Costa Rica

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From lush tropical rainforests filled with rich biodiversity to picturesque white-sand beaches with great surfing and diving, Costa Rica is a natural paradise. On this tour, we’ll do a bit of everything, from hiking in the wilderness to going wildlife spotting to sitting on the beach to visiting waterfalls and staying with local families.

The diverse ecosystems of Costa Rica have led the country to become a beloved ecotourism destination, with never-ending adventure activities, gorgeous beaches, abundant wildlife, delicious food, and friendly people. Combine all of that with the relaxed, “pura vida” pace of life, it’s no wonder Costa Rica is always high up on people’s lists of favorite countries.

Using our local connections and deep experience here, we’re going to showcase not only the natural beauty of the country but also the people. You’ll meet locals who will explain what it’s like to live in the region, gain insights into the food and culture of the country, see tons of wildlife, do lots of hiking, and enjoy some time on the country’s famous beaches. We’re going to show you what makes this country so special!

This tour is for people looking to see more than just the famous sites— it’s for travelers who want to understand the region’s culture, history, and food more deeply.

If you’re the kind of person who wants a more authentic and nuanced experience, this tour is for you.

Tour Itinerary

You can arrive any time today and rest up before meeting up with the rest of the tour. Our guide will be around to welcome you and answer any questions that you have. We’ll meet for an orientation meeting in the early evening before an awesome welcome dinner featuring local cuisine. 

Included meals: Dinner

This morning, we’ll leave the hotel and head to the Caribbean lowlands on a scenic drive to Tortuguero National Park. We’ll board a small boat and journey into the depths of the Costa Rican wilderness. This biodiverse area is full of freshwater lagoons, natural canals, wild beaches, and dense rainforest many animals call home, including jaguars, caiman, howler monkeys, the endangered Green Macaw, and turtles, who come here in droves to lay their eggs on the area’s beaches. In the evening, you’ll have some free time to wander the village of Tortuguero, watch the sunset on the beach, have dinner at a local eatery (our guide will recommend their favorite spots), and relax with the sounds of nature at the jungle lodge.

Included meals: Breakfast

Today, you’re free to explore the park at your own pace. You can do a sunrise wildlife-spotting canoe, kayak, or boat tour with an experienced naturalists, walk through the rainforest to the top of Tortuguero Cerro (Turtle Hill) for panoramic views over the entire area , stroll the beach, or just relax around the lodge. As October is the end of turtle nesting season here, you can also opt to take a guided night tour along the beach to try to spot the last stragglers of the season coming ashore to lay their eggs. There’s a lot here and we’ll be sure to guide you to an activity that suits your desires.

Included meals: Breakfast

Today, we’ll leave the rainforest and head to the largely women-run agricultural community of Juanilama for a memorable Costa Rican home and farm stay experience. We’ll get a guided tour of their farm to see all the local and organic produce grown here, including medicinal herbs, pineapple, banana, and cacao, which you’ll be able to help process into drinking chocolate using traditional methods passed down for hundreds of years. Additionally, in the afternoon, you can take a soap-making workshop, a salsa dance class, or a guided hike to a nearby waterfall. In the evening, we’ll take a short cooking lesson before our home cooked meal and share our reflections of our day on the farm.

Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

After breakfast on the farm, we’ll drive to Tenorio Volcano National Park, where we’ll take a leader-led hike around Rio Celeste, an almost unbelievable naturally turquoise river with sky-blue falls, bubbling thermal springs, and streams winding through the forest. Afterwards, we’ll visit the Maleku indigenous reserve. With only 650 people left, the Maleku Indian tribe is the smallest in Costa Rica. We’ll spend the afternoon in their community building sharing a traditional Maleku meal, learning about their culture and native language, and learning how to paint gourds like they do in an art-making workshop. We’ll continue on to La Fortuna in time for dinner. 

