Costa Rica Bike Tour & Adventure

Day 1: Individual arrival in Costa Rica, transfer to first hotel in San José
Day 2: Transfer to Sarapiquí, mountain bike
Day 3: Sarapiquí - Arenal volcano
Day 4: Arenal Volcano, Pedal and Paddle adventure
Day 5: Arenal - Monteverde Cloud Forest
Day 6: Guided tour to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
Day 7: Monteverde - Samara Beach
Day 8: Samara Beach,  Kayak and snorkeling or surf lessons
Day 9: Samara Beach - San Jose
Day 10: End of tour

Day 1: Individual arrival in Costa Rica
Our local representative will be waiting for you at the Juan Santamaría International Airport to transfer you to your hotel in San José, conveniently located near downtown, close to many dining opportunities. We can provide specific tourist information so that you can take full advantage of your time in San José. 

Costa Rica’s capital and the largest city in the country, San Jose is considered to be among the most cosmopolitan cities in Latin America. Downtown San Jose is the busiest part of town. A maze of streets and avenues, here you can find most of the city’s museums as well as several hotels and plazas. In the center of the city, several attractions can be found, such as the National Theater, the National Museum, and the Jade Museum. Also, several parks like Plaza de La Cultura and Parque Morazan are interesting places to visit. In San Jose exist a wide variety for gastronomic, each corner of the city has great restaurants or the famous Barrio Escalante, a gastronomic center where high-quality food is offered. But for more local and typical food, the central market offers tasty food.

Sample accommodation: Park Inn by Radisson - standard room
This property is located only 500 meters from Parque Metropolitano La Sabana Park in central San Jose. It offers an outdoor pool, hot tub, and a fitness center. The restaurant serves international-style cuisine. Room service is also available.

Day 2: Transfer to Sarapiquí, mountain biking, 22 or 30 km
Get ready for the rainforest!  You will enjoy a morning transfer to Sarapiquí (2 1/4 hours), to a hotel located in the middle of the dense rainforest. The afternoon will find you enjoying your first adventure, a mountain bike tour into the jungle. There are different biking routes to follow depending on your level and your wishes. You will enjoy a network of trails, dirt roads, and single tracks located in Hacienda la Linda, a typical hacienda that includes livestock, local crops, dense rainforest, and crystal clear rivers. 

Sarapiqui is located in the Heredia province and it has gain popularity because of the rich biodiversity as well as the adventure activities that can be done here. Surrounded by lush green forests and banana and cacao plantations, Sarapiqui was once just a small port town. Located at the junction of the Puerto Viejo River and Sarapiqui River. In Sarapiqui, several private reserves can be found such as La Tirimbina, La Selva, and many others making a great place to admire nature and wildlife.

As one of Costa Rica’s last remaining areas of primary rainforest, Sarapiquí is home to over half of the country’s total species of birds. The species diversity is astounding, with more than 1,850 plants, 448 birds, 70 species of bat and five of Costa Rica’s six felines. (B)

Sample accommodation: Ara Ambigua Lodge, Standard room
Offering its guests an outdoor pool and an à la carte restaurant, the property has free breakfast included and Wi-Fi access. Offering its guests an outdoor pool and an à la carte restaurant which serves international-style dishes and is open daily.  Laundry facilities are available on-site.  An array of activities can be enjoyed on-site or in the surroundings, including billiards, birdwatching, hiking, and a butterfly garden.

Day 3: Sarapiquí - Arenal Volcano, hiking
The morning is free for exploration of the rainforest reserve on your own. Your lodge accommodation has a private reserve with many trails to hike and explore. You will find many species of animals including 3 species of monkeys, sloths, poison frogs, and many others. There is so much to see that you will want to rise early! By mid-afternoon, you will be transferred to the area of the Arenal Volcano and your overnight accommodations, Los Lagos Hotel Spa and Resort, located on the west side of the volcano between the National Park and La Fortuna Village. At the hotel, you can enjoy the naturally heated hot springs! 

La Fortuna is home to the greater Arenal recreation area, the entire region is paradise on Earth for outdoor adventurers. Volcanic views grace the landscape and heat several geothermal hot springs. A lake and rivers beckon you toward aquatic adventure. Refreshing waterfalls reward you after hikes, offering crisp pools and spectacular views. Arenal Volcano is one of Costa Rica’s most notable natural features. Standing at 5,437 feet (1,657 meters), this volcano has been resting (i.e. not active) since 2010. However, it is no less majestic to behold, as it’s practically a behemoth against the region’s perfect skies. Rising above the rainforest that surrounds its base, Arenal Volcano frames the skyline with near-perfect symmetry. (B)

Sample accommodation:  Los Lagos Hotel Spa and Resort, Standard room
This hotel is located next to Arenal Volcano, 6 km from La Fortuna. It offers a natural hot spring, outdoor adventure activities, a luxurious spa, and scenic volcano views. The hotel’s Las Palmas Restaurant features gourmet, tropical dishes made with local produce. You can also enjoy a cocktail at the relaxing swim-up Lemnos Wet Bar outdoor pool. The hotel offers many activities onsite, from canopy tours, to visits to frog, butterfly and crocodile farms. A 2.8 km walk takes you to the breathtaking viewpoint of the volcano.

Day 4: Arenal Volcano, pedal and paddle adventure, 19 km
Start your unforgettable voyage as you embark on our private boat loaded up with all the necessary gear. Once you're ready to give it a try your guide will plunk your board into the water. Start by paddling out on your knees and when you are ready, stand up and find your balance.

