Costa Rican Adventure
Bordered on the east by the Caribbean Sea and on the west by the Pacific Ocean, Costa Rica offers adventure, relaxation, exploration and all things Pura Vida. It is one of the most biodiverse countries in the world with a wealth of flora, fauna and a focus on sustainability. There is something for everyone in Costa Rica. The abundant biodiversity makes it ideal for those interested in bird watching and wildlife, and the many different activities on offer make it ideal for adventure seekers. Take a zipline through the cloud forests in Monteverde, go white river rafting on the Sarapiqui or Pacuare rivers, or cross the hanging bridges with views of the treetop canopy at Arenal rainforest. After all that adventure, relax in the volcanic hot springs at Arenal and for a perfect trip combine with a beach stay on the Caribbean or Pacific Coast.
One term we became familiar with in Costa Rica was Pura Vida! It means no worries, no fuss, no stress. Costa Ricans (Ticos) use this term to say hello, goodbye, everything’s great, or to say everything’s cool. The main language is Spanish but English is widely spoken.
Our accommodation was mainly in eco-lodges where sustainability was important evidenced by the solar powered water heating and the water stations where you could refill your water bottle, avoiding the use of single use plastic bottles. We saw many species of birds and animals without having to leave the grounds of our lodge including toucans, macaws, sloths, monkeys, agoutis and coatis.
Our first experience of the tropical rainforest was on our first night when we arrived at Selva Verde lodge and were greeted by a cacophony of sounds from the inhabitants of the rainforest, as howler monkeys and birds screeched and called to each other. Our lodge was nestled into lush vegetation with bananas hanging from the banana plants in easy reach.
We travelled by private transfer from lodge to lodge - to Puerto Viejo de Limon on the Caribbean coast, to La Fortuna and Arenal, to Monteverde whose scenery is reminiscent of Switzerland, and finally to Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast.
Included in our tour were visits to coffee and chocolate plantations to see how they are grown and processed, and a night walk through a forest in Monteverde where we saw tree frogs, sloths, armadillos and other animals who come out at night. We soared across the cloud forest on ziplines in Monteverde and rafted on level 2/3 white water rapids on the Sarapiqui river. This diverse country is smaller than Ireland but there is so much to see and do.
We travelled the end of December, beginning of January 2022 during the dry season which is between December and April. The tour was arranged with our ground specialists in Costa Rica who used their local knowledge to personalize our trip. If you’d like to know more about this type of trip or would like help planning your own trip, please get in touch.