Active: Trek Hidden Costa Rica (CRAC)
Countries Visited: Costa Rica
Trip Style: Acrtive - Hiking, biking and kayaking adventures across the world
Hungry to walk, hike, trek, bike, raft and kayak your way across the world's greatest destinationss No sweat. (Well, maybe a little.) You don't have to be a decathlete to take an Active trip, just someone with a healthy love for getting active and the outdoors.
Service Level: Basic
Excellent value, amazing prices, quality experiences Simple and clean hotels, guesthouses and hostels chosen for location and character Affordable public and private transport for maximum cultural interaction Plenty of optional activities tailored to your interests and budget
Physical Demands Rating: 4 - You might encounter a few high-altitude hikes or other more strenuous activities. Pro tip: Put down that pastry, buster.
Group Size: Max 16, avg 10.
Meals Included: 5 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners
Accommodations: Hotels (6 nts), jungle homestay (3 nts, multi-share), fully equipped cave (2 nts, sleeping bags, no electricity).
Highlights
Trek into a remote community to live with the locals, sleep in a cave behind twin waterfalls, make your own sugarcane candy, experience a traditional sauna and learn about medicinal plants, rappel down hidden waterfalls, whitewater raft on the Savegre River.
Description
Think you know Costa Ricas Trade in the same old settings for the real deal. Trek into the heart of the jungle to live with three families in a remote village. Discover the emerald core of a diverse land while bunking down behind a massive waterfall in a hidden cave. Learn about the medicinal plants native to these parts and how to make sugarcane candy. This is a spectacular country with opportunities for waterfall rappelling, surfing, and whitewater rafting. This is what adventure is all about.
Trip Style: Acrtive - Hiking, biking and kayaking adventures across the world
Hungry to walk, hike, trek, bike, raft and kayak your way across the world's greatest destinationss No sweat. (Well, maybe a little.) You don't have to be a decathlete to take an Active trip, just someone with a healthy love for getting active and the outdoors.
Service Level: Basic
Physical Demands Rating: 4 - You might encounter a few high-altitude hikes or other more strenuous activities. Pro tip: Put down that pastry, buster.
Group Size: Max 16, avg 10.
Meals Included: 5 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 5 dinners
Accommodations: Hotels (6 nts), jungle homestay (3 nts, multi-share), fully equipped cave (2 nts, sleeping bags, no electricity).
Highlights
Trek into a remote community to live with the locals, sleep in a cave behind twin waterfalls, make your own sugarcane candy, experience a traditional sauna and learn about medicinal plants, rappel down hidden waterfalls, whitewater raft on the Savegre River.
Description
Think you know Costa Ricas Trade in the same old settings for the real deal. Trek into the heart of the jungle to live with three families in a remote village. Discover the emerald core of a diverse land while bunking down behind a massive waterfall in a hidden cave. Learn about the medicinal plants native to these parts and how to make sugarcane candy. This is a spectacular country with opportunities for waterfall rappelling, surfing, and whitewater rafting. This is what adventure is all about.
Call (218) 773-3344 for more information or to book today! Mention code 12779336
- Tour Operator
- G Adventures
- Duration
- 12 Days
- Escorted
- Escorted - Yes
| Day | Destination | Description |
| Day 1 | San Jose | Day 1 San Jose There are no planned activities during the day, so check into the hotel and explore the city. As it is located in the central highlands, San Jose enjoys a moderate climate. Amid the hustle and bustle, San Jose has beautiful parks, museums and the ornate Costa Rica National Theatre downtown. Enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains from the downtown streets. The central plaza is a good place to people-watch. A mime, juggler, marimba band, magician, or storyteller may be performing for whatever is collected when the hat is passed. Artisan booths are common, creating a regular arts and crafts fair atmosphere. Included Activities: Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting |
| Day 2 | San Isidro | Day 2 San Jose/San Isidro Early morning departure to San Isidro de El General. Located near three rivers and Costa Ricas highest mountain, Mt ChirripO, this region is well-known but few travelers stay to find out why. Additional Notes: Please note it will be necessary to repack your bags according to the packing list provided for our excursion to Piedras Blancas as it is an early departure on the morning of Day 3. Transport: Local bus (3.00-4.00 hours) |
| Day 3 | Piedras Blancas | Day 3 San Isidro/Piedras Blancas (1L, 1D) Today we embark on a three-day, three-night excursion with a locally owned and operated adventure company to the community of Piedras Blancas, found in the heart of the Zona de los Santos region. The journey is always half the fun, so we will leave town in the back of pickup trucks, traveling like the locals to find our trail head in the small town of Brujo. Additional Notes: We will be welcomed with open arms and a much needed home-cooked meal at the Lopez family home. Once home to 18 children (most of whom are now adults), there are plenty of beds for everyone all under one roof. The night will be spent eating, sharing stories of the day's trek, and playing cards with the family members around the stove. Included Activities: Jungle Trekking to Piedras Blancas Transport: Pickup truck (2.00 hour(s)) |
