If you’re a seasoned traveler, you may draw back from excursions and choose to go to locations by yourself as a substitute. I get it: I additionally benefit from the freedom to go the place I would like, once I need, as a way to keep away from crowds.
However, there are advantages of reserving excursions, particularly if it’s your first time in a brand new place. One of them is having a information who can reply your questions and supply significant context to what you’re seeing. Another huge perk is that hopping on a tour can probably prevent cash, as a lot of them embrace meals and transportation.
I totally loved the excursions I went on in Costa Rica. Especially contemplating the spectacular biodiversity there, it’s tremendous useful to have an skilled with you who can level out totally different vegetation and animals that you just may in any other case miss.
I’ve put collectively a listing of the perfect Costa Rica excursions, together with free and price range ones, and luxurious and multiday excursions. Some stellar choices await you:
Budget Tours
1. San José Bites and Sights Walking Tour
I did this tour on my first day in Costa Rica, and it completely set the scene for all the month I spent exploring the nation. I discovered about totally different sorts of fruits, obtained a full rundown on particular customs and different cultural norms, and loved a number of the finest meals that San José has to supply. My information was an skilled in all issues San José, from its historical past and structure to the perfect locations to eat and get probably the most out of town. You can learn all about my expertise right here to get a greater concept of what you possibly can anticipate from the tour.
- Where: Downtown San José
- Duration: 3 hours
- What’s included: Local information, fruit & vegetable samples, espresso, and different small bites
- Price: $38 and price each penny! Book right here.
2. Jungle Night Tour
There are few experiences which can be fairly like strolling via a pitch-black jungle at evening. I did this Manuel Antonio jungle evening tour on my first evening there, and I couldn’t consider how fascinating it was. The sensation of listening to the nonstop rhythmic sounds at evening felt surreal. My information had a eager eye for bugs, spiders, frogs, reptiles, and different critters, pointing them out for us as we hiked. There had been so many animals that I had by no means seen earlier than; I needed to do a double-take to actually take of their magnificence.
Not solely was the hike itself an ideal expertise, however the tour included dinner and transportation, making it a stellar price range possibility. You can learn extra about my expertise on this tour right here.
- Where: Rainmaker Conservation Park, close to Manuel Antonio
- Duration: 3 hours
- What’s included: Naturalist information, dinner with drinks, transportation, and park entrance charge
- Price: $59; contemplating the upper value of meals in Manuel Antonio, the included dinner made it value it. Book right here.
3. Waterfall, Arenal Volcano, and Hot Springs Full-Day Tour
There’s rather a lot to do in La Fortuna, and it may be tempting to attempt to squeeze every thing into a brief interval. That’s why I like to recommend hopping on this full-day tour to take advantage of the time you’ve right here. I booked this tour as a result of I didn’t hire a automobile and was overwhelmed by the trouble of attempting to get from place to put once I realized that La Fortuna doesn’t precisely have a sturdy public transportation system. Plus, taking taxis all over the place would have been costlier than the tour and even renting a automobile for the day.
This tour began early, round 7am. I hopped on the bus, met my guides, and buckled up for the trip. During the 10-hour journey, I obtained to go to the La Fortuna Waterfall, hike on volcanic rock close to the Arenal Volcano, and take a dip in some steamy scorching springs afterward. There was even a beneficiant lunch included, with some drinks on the scorching springs as properly. For me, it was properly definitely worth the value.
- Where: La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano National Park
- Duration: 10 hours
- What’s included: Local guides, lunch and drinks, park entrance charges, scorching springs entrance charge, and transportation
- Price: $90, which is lower than it could price to do all of these items by yourself. Book right here.
4. Río Celeste and Tenorio National Park Tour
This exercise was my favourite factor I did close to La Fortuna. Río Celeste is a sky-blue river that runs via the Tenorio Volcano National Park. Here you’ll discover an abundance of wildlife, together with sloths, toucans, monkeys, and extra. Plus, the crown jewel of the park is the big Río Celeste waterfall, which crashes into one of many bluest swimming pools you’ll ever see.
This tour, very like the Arenal tour above, was properly definitely worth the value. Considering that the park is a 90-minute drive from La Fortuna, the transportation alone makes it an ideal bang on your buck. Plus, I had a blast studying concerning the distinctive ecosystem and dipping into a close-by scorching river. Read extra about my expertise right here.
- Where: Tenorio Volcano National Park
- Duration: 8 hours
- What’s included: Naturalist information, lunch, park entrance charge, and transportation
- Price: $89, which is about the identical value as it could be to hire a automobile for the day to get there, so it’s value it. Book right here.
