COSTA RICA COAST TO COAST ADVENTURE

Flight from London UK to San Jose Juan Santa Maria (SJO) approx 10 – 12 hours.
On signing up for the trip, we will provide you with the recommended flights to book or alternately, we can book the flights for you through our ATOL protected Flight Agent at an additional cost. Flights are not included in your to give you the flexibility to travel from your nearest airport, use any frequent flyer points or extend your stay in Costa Rica or nearby countries if you wish. The recommended flights for this will include airport transfers in Costa Rica. There are direct flights from London and non-direct flights for all major airports across the UK.

Arrive in Costa Rica, meet the team and trip briefing.

Your challenge starts on the Pacific Coast. Leaving San José by bus (your last motorized vehicle for the next 10 days) to the fishing village of Quepos, next to Manuel Antonio National Park. Relax, chill out on the beach or visit the National Park, famous for its abundant wildlife. There is time before dinner to check out and set up bikes as it is an early start tomorrow morning. The official trip briefing is after dinner this evening.

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS… Awake early and enjoy a light buffet of fresh fruit and coffee then set off on bikes to climb the steep mountains of the sparsely populated Pacific Coast. The vista from above is a fantastic reward for hard work. In the small town of Esquipulas we’ll enjoy a hearty breakfast, rest up and prepare our day packs for the next leg of the day’s journey. Trading your wheels for hiking boots, you will continue your journey by trekking into the cool mountains of Central Costa Rica. Tonight is an overnight camp in the valley of Naranjillo.

Your day begins with a trek towards the Continental Divide and challenging the infamous “Cemetery Hill” – a strenuous 13km climb. At just over 1300 metres, the forest opens up to our first glimpse of Costa Rica´s abundant coffee industry. From here the trek continues through coffee plantations for several hours until reaching a height of an impressive 1950 metres. You will then head for the pueblo of San Lorenzo, switching to mountain bikes to pedal to the quaint village of Santa Maria where you’ll then enjoy some typical Costa Rican fare and rest up in comfortable local lodge.

Today you’ll tackle the hardest, steepest climb of your adventure. The challenge before breakfast is mountain biking a 14km up-hill stretch to the Continental Divide, bringing you to an altitude of 2,330 meters – the highest point of your journey. Following the rule that everything that goes up must come down, the remainder of the day is mountain biking at its best – mostly downhill on dirt roads and single-track trails. Finishing in the afternoon in the beautiful Orosi Valley where rich pastures and dark green forests of coffee carpet the land and you’ll rest well tonight in the town of Orosi.

Today’s journey will have you amidst both cloud and rainforest. After breakfast you will mountain bike along a river to the Tapantí National Wildlife Refuge. This is an area of vast rugged terrain covered with dense primary rainforest. Following the cycling leg, you will leave your bikes to take to the mountains and trek amongst thousands of trees covered with ferns, bromeliads, mosses and other epiphytes – a primary cloud forest ecology. The end of the day will see you reaching flatter ground where you will camp near the small settlement of Taus.

After saying goodbye to your new Costa Rican family your day starts with a 43km mountain bike ride towards the white-water rafting start at La Cruz, the gateway to the Pacuare River. Here you will have lunch before embarking on a rafting journey through pristine rainforest spotted with waterfalls.

The Pacuare is the most scenic rafting river in Costa Rica and one of the world’s classic white-water rafting experiences. In the afternoon you will arrive at your riverside camp, El Nido del Tigre. Nestled between the sounds of the rainforest and the hum of the river you can explore this lush environment and look out for wildlife such as toucans, sloths and more. Spacious tents on fixed platforms board the edge of the river and nestle in the surrounding forest. The camp is fully functional with its own supply of pure spring water, shower and sanitary facilities. The name of the camp, El Nido del Tigre, comes from the giant patches of ginger plants that carpet the main floor of the main area of camp. When the ginger reaches a certain height it falls over creating flattened areas in the shape of a tiger’s paw – hence its name, which translates to ‘the nest of the tiger’. From the centre of the nest, trails radiate throughout the forest and along the river. There is an open area for those who are up for a game of ball or frisbee or you can seek out a quiet area and enjoy a refreshing drink, read a book or snooze away in a hammock.

Today you have the chance to spend some quality time in this unique location on the banks of the Pacuare River. This area of rainforest is maintained as much as possible in its natural state. From the centre of camp, the trails radiate out to secret areas of the rainforest. The trekking route takes you hiking over the hills, exploring primary forest, swimming in the Pacuare, exploring waterfalls and swimming holes with water so pure you can drink it (most of the year). Tonight you will spend your second night in the stunning El Nido del Tigre which is named after the giant ginger plants carpeting the area around the campsite.

Today the Pacuare rafting journey takes you through virgin rainforest, cascading waterfalls and river carved canyons. The rafts maneuver through the exhilarating rapids and in gentler sections you can see into the rainforest at the river’s edge. Along the way time out is taken to do some hiking to spectacular waterfalls and to enjoy lunch on the shore. At last, in the late afternoon, you’ll reach the end of your rafting journey at the banana plantations at Finca Pacuarito. Here you will camp at Finca Pacuarito rest for the night.

INCLUDED

THE SWEET TASTE OF SUCCESS…This morning you will jump back in the saddle of your bike for the final time for a short ride through banana plantations to the town of Freeman. Here is where you’ll begin the final leg of the traverse in kayaks down the Pacuare leaving the rapids behind as the river eases into the Caribbean lowlands where banana plantations gradually swallow the receding rainforest. The river slows to a tranquil pace as we are paddle the last mile of the river, completing the mosaic of the landscapes we have experienced. At the end of the adventure, we reach the mouth of the Pacuare as it meets the Caribbean Sea, celebrating our passage with bubbly surf, while enjoying a well-deserved rest. After time on the beach you will then be picked up by a motorboat and transferred to Moin. Here you will then be transferred to the beach filled with a huge sense of achievement and ready to celebrate your fantastic achievement.

Morning departure to Juan Santa Maria International Airport (approximately 4 hour transfer). Filled with an immense sense of pride, stories to share & inspire, memories to cherish and new found friends, you will return home to the UK or continue on your travels.