Costa Rica Luxury Wildlife and Adventure Sports Getaway - 11 Days

Day 1: Arrival in Costa Rica - Transfer to Arenal and Luxurious Hot Springs

Welcome to Costa Rica!

Upon arrival at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), in the capital of San José, the driver of your private car service will meet you. Rather than stay in the city, you'll immediately kick off your grand Costa Rica luxury adventure with a three-hour drive northwest to Arenal Volcano National Park. This is a scenic journey that passes through rainforest-blanketed mountains with howler monkeys swinging from the trees and the calls of toucans and macaws carrying through the air.

You'll arrive in the town of La Fortuna, the gateway to excursions within Arenal Volcano National Park. You won't miss the namesake volcano, as it stands an impressive 5,479 feet (1,670 meters) high and overlooks La Fortuna. You'll likely be tired from your long journey, so the only thing remaining on today's itinerary is total relaxation, which is waiting for you at the natural hot springs on the property of your luxury hotel.

For dinner, you can either enjoy gourmet room service or hit the town. Despite its small size, there are over 100 restaurants in La Fortuna, and you can find everything from fine dining to sushi to steakhouses serving perfectly grilled meat. Check out these dining recommendations.

Day 2: Horseback Riding to La Fortuna Waterfall - Exclusive Farm Tour & Cooking Lesson

You'll have a full day to enjoy the rainforests of Arenal Volcano National Park. It begins with a four-hour horseback excursion to the most famous cascades in the country: the La Fortuna Waterfall. Led by an English-speaking guide, you'll trot over to the entrance and then hike down 1,000 steps to the waterfall. The sight of these falls plunging 200 feet (75 meters) straight down into a sky-blue lagoon is a romantic dream come to life. And if you can't resist the lagoon's charms, then feel free to dive right in. 

After having enjoyed your half-day waterfall adventure, you'll then embark on a guided tour of a local organic farm. On the tour, you'll learn the differences between traditional and organic farming as well as take part in activities like harvesting vegetables from the garden and milling fresh-cut sugar cane. Also in store is a cooking lesson with a family at a local farm in which you'll help prepare a typical organic meal on a woodstove. Once it's ready, everyone will sit down and enjoy dinner.

Day 3: Private Nature Walk in Ecological Park & Butterfly Garden Danaus

It's now time to venture further into the tropical rainforest around Arenal and explore. On this half-day tour, you'll be led by a bilingual private guide on a nature walk through the Ecological Park & Butterfly Garden Danaus. This is a small reserve that was saved from exploitation by conservationists, and now the secondary rainforest that encompasses the area regenerates naturally. This makes it a model of sustainable tourism. 

You'll begin the hike on a circuit trail that leads through the rainforest and will make a stop at a botanical garden along the route. It boasts more than 600 varieties of plants, a butterfly garden home to more than 40 species, plus areas specifically designated for frog reproduction. Other areas are dedicated to the cultivation of medicinal plants while others feature wetlands that are nesting sites for exotic birds. 

Then there are the Maleku. The Malekus are a small indigenous tribe (only around 650 people left) from the north of Costa Rica. Part of the nature walk involves visiting their community to learn about their culture and their focus on the environment and reforestation. Throughout the walk, you'll also have ample opportunities to spot exotic wildlife like tree frogs, caimans, monkeys, sloths, and many species of birds. Afterward, you'll stop at the park's souvenir shop to enjoy a delicious snack of fresh fruit.

Read more about the top cultural experiences in Costa Rica here.

Day 4: Arenal Hanging Bridges & Luxury Hot Springs

Today you'll enjoy Arenal's scenery from a different vantage point: above the jungle canopy. Accompanied by your guide, you'll wander along well-marked trails that lead you over suspension bridges above the treetops—some that are hundreds of feet long—for a once-in-a-lifetime view of Arenal Volcano. You'll also get an up-close look at the incredible biodiversity that occurs in this region. More than 350 bird species can be found here alone. 

There's a lot of hiking in store as you view the jungle's various flora and fauna from the hanging bridges. When you return to your hotel you can return to the hot springs to soak your weary muscles before dinner.

Find out more about Hiking Around Arenal Volcano.

Day 5: Full-Day Exclusive Whitewater Rafting Trip on the Balsa River

Running through the Arenal area is the Río Balsa, one of the funnest rivers to ride in the entire region. The fact that it features class II and III rapids mean that it is just wild enough to be exciting while also being safe enough for the whole family (min. age is 8 y/o). In the morning you'll embark on a full-day whitewater adventure on the Balsa, which includes a stop for lunch. It's also something of a safari in that you'll be able to spot many exotic animals on the banks of the river as you travel down it. 

