Costa Rica Tours & Trips

Highlights

• Experience the multiple sides of Central America, whether slumbering on the sands of Caye Caulker and Bocas del Toro, gazing at the pyramids of Tikal or shopping in the vibrant markets of Chichicastenango.
• Get to know contemporary Maya life during a homestay in San Juan La Laguna, a village on the shores of Lake Atitlan, where you can share meals and conversation with a local family.
• Hike, cycle or zip-line through Costa Rica’s steamy cloud forests of Monteverde – there’s so many ways to experience the lush canopies and unique Central American wildlife.
• Cruise up the Rio Dulce to your waterfront jungle lodge, then maybe grab a beer and relax while the sounds of nature fill the air.
• Put your chef hat on and help prepare a traditional Caribbean dinner in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.

Highlights

• This is one of our most extensive trips in Central America, hitting more than 20 destinations and introducing you to the cities, villages and myriad cultures of seven countries.
• Your local craft fair just won’t feel the same after you’ve experienced Chichicastenango, a colourful Guatemalan market that draws thousands of vendors from the surrounding mountain villages.
• Chichen Itza is one the New Seven Wonders of the World – find out why. Strolling around the ancient Maya ruins feels pretty wondrous.
• A few days on Caye Caulker provides the perfect opportunity to enjoy Belizean island vibes, beachside beers and optional snorkelling, the perfect (almost) halfway point for this epic adventure.
• Discover the jungle Costa Rica is famous for during a stay in Monteverde, a misty rainforest area home to sloths, hummingbirds, white-faced monkeys and tapirs among hundreds more animal species.

Highlights

• Take a cooking class in Los Ramos – an Indigenous community in the middle of Ometepe Island’s volcanos – and learn traditional techniques used to make Nicaraguan dishes like nacatamales.
• Enjoy a full day at leisure in one of El Salvador’s most beautiful national parks – Cerro Verde. Get up close and personal to a volcanic crater or take the plunge in a pristine lake. The choice is yours!
• Have breakfast at Cafe de las Sonrisas – a local café run entirely by deaf people. The café's owner is aiming to bridge the gap and inspire other business owners to employ local people living with disabilities.
• Island life doesn’t get much better than Ometepe in Nicaragua – volcanoes, wildlife-rich rainforests, stunning beaches, ancient rock carvings and a massive lake are all at your disposal.
• Get a taste of four different countries in Central America on an epic Latin adventure that takes in the sights and offers a whole heap of optional activities too! You’ll have loads of free time to choose your own hike, kayak, swimming or dancing adventure.

Highlights

• 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.

Highlights

• Get to know contemporary Maya life during a homestay in San Juan La Laguna, a lakeside village where you can share meals and conversation with a local family.
• Spend three days in the dreamy Caribbean Caye Caulker. Munch barbecue lobster? Snorkel in coral reef? Nap under a palm tree? It’s up to you.
• Cruise up the Rio Dulce to your waterfront jungle lodge, then maybe grab a beer and relax while the sounds of nature fill the air.
• Explore Suchitoto’s flower-studded balconies, galleries housed in 19th-century buildings and a lake teeming with thousands of local birds.
• Hike, cycle or zip-line through the steamy cloud forests of Monteverde – there’s so many ways to experience the lush canopies and unique Central American wildlife.

Highlights

• Hike through the scenic landscapes of Manuel Antonio National Park with a local naturalist guide and learn all the hidden secrets of the rainforest, looking out for local wildlife like sloths and iguanas.
• Discover the colourful, fantastical world of alebrijes – folk art sculptures of mythical creatures – during a visit to a women-run workshop outside Oaxaca. The artists will share their process and stories of how they came to specialise in these artworks.
• Visit a local indigenous community and meet the Terraba people – a matriarchal community who have lived along the Terraba River for the last 500 years – and learn how to make a traditional wooden mask.
• Get a taste of Maya culture during a homecooked Pibil lunch with a local family, sampling this traditional method of cooking which involves barbecuing food underground.
• By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Gastromotiva. Donations help them provide nutritious, balanced meals for vulnerable people in Mexico.

Highlights

• Visit a project focused on promoting sustainable agricultural practices while preserving ancient traditions. During this Exclusive Experience, tour the farm to learn about their processes and sit down to a farm-fresh lunch.
• Gain an understanding of Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity and history as you travel with an experienced local leader and explore with expert guides in La Fortuna, the Cano Negro Wetlands and Manuel Antonio National Park.
• Spend a night on a scenic hilltop at your Feature Stay, offering incredible views of the ocean and jungle terraces. Just a five minute walk from the beach, it is the perfect base for exploring Manuel Antonio National Park.
• Board a raft and explore the wild Cano Negro Wetlands with a naturalist guide – this Exclusive Experience will get you up close and personal with monkeys, iguanas, caimans, bats and lizards in their natural environment.
• Get beneath the surface of San Jose with a city tour to uncover the best of this underrated city, with a stop for tradition cajeta ice cream.

Highlights

• Hike, cycle or zip-line through the steamy cloud forests of Monteverde – there’s so many ways to experience the lush canopies and see unique Central American wildlife.
• Try out your Nicaragua sign language skills when you order breakfast at an atmospheric cafe housed in a historic building that is managed and staffed by members of the local deaf community.
• Put your chef hat on and help prepare a traditional Caribbean dinner with a local family in their home in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca.
• Clear sea perfect for swimming, shacks serving cold cerveza and sandy shores covered in starfish are waiting in the Bocas del Toro, where you spend three nights on Isla Colon.
• Spend a morning with the Ngabe-Bugle indigenous community on Isla Popa, learning about local lifestyles as you get to experience a slice of village life.