Once you land in San José, your Costa Rica adventure guide will meet you at the airport and drive you to your overnight accommodation in San José. Relax and prepare for your adventure!
Accommodation: Hotel
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This 8-day multisport adventure starts at the lunar-like crater of the Irazú volcano and an exhilarating downhill MTB ride past the active Turrialba volcano. Try your hand at canyoning and rafting along the Pacuare River before wrapping up the trip at the Caribbean Coast, where you’ll visit a nearby national park—one of the best places to see native monkeys and sloths.
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The fun begins! Leave San José and head east to Cartago and then to the top of the Irazu Volcano—Costa Rica’s tallest Volcano at 3,400 meters / 11,155 feet above sea level. Explore the lunar-like craters of the volcano and begin the first MTB section of the trip. The first part of the route takes you across the saddle that connects the Irazu Volcano with the Turrialba Volcano. The Turrialba Volcano is quite active and it is common to see smoke coming out of its crater. Pass a few kilometers from the crater and begin a long descent past several dairy and vegetable farms on the way down. Settle into your accommodation.
Accommodation: San Rafael Camp in Turrialba
Biking: 22 miles / 35 km
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
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Back on the bikes for a ride to a nearby waterfall! You’ll have some time for a swim at the base of the falls. From there, continue down to the town of Turrialba for some lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon is spent canyoning—abseiling down waterfalls and zipping through the jungle. Head back to San Rafael Camp for another evening in the clouds.
Accommodation: San Rafael Camp in Turrialba
Biking: 11 miles / 18 km
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
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After gearing up and receiving a whitewater rafting safety briefing, board the rafts and begin the first of two days on the Pacuare River. The river takes you through pristine rainforest and canyon cliffs, spotted with deafening waterfalls. This day is a great warm-up featuring continuous class II & III rapids. In the afternoon, you’ll arrive at the comfortable riverside camp, nestled between the sounds of the rainforest and the hum of the river. You can wander off to explore this lush environment, looking out for toucans and boa constrictors, or simply relax in a hammock to the sounds of the river.
Rafting: 6 miles / 10 km
Rafting class: II-III
Accommodation: Pacuare River Lodge or El Nido del Tigre
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
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Today the river picks up in intensity as you maneuver through the exhilarating class III-IV rapids and enjoy the rainforest at the river’s edge. Along the way, hike to the waterfalls, jump in to swim in the softer rapids and have lunch on the shore. Finish up the day at Finca Pacuarito where you’ll shower and drive to Cahuita, 2 hours away.
Rafting: 16 miles / 25 km
Rafting class: III-IV
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
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Free time to enjoy Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast! Puerto Viejo is famous as a surfing destination. It has a relaxed atmosphere with a mix of Latino, Afro-Caribbean, and Bribri indigenous cultures. Locals usually speak their own language called Patois (pronounced “patua”) which is a mix of Afro-Caribbean English, Spanish and French. Puerto Viejo is a lively place for tourists to have a fun and relaxing experience. This area offers a lot of attractions and activities. Optional activities include: scuba diving, snorkeling, visiting Cahuita National Park, the Sloth Sanctuary, or the Kekoldi Indian Reserve & waterfalls.
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
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This morning you can relax around the hotel or on the beach. After lunch, head back to San José. The ride back to San José takes 4 to 5 hours and passes through the spectacular Braulio Carrillo National Park, famous for its breathtaking views of high cloud forest, misty mountains and steep river-carved canyons. The evening is free to explore San José.
Driving: 4-5 hours
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
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Your guide will pick you up after breakfast and take you to the airport. Say goodbye to your group and guides, take a few last photos and head back home!
Meals: Breakfast
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What you get on this adventure:
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- Experienced bilingual hiking guides with extensive knowledge of the area
- 8-day multisport adventure
- Transportation during the tour
- Accommodation (hotels and campsites)
- Airport transfers
- Meals listed in the itinerary — gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and vegetarian diets can be accommodated at no additional cost, but make sure to notify your guides in advance
- Group equipment (rafts, camping gear, etc.)
Meals: Eating is one of the wonderful experiences on most Costa Rica tours. Included meals are a combination of restaurants, local food and delicious meals prepared by the tour guides. Rough costs for meals not included in the adventure are $10 to $12 for lunch and $12 to $20 for dinner.
All Coast to Coast Adventures’ guides have First AID, CPR and Swiftwater Rescue and Head Guides have Wilderness First Responder.
What’s not included:
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- Transportation to Costa Rica
- Meals not indicated in the itinerary
- Personal equipment
- Departure tax ($29)
- Guide gratuities — optional
- Travel and medical insurance — mandatory
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For this Costa Rica guided multisport trip, you need to be reasonably fit and have good stamina. Some experience in mountain biking will make the trip more enjoyable. There are no specific requirements for whitewater rafting or sea kayaking but you will fully participate in paddling so fitness and stamina are a must. Keep in mind that you will always have a guide by your side who will make adjustments if necessary and make sure the adventure is fun and enjoyable for everybody.
If you’re completely new to outdoor adventures, check out this guided day tour in Costa Rica’s Corcovado National Park—or maybe you’ll like the three-day hiking tour in Corcovado NP a bit more!
If you’re a more advanced outdoor enthusiast looking for a challenge, check out this twelve-day coast-to-coast adventure in Costa Rica.
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Here’s a list of the equipment you need to bring:
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- Daypack for daily tours (around a 25-30L bag)
- Daypack rain cover
- Duffel bag
- Sunglasses & keeper straps
- Headlamp
- Chargers & batteries
- Additional small flashlight
- Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
- Copy of your passport
- Toiletries (SPF lip balm, insect repellent, hand sanitizer)
- Waterproof sunscreen, SPF 30+
- Gallon & quart size ziploc bags
- Towel
- Dry bag — optional
- Camera — optional (but recommended)
- Binoculars — optional
Here’s a list of clothing we suggest you bring:
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- Shirts (polypro outerwear)
- Short-sleeved and light-colored long-sleeved shirts for sun protection)
- Lightweight rain jacket
- Medium-weight wool or fleece sweater
- Lightweight thermal underwear top (polypro or wool)
- Lightweight comfortable pants
- Shorts (quick-drying)
- Lightweight rain pants
- Sun / rain hat with brim
- Bandana
- Lightweight hiking shoes or boots
- Sandals with snug straps (Teva type)
- Lightweight fast-drying hiking socks
- Hiking poles — optional
- Water bottle or hydration bladder (2L capacity)
- Lightweight hiking boots or shoes
- Spare clothes for layering
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. Layers are best and don’t wear jeans
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You will stay at a range of accommodation, from local hotels to camps and lodges along the trial. Your guide will make sure you have all the usual amenities no matter how far from cities you go. Day 2 and 3 will be spent in San Rafael Camp in Turrialba (pictured below), day 4 in Pacuare River Lodge or El Nido del Tigre, and the rest of the tour in different hotels in San José, Puerto Viejo and Finca Pacuarito.
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Group sizes and prices:
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- For this guided Costa Rica tour, the maximum client-to-guide ratio is 12:1. The cost does not decrease as the group grows.
- It takes a minimum of 4 people for this tour to operate.
- Private tours and custom dates are available on request with a minimum of 4 people. Contact us to make arrangements.
A guided multisport tour in Costa Rica can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
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- 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.
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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 prearranged time and take you on your tour. On the final day of your adventure, your guide will also transport you back to the airport.
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Covering all your bases with insurance is mandatory. To make your booking and traveling experience as carefree as possible, you’ll be offered to simply insure your trip with Redpoint at checkout.
Redpoint—the official 57hours insurance partner—tailors 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.
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