Premium Costa Rica in Depth

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Small Group Tour
Welcome to Costa Rica, where trendy gastronomic neighbourhoods rub shoulders with wild rainforests and pristine beaches. Join a local leader to discover the natural, indigenous and modern sides of Costa Rica on an immersive 12-day Premium journey. From the lively charm of San Jose to the cloud forests of Monteverde, culturally significant coffee plantations, ...
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$7,722
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Overview

Trip type
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy

Highlights

    • Learn about the culture of Costa Rica with Premium exclusive experiences: spend time with a local family and learn how to create traditional dishes in their kitchen, and visit Matambu, the only indigenous territory of the Chorotegan people, to learn ancient pottery techniques passed down for generations.
    • Experience the magnificent landscapes Costa Rica from all angles with a gentle hike in Arenal Volcano National Park, a cruise on the Tortuguero canals, and a treetop walkways experience in the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
    • Enjoy two nights at your Feature Stay – a stunning and sustainable jungle hotel next to the electric-blue Rio Celeste River. Settle into your cosy casita (bungalow), an exclusive retreat just for you, and surround yourself with the sounds of nature.
    • End your trip with a free day at the beach, capped off with a sunset sailing cruise and a farewell dinner – the perfect way to reflect on your journey across Costa Rica.
    • Costa Rica is a nature lover’s dream. Keep your eyes out for green turtles, sloths, monkeys, coatis, anteaters, tropical birds, and more as you cross the width of Costa Rica, experiencing a variety of different habitats and environments.
    • By travelling on this trip, you’ll directly support our Intrepid Foundation partner, Eden Reforestation Projects. Donations help them provide local employment opportunities and tackle climate change one tree at a time as they restore forests across 10 different countries.

What's this trip about?

    Welcome to Costa Rica, where trendy gastronomic neighbourhoods rub shoulders with wild rainforests and pristine beaches. Join a local leader to discover the natural, indigenous and modern sides of Costa Rica on an immersive 12-day Premium journey. From the lively charm of San Jose to the cloud forests of Monteverde, culturally significant coffee plantations, pristine wildlife refuges, and spectacular scenery of Arenal National Park – this adventure takes you straight to the heart of it all. Take time to soak up quiet moments of local life and get beneath the surface of a remarkable country that will captivate you at every turn.

Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeIntimate group - max of 12 people
Age range15 years and up
Flights and transportAll internal ground transport included
Start CitySan Jose
End CityGuanacaste

Travel Themes

  • High Adventure

Destinations

  • Central America
  • Costa Rica

Attractions

  • Caribbean
  • Guanacaste

Trip includes

    • San Jose - Welcome Dinner
    • Tortuguero - Town Visit
    • Tortuguero - Canal Boat Tour
    • Tortuguero - Garden Walk
    • Tortuguero - National Park Entrance
    • La Fortuna - Arenal Volcano Hike
    • La Fortuna - Tortilla Making Class
    • Monteverde- Cacao & Coffee Experience
    • Monteverde - Cloud Forest Reserve Hike
    • Monteverde - Hanging Bridges Tour
    • Rio Celeste - On Site Activities
    • Matambu - Pottery Demonstration
    • Tamarindo - Sunset Sailing Tour
    • Guanacaste - Farewell Dinner

Popular Trips

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 San Jose

Bienvenidos! Welcome to Costa Rica. Your adventure begins in San Jose, the country’s flourishing capital where you will be collected from the airport on arrival and transferred to your hotel. Here you will meet your local leader and small group for an important welcom...

Day 2 Tortuguero

Leave the hotel early this morning and descend to the Caribbean lowlands on a scenic (and slightly bumpy) journey that ends at the port of La Pavona, your entry point to Tortuguero National Park. Next you’ll transfer to a boat and get your first taste of the magic of ...

Day 3 Tortuguero

Awaken to the sound of birdsong and perhaps enjoy a morning walk through the hotel gardens after breakfast. It’s a magical and relaxing way to experience the biodiversity of the area. This morning take a boat tour along the National Park’s canals with the chance to se...

Day 4 La Fortuna

After breakfast, travel by boat from Tortuguero to La Pavona where you’ll be driven to La Fortuna, famed for its mellow atmosphere, bubbling hot springs and mighty Arenal volcano. Check in to your hotel and enjoy its unbeatable location surrounded by luxuriant jungle ...

Day 5 La Fortuna

Today you’ll visit the Arenal Volcano for a gentle hike. Along the way you will learn about the history of the volcano, forest formation processes, and general volcanology and see plants, wildlife, magnificent rock formations and a wonderful view of Lake Arenal. Keep ...

Day 6 Monteverde

After breakfast, depart La Fortuna and begin the journey to Monteverde via a scenic drive. Admire the dramatic views of the Arenal volcano unfolding in front of you while your leader points out interesting wildlife along the way. In the early afternoon you’ll arrive i...

