Costa Rica Experience
Costa Rica Experience
Costa Rica Experience
9 Days Starting and ending in San Jose
Visiting: San Jose, Santa Rosa de Pocosol, La Fortuna , Monteverde, Quepos, Quepos - Manuel Antonio NP
Tour operator:
Tour code:
QVSS
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
1 - 12
Age range:
15-99 years
Tour operated in:
EnglishInterests:
Tour Overview
Discover a region of natural diversity, cultural riches and laidback vibes on a nine-day jungle jaunt through Costa Rica. Thanks to a longstanding tradition of preserving its natural assets, much of the country’s primary rainforest still stands. Opportunities for nature-based activities are endless here and the beaches on both coasts are well worth your free time. Kick back in the rustic beach town of Quepos, explore the steamy cloud forests of Monteverde and get to know the locals by lending a hand on a rural farmstay near Santa Rosa de Pocosol. Explore the depths of this colourful and vibrant country with plenty of time to make this trip your own.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: San Jose
Location: San Jose
Accommodation: Hotel
Hola! Welcome to Costa Rica. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm today in San Jose. With over half the country's population living within its parameters, San Jose is a dynamic atmosphere. If you arrive early, why not wander around at your own pace – a good place to start exploring is the main plaza, perfect for some people watching. Tonight, maybe head out to get to know your group with an optional welcome dinner.
Optional Activities:
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Day 2: Santa Rosa De Pocosol
Location: Santa Rosa de Pocosol
Accommodation: Homestay
Meals Included: dinner
Travel by private vehicle to Santa Rosa de Pocosol today, where you’ll spend the night in a homestay. Just down the road is the Juanilama agricultural community, where you can get to know the locals, help with farm chores, and take an informal cooking lesson. Several villagers have built comfortable rooms for guests next to their homes, and you’ll stay in one of them this evening. Please note that these rooms use shared facilities. In order to make the most of this homestay experience, it may take a bit of effort from your side to break the ice first. Learn as many Spanish words as you can before you arrive!
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 3: La Fortuna
Location: La Fortuna
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: breaksfast
Today, continue to La Fortuna – a small town situated just a few minutes away from Costa Rica's famous Arenal Volcano. Besides its panoramic views, the town offers a range of other activities such as the 70-m-high La Fortuna waterfall, stunning lush forest, rare plants, animal watching and water-based activities on the lake. The volcano’s inner workings also mean that the area has a number of thermal springs where lava-heated water gushes to the surface. These springs have been sculpted into several pools and waterfalls, making them the ideal place to relax. Spend the rest of the day as you please in this exciting town, maybe even testing your balance on a stand-up paddleboard.
Optional Activities:
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Day 4: Monteverde
Location: Monteverde
Accommodation: Hotel
Today, you’ll take the scenic route to Monteverde. Monteverde was founded as an agricultural community in 1951 by a group of North American Quakers – they cleared virgin forests to create verdant pastures ideal for dairy farming. These environmentally aware settlers were conscious of the danger that unrestricted settling and farming could cause to this precious habitat, so they established a small, privately owned wildlife sanctuary, which has grown to become the internationally renowned Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve. More than 2000 species of plants, 320 bird species and 100 different types of mammals call Montverde home. When you arrive, you can choose from a range of outdoor activities to wildlife spot, hike or cruise on the waters.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 5: Monteverde
Location: Monteverde
Accommodation: Hotel
Today is free for you to choose how you'd like to spend your time in this beautiful area. Maybe start your exploration with a tour of the suspension bridges that hang in the trees, or head to the Serpentarium to see some crawly critters. Watch butterflies at play in the specially created garden, hire a local guide to show you around the area, visit a community cooperative or zip-line through the lush canopy. Whatever you do, be sure to keep an eye out for the resplendent quetzal – one of the most elusive birds in the world.
Optional Activities:
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Day 6: Quepos
Location: Quepos
Accommodation: Hotel
Meals Included: lunch
Travel through the mountains to Quepos by private minibus. Located close to the beautiful Pacific beaches and exotic wildlife of Manuel Antonio National Park, Quepos is a laidback town with a vibrant nightlife. This afternoon, you'll get the chance to meet three generations of Costa Ricans and tuck into a traditional cooking class for lunch with them in their home. Prior to the pandemic, the family ran one of the most popular restaurants in Quepos for almost 20 years. Now, you're lucky to learn the secret flavours and spices of their traditional dishes and get to know the whole family. Once the sun goes down, why not grab a spot at a waterfront restaurant and sink your teeth into some fresh seafood with your travel crew – this is the life.
