Adventure Package
10 days & 9 nights

This ten-day Adventure Package is the ideal vacation for active travelers and nature lovers, combining some of Costa Rica's most impressive tropical nature with such varied experiences as ascending into the forest canopy, exploring jungle-lined waterways, biking near an active volcano, and rafting on two of Latin America’s most spectacular white water rivers (class III-IV).

Day 1 - Arrival in San José

Welcome to Costa Rica! We’ll meet you at the airport and take you to the charming Hotel Don Carlos, in a historic neighborhood of San José. That Victorian home built in the early 20th century has been completely refurbished. It’s a short walk from restaurants, shops and museums.

Included: airport-hotel transfer, accommodations at Hotel Don Carlos, or similar.

Day 2 - Monteverde Cloud Forest and Canopy Tour

After an early breakfast, you’ll be picked up and driven (4 hrs.) past mountain vistas to the cloud forest enclave of Monteverde. That tranquil mountain community is surrounded by misty forests where massive trees are draped with mosses, orchids, bromeliads and other plants. Those forests are home to an array of wildlife that includes howler monkeys, blue morpho butterflies and about 400 bird species, such as colorful hummingbirds, blue-crowned motmots, emerald toucanets and the resplendent quetzal – one of the world’s most beautiful birds.

After settling into your hotel, you’ll be taken to Selvatura´s Treetop Walkways, a 1.9-mile (app. 3-kilometer) self-guided trail that lets you ascend into the cloud forest canopy and view jungle life from a monkey’s perspective. You’ll move between hiking trails and hanging bridges amidst the treetops, where you can look for the area’s varied birds, insects and other animals. The longest and strongest bridge system in Costa Rica, Treetop Walkways is suitable for travelers of all ages.

Duration of tour: 1.5-2 hours. Guided tour may be booked in advance.
Included: Breakfast, San José-Monteverde transfer, Tree Top Walkway tour, accommodations at Sapo Dorado Hotel, or similar.

Day 3 - Monteverde Cloud Forest to Arenal Volcano

Wake up to a symphony of birdsong by this area’s varied feathered creatures. After breakfast, your journey will continue to Nuevo Arenal, on Arenal Lake, on the far end of which stands Costa Rica's quintessential volcano: Arenal. That perfect cone towers over the lake and rolling green hills, erupting from time to time with mushroom clouds of smoke and ash and thunderous explosions. After enjoying this area’s amazing scenery, you’ll end the day at Ecotermales del Bosque – crystal clear hot springs surrounded by lush foliage near the base of Arenal Volcano. You'll spend the night at comfortable cabins nearby, and if weather permits, you may see glowing lava and rocks erupt from Arenal’s crater.

Overnight at Silencio del Campo, or similar. (B, D)

Included: breakfast, Arenal Lake crossing, Arenal Hike, entrance to Ecotermales del Bosque, or similar, dinner and accommodations at Arenal Springs, or similar.

Day 4 - Arenal Volcano

After an early breakfast, your adventure continues with a bike trip near Lake Arenal’s southern shore, where lush forests grow near the base of Arenal Volcano. This relaxing ride past patches of rainforest is a great opportunity to look for monkeys, toucans and other tropical wildlife, as well as for admiring the lake and volcano. We’ll stop for a picnic on the shore of Lake Arenal.

Distance: 13 to 26 km (8 to 16 miles). Altitude gain: 85 meters (280 ft).
Terrain: secondary gravel/sand road with a few rocky spots; mostly flat with small hills. Difficulty: beginner – intermediate. Depart: 8 am, return: 12 noon.

After lunch, you enjoy the approximately 2-hour drive past an array of farmland and small towns to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, where you’ll spend the night in the tropical rainforest at Selva Verde Lodge, or similar.

Includes: Breakfast, pick up at your hotel in Arenal, lunch, Cannondale or Kona mountain bike with front suspension (Custom fitted to your size), water bottle, bilingual guide/mechanic, choice of seats and pedals, transfer to Sarapiquí, dinner & overnight at Selva Verde Hotel, or similar.   (B,L,D)

Day 5 - Rafting the Sarapiquí River

After waking up and eating breakfast in the jungle, you’ll enjoy an easy white water rafting trip down the emerald Sarapiquí River, where you may spot parrots, jacamars, cuckoos and other colorful birds in the massive trees that line the riverbanks.

During the 19th century, the Sarapiquí was used by boats to travel north to the Rio San Juan, which forms part of Costa Rica's border with Nicaragua, from where steam ships departed to the United States and Europe. Today’s rafting trip takes you down an upper stretch of that scenic river, where you can look for wildlife between rapids. This class-II & -III river is the perfect white water trip for beginners. Our self-bailing rafts are of the highest quality, and before the river trip begins, you’ll be given a life vest and a safety helmet. Our experienced river guides will teach you basic rafting skills and safety measures before you start paddling. In the afternoon, we’ll drive you to the Sueño Azul Resort, or similar. (B, L,D)

Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, rafting trip with bilingual Aventuras Naturales guide, and accommodations at Sueño Azul, or similar.