Day 7 Monteverde

After breakfast, explore the Cloud Forest from above as you traverse suspension bridges through the canopy. Hiking through the clouds along the network of suspension bridges provides a different and unique perspective on this ecological wonderland, and is the best way...

Day 8 Rio Celeste

After breakfast, drive to Tenorio Volcano National Park where you’ll visit the Rio Celeste: a river fed by two different water sources. Where they collide, the water takes on a distinctive light blue colour that has to be seen to be believed. Spend the afternoon explo...

Day 9 Rio Celeste

With plenty of included and optional activities available today, your toughest decision will be what to do first. How about an optional guided tubing excursion at Rio Celeste? The light-blue waters of the river are generally off-limits to travellers, however you’ll ha...

Day 10 Tamarindo

After breakfast, continue to your final destination in the Guanacaste area, Tamarindo Beach, which is renowned for its crystal-clear waters and conserving one of the area’s most beautiful and diverse marine ecosystems. On the way, you’ll visit Matambu, the only indige...

Day 11 Tamarindo

Today is yours to explore your way with a choice of free activities and optional excursions. Sign up for a surfing lesson or continue your search for the solemn, white faces of the capuchin monkeys who live in the trees on an optional mangrove tour. Alternatively, kic...

Day 12 Tamarindo

Your Costa Rica trip comes to an end after breakfast. If you would like to stay on Guanacaste or return to San Jose, speak to your booking agent to arrange additional accommodation ahead of time (subject to availability). Transfers to nearby Liberia Airport can also be arranged.

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Dates & Availability

Price From $5,720
Price per day$477
Last Updated: 4/19/2024
Start Date
Finish Date
Base Price
Availability
06 Jul 2024
17 Jul 2024
$6,230
11 spots left
20 Jul 2024
31 Jul 2024
$6,780
7 spots left
05 Oct 2024
16 Oct 2024
$6,441
10 spots left
09 Nov 2024
20 Nov 2024
$6,640
9 spots left
01 Dec 2024
12 Dec 2024
$6,705
7 spots left
11 Jan 2025
22 Jan 2025
$7,055
12 spots left
08 Feb 2025
19 Feb 2025
$7,055
10 spots left
15 Mar 2025
26 Mar 2025
$7,055
12 spots left
01 Apr 2025
12 Apr 2025
$6,800
12 spots left
26 Apr 2025
07 May 2025
$6,800
12 spots left

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Intrepid Travel.

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.

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Tour Operator

Intrepid Travel

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The Intrepid Travel Experience

If you’re looking for adventure, you’ve come to the right place. For the past 25 years, we’ve been taking small groups of travelers on unforgettable trips around the world. What makes them unforgettable? Take a look for yourself and discover the Intrepid experience.

Our travelers have three styles of tour to choose from: Basix, Original and Comfort. Each has a different level of inclusions and accommodation, but all have unforgettable real life experiences as part of the package. Travellers can also choose themed trips, such as Family, Sailing or Food, to suit their interests.

Our group size has an average of just ten travellers, which allows us to get off the beaten track, use local accommodation and transport, and really get to know the culture. It also ensures we are contributing to the local economy; by choosing local suppliers we were able to keep AUD 60 million in local economies in 2012. We’re also working hard to reduce our carbon footprint and were the first in our sector to introduce carbon offset trips. This, along with our many corporate sustainability activities, has meant we’re one of the travel industry’s leaders in responsible travel.

Why Intrepid?

  •   Small groups - average of 10 people per trip
  •   Sustainability - pioneers for the industry
  •   Local leaders - authentic perspectives
  •   Local transport - get close and personal
  •   Local accommodation - experience real living
  •   Intrepid travelers - like-minded companions 

History

Intrepid Travel has come a long way since its beginnings in 1989. From two university friends, a typewriter and a kitchen desk, it is now a proud member of The Intrepid Group, taking over 100,000 travelers every year.

Intrepid Travel is part of The Intrepid Group of companies, alongside leading small group adventure companies Peregrine, Urban Adventures and PEAK DMC.

Despite growing into a global business with over 1,000 staff based all over the world and over 800 different trips across every continent, we’ve remained devoted to the same grassroots values and responsible travel philosophies that we had at the very beginning.

 

Values

On every trip we operate and in every interaction we have with a client, supplier or local, we live our core values everyday:

  • Integrity – Doing the right thing
  • Responsible – Think global, act local
  • Growth – Stakeholders in our own success
  • Innovation – Thriving on new ideas and embracing change
  • Fun – It’s engrained into who we are and what we do
  • Passion – We are inspired by the work we do and the trips we offer

 

Why we love this operator
They’re very committed to sustainable and responsible tourism and contribute to important initiatives like climate action.
What they’re known for
Small group tours for active and adventurous travelers at a range of different price points and service levels.

