Trek Hidden Costa Rica
12 days, San José to San José
Itinerary
Day 1San José
Arrive at any time.
There are no planned activities during the day, so check into the hotel and explore the city. As it is located in the central highlands, San José enjoys a moderate climate.
Amid the hustle and bustle, San José has beautiful parks, museums and the ornate Costa Rica National Theatre downtown. Enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains from the downtown streets.
The central plaza is a good place to people-watch. A mime, juggler, marimba band, magician, or storyteller may be performing for whatever is collected when the hat is passed. Artisan booths are common, creating a regular arts and crafts fair atmosphere.
Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group
Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Accommodation
Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.
Boutique Hotel Casa Las Orquideas (or similar)
Day 2San José/San Isidro
Travel by local bus over the highest mountain pass in the country. Arrive in the valley of San Isidro de El General and take a walk in the main plaza.
Spend the day visiting some shops and stock up before the next day's trek into the jungle. Located near three rivers and Costa Rica's highest mountain, Mt Chirripó, this region is well-known but few travelers stay to find out why.
Please note it will be necessary to repack your bags according to the packing list provided for our excursion to Piedras Blancas as it is an early departure on the morning of Day 3.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Free Time
A free afternoon allows you the chance to explore the main square, located around three kilometres from the hotel, and get geared up for tomorrow’s hiking adventure.
Accommodation
San Isidro Hotel (or similar)
Day 3San Isidro/Piedras Blancas
Embark on a three-day, three-night excursion with a locally owned and operated adventure company to the community of Piedras Blancas, found in the heart of the Zona de los Santos region.
The journey is always half the fun! Travel in the back of a pickup truck through lush green landscapes and end in the small town of Brujo. Enjoy a 4-hour hike to a jungle homestay while spotting tropical fauna and plenty of wildlife along the way.
We will be welcomed with open arms and a much needed home-cooked meal at a local family home. The night will be spent eating, sharing stories of the day’s trek, and playing cards with the family members around the stove.
Pickup Truck
Hop into the back and ride along to the next destination.
Jungle Trekking to Piedras Blancas
Ready for a challenge? Gear up and head off for a six-hour trek through the jungle. Local English-speaking guides will point out flora and fauna and spot birds and wildlife in the thick forest canopy. Trek up, down, and around rocks and roots. During rainy season (May-Nov), bring walking sticks to support you in the slippery mud.
Save your energy for 'la cuesta roja' (the red hill) -- 20-30 minutes of an uphill slog. The payoff? Howler monkeys and toucans as travel companions.
Accommodation
Lopez Homestay (or similar)
Meals included:
Lunch | DinnerDay 4Piedras Blancas
Experience life in a remote community in and around a local family farm.
Wake up with the sun today and get ready for loads of activities. Enjoy a delicious traditional Costa Rican breakfast to start the day off right. In small groups, make 'dulce' (candy) at the family's traditional 'trapiche' (sugar cane mill). Cool off in the river that flows right by the house while the sugar simmers over the fire and lunch is being prepared.
Hike one hour to another household and stay the night. While there, local guides and members of the family will explain how to make fresh cheese and breads, play card games and enjoy tasty traditional Tico cooking. Once the evening winds down, head to bed for a well-deserved rest.
Sugarcane Candy Making
Roll up your sleeves and get ready for a nice arm workout! Using the traditional 'trapiche', a mill made of wooden rollers that helps draw out juices from the sugarcane, work those muscles to feed through the homegrown sugarcane and extract the sweet sugar. Let the sugar simmer over the fire and take a much-deserved break to cool down in the river and explore a 100-foot waterfall nearby. Towel off and get ready for lunch and try some of the sweet candy your hard work went into for a tasty treat afterwards.
Your Foodie Moment: Bread Making
Enter a traditional community kitchen and get to know the techniques and practises involved in making local style bread as well as getting to sample the results of the the hard work at the stove.
Optional Activities - Day 4 HideShow
Swimming
Harness your inner Tarzan and Jane and plunge into the river with lush forest all around.
Accommodation
Granados Homestay (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 5Piedras Blancas
Travel across the Savegre River to the next homestay with an included medicinal plant walk.
Start the day with a delicious home-cooked breakfast and fortify for the two-hour hike through the rainforest to tonight's home stay retreat. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the rushing waterfall directly in front of the dining area. Watch wildlife and hummingbirds up close. Reward yourself homemade chocolate made from cocoa beans collected right from the garden.
Hike to a local family home stay
Hike through the rainforest for two hours to reach the home of tonight's host family. Stop along the watch to bird-watch, learn about unique plants and breathe in the pure jungle air.
Your Foodie Moment: Chocolate Making
There are few things more delicious in the world than chocolate. See this coveted treat produced from bean to bar. From the nearby cacao plant to your mouth, enjoy the tasty benefits of 'eating local'.
Accommodation
Fonseca Homestay (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 6Piedras Blancas/Esquipulas
Walk through the jungle from the homestay and raft the Savegre River. Then, relax at the end of the day at camp and enjoy an included dinner.
Today is a full, action-packed day. Set your alarm for an early morning start and a two-hour hike back to Brujo where we jump into rafts and head off on the Savegre River.
Paddle toward the Pacific coast, then take a van to Esquipulas. Spend the rest of the day relaxing at camp before an included dinner.
Bags are taken to our overnight stop in Esquipulas , while the activities continue with a rafting excursion.
Hiking
Wave 'adios' to your home stay host family and trek for two hours back through the jungle to the town of Brujo.
