Activities in Costa Rica
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Buena Vista Rainforest Combo Tour
10 hours (Departs Guanacaste, Costa Rica)
by Viator
Discover the beautiful Rincon de la Vieja National Park on this Buena Vista rainforest combo tour in Costa Rica! Experience hot springs, volcanic mud facials, m…
Not LP reviewed
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Proyecto Montezuma
Kerri Bowers and César Benavides of Proyecto Montezuma run an innovative volunteer program that not only gives to the community, but fosters cultural exchange, pays fair wages to its employees and gifts you something for giving of your time and energy. You choose the project in which you’d like to participate, such as teaching local classes or removing trash from the beach and jungle, and you also sign up for a sustainable adventure tour around Montezuma. Long-term opportunities are also available; hit the website for details.
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Río Locos
A popular local company does rafting as well as other area tours.
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Sabine’s Smiling Horses
Run by Sabine, who speaks English, French, Spanish and German, Smiling Horses offers a variety of treks, from US$15 per-hour day trips to specialty tours, including a Full Moon Ride. Several multiday treks are also on offer, and Sabine may also take experienced riders on the Castillo Trail, weather permitting. This outfitter has been highly recommended by readers year after year.
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Cacique Tours
The affable Oscar Cortés offers a variety of wildlife tours, his specialty being an early-morning bird-watching walk.
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Costa Rica Ríos
Offers week-long rafting trips that must be booked in advance. It’s 25m north of Parque Central.
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Rainmaker Aerial Walkway
Rainmaker was the first aerial walkway through the forest canopy in Central America, though it is still regarded as one of the region’s best. From its tree-to-tree platforms, there are spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding primary and secondary rainforest, as well as occasional vistas out to the Pacific Ocean. The reserve is also home to the full complement of tropical wildlife, which means that there are myriad opportunities here for great bird-watching as well as the occasional monkey sighting.
Tours with naturalist guides leave hotels in Manuel Antonio and Quepos daily except Sunday; reservations can be made at most hotels or by calling the Rainmaker office.…
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Monteverde Cheese Factory
Until the recent upswing in ecotourism, Monteverde’s number-one employer was this cheese factory, also called La Lechería (The Dairy). Started in 1953 by Monteverde’s original Quaker settlers, the factory produces everything from a creamy Gouda to a very nice sharp, white cheddar, sold all over the country, as well as other dairy products such as yogurt and, most importantly, ice cream. If you’ve got a hankering for something sweet, our favorite treat is the coffee milk shake. Reservations are required for the two-hour tour of the factory.
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Thermal Hot Springs
If you need to recuperate after hiking, consider a soak in the thermal hot springs that are about 2km north of San Gerardo. Just above the ranger station the road forks; take the left fork and walk for about 1km on a paved road. Turn right and take the rickety suspension bridge over the river. A switchback trail will lead you another 1km to a house with a soda (inexpensive eatery), which is the entrance to the springs.
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Yökö Hot Springs
Yökö Hot Springs has four hot springs with a small waterslide and waterfall, set in an attractive meadow at the foot of Miravalles. The 12 elegant cabinas have huge bathrooms and gleaming wood floors. Extra amenities include a Jacuzzi, sauna and a relaxed restaurant serving everything from burgers to filet mignon.
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Desafío Adventure Company
Desafío treats its horses well and has been recommended for the trek to Monteverde. Along with horseback-riding trips, the company organizes adventure tours rappelling down waterfalls, and community-based tours visiting a local women’s recycling collective and animal rescue shelter. Look for the building shaped like a castle turret.
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Finca La Isla Botanical Garden
To the west of town is a working tropical farm where the owners have been growing organic pepper, cacao, tropical fruits and ornamental plants for more than a decade. Part of the farm is set aside as a botanical garden, which is also good for bird-watching and for wildlife observation (look for sloths, poison-dart frogs and toucans). The informative guided tour (in English) includes admission, fruit tasting and a glass of fresh juice to finish, or you can buy a booklet (US$1) and take yourself on a self-guided tour.
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Corcovado Expeditions
Offers competitively priced tours to Corcovado and Isla del Caño, as well as a wide variety of specialty hikes including unique excursions to look for rare tropical birds and poison-dart frogs.
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Escondido Trex
Specializes in kayak tours, including mangrove paddles, night paddles, sunset tours and kayak-snorkel combos.
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Willie's Tours
Willie’s signature tour takes visitors to visit a Bribrí family and a KéköLdi iguana farm (US$25/55). He’s in a new location these days, on the main drag next to Cocorico Pizzeria Bar.
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Explornatura
This longtime outfitter runs recommended canyoning expeditions, among other tours.
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Serendipity Adventures
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Desafío Adventure Company
This highly recommended company offers a variety of tours including rafting, lava-viewing hikes, horseback riding, mountain biking, spelunking and more. Look for the castle-like building.
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Devaya Yoga
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Daryl Loth
A personable Canadian-born naturalist (formerly of Coterc) offers excellent boat trips in a super-silent electric motorboat, as well as turtle tours (in season) and guided hikes.
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Catarata San Luis
A popular (but strenuous) hike is to visit the Catarata San Luis, a gorgeous ribbon of water streaming from the cloud forests into a series of swimming holes just screaming for a picnic. The distance from the parking area to the falls is only a few kilometers, but it’s steeply graded downhill, and the rocky, mud-filled terrain can get very slick. Readers report that their entire families have been OK on the trail, but it’s important to go slow and turn back if it becomes too difficult. However, your efforts will be worth it as the waterfall is simply breathtaking.
Drivers will need a 4WD to ford the little river and climb the muddy road out. You can park (US$6 per car…
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Manuel Antonio Surf School
If you’re looking to surf, the gentle ankle-slappers here are perfect for getting your sea legs. Manuel Antonio Surf School has a kiosk on the beach.
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Heliconia Tours & Restaurant
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Desafío Adventure Company
Does local treks for groups and individuals around town, day trips to San Luis Waterfalland several multiday rides. This established outfitter will arrange rides to La Fortuna, usually on the Lake Trail. The company also arranges white-water rafting trips on the Ríos Toro, Sarapiquí and others, and can help with transport and hotel reservations. Located next door to Morpho’s Restaurant.
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Parque Nacional Corcovado
All of the lodges offer hiking tours to Parque Nacional Corcovado, usually a full-day trip to San Pedrillo ranger station (from US$75 to US$100 per person), including boat transportation, lunch and guided hikes. Indeed, if you came all the way to the Península de Osa, it's hard to pass up a visit to the national park that made it famous.
Some travelers, however, come away from these tours disappointed. The trails around San Pedrillo station attract many groups of people, which inhibit animal sightings. Furthermore, most tours arrive at the park well after sunrise, when activity in the rain forest has already quieted down.
Considering their hefty price tag, these tours are…
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