Costa Rica Walking & Hiking

Day 1

Meet your Backroads Trip Leaders (the folks wearing Backroads T-shirts) at 9 a.m. at the Costa Rica Marriott Hotel, located several miles outside the city of San José and about ten minutes from the international airport. Please arrive dressed in layers for walking (including a jacket) as temperatures vary widely with elevation, and have your rain gear handy!

Shuttle to Naranjo 45 Minutes
Espíritu Santo Coffee Estate Hike 4 Miles (400-foot elevation gain)
Shuttle to El Silencio Lodge & Spa 1 Hour
El Silencio Trails Walk 2.5 Miles (100-foot elevation gain)

Leaving bustling San José, we shuttle to the outskirts of the Central Valley where rich volcanic soil and steep slopes produce some of the world’s best coffee. Along the way, you’ll get incredible views of the Poás, Irazú and Barva volcanoes, weather permitting.

This morning’s hike on the grounds of the Espíritu Santo Coffee Estate is sure to energize you. You’ll witness the entire coffee-making process, from planting, selecting, processing, storing and roasting the beans, to finally tasting the brew! Afterward, your introduction to Costa Rica continues with a gourmet picnic overlooking the plantation. Then hop in the van for a scenic drive into the majestic cloud forest along a tranquil mountain road lined by several small waterfalls.

Our destination is El Silencio Lodge & Spa, a luxurious eco-retreat located in the town of Bajos del Toro. Take time to check out the hotel’s beautiful property and tempting amenities. Embark on a walk to hidden waterfalls, relax with a massage, stroll into town or take a yoga class. (Spa treatments and yoga are not included in the Backroads trip price. Advance reservations for spa services are highly recommended; see ―During Your Trip‖ in your Travel Planner for details.)

Later we reconvene for a reception before enjoying a fresh take on traditional Costa Rican cuisine from the lodge’s wellness-inspired menu. Many of the ingredients are grown in the lodge’s organic garden.

Lodging: El Silencio Lodge & Spa

Day 2

El Mirador Walk and Cultural Tour 1.6 Miles
Shuttle to La Fortuna 1½ Hours
Hanging Bridges Hike 2.5 Miles (500-foot elevation gain)

After a hearty breakfast we make our way up to a mirador (or viewpoint) overlooking the cloud forest that surrounds El Silencio. From here we walk into the town of Bajos del Toro with one of our eco-hosts to learn more about daily life in rural Costa Rica. Later we shuttle to La Fortuna, located at the base of Arenal Volcano, one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Explore town and have lunch on your own before we make our way to a private reserve for an afternoon hike through primary forest. A network of hanging bridges carries us high into the canopy, allowing for a bird’s-eye view of the tropical vegetation, waterfalls, and possibly a white-nosed coati (the raccoon’s ―sociable cousin‖) or a chestnut mandibled toucan.

Later in the afternoon we take a short shuttle ride to tonight’s hotel, The Springs Resort and Spa, whose hilltop perch provides spectacular views of Arenal Volcano. This evening you may (with luck) see the bright orange glow of lava easing down its flanks while enjoying an exquisite dinner at the hotel’s Las Ventanas restaurant.

Lodging: The Springs Resort and Spa

Day 3

Lava Flow Hike 2 Miles (100-foot elevation gain)
Longer Option: La Ceiba 4 Miles (100-foot elevation gain)

Optional Activities in Arenal

On this morning’s walk we join a local naturalist to observe the process of forest succession up close and to see the ―pioneer‖ plants’ efforts to restore the jungle wiped out by Arenal Volcano’s 1968 eruption. As you trek across a barren lava field, take in exceptional views of Lake Arenal, a popular destination for windsurfers and anglers. If it’s a clear day, chances are good you’ll see fresh clouds of steam billowing from the volcano and hear its low rumbling.

As you make your way back to the park entrance, don’t be surprised if the jungle’s silence is suddenly shattered by the eerie jaguar-like call of howler monkeys. And if you glance down, you may spot some of the forest’s most industrious residents—leaf-cutter ants—hauling their freshly harvested cargo across your path. After lunch, the afternoon is yours to ―fly‖ through the canopy on a zip-line, go for a horseback ride, enjoy a treatment at the spa, take a dip in the hotel’s hot springs or relax by the pool. (Spa treatments and some other optional activities are not included in the trip price. Advance reservations for spa services are highly recommended; see ―During Your Trip‖ in your Travel Planner for details.)

