Costa Rica Self Drive Holidays

Renting your own set of wheels can be one of the most rewarding ways to explore Costa Rica. Without schedule constraints you have the freedom to travel at your own pace, with opportunities to stop and discover interesting people and places along the way.

However, it is important to become familiar with driving rules and regulations, road conditions and safety measures. A combination of unpredictable road conditions and aggressive drivers calls for visitors to be cautious whether navigating busy city streets or winding mountain roads. Plan your route ahead of time and check your map when needed.

THE VEHICLE

The type of vehicle you get will be stated on your quote from Experience Costa Rica. For travel to many of Costa Rica’s popular vacation destinations (Arenal, Manuel Antonio, Tamarindo, etc.), a standard, non-4WD vehicle is sufficient. If Monteverde or some of the country’s more remote areas like the Caribbean or the Osa Peninsula are on your itinerary, a 4WD vehicle will be necessary.

Unlimited mileage is included for all days of your tour for the vehicle. The vehicle pickup and drop off times and locations will be informed on confirmation of the tour. A deposit of US$ 100 must be paid to cover any damage to the vehicle due to careless behaviour.

CELLULAR PHONE

Available and free of charge for clients of Experience Costa Rica. A deposit of US$ 150 must be paid to cover any damage or loss. The insurance does not cover this risk. With the phone you can take local calls and receive local and international calls free of charge. It’s not possible to make international calls from the phone.

GPS (GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)

This is generally offered with the vehicle due to the poorly marked road system in Costa Rica where it is very easy to get lost, especially if you are a first time visitor. A deposit of US$ 300 must be paid to cover any damage or loss. Insurance does not cover this risk.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES PROVIDED

The documentation handed over to you at the beginning of your tour includes a detailed road map, hotel vouchers and information about the country. Clients with pre-booked itineraries are provided with an individually elaborated route plan with information on distance/ driving time and all hotel vouchers include a map with the exact location of the hotels and the phone number of the front desk.

NOTE: All above deposits will be released upon undamaged return of the rental item