Included Activities:
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Day 7: Quepos - Manuel Antonio Np
Location: Quepos - Manuel Antonio NP
Accommodation: Hotel
Spend your time enjoying all that Manuel Antonio National Park has to offer with a free day today. Perhaps head out for a hike along one of the many trails, keeping one eye on the great views and the other looking for the abundant wildlife. Monkeys, armadillos, sloths and hundreds of birds are among the species you can spot here. The park also boasts turquoise seas and white-sand beaches – perfect for swimming, kayaking, sailing and fishing. It would be easy to spend your whole time here in, or by, the water.
Included Activities:
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Optional Activities:
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Day 8: San Jose
Location: San Jose
Accommodation: Hotel
Take a public bus back to San Jose today, arriving back in time for you to pick up some last-minute souvenirs at the city's colourful and vibrant markets. Then, head out for an optional dinner and a night on the town, getting a taste of the huge variety of nightlife on offer here.
Day 9: San Jose
Location: San Jose
With no further activities planned, your trip comes to an end after breakfast today. If you’d like to extend your stay, just speak to your booking agent ahead of time.
What's Included
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Accommodation
Hotel (7 nights), Homestay (1 night) -
Santa Rosa de Pocosol - Home-cooked Meal
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Santa Rosa de Pocosol - Homestay experience
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Leader-led Informal Spanish Lesson
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Monteverde - Cloud Forest Entrance
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Manuel Antonio - Cooking Class & Lunch
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Manuel Antonio National Park - (Entrance fee)
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Manuel Antonio National Park - Tour with a Naturalist Guide
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Meals
1 breakfasts, 1 lunches, 1 dinners
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Manuel Antonio - Homecooked lunch
What's Not Included
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Tipping and Gratuities
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International Travel
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Airport Transfers at Destination
Included Activities
- Santa Rosa de Pocosol - Cooking class
- Santa Rosa de Pocosol - Homestay experience
- Leader-led Informal Spanish Lesson
- Monteverde - Cloud Forest (entrance fee and transport)
- Manuel Antonio National Park - (Entrance fee)
Transport
- Private vehicle , Boat , Public Transportation
Accommodation
- 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.
Important Information
- 1. Full passport details are required at the time of booking in order to purchase entrance tickets to Manuel Antonio National Park. Delays to provide this information may result in changes to your itinerary and we will not be able to guarantee entry. Details provided must be accurate as per your passport bio page.
- 2. Your adventure begins with a welcome meeting at 6 pm on Day 1 in San Jose. There are no activities planned for the final day so you may depart at any time.
- 3. A single supplement is available if you’d prefer not to share a room on this trip. The single supplement applies to all nights on your trip and is subject to availability. Please speak to your booking agent for further information.
- 4. 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.
Mode of Transport
- Private vehicle , Boat , Public Transportation
Check out our Q&As
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Is this trip right for you
Many 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.
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.
There are many opportunities to get active on this adventure. Some of the optional activities require a moderate level of fitness and sturdy walking shoes. If you'd prefer to take it easy, however, there are plenty of other things you can do instead.
The homestay is a wonderful opportunity to witness everyday local life. A hearty homecooked dinner and breakfast will be served during your stay, which can be a lot more basic than what you're used to.
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. -
What policies are in place for Covid-19?
Please contact us for latest COVID-19 policies
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Intrepid Travel has been taking travellers around the world for over 30 years
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Yes
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
Since 2002, The Intrepid Foundation has supported over 130 organisations across the world. We’re creating positive impact through the joy of travel, community and connection.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
Over 50% of traveller travel solo with Intrepid. You can choose to share a room with another solo travelle of the same sex for no additional charge, or choose to pay a single supplement if you’d like your own room. Please request this when booking, and we will secure you a single supplement wherever possible. Please note, if you are booking a last-minute trip, it may be harder for us to secure a single room
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Dec 26, 2026 - Jan 03, 2027Book with Confidence
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Free Date Changes
Intrepid Travel allows you to make 10 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 56 days before the start of the tour.
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Transfer as credit to Future Tours
Intrepid Travel allows you to transfer existing payments to a future tour to avoid cancellation fees if you can't travel and inform intrepid travel, 56 days before departure.
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Low Deposit
Intrepid Travel requires a minimum deposit of 400 USD per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 56 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of intrepid travel charges.
Up to 56 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 55 days before tour starts: Forfeit 30% of booking price.
At 30 days before tour starts: Forfeit 60% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Terms and Conditions