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Best of Costa Rica

8 Days | Rainforests, sloths, beaches and coffee. This is Costa Rica: the rich coast.

4.9 out of 5 based on 14 reviews submitted.
Explorer
From
AUD $3,158
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Nice to meet ya, Costa Rica. Introducing the country encapsulating ‘pura vida’ (the simple life) to the extreme; a laid-back paradise where even the sloths are taking things easier than usual. After soaking up the culture in San Jose, hit the national parks of Corcovado and Manuel Antonio in search of unspoilt rainforest and deserted white-sand beaches. And did we mention the sloths? This is a trip for nature lovers among you: a ‘best of’ trip in Costa Rica, which just happens to quite possibly have the ‘best of’ biodiversity in the whole wide world. You won’t regret it.

Trip overview

Map of Best Of Costa Rica including Costa Rica
Start
San Jose, Costa Rica
Finish
San Jose, Costa Rica
Theme
Explorer
Destinations
Costa Rica
Physical rating
Indicates how physically exerting a trip is, and how fit you will need to be to enjoy it. More info on physical ratings
Style
Comfort
Ages
Min 15
Group size
Min 1 - Max 12
Trip code
QBKR
This trip generates 16.56 kg of CO2-e per person per day.
We offset these emissions on your behalf. But we know that is not enough, so we also have a carbon reduction target.

Why you'll love this trip
  • Hike to San Pedrillo in Corcovado National Park and explore one of the world's most biodiverse regions.  
  • Swim at white-sand beaches in Manuel Antonio National Park, after searching for exotic birdlife in the depths of the jungle.
  • Learn about the trade of one of Costa Rica’s largest exports: coffee. Take a visit to a family's coffee farm and learn the process from cherry to cup (with a tasting, of course).
  • Discover the diverse and unique wildlife of Costa Rica: butterflies, birds, iguanas, sloths and caimans, to name a few.
  • Spend time with the Térraba, an indigenous group who have survived off the land for more than 500 years.

Is this trip right for you?
  • With so much to see and do, Costa Rica can sometimes be expensive. Expect to pay more than you would in mainland USA for a lot of things.
  • The tropical climate of Central America means conditions can be really hot and humid. Always carry plenty of water with you and stay hydrated, especially on walking tours.
  • Try to learn as many Spanish words as you can. Locals are very friendly, but also shy, so you'll need to make plenty of effort to break the ice. Attempting to communicate in Spanish is a great way of showing you care.

Itinerary

This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 January 2023 to 31 December 2023.

View the itinerary for departures between 01 January 2024 - 31 December 2024

Map of Best Of Costa Rica including Costa Rica

Inclusions

Meals

7 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners

Transport

Private vehicle, Shared boat

Accommodation

Hotel (4 nights), Lodge (3 nights)

Activities
  • Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer
  • San Jose - Leader-led orientation walk
  • Los Santos - Tierra Amiga Coffee Experience including lunch
  • Leader-led Informal Spanish Lesson
  • Térraba River - Indigenous Community Visit & Lunch
  • Térraba River - Mask Carving Lesson
  • Corcovado - San Pedrillo Station Hike
  • Manuel Antonio National Park - Tour with a Naturalist Guide (entrance fee, guide and transport)
Add on activities
  • Copey District - Guided Bird-watching Tour - USD39
  • Copey District - Finca Las Ovejas Guided Hike - USD10
  • Copey District - Agricultural Production Tour - USD15
  • Corcovado - Guided Night Walk - USD51
  • Manuel Antonio – Cruise - USD95
  • Manuel Antonio - Boogie board rental - USD69
  • Manuel Antonio - Mangrove Kayak Activity (with lunch) - USD75
  • San Jose - The Art of Craft Beer in San Jose - Urban Adventures - USD69
  • San Jose - National Museum (entrance fee) - USD11
  • San Jose - San Jose By Night: Food and Culture - Urban Adventures - USD74
  • San Jose - San Jose Bites and Sights Tour - Urban Adventures - USD38
  • San Jose - Jade Archaeological Museum (Entrance fee) - USD16
  • San Jose - National Museum (Entrance fee) - USD16
  • San Jose - Pre-Colombian Gold Museum (Entrance fee) - USD16

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. Full passport details are required at the time of booking in order to purchase entrance tickets to Manuel Antonio National Park. Delays in providing this information may result in changes to your itinerary, and we will not be able to guarantee entry. Details provided must be accurate as per your passport bio page.

2. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm on Day 1 in San Jose. There are no activities planned for the final day, so you may depart at any time.

3. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.

4. A complimentary airport arrival transfer is included; valid if you are arriving on Day 1 or if you have booked pre-tour accommodation through us. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.

5. Please be careful when booking flights to/from San Jose; make sure you fly into/out of Juan Santamaria International Airport [SJO]. Please do not book flights to/from Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport [SJC] as this is located in California, United States.

Essential Trip Information

Want an in-depth insight into this trip? Essential Trip Information provides a detailed itinerary, visa info, how to get to your hotel, what's included - pretty much everything you need to know about this adventure and more.

Read Essential Trip Information

Reviews

4.9 out of 5 based on 14 reviews submitted.
Reviews are from travellers who have completed their trip and want to share their experience. We show all reviews, but may remove any that include profanity or inappropriate content, are unrelated to the trip or reveal personal details.

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Robin · Traveled April 2023
I went to Costa Rica hoping to see lots of wildlife and in particularly birdlife. I was blown away by the friendliness of the locals, the culture and food, not to mention the wildlife. This was our 14th trip with Intrepid. Need I say more.
Review submitted 12 Apr 2023

Audrey · Traveled April 2023
What a fantastic trip! Made even better by our excellent tour leader Luz. Her passion, knowledge, and great leadership were incredible. We saw so many animals on our treks in the various parks…epic!
Review submitted 19 Apr 2023

Erin · Traveled March 2023
This was my first tour of any kind. It was excellent. Really can’t recommend it enough. Our tour guide Lauren was involved and interesting. Overall great trip!
Review submitted 24 Mar 2023

Taline · Traveled December 2022
Pros: beautiful landscapes and wildlife; good food, interesting indigenous and coffee planation tours. Cons: lack of explanations about the history and culture, hotels very basic and a bit far from the centre and not what I would expect for a “comfort” tour, lack of support in managing the terrain we would be hiking (why not provide rain boots for the very muddy rainforest hikes when the guides were wearing them and where the same guides distributed them for the night tour? My sneakers were destroyed!); our major activity ( manuel antonio forest hike) had not been booked in advance and we nearly missed out!!!
Review submitted 06 Jan 2023

Katherine · Traveled April 2022
I had THE BEST time! It was a truly fabulous trip! This was my first Intrepid trip but upon meeting our guide and our group I immediately felt safe, happy and included. Allan was an excellent, experienced tour guide. He made sure we had the best time on the trip, going that extra mile to ensure we got the best service and extra activities along the way. The group dynamic was excellent and I made some great friends. The trip itself takes you to some amazing places you might not easily find on your own - truly the best of Costa Rica. Everyone we came across was extremely helpful and kind, with a fierce pride for and impressive knowledge of their beautiful country; its history and its wildlife. If you are thinking of taking this trip- DO IT!! Thank you Allan and thank you Intrepid!!
Review submitted 20 Apr 2022
Best of Costa Rica
From
AUD $3,158