Indigenous Community, Volcano & Beach Adventure

Welcome to Costa Rica, one of the most biodiverse countries on Earth! Once you arrive to the San Jose airport you will be greeted by your driver and head towards the Providencia community (approx. 2 hours), where you will spend the next two nights. Once you arrive to Providencia you will enjoy a big welcome dinner!

Providencia is an impressive forest of high altitude with abundant nature, waterfalls, coffee plantations and giant oaks.

Transportation: 2 hour drive from San Jose Airport to Providencia.

Accommodation Options: Tami Lodge (3 star hotel) or Rivera Lodge  (2 star hotel), or Homestay.

Today you will experience the Extreme Forest. This isn’t just another adventure park; it’s a place where you will experience adventure, mental relaxation, and have the chance to participate  in an organized community that enjoys tourism and conserving the environment. There are 6 different activities to awaken your senses, developed in harmony with  the forest. 

This amazing experience begins by  climbing the inside of a strangler fig tree, giving you a chance to view the forest canopy from above . After you have taken in the incredible views, you will rappel 50 meters back to solid ground before moving on to the next experience via the 50 meters Monkey bridge, where you will have the chance to try out your balancing skills on a slackline.

You will continue on the guided trails until you reach a 70 meter long canopy cable, part of the amazing Tarzan Swing. In case your adrenalin is still pumping you will have another 25 meter rappel back down to the ground. The best is saved for last as your final activity sees you  take on the Jungle Fly where you will soar through the forest in a harness, reaching a height of 15 meters.

You’ll finish with an “Extreme Lunch” at the ecological restaurant Cascadas del Savegre. Enjoy the rest of the day in the stunning surroundings, which includes  beautiful waterfalls.

Included activities: The Extreme Forest adventure

Optional afternoon activities: Sugar mill tour (learn about the process of making sugar step by step, from the raw sugar cane freshly cut until the stage), dairy farm visit (milk the cows to make your own cheese, sour cream and feed the farm animals), artisan coffee experience (the Calderón -Agüero family, treasures a great knowledge in the artisanal coffee process), marmalade lessons (you will learn how they use local fruits such as blackberry, tomatoe or tomatillo, naranjilla and others, to demonstrate the process of pulping the fruit ), or handcraft lessons (Using waste materials, they show their participants how to make jewelry, earrings, portraits, bracelets, they will make you use your creativity to create your own piece.).

Transportation: 10-20 minutes each way from your hotel.

Accommodation Options: Tami Lodge (3 star hotel) or Rivera Lodge  (2 star hotel)   or Homestay.

After breakfast you will be picked up by a private shuttle and continue your way to the Indigenous Territory of Terraba (approx. 2 hours). The origin of the Brörán, proper name of the Térrabas, which means mass of fermented corn, is known to be of Chibcha ancestry as well as other indigenous peoples that inhabit the South of Costa Rica. 

You will learn  the process of roasting and grinding cacao. The presentation will end with a delicious cup of freshly prepared hot chocolate.The cacao plant is very important  within the Térraba culture and holds many mystical powers.   

After a delicious, local lunch in the community restaurant you will head to a workshop on how to make wooden masks. These masks are a way of life in the community, as it is a symbol of their ancestry and traditions. You will make your own wooden mask and take it home as a souvenir.

After the mask workshop you will take a private shuttle (approx. 2 hours) to Dominical Beach for dinner and to wake up the next day next to a beautiful tropical beach.

Included activities: Cacao presentation and wooden mask workshop

Optional activities: Spend the night in the Térraba Community at El Descanso Lodge instead of going to the beach for the night.

Transportation: 2 hour drive from Providencia to Térraba. 2 hour drive from Térraba to Dominical or 1 hour drive from Térraba to Ojochal.

Accommodation Options: Yaba Chigui (4 star jungle hotel) in Ojochal or Villas Rio Mar (3 star hotel) in Dominical

After breakfast you will begin your day adventure of sea kayaking & snorkeling in Marino Ballena National Park.

Marino Ballena National Park covers an extension of 171 land hectares and 5,375 sea hectares and is named after the humpback whales that migrate from mid-July and October, and again in December through March from feeding and mating grounds in the north and south hemispheres to the warm tropical waters of Costa Rica.

