Home Central America Costa Rica Ready-made itineraries From Local Culture to Caribbean Coasts
From Local Culture to Caribbean Coasts
Costa Rica 12-Day Community & Culture Holiday Itinerary
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Prices from £1,525 pp
All prices exclude international flights at the start/end of your trip. Let us book flights for you.
12 days / 11 nights (flexible)
San Jose - Tortuguero - Sarapiqui - Bri Bri Village - Puerto Viejo - San Jose
Overview
If you want to explore the real heart of Costa Rica, this itinerary is just the ticket. Journey through wild rainforests to endless pineapple fields, meet local farmers and try your hand at a spot of fishing. Pay a visit to the indigenous BriBri tribe before hitting the beach for some relaxation and top it off with a taste of Caribbean cooking. If you’re keen for a Costa Rica trip with a difference, look no further.
What's included
- Accommodation – price based on 2 people sharing
- Breakfast
- Transport
- Excursions as described below
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Location map
Your day-by-day itinerary
We know the way to San José
After a long flight you’ll be pleased to see a representative from our local office waiting for you at the airport. They’ll provide you with an information pack and whisk you away to your modern hotel in central San Jose. All the main sights and buildings are within walking distance from your hotel. You’ll no doubt want to relax after your flight though, so why not sit back and relax on the roof terrace, cocktail in hand, letting your first impressions of Costa Rica sink in?
Onward transfers
From San Jose you’ll be picked up by coach for the journey to Tortuguero. You’ll travel from the city through mountain landscapes before dropping down into the farmlands. After about 3 hours you’ll stop off near Guapiles where you’ll have a breakfast stop. You’ll continue to the Pavona docks where you’ll disembark your coach and switch to a boat for the final 90 minutes of your journey into the rainforest. Keep your eyes peeled for playful monkeys and colourful toucans along the way.
Through the Jungle to Tortuguero
The amazing landscape of Tortuguero is not accessible by road. Instead you’ll find rivers meandering through the pristine rainforest to the famous nesting ground of countless turtles. You’ll spend a couple of nights in a jungle lodge, with all of your food and boat trips included. Fill your senses with the sounds of the rainforest, listen to howler monkeys in the distance, smell the tropical hibiscus or spot tiny red frogs in the grass.
Onward transfers
At the end of your stay in the rainforest you’ll return by boat to Pavona docks. You’ll be taken by coach back to your meal stop in Guapiles where you’ll enjoy a delicious lunch. Next, we’ll reserve you a space aboard the shuttle bus from Guapiles to Sarapiqui. Your driving time today is around an hour.
Pit Stop in Pineapple Fields
In Sarapiqui you’ll stopover in a small village between endless pineapple fields in a cosy bungalow with a small porch set in a tropical garden. The next morning, you’ll drive the short distance to visit Don and his family. On their small farm you’ll see how pineapples are grown, fish for your own lunch in the local pond and watch your hosts turn it into a tasty meal.
Onward transfers
After your time down on the farm you will catch the shuttle bus to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast. Today’s journey will take around 3 hours. You’ll stay one night in this laid-back hotel before heading to meet the BriBri tribe the following day.
Bamboo Boat to the Bribri Village
You’ll spend 2 days living with the Bribri tribe as you really get to know the indigenous people and their culture. Stay in an original Bribri cabaña with palm leaves for a roof, take a bamboo canoe on the Yorkin River and walk through banana plantations. Using your English speaking guide, and all your senses, you’ll find out how to make your own chocolate. Then, the best part: tasting!
Onward transfers
After your stay with the locals it’s time to head back to the beach for some R&R on the Caribbean coast.
Reefs & Reggae of the Caribbean
After all that travelling you’re probably ready for a long stretch of sandy beach and a tasty Caribbean stew; well, Puerto Viejo is the place for both. The distinctly Caribbean feel means that you’re never too far from an intoxicating reggae beat or a tropical cocktail. You’ll also get your nature fix, visiting nearby Cahuita National Park to explore the colourful world both above and below the water.
Onward transfers
Next, you’ll make the 5 – 6 hour journey from Puerto Viejo to San Jose where you’ll spend another night in the same hotel. The next day we’ll arrange for a transfer to collect you from your hotel and take you to the airport for your international flight home.
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