COSTA RICA
$3150 per person
Costa Rica was the first country our family lived in when they began our full-time travel lifestyle back in 2014. The transition from stationary life to WorldTowner was bumpy, to say the least, thankfully we were in the magical, eco-friendly land of Costa Rica. A country loaded with beaches, biodiversity, volcanos, roaring rivers, and the lush cloud forest full of exotic fauna. The Costa Ricans (known as Ticos) are the friendliest people which leads to why Costa Rica is referred to as Pura Vida “pure life.”
This adventure will connect you to the heart and soul of the Costa Rican culture through its people and its rich landscape. Explore the fine art of food, coffee, and dance, but, also dig deep into the physical adventure. This trip is WorldTownings biggest adrenaline rush thus far: horseback riding, waterfall jumping, zip lining, white water rafting, volcano hiking, and more. You will not go away feeling like you didn’t fill up your adventure cup. Of course, if you are not into the adrenaline fix, but the rest of your family is you can easily take on the role of documentarian while they live out their wildest dreams.
If you want to explore a land considered fairytale magical, make new friends, and push yourself out of your comfort zone, this is for you. If you care about connecting deeply with a new culture and its people in a way you cannot do on a traditional vacation, this is for you. If you approach the world with a glass-half-full attitude, this is for you.
Does this sound dreamy? The experience is all that, and more.
Get greater detail about our trips and who they are ideally for here. The FAQ also answers many of the questions you may have about vaccines, accommodations, insurance, etc. Both of these pages may be helpful to you before you register for this trip.
Price is based on double occupancy. Please click the accommodations tab for additional occupancy options and pricing. Our accommodations on this one will be more rustic and one with nature, with the exception being our nights in San Jose. We will stay at locations that immerse you with the sights, sounds, and the beauty that is Costa Rica which means you may hear birds in the early morning or animals of the night.
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Destinations
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Departure City
San Jose -
Departure Date
March 12, 2024 -
Return Date
March 20, 2024 -
Level of Difficulty
Maximum age is 65. This is an adventure for a thrill seeker with sprinkles of culture. Our Costa Rica trip requires mobility and energy. If you struggle with physical activity, have accessibility needs or need special care, then this trip is not for you (as much as we wish it could accommodate). We will be hiking, zip lining, white water rafting, horseback riding and much more. As a general rule you should be able to walk up to 5 miles per day, climb four flights of stairs, be able to drag or carry your belongings and be quite limber. In most locations, porters will not be available to help us, which is another reason you'll need to be fit. Of course we wish this trip could accommodate everyone, but this is Costa Rica which lends itself to being an outdoor adventure as opposed to something more stationary. The average high temperature is 35°C (95°F) and the average low is 24°C (75°F). -
Included
AccommodationsActivities/ToursGift BasketLive Q & AMeals during tripNational Park FeesPersonal GuidesPrivate FB GroupTips for GuidesTransportationWelcome PartyWorldTowning Swag -
Not Included
AlcoholArrival Day MealsArrival TransportationCovid testing (if applicable)Departure Day MealsDeparture TransportationEquipment RentalFlights to CountryFlights Within CountryLaundry, Phone Calls, Room ServiceMeals (breakfast and dinner)non-alcoholic drinks (not offered for free at meals)PortersSouvenirsTipping at the RestroomsTrip InsuranceVegetarian Options
From Our Gallery
To get a better idea of what it is like to travel with us, you can view our vlogs on YouTube. Unfortunately, our time in Costa Rica was before our vlogging days, but you can get the idea from other travel vlogs.
ARRIVAL (March 12)
Make yourself comfortable in the accommodations. We will gather in the evening to commence our trip.SAN JOSE (March 13)
OPENING BREAKFASTThis is the first official day of our voyage together. We will meet at the opening breakfast in the hotel to discuss the day, address any questions, and meet those of you who got in late the night before and missed the meet n' greet.
CENTRAL MARKET TOUR
We will spend our morning in this bustling market in the center of downtown San Jose. The vendors sell all sorts of items including fruits and vegetables, souvenirs, flowers, clothing and electronics. We will sample some of the fruits and snacks while learning more about Costa Rican cuisine.
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DANCE
The folk dance Punto Guanacaste is the official national dance of Costa Rica and uses heel-and-toe stomping to tell the tale of enchanted lovers. Guanacaste dances are based on the Spanish paseo, with maidens wearing dazzlingly bright skirts circled by men in white suits and cowboy hats. When our family lived in Costa Rica Avalon joined a dance group where she learned Guanacaste. Her instructor will come to our hotel to teach us some steps.
LUNCH
We will grab a seat at a Central market restaurant counter and eat amongst the locals while learning more about the food as we dine.
DRIVE
3 hours
DINNER
We will dine at our accommodations on local cuisine.
BARU (March 14)
BREAKFASTWe will have breakfast at our accommodations, on the patio.
HORSEBACK RIDING, WATERFALL JUMPING & LUNCH
We will take a 8km horseback ride through paths and trails to observe the wonders of the tropical rainforest. After a half an hour the group will reach the ranch where we will enjoy a delicious snack, as well as observe the white faced monkeys, Peacocks, Guatusas and other animals that are in the vicinity. The ride will continue on horseback 20 minutes more until we reach the Nauyaca Waterfalls where we can swim and enjoy the spectacular scenery of 2 beautiful waterfalls for about 2 hours. Upon returning we will stop again at the ranch to enjoy a delicious typical Costa Rican lunch and a coffee from the area of Pérez Zeledón.