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy a free day to explore La Fortuna and the surrounding area as you wish. Go caving, swim in the refreshing natural pool under the cascading La Fortuna waterfall, hike the old lava flow trails near Arenal volcano, enjoy watersports on Lake Arenal, or relax in one of the many nearby hot springs. Do one or many! We’ll be there to get you signed up for whatever you want. 

Included meals: Breakfast

A morning of travel by bus and boat leads to incredibly lush Monteverde. Settled by North American Quakers in 1951, the area was initially an agricultural community until environmentalists and scientists stepped in to stop the clearing of the forest. Over 70 years later, the forest has grown back and is now a biological preserve. We’ll spend the afternoon doing a tour of the cloud forest, a unique and rare type of moist, mossy forest characterized by near perpetual cloud cover. This enchanted ecosystem is home to a huge variety of plants, animals, and birds, but we’ll be especially looking out for hummingbirds and the rare yet magnificent resplendent quetzal. Once the national park closes, you’ll head to your new hotel to rest. You may even choose to return after dusk to seek the animals and insects that are largely hidden in the day.

Included meals: Breakfast

Today is a free day to explore the jungle. Monteverde is the most popular place in the country to go ziplining so you can zoom through the cloud forest safely on a series of ziplining cables that weave through the trees. If you want to experience this vast lush canopy at a slower pace, you can take a walking tour on suspension bridges arranged through the treetops. Here, you can spot brightly colored birds and other native wildlife closer up. If you’re a coffee aficionado, you might like to learn more about the coffee making process on a plantation tour. You can pick one or do them all for an action-packed day! 

Included meals: Breakfast

Today, we’ll arrive in Manuel Antonio in the early afternoon, check into the hotel, and then head out. You’ll have the option to attend a special seafood cooking experience where you’ll help cook and then enjoy family-style local dishes as a group at a restaurant in the market that will open just for us. The rest of the night will be yours to digest, watch the sun set, and relax.

Included meals: Breakfast

Get ready for Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the most beautiful parks in the country, where we’ll tour through and look for cheerful monkeys, slow-moving sloths, brightly-colored birds, and other wildlife germane to this region. Monkeys, armadillos, sloths and hundreds of birds are among the species you may be able to spot. In the late afternoon, perhaps head to Espadilla Beach inside the park to watch the sunset over the Pacific Ocean, which is one of the most picturesque and tranquil in the entire area.

Included meals: Breakfast

Enjoy a leisurely morning in Manuel Antonio, at the national park, on the beach, taking a surf lesson, or enjoying a long leisurely brunch. At around 1pm, we’ll bid farewell to the coast and return to San Jose. After some time to regroup and refresh at the hotel, we’ll have our farewell dinner together as a group in the evening. We’ll share stories and most impactful moments of our epic trip together through this gorgeous country.

Included meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Today, our tour ends after breakfast. Our guide will be around to help anyone getting to the airport. If you’re staying longer, our guide can direct you to some interesting sights, districts, and shops worth visiting in San Jose. 

Included meals: Breakfast

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Tour Essentials

Accommodation

All the accommodation on this trip has comfy beds, clean rooms, restaurants for on-site breakfast, piping hot water, and air conditioning. Some might even have a pool on site.

Transport

During the trip, we’ll travel via a private van and take a few scenic boat rides to our next destination. Those that are prone to motion sickness might want to come prepared as the roads can be a bit bumpy and windy.

Meals

Daily breakfast, one lunch, and four dinners are included in the cost of this tour. Alcohol is not included and can be purchased at your own expense.

Sustainability

We aim to offer as sustainable an experience as we can and Costa Rica, as a country, is very aware of climate change and doing good – so that makes it easier. The tap water is safe to drink so we encourage you to bring a water bottle. Trash is recycled whenever possible. We avoid mass tourism activities that cause harm to the environment and/or do not benefit local communities.

Small Groups

This tour will have 10-16 travelers on it so we can provide a great small group tour experience. This way, you’ll be able to enjoy unique, rewarding activities that would not be accessible with more people.

