Explore the Volcanoes, Waterfalls and Wildlife of Costa Rica

Included:

• • An experienced bilingual hiking guide with extensive knowledge of the area (all guides have First Aid certificate, CPR, and Swiftwater Rescue, while Head Guides are also WFRs)
  • Eight days of hiking and adventure in Costa Rica
  • Accommodation as in the itinerary (hotels and campsites)
  • Activities as outlined in the itinerary
  • Transportation during the hike
  • Airport transfers
  • Meals as indicated in the itinerary
  • Group equipment (rafts, camping gear, etc.)
  • Equipment for camping in tents on Day 2 (sleeping pad, sleeping bag, etc.)

Not included:

• • Flights to Costa Rica
  • All meals not indicated in the itinerary
  • Personal equipment
  • Travel and medical insurance — mandatory
  • Departure tax ($29)

These Costa Rica active adventures are designed for everyone! You have to have a healthy spirit of adventure and good general fitness. There are no specific requirements for whitewater rafting, but you will fully participate in paddling.

If you’re up for some light walking and a week-long active vacation, you’re good to go! Optional activities, such as zipline, ocean kayaking and snorkeling, mangrove kayaking, surf lessons, and more can be arranged at an additional cost—you can find additional information below and let us know what you’re interested in upon checkout.

Of course! Your guides want to make your Costa Rica adventure unforgettable, and they’ll help you customize the trip to your liking. Here’s a breakdown of optional activities, prices are per person:

• • Zipline (3 hours, $85) — Feel the adrenaline of zipping through a tropical forest on a series of 14 suspension platforms high above the forest floor! Spend about 45 minutes zipping on a pulley along with the cables, moving from platform to platform using nothing but gravity.
  • Ocean kayaking and snorkeling (4 hours, $85, lunch included) — Paddle past islands and inlets where you see numerous marine aviary species and their nesting grounds. You’ll stop at a hidden bay to rest and enjoy a snack. Take advantage of the break to snorkel on Bisanz beach. You are likely to spot parrotfish, starfish, angelfish and if you are lucky, a sea turtle or two!
  • Islas Damas mangrove kayaking (4 hours, $85, lunch or dinner included) — Kayak on protected inland waterways, the perfect place to explore coastal mangroves in search of wildlife such as caimans, crocodiles, boas, white-faced monkeys, and much more.
  • Isla Damas mangrove boat trip (4 hours, $90, lunch or dinner included) — Don’t miss out on Isla Damas just because you don’t want to kayak. Treat yourself to boating the estuary with a guide showing you this unique ecosystem and its wildlife—caimans, sloths, crocodiles, boas, white-face monkeys, and more!
  • Educational tour of Manuel Antonio National Park (2.5 hours, $74) — Get the most out of your visit to Manuel Antonio National Park with an experienced naturalist guide. Learn about the history, flora, fauna, bugs, and wildlife. The tour includes snacks and refreshments.
  • Catamaran and snorkeling adventure (4 hours, $89, lunch or dinner included) — The Ocean King catamaran is brand new and it has all the amenities. On board, you have snacks, alcoholic beverages, and unlimited soft and natural drinks. Enjoy the dolphin watching and snorkeling as well.
  • Surf lessons (3 hours, $90) — This is an intro to surfing fundamentals, paddling skills, surf board positioning, proper stand-up, riding techniques, etiquette, and maneuvering. If students are kids, there will be no more than 2 per instructor. Your instructor provides the surfing equipment (board, leash, and rash guard. Before hitting the waves, your instructor will give a detailed safety talk and demonstrate the first steps of surfing. Then it’s time for warm-up and a bit of ‘play’—surfing is extremely physical. This will get you pumped! When you feel confident enough, your surfing instructor will accompany you into the waves and will continue to guide you throughout your session. For your hard-earned break, we’ll treat you with fresh fruit and cold drinks, and then go back into the water to catch more waves. This includes transportation back to your hotel.

Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:

• • Backpack large enough to carry all the items listed (around a 65L bag)
  • Daypack (approx. 20-35 L) with a rain cover
  • Hiking poles — optional
  • Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
  • Lightweight adventure shoes or hiking boots
  • Sandals with snug straps (Teva type)
  • Camp shoes, sandals
  • Lightweight fast drying hiking socks
  • Water and wind-proof jacket or poncho with hood
  • Medium weight wool jumper or sweater
  • T-shirts
  • Short sleeve and light colored long sleeve for sun protection
  • Lightweight thermal underwear top
  • Lightweight comfortable pants
  • Shorts (quick dry)
  • Lightweight rain pants
  • Sun/rain hat with brim (preferably 360˚ brim)
  • Bandana
  • Toiletries (sunscreen, hand sanitizer, bug spray, toilet paper, etc.)
  • Travel towel
  • Gallon and quart size Ziploc bags
  • Headlamp or flashlight
  • First aid kit — plasters for damaged feet are recommended
  • Sunglasses
  • Chargers and batteries
  • Camera — optional (but recommended)

Due to the terrain, it’s recommended to bring good quality mountain gear. Your guides will contact you about any additional equipment at the time of contracting the trip.

Dress comfortably and for the weather in clothes you can move in. We suggest bringing clothing appropriate for the season.

One of the best parts of traveling in Costa Rica is the food! Included meals will be a mix of local restaurants, authentic Costa Rican cuisine, and delicious dishes prepared by your tour guides—you can find day-by-day included meals in the itinerary. For any meals not covered in the adventure, you can expect to spend around $10-$12 for lunch and $12-$20 for dinner.

Your guides are happy to accommodate gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian diets at no extra cost. If you have any allergies or specific dietary needs, please inform us upon checkout so we can ensure a seamless and enjoyable dining experience.

Group sizes and prices:

• • For this adventure, the max client-to-guide ratio is 12:1. The cost does not decrease as the group grows.
  • It takes a minimum of 4 people for tours to operate.
  • Private tours and custom dates are available on request with a minimum of 4 people.

Hiking in Costa Rica can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.

Min. age requirements:

• • If you are older than 18, you’re good to go.
  • Minors older than 16 may be permitted to join the hike on a case-by-case basis, but must be in the presence of a parent or legal guardian. The minimum age for rafting on the Pacuare River is 12.

If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.

To get to Costa Rica, most people fly into Juan Santamaria International Airport in San José. Your guide will then pick you up at the airport at a pre-arranged time and take you on your tour. On the final day of your adventure, your guide will also transport you back to the airport. Airport transfers are included in the price of the tour.

Tours are scheduled to fit with the seasons and ideal hiking conditions. When the weather does not cooperate, your guide will know the correct course of action to take. Whether that’s shifting to a more favorable location or postponing until conditions approve, your guide will know just what to do. In Costa Rica, there are plenty of backup options for rainy days.  In the event of predictably bad weather, you will be contacted prior to the trip to discuss suitable alternatives.

Your guides require all participants to have travel and medical insurance.

To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, simply choose Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner!

Redpoint tailors their protection packages for adventure travel, offering a comprehensive travel program, even in remote locations. Trip cancellation, natural disasters, pandemic coverage, medical evacuation, primary medical expenses—regardless of the travel interruption that may happen, Redpoint will have you covered.

Once your booking is confirmed and your trip is paid in full, you will be offered to purchase Redpoint’s protection. If you need any help or require more information, let us know and we will be happy to help!

A combination of US dollars and credit/debit cards is ideal, it’s best to bring notes in good condition
and lower than $100. Traveler checks are not a good idea. Cards are widely accepted but smaller
stores or street sellers may only take local cash. There are ATMs along the way. Check with your
bank to make sure your card will work internationally.

How much you need will depend on your spending habits. You will need to pay for some meals ($10-$20 per meal), drinks, souvenirs and tipping. 

If you felt your local guides and drivers did an outstanding job, tipping is appreciated! It is customary in Latin America to tip service providers such as waiters, at approximately 10%, depending on the service.

The Departure Tax in Costa Rica is $29. This needs to be paid at the airport using US or local cash
or any major credit card. Pay this tax before going to the airline counter. Check with your airline if
this fee is already included on your flight ticket.