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Operated by Intrepid Travel

18 to 35s One Week in Costa Rica

From

CAD 869

Duration

8 days

Countries

Costa Rica

Activity

easy

Group size

Max 16

Rating

4.9 · 95 reviewsvia Intrepid Travel

The adventure

Calling all nature lovers, solo travellers and young adventurers! Spend a week in Costa Rica beginning in San Jose – the thriving urban centre with colourful markets, vibrant nightlife and spontaneous art fairs. Explore Monteverde’s Cloud Forest at your own pace, keeping your eye out for sloths and the elusive quetzal bird. Head to La Fortuna, shadowed by the immense Arenal Volcano, and enjoy free time to chase waterfalls and soak away your worries in the natural thermal hot springs. Explore Cahuita National Park with a hike and a swim, then enjoy some beach time on the Caribbean coast in Puerto Viejo. If you're lucky, spot sloths, hummingbirds, iguanas, monkeys, toucans, coatimundis, quetzals and racoons, then take a cooking class to learn the local cuisine. With a local leader with insider knowledge and a likeminded group of travellers – what better way to dive into Costa Rica?

Cahuita National Park - Entrance

Cahuita National Park - Hike

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - Coastal Bicycle ride

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - Caribbean Cooking Demonstration

San Jose - Leader-Led Orientation Walk

At a glance

Day by day

Your journey through

Costa Rica

Showing Days 1-7

8-day itinerary

Day 1San JoseHola! Welcome to Costa Rica. Your adventure begins in San Jose, home to a lively cultural atmosphere and heaps to do. If you arrive early (it’s recommended that you stay an extra few days), maybe explore the markets – you might even be lucky enough to see a spontaneous art fair! If history is your thing, maybe head to the Gold Museum to see the collection of Indigenous gold art. Perhaps visit Arte Contemporaneo if you’re an art lover or get your first taste of the rich coffee that Costa Rica is known for in a nearby coffee shop. You’ll have a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight at your hotel. After, maybe head out to a local restaurant or the Central Market where you can pick up some fresh seafood.

Street view of a colorful building with graffiti in San José, Costa Rica on a sunny day.

San Jose

Hola! Welcome to Costa Rica. Your adventure begins in San Jose, home to a lively cultural atmosphere and heaps to do. If you arrive early (it’s recommended that you stay an extra few days), maybe explore the markets – you might even be lucky enough to see a spontaneous art fair! If history is your thing, maybe head to the Gold Museum to see the collection of Indigenous gold art. Perhaps visit Arte Contemporaneo if you’re an art lover or get your first taste of the rich coffee that Costa Rica is known for in a nearby coffee shop. You’ll have a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight at your hotel. After, maybe head out to a local restaurant or the Central Market where you can pick up some fresh seafood.

Day 2MonteverdeTake an early public bus to Monteverde this morning – this area was initially used as an environmentally conscious agricultural community and has now been transformed into the internationally recognised Cloud Forest Reserve. Make the most of your free time in lush Monteverde, maybe exploring the cloud forest at night with a local guide or heading out on a zip lining adventure. There are also several local communities that operate co-ops here, which are well worth the visit. Maybe walk through the canopy on suspension bridges or watch butterflies in the Butterfly Garden and Insects Farm. If food and coffee are more your thing, maybe head out on a chocolate and coffee tour.

Monteverde

Take an early public bus to Monteverde this morning – this area was initially used as an environmentally conscious agricultural community and has now been transformed into the internationally recognised Cloud Forest Reserve. Make the most of your free time in lush Monteverde, maybe exploring the cloud forest at night with a local guide or heading out on a zip lining adventure. There are also several local communities that operate co-ops here, which are well worth the visit. Maybe walk through the canopy on suspension bridges or watch butterflies in the Butterfly Garden and Insects Farm. If food and coffee are more your thing, maybe head out on a chocolate and coffee tour.

Day 3La FortunaIf you're an early bird, maybe head out on a nature hike and look out for hummingbirds, sloths and the infamous (and seldom seen) quetzal birds. Today you’ll drive to Lake Arenal and take a boat to La Fortuna – a small but vibrant town with abundant hot springs and natural pools. Sitting under the shadow of a towering volcano, this spot is the perfect place to relax, explore or get active. Tonight, maybe grab dinner with your fellow travellers at a local restaurant and try some sopa negra (black bean soup) or pozole (a stew made from pork, hominy, cilantro, bell peppers and achiote).

Scenic view of Arenal Volcano surrounded by vibrant rainforest and tropical flora in Costa Rica.

La Fortuna

If you're an early bird, maybe head out on a nature hike and look out for hummingbirds, sloths and the infamous (and seldom seen) quetzal birds. Today you’ll drive to Lake Arenal and take a boat to La Fortuna – a small but vibrant town with abundant hot springs and natural pools. Sitting under the shadow of a towering volcano, this spot is the perfect place to relax, explore or get active. Tonight, maybe grab dinner with your fellow travellers at a local restaurant and try some sopa negra (black bean soup) or pozole (a stew made from pork, hominy, cilantro, bell peppers and achiote).

