Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1 / FINAL PREPS

Arrival in Costa Rica. After welcoming you at the San José Airport, our guides bring you to a comfortable hotel in the city and will take time to discuss your adventure, meet the group and prepare for your mountain biking, trekking and whitewater rafting expedition ahead.

DAY 2 / LAST DAY OF MOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION

The day starts with a 25-minute flight to Quepos, a fishing village on the Pacific coast. You have time to relax, chill out on the beach or visit Manuel Antonio National Park, which is famous for its abundant wildlife, as well as do some prep-work checking out your bike. (B, D)

Typical Pacific Sunset in Costa Rica

DAY 3 / LET THE REAL ADVENTURE BEGIN

THE ADVENTURE BEGINS… We wake early and enjoy a light buffet of fresh fruit and coffee. We leave Manuel Antonio on our bikes and climb into the steep mountains and beautiful valleys of the sparsely populated Pacific Coast. In the small town of Esquipulas we have a hearty breakfast, rest up and prepare our packs for the next leg of the day’s journey. Trading our wheels for hiking boots, we continue by trekking into the cool mountains of Central Costa Rica. We camp overnight in the valley of Naranjillo. (B, L, D)

DAY 4 / TREKKING TOWARDS THE CONTINENTAL DIVIDE

We begin our day by trekking towards the Continental Divide and challenging the infamous “Cemetery Hill” – a strenuous 3-kilometer climb. We then head for the pueblo of San Lorenzo switching to mountain bikes along the way. We finish the day in the quaint village of Santa Maria where we refortify with some typical Costa Rican fare and rest up in comfortable local cabins. (B, L, D)

DAY 5 / TIME TO SEE IF YOU ARE IN SHAPE

Today we tackle the hardest, steepest climb of our adventure. The challenge before breakfast is mountain biking a 14-kilometer up-hill stretch to the Continental Divide, bringing us to an altitude of 2,330 meters the highest peak of our journey. Following the rule that everything that goes up must come down, the remainder of the day is mountain biking at its best – mostly downhill on dirt roads and single-track trails. We finish the afternoon in the beautiful Orosi Valley where rich pastures and dark green forests of coffee carpet the land we rest for the night in mountain top cabins. (B, L, D)

DAY 6 / REST DAY TO TAKE IN BEAUTY OF THE OROSI VALLLEY

Spent in the beautiful valley of Orosi, this is a free day in which we relax after the first week’s adventure. You are free to explore the area of just use the day to relax. Your guide will have some options of what to do and see in the area. (B)

DAY 7 /MOUNTAIN BIKING JOURNEY

After some coffee, snacks and fruit we mountain bike along a river to the Tapantí National Wildlife Refuge where we stop for breakfast. This is an area of vast rugged terrain covered with dense primary rainforest. Leaving our bikes, we take to the mountains trekking amongst thousands of trees covered with ferns, bromeliads, mosses and other epiphytes. The end of the day finds us on flatter ground, camping near the small settlement of Taus. (B, L, D)

DAY 8 / RAFTING WARM UP

Our day starts on water as we begin rafting on the Pejibaye River. The Pejibaye is a jungle river with fun rapids, clear water and spectacular scenery. It is a great introduction to rafting in Costa Rica and good preparation for the ‘real deal’ on the Pacuare River. From the take-out we have a short biking section finishing with a steep climb up a mountain road to reach our night retreat nestled high above the river valley. (B, L, D)

Rafting down the Pacuare River

DAY 9 / RAFT DOWN THE 5TH BEST RIVER IN THE WORLD

After breakfast we mountain bike directly from the hotel towards the whitewater rafting “put-in” at Tres Equis, which is the gateway to the raging Pacuare River. From here we embark on a whitewater rafting journey through pristine rainforest spotted with waterfalls. The rapids section of the river is approximately 30 kilometers of Class II-IV rapids. This afternoon we arrive at our comfortable riverside camp, El Nido del Tigre, which is nestled between the sounds of the rainforest and the hum of the river forest. Take time to explore the lush environment first hand while looking out for toucans overhead or simply relaxing in a hammock to the sounds of the river. (B, L, D)

Hold on to your seats!

DAY 10 JUNGLE HEAVEN

Today we spend some quality time at this unique location on the banks of the Pacuare River. This area of rainforest is maintained as much as possible in its natural state. The camp takes its name from the giant patches of ginger plants that carpet the floor of the main area. From the center of the camp trails radiate out to secreted areas of rainforest, waterfalls and swimming holes. (B, L, D)

DAYS 11 and 12 / SUCCESS

THE SWEET TASTE OF SUCCESS… For the final leg of the crossing we continue rafting down the Pacuare leaving the rapids behind as the river eases into the Caribbean lowlands where banana plantations gradually swallow the receding rainforest. The river slows to a tranquil pace as we are rafting the last mile of the river, completing the mosaic of landscapes we have experienced. At the end of the adventure, we reach the mouth of the Pacuare as it meets the Caribbean Sea, celebrating our passage with bubbly in the surf, while enjoying a well-deserved rest. After some time on the beach we are picked up by a motorboat and transferred to Moin from where we travel by vehicle to the beach. (B, L, D).

DAY 13 / FINALLY, SOME LUXURY

The day is free to relax and enjoy the beach, the hotel and the nearby town of Cahuita. There are also a number of optional tours in the area. (B, D).

DAY 14 / BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

Today we journey back to San Jose taking time to appreciate the breathtaking views as we pass through Braulio Carrillo National Park. (B).

DAY 15 / WILL YOU COME BACK FOR MORE?

You will be picked up at your hotel in time for your departure from the airport. Something tells us though, that you will be coming back for more!(B)