Adventure

10 days

Adventure - 10 days

The following itineraries are examples of what you can do independently or through a Travel Agency.

Option 1

ADay 1: Arrive at Liberia International Airport (Daniel Oduber) and explore the Llanos de Cortés waterfall

We invite you to enjoy an incredibly relaxing experience: listening to the sound of falling water, enveloped in lush green nature. In the Bagaces District of Guanacaste, you’ll find the wonderful Llanos de Cortés waterfall, a special place where you can wade in crystal clear waters. Its small sandy beach is perfect if you’re with children, allowing for both play and rest. Hours: Every day from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

BDays 2-4: Playa Tamarindo

On the North Pacific coast lies one of the most beautiful and largest beaches in Costa Rica, Tamarindo. It is an ideal destination for families or groups of friends to enjoy a day full of fun and sunbathing. More adventurous visitors can rent diving equipment and spend the day exploring the depths of the sea. You can also surf, kayak, take sailboat rides, or go fishing. Another one of the most popular outdoor experiences in this area is visiting the Las Baulas National Marine Park, a protected area that serves as a sanctuary for the sea turtle population, who use it as a nesting site.

CDays 5-6: Monteverde Cloud Forest (ziplining, hiking, suspension bridges)

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is made up of a tropical jungle with a great variety of flora and fauna and an ever-present mist, hence its name. It is located between the provinces of Alajuela and Puntarenas and has an elevation of 1,600 meters above sea level. One of the most exciting ways to see the forest is through the ziplining tours that take place in the area. Here, you can find one of the longest ziplines in the country, which spans over 770 m. Enjoy incredible views through the hanging suspension bridges, which extend through canyons and connect to the hiking trails, giving you the same canopy experience. It also offers 13 km of trails that will make for a great day of hiking.

DDays 7-8: Poás Volcano National Park

Visit the volcano with one of the largest craters in all of Central America, making it one of the hottest tourist destinations. It is located in Alajuela and also offers great tourist attractions around it, such as Fraijanes, Poasito, Vara Blanca and San Pedro de Poás. Don’t forget to buy strawberries and cheese, and stop for lunch at one of the roadside restaurants – you will not regret it. Tickets: You must make a reservation in advance at https://serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr/ in the "Buy and reserve online" section, where you will create an account, enter the names of the people who will be visiting, and pay for the tickets with a debit or credit card. Hours: Every day from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

EDay 9: La Paz Waterfall

This waterfall is located in the Vara Blanca area in Heredia. You can visit it through La Paz Waterfall Gardens or by following the road to Cinchona de Alajuela where you can watch the waterfall and take the opportunity to buy some local specialties, such as strawberries. If you would prefer to visit through La Paz Waterfall Gardens, you can see five waterfalls in total: El Templo, Magia Blanca, Encantada, Escondida and La Paz. You can also find species such as monkeys, sloths, snakes, frogs, wild cats, gardens full of hummingbirds and butterflies, and more. It has two restaurants with local and international cuisine and a lodge for those who are thinking of spending one or more nights.

FDay 10: Departure from Juan Santamaría International Airport.

Option 2

ADays 1-2: Arrive at the Liberia International Airport (Daniel Oduber) and explore Rincón de la Vieja (horseback riding, hiking, waterfall, hot springs, mud baths).

Rincon de la Vieja National Park belongs to the Guanacaste Conservation Area and comprises about 13 hectares. You can go hiking, horseback riding, swimming in the hot springs, picnicking, and camping in the park. It has two ranger stations, one in the Santa María sector and the other in Las Pailas. The latter has ideal camping facilities. In addition to observing volcanic activity, you can visit a dry broadleaf forest, a moist broadleaf forest, a tropical rainforest and a cloud forest. Among its aquatic attractions are a freshwater lagoon, waterfalls, hot springs and boiling volcanic mud pits.

BDays 3-4: Explore the Gulf of Papagayo and visit Palo Verde National Park

Gulf of Papagayo, Guanacaste Many of Costa Rica's all-inclusive hotels are located in the Gulf of Papagayo. It is located right on the North Pacific coast, north of Panama Beach and near the Daniel Oduber International Airport in Liberia. It has hypnotizing ocean seascapes and lush tropical greenery at every turn. Papagayo is also a lovely experience for those who just want to relax and have fun. Palo Verde National Park Palo Verde National Park is one of the most biologically diverse places in the country. It is comprised of a mosaic of more than 15 different natural ecosystems including lowland deciduous forest, evergreen forest, swamp forest, limestone forest, montane grassland and shrubland, and mangroves. It is known as an ideal bird watching site because of its river lowlands that constitute the perfect wetland for a huge variety of predominantly migratory birds to congregate. Its attractions include: Sendero la Roca (with a viewpoint of Palo Verde lagoon, Tempisque River, and the Gulf of Nicoya), El Guayacán Trail (for adventurers), El Mapache (where you’ll find three different habitats: lowland deciduous forest, limestone forest and evergreen forest), La Venada (bordering Palo Verde Lagoon), El Querque (to see huge trees) and La Jacana Trail (for bird watching).

CDays 5-6: Travel to Monteverde and explore the cloud forest (hiking, suspension bridges, ziplining)

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is made up of a tropical jungle with a great variety of flora and fauna and an ever-present mist, hence its name. It is located between the province of Alajuela and Puntarenas and has an elevation of 1,600 meters above sea level. One of the most exciting ways to see the forest is through the ziplining tours that take place in the area. Here, you can find one of the longest ziplines in the country, which spans over 770 m. Enjoy incredible views through the hanging suspension bridges, which extend through canyons and connect to the hiking trails, giving you the same canopy experience. It also offers 13 km of trails that will make for a great day of hiking.

DDays 7-8: Poás Volcano National Park

Visit the volcano with one of the largest craters in all of Central America, making it one of the hottest tourist destinations. It is located in Alajuela and also offers great tourist attractions around it, such as Fraijanes, Poasito, Vara Blanca and San Pedro de Poás. Don’t forget to buy strawberries and cheese, and stop for lunch at one of the roadside restaurants – you will not regret it. Tickets: You must make a reservation in advance at https://serviciosenlinea.sinac.go.cr/ in the "Buy and reserve online" section, where you will create an account, enter the names of the people who will be visiting, and pay for the tickets with a debit or credit card. Hours: Every day from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

EDay 9: Braulio Carrillo Rainforest (hiking)

Braulio Carrillo National Park is located to the north of the Central Valley, on the central volcanic mountain range between the Poás and Irazú volcanoes. It is one of the largest protected areas in Costa Rica at 50,000 hectares. This national park has two sectors for public use. 1) Quebrada González, located on route 32, has three trails with viewpoints through the rainforest. 2) Volcán Barva has four trails: Cacho Venado, Laguna Barva, Copey and Mirador Vara Blanca. In the latter sector, you can go hiking, see different types of forest and enjoy a nice picnic in a natural setting. To get here, you have to travel from the city of Heredia.