Original
Explorer
Wildlife
Costa Rica Experience
9 Days | Travel through the jungles and beaches of Costa Rica – a real natural paradise
4.9
Excellent
circlelocation_on 9 days
location_on
San Jose, Costa Rica
location_on
San Jose, Costa Rica
tour
QVSS
how_to_reg
15
diversity_3
1 - 12
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1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
airport_shuttle
Private vehicle, Boat, Public Transportation
bed
Hotel (7 nights), Homestay (1 night)
From £1,113(9 days)
Trip Informations
Discover a region of natural diversity, cultural riches and laidback vibes on a nine-day jungle jaunt through Costa Rica. Thanks to a longstanding tradition of preserving its natural assets, much of the country’s primary rainforest still stands. Opportunities for nature-based activities are endless here and the beaches on both coasts are well worth your free time. Kick back in the rustic beach town of Quepos, explore the steamy cloud forests of Monteverde and get to know the locals by lending a hand on a rural farmstay near Santa Rosa de Pocosol. Explore the depths of this colourful and vibrant country with plenty of time to make this trip your own.
Why you’ll love this trip
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Try to spot the elusive resplendent quetzal when you’re exploring Monteverde’s steamy cloud forests. Better yet, why not consider a jungle zip-line to get high in the sky for the best views?
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Spend time wandering through the Mercado Municipal de Artesanias artisan stalls in San Jose – Costa Rica’s cultural heart. With plenty of time to stop for a refresco (smoothie), this is a good opportunity to people-watch.
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Lend a hand at a farmstay outside of Santa Rosa de Pocosol and learn some home-cooked recipes and techniques from the locals on a visit to the Juanilama agricultural community.
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Marvel at the size and stature of the Arenal Volcano on the horizon, maybe taking a soak and relaxing in La Fortuna’s lava-heated thermal springs.
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With plenty of time to chill out at your own pace, Quepos’ surf vibe is ideal for catching some waves, lazing on the white-sand beaches or hiking the lush trails of Manuel Antonio with your travel pals.
Is this trip right for you?
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Many of the activities (both included and optional) on this trip take place in the great outdoors. This means you'll need to be prepared to deal with insects and occasionally rustic conditions. It's all part of immersing yourself in this natural paradise.
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Costa Rica is generally hot and humid year-round, and from May to October can be wet too. At nighttime and in locations at higher elevations it can get chilly. Protect yourself from the sun, bring light clothing you can layer and a waterproof jacket, and stay hydrated. Please carefully consider which time of the year you'll feel most comfortable travelling.
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There are many opportunities to get active on this adventure. Some of the optional activities require a moderate level of fitness and sturdy walking shoes. If you'd prefer to take it easy, however, there are plenty of other things you can do instead.
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The homestay is a wonderful opportunity to witness everyday local life. A hearty homecooked dinner and breakfast will be served during your stay, which can be a lot more basic than what you're used to.
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With so much to see and do, Costa Rica can sometimes be expensive. Expect to pay more than you would in other Central American countries for a lot of things.
Itinerary
- DAY 1San Jose
- DAY 2Santa Rosa de Pocosol
- DAY 3La Fortuna
- DAY 4Monteverde
- DAY 5Monteverde
- DAY 6Quepos
- DAY 7Quepos - Manuel Antonio NP
- DAY 8San Jose
- DAY 9San Jose
Inclusions
restaurant_menu Meals
1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
airport_shuttle Transport
Private vehicle, Boat, Public Transportation
bed Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights), Homestay (1 night)
festival Activities
circleSanta Rosa de Pocosol - Home-cooked Meal
circleSanta Rosa de Pocosol - Homestay experience
circleLeader-led Informal Spanish Lesson
circleMonteverde - Cloud Forest Entrance
circleManuel Antonio - Cooking Class & Lunch
circleManuel Antonio National Park - (Entrance fee)
circleManuel Antonio National Park - Tour with a Naturalist Guide
museum Add on activities
circleSan Jose - Pre-Colombian Gold Museum (Entrance fee) - USD17
circleSan Jose - National Museum (entrance fee) - USD12
circleSanta Rosa de Pocosol - Soap-making workshop - USD20
circleSanta Rosa de Pocosol - Waterfall hike - USD11
circleLa Fortuna - Ecotermales Hot Springs (entrance fee) - USD49
circleLa Fortuna - La Fortuna Waterfall (Entrance only) - USD21
circleLa Fortuna - Arenal 1968 Volcano View and Lava Trails (Entrance fee) - USD26
circleMonteverde - Cloud Forest Night Walk - USD45
circleMonteverde - Butterfly Garden and Insects Farm (entrance fee) - USD22
circleMonteverde - Coffee & Chocolate tour - USD47
circleMonteverde - Canopy Zip Lining (Entrance, Equipment & Transport) - USD65
circleMonteverde - Suspension bridges tour - USD58
circleManuel Antonio - Mangrove Kayak Activity (with lunch) - USD79
circleManuel Antonio – Cruise - USD100
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Monday Oct 14, 2024
Tuesday Oct 22, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Saturday Oct 19, 2024
Sunday Oct 27, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,260
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Saturday Nov 02, 2024
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 8 spaces left
£1,392£1,113
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Saturday Nov 09, 2024
Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,392
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Monday Nov 11, 2024
Tuesday Nov 19, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 1 space left
£1,392£1,252
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Saturday Nov 16, 2024
Sunday Nov 24, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 4 spaces left
