Costa Rica - A Hiking Holiday

Fly London to San Jose

Most visits to Costa Rica start and finish in San José, the country's capital. This bustling city lies in Costa Rica's Central Valley and has a year round, spring-like climate and a cosmopolitan feel. And while it may lack the impressive colonial architecture of other latin cities, it offers a handful of good museums, regular cultural events and excellent day trips into the surrounding countryside.

In the central highlands above San Jose, you will find the small towns of Alajuela and Heredia as well as numerous coffee plantations located on the fertile slopes of the Poas Volcano. The accommodation in this area offers a tranquil retreat that's just a short drive from San José's city centre.

You will be staying at Xandari Resort & Spa, Bed & Breakfast

Monteverde Hiking Adventure Day 1
Your guide will meet up with you at your hotel this morning and then it's time to head out on foot into the cloud forest for day 1 of this 2 night/3day trek. This is a challenging hike and you must be confident of completing up to 8 hours of hiking each day, occasionally in hot and humid conditions and across rough terrain. Please bear in mind that conditions at both refuges are very basic. Blankets are not provided at Eladios and Pocosol Refuge. You will be required to carry a sleeping bag and have a good backpack to carry your gear. This must include a plastic water bottle, personal water filter to refill your water bottle (recommended, but not essential), good rain poncho, warm clothes (layered, polypropylene) to keep warm in damp and cold mountains, sunscreen and insect repellent, cotton shirts - long and short sleeved, parka, lightweight trousers (jeans are not recommended - too slow to dry), short hiking socks (plan on getting your feet wet on a daily basis, be sure to bring spare pairs of socks), hats with visor for rain and sun protection, flashlight with spare batteries, binoculars, footwear - lightweight hiking boots with traction and ankle support (be sure to break in your footwear before the trip), walking sticks(recommended).

Luggage not required on the trek may be left with our agents and returned to you when you're collected at the end of the trek. Snacks will be provided throughout the day and breakfast and dinner will be cooked for you by your guide.

Today's 6 hour hike will take you through the cloud forest to the Eladios Biological Station right in the heart of the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Monteverde is acclaimed for one of the most important and extensive reserves in Central America. It contains habitats on both the Atlantic and the Pacific slope that include eight different ecological zones. Wind-battered elfin woods on exposed ridges are spectacularly dwarfed, whereas more protected areas have majestically tall trees festooned with orchids, bromeliads, ferns and vines. If you are still in good shape at the end of today´s trek, your guide takes you on an exciting night tour to track mammals such as pecaris, ocelots and pumas after dinner.

You will be staying at Eladios Refuge, Full board

Monteverde Hiking Adventure Day 3
Before breakfast your guide will take you on an extraordinary bird watching tour. Tuck into a hearty breakfast, have a short rest and then pack your belongings for the transfer back to La Fortuna (1 hour) or San José (4 hours).

Drive from Monteverde to San Jose (Road Journey)

You will be staying at Grano de Oro, Bed & Breakfast

Trek to Chirripo Base Camp
You depart in the morning to begin your trek into the Chirripó National Park.

Today you hike in three stages as you ascend the mountain, eating snacks and lunch before you arrive at the camp by midday. The uphill trail is steep and can take up to 12 hours in poor conditions for slow trekkers. Fit, experienced hikers can do it in 6 to 7 hours. After passing the sign "Trail to Chirripó, you begin a gruelling uphill stretch called La Cuesta del Agua (allow 2 hours). This climb crests at Monte Sin Fe ("Faithless Mountain"). Expect to see colourful toucans, trogons, monkeys, and more as you pass through dwarf cloud forests draped in "Old Man's Beard" mosses. The camp is situated 6 km below the summit.

Note: A water filter is useful for re-filling your water bottle. There are not many water sources on this day.

You will be staying at Los Crestones Refuge, Full board

Drive from Chirripo National Park to Uvita de Osa (Road Journey)

You will be staying at Kura Design Villas, Bed & Breakfast

At leisure

You will be staying at Kura Design Villas, Bed & Breakfast