One Week In Costa Rica

8 Days | A nature-focused exploration of Costa Rica’s best beaches, forests and urban hubs

4.8 out of 5 based on 10 reviews submitted.
18 to 35s
From
GBP £500
View dates and book
This trip is for 18 to 35 year olds

Calling all nature lovers! Spend a week in Costa Rica beginning in San Jose – the thriving urban centre abundant with colourful markets, vibrant nightlife and spontaneous art fairs. Explore Monteverde’s Cloud Forest at your own pace, keeping your eye out for sloths and the elusive quetzal bird. Head to La Fortuna, shadowed by the immense Arenal Volcano, and enjoy free time to chase waterfalls and soak away your worries in the natural thermal hot springs. Explore Cahuita National Park with a hike and a swim, then enjoy some beach time on the Caribbean coast in Puerto Viejo. If you're lucky, spot sloths, hummingbirds, iguanas, monkeys, toucans, coatimundis, quetzals and racoons, then take a cooking class to learn the local cuisine. With a local leader with insider knowledge and a likeminded group of travellers – what better way to dive into Costa Rica?

Trip overview

Map of One Week In Costa Rica including Costa Rica
Start
San Jose, Costa Rica
Finish
San Jose, Costa Rica
Theme
18 to 35s
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
Basix
Ages
Min 18 - Max 35
Group size
Min 1 - Max 16
Trip code
QBYC
We’re in the process of figuring out how much CO2-e this trip generates. In the meantime, find out more about our climate commitments and carbon reduction target.
Bucket list destinations

Tick off all the popular spots and enjoy unique local experiences

Great value

Affordable trips with the freedom to choose how you spend your time

Meaningful experiences

Connect to the places you go and the communities at the heart of every Intrepid experience


Why you'll love this trip
  • Explore Cahuita National Park on a hike through the lush vegetation and coastal beaches (where you can take a dip) and look out for the abundant wildlife on the land and in the sky.
  • Take part in a Caribbean cooking class in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca and sit down for lunch with the locals – a blend of African, Indigenous and Spanish flavours mixed with coconut milk, spices, fruits, curry and seafood.
  • Enjoy plenty of free time to choose your own adventure – maybe hike through the lush forest of La Fortuna, go wildlife spotting near Arenal Volcano or explore Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve looking out for sloths.
  • Kick back on the Caribbean coast in Puerto Viejo, surrounded by vibrant coral reefs – the perfect spot for some swimming, snorkelling or relaxing under the shade of palm trees.
  • Start and end your trip in San Jose, the urban centre of Costa Rica, to balance out the outdoor adventure with some nightlife, bar hopping, markets and museums.

Is this trip right for you?
  • This trip is for travellers who appreciate a bit of independence. You'll get plenty of free time in each location to make your own choices, do your own activities and eat where you like. Your leader is always there to give you tips and suggestions. Please budget spending money for optional activities you want to partake in.
  • With so much to see and do, Costa Rica can sometimes be expensive. Expect to pay more than you would in other Central American countries for a lot of things.
  • Costa Rica is generally hot and humid year-round, and from May to October can be wet too. At nighttime and in locations at higher elevations it can get chilly. Protect yourself from the sun, bring light clothing you can layer and a waterproof jacket, and stay hydrated. Please carefully consider which time of the year you'll feel most comfortable travelling.
  • Most of the activities (both included and optional) on this trip take place in the great outdoors. This means you'll need to be prepared to deal with insects and occasionally rustic conditions. It's all part of immersing yourself in this natural paradise.

Itinerary

This itinerary is valid for departures from 01 January 2025 to 31 December 2025.

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

Map of One Week In Costa Rica including Costa Rica

Inclusions

Meals

1 dinner

Transport

Shared Vehicle, Private Vehicle, Public Bus, Boat, Taxi

Accommodation

Hotel (7 nights)

Activities
  • Cahuita National Park - Entrance
  • Cahuita National Park - Hike
  • Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - Coastal Bicycle ride
  • Puerto Viejo de Talamanca - Caribbean Cooking Demonstration
  • San Jose - Leader-led orientation walk
Add on activities
  • San Jose – Bites and Sights Urban Adventure - USD38
  • San Jose - San Jose By Night: Food and Culture - Urban Adventures - USD78
  • Monteverde - Butterfly Garden and Insects Farm (entrance fee) - USD22
  • Monteverde - Canopy Zip Lining (Entrance, Equipment & Transport) - USD65
  • Monteverde - Coffee & Chocolate tour - USD47
  • Monteverde - Suspension bridges tour - USD58
  • Monteverde - Cloud Forest Night Walk - USD45
  • Monteverde - Cloud Forest Entrance - USD26
  • La Fortuna - Ecotermales Hot Springs (entrance fee) - USD49
  • La Fortuna - La Fortuna Waterfall (Entrance only) - USD21
  • La Fortuna- Caño Negro boat tour - USD84
  • La Fortuna - Stand up paddle board - USD79
  • La Fortuna - Arenal 1968 Volcano View and Lava Trails (Entrance fee) - USD26
  • La Fortuna - Arenal hanging bridges - USD79
  • La Fortuna - Arenal Volcano Base Hike - USD97
  • Manzanillo - Medicinal Plants Experience - USD35

Dates and availability

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Important notes

1. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
2. 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.
3. This tour includes accommodation in multi-share rooms (triple and quad). This means travelers on the same booking may be split between rooms due to single gender allocation.

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

4.8 out of 5 based on 10 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.

Filter by rating

Luana · Traveled August 2024
Review submitted 17 Aug 2024

Sophie · Traveled July 2024
A great company and my tour guide, Sofi was incredible. Everyone in my group was amazing to meet and I had a great time with all of them. I got a lot out of my trip and I recommend Intrepid to everyone I meet. I have a video coming out about my experience with Intrepid on YouTube (not an ad) on @fifirabs
Review submitted 27 Aug 2024

Rawan · Traveled July 2024
A great value for a quick trip around Costa Rica. The itinerary gives a lot of flexibility for activities and it's a good balance between travel days, hiking/outdoorsy activities, and going out during the evenings. Sofi is an excellent leader and always willing to help everyone make the most of our time there. We had a great group of people too. I will miss Costa Rica and it's fresh coffee/food.
Review submitted 04 Aug 2024

Christa · Traveled July 2024
Our trip leader, Sofia, was fantastic with her positive energy and activity recommendations! Costa Rica's beauty is endless, and the itinerary balanced jungle and beach experiences perfectly. The hotels could use slight improvement.
Review submitted 06 Aug 2024

Wendy · Traveled July 2024
This trip was a great introduction to Costa Rica! There was a mix of jungle and beach, with a mix between activities/adventure and relaxation. I do appreciate how on many days, it was a “choose your adventure” which you could do with new friends from the group. Really enjoyed, and would recommend!
Review submitted 18 Aug 2024
One Week In Costa Rica
From
GBP £500