Affordable Soft Adventure Travel
Trek Hidden Costa Rica
Multiple departure dates
$1,520.00 pp double occupancy
Highlights
Trek into a remote community to live with the locals, sleep in a cave behind twin waterfalls, make your own sugarcane candy, rappel down hidden waterfalls, whitewater raft on the Savegre River.
Day 1 San José-Free Day
Day 2 San José/San Isidro
Travel by local bus over the highest mountain pass in the country. Arrive in the valley of San Isidro de El General and take a walk in the main plaza. Spend the day visiting some shops and stock up before the next day's trek into the jungle. Located near three rivers and Costa Rica's highest mountain, Mt Chirripó, this region is well-known, but few travelers stay to find out why.
Day 3 San Isidro/Piedras Blancas (Lunch | Dinner)
Embark on a three-day, three-night excursion with a locally owned and operated adventure company to the community of Piedras Blancas, found in the heart of the Zona de los Santos region. The journey is always half the fun! Travel in the back of a pickup truck through lush green landscapes and end in the small town of Brujo. Enjoy a 4-hour hike to a jungle homestay while spotting tropical fauna and plenty of wildlife along the way.
We will be welcomed with open arms and a much needed home-cooked meal at the Lopez family home. Once home to 18 children (most of whom are now adults), there are plenty of beds for everyone all under one roof. The night will be spent eating, sharing stories of the day’s trek, and playing cards with family members around the stove.
Day 4 Piedras Blancas (Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner)
Experience life in a remote community in and around the Lopez family farm. Wake up with the sun today and get ready for loads of activities. In small groups, make 'dulce' (candy) at the family's traditional 'trapiche' (sugar cane mill). Hike one hour to the Granados household and stay the night. While there, local guides and members of the family will explain how to make fresh cheese and breads. Cool off in the river that flows right by the house with a late-day dip, enjoy tasty traditional Tico cooking, and head to bed for a well-deserved rest. Granados Homestay
Day 5 Piedras Blancas (Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner)
Travel across the Savegre River to the next homestay with an included medicinal plant walk. Start the day with a delicious home-cooked breakfast and fortify for the two-hour hike through the rainforest to Los Fonseca’s retreat. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the rushing waterfall directly in front of the dining area. Watch wildlife and hummingbirds up close. Reward yourself homemade chocolate made from cocoa beans collected right from the garden. Hike to the Fonseca family
Day 6 Piedras Blancas/Dominical (Breakfast | Lunch)
Raft the Savegre River and relax at the end of the day by stretching out on the beach. Today is a full, action-packed day. Set your alarm for an early morning start and a two-hour hike back to Brujo where we jump into rafts and head off on the Savegre River. Paddle toward the Pacific coast, then take a van to Dominical. Spend the rest of the day at the local bungalows, in the swimming pool or walking along the beach. Villas
Day 7 Dominical
Enjoy a free day in beautiful Dominical. Take a surf lesson, hike to a local waterfall for a swim, go on a whale watching cruise, or kick back and relax.
Day 8 Dominical/Diamante Verde (Lunch | Dinner)
Trek to a unique fully equipped cave with twin 26m (85 ft) waterfalls. Go swimming in three natural pools and explore surrounding trails. Time to put the boots back on and hike to Cathedral de Piedra ('Cathedral of Stone'). A free day for exploring the area, the local guides will plan a number of activities depending on the group’s interest and energy levels. Grab your bathing suit and go for an invigorating swim at the base of this revitalizing waterfalls. This is nature at its most natural!
Twin 85-foot waterfalls cascade over the cave accommodation. Don’t think tight spaces – this is what we call an open cave and you will have no trouble enjoying the surroundings. There are hand-crafted stone beds to sleep on, composting toilets and a fully working kitchen inside the cave itself.
Day 9 Diamante Verde/Uvita (Breakfast)
Enjoy a morning of waterfall rappelling before trekking out of the jungle and travelling to beautiful seaside Uvita. At the trail's end, hop in a private van and enjoy the ride to Uvita, a small beach town on the southwestern Pacific coast. Take some much-deserved time to rest and relax.
Day 10 Uvita
Spend the morning swimming, relaxing, and watching humpback whales off the coast of Ballena Marine National Park, before enjoying free time in Uvita. SCUBA dive or take a trip to nearby Caño Island. Luz De Luna
Day 11 Uvita/San José
Transfer back to the capital for a final evening with the group. Boutique Hotel Casa Las Orquideas
Day 12 San José
Depart from San José at any time.