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Costa Rica Short Break: La Fortuna

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Sloths, volcanoes and jungle nights – uncover wild La Fortuna
Explore some of the best spots in La Fortuna over this four-day Short Break adventure. See the national symbol of Costa Rica, the sloth, in their natural habitat, walk along the hanging bridges in Mistico Park with your local leader and join a tortilla-making class at El Fogon de Chela. See the Costa Rican jungle come alive at night on a guided outdoor walk and relax in the region’s natural hot springs.
Start: San Jose, Costa Rica
End: San Jose, Costa Rica
- Duration
- 4 days
- Group size
- 1 to 12
- Minimum age
- 15 years old
- Style
- Comfort
- Theme
Our themes categorise trips based on a common interest or activity, while showcasing the highlights of a destination.
- Short breaks
- 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
Why you'll love this trip
- Discover the national symbol of Costa Rica on a sloth tour. See the slow-moving animal in their natural habitat, spot dart frogs and toucans and learn about the region’s distinct wildlife from a local naturalist.
- Walk along the hanging bridges on a daytrip to Mistico Park and take in the panoramic views from the tree tops along the way.
- Soak in the region’s natural hot springs, wander through the La Fortuna Town Centre and visit the La Fortuna Waterfall in your free time.
- Indulge in the region’s local cuisine. Try your hand at making tortillas over a fogon (wooden stove) and taste prensadas (tortilla with cheese) and ripe plantain with cheese during a tasty traditional lunch.
- Learn about the region’s landscape and nocturnal wildlife on a guided jungle walk in La Fortuna. See the tropical rainforest in the dark and look for local animals like frogs and insects.
Itinerary
Hola! Welcome to Costa Rica! Your adventure starts in San Jose with a welcome meeting at 3 pm this afternoon. After, jump on a bus and head towards La Fortuna – a small town in Costa Rica nestled at the base of the Arenal Volcano, known for active volcanoes and natural hot springs. When you arrive, maybe walk through the La Fortuna Town Centre, soak in the Ecotermales Hot Springs or join a chocolate and coffee tour. Later, join a tortilla-making class at El Fogon de Chela and sit down to indulge in your home-made dinner.
- Dinner
- Welcome dinner el Fogon de Chela and Tortilla making
It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. You will meet your local leader in San Jose and leave for your day’s itinerary immediately after your welcome meeting.
You'll start the day early to go sloth-spotting - these animals are Costa Rica's national symbol as they're quite common in the forest and jungles. Set off through the tropical rainforest and look for local wildlife like dart frogs, toucans, and of course sloths! After, head to lunch and taste some traditional dishes like empanadas, prensadas (tortilla with cheese) and ripe plantain with cheese. The rest of the day is free for you to explore at your own pace. Maybe unwind in the local hot springs, visit the La Fortuna Waterfall or take on a canopy adventure. Tonight, rejoin your group for a guided jungle walk, where you’ll see the tropical rainforest in the dark and learn about the region’s nocturnal wildlife.
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Jungle night walk
- Farmer’s Market (only for Thursday’s departures)
- Sloth Tour & Costa Rican Lunch
For Thursday departures, you will visit the local farmer’s market this afternoon. Here you can try local exotic fruits and get to know the locals.
After breakfast, journey through the canopies of Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park. As you walk, spot colorful birds and learn about the forest’s diverse ecosystem. Travel across six hanging bridges and take in the panoramic views of the region from the treetops. Tonight, visit the EcoTermales Fortuna – a family-owned and operated natural hot springs in La Fortuna. Relax in the various volcanic hot springs with varying temperatures then indulge in a traditional Costa Rican dinner – a great way to celebrate your final night.
- Breakfast
- Dinner
- Hot springs evening and dinner
- Mistico Park Hanging Bridges
This morning, on your way back to San Jose, stop for a private coffee tour at the world-famous Doka Estate. Here you'll taste Costa Rica’s rich coffee heritage from bean to cup, in their award-winning brews.
Afterwards travel to San Jose. When you arrive, your trip comes to an end. If you’d like to stay longer, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.
- Breakfast
- Doka Estate Coffee Tour
What's included
Accommodation
- Comfort Style hotel
- Welcome dinner el Fogon de Chela and Tortilla making
- Jungle night walk
- Farmer’s Market (only for Thursday’s departures)
- Sloth Tour & Costa Rican Lunch
- Hot springs evening and dinner
- Mistico Park Hanging Bridges
- Doka Estate Coffee Tour
- 3 breakfasts
- 1 lunch
- 2 dinners
Transport
- Private transportation point A to point B (not 24 hours)
Destinations
- Costa Rica
- San Jose
- La Fortuna
Flights to and from trip
Flights to and from the trip need to be booked separately from your trip, but if you'd like, we can help arrange them for you.
Request a flight quote when you book or contact us to talk through options.
When you travel with us, The Intrepid Foundation gives you more opportunities to support important causes in destinations you visit.
Before you book you should know
- This trip starts with a short meeting time in San Jose, then you’ll immediately travel to La Fortuna, which could be challenging for those arriving late or needing flexibility.
- There is limited downtime, so if you’re looking for a more relaxed holiday, this adventure might feel a bit too active. The itinerary is packed with nature-based activities like jungle walks, wildlife spotting, and hanging bridge hikes, which may not appeal to those who prefer cultural sightseeing, are afraid of heights or night walking in the jungle.
1. In case you require arrival transfer it can be offered at an additional cost. You must provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel.
2. A single supplement is available if you'd prefer not to share a room on this trip. [The single supplement applies to all nights of your trip and is subject to availability.] Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
Visa information is provided by Sherpa, a third-party. The "Add connection" feature shows transit visa requirements only and does not include full entry visa needs. Please note, additional service fees apply if you choose to purchase a visa through Sherpa.
Travel and visa requirements
The style of accommodation indicated in the day-to-day itinerary is a guideline only and may change. On some occasions, alternative arrangements may need to be made due to the lack of availability of rooms in our preferred accommodation. In these cases, we will use a similar standard of accommodation.
Throughout the trip, we request that our properties prepare rooms in time for our arrival, especially if we're arriving prior to normal check-in time. However, this isn't always possible which means we won't be able to check-in immediately on arrival at some hotels. Instead, we can store our luggage and explore our new destination or on some trips, have use of shared day rooms until all rooms are available.
Hotel Presidente
Avenida Central, Calle 7
San Jose
11801
COSTA RICA
Phone: +506 20100000
Description
at the entrace of Hotel President. https://www.hotel-presidente.com/en/
Address: Av. Central, San José, Catedral, 11801
Instructions
Intrepid offers a pre-arranged arrival transfer service from Juan Santamaría International Airport [SJO] at an additional fee. If you have pre-booked this service, please ensure you provide your flight details to your booking agent at least 14 days prior to travel so the transfer can be organised.
If you have pre-booked this service, your driver will meet you outside the terminal near the large black sculpture. Look for the Intrepid sign with your name.
If you have any problems and cannot locate your driver on arrival, please call our Intrepid Emergency number listed under the ‘Problems and emergency contact information’ section of your Essential Trip Information document. If you don’t have a device or mobile coverage, San Jose Airport has a free Wi-Fi connection so you can call that same number via an online application such as Skype. There are also several information desks and tourist information desks around if you require further assistance.
Otherwise, you can travel from the San Jose Airport to the hotel by taxi. We recommend you use either the authorized taxi services organized from inside the terminal, or the authorized orange taxis outside the terminal building. They will charge you approximately USD$30 for a trip to downtown. The drive to where the hotel is located is approximately 35-45 minutes depending on traffic.
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