Costa Rica Adventure: Plus

Itinerary

• Day 1: Fly to San José

  Welcome to San José, Costa Rica, the cultural and political capital of this vibrant, thriving nation. Crack open a coconut and crank up the calypso music, you’re about to get tropical for the next 10 days.

  Today's highlights:

  • Land at the airport and meet a waiting EF representative.
  • Transfer to your hotel to check in and check out your room.
  • Explore the area as you meet up with your fellow travelers, arriving one-by-one.
• Day 2: Travel to Arenal Region + Kayak Lake Arenal + Welcome Dinner

  The rainforest is filled with secrets and today you get to be its closest confidant; Travel by bus to the Arenal region of Costa Rica, a quaint tropical town known for it’s not-so-quaint andesitic stratovolcano. Keep your eyes and ears open as you explore all of Arenal’s mysterious landforms, wildlife, and waters.

  In the evening, it’s time for your Welcome Dinner. Enjoy appetizers and drinks with fellow travelers at an authentic local spot. Then it’s on to wherever your new friends and the party takes you.

  Today's highlights:

  • Travel by bus from San Jose to your next Costa Rican destination
  • Kayak the pristine waters of Lake Arenal and take in volcanic views of the surrounding dormant magma-makers
  • Enjoy an included Welcome Dinner in Arenal at a local spot
• Day 3: Free Day in the Arenal Region or Optional White Water Rafting, & Evening Hot Springs

  Wake up and smell that fresh jungle air. They don’t make it like that back home, do they? After a full first day in the Arenal region, take the day to swim, explore, and enjoy the beautiful volcano-lined skyline of inner-Costa Rica on your own schedule. If you need a little adventure before you relax, spend the day on the Sarapiqui rapids with the optional White Water Rafting excursion before joining your group in some natural hot springs to cap off the night.

  Today's highlights:

  • Enjoy a free day in the Arenal region
  • For an additional cost, traverse the rapids of Sarapiqui with the White Water Rafting optional excursion
  • Kick back and soak in the springs with an included natural hot springs experience this evening

  Free time suggestions

  Orchid hunting: Admire the crazy-vibrant flora of the Arenal Region, including nearly 500 breeds of orchid.

  Imperial: Help yourself to an Imperial or two, a tasty lager beloved by beer drinkers across Costa Rica.

  White Water Rafting the Sarapiqui River (extra cost)

  Experience the rainforest from a new perspective on a white-water rafting adventure. Hop in a raft with a local river guide and work up an appetite before an included lunch.
  
  Why wait? Save money by booking this optional excursion before your trip departs.

• Day 4: La Fortuna Waterfall + Travel to Monteverde + Optional Night Hike

  Today is full of highs and lows… geographically, of course. Before taking to the cloud forests of Monteverde, spend your morning at one of Costa Rica’s most sought-after natural wonders: La Fortuna Waterfall. See La Fortuna up close and personal as you hike to the base and cool off with a plunge its famous pool. Once you’ve had your La Fortuna fill, hop on the bus to Monteverde, a jumping off point for Costa Rica’s surreal cloud forests. The fun continues!

  Today's highlights:

  • Hike to the base of La Fortuna Waterfall, one of the most spectacular sights in Central America.
  • Cool off with a swim in the waterfall’s plunge pool
  • Board your bus bound for the village of Monteverde—founded as a Quaker farming settlement, now the go-to hub for Costa Rican adventure seekers.

  Monteverde Night Hike (extra cost)

  Hit the trails when the sun goes down. Follow your guide to see Monteverde after-dark, and listen up as they point out nocturnal critters like armadillos, silky anteaters, and even cute little kinkajous.
  
  Why wait? Save money by booking this optional excursion before your trip departs.

• Day 5: Explore the Santa Elena Cloud Forest + Included Dinner

  Today, you’ll experience a whole different rainforest habitat: the Santa Elena Cloud Forest. High altitude and moisture (12 feet of rain per year) combine to make this a one-of-a-kind ecosystem—oh, and did we mention there’s ziplining?

