Others

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

Guide

All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leader or local representative. The aim of the group leader or local representative is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Intrepid endeavours to provide the services of an experienced group leader or local representative however, due to the seasonality of travel, rare situations may arise where your group leader or local representative is new to a particular region or training other group leader or local representative. Your group leader or local representative will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. If you are interested in delving deeper into the local culture at a specific site or location then your group leader or local representative can recommend a local guide service in most of the main destinations of your trip.

Meals

1 dinner

Transport

Shared Vehicle , Private Vehicle , Public Bus , Boat , Taxi

Accommodation

The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation. Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we’re arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn’t always possible which means we won’t be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available. Hotel (7 nights)

Not included:

Others

Other activities and services are not included

Flights

Flights are not included

Optional

Other activities and services are not included

Insurance

Insurance is not included

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: San José
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: San José

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 2 Day 2: Monteverde
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: 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 3 Day 3: La Fortuna
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: La Fortuna

If you have time this morning, 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 4 Day 4: La Fortuna
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: 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 5 Day 5: Cahuita National Park - Puerto Viejo De Talamanca
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Cahuita National Park - Puerto Viejo De Talamanca

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 6 Day 6: Puerto Viejo De Talamanca
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: 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 7 Day 7: San José
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: San José

Journey back to San Jose 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.
Day 8 Day 8: San José
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: San José

After breakfast, there are no activities planned and your trip comes to an end. If you’d like to explore San Jose in more depth, why not book an Urban Adventures tour like the San Jose Bites & Sights tour. Unmask the beauty and culture of contemporary Costa Rican life on this San Jose walking tour that takes you through the busy streets, bustling markets and tranquil parks. If you want to spend more time in San Jose, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.

8 days tour

One Week In Costa Rica

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip One Week In Costa Rica

Day 1: San José

Day 2: Monteverde

Day 3: La Fortuna

Day 4: La Fortuna

Day 5: Cahuita National Park - Puerto Viejo De Talamanca

Day 6: Puerto Viejo De Talamanca

Day 7: San José

Day 8: San José

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