José and day trips from La Fortuna.

All 10 private tours in Costa Rica

TripLengthLeavesPrice
San José Private City Tour: National Theatre, Central Market and Barrio Amón4h07:00from €260
Poás Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens Private Day Trip from San José9h07:00from €450
Irazú Volcano, Cartago and the Orosi Valley Private Day Trip from San José9h07:00from €360
Coffee Farm, Grecia and Sarchí Private Tour from San José6h07:00from €370
Manuel Antonio National Park Private Day Trip from San José12h07:00from €310
Arenal Volcano National Park Private Tour from La Fortuna5h07:00from €150
La Fortuna Waterfall, Hanging Bridges and Arenal Volcano Private Day Tour8h07:00from €440
Río Celeste and Tenorio Volcano National Park Private Day Trip from La Fortuna9h07:00from €500
Monteverde Cloud Forest Private Day Trip from La Fortuna12h07:00from €750
Arenal Hanging Bridges and Lake Arenal Private Tour from La Fortuna4h07:00from €150

Prices are starting prices and depend on the size of your group.

Private tours from San José

A half-day tour of the capital, and full days to the craters of Poás and Irazú, the coffee country of Grecia and Sarchí, and the Pacific coast at Manuel Antonio. Pick-up in the centre, Escazú, Santa Ana, Heredia or Alajuela.

Not sure which to pick? Read our guide to day trips from San José

Private tours from La Fortuna

Half days in Arenal Volcano National Park and on the hanging bridges, a full day with La Fortuna Waterfall, and longer trips to Río Celeste and the Monteverde cloud forest.

Not sure which to pick? Read our guide to day trips from La Fortuna

When to go to Costa Rica

The weather depends on where you are. Costa Rica's tourism board gives the Central Valley, around San José, a dry season of roughly December to March and a rainy season of roughly May to October, with a short dry spell around the end of June. On the central Pacific, where Manuel Antonio lies, the dry season is shorter, January to March, and the rains start in early May.

Around Arenal it can rain in any month. Rain is most common in May and June and again from September to November, and January to April is usually the driest stretch. Río Celeste is at its bluest in the dry season, from December to April; heavy rain can turn it cloudy at any time of year.

Whatever the month, mornings are usually the clearest time at the volcanoes. Cloud often covers the summit of Irazú by late morning, which is why the volcano days leave at 07:00 and go to the crater first.

Good to know before you go

Book national park tickets online

Poás, Irazú, Manuel Antonio and Tenorio (Río Celeste) sell entry only online through SINAC, the national parks service, for a set time, and not at the gate. Book the slot that matches the tour's arrival before the day, and carry the passport you booked with. Park tickets are not included in the tour price. Rules change, so check before you travel.

Manuel Antonio is closed on Tuesdays

The park is open from 07:00 to 16:00 on the other days. Tickets often sell out, so book as soon as you have your date.

Volcano parks can close

Poás is an active volcano. Its park was shut from March to July 2025 during an eruptive phase, and again for a week in January 2026 while the access bridge was repaired. If a park closes before your date, we tell you and suggest another route.

A card for Arenal

The official tourism board says the entrance to Arenal Volcano National Park is paid by credit or debit card only, with no cash, and advises buying tickets in advance.

How our private tours work

  • Your own car and driver for the day, for your group alone.
  • The price is for the whole vehicle and depends on the size of your group.
  • Book and pay online on the tour page; the confirmation arrives by email straight away.
  • Free cancellation up to 24 hours before pick-up, with a full refund.

Planning guides for Costa Rica

Questions about private tours in Costa Rica

How much does a private tour in Costa Rica cost?

It depends on the tour and the size of your group, from €150. You pay for the vehicle, not per seat: up to four people travel in a sedan, up to eight in a van, and larger groups in two vehicles. Choose your group size on each tour page.

Where do the tours start?

At your hotel or apartment in San José and La Fortuna. Half-day tours start at 07:00 or 13:00; full days start at 07:00.

Is a guide included?

No. The price covers the vehicle, the driver, fuel, tolls and parking. On the Arenal and Manuel Antonio days a naturalist guide helps you spot wildlife, and we can arrange one at extra cost.

Can we change the stops?

Yes. The car is yours, so the order and the time at each stop can change on the day. The fixed points are the park tickets with a set entry time.

What is the best day trip from San José?

It depends on what you want. For a volcano crater, Poás or Irazú, with Cartago and the Orosi Valley on the Irazú day. For rainforest and beaches, Manuel Antonio, a 12-hour day. For a short, easy day, the coffee farm, Grecia and Sarchí.

Can we cancel?

Yes. Cancel up to 24 hours before pick-up for a full refund.

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