£1,408£1,267
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Monday Nov 18, 2024
Tuesday Nov 26, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 6 spaces left
£1,392£1,252
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Saturday Nov 23, 2024
Sunday Dec 01, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 3 spaces left
£1,458£1,312
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Saturday Nov 30, 2024
Sunday Dec 08, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,392
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Monday Dec 02, 2024
Tuesday Dec 10, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 6 spaces left
£1,447£1,302
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Saturday Dec 07, 2024
Sunday Dec 15, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 7 spaces left
£1,447£1,302
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Monday Dec 09, 2024
Tuesday Dec 17, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,447
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Saturday Dec 14, 2024
Sunday Dec 22, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 7 spaces left
£1,447£1,302
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Monday Dec 16, 2024
Tuesday Dec 24, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,447
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Saturday Dec 21, 2024
Sunday Dec 29, 2024
Trip size max: 12 - 6 spaces left
£1,474
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Important notes
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1. Full passport details are required at the time of booking in order to purchase entrance tickets to Manuel Antonio National Park. Delays to provide this information may result in changes to your itinerary and we will not be able to guarantee entry. Details provided must be accurate as per your passport bio page.
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2. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm on Day 1 in San Jose. There are no activities planned for the final day so you may depart at any time.
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3. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
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4. Please be careful when booking flights to/from San Jose; make sure you fly into/out of Juan Santamaria International Airport [SJO]. Please do not book flights to/from Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport [SJC] as this is located in California, United States.
Reviews (316)
5 stars
290
4 stars
21
3 stars
2
2 stars
2
1 star
1
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Jennifer Cartwright
Wonderful country with friendly people and beautiful scenery. Our guide, Ale, shared her knowledge and enthusiasm for Costa Rica, and took us to many local spots which we would not have otherwise discovered. Be prepared to spend quite a bit extra on meals and activities, but worth every penny.
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Helen dowdeswell
An amazing introduction to Costa Rica. We saw a huge cross section of this beautiful country staying in beautiful places and meeting wonderful people. Our excellent guide, Ale enhanced the experience 100% and went above and beyond what I think is required of a guide..nothing was too much trouble. Ale's knowlege of the history of Costa Rica, the people, the flora and fauna was extensive and admirable and enthusiasm about everything infectious. Thank you Ale for making our trip so special
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Daniel Gobbitt
Fantastic experience of the highlights of Costa Rica made even more magical by our superb guide Karol! Amazing, beautiful and inspirational Country!!
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Lindsey Oakes
Even though our tour was in the middle of the rainy season, it was beautiful. If you love nature, don't mind exploring in likely downpours, cooking all sorts of delicious dishes with local families, walking on the softest sandy beaches, drinking amazing coffee, delight in seeing wildlife (sloths, monkeys, coatis, beautiful birds and butterflies, etc.), and don't require 5-Star resorts, then this trip is for you. Our guide, Pedro, was welcoming, knowledgable, trustworthy, and very organized. The accommodations were clean and basic. Be aware that some accommodations did not have air conditioning or hot water (but in the heat of the jungles, you will not miss the hot water), but all had wifi, even the homestay. Pura Vida!
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Diana Panova
Awesome trip! Packed with lots of included and optional activities. Costa Rica is beautiful and biodiverse. The tour was very well organized and covered a lot of places in relatively short period of time. Our tour leader Rafa was the best! Always there to provide advise and keep us organized. Book this experience now, you won’t regret it!
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Michael Brigham
This Costa Rica Experience trip was excellent. Our guide was exceptional and I would recommend it to anyone.
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Erika Brigham
I think the activities were fun interesting informative very enjoyable and kept me motivated I learned a million new things and had so many unforgettable experiences!!
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Stephanie Sears
A wonderful trip with a fantastic group of likeminded travelers. Our guides were wonderful and we always felt cared for. A beautiful and life-changing experience, full of scenic landscapes and wildlife, one that I won’t soon forget.
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Leon de Jel
Great overall trip, great guide in Rafael, good balance between nature (landscape and wildlife) and culture (homestay for instance). Do take into account that a lot of the excursions are optional, so add a few hundred dollars to the stated price if you want to have a good itinerary. This gives more flexibility however.
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Anthony Scalzo
The Costa Rica Experience trip was an excellent experience. It lived up to all expectations of what I was hoping to do and see, including seeing many iconic birds and animals. Rafael’s knowledge and enthusiasm for Costa Rica showed and we all learned so much from him during the trip.