Day 4La FortunaEnjoy a free day to explore La Fortuna today. Maybe you’d like to take a day trip out of town and go white water rafting. Costa Rica is renowned for its natural beauty, so an adrenaline-filled adventure on the action-packed rivers is highly recommended. Alternatively, stay in La Fortuna and head out on a hike through the lush surrounding forest or go stand-up paddleboarding on Lake Arenal to enjoy the incredible backdrop of Arenal Volcano from a new perspective. If you’re an animal lover, look out for coatimundis, racoons and toucans across the water on a boat tour of Cano Negro Reserve. Soaking in the local thermal hot springs is a popular activity here – these natural springs are fed by the volcano that overlooks the city and are the perfect spot to relax and enjoy the surrounding scenery.

La Fortuna

Enjoy a free day to explore La Fortuna today. Maybe you’d like to take a day trip out of town and go white water rafting. Costa Rica is renowned for its natural beauty, so an adrenaline-filled adventure on the action-packed rivers is highly recommended. Alternatively, stay in La Fortuna and head out on a hike through the lush surrounding forest or go stand-up paddleboarding on Lake Arenal to enjoy the incredible backdrop of Arenal Volcano from a new perspective. If you’re an animal lover, look out for coatimundis, racoons and toucans across the water on a boat tour of Cano Negro Reserve. Soaking in the local thermal hot springs is a popular activity here – these natural springs are fed by the volcano that overlooks the city and are the perfect spot to relax and enjoy the surrounding scenery.

Day 5Cahuita National Park - Puerto Viejo de TalamancaThis morning, leave the volcano behind and take a private transfer to Cahuita National Park, where you’ll explore the lush landscape on a 2-hour hike with your leader. You’ll also visit the beach here, where you can cool off with an ocean swim or go wildlife spotting, looking out for paca, iguanas, giant blue crabs, racoons, opossums, porcupines and the capuchin monkey. This is a great day for photos, so keep your camera or phone on you! Carry on to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, where you’ll spend the night. On the Caribbean seaside, you can spend tonight hopping to different reggae bars and watching the sunset on the palm-fringed beaches.

A stunning aerial view of Cahuita Beach in Costa Rica with lush greenery and crashing waves.

Cahuita National Park

This morning, leave the volcano behind and take a private transfer to Cahuita National Park, where you’ll explore the lush landscape on a 2-hour hike with your leader. You’ll also visit the beach here, where you can cool off with an ocean swim or go wildlife spotting, looking out for paca, iguanas, giant blue crabs, racoons, opossums, porcupines and the capuchin monkey. This is a great day for photos, so keep your camera or phone on you! Carry on to Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, where you’ll spend the night. On the Caribbean seaside, you can spend tonight hopping to different reggae bars and watching the sunset on the palm-fringed beaches.

Day 6Puerto Viejo de TalamancaExplore the area on a bike ride along the palm-fringed coastal road, stopping at various beaches and inlets as you make your way south. Visit Punta Uva Beach, where you can find a little hidden cave with a gorgeous view. This afternoon, you can opt to head to Manzanillo for an immersive forest therapy session, where you'll learn about sustainable eating practices and the medicinal uses of local plants with a guided tour through the gardens. Learn more about local Afro-Caribbean culture, taste breadfruit and take a brief Spanish lesson. Finish your day by watching a Caribbean cooking demonstration. Experience a melting pot of culinary traditions using a mix of spices and fruits influenced by local Indigenous, African and Spanish cuisines. Then, return to Puerto Viejo for the evening to hit the bars with your fellow travellers for a drink.

Serene view of a sunny beach in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica with gentle waves and clear skies.

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Explore the area on a bike ride along the palm-fringed coastal road, stopping at various beaches and inlets as you make your way south. Visit Punta Uva Beach, where you can find a little hidden cave with a gorgeous view. This afternoon, you can opt to head to Manzanillo for an immersive forest therapy session, where you'll learn about sustainable eating practices and the medicinal uses of local plants with a guided tour through the gardens. Learn more about local Afro-Caribbean culture, taste breadfruit and take a brief Spanish lesson. Finish your day by watching a Caribbean cooking demonstration. Experience a melting pot of culinary traditions using a mix of spices and fruits influenced by local Indigenous, African and Spanish cuisines. Then, return to Puerto Viejo for the evening to hit the bars with your fellow travellers for a drink.

Day 7San JoseJourney back to San Jose on a public bus and explore the historic buildings and artisan markets on an orientation walk with your leader. When you're done with the morning adventure, the afternoon is all yours. You can go café-hopping, hit up some local bars or just wander around soaking in the local scene. Tonight, maybe get your fellow travellers together for a final group dinner to say your goodbyes, and after that, dive into the vibrant nightlife scene to wrap up this epic journey on a high note.

San Jose

Journey back to San Jose on a public bus and explore the historic buildings and artisan markets on an orientation walk with your leader. When you're done with the morning adventure, the afternoon is all yours. You can go café-hopping, hit up some local bars or just wander around soaking in the local scene. Tonight, maybe get your fellow travellers together for a final group dinner to say your goodbyes, and after that, dive into the vibrant nightlife scene to wrap up this epic journey on a high note.

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