Private shuttle · door-to-door
Private Shuttle from La Fortuna to Uvita (Costa Ballena)
Going whale-watching, or to see the whale's tail at Marino Ballena? We pick you up in La Fortuna and drive you down the Pacific coast to your hotel or villa in Uvita. You pay one flat fare for the vehicle, with taxes and tolls included.
- Private vehicle
- Door-to-door
- Taxes & tolls included
- Child seats free
- 24/7
The service
Your private transfer from La Fortuna to Uvita
This is a door-to-door service. We pick you up at reception in La Fortuna, you travel with your own group in a vehicle reserved for you, and we drop you at the entrance of your hotel, rental or house in Uvita. Rest stops happen when you want them.
What you see is what you pay, per vehicle: fuel, tolls, taxes, insurance, water, WiFi and child seats are all in the price. Standard is the direct trip; VIP adds $80 per vehicle and turns the drive into a day with stops.
Your destination
Arriving in Uvita
Uvita is the heart of the Costa Ballena, the coast named after the humpback whales that visit it. Its best-known sight is the Marino Ballena National Park, where a sandbar and rocky reef at Punta Uvita form the shape of a whale's tail, best seen at low tide. Humpbacks from both hemispheres pass through these waters at different times of year, which makes whale-watching possible over several months.
The village itself is small, with supermarkets, sodas and tour offices along Route 34, while hotels and villas are spread over the green hills behind it, often with long ocean views. Among the places we drive to are Kurà Design Villas, Oxygen Jungle Villas and Hotel Cristal Ballena.
We confirm the pickup time with you when you book. With approximately 6 h of driving ahead, most travellers leave La Fortuna in the morning so they arrive in daylight.
In Uvita
What to do in Uvita
The whale's tail at low tide
Walk out onto the sandbar at Punta Uvita in Marino Ballena National Park when the tide is out.
Whale-watching
Boat tours from Uvita in the seasons when humpbacks are present.
Waterfalls in the hills
Several small waterfalls and swimming holes lie a short drive inland.
The route
What to expect on the drive
- Distance
- about 270 km between the town centres (our measurement, approx.)
- Driving time
- approx. 6 h without stops (our fare table)
- Main roads
- Route 702 to San Ramón, down to the coast, then the Costanera Sur (Route 34) south past Quepos
- Last stretch
- Route 34 through Dominical to Uvita, then hill roads to the villas
South of Quepos the highway runs between the sea and the mountains of the Fila Costeña, through oil-palm plantations and over countless rivers. The coast gets wilder and greener the further south you go.
South of Dominical the Costanera follows the coast closely, with the mountains of the Fila Costeña rising right behind the beaches. Uvita is a few minutes further on, and many of its hotels are up side roads in the hills.
Along the way
What you'll see between La Fortuna and Uvita
The landscape changes several times between Arenal and Uvita. This is what passes the window:
Oil-palm country
Between Parrita and Quepos the highway crosses kilometres of African oil-palm plantations laid out in neat rows.
The Fila Costeña
The coastal mountain range rises steeply behind the South Pacific beaches, with waterfalls visible from the road after rain.
The whale's tail
From the hills you can sometimes see the sandbar at Punta Uvita that gives Marino Ballena National Park its famous shape.
Costa Ballena viewpoints
Route 34 between Dominical and Uvita has wide views over the coast and its long beaches.
Tropical Experts VIP
VIP stops on this route
With Tropical Experts VIP (+$80 per vehicle) the transfer includes one to two hours of sightseeing stops, a bilingual driver who doubles as your guide, a welcome kit with local beers, soft drinks and bocas, and sparkling water on board. VIP stops are available on any route in the country. On this one, you can ask for:
Tárcoles River bridge
A stop at the bridge on Route 34 to see the American crocodiles resting on the sandbanks below.
Each additional hour of stops is $35, with a maximum of 4. Not booking VIP? Standard still includes a restroom or snack break on request.
Before you travel
Road conditions and 2026 roadworks
Route 34, the Costanera Sur, is wide and paved all the way south but it carries trucks and weekend beach traffic around Jacó. Route 702 over the mountains is narrow, winding and often foggy on the high part, with a rough stretch reported in 2026 between Ángeles Sur and Bajo Rodríguez.
Route 34 is paved and good; the long driving time comes from the distance and the mountain crossing near Arenal. Hill roads to villas around Uvita can be very steep and partly gravel, and slippery after rain.
If we cannot run the transfer because of a road closure or extreme weather, you choose between a new date and a full refund.
From the road
Driver's tips for this route
- Have cash in colones for fruit stands and small sodas along the Costanera.
- Check the tide table before visiting the whale's tail: it is only fully exposed at low tide.
- Bring cash in colones; ATMs in the village can run out at busy weekends.
- Travelling with children? Tell us their ages and weights when you book and the right child seat will be installed, free of charge.
Fares
Prices for this route
Per vehicle, in US dollars, taxes included.
| Vehicle | Passengers | Large bags | Standard | VIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Hyundai Staria1–5 passengers |
1–5 | 5 | $415 | $495 |
 Toyota Hiace6–9 passengers |
6–9 | 9 | $460 | $540 |
 Maxus V9010–12 passengers |
10–12 | 12 | $545 | $625 |
Extra hour of stops: $35, up to 4. Hotels with a surcharge are listed below.
Google reviews
What travellers say
Short excerpts from real Google reviews of Tropical Experts Costa Rica.
“Muy agradable el servicio, nos encantó.”
Read all our reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: La Fortuna → Uvita
How long is the drive from La Fortuna to Uvita?
Approximately 6 h of driving according to our fare table, for about 270 km. Stops, rain and traffic come on top of that; with VIP, add the one to two hours of sightseeing stops.
How much is a private shuttle from La Fortuna to Uvita?
$415 in a Hyundai Staria (1–5 passengers), $460 in a Toyota Hiace (6–9) and $545 in a Maxus V90 (10–12). Prices are per vehicle, in US dollars, with taxes included. VIP adds $80 per vehicle.
Is there a place to eat on such a long drive?
Yes. There are sodas and restaurants along the Costanera and in the mountain towns, and the driver stops whenever you ask. With VIP you can turn a meal into one of the planned stops.
When is whale season in Uvita?
Humpbacks arrive from the southern hemisphere roughly from July to October and from the northern hemisphere roughly from December to April. Sightings vary year to year; tours are booked with local operators.
Can you drive up to villas in the Uvita hills?
Yes. All our vehicles enter steep and gravel roads. Send us the location pin and any gate code or contact when you book.
Can you drop us in Uvita village before going up to the villa?
Yes. A quick stop at a supermarket in the village before going up the hill is easy to arrange.
Every private transfer
What's included
- Pickup at your door at the time agreed when you book
- A private vehicle for your group only, door to door
- Professional driver and full-cover insurance
- Fuel, tolls and taxes (VAT) — nothing to pay the driver
- Child seats at no cost, on request
- Free cancellation up to 48 h before pickup
Drop-off and pickup
Hotels we drive to in Uvita
These are some of the hotels in Uvita that our calculator already lists. We go to any address in the area: if yours is not here, write it in the booking.
- Kurà Design Villas
- Oxygen Jungle Villas
- Hotel Cristal Ballena
Pick-up and drop-off
Hotels we pick up from in La Fortuna
Any hotel in the La Fortuna area, door to door. A few examples, plus every hotel with a surcharge:
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