The ultimate in mountain biking in Costa Rica - bikes and 4 wheel drive, river floats and whitewater rafting, even a plane flight through the mountains. Where? — in cloud forests, rain forest jungles, beaches and volcanoes. How tough? — from camping to three-star luxury. With some hot springs, waterfalls, and swimming holes thrown in for good measure.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Mountain biking from the airport? Your leader will greet you at the airport. If you arrive on an early flight, then you'll make it to the first hotel via bike, right from the airport. We're off to a small bed & breakfast in the direction of Sarchí, a town famous for its woodworking crafts. (And if you buy some stuff, we'll carry it for you).
Day 2: Mountain biking through Costa Rica cloud forest. Breakfast is hearty, because today we encounter steep hills, up and down, and ascend into a private and remote cloud forest (about 7900 feet altitude). For those who need to acclimatize we'll start at the top of the major hill. The surface is firm back-road gravel. The reward is to experience a magical world at the top, where we will stop to hike at our friend's private cloud forest preserve near Poás Volcano.
This hike is within a cloud forest, and one of the least understood ecological systems amongst Americans, but one of the most essential to the world's weather. It is also just plain beautiful and fun hiking, and a refreshing place to dive into the pools of (very chilly) crystalline water. We'll camp here tonight, or, if you are really a glutton for biking, we can press on to a hotel about 15 km. beyond. Once we get there, you'll swear you are in a Latin Switzerland - rolling pastures, billowing clouds, small, neat farm houses.
Day 3: Mountain biking from the highlands into the Arenal Volcano area. Today we go through twisty country lanes over small rivers , down into the lost valley (where the only reliable transportation is horses, foot or bike) and stop at our favorite chicharronería and find out how the owner ended up with 29 brothers and sisters. On the way to our hotel we'll stop to play, swinging out on ropes over the waterfalls and drop into a clear, mountain spring.
Towards sunset it's time to worship the volcano. Down the road is a hot springs for soothing cyclists legs, where the backpackers take their flashlights and slide down a muddy embankment and sit in natural pools with hot water rushing over sore shoulders. There's the famous Tabacón resort springs here, too - where the tour buses come by the dozens, and the resort fills up with people of every imaginable type - including the spectacularly handsome Costa Rican men and women who strut their stuff at the resort. So you decide — will it be cozy conversation, or eye-popping people watching at Tabacón.
Day 4: Mountain biking to the rain forest. Using jumars to climb 110ft. into the rain forest canopy. Your legs may get a break from pedaling, but all your muscles will be used to climb into the forest canopy with jumars. The Arenal area is full of great stuff to do so we're staying here for a full day. But our favorite is to bike to a primary rain forest where we leave the bikes for a different form of "locomotion" - ropes and harnesses and the canopy. Ascending to the platform is a good way to keep in shape. And the reward is a vista most people never see - the forest from above, where the birds come in for landings, where the monkeys traverse the forest below you. Because you are seeing the life from above it, the daylight shows off the splendor of the colors, not just bird and animal silhouettes in the trees above you.
Day 5: Mountain biking around Arenal Volcano. Here's the choice: follow the perimeter of lake Arenal with gentle ups and downs on paved roads that have been ravaged by potholes, time, and regular landslides, making it a perfect mountain bike obstacle course. Or take the first short distance by bike, then climb on foot to the top of Cerro Chatto and look down on the erupting Arenal, the next volcano to the right. Then the bikes will meet us and we'll descend on back roads around the lake - roads suitable only for horses, tractors, and (crazy) mountain bikers.
Day 6: Mountain biking to the Pacific coast, and camping. We will use the Pan American highway for 30 km then head off west and "down" impossible roads (even the 4x4 is unhappy here). The destination is a small isolated river, filled with wildlife and totally remote from the rest of the world. We're hopefully meeting the 4x4 at the river (they came by another route), and, barring any submerged crocodiles, we will cross the river to meet up with the food, the tents, and well deserved rest. We're camping tonight.
Day 7: Cross the river by duckies or boat. If we're this close to the river, why not hop onto the duckies and paddle a bit? The area is extremely remote, and the wildlife is unaware of the silent boats slipping in the water beneath the overhanging trees. We're getting out of the water where we can find the first (hot?) shower.
Day 8: Mountain biking right into the Pacific Ocean. The rest of the way is pretty easy. We'll make it to the beach and be able to drive straight into the waves at the end. A fitting reward for crossing half the country on bike.
Day 9: Back to San José (and civilization?) by plane. The "island hopper" plane leaves at 7:30 am, and it's your return flight to San José, alas! You get to take a few sore muscles, some extraordinary memories, and perhaps a new skill or two, with you. You'll have seen things and done things only explorers got to do in the not so distant past. And you'll have a much greater understanding of nature, ecology, and where mankind fits into this world.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Six persons, three rooms: 2,700 / 2,990
Five persons, three rooms: 2,950 / 3,150
Four persons, two rooms: 3,100 / 3,300
Three persons, two rooms: 3,380 / 3,520
Two persons, one room: 3,750 / 3,915
One person, one room: 6,645 / 6,940
If you bring your own bike (we'll store the shipping case)
you'll save $250 per person.
Price Includes:
- Everything you'll need while in Costa Rica
- "Island hopper" back to San José
Price Excludes:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Your exit visa ($26 per person) and the (optional) tip for guides
- Airline tickets to get to Costa Rica
Also see tour packages in:
Central America and Caribbean
Costa Rica
Bicycle Touring
Wildlife Viewing
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