This trip has an optional pre-trip extension
Note: you can book a pre-trip extension to Panama!
This trip has an optional extension
Note: you can book a post-trip extension to Nicaragua!
Itinerary Details
Upon your arrival at San Jose, you will be met by a Rahhalah representative who will take you to the hotel. You will enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace, until early in the evening, when you will meet your trip leader who will brief you about the details of your upcoming adventure. Accommodation: Hotel Best Western Irazu or similar.
After breakfast, you will check-out and head to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific coast (approx. a 4-hour drive). Manuel Antonio consists of several beautiful beaches, lush forests growing up to the beaches’ edge, easy walking trails, and abundant wildlife. The park´s outstanding beauty was recognized recently when Forbes Magazine listed it as one of the World’s 12 Most Beautiful National Parks. The area outside the park offers visitors a wide variety of gorgeous hotels, excellent restaurants, and many optional activities such as rafting, surf lessons, and horseback riding. Enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace. Accommodation: Hotel Costa Verde Manuel Antonio or similar.
Today you will hike in the Manuel Antonio National Park under the guidance of a local naturalist guide. Best known for its gorgeous beaches, the park is also an important refuge for rare rainforest trees and wildlife. Here you can see white-faced capuchins, squirrel monkeys, sloths, racoons, agoutis, black and scarlet land crabs, iguanas and a variety of birds.
After your hike, you will have time to enjoy the beaches and the warm tropical waters of the Pacific Ocean.
The rest of the day is free for you to explore the area at your own pace. Accommodation: Hotel Costa Verde Manuel Antonio or similar.
After an early breakfast, you will check-out and head to La Fortuna (approx. a 4-hour drive). Located northwest of the capital of San Jose, the little Costa Rican town of La Fortuna rests at the foot of the majestic Arenal Volcano. La Fortuna serves as an excellent base for the exploration of the beautiful surrounding area, being the gateway to the scenic Arenal Volcano National Park. Prepare to enjoy magnificent views of the volcano towering over the town, some spectacular landscapes from numerous viewpoints or along the rainforest hiking trails, and the relaxing ambience of the hot springs. Upon your arrival, you will head to the Arenal Volcano National Park for a few hours of exploration. The Arenal Volcano National Park is a protected area in northern Costa Rica. It is known for its hot springs, active Arenal Volcano, and wildlife that includes jaguars and tree frogs. In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to relax, soaking in the waters of the Ecotermales Hot Springs. ECOTERMALES HOT SPRINGS This is a family-run hot springs resort featuring volcanically heated pools. The facility offers separate changing rooms for women and men, each equipped with hot showers, lockers and toilets. The landscaping includes a regenerating forest and attractive tropical plants. Note: bring a towel, bathing suit, insect repellent, water shoes or sandals, and a camera. After your hot springs experience, you will be driven to your hotel in the Arenal area. Accommodation: Lomas del Volcan Hotel or similar.
After breakfast, you will head to the Sarapiqui area (approximately a 1.5-hour drive). Upon your arrival, you will go through the safety brief, the gear, the commands, and the paddling instructions by a certified guide, before proceeding to the river for your rafting adventure. This rafting tour offers class II-III rapids with names like “Roller Coaster”, “Superman”, and “Air Force”, and it will undoubtedly fascinate you. Note: bring comfortable clothing, water shoes, swimming suit, sunblock, a towel and a change of clothes. Afterwards, you will return to the Arenal area to enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace, exploring the city or signing up for optional activities. Accommodation: Lomas del Volcan Hotel or similar.
After breakfast, you will check-out from the hotel, and you will head towards the Arenal Hanging bridges for a brief exploration. Arenal Hanging Bridges is a complex of suspension bridges and trails through the rainforest. As the terrain undulates, the trail crosses ravines with small waterfalls and travels over bridges with panoramic vistas over the treetops or views of the Arenal Volcano. As you walk, you may encounter some of the region’s wildlife including toucans, poison dart frogs, spiders and white-faced capuchin monkeys. The 1.5-mile trail is an easy walk for people in good condition and loops back to the starting point. Note: bring comfortable clothing, hiking shoes, insect repellent, camera, binoculars, sunscreen and rain gear. Later, you will head towards Monteverde (an approximately 3-hour drive). The Monteverde Cloud Forest is one of the world’s premier destinations for naturalists. Much of its native wildlife is unique. In addition to hiking through the forest, visitors can enjoy many other activities or attractions, including horseback riding, dining in numerous restaurants, live frog and butterfly exhibits, bird watching, crafts and gift shopping, zipline tours, bridge walks, a native orchid garden and more. Upon your arrival, check-in to the hotel & rest of the evening is free for you to explore the area at your own pace. Accommodation: Hotel Poco a Poco or similar.
After an early breakfast, you will embark on a hike along the different trails of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve (approx. 2.5 – 3 hours). The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is one of the premier natural history destinations in Costa Rica. The forest is dominated by trees densely covered with mats of small plants known as epiphytes that include mosses, lichens, orchids, ferns and bromeliads. This cool, very green and often misty forest is home to a variety of wildlife. During your guided tour you may encounter monkeys, coatimundis, agoutis and birds such as Toucanets, Chlorophonias and seasonally Bellbirds and crimson and green Resplendent Quetzals. Note: bring hiking shoes, raincoat, camera, and insect repellent. In the afternoon, you will embark on a thrilling, ziplining adventure with spectacular views of mountains, forest and valleys. The Monteverde Sky Tram/Sky Trek combines a ski lift ride with a zipline adventure in a cloud forest. The Sky Tram is a guided ride with short stops to observe the wonders of the cloud forest, while the Sky Trek is a zipline ride through a 4-km mountain stretch. Prepare to glide along a cable 760 m long at a speed of 65 km per hour, 160 m above the ground! Five observation towers en route rise above the trees offering exhilarating panoramic views. The tour begins with the Sky Tram bringing you up the mountain on the Continental Divide, and then you glide down on the Sky Trek zip lines. Note: bring hiking shoes, jacket, insect repellent and sunscreen. Enjoy the rest of the evening at your own pace. Accommodation: Hotel Poco a Poco or similar.
This morning you will join the best coffee tour in Monteverde, exploring the origins of coffee, its history in Costa Rica, and its importance in the country’s development. You will follow the full production process, from the seed to the cup, and you will also observe how the presence of coffee intertwines with other aspects of the Costa Rican culture and traditions.
Later you will check out from the hotel and head to the San Jose International airport for your flight back to home (approx. a 4-hour drive).
Alternatively, you may choose to extend your trip to visit Nicaragua! [Travelers who choose the Nicaragua extension will be transferred to the Nicaraguan Border. (Additional transfer cost applies)] Note: there will be only 1 group departure transfer to the airport due to the long distance. It is recommended that your departure flight leaves after 5pm.