Stand Up Paddling looks exactly as it sounds: you stand up on a large, wide, super buoyant board (similar to a surfboard) & use a long paddle to move yourself along. As you embark on your journey out to the middle of Lake Arenal, you’ll be blown away by all of the natural beauty of Volcano Arenal.

After this tour, you will have the chance to change into your dry clothes and fuel up with a refreshing snack before heading to your next adventurous mountain bike challenge. Picnic lunch is included. You will bike along Lake Arenal pass along the rainforest, rural farmlands, and wildlife. You'll have the chance to see different kinds of monkeys, toucans, coatimundis, and more throughout this beautiful landscape. You will bike on a gravel road that stretches 24km crossing the Caño Negro river towards Rio Chiquito (B, L)

Sample accommodation: Los Lagos Hotel Spa and Resort

Day 5: Arenal - Monteverde Cloud Forest, hiking and zip line
The trip combines comfortable door-to-door minivan transfers with a fun and scenic cruise across the tranquil Lake Arenal, where you will experience beautiful views of the majestic volcano and the forested Tilaran Mountain Range. You will also have the chance to see a variety of wetland birds such as kingfishers, flycatchers, waders, and other exotic species that abound on the lakeshore.

You will be picked up from your hotel in Arenal and be driven to the Lake Arenal dam, where you will board a covered boat. This is where the scenic 45-minute cruise across the lake begins. Next, you will begin the impressive 1.5-hour journey up the mountainside on a steep road offering stunning views of the lush, green valley. You will be driven directly to your Monteverde area hotel.

IMPORTANT: Passengers should expect to carry their bags/luggage to and from the boat. Drivers will do their best to help if you have any problems with carrying heavy bags. Just let them know in advance.

In the afternoon, you can enjoy a Canopy Tour (Zip Line)! The tour is located in a private reserve created in 1994. It starts with a short guided walk through the private 70-acre reserve of the cloud forest. The first part of the tour will take you through primary (old-growth), and secondary (new-growth) forests. You will fly through the treetops listening closely to the vast variety of birds seen throughout the reserve. Then, just when you think you have become one with the canopy the tour ends with an exhilarating rappel down from the “Scary Tree”. The tour has 14 cables, 17 platforms, 1 rappel, and 1 Tarzan swing. (B)

Sample accommodation: Cala Lodge, standard room
Cala Lodge is a unique small family-owned hotel, surrounded by nature and stunning mountain views. Enjoy the peacefulness, the cloud forest, and the personalized service.

Day 6: Guided tour to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, hiking
The tour is essentially a natural history walk in which you will learn about the incredible diversity of flora and fauna and many of the unique relationships various cloud forest species have with each other. Guides are equipped with a spotting telescope as well as binoculars and several informational guidebooks. Bring your camera, as you can take pictures through the guide's scope. This walk usually takes about 3 hours. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is where some of the best-kept cloud forests in all of Costa Rica can be found. It is a cloud forest, not a rainforest, due to its elevation of 4,724 feet (1,440 meters) above sea level. (B)

Sample accommodation: Cala Lodge, standard room

Day 7: Monteverde - Samara Beach
A morning transfer will take you to Sámara Beach (4 1/2 hrs.)  Here you will have optional activities to choose from such as a surf lesson, dolphin boat tour, or a walking tour.  

Samara Beach is located in the northwest part of the Nicoya Peninsula and is one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica, inside a long crescent-shaped bay. Known for its breathtaking sunsets, great surfing waves, and healthy atmosphere, it’s the ideal place to go for a low-key beach getaway. The town is quite small, and you can easily walk to get around. Samara beach is perfect for relaxing and swimming. The west end has better waves for surfing and the east end is a bit calmer. On the west end of the beach is where the center of town is, it’s much busier. You’ll find restaurants, surf lessons, beach lounges, massage stands, bars, and tour operators on the beach. (B)

Sample accommodation: Hotel Giada, standard room
The Hotel Giada is just 250 meters from Samara Beach and features tropical style decor. It offers an outdoor pool and spa bath, and air-conditioned rooms with private balconies. There is an on-site restaurant and bar. 

Day 8: Samara Beach,  kayak and snorkeling or surf lessons
There are adventures on the agenda today! After breakfast, there is an opportunity for a kayak and snorkeling excursion to exotic Isla Chora. Here you can escape into a relaxing underwater world, snorkeling with tropical fish, swimming in the clear waters, or simply sitting and soaking in the sun. After a refreshing tropical fruit snack, you can paddle back to Samara Beach. If you do not like to kayak or snorkel, there are surf lessons available as well! The afternoon is free to relax on the beach or enjoy the hotel facilities.

Sample accommodation: Hotel Giada, standard room

Day 9: Samara Beach - San Jose
After breakfast, transfer to San José (5 1/2 hours), with arrival around noon. The rest of the day is yours to explore the surroundings! (B)

Sample accommodation: Park Inn by Radisson - Standard room

Day 10: End of tour
All good things must come to an end! Say goodbye to beautiful Costa Rica and its people. Transfer to San Jose International Airport is included!  A driver will pick you up at the hotel and take you straight to the International Airport, just 15 minutes from the hotel. In Costa Rica, you must arrive 3 hours before your departure flgiht time at the airport.

If Costa Rica isn't your thing, check out all our featured bike trips, specials, and news, or look at our list of tours & trips in Europe and beyond.

The hotels included are a mix of 3 and 4-star hotels in standard rooms only. Listed in each day’s details, you will find the name of the hotels usually used for this tour. Please note that the final hotel list is based on availability.