Private shuttle · door-to-door
Private Shuttle from Uvita (Costa Ballena) to La Fortuna
Leaving the Costa Ballena for Arenal? We collect you at your hotel or villa in Uvita and drive you north along the Costanera and over the mountains to La Fortuna. The fare is per vehicle, not per person, and taxes are already in it.
- Private vehicle
- Door-to-door
- Taxes & tolls included
- Child seats free
- 24/7
The service
Your private transfer from Uvita to La Fortuna
A private transfer means the vehicle is reserved for your group alone. We collect you at your accommodation in Uvita at the time you choose and drive straight to the door of your hotel in La Fortuna, with stops only when you ask for them.
The fare is per vehicle and final: taxes, tolls, fuel, insurance, bottled water, WiFi and child seats are included, and there is nothing to pay the driver. Choose Standard to go direct, or add Tropical Experts VIP (+$80) for one to two hours of sightseeing stops.
Leaving Uvita
From Uvita to La Fortuna: the logistics
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.
We collect you at your hotel or villa in Uvita. Many villas are up in the hills on steep roads, some of them gravel; all our vehicles drive them, but send us the location pin and the gate details when you book.
Once you are in La Fortuna you are close to everything the area is known for: the La Fortuna waterfall, the national park trails, the hot rivers and the lake. The driver leaves you at your hotel door and can point you to a good place for dinner.
We confirm the pickup time with you when you book. With approximately 6 h of driving, many travellers leave Uvita after breakfast so they reach La Fortuna with time to spare.
Before you go
Before you leave Uvita
Tide times
If you want a last walk on the whale's tail, check the low tide and plan the pickup after it.
Gate details
Hillside villas: send the driver the gate code or meeting point the day before.
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
- The Costanera Sur (Route 34) north past Quepos and Jacó, inland to San Ramón, then Route 702 to La Fortuna
- First stretch
- Hill roads down to Uvita and Route 34 northbound
From the hills of Uvita the van drops down to Route 34 and heads north, past Dominical, through the palm plantations to Quepos and on along the coast.
From there it turns inland and climbs to San Ramón, then crosses the mountains on Route 702 down to the San Carlos plains and La Fortuna. It is a long day, best started early.
Along the way
What you'll see between Uvita and La Fortuna
From Uvita to the volcano, the view changes along the way:
Costa Ballena viewpoints
Route 34 between Dominical and Uvita has wide views over the coast and its long beaches.
The Tárcoles River bridge
Crocodiles on the sandbanks below the bridge on Route 34, a classic stop on the way.
Oil-palm country
Between Parrita and Quepos the highway crosses kilometres of African oil-palm plantations laid out in neat rows.
Tropical Experts VIP
VIP stops on this route
Our VIP upgrade (+$80 per vehicle) turns the transfer into a short tour: one to two hours of stops chosen with you, a bilingual driver-guide, a welcome kit and sparkling water on board. It is available on any route in the country. Ideas for this one:
Tárcoles River bridge
A stop at the bridge on Route 34 to see the American crocodiles resting on the sandbanks below.
Extra hours of stops cost $35 each, up to 4. Tell us what you would like to see when you book and we plan the timing around it. Standard goes direct, with a restroom break whenever you need it.
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.
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
- If your villa is high in the hills, give the driver a call before the pickup so you can meet at the gate.
- Plan a morning departure: you reach La Fortuna before dark after about 6 hours of driving.
- Book the pickup for the morning; this is a full-day trip and La Fortuna is best reached before dark.
- 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.
“The van was on time, assisted us with our luggage… His English is extremely good… you will be taken care of to the highest regard.”
Read all our reviews on Google and TripAdvisor.
Questions
Frequently asked questions: Uvita → La Fortuna
How long is the drive from Uvita to La Fortuna?
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 Uvita to La Fortuna?
$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 we split the long drive to La Fortuna?
Yes. Many travellers stop a night in Manuel Antonio or Jacó; we can book two transfers instead of one.
Pick-up and drop-off
Hotels we drive to in La Fortuna
Any hotel in the La Fortuna area, door to door. A few examples, plus every hotel with a surcharge:
Drop-off and pickup
Hotels we pick up from 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
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
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