Day 6 - Tortuguero National Park

This morning, you’ll be picked you up at approximately 6:30 a.m. for a scenic drive to the Caribbean coast, passing a mix of tropical forest, small towns and vast banana plantations. You'll then board a boat for the three-hour trip up the jungle-lined Tortuguero Canals – “Costa Rica’s Amazon.” This natural adventure is a chance to see an array of birds, from herons to colorful tanagers, as well as sloths, monkeys, iguanas, turtles and crocodiles. Tortuguero National Park, located on Costa Rica's northern Caribbean coast, is reached via a network of lagoons and jungle-lined canals. The park protects a long, palm-lined beach that is one of the world’s most important nesting sites for the endangered green sea turtle, which bury their eggs in its sand at night from July to September. You’ll have the afternoon and early evening to experience the local culture and nature. Optional tours include fishing, a boat tour at night, or turtle watching (seasonal). (B, L, D)

Included: breakfast, lunch, dinner, ground and river transfers, guide and hotel.

Overnight at the Pachira Lodge, or similar.

Day 7 - Tortuguero Canals – Pacuare Lodge

After an early breakfast, take a guided boat trip through the narrow canals and rivers near Tortuguero, in order to experience more of the region’s varied plant and animal life. You’ll then start your journey by water and road to Siquirres, where our driver will meet you for the short drive to the Pacuare Lodge. This trip ends with a drive into the jungle down a dirt road, a river crossing in a rustic gondola, and a 300-meter (app. 1,000 foot) walk to our award-winning ecolodge. Nestled between the Pacuare River and rainforest, the Pacuare Lodge offers the perfect combination of nature, adventure, relaxation and excellent cuisine in an area of remarkable beauty.

Enjoy a sumptuous lunch while contemplating the quick-flowing Pacuare  River and the jungle that rises up from its bank. In the afternoon, you can join your guide on a hike through our rainforest reserve to a small waterfall and swimming hole, or you can bird watch on the lodge’s grounds, go fishing, or simply relax in your bungalow. You’ll enjoy a gourmet dinner by candlelight in our main lodge, and you can visit our lounge for a drink before retiring to a peaceful night’s sleep.  (B, L, D)

Included: breakfast, lunch, guide, morning tour and afternoon waterfall hike, ground transfers, gourmet dinner and accommodations at the Pacuare Lodge in a Garden View Bungalow.

Day 8 - Rafting the Pacuare River

Wake up to bird song, then head to the main lodge for a delicious breakfast of homemade bread, tropical fruits, yogurt, eggs, pancakes, cereal, juice and coffee. The Pacuare River is a symbol of life for the area’s indigenous Cábecar culture, and you’re bound to be rejuvenated by its soothing sounds and scenery. The lodge’s naturalist guide can point out and explain a bit about the varied plants and animals in the surrounding forest. This day you can choose from such exciting optional tours as a Canopy Adventure, which takes you gliding through the forest canopy on zip lines, or a long hike through the rainforest to a Cabecar Indian enclave, where you can meet the local shaman and see how these traditional people live. Or you can simply bird watch and relax in a splendidly peaceful setting.

Included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, guided optional tour, accommodations in Garden View Bungalow . (B, L, D).

Day 9 - Pacuare River - San José

This fun-filled day combines white water rafting excitement (app. 3.5 hours over class III-IV rapids) and the breathtaking scenery of one of the world’s most beautiful rivers. Regarded as one of the finest white water trips in Latin America, the wild and scenic Pacuare flows past massive tropical trees, crystalline waterfalls and dense vegetation clinging to the walls of steep gorges.

The Pacuare is a swiftly running and rapidly changing river, making it one of Aventuras Naturales' most invigorating rafting trips. After another rafting and safety training, you and your fellow rafters will work as a team to skillfully navigate your small raft through class-III and -IV rapids. Between those rapids, you can marvel at the surrounding scenery and admire the area’s varied birdlife, which includes toucans, herons, kingfishers and cormorants. We'll break for a healthy lunch by the riverbank in a traditional palm-thatch structure owned by a Cabécar Indian family, after which we’ll paddle through more adrenaline-pumping rapids and enjoy more amazing scenery, such as the narrow canyon of Dos Montañas. Upon arrival at the take out point, you’ll be able to change into dry cloths before being driven to your San José hotel for your last night in Costa Rica. (B, L)

Included: breakfast, lunch, guide for river rafting, river equipment, transfer to hotel, accommodations at Hotel Don Carlos or similar.

Day 10 - Departure from San José

After breakfast, a taxi or microbus will transfer to the airport for your flight back home. Included: breakfast at the Hotel Don Carlos, airport transfer. (B)

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We can assist you in planning your Costa Rica vacation! Please contact Tour Costa Rica´s travel division for help customizing a vacation that meets your budget and exceeds your expectations.