In order for you to fully enjoy the resort’s many amenities, you’re free to dine at your leisure this evening.

Lodging: The Springs Resort and Spa.

Day 4

Mundo Aventura Waterfall Hike 4 Miles
Shorter Option: El Congo 2 Miles
Flight to Quepos 35 Minutes
La Foresta Reserve Hike 2 Miles

This morning we visit Arenal Mundo Aventura Ecological Park, which consists of over 1,300 acres of primary and secondary rain forest, waterfalls and rivers. Our walk takes us through a butterfly garden, past a frog pond and along the river to a viewpoint over the Pino Blanco Waterfall. You can walk down a series of steps to the magnificent La Fortuna Waterfall, which drops 230 feet into a swimming hole tucked into a lush tropical forest. Or, continue through the forest along El Congo trail, named after the boisterous howler monkey.

After our hike, we enjoy a traditional Costa Rican lunch before boarding our charter flight to Quepos. This scenic flight takes us over the Central Valley and down to the Central Pacific Coast. Upon our arrival, we walk to a private reserve that’s home to the endangered mono titi, or squirrel monkey. Keep your eyes open for monkeys, sloths, blue morpho butterflies and fast-moving basilisk lizards (commonly called Jesus Christ lizards for their ability to ―walk‖ on water).

Our home for the last two nights, Hotel Parador, is set on a densely wooded peninsula overlooking the Pacific coast, just minutes from world-famous Manuel Antonio National Park. This evening’s dinner at the hotel offers a wide range of tempting choices, including fresh mahi mahi and yellow-fin tuna.

Lodging: Hotel Parador

Day 5

Shuttle to Trailhead 45 Minutes
Los Campesinos Epic Journey 6 Miles
Shuttle to Hotel Parador 1 Hour

Put your legs in four-wheel drive for today’s epic hike off the beaten path. After meeting our local guide, we follow an undulating dirt road with some steep ascents and descents along rivers, past small rural homes and through the forest. At Quebrada Arroyo we’re introduced to the Los Campesinos Project, the community tourism effort that revived this small village after the 1997 floods destroyed their main cash crops, including tea, vanilla and cinnamon. Los Campesinos helps support a farming cooperative, which has recently switched to organic agriculture. Here we stop for a lunch of Costa Rican specialties before heading out to explore with a Los Campesinos guardian, who shares the village’s history and leads us across a suspension bridge over the Los Chorros Waterfalls and along forested trails to a beautiful private swimming hole.

After cooling off, hike up to Mirador del Pacífico for views of the entire valley all the way to the Pacific Ocean. Then continue on a mostly downhill path to the Savegre River, where local guides pull you to the other side via a cable system. Backroads sponsored the rebuilding of this cable crossing, used daily by local villagers to travel to school and work, and to visit family and friends. After hiking another half-mile past local farms, you’ll come to the town of Santo Domingo, where we enjoy an afternoon snack at the home of our friend Edith Tapia.

Upon returning to Hotel Parador, relax and enjoy a beautiful sunset over the Pacific. We celebrate the last night of our Costa Rican adventure with a dinner at one of our favorite local venues.

Lodging: Hotel Parador

Day 6

Sendero Perezoso Hike 2 Miles
Longer Option: Cathedral Point 3 Miles
Shuttle to Quepos & Flight to San José 35 Minutes

After breakfast we’re off to nearby Manuel Antonio National Park, where a naturalist guides us on a morning exploration. One of Costa Rica’s most beloved parks, Manuel Antonio is home to more than 100 mammal species and 180 bird species. Our guide leads the way past black cedar, monkey comb and balsa trees festooned with epiphytes and creeping vines. Brilliant purple and orange land crabs scurry into sandy holes as we approach, and agoutis rustle through the underbrush. Iguanas slither up tree trunks, while carablancas, or white-faced monkeys, make a noisy messy meal of wild plantains in the branches (look out below!). We take a break for water and fruit at a beautiful white-sand beach, perfect for swimming. Kick back on the beach or opt for a longer hike out to a viewpoint over the Pacific coastline.

After exploring the park, we head south to Playa Espadilla, a beach just south of Quepos, for lunch at a local restaurant. Afterward we shuttle to the Quepos airport to catch our flight back to San José, a scenic journey that gives a great overall perspective on the areas you’ve visited and provides a spectacular finale to our Costa Rican adventure. Please note that our charter flight to San José is frequently delayed due to weather. Be sure to factor in plenty of time for your flight out of San José.