Associations

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Logistics

Accommodation

Comfortable hotel (9 nights),Feature Stay (2 nights),

Transportation & Flights

Private vehicle,shared bus,boat,

Transportation & flights

Private vehicle,shared bus,boat
Guides
All group trips are accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. Premium leaders are Intrepid’s most experienced, with in-depth knowledge and extensive local networks to make it a trip of a lifetime. Your leader will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense, you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the places visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious, and social aspects. At Intrepid we aim to support local guides who have specialised knowledge of the regions we visit. When not already included in your trip, your leader will be able to recommend a local guide service who can share more detailed or specialised information at specific sites should you be interested in delving deeper.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that at a minimum you are covered for medical expenses including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative. If you have credit card insurance your group leader or local representative will require details of the participating insurer/underwriter, the level of coverage, policy number, and emergency contact number rather than the bank's name and your credit card details. Please contact your bank for these details prior to arriving in-country. For travellers who reside within the European Union, Switzerland or USA the requirement to purchase travel insurance cannot be compulsory. However the purchase of travel insurance is still highly recommended, and travellers from these regions who decline travel insurance when travelling outside of their home region must sign a Travel Insurance Waiver Form at the Group Meeting, recognizing personal responsibility for emergency medical and repatriation costs should they arise. For assistance with travel insurance or other services, please visit the link below: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/booking-resources/our-services
Visa requirements
PASSPORT You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date. We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends. VISAS & ENTRY REQUIREMENTS Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed. You can check the entry requirements for your nationality on your government's foreign travel advisories, consular websites or on our page here:  www.intrepidtravel.com/visa-entry-requirements
Health & Safety
Most national governments provide regularly updated foreign travel advice on safety issues involved with international travel. We recommend that you check your government's advice for their latest travel information before departure and ensure that your travel insurance covers you for all destinations and activities on your trip. Please refer to our website's safety page for links to major travel advisories and updates on safety issues affecting our trips here: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/travel-alerts We strongly recommend the use of a neck wallet or money belt while travelling, for the safe-keeping of your passport, flight tickets, cash and other valuable items. Leave your jewellery at home - you won't need it while travelling. Many of our hotels have safety deposit boxes, which is the most secure way of storing your valuables. A lock is recommended for securing your luggage. Your group leader or local representative will accompany you on all included activities, however, during your trip you'll have some free time to pursue your own interests or relax and take it easy. While your group leader or local representative will assist you with the available options in a given location, please note that any optional activities you undertake are not part of your Intrepid itinerary, and Intrepid makes no representations about the safety of the activity or the standard of the operators running them. Please use your own good judgement when selecting an activity in your free time. Please also note that your group leader or local representative has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if it's deemed necessary due to safety concerns. Intrepid's operational safety policies can be viewed on our website at the link below. We recommend that you take a moment to read through this information before travelling, and would appreciate any feedback on how safety is being managed on our trips. https://www.intrepidtravel.com/safety-guidelines PETTY THEFT AND PERSONAL SAFETY While travelling there is always the risk of pick-pocketing and petty theft, particularly in the more touristy cities. We recommend that you exercise caution when walking alone at night and encourage you to walk together and only on main, well-lit thoroughfares. Be particularly vigilant on public transport. Simple measures like carrying your day pack on your front, not hanging your bag over the back of your chair or on the floor and wearing a money belt will reduce any chance that your valuables should go missing. MONEY WITHDRAWAL: In order to avoid fraud and theft, it is advisable that you withdraw money from ATMs located inside banks or guarded shops during business hours only. LOCAL LODGINGS: On this trip you will be staying in some restored houses and local lodges - these are one of the charms of this journey, but their staircases, balconies and passages etc may not always comply with western safety standards. Please do not expect elevators in these properties as they are preserved to their original state. FIRE PRECAUTIONS: Please be aware that local laws governing tourism facilities in this region differ from those in your home country and not all the accommodation which we use has a fire exit, fire extinguishers or smoke alarms. SEAT BELTS: Please be aware that local laws governing transportation safety may differ from those in your home country and not all the transport which we use is able to provide seat belts. WATER SAFETY: Please take care when taking part in any activities in the ocean, river or open water, where waves and currents can be unpredictable. It's expected that anyone taking part in water activities is able to swim and have experience in open water. All swimmers should seek local advice before entering the water.
Age Requirements
15 years and up
Additional Information
Finish point Tamarindo Diria Beach Resort C. Central Tamarindo Beach, Provincia de Guanacaste Guanacaste 50309 COSTA RICA Phone: +506 40320032
Trip ID
intrepid-QBPT

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