Original
Wildlife
Costa Rica Experience
9 days • 4.9
5
Excellent
circle281 reviews
location_on 9 days
location_on
Start
San Jose, Costa Rica
location_on
Finish
San Jose, Costa Rica
tour
Trip Code
QVSS
how_to_reg
Min Age
15
diversity_3
Trip Size
1 - 12
trending_up
Physical Rating
restaurant_menu
Meals
3 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
airport_shuttle
Transport
Private vehicle, Boat, Public Transportation
bed
Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights), Homestay (1 night)
From £1,000(9 days)
Trip Informations
Why you’ll love this trip
verified
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?
verified
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.
verified
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.
verified
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.
verified
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?
verified
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.
verified
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.
verified
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.
verified
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.
verified
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 1Day 1 • San Jose
- DAY 2Day 2 • Santa Rosa de Pocosol
- DAY 3Day 3 • La Fortuna
- DAY 4Day 4 • Monteverde
- DAY 5Day 5 • Monteverde
- DAY 6Day 6 • Quepos
- DAY 7Day 7 • Quepos - Manuel Antonio NP
- DAY 8Day 8 • San Jose
- DAY 9Day 9 • San Jose
Inclusions
restaurant_menu Meals
3 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 1 dinner
airport_shuttle Transport
Private vehicle, Boat, Public Transportation
bed Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights), Homestay (1 night)
Dates and availability
Starting
Ending
Remaining
Prices From
Saturday Feb 08, 2025
Sunday Feb 16, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Saturday Feb 15, 2025
Sunday Feb 23, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Monday Feb 17, 2025
Tuesday Feb 25, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 4 spaces left
£1,353£1,150
expand_more
Saturday Feb 22, 2025
Sunday Mar 02, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 10 spaces left
£1,293
expand_more
Monday Feb 24, 2025
Tuesday Mar 04, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Saturday Mar 01, 2025
Sunday Mar 09, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 2 spaces left
£1,348
expand_more
Saturday Mar 08, 2025
Sunday Mar 16, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 2 spaces left
£1,353
expand_more
Monday Mar 10, 2025
Tuesday Mar 18, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 3 spaces left
£1,353£1,218
expand_more
Saturday Mar 15, 2025
Sunday Mar 23, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Saturday Mar 22, 2025
Sunday Mar 30, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 12 spaces left
£1,293£1,163
expand_more
Monday Mar 24, 2025
Tuesday Apr 01, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Saturday Mar 29, 2025
Sunday Apr 06, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 7 spaces left
£1,293£1,099
expand_more
Thursday Apr 03, 2025
Friday Apr 11, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Saturday Apr 05, 2025
Sunday Apr 13, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - 6 spaces left
£1,221
expand_more
Monday Apr 07, 2025
Tuesday Apr 15, 2025
Trip size max: 12 - Sold Out
Important notes
verified
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.
verified
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.
verified
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.
verified
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 (270)
5 stars
245
4 stars
21
3 stars
2
2 stars
2
account_circle
Elizabeth
Jan 18, 2025
Already done
account_circle
Tess
Jan 16, 2025
Great trip for seeing Costa Rica in a short amount of time - I especially loved Monteverde and Manuel Antonio national park. Allan was an incredible guide who was always friendly and approachable and meant we never had to worry about anything. We got to see so much wildlife (thanks to Allan!) including sloths, monkeys, crocodiles and snakes. Great food options throughout - very tasty as well as being healthy - I recommend budgeting for £10-20 per meal when not included. Be prepared for rain even in the 'less rainy' season but the sun on the coast makes up for it! The homestay was also a great way to see how Costa Ricans live and to practice Spanish. Lots of optional activities on offer - plan some spare money to pay for these if you are keen.
account_circle
Helen
Jan 15, 2025
This Costa Rica experience trip with Intrepid was the perfect way to experience the very best of Costa Rica. Our guide Allan Alfaro Fallas was so knowledgeable and engaging. The homestay with a local family was amazing and we saw the most incredible wildlife and nature during our trip. Great itinerary- thank you. I look forward to returning
account_circle
Elizabeth
Jan 15, 2025
This trip showed us many aspects of the real Costa Rica - its wonderful forests, people, animals and plants, we particularly enjoyed the homestead stay. It was very well organised and brought to life by the enthusiasm, knowledge and passion of our guide Allan.
account_circle
George
Jan 01, 2025
First time on an Intrepid tour and I couldn’t recommend it more. Malo was excellent and this crew were the best, including all of our drivers, too! Give Intrepid a try and have a blast!
account_circle
Adam
Dec 29, 2024
The Costa Rica Experience was very well organised and it was completely stress-free thanks to our guide, Lauren, enabling us to be present in the moment, and completely immerse ourselves in all of the locations and activities on what was an excellent itinerary. An unforgettable experience.
account_circle
Andrew
Dec 17, 2024
The Costa Rica Experience trip was exciting and informative. From rural communities, to the largest city in the country, to all the nature and wildlife in between, this trip and our knowledgeable trip leader gave us a great glimpse of what the "pura vida" lifestyle is like for Costa Ricans.
account_circle
Maxie
Dec 16, 2024
Marvin A. is an incredible guide who is a wealth of knowledge about Costa Rican culture and wildlife/plants. His passion for showing his country to us was permeable to the entire group. Also he has the patience of a saint.
account_circle
Hannah
Dec 15, 2024
A fantastic trip to get a nice overview of Costa Rica in a short period of time. You’ll see so much nature and wildlife (yes, including sloths!) and experience the local people and culture, particularly with the home stay.
account_circle
Sharee
Dec 15, 2024
Had the privilege of Marvin A as our guide on this trip.
Marvin has a passion for his job and world health in general. He is well educated in the environment which he is easily able to communicate to others and his zest for nature is apparent always. Very calm yet approachable with a good sense of humour at all times. A pleasure to be amongst such a passionate young man for this trip in Costa Rica.