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Class 3-4 White Water rafting on the Sarapiqui River

Costa Rican Adventure

Takes in the country's top eco-adventures

Costa Rica is the undisputed eco-adventure capital of Central America. There's surfing, snorkeling, diving, paddling, volcano climbs, rainforest treks, hot springs, waterfalls, birding, biking.... well you get the idea. With so much to choose from, planning a trip can present a logistical challenge—sort of like visiting a Las Vegas buffet with 100 delicious entries and only so much room on the plate. To take in the full flavor of the place, you'll want to sample a little bit of everything rather than gorge on one. And that's also a great way to experience Costa Rica.

Arenal volcano in Costa Rica
Arenal volcano in Costa Rica

The Greatest Hits Tour

Here at Caradonna Adventures, we have helped hundreds of travelers create memorable Costa Rica itineraries. After years of planning these trips, we've come up with several packages that are the equivalent of a “greatest hits” playlist for achievable adventures and memorable experiences. The most popular of is the eight-day, seven-night schedule that allows participants to take in a diverse and exciting slice of the country's natural attractions in the course of a one-week vacation. Here's how it goes:

After flying in and spending a night in the capital city of San Jose, where you can acclimate and soak up a bit of the local culture, the adventures begin the next morning with a drive into the countryside and a rafting trip. Like many of Costa Rica's wild rivers, the Sarapiqui flows from the highland slopes of a volcano in a torrent of expert-onlywhitewaterr, then gradually mellows as it approaches the coast. You'll be running a middle section of the river, which features a non-stop series of thrilling yet safe Class III and occasional Class IV rapids. The Sarapiqui is known as the most scenic river in the country, so this is certainly the place to bring a waterproof camera.

Adventure Central

By afternoon, you'll be fed, dried off and on your way to La Fortuna. Sitting almost literally in the shadow of the mile-high Arenal Volcano, this resort town has evolved into Costa Rica's number one destination for adventure travel. Rest up, because, in the morning, you'll be sliding down waterfalls on a rope.

Of all the active adventures available in the La Fortuna Area, waterfall rappelling will probably earn you the most bragging rights. It's safe, but definitely a notch up on the excitement meter from a hike or a horseback ride. The day starts with a four-wheel-drive journey into the mountains. After a demonstration of the techniques of rappelling, and a gear fitting, you'll take a short jungle trek to the first waterfall. With the help of guides, you'll hook into the rope—they call it going on belay—and drop 25 feet down the cliff face of the first waterfall. After this confidence-building beginning, you'll move on to a network of cliffside trails, zip lines, and four more waterfall drops. The longest of these descends a thrilling 165 feet.

Waterfall rapelling
Waterfall rapelling
Hiking the trails
Hiking the trails

Hangouts and Hot Springs

Day four will have you walking in the treetops. The upper forest canopy is home too much of Costa Rica's wildlife, and you enter this elevated environment at the Mistico Hanging Bridges Park. Here, a jungle trail includes a network of suspension bridges that rise high above the forest floor to provide an up-close look at life in the treetops.

After the trek, it's time for a soak. And forget the usual hotel hot tub, because the volcano is next door so the La Fortuna area has a natural source of hot water. At the Tabacon thermal hot springs, geothermal-warmed mineral waters flow from deep underground, forming natural pools and small waterfalls. The springs are surrounded by lush jungle and flanked by the slopes of Arenal Volcano at one end and the national park on the other. Needless to say, it's a great way to relax.

Tabacon hot springs
Tabacon hot springs
Natural beauty is found in so many areas in Costa Rica
Natural beauty is found in so many areas in Costa Rica

The Coast with the Most

Adding up the undulations of the various bays, beaches and peninsulas on Costa Rica's Pacific coast yields more than 750 miles of shoreline to explore. This includes famous surf breaks, calm coves, wild beaches and deserted offshore islands. Some of the most scenic shores lie near the fishing village of Quepos, and that's where you'll spend the next three days after checking into the garden-like setting of the Si Como No resort.

One of the big attractions here is the nearby Manuel Antonio National Park. Although it's the country's smallest national park, it's also considered one of the most scenic. In addition to hiking trails that lead into rainforest-clad hillsides, the park has a number of excellent beaches and rocky tide pools, and the zone of protection extends into the surrounding waters to include fish-laden reefs.

To add some thrills and a new perspective to your rainforest experience, you'll spend part of day 6 of your trip soaring through the treetops for an up-close encounter with monkeys, tropical birds, and a wide variety of other flora and fauna. This aerial tour takes in nine different cable runs and 14 platforms, and can include a kilometer-long line that you fly “Superman style.” The following day's adventures may take on a slower pace but are no less memorable. You'll board a catamaran for some cruising, swimming, snorkeling and explore the coast. A highlight of this excursion is often an in-water encounter with the pods of gregarious dolphin that play along this coast. 

Playitas private beach
Playitas private beach

More Adventures Await

The eight-day itinerary just described remains a favorite with many travelers, but it is just one many that we can arrange. There are more adventures to discover, both mild and wild. Families can share activities such as a tour of a cocoa farm and chocolate factory, a visit to a butterfly atrium, a crocodile lagoon, birding walks or a wildlife-viewing drift along a jungle river. If bigger adventures are the goal, there are challenging hikes into cloud forests and up volcanic slopes, treks into coastal rainforests where there are no roads, or tours in geothermal-active landscapes of fumaroles, hot mud pools and steam holes. There's enough white water to keep an avid river rat busy for weeks, plus surfing and diving along the coast. Whatever your passion, we can help you plan your perfect Costa Rica adventure. 

Book it online now or give us a call at 1.800.330.6611 or email us at sales@caradonna.com

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