Savegre River Whitewater Rafting
What better way to get from A to B then taking the natural route along a scenic and exciting river? Buckle up your life jacket, grab a paddle and head off to raft the Class II - IV rapids of the Savegre River. Its water is considered some of cleanest in all of the Americas. Enjoy a natural high!
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation
Hotel Esquipulas Rainforest (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | Lunch | DinnerDay 7Manuel Antonio
Enjoy a day trip to explore beautiful Manuel Antonio Park. In the afternoon the group will transfer back to Esquipulas for a relaxing evening and included dinner.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Manuel Antonio National Park Tour
Pack your sunscreen, snack, beach shoes, and prepare for a great day in Costa Rica’s smallest yet no less stunning national park. Manual Antonio offers four white-sand beaches, separated by jagged rock outcrops and tidal pools. Swim, snorkel, surf, and sunbathe. When you’re all beached out, head to the shade of the nearby hiking trails to search for sloths, monkeys, and armadillos. Climb to the lookout to capture views of the pristine Pacific Ocean and the area’s off-shore islands.
Free Time
There's plenty to see and do in the area, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like a guided visit to Manuel Antonio National Park, mangrove kayaking, and surfing. Your CEO has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Optional Activities - Day 7 HideShow
Kayaking
70USD per personChoose to kayak the calm waters of the mangroves or paddle the waves of the Pacific. In the Damas Island estuary, the ocean meets fresh water rivers and creates a protected home for birds, snakes, crocodiles, and white face monkeys. For the more adventurous, opt for an open-seat ocean kayak and paddle along the shoreline and nearby islands, keeping an eye out for frigates, boobies, and jumping fish. Minimum age: 6-8 depending on tour type.
Whitewater Rafting Manuel Antonio
75-98USD per personWhat better way to get from A to B then taking the natural route along a scenic and exciting river? Buckle up your life jacket, grab a paddle and head off to raft some Class II - IV rapids. Minimum age: 6-15 depending on rapid class.
Accommodation
Hotel Esquipulas Rainforest (or similar)
Meals included:
Breakfast | DinnerDay 8Quepos
Enjoy a free day in the area for optional activities. Be as active or relaxed as you'd like.
A free day for exploring the area, there are a number of activities to choose from depending on the group’s interest and energy levels.
Free Time
Enjoy a full day to explore the area at your own pace.
Optional Activities - Day 8 HideShow
Fishing
Cast a line and (depending on the season) hope to hook a marlin, sailfish, tuna or dorado (mahi mahi). Fishing in Quepos, north of Manuel Antonio, is Costa Rica’s most popular spot for blue water sport fishing.
Accommodation
Hotel Esquipulas Rainforest (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 9Esquipulas/Uvita
Enjoy a morning at your leisure before travelling to beautiful seaside Uvita. Opt to surf, whale-watch, horseback-ride or kick back and relax.
After a slow morning, hop in a private van and enjoy the ride to Uvita, a small beach town on the southwestern Pacific coast.
Take some much deserved time to rest and relax.
Free Time
Get out and explore the atmosphere of Uvita on your own.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Accommodation
Hotel Luz De Luna (or similar)
Meals included:
BreakfastDay 10Uvita
Spend the morning swimming, relaxing, and watching humpback whales off the coast of Ballena Marine National Park, before enjoying free time in Uvita.
This is a perfect day for some quality hammock time. Still need to move? There's lots to do. Take a surf lesson, horseback ride, snorkel, SCUBA dive or take a trip to nearby Caño Island.
Ballena Marine National Park Visit
Ballena Marine National Park is set along a 15km stretch of coastline on the Pacific, with incredible water for snorkelling and swimming. With the largest coral reef on the Pacific Coast in Central America, this is the perfect spot to grab some fins or enjoy time to relax on the beach. This park also has prime humpback whale viewing as they migrate through the region between Dec and April.
Free Time
Unwind on the beach or try one of the many activities available in Uvita.
Optional Activities - Day 10 HideShow
Caño Island Visit
120-140USD per personBook a full day-trip to the protected marine reserve of Caño Island – popular with snorkellers, divers and anyone who appreciates beautiful beaches and trails that wind through mountainous untamed forests. Located 16km (10 mi) offshore from the Osa Peninsula, spend time hiking, beachcombing or just enjoying nature. Snorkel or scuba the clear waters, and see more than 100 species of fish, including barracuda, eels, white tip reef sharks, bottlenose dolphins, humpback whales, and rays.
Horseback Riding
35-45USD per personThrow on some long pants, grab the reins and hop up on a well-trained horse. Trail ride through the tropical forest and across the area’s most beautiful landscape. Look for toucans in the trees and admire the ocean views. Visit waterfalls and end your journey jogging your horse along the beach.
Scuba Diving
180USD per personSet off by boat, admire the rugged coastline, and in 15 minutes, arrive at Marino Ballena National Park. Suit up in scuba gear and explore the diverse underwater world. See a large variety of reef fish as well as underwater pinnacles and coral covered in sea fans.
Snorkelling
Rent a mask and fins and head underwater to check out the marine life under thriving in the warm waters off this southern Pacific coast. Take a half-day trip to Marino Ballena National Park, watch for whales, dolphins and sea turtles, then jump overboard and see a spectacular variety of fish.
Accommodation
Hotel Luz De Luna (or similar)
Day 11Uvita/San José
Transfer back to the capital for a final evening with the group.
Local Bus
Climb aboard, grab a seat, and enjoy the ride.
Accommodation
Boutique Hotel Casa Las Orquideas (or similar)
Day 12San José
Depart at any time.
Depart from San José at any time.