You'll meet the English speaking rafting guides in the morning at the river put-in, which is located 30 minutes from La Fortuna. Then, after a safety talk and paddling instructions, you'll grab your helmet and life vest and be underway. Expect a fun ride as you paddle through rolling rapids with names like Morning Coffee and Rock around the Croc. There will be stops in tranquil river pools for swimming, and throughout the trip you'll be able to spot exotic wildlife in the jungles along the banks of the river.

Day 6: Private Transfer from Arenal to Bajos del Toro

In the mid-morning, you'll embark on a two-hour private transfer from La Fortuna southeast to the small reserve of Bajos del Toro. Famous for its beautiful waterfalls and rivers, it makes a great day trip for those who want to get off the tourist trail and experience real, rugged Costa Rican wilderness. But it isn't all roughing it; in the afternoon you'll enjoy a private guided tour of the town of Los Bajos, a thriving rural community with rich traditions and beautiful landscapes.

This guided excursion also pays a visit to the private garden of a local orchid enthusiast, Don Martín Porras. His collection features more than 400 orchid species, from large and brightly colored blooms to smaller specimens whose beauty is best appreciated through a magnifying glass. Afterward, you'll take a leisurely stroll through town and stop at Doña Olga’s Pulpería, where you'll sample local pastries and learn to make fresh tortillas

Day 7: Bajos del Toro Private Guided Waterfall Tour

In the morning a bilingual guide will take you on a private hike along the wilderness trails around Bajos del Toro. You'll travel along paths that run next to a winding creek until you reach your ultimate destination: three luxurious, cascading waterfalls. Along the way, the guide will reveal insight into the cloud forest eco-system and the various exotic flora and fauna it supports. Eventually, you'll reach the waterfalls where you'll be treated to incredible views as well as an opportunity to swim in the lagoons. 

Day 8: Grand Safari on the Tárcoles River

After breakfast, you'll travel by private car service 4.5 hours to the west of Costa Rica and the coastal village of Uvita. You'll stop en-route not only to enjoy lunch but to take part in a safari jungle cruise down the Tárcoles River. This waterway is famous as a haven for American crocodiles.

On this private boat adventure, you'll get to see these magnificent reptiles, some of which exceed 13 feet (four meters). Leading the river safari is a captain and a bilingual guide, both experts in the region, who will provide information about the flora and fauna around the river. Also interesting is that the Tárcoles functions as a biological corridor between inland rainforest and coastal mangrove forest and thus is home to many species of exotic birds.

Learn more about the best active experiences in Costa Rica.

Day 9: Private Guided Hike in Corcovado National Park

Today you'll travel south to the small village of Sierpe, which is located on the river of the same name. This is one of the main access points into Corcovado National Park, a 163-square-mile protected area on Costa Rica's famously secluded Osa Peninsula. Containing 13 major eco-systems, Corcovado is the most biodiverse region in the country, and you'll get to experience it on a guided day hike. 

From Sierpe you'll take a boat to the San Pedrillo ranger station, located in the north of the park. From there you'll hike along Corcovado's ruggedly beautiful coastline before venturing into the jungle to spot a wide variety of exotic animals. These include monkeys, sloths, tapirs, white-lipped peccaries, anteaters, scarlet macaws, and the occasional jaguar. Your bilingual guide will be there every step of the way to point out all the exotic species you'll see from the many trails you'll hike throughout the day.

Day 10: Exclusive Snorkeling Trip at Caño Island Biological Reserve

This full-day excursion allows you to enjoy the wonders of the Osa Peninsula from the water. Your destination is the Caño Island Biological Reserve, located off the north coast of Osa in the Bay of Corcovado. The island and its waters enjoy protected status, as the region is home to a variety of marine life. Common species include reef sharks, sea turtles, parrot fish, eels, manta rays, puffer fish, octopuses, and more. There's also many coral-building organisms and 19 different species of coral.

On this guided snorkeling tour you'll embark from Sierpe by boat and arrive at the turquoise waters off the coast of Isla del Caño. Then it's time to dive in and explore this underwater menagerie. Isla del Caño is a diver's dream, with fantastic underwater visibility of 30-100 feet throughout the year, making it a perfect site for underwater photography. Overall, it's one of the best places in all of Costa Rica for snorkeling/diving, and, fun fact, it is a common migratory route for humpback whales. 

Find out more about your options by reading Best Things to Do on the Osa Peninsula.

Day 11: Departure

After breakfast, you will travel either by private land transfer (four hours) or charter flight (20 minutes) to the international airport in San José, where you will catch your flight home. Adios, and come back soon!