5. Rainforest Chocolate Tour
Cacao, the plant that turns into chocolate, is native to Costa Rica. There are cacao plantations all through the nation, a few of which you’ll go to on a tour. This is the very best solution to be taught concerning the harvesting and processing of cacao from begin to end, as you’ll be capable of see the totally different phases and style the ultimate product on the finish.
- Where: close to La Fortuna
- Duration: 1.5-2 hours
- What’s included: Local information, chocolate tastings, and entrance charges to the plantation
- Price: $30. Book right here.
6. Organic Farm Visit & Farm-to-Table Cooking Class
So you already did the San José meals tour, and now you’re itching to learn to make these delicious empanadas. Connecting with the best way Costa Ricans put together typical dishes is an superior solution to be taught concerning the tradition and recognize it via meals. I really feel like I missed out by not doing this tour and can e-book it subsequent time I go to.
- Where: La Fortuna
- Duration: 2 hours
- What’s included: Guided tour of the farm, cooking class, a meal ready by you
- Price: $45, which is greater than a meal would price at a restaurant, however you get a studying expertise as properly. Book right here.
7. Lake Arenal Stand-up Paddleboard or Kayak Rental
Paddleboarding with a huge volcano as a backdrop sounds fairly epic, proper? Lake Arenal is on the base of a volcano of the identical identify. Its waters are tranquil and excellent for a paddle, making this exercise a must-do whereas in La Fortuna. Some even say that the perfect view of the volcano is from the lake, so don’t miss out on the chance to see what all of the hype is about!
- Where: La Fortuna
- Duration: 1 hour
- What’s included: Rental of paddleboard gear
- Price: $20, which is the usual value per hour to hire a paddleboard. Book right here.
8. Cloud Forest Night Walking Tour
If you learn my information to Monteverde, you already know already that this was certainly one of my favourite locations in Costa Rica. The cloud forest is nothing wanting magical, what with its mossy bushes, thick foliage, and abundance of untamed animals scurrying about. Similar to what I discussed above concerning the Manuel Antonio jungle evening tour, this one is crucial to any Monteverde itinerary. The forest is totally totally different at evening, and having a information there to level out totally different animals makes it properly definitely worth the value, as a lot of them are troublesome to identify. The parks closed at evening, so that is the one solution to see them after darkish.
- Where: Monteverde/Santa Elena
- Duration: 3 hours
- What’s included: Naturalist information, entry ticket to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve, and transportation
- Price: $28.25, making it probably the most reasonably priced actions on the record. Book right here.
9. Aquiares Estate: 2-Hour Coffee Tour with Tasting
Have you ever puzzled what it takes to make a cup of scrumptious espresso? Costa Rica is without doubt one of the espresso capitals of the world, as a result of it has the best local weather for the vegetation to thrive. Many Costa Ricans make their dwelling harvesting, processing, and promoting espresso, so plantations are plentiful right here. Take it from me; you possibly can’t go away Costa Rica with out visiting certainly one of these — it was probably the most eye-opening experiences I had there. I would dare to say that touring one made me increase the bar for what I take into account to be an excellent cup of joe.
- Where: Aquiares, Limón Province
- Duration: 2 hours
- What’s included: Expert information, entrance charge to the farm, espresso tasting
- Price: $35, which is fairly commonplace for excursions like this one. Book right here.
Luxury Tours
10. ATV Quad Bike Adventure Tour (±Snorkeling)
So many stunning locations in Costa Rica are solely accessible by way of ATV or on foot due to how dense the jungles might be. Tamarindo is a seashore city, but in addition has some unimaginable forests with streams and waterfalls, and this ATV tour is the best solution to attain these spectacular, off-the-beaten-path locations. Prepare your self to get sandy and muddy throughout this wild journey via Costa Rican seashore and jungle landscapes.
- Where: Tamarindo
- Duration: 2.5-3 hours
- What’s included: Local information, transportation to and out of your lodging, ATV rental (you get to drive), snorkel gear (if you happen to select the snorkeling possibility)
- Price: $170 with out snorkeling, $220 with snorkeling. Book right here.
11. Paragliding Flight
Costa Rica’s Pacific coast is known for its breathtaking sunsets. Though admiring them from the shore has its perks, there’s nothing fairly just like the panoramic view whereas parasailing. This is an expensive exercise, however many individuals who’ve executed it describe it as surreal and the closest factor you possibly can really feel to flying like a chicken.
- Where: Jacó
- Duration: 40 minutes
- What’s included: Paragliding flight with skilled pilot
- Price: $230, making this a little bit of a splurge however value it for the once-in-a-lifetime expertise. Book right here.
