Epic Costa Rica

Famed for its amazing wildlife, adrenaline inducing activities and gorgeous beaches, Costa Rica is a sure winner for a tropical getaway and unforgettable moments! See monkeys, sloths and turtles, learn to surf, kayak through the jungle, cycle along the palm fringed coast and sip cocktails whilst enjoying the most spectacular sunsets…what are you waiting for?

1. Fly to San Jose

2. Days 1-3: Coffee Region

   Upon touching down in San Jose, you will be greeted at the airport and whisked off to your boutique hideaway situated on an organic coffee plantation, away from the hustle and bustle of the capital, in Costa Rica’s lush green Central Valley. Finca Rosa Blanca is an architecturally striking and supremely relaxing bolthole, the perfect spot to begin your holiday. After a long flight, take a refreshing dip in the infinity pool, built into the hillside with spectacular volcano views, and unwind with a cocktail or two amongst the tropical gardens. Take dinner at the fabulous onsite restaurant, which emphasises seasonal, organic, locally grown and regionally inspired fare, much of it from the estate itself.

   Costa Rican coffee is among the best in the world and given that you are staying on a plantation producing its own beans, you can be sure of a delicious cup to kickstart your morning. Coffee aficionados can even discover all about the process involved in cultivation, harvesting and roasting.

   Along with coffee, Costa Rica is also well known for its many volcanoes. After a delicious breakfast, including a mouth-watering fresh fruit platter, you’ll be taken to visit the nearby active Poas Volcano, whose impressive crater is around 350 metres deep and can often be seen blowing out plumes of smoke. The rest of the afternoon can be spent how you like, you may just want to laze around beside the pool or enjoy a massage at the spa, or for those still fuelled by the morning’s coffee there are nature trails to be explored around the property. 
   

   Accommodation: Finca Rosa Blanca Coffee Plantation Resort (2 nights)

3. Days 3-6: Tortuguero

   It’s an early start as you take to the skies and fly towards the country’s wild Caribbean coast and protected mangroves and jungles of Tortuguero National Park, where you’ll spend a couple of days discovering Costa Rica’s famous wildlife. The short flight is rewarding in terms of its views and the adventure really begins when you jump onboard the boat that takes you across to your lodge. You’ll get your first glimpse of wildlife on this journey, and maybe even a sloth if you’re lucky! 

   Embark on a series of wildlife encounters on jungle walks, guided boat trips and nocturnal explorations as you discover the surrounding ecosystems, home to a huge variety of endemic species. Keep your eyes peeled for colourful toucans and screeching macaws in the treetops, monkeys swinging through the branches, caiman gliding across the waters and glistening poison-dart frogs hugging tree trunks. The nearby beaches are also important nesting sites for sea turtles and (in season) it’s possible to take a guided night-time walk along the moonlit beach, in search of turtles and their eggs. 

   The remainder of the time can be spent kicking back at lodge. It’s an opportune time to switch off from all the usual distractions of home and work life, there’s a refreshing pool to escape the heat and the bar staff can shake up a fruity cocktail for you. The more adventurous can rent a kayak and explore the surrounding waterways at their own pace, gliding through the canals you are likely to come across all kinds of wildlife on the banks and in the trees above, so have your camera phone ready! 

   Accommodation: Tortuga Lodge (3 nights)

4. Days 6-9: Puerto Viejo

   Today you will be transferred overland to the brightly coloured Caribbean village of Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, where your home for the next three nights will be a luxurious oasis tucked away amongst beautiful manicured gardens, just a stone’s throw from the sandy beach. Puerto Viejo is a unique side of Costa Rica, rich with Afro Caribbean influence, there’s a free-spirited energy that bounces along to the beat of reggae and calypso, with spicy coconut-infused flavours, plenty of rum and a friendly laidback vibe. 

   Life at Aguas Claras is slow and relaxing; a morning yoga session (or an extra hour in bed) leads into a bountiful breakfast, a stroll on the beach is a chance to spot exotic birds in the palm trees or explore the colourful reef with complimentary snorkelling equipment. After a long lunch (a delicious selection of tacos for example), laze by the pool with a book or visit the hotel’s wellness centre, with its dizzying array of available treatments. Despite inviting you to unwind and relax, the hotel is surrounded by some of the world’s most beautiful flora and fauna, which yearns to be discovered. The easiest way to do so is by bicycle, with a series of flat trails winding through the jungle leading out to quiet beaches. You could also visit a wildlife rescue centre and learn about the rehabilitation of sloths and monkeys or explore the bean-to-bar process on a tour of a Cacao plantation. For those seeking out more adventure, there are plenty of adrenaline pumping activities, from learning to surf, kayaking through mangroves or zip-lining through the canopy. And the best thing is knowing that back at the hotel you have the comfort of a cloud-like bed and a luxurious pool. Once the evening creeps in follow the bassline sounds to one of the rudimentary bars in town where you can sink a few cold beers with the friendly locals and grab a bite to eat.

   Accommodation: Aguas Claras (3 nights)

5. Days 9-12: Turrialba and Pacuare

   The adventure ramps up several notches today as you slip on your safety equipment and jump into your inflatable raft and begin the thrilling white-water journey to reach your next lodge, nestled deep inside the tropical forest. Prepare to tackle bubbling rapids whilst floating through steep, densely vegetated canyons and past cascading waterfalls, whilst colourful toucans and parrots fly overhead. Pacuare is one of our favourite lodges in Costa Rica, it offers the perfect combination of adrenaline inducing activities and beautiful, exotic and stress-free surroundings. 

   During the day, choose from a range of activities designed to suit all interests, including jungle hikes to nearby waterfalls, visits to indigenous communities, horse-riding, nature trails and of course plenty more wet and wild fun on the river. Back at the lodge, sip cocktails in the gorgeous infinity pool under the twinkling night sky and enjoy the exceptionally romantic atmosphere created by the dimly lit candles and lanterns flickering in the shadows. 

   Accommodation: Pacuare Lodge (3 nights)

6. Days 12-14: San Jose

   It’s your final morning in the wilderness, today you’ll be heading back to the city! After breakfast, you and your bags will be loaded back onto the rafts and you’ll paddle down the river again for one last crack at the rapids. This is the most exhilarating stretch; feel like a seasoned pro stage as you navigate the twists and bends of the river, it’s a rollercoaster ride, before finally reaching the disembarkation point. There will be a chance for you to dry off and change clothes, before being whisked off to your hotel in the centre of the vibrant capital city, San Jose. 

   Most tourists head straight from the city’s airport to the country’s more famous regions in search of wildlife and adventure. However, the capital has plenty of its own pulling power and shouldn’t be overlooked. To help you really get under its skin we’ve booked you onto a fun and lively guided excursion, centred around food and accompanied by plenty of craft beer and traditional liquor. Swerve the touristy spots and uncover the local neighbourhoods (barrios) where the city’s best and most tasty street food can be found. As the evening rolls on and the drinks continue to flow, you’ll discover more of San Jose’s pulsating nightlife as you party with the locals into the early hours. Pura Vida! 

   Accommodation: Grano de Oro (2 nights)

7. Fly home

   Depending on how late a night it was, you may want a few extra hours in bed and a leisurely breakfast. There should be enough time for a final stroll around town and a chance to pick up some last-minute souvenirs and gifts for friends back home, before transferring to the international airport to check in for your flight home.

Central Valley, Tortuguero, Puerto Viejo, Pacuare, San Jose