| Day 4 | Piedras Blancas | Day 4 Piedras Blancas (1B, 1L, 1D) Participate in various activities in and around the Lopez family farm. In small groups, make dulce (candy) at the familys traditional trapiche (sugar cane mill). Hike one hour to the Granados household and stay the night. While there, local guides and members of the family will explain how to make fresh cheese and breads. Take a late-day dip in the river, enjoy tasty traditional Tico cooking and head to bed for a well-deserved rest. Included Activities: Bread Making |
| Day 5 | Piedras Blancas | Day 5 Piedras Blancas (1B, 1L, 1D) Start the day with a delicious home-cooked breakfast and fortify for the two-hour hike through the rainforest to Los Fonseca's retreat. Cross over the Savegre River to the house by cable car. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the rushing waterfall directly in front of the dining area. Watch wildlife and hummingbirds up close. End the day with a traditional `Temascal' sweat sauna and reflect on the day's events. Reward yourself homemade chocolate made from cocoa beans collected right from the garden. Included Activities: Hike to the Fonseca family Ziplining Sauna Chocolate Making |
| Day 6 | Dominical | Day 6 Piedras Blancas/Dominical (1B, 1L) Today is a full, action-packed day. Set your alarm for an early morning start and a two-hour hike back to Brujo where we jump into rafts and head off on the Savegre River. Paddle toward the Pacific coast, then take a van to Dominical. Spend the rest of the day at the local bungalows, in the swimming pool or walking along the beach. Additional Notes: Bags are taken to our overnight stop in Dominical, while the activities continue with a rafting excursion. Included Activities: Hiking Savegre River Whitewater Rafting Transport: Private Vehicle (0.75 hour(s)) |
| Day 7 | Diamante Verde | Day 7 Dominical/Diamante Verde (1L, 1D) Time to put the boots back on and hike to Catedral de Piedra (Cathedral of Stone). A free day for exploring the area, the local guides will plan a number of activities depending on the group's interest and energy levels. Options include a number of hikes to the surrounding falls, waterfall rappelling, cliff jumping and swimming in the natural pools. Additional Notes: Twin 85-foot waterfalls cascade over the cave accommodation. Don't think tight spaces - this is what we call an open cave and you will have no trouble enjoying the surroundings. There are hand-crafted stone beds to sleep on, composting toilets and a fully working kitchen inside the cave itself. Included Activities: Hike to La Catedral de Piedra |
| Day 8 | Diamante Verde | Day 8 Diamante Verde (1B, 1L, 1D) Enjoy the day in and around Diamante Falls. Included Activities: Rappelling near Diamante Falls |
| Day 9 | Uvita | Day 9 Diamante Verde/Uvita (1B) Wake up early and set off on foot back to Las Tumbas. At the trails end, hop in a private van and enjoy the ride to Uvita, a small beach town on the southwestern Pacific coast. Take some much deserved time to rest and relax. Included Activities: Hike from La Catedral de Piedra Transport: Private Vehicle (1.00 hour(s)) |
| Day 10 | Uvita | Day 10 Uvita This is a perfect day for some quality hammock time. Still need to moves Theres lots to do. Take a surf lesson, visit the Ballena Marine National Park (December to April is prime-time to see humpback whales), horseback ride, snorkel, SCUBA dive or take a trip to nearby CaNo Island. |
| Day 11 | San Jose | Day 11 Uvita/San Jose Transfer back to the capital for a final evening with the group. Transport: Private Vehicle (5.00 hour(s)) |
| Day 12 | San Jose | Day 12 San Jose Depart from San Jose at any time. |
- Dates/Pricing
- Disclaimer
Local Flights: N/A
Dossier Disclaimer:The information in this trip details document has been compiled with care and is provided in good faith. However it is subject to change, and does not form part of the contract between the client and the operator. The itinerary featured is correct at time of printing. It may differ slightly to the one in the brochure. Occasionally our itineraries change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers, comments and our own research. Sometimes it can be a small change like adding an extra meal along the itinerary. Sometimes the change may result in us altering the tour for the coming year. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the most rewarding experience. Please note that our brochure is usually released in November each year. If you have booked from the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to the itinerary.
VERY IMPORTANT: Please ensure that you print a final copy of your Trip Details to review a couple of days prior to travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans.
Itinerary Disclaimer: While it is our intention to adhere to the route described below, there is a certain amount of flexibility built into the itinerary and on occasion it may be necessary, or desirable to make alterations. The itinerary is brief, as we never know exactly where our journey will take us. Due to our style of travel and the regions we visit, travel can be unpredictable. The Trip Details document is a general guide to the tour and region and any mention of specific destinations or wildlife is by no means a guarantee that they will be visited or encountered. Aboard expedition trips visits to research stations depend on final permission.
Additionally, any travel times listed are approximations only and subject to vary due to local circumstances.
