Costa Rica Active Adventure Itinerary

Day 1: San Jose Pura Vida
Upon arrival you’ll be picked up at the airport and transferred to your hotel in San Jose. Time permitting, we will do a San José city sightseeing tour.  Dinner this evening will be at Tiquicia Restaurant. Overnight at Hotel Grano de Oro.  

Meals: Dinner
Destinations visited: San Jose
Activity: no cycling

Day 2: Rafting the Pacuare River
Today begins with an early morning transfer to El Cairo, Siquirres for breakfast. After breakfast, we will change into rafting gear and drive to our private rafting put-in on the banks of the Pacuare river*. At our put-in, we review and adjust all necessary equipment for proper fit, give you a comprehensive rafting safety talk, and instruct you on paddling basics. You’ll be excited to launch your raft and begin to paddle 14 miles deep into the heart of one of Costa Rica's most impressive primary rainforests. You’ll pass through densely vegetated rainforest gorges, view cascading waterfalls, relax in serene pools and experience pounding rapids. You will enjoy an adrenaline-packed afternoon running the Pacuare’s biggest rapids, with names like Upper and Lower Huacas, Cimarron, Dos Montanas and more. At the take-out, we will take a short drive back to our Operations Center where you will have access to showers and optional drinks. 

From here we will head to Arenal Volcano. Arenal is the youngest and most active of all the mountains in Costa Rica. Arenal rises 1770 meters above sea level and overlooks Lake Arenal; both are part of Arenal Volcano National Park. The country's most active volcano, Arenal's eruptions are strombolian in type, being frequent but moderate and can be viewed without danger as long as the viewers are behind the safety perimeter. This constant activity and minimal endangerment makes Arenal a popular tourist destination, especially at night, because the lava and incandescent rocks make a spectacular sight. Tonight we will enjoy dinner at your hotel, Arenal Kioro.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations visited: Pacuare River, Arenal Volcano National Park
Activity: 14 miles of rafting

*Children have to be 14 years old to go rafting on the Pacuare River. If there is a child on the tour who is younger than 14, the group will go rafting on the Sarapiqui River (class II – III) instead.

Day 3: Sky Trek Canopy Tour
After breakfast we will increase our adrenaline with the Sky Trek canopy tour. Sky Trek starts with a tour in the Sky Tram to reach the top of the Arenal Reserve, then begins an adrenaline-filled day of adventure above the treetops - consisting of a system of zip lines that allow you to safely observe the rainforest and its landscape from a completely different perspective. The tour includes 8 cross-sectional cables with a total length of 1.7 miles.  The sections range from 100 to 2460 feet, rising to a maximum height of 660 feet, which exceeds the treetops to provide a panoramic view of the Arenal volcano and lake. 
 
After our ziplining adventure we will drive to the Maleku Indigenous Reservation. Upon arrival you will enjoy a traditional Maleku lunch and then take an interactive painting workshop and visit a Cultural Theater to learn about their typical dances and rituals. The Maleku reservation is an area that protects 3,000 hectares and a community of over 600 people who maintain traditions such as burial rituals, food, dances, customs and more. We will support their efforts by visiting their community. (There is a trail a half mile long which goes to a primary forest on steep slopes. For those who do not want to take this walk, there is a shorter trail option through the secondary forest which will still allow you to still get a sense of the Caribbean slope rainforest).  Tonight dinner is on your own in La Fortuna. We will then return to Arenal Kioro for the evening.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch
Destinations visited: Sky Trek Canopy,  Maleku Indigenous Reservation
Activity: 1.7 mile canopy tour & .5 mile hike
 
Day 4: Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal
After breakfast we will transfer to the Arenal Volcano and hike at El Silencio Lookout Point to reach an old Lava flow trail in the boundaries of the National Park. Mirador El Silencio Reserve has 4 trails located in a 556-acre property, with 247 acres of old growth forest, where a wide variety of animals in their natural habitat can be watched. The Forest’s varied vegetation include majestic trees such as Ceibo and the trumpet-tree or Guarumo, where a wide range of birds nest. Located just opposite of the impressive Arenal Volcano, the Reserve is a veritable wild zoo with plenty of opportunities watch birds and other local fauna in their natural habitat, a truly unforgettable experience.

Afterwards continue to the Guanacaste area. It is here that you will hop on your bike and go towards Arenal Dam, enjoying amazing views of Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal as you ride from Arenal to Nuevo Arenal, around the lake.

Following the 1968 eruption, Lake Arenal was enlarged to 3 times its original size, an area of 85.5 km (33 sq. miles). Now its basin forms a hydroelectric project that produces 9% of Costa Rica's electricity. Lake Arenal is the key driver in a nationwide hydroelectric project that currently produces the majority of electricity for the entire country. Water depth generally varies between 100 and 200 feet (61 m). The communities of "old" Arenal and Tronadora were submerged by the expanded lake.

Surrounded by rolling hills of pasture and forest land, the imposing cone of the Arenal Volcano dominates its eastern vista. We will ride around Lake Arenal on rolling terrain for a total distance of 45 km ( 27 miles ).
 
Once you cross the Dam you will have the opportunity to explore the Rain Forest, the natural habitat of toucans, guans, monkeys and many other forms of life that you might see on your way.

Today we will enjoy a special picnic lunch and continue to the Guanacaste lowlands. If you want to get away from people and experience the nature of Costa Rica at its fullest, this is a great area to explore.

                                              
We will spend the night at the Cala Luna Hotel.

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations visited: Lake Arenal, Mirador El Silencio Reserve, Guanacaste
Activity: 1.8 mile hike & 27 mile bike
 
Day 5: Surfing, Biking and Sea Kayaking
After breakfast, we will head to the beach where your professional surf instructors will give a 20 minute technique and safety course on the beach and then assist you in the water. Within an hour, you will be up and catching your first wave. All you need is a good attitude and we provide the rest.

After lunch you will bike from Tamarindo to Playa Puerto Viejo or Conchal for sea kayaking. The riding is primarily flat along a mixture of paved and dirt roads through pastures and forests to Puerto Viejo, Conchal and Brasilito beach. Experience an afternoon of paddling and exploring the impressive Costa Rican coast! We'll visit Plata Island and the secluded Flamingo Bay where you can snorkel in the coral reef and rock formations, swim, introduce yourself to tropical reef fish or simply enjoy the peaceful quiet of the waves on the beach. 

Meals: Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner
Destinations visited: Tamarindo Beach, Flamingo Bay, Plata Island 
Activity: 14.4 miles of biking; surfing & kayaking

Day 6: Return to San Jose
After breakfast we will transferyou  to the airport for our 7:30 am flight to San José. Upon arrival, you will be transferred to Juan Santamaria International Airport for your departing flight. 

Meals: Breakfast