  Today's highlights:

  • Find out what clouds are really made of as you walk through them—yes, through them— in the densely vegetated, misty trails of the Costa Rican rainforest.
  • Soar high above the rainforest canopy, zooming from one platform to the next at speeds of up to 60 mph on a zipline.
  • Return to Monteverde as the town turns up for the night.
• Day 6: Beach Day in Puntarenas

  After a day of adrenaline in the heart of the jungle, you could use some time to lay on a beach and bask in the sun. Today you’ll trade leafy rainforest greens for sandy scenes as you head from Monteverde to Puntarenas for a little beachside R&R at Playa Mantas.

  Today's highlights:

  • Let the lush scenery blow your mind as you travel via bus from Monteverde to Puntarenas.
  • Take that Pura Vida attitude out to sea with some stand-up paddleboarding at the beach.
• Day 7: Explore Manuel Antonio National Park + Beach Time + Included Dinner

  There’s two kinds of people in the world: beach people and mountain people. Oh, and swamp people—but we won’t get into that now. The breathtaking Manuel Antonio National Park somehow has both mountains and beaches. See Costa Rica’s most beautiful, most visited national park today up close and personal.

  Today's highlights:

  • Trek through cliff-side rainforest and soak up the sun at the two main immaculate white-sand beaches of the park: Espadilla Sur Beach and Playa Manuel Antonio.
  • Keep an ear out for howler monkeys, the only land animal louder than your 8am Calculus professor.
  • Spot other amazing animals like capuchins, coati, iguanas, and dolphins.
• Day 8: Free Day in Quepos + Optional Catamaran Cruise

  Quepos may be small, but it makes up for it in spirit. Today is yours to explore the tiny town, consider grabbing a Gauro Sour (the national drink made from distilled sugar cane), or heading down to the docks to hear the fishermen swap sport fishing stories.

  Free time suggestions

  Soda: Chow down at a soda—you heard that correctly. Costa Rican lunch cafés are called sodas, and they’re an absolutely delicious way to eat authentically and affordably.

  Costa Rican Catamaran Cruise (extra cost)

  Cruise on a catamaran through the Pacific Ocean, kick back and admire the coastline, and try and spot manta rays, reef sharks, sea turtles, and even dolphins in the crystal clear waters.
  
  Why wait? Save money by booking this optional excursion before your trip departs.

• Day 9: Travel to San José via Sarchí + Farewell Dinner

  On your way back to San José, stop for a guided tour of a coffee plantation. Toast your trip goodbye with your Farewell Dinner, then time for dancing, drinks, or heck, maybe even creating a detailed scrapbook to commemorate your time in paradise.

  Farewell Dinner

  Share some last laughs and revisit the best moments of the trip at this included farewell dinner with the group.

  Today's highlights:

  • Stop off for a coffee plantation tour on your way back to San José.
  • Watch as the little red berries become morning buzz brew right before your eyes, then sample the freshest coffee of your life.
  • Return to San José and swap phone numbers, Instagram follows, email addresses or AIM screen-names with your Costa Rican travel BFFs.
• Day 10: Fly Home

  ¡Adiós, amigos!

  Your next destination awaits—home. Before you head to the airport, make sure to take one more group photo and grab that final drink. But this isn’t goodbye because you can always get the gang back together for another trip soon. Or if you’re feeling adventurous, we have a couple ways to keep your vacation going.

  EXTEND YOUR TRIP 2 WAYS

  1. Double the fun
  A lot of our trips line up back to back! Give us a call—we can help you add another and save big while you're at it.

  2. Go ahead or stay behind
  Extending your trip is easy! During checkout, you'll have the option to fly to (or from) the gateway of your choice for an additional fee. We'll adjust your flights accordingly, but you'll be responsible to take care of your transportation, hotels, and other logistics outside of tour.

  Note: Depending on your desired gateways, additional fees may apply.