12. Day Trip to Tabacon Hot Springs & Arenal Volcano
If you’re dying to take a look at the recent springs in La Fortuna however solely have at some point for it in your itinerary, take into account today journey from San José to Tabacón scorching springs and Arenal Volcano. Tabacón is probably probably the most well-known scorching river in Costa Rica. It will get its steamy temperature from the geothermal exercise of Arenal Volcano.
Compared to different scorching springs in La Fortuna, Tabacón is pricier and extra luxurious. It’s one of many solely locations that has a soaking space that’s half of the particular river, whereas different scorching springs are man-made swimming pools. This tour begins off with a hike close to Arenal Volcano, probably the most iconic locations within the nation, and finishes with the recent springs.
- Where: San José to La Fortuna
- Duration: 13 hours
- What’s included: Tour information, round-trip transportation from San José to La Fortuna, entrance to Tabacón Thermal Resort, lunch and dinner
- Price: $232, which is unquestionably value it as a result of a day move on the resort is round $70 alone. Book right here.
Multiday Tours
13. 3-Day Tortuguero National Park Excursion (2 nights)
Tortuguero National Park, on the northern Caribbean coast, is actually a protracted, skinny island with a community of canals on the mainland aspect and the Caribbean Sea on the opposite. It was probably the most stunning locations I visited and the place I noticed probably the most wildlife. It will get its identify as a result of the island is a hatching floor for a number of species of sea turtles, which you will discover there at totally different occasions of the 12 months.
A 3-day tour like this one is a superb alternative to get probably the most out of Tortuguero in little time. Having a information is an enormous plus, as they’re consultants in recognizing wildlife and giving recommendations on the place to go and what to do. Plus, having transportation to and from San José takes the strain off of determining get there, as the general public buses might be unpredictable at occasions and the journey is kind of lengthy. Find out extra concerning the itinerary right here.
- Where: San José to Tortuguero
- Duration: 3 days, 2 nights
- What’s included: Guided excursions, all meals, 2 nights’ lodging
- Price: $500, which is kind of cheap contemplating that you just don’t have to fret about lodging, meals, or transportation. Book right here.
14. All-Inclusive Package for 7 Nights (8 Days)
If you need to get pleasure from the perfect websites on this stunning nation with out having to plan a single factor, an all-inclusive tour is a superb possibility. This one is a spotlight reel of a number of the finest locations to go to in Costa Rica, together with Poás Volcano, Manuel Antonio, La Fortuna, Monteverde, and extra.
These sorts of excursions aren’t for everybody, however if you happen to don’t thoughts going with the stream and following another person’s itinerary, it may be stress-free to not need to plan each exercise. It’s additionally fairly good to have the ability to pay one flat charge that covers nearly every thing.
- Where: San José, Manuel Antonio, La Fortuna, Monteverde, Irazú Volcano and extra. Find the complete itinerary right here.
- Duration: 8 days, 7 nights
- What’s included: Tour information, transportation, 7 nights of lodging, admission tickets, breakfasts, and lunches
- Price: $1,430, relying on the season (costs could also be greater from December to April). Book right here.
Free Tours
15. San José Walking Tour
Chances are that you just’ll fly into Costa Rica’s capital metropolis, San José. Though most guests aren’t tremendous enthusiastic about spending a lot time within the nation’s solely actual concrete jungle, this metropolis may shock you. It definitely was a lot extra fascinating than I believed it could be, and I truly wished I had spent extra time there. Consider becoming a member of a free strolling tour of San José (aka El Chepe or Chepetown) to get the inside track on its historical past, tradition, and meals scene from the angle of a neighborhood information.
- Where: Downtown San José
- Duration: 2.5-3 hours
- What’s included: Local information
- Price: Free, however tipping the information is really useful. Book right here.
16. La Alegría Waterfalls Tour
Finding free excursions like this one is fairly uncommon. The free waterfalls tour in La Alegría will take you to a secret waterfall the place you possibly can go for a swim with out the crowds you’d discover at different, extra touristy locations. You’ll additionally be capable of try some improbable jungle vistas from a viewpoint towards the Reventazón lagoon. The information is knowledgeable in ecological tourism and can be capable of level out birds, mammals, and different vegetation and animals alongside the best way.
- Where: La Alegría, Limón Province
- Duration: 4.5 hours
- What’s included: Transportation to and from the waterfalls and a information
- Price: Free, however tipping the information is really useful (most give $10-50). Book right here.
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The finest Costa Rica tour for you is the one which excites you, matches your price range, and may make your journey right here further particular.
Which one will you select?
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