DINNER
Sushi in Dominical or at accommodations depending if you go on the night hike or not.
NIGHT HIKE
Your night hike begins just before dark. Experiencing a trail at night is completely different than during the day. Our local Naturalist Guide will begin the tour in the gardens around the lodge where we will start discovering the world of tropical insects and arachnids. Our next stop is a lightly wooded area where there are often frogs in natural ponds, owls and night jars may be out hunting. Next, we will hike along a waterway where our guide will look for caimans, tree frogs, owls, kinkajou, and if you’re up for it, even snakes.
BARU (March 15)
BREAKFASTWe will start our day with breakfast, on the patio.
WHITE WATER RAFTING
The Sarapiqui River is the perfect combination of adventure and nature. This section is filled with class II-III rapids and clear, refreshing water that swerves its way through the tropical rainforest of Sarapiqui, making it a true paradise!
Halfway through the tour, we will make a stop to savor a colorful buffet of fresh tropical fruit to recharge our batteries before continuing through the remainder of the rapids. During the break, we will also have a chance to swim and jump in waterfalls from the cliffs above. Here, the guides will take some time to explain the flora and fauna that inhabits this amazing area.
LUNCH AT MONO CONGO
Local cuisine and vegetarian options.
REST
Go for a walk to the beach, rest, swim in the pool or journal. This is your afternoon to take some time for yourself.
DINNER EL PESCADO LOCO
QUESPOS/MONTEVERDE (March 16)
BREAKFASTWe will start our day with breakfast on the patio.
DRIVE
1 hour
MANUAL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK TOUR
MANP is a small biological island. It is made up of rainforest, beaches, coral reefs and wild life.
The fauna is diverse: there are 109 species of mammals and 184 birds. Among the most outstanding are the raccoon, the coati, the agouti, two-toed sloth, three-toed sloth, white-faced monkeys, howler monkeys and the Titi monkey, an endangered subspecies endemic to the park.
We might also see bird species such as Toucans, pelicans, tanagers, ospreys, kingfishers and the yellow crowned night heron. It is also possible to see iguanas, lizards, snakes and countless varieties of insects.
LUNCH AT TORTILLA FLATS
We will stop for lunch along the way.
DRIVE
4 hours
DINNER AT THE GREEN
MONTEVERDE (March 17)
BREAKFASTWe will start our day with breakfast on the patio.
ZIPLINING AND SUSPENSION BRIDGES
A unique zipline built entirely within the cloud forest allowing intrepid visitors to soar through the forest canopy at exciting speeds. This state-of-the-art course of suspended high-weight-capacity cables zig-zag among the treetops with sweeping views of the forest and beyond providing thrill-seekers the ride of their lives.
The suspension bridges provide an exciting, yet safe way to enjoy the cloud forest canopy by walking through the forest heights on stunning, leading-edge suspension bridges.
The Treetop Walkway is a peaceful 1.9-mile trail through the cloud forest combining forest trails interconnected with 8 bridges ranging from 170ft up to an amazing 560ft in length.
LUNCH AT SABOR TICO
REST
Sleep or just take time to recharge after a very active morning.
DINNER AT THE TREE HOUSE
ARENAL (March 18)
BREAKFASTDRIVE
4 hours
LUNCH TBD
During our volcano visit. Local cuisine.
ARENAL VOLCANO HIKE & HOT SPRINGS
We will spend the day at the world-famous Arenal Volcano. You will have front row seats for one of nature's natural wonders as we hike the base trails of Arenal volcano.
After the hike we will spend some time soaking in the natural hot springs at the base of the volcano. There are numerous natural hot springs and waterfalls from warm to piping hot! Soak those tired and aching muscles.
DRIVE
4 hours
DINNER
On our drive back to San Jose.
SAN JOSE (March 19)
BREAKFAST
At our accommodations.
REST
We will start our day after lunch today due to a very late arrival into San Jose.
LUNCH
Pizza delivered to the hotel.
COFFEE TOUR
During this guided tour through a coffee plantation we will see how the coffee beans grow, are harvested and how they are finally processed them into real coffee. Plus, there will be samples!
DINNER
TBD
SAN JOSE (March 20)
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Single Occupancy Room
$3600 USDSince we will be staying in 3 different accommodations during our 9-day trip, sleeping arrangements may vary. You may be sleeping in a single room with a twin bed or a double bed, depending on the facilities. If you are a solo traveler and would like us to partner you with a roommate (so you can take advantage of the double occupancy room rate), please let us know.
Double Occupancy Room
$3150 USDSince we will be staying in 3 different accommodations during our 9-day trip, the sleeping arrangements may vary. You may be sleeping in a double occupancy room laid out with 2 twin beds or with 1 double bed. If you need twin beds, please notify us ahead of time.
Quad Occupancy Room
$3000 USDSince we will be staying in 3 different accommodations during our 9-day trip, the sleeping arrangements may vary. You may be sleeping in a quad occupancy room with 4 twin beds, 1 double bed and 2 twins, or 2 double beds. Or, we might put you in 2 double rooms. If you specifically need one of the above room configurations, please let us know ahead of time. We will do our best to accommodate the request.