Expert guides

You’ll be led by a bilingual licensed, local expert guide who will always be around to provide extra information, create spontaneous experiences, join the group for non-included activities and meals, and ensure that the trip is as informative, fun, and memorable as possible.

What’s Included

What’s Included

  • Accommodation
  • Transportation, including driver
  • All activities and entrance fees listed
  • Included meals listed above
  • Local tour guides during activities
  • Expert tour leader

What’s Not Included

  • Flights to/from the destination
  • Any passport/visa fees
  • Meals not listed
  • Travel insurance (required)
  • Optional activity fees
  • Some tips

Reviews

“I love The Nomadic Network tours because they are off the beaten path, tend to attract all ages of free spirited, fun, and adventurous people. I met a lot of solo travelers which was inspiring.”

– Dave, Oaxaca

“The Nomadic Network’s group tours provide the perfect balance of personalization and flexibility. The itineraries capture the highlights you crave, yet allows you to stray if your heart desires.”

– Brandon, Romania

“Morocco with TNN was a trip of a lifetime for me! While we saw the big sights, we also visited some hidden gems and got to connect with locals in a way I never imagined. The itinerary was carefully thought out to make our experience exceptional.”

– Heather, Morocco

“I liked the tour because we experienced new things every day. I embraced the new and the unexpected, and enjoyed getting to know 11 new people! Awe inspiring places, warm and welcoming people, appreciation and flexibility.”

– Janet, Jordan

“This TNN tour exceeded my expectations in a lot of ways. The group felt united in our desire to discover new places and things. Add in the convenience that I had to make no plans of my own, it’s an awesome way to travel.” –

Brady, Morocco

“The perfect blend of structured activities and free time. We hit several highlights of the country as well as many under the radar places, all with memorable interactions with locals.”

– Kelly, Romania

FAQ

Please note that we do not offer visa assistance. While most travelers will not need a visa to Costa Rica for stays of 90 days or less, it is your responsibility to determine what entry requirements might be necessary based on your nationality. You will also need to have either a return ticket or proof of onward travel to show upon entry.

Fly into and out of San José at Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO).

  • On the first day, our tour orientation meeting generally takes place around 6pm. It’s best to arrive by the afternoon so you have enough time to get settled in before we meet up. 
  • On the last day, you can depart at any time. We’ll have breakfast available for you and the rest of the day is yours.

No. Before the start of the tour, we’ll send you specific information on how to get to the hotel via public transportation, taxi, or Uber. However, if you’d like a private transfer, we can book them for you for an added fee.

Spring and fall are between the dry and rainy season in Costa Rica. In the spring, you can expect dry and sunny weather with temperatures from the mid-80ºs to low 90ºs F (around 29 – 33º C) on the Pacific Coast, and slightly cooler on the Caribbean side. In the fall, you can expect a transitional period between the dry and rainy season, with occasional rain showers and temperatures ranging from the mid-70ºs to low 80ºs F (around 24 – 28º C) on the Pacific coast, and slightly warmer on the Caribbean coast.

We will be visiting parks, beaches, jungles and participating in adventurous activities so appropriate clothing is recommended. You’ll find Costa Ricans dressing comfortably for the weather in active wear, jeans, loose fitting pants, and shorts in beach towns. Be sure to pack layers as we’ll be experiencing a variety of temperatures, from the cool cloud forests of Monteverde to the hot beaches of Manuel Antonio. We will send you a packing list ahead of time with more specifics to help you prepare.

As a woman, there is nothing out of the ordinary to be concerned about. It’s considered a safe country. Still, women should take all the precautions they typically make when traveling. Travel in pairs or groups as often as possible. Most crimes committed against travelers are opportunistic so be sure to leave expensive jewelry and unnecessary electronics at home.

Costa Rica uses standard North American plug outlets (Plug Types “A” and “B”), so if you’re coming from the US or Canada, you won’t need an adapter. 

