Costa Rica Experience

Name: Costa Rica Experience
Brand: Intrepid
SKU: 3332775
Price: 1498 AUD

Costa Rica

Departure dates

From 02/07/2022 to 07/01/2024

What's included

San Jose is Costa Rica’s cultural heart.

Spend time wandering through the artisan stalls of the main Plaza de la Cultura, with plenty of time to stop for a refresco (smoothie) and to do some people watching.

Lend a hand at a farmstay outside of Santa Rosa de Pocosol, and learn some home-cooked recipes and techniques from the locals on a visit to the Juanilama agricultural community.

Marvel at the size and stature of the Arenal Volcano on the horizon, perhaps taking a soak and relaxing in La Fortuna’s lava-heated thermal springs.

Try to spot the elusive resplendent quetzal when you’re exploring Monteverde’s steamy cloud forests.

Better yet, why not consider a jungle zip-line to get high in the sky?.

With plenty of time to chill out at your own pace, Quepos’ surf vibe is ideal for catching some waves, lazing on the white-sand beaches or hiking the lush trails of Manuel Antonio with your travel pals.

Breakfasts Included: 1.

Lunches Included: 1.

Dinners Included: 1.

Hotel (7 nights),Homestay (1 night).

Private vehicle,Boat,Public Transportation.

Age: min 15.

Group Size: 1 - 12.

Santa Rosa de Pocosol - Home-cooked Meal.

Santa Rosa de Pocosol - Homestay experience.

Leader-led Informal Spanish Lesson.

Monteverde - Cloud Forest leader-led Nature Hike.

Manuel Antonio – Cooking Class & Lunch.

Manuel Antonio National Park - (Entrance fee).

Manuel Antonio National Park - Leader-led Nature Walk.

Itinerary / more information

Day 1 - San Jose Hola! Welcome to Costa Rica. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today. With over half the country's population living within its parameters, San Jose is an enjoyable city with intriguing museums and a dynamic atmosphere. If you arrive with time to spare, a good place to start exploring is the main plaza – perfect for some people watching. Artisan booths are common here and you never know when there'll be a spontaneous art fair.
Day 2 - Santa Rosa de Pocosol Travel by private vehicle to Santa Rosa de Pocosol (approximately 4 hours) where you’ll spend the night in a homestay. Just down the road is the Juanilama agricultural community, where you have the opportunity to get to know the locals, help with farm chores, and take an informal cooking lesson. Several villagers have built comfortable rooms for guests next to their homes, and you will stay in one of them this evening. Please note that these rooms use shared facilities. In order to make the most of this homestay experience, it may take a bit of effort from your side to break the ice first. Learn as many Spanish words as you can and get ready for some serious hand language signals. The reward for your efforts? An authentic slice of life in the Costa Rican countryside.
Day 3 - La Fortuna Today, continue towards La Fortuna – a small town situated just a few minutes away from Costa Rica's famous Arenal Volcano (driving time approximately 2 hours). Besides its panoramic views, the town offers a range of other activities such as the 70-metre-high La Fortuna waterfall, stunning lush forest, rare plants, animal watching and water-based activities on the lake. The volcano’s inner workings also mean that the area has a number of thermal springs where lava-heated water gushes to the surface. These springs have been sculpted into a number of pools and waterfalls, making them the ideal place to relax. Spend the rest of the day as you please in this exciting town, perhaps getting active on a stand-up paddleboard or looking for monkeys and caimans during a boat tour of the Cano Negro area.
Day 4 - Monteverde Today you’ll take the scenic route to Monteverde (approximately 4 hours in total). Travel by minibus to Lake Arenal, then cross the water by boat. On the other side of the lake, re-board a minibus and continue on to our destination. Monteverde was founded as an agricultural community in 1951 by a group of North American Quakers – they cleared virgin forest to create verdant pastures ideal for dairy farming. These environmentally-aware settlers were conscious of the danger that unrestricted settling and farming could cause to this precious habitat. Consequently, they established a small, privately-owned wildlife sanctuary, which has since grown to become the internationally-renowned Monteverde Cloudforest Biological Preserve. Perhaps start your exploration with a tour of the suspension bridges that hang in the trees, or head to the Serpentarium to see some crawly critters. More than 2000 species of plants, 320 bird species and 100 different types of mammals call Montverde home.
Day 5 - Monteverde Choose how you'd like to spend today in this beautiful area. Watch butterflies at play in the specially created garden, hire a local guide to show you around the area, visit a community cooperative or zip-line through the lush canopy! Whatever you do, be sure to keep an eye out for the resplendent quetzal – one of the most elusive birds in the world.
Day 6 - Quepos Travel through the mountains to Quepos by private minibus (around 5 hours). Located close to the beautiful Pacific beaches and exotic wildlife of Manuel Antonio National Park, Quepos is a laidback town with a vibrant nightlife. Head to a local family home where you'll enjoy a cooking class and lunch. The dishes will be based on the traditional species of Costa Rican cuisine. Once the sun goes down, why not grab a spot at a waterfront restaurant and sink your teeth into some fresh seafood with your travel crew – this is the life.
Day 7 - Quepos - Manuel Antonio NP Spend your time enjoying all that Manuel Antonio National Park has to offer. Perhaps head out for a hike along one of the many trails on offer, keeping one eye on the great views and the other looking for the abundant wildlife. Monkeys, armadillos, sloths and hundreds of birds are among the species you maybe be able to spot. The park also boasts turquoise seas and white-sand beaches – perfect for swimming, kayaking, sailing and fishing. It would be easy to spend your whole time here in, or by, the water.
Day 8 - San Jose Take a public bus back to San Jose (around 4 hours). Arrive back in time for you to pick up some last-minute souvenirs at the city's colourful and vibrant markets. Then, head out for an optional dinner and a night on the town, getting a taste of the huge variety of nightlife on offer.
Day 9 - San Jose There are no activities planned for the final day and you are able to depart the accommodation at any time following check out. If you would like to spend more time in San Jose, we’ll be happy to organise additional accommodation (subject to availability).

Terms & conditions / all prices subject to availability

The following product terms and conditions apply in addition to our Booking Terms and Conditions (available on our website) and terms and conditions of the relevant travel service provider.
Prices quoted valid for sale until 04 July 2022 for travel during the period specified (if applicable) unless otherwise stated or sold out prior.
All prices are per person (unless otherwise stated), subject to availability and may be withdrawn or varied without notice. Accommodation (if included) is based on twin share unless otherwise stated.
Advertised price includes bonus nights and/or stated saving (if applicable).
Additional supplier conditions and travel restrictions may apply. Please enquire for further details.
Airfare (including internal flights) is not included unless otherwise stated and, if included, is economy class unless otherwise stated.
Components of the total price including local payments, "resort fees", "national park fees", "trip kitties" and food funds (if applicable) may be payable direct to the supplier on arrival or to your travel consultant prior to your departure. Where applicable, these payments are included in the total price quoted.
Gratuities are not included unless otherwise stated.
Prices shown are fully inclusive of taxes, levies and government charges current at the time of publication.
Additional levies, government charges & other applicable fees, including additional taxes, surcharges and visa fees specific to your departure date or flight routing, may apply and are beyond our control.
Seasonal surcharges and blackout dates may apply depending on date of travel.
Prices shown are for payments made by cash in store or by BPAY.
Payments made in store by credit card will incur a surcharge (see Booking Terms and Conditions for further details).
These prices are a guide to the best price and are subject to change without notice, due to matters outside our control, such as adverse currency fluctuations, fuel surcharges, taxes and airfare increases. Please enquire for further details..