The most prominent land formation found within the park is the Punta Uvita Whale Tail (Punta Uvita Tombolo), a sand bar that extends 1 kilometer into the Pacific Ocean.  During low tide visitors can enjoy a walk out to the Punta Uvita Tombolo where rock reef stretches out forming the shape of a whale tail.

The first part of the adventure is a 45 minutes kayak trip that begins at low tide as the waves go to one side of the Whale’s Tail, which is one of the best spots for snorkeling in Costa Rica.

As paddling to one of the best Costa Rican reefs you will enjoy a magnificent view of the mountains and the coast of Costa Ballena and Uvita. Enjoy 45 minutes snorkeling where you have the opportunity to observe and swim alongside sea turtles, dolphins, stingrays, manta rays, moray eels, barracudas, tuna, snapper, parrot fish, puffers and more. This forever-changing panorama is a powerful experience for those who venture below the surface to investigate the variety of marine life found near the coral reefs. 

Continue into a small mangrove forest where it is possible to observe animals in their natural habitat. As you paddle in the canals of its tranquil waters you will learn about the importance of this ecosystem and about the species that live there. 

Included activity: Guided sea kayaking & snorkeling in Marino Ballena National Park.

Optional activities: Corcovado National Park hike, Caño Island snorkeling.

Transportation: 10-20 minutes each way from your hotel.

Accommodations Options: Yaba Chigui  (4 star hotel) or Villas Rio Mar (3 star hotel)

Experienced and inexperienced riders will enjoy the ride in Rancho La Merced. The horses are carefully trained for you to have a pleasant experience, as you go through the refuge amidst the forest, on the beach or in the river.

You can choose to visit Playa Hermosa, next to Ballena Marine National Park, ride on the woods or toward the waterfall and take a dip, or enjoy an astonishing sunset.

Several points of interest can be found during your horseback, such as environmentally sustainable livestock operation, nature or the pleasure of riding a horse.

Included activities: Horseback riding at Rancho La Merced, you choose which one tour you prefer.

Optional activities: Corcovado National Park hike, Caño Island snorkeling.

Transportation: 10-20 minutes each way from your hotel.

Accommodation options: Yaba Chigui  (4 star hotel) or Villas Rio Mar (3 star hotel)

Today you will soar through the Arenal sky, in between treetops and across expansive canyons as you ride along the Sky Trek Zipline. Your tour will start with an open-air gondola trip to an observation area atop the reserve. From there you will start riding down the exhilarating adventure of a lifetime on 8 separate ziplines and eventually end up back down at the main building.

Included Activities: Guided sky tram & trek zip lining experience

Optional Activities: Rainforest chocolate tour, volcano hike.

Transportation: 20-30 minutes each way from your hotel.

Accommodations Options: Arenal Springs (5 star hotel) or Miradas Arenal (3 star hotel)

Your amazing trip is coming to an end! You will make your way to the airport in San Jose with plenty of time to catch your flight home. We hope you enjoyed your trip and will come visit  again soon.

Transportation: Approx. 3 hour drive from La Fortuna to Juan Santamaría International Airport

Accommodations

Lodging each night is included in your choice of hotels, ecolodges, or community lodges. Recommendations are included in the day-by-day itinerary.

Tours & Activities

Unique experiences available daily. See the day-by-day itinerary for recommended tours and additional options available.

Guides

English speaking local & specialized guides during activities

Ground Transportation

Private/Shared Shuttles to get you between destinations (Renting a car is also an option but not as recommended)

Food

Included meals are noted in the itinerary: B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, BL= Boxed Lunch, D= Dinner

Entrance Fees

To National Parks

24/7 assistance

In country assistance in English during the whole trip

Airport Transfers

Transportation arranged to get you to/from the airport

• International Flights

• Optional Activities

• Not specified meals

• Alcoholic drinks

• Tips

• Travel Insurance

If trip is cancelled:

45+ days in advance - 100% will be refunded

15 - 44 days in advance - 50% will be refunded

8-14 days in advance - 30% will be refunded

0-7 days in advance - 0% will be refunded

High Season Cancellation Policy

If your trip falls during peak season (Easter week or December 20-January 10) the following applies.

If trip is cancelled:

90+ days in advance - 100% will be refunded

45-89 days in advance - 50% will be refunded

14-44 days in advance - 30% will be refunded

0-13 days in advance - 0% will be refunded