Cycling Costa Rica

Begin your adventure in San José, Costa Rica’s capital, which was founded during the first half of the 18th century and sits in the Central Valley. Around 6pm, say hola to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group for the first time to get to know each other and learn more about the adventures ahead. Your tour leader then ensures a big Costa Rican welcome by arranging a group dinner. Want more time in San José? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

A transfer (1hr 10min) from San José takes us to the town of Paraíso, our start point for today’s cycling in the scenic Orosí Valley, one of the most fertile and historically rich regions in Costa Rica. This first ride is relatively relaxed, a chance to get comfortable in the saddle while our tour leader introduces the riding style, road conditions and rhythm of the days ahead. Our route passes coffee-covered hills, cultivated fields and villages. We also pass the church ruins at Ujarrás and finish in the town of Orosí itself, home to the Iglesia de Orosí, one of the country’s few surviving colonial structures. Finishing our ride, we transfer to our hotel for the night. Terrain: 60% paved, 40% gravel (mixed)

Transfer (one hour) into the Central Highlands, climbing through farmland where potatoes, onions and carrots grow in mineral-rich volcanic soil. At Irazú Volcano National Park, we visit Irazú itself, Costa Rica’s highest volcano at 11,260ft (3,432m). When cloud conditions cooperate, the elevated viewpoints can reveal part of the Caribbean coast and neighbouring Turrialba Volcano. We then begin the Route Between Volcanoes, a long, largely downhill ride linking the Irazú and Turrialba. Our tour leader sets a controlled pace as we lose more than 9,800ft (3,000m) in elevation, moving from exposed volcanic terrain into farmland and greener mountain country. We finish the ride in Santa Rosa and take a 20-minute transfer to Turrialba, an agricultural town in a fertile valley surrounded by mountains and volcanoes. Terrain: 50% paved, 50% gravel (mixed)

Leaving Turrialba by vehicle (1hr 30min), we descend from the mountains towards the warmer Caribbean plains, watching the vegetation change as we lose altitude. Begin cycling from the lively agricultural town of Siquirres, following flat roads through banana-growing country, cattle farms and small settlements. The easier terrain leaves us free to watch for lowland birdlife, with our tour leader helping us identify the species commonly seen along the route. At Caño Blanco, swap bikes for a boat and continue along rivers and narrow forest waterways to Tortuguero. The community has no connecting road, so arriving by water is part of understanding how geography shapes daily life here. After reaching our destination, we visit Tortuguero village, where sandy paths, wooden homes and Caribbean influences distinguish the settlement from those encountered earlier in the trip. Terrain: 80% paved, 20% gravel (mixed)

Enter Tortuguero National Park by boat before breakfast, when cooler conditions often bring greater animal activity along the waterways. Our tour leader is joined by a keen-eyed boat captain who reads the forest margins for movement that is easily missed. Together, they help us look for monkeys, caimans, iguanas, butterflies and some of the many bird species associated with this wetland ecosystem. Tortuguero also protects one of the Western Hemisphere’s most important green turtle nesting beaches, though sightings depend on the season and cannot be guaranteed. Returning to our accommodation, we walk the lodge trails, where our guide can interpret the plants and smaller wildlife around us. The rest of the day is free for you to stroll through the gardens and relax by the pool, while meals are served at the lodge.

Bid farewell to our remote retreat and leave Tortuguero, making one final journey through the forest waterways before reaching the mainland. When water levels permit, we disembark at La Pavona and cycle towards Guápiles. The mostly flat route passes settlements, banana plantations and lowland farms, providing a gentle return to the bikes after our time in Tortuguero. If water conditions prevent us from using La Pavona, the local team adapts the cycling route and provides an alternative ride through the plains. From Guápiles, we transfer (2hr 20min) through the agricultural plains of Sarapiquí towards our accommodation in La Fortuna, near Arenal Volcano. In the afternoon, we visit Ecotermales, where naturally heated water of volcanic origin feeds a series of pools. It is a welcome chance to loosen cycling legs, followed by dinner at the hot springs. Terrain: 70% paved, 30% gravel (mixed)

Cycle from La Fortuna onto quieter rural roads, passing grazing land, small farms, rivers and patches of forest. Arenal Volcano appears at intervals as we tackle the gently rising and falling terrain. Our tour leader manages the pace and selects suitable stops, leaving us enough energy for the afternoon’s walk at Arenal 1968. Here, trails cross regenerating forest and lava deposits from the volcano’s major eruption in 1968. Later, we join a local chef for a hands-on cooking experience. After learning about the produce grown in the garden, we help prepare Costa Rican dishes, which may include handmade tortillas and food cooked over a wood fire. We then sit down together to eat what we have made, enjoying volcano views as we dine. Terrain: 100% paved