The standard voltage in Costa Rica is 120v/60Hz. Check your chargers to see if they say 110 – 220V. If that range is listed on the charger, you will not have any problems charging your device while on the tour.

All of our hotels on this tour will have free WiFi. Many bars, restaurants, and cafes also offer free WiFi, so it’ll be easy to stay connected.

You can also activate the international plan from your network at home, purchase a local SIM card upon arrival, or purchase an e-sim online. All of these options will ensure you have a good connection throughout the tour.

Accommodation is mid-level hotels. All the accommodation on this trip has comfy beds, clean rooms, restaurants for on-site breakfast, piping hot water, and air conditioning. Some might even have a pool on site. We stay in simple, local accommodation and try to get you a good nights sleep each night since our days are filled with fun activites.

Twin share rooms:

  • If you are traveling solo, you’ll be paired with someone of the same gender in a room with two single beds.
  • If you book two spots, you’ll get the entire room for you and your travel partner. 

Private rooms:

If you’d like to get your own private room, you can add that option at checkout for $850 USD. There are a maximum of 8 single rooms available. Private rooms run on a first come, first served basis.

This tour requires a certain level of physical activity. Please note that the trip can involve somewhat long days, long journeys by van (with stops), walking tours, a variety of temperatures, and early morning wake-ups. While there is no strenuous hiking involved on this tour, you should be prepared to be on your feet a lot.

Daily breakfast, 1 lunch, and 4 dinners are included. You can refer to the itinerary to see which ones. All dietary restrictions can be accommodated with prior notice. Alcohol is not included and can be purchased separately.

Generally, tap water is safe to drink in Costa Rica, though our guide will let you know in places where you might want to take extra precautions and not drink the water. Bottled water is available at all small stores for around $1 USD per bottle. In an effort to reduce waste, we strongly encourage you to use a filtered water bottle. Having one will come in handy in the national parks where single use plastic is not allowed.

As one of the more expensive countries in Central America, you should budget about $50-60 USD per day for all your extra needs. This would include meals that are not included in the tour, alcohol, basic purchases (laundry service, bottled water, etc), as well as activities you do on your own.

Activities range from $10-20 USD for guided hikes to $60-70 USD for ziplining or a surf lesson. For non-included lunches, budget $10-15 USD for lunch and $20-30 USD for dinner with one drink. If you plan on shopping, bring more!

Yes, you will be able to withdraw cash during your trip. The best method is via the ATM. You won’t have to carry around large amounts of cash and you’ll receive the best exchange rate possible. You will have ATM access in most of the places we will be staying in. For the few more remote places where you will not, our guide will let you know in advance and ensure you’re able to access an ATM to get out the cash you need beforehand.

Please check with your home bank in advance as many banks charge foreign transaction fees every time you withdraw money from an ATM overseas. Learn how to avoid paying extra fees here. In order to avoid fraud and theft, it is advisable that you withdraw money from ATMs located inside an airport, banks or guarded shops during business hours only. 

If using an ATM is not an option, the second-best method is to simply bring USD in cash that you can exchange at money exchange booths or banks located all over the country.

Tips are not included in our tour costs. You may feel inspired to tip the people who are working hard to make your trip enjoyable and memorable. How much you tip depends greatly on how much you want to tip. Here’s a general guideline:

  • Restaurants: 10% service charge is usually automatically added to the bill. In the rare event that it’s not, you can add 10%
  • Hotel staff: $1-3 USD if someone helps you with luggage or anything else
  • Local tour guides: When you have a local guide leading you on a hiking, walking, or boat tour, we suggest tipping $3-5 USD per person
  • Tour leader: The amount is entirely a personal preference, however as a guideline $7 USD per person, per day can be used.
  • Drivers: At the end of the trip, we recommend that everyone gives about $30-40 USD per person as a tip for our drivers.

Find our general FAQ here to get any of your other questions answered.

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