Pura Vida in Costa Rica
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Overview
Highlights
- Raft the Río Pacuare, considered by many to be one of the top 10 most beautiful whitewater rivers in the world
- Zip-line your way through a private rainforest reserve and explore secluded channels by kayak in Tortuguero National Park
- Take a forest hike near stunning Arenal Volcano and paddle the mystical waters of Lake Arenal
- Spot a variety of wildlife, including monkeys, iguanas, sloths, toucans, and caimans
- Enjoy a seamless, flexible, non-stop water park adventure—it's great value and perfect for families!
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Trip includes
- Expert leadership
- Accommodations as noted in itinerary (or similar)
- If applicable, tent or safari accommodations and all arrangements in the field, including camp and cook staffs, comfortable and roomy two-person tents, kitchen and dining tents, and other community equipment
- Meals as noted in the itinerary
- Airport transfers
- Sightseeing as noted in the itinerary
- Ground transportation
- Additional guides and porters where necessary
- Tips for lodge, hotel, or camp staff
- Entrance fees and permits, unless noted separately in costs
- Basic medical and evacuation insurance
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Itinerary
Accommodation: Hotel Bougainvillea
Arrive in San José, Costa Rica's capital city and cultural hub. Your trip leader (or a Mountain Travel Sobek representative) will meet you outside the customs and immigration area at the airport, brief you on the immediate arrangements, and escort you to your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Mountain Paradise Lodge
After breakfast we'll drive north towards the town of Fortuna and home of the Arenal Volcano. Here we'll spend time paddling the calm waters of Arenal Lake, Costa Ricas’s largest a...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Mountain Paradise Lodge
After breakfast, we’ll take a moderate 3-hour hike in the area surrounding Arenal Volcano, enjoying the stunning primary and secondary forests. Keep a look out for a wide variety o...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Mawamba Lodge
Today we'll say "hasta luego” to the volcano and take a scenic drive through the Caribbean Lowlands to our put-in on the Río Suerte for a unique kayaking trip into Tortuguero National Park, ...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Mawamba Lodge
Early this morning we’ll go for an optional birding boat tour with our guide. After breakfast, we’ll take a motorboat loaded with our kayaks and head to a secondary channel in the national p...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Rios Tropicales Lodge
After breakfast we’ll take a 90-minute boat ride to Matina, then drive for about two hours to our put-in on the beautiful but endangered Rio Pacuare, Costa Rica's most remarkable riv...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Rios Tropicales Lodge
Enjoy a full day at Ríos Tropicales Lodge! Take an optional early morning guided bird-watching hike to see toucans and many other species, before returning for breakfast and gearing ...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Hotel Bougainvillea
Today we’ll continue our whitewater rafting adventure, entering the lush, magical gorge of the Río Pacuare. The rapids become more powerful and technical in nature here, and we’ll powe...
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, transfer to the San José airport and depart on homeward-bound flights.
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Dates & Availability
Tier Pricing
Adventure travel works best with a small group of people. In order to operate these small groups, our trips are priced according to the number of full-price passengers on the trip. (Mountain Travel Sobek staff, trip doctors, and other discounted travelers are excluded from the count for this purpose.) We initially invoice you at the highest tier level price (the smallest group size we can operate). If the price drops due to an increase in group size, you will be refunded the difference.
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek).
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek) Reviews & Ratings
The Pura Vida trip was an outstanding family vacation
With teenage children, we wanted to do something that would satisfy all of us. There was enough fun activities to keep us active and enough down time for us to relax...
Excellent adventure!
I have taken several trips with MTS and each has delivered and excellen...
Costa Rica was a fantastic trip with multi-sport activities.
It surpassed my expectations. The trip leaders and assistant guides were excellent with great patience to make sure everyone is interested and comfortable in all act...
Variety of exciting activities.
Mountain Travel Sobek always delivers a wonderful traveling experience. This ...
Best adventure vacation.
Pura Vida in Costa Rica is a vacation is for those who like the water—we were white water rafting, kayaking, rappelling down a waterfall, and even soaking in hot spr...
Other MT Sobek (Mountain Travel Sobek) Reviews
Recommend Japan hikes but not with Mt Sobek
First, let me say our tour guide Tomomi S. is hands down THE best tour guide I’ve ever had - knowledgeable, fun and made great efforts to ensure that we were comfor...
Spectacular scenery
Spectacular scenery, great hiking, and fascinating conversations with...
Truly enjoyable
Thanks to MT Sobek this trip was seamless and truly enjoyable. The accommodations, logistics, and guides were all excellent. I always felt safe, cared for, and well ...
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Logistics
What's excluded
- International airfare
- Meals not noted on itinerary
- Insurance other than basic medical and evacuation insurance
- Optional tipping to leader, guides and local staff
- Excess baggage charges
- Airport taxes (international—varies by location)
- Cost of medical immunizations
- Items of a personal nature (sodas, alcoholic beverages, laundry, etc.)
Accommodation
Mawamba Lodge — Tortuguero
Nestled in the lush rainforest, this is the ideal hideaway for nature lovers and the perfect place to discover the wonders of the Tortuguero National Park. The lodge features lush gardens and rustic accommodations, along with regular visits from brightly colored exotic birds.
Mountain Paradise Lodge — La Fortuna de San Carlos, Arenal Volcano National Park
The Mountain Paradise Lodge sits at the base of Volcan Arenal, and features spectacular views. If you’re lucky, you may even get a glimpse of lava in the evening! This hotel’s lovely setting, pool, and jacuzzi allow guests to truly enjoy the relaxed pace of the Arenal region.
Rios Tropicales Lodge
Let the sound of the Pacuare River lull you to sleep at this sustainable eco-lodge. This evening’s lodge offers a haven for relaxation and immersion in tropical sights and sounds. The lodge features open air gathering pavilions with thatched roofs and comfortable hammocks swinging in a gentle breeze. Guests enjoy ample viewing decks for watching the toucans fly overhead and the roaring river below.
Transportation & flights
If written cancellation is received and Cancellation fee will be:
- 90 days prior to departure $150
- 89 to 61 days prior to departure $400
- 60 to 46 days prior to departure 50% of Land/Cruise Cost
- 45 to 0 days prior to departure 100% of Land/Cruise Cost
8 Breakfasts, 7 Lunches and 7 Dinners
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