Costa Rica is an active adventurer’s delight, offering exhilarating and unforgettable adventures through its lush rainforests, wild rivers, and tranquil beaches. This 13-day journey is thoughtfully crafted to blend invigorating physical pursuits like whitewater rafting, hiking, and stand-up paddleboarding with opportunities to see abundant wildlife in some of the country’s most diverse landscapes.
Kickstart your adventure in the vibrant capital city of San Jose before heading deep into the rainforests of the Pacuare region. You will stay at a remote eco-lodge that you will access by a whitewater rafting journey down the Pacuare River, surrounded by frothy white rapids and the sounds of monkeys chattering and birds calling overhead. Explore the region’s cascading waterfalls, lively canopies, and rugged canyons on thrilling, lodge-based excursions with your expert naturalist guide.
After an introduction to Costa Rica’s rainforest ecosystems you will head to a remote stretch of the Pacific Coast to check out the sea turtles, manatees, and myriad bird species at Tortuguero National Park. Explore the intricate network of canals and waterways by kayak, hike to the summit of Cerro Tortuguero, or immerse yourself in the local culture during a guided village tour. It’s then time to head inland to the iconic landscapes of the Arenal Volcano, where you can hike to scenic vistas, swim in natural pools beneath enchanting waterfalls, and glide down cables strung across the lush forest canopy.
You will wind down your active Costa Rican adventure on the Pacific Ocean at the coastal paradise of Manual Antonio National Park. Hike the Park’s trails with your expert guide to spot sloths, monkeys, and exotic birds, and explore the cerulean waters of the Pacific on a stand-up paddleboard. Return to your luxurious eco-resort at the end of each adventure and say hello to the resident iguanas, sloths, and monkeys as you sip a cocktail besides the pool, looking out across the ocean vistas below.
After 13 days of exploring Costa Rica by raft, kayak, foot, and zipline, you will return to San Jose to begin your journey home.
Welcome to San Jose, Costa Rica’s mountainous capital city! You will be met upon arrival at the airport and transferred to your hotel by your private driver. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to relax in the hotel or explore the local neighborhood.
You will enjoy an early morning private transfer to the Pacuare River, stopping along the way to enjoy a traditional Costa Rican breakfast. Once at the river, you will load up a raft and spend the next hour rafting through lush, primordial rainforest to get to your lodge. Your options for the afternoon include a waterfall hike, canopy adventure, or canyoning tour.
Today is yours to choose from the many adventures on offer at Pacuare Lodge. Rise early for a morning birdwatching tour, get your adrenaline pumping on a class III-IV rafting trip, or hike to a cascading waterfall and take an afternoon swim. After a sumptuous dinner, end the day with a nocturnal nature walk, looking for porcupines, snakes, tree frogs, and other critters that go bump in the night.
After breakfast you will depart Pacuare Lodge by raft, enjoying a three-hour journey down the river. You will float through the narrow canyons and majestic rainforest, passing spectacular waterfalls and stopping for a riverside picnic lunch. After drying out at the take-out, your private driver will take you to Tortuguero National Park, where a boat will transfer you to the lodge.
You will have two full days to partake in the exhilarating array of eco-adventures offered at Tortuga Lodge. Kayak the mystical canals of the National Park with your naturalist guide, keeping an eye out for grazing manatees in the placid waters and spider monkeys crashing through the trees overhead. Hike to the summit of Cerro Tortuguero with your guide, learning all about the sloths, monkeys, and poison dart frogs who call this mystical forest home. Get a glimpse of the fascinating history of Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast on a two-hour walking tour of Tortuguero Village. No matter what your desired activity level is, there are endless options for active explorations based from the lodge.
After breakfast enjoy a shared boat transfer back to La Pavona dock, where you will be met by your private driver. On your way to La Fortuna you will stop to enjoy a half-day tour of Pierella Ecological Garden, a tranquil ecological reserve teeming with butterflies, frogs, birds, sloths and more. You will end your day at Amor Arenal Hotel, nestled in the verdant foothills of the Arenal Volcano.
You will start the day with a guided hike of the Arenal Observatory, one of the top places in La Fortuna for wildlife viewing. You will then head to the Arenal Volcano and El Silencio Private Reserve to get up close to the volcano and learn all about its history. After a day full of scenic hiking and spotting toucans, hummingbirds, monkeys, and peccaries, unwind with a soak in the heated plunge pool at your casita, listening to the chorus of the rainforest around you.
Today is an exhilarating day of exploring the canyons, waterfalls, and forest canopy of Arenal! Start the day with a gondola ride through the rainforest and then zip your way back down on an exhilarating canopy tour. Stretch your legs with a hike to La Catarata La Fortuna and cool off at the natural swimming pool. After refueling with a delicious lunch, you will spend the afternoon rappelling down a series of canyon walls and waterfalls during a guided canyoning adventure.
After breakfast your private driver will transfer you through the lush Costa Rican countryside to the Central Pacific coast, stopping to enjoy lunch along the way. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure at your hotel, perhaps walking the grounds and saying hello to some of the resident iguanas, monkeys, sloths, and toucans.
You will have two full days to explore private beaches, marvel at abundant wildlife, and take in the scenic vistas of Manual Antonio National Park. One day includes a half-day guided nature walk in the Park and the other includes a private guided stand-up paddleboard (SUP) excursion. During your downtime, you can walk to your choice of two beautiful beaches, amble through Manual Antonio town to browse the shops, or take a dip in the resort’s amazing infinity pool while gazing out toward the ocean in search of whales.
This morning you will say hasta luego to Costa Rica’s pristine beaches and mystical rainforests as your private transfer takes you back to San Jose to catch your international departing flight back home.
Other accommodations are available. Please call to see what may fit your style of travel best.
