Costa Rica Coast to Coast Ride

Day 1  San Jose            
Begin your adventure in La Garita de Alajuela, around a 15-minute drive from San José airport. We start cycling tomorrow, so enjoy the rest of the day to relax and prepare for the exciting adventures ahead.        

Day 2  San Jose to Atenas    
Gather as a group for the first time after breakfast for a welcome briefing and to collect and adjust our bikes. Our cycling then starts right from the hotel, riding towards the town of Atenas, where we meet our bus and transfer (one hour) to Guacalillo. Here, we embark on a beautiful boat tour through mangrove forests to the Rio Tárcoles, hoping to see crocodiles, waterbirds and even scarlet macaws as we go. Enjoy lunch followed by a transfer (around one hour) to our beach hotel at Playa Bejuco. If tide and sand conditions permit, we can fit in more cycling and arrive at the hotel riding on the immense tropical beach (extra 6.2mi/10km for beach ride option).        

Day 3  Atenas to Manuel Antonio NP        
Start with a transfer (approximately one hour) to Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the great wildlife-watching destinations in Costa Rica. Join an expert guide for a two-hour nature walk, who can teach us all about the local flora and fauna and help us spot the iguanas and white-faced capuchin monkeys that live here. Leaving the park, we have a 40-minute transfer to the village of Maritima de Quepos. From here, we ride to Savegre, before crossing wide African palm tree plantations en route to Dominical town. 

Day 4  Manuel Antonio NP to Osa Peninsula          
Leave the hotel by bike, riding to the town of Uvita, where we hike to the jungle-wrapped Uvita Waterfall for a refreshing swim. After, we continue by bus (40 minutes) to Palmar Sur, where we see the 2,000-year-old Diquís spheres. The purpose of these bolas de piedra (stone balls) remains a mystery, which our expert guide will explain during our visit. We also visit the former train station for banana transportation to the port of Golfito. There’s time for lunch, before we continue by bus via Chacarita, crossing the northern shores of the Golfo Dulce. From Los Mogos, we cycle on the Osa Peninsula, described by National Geographic as ‘the most biologically intense place on earth’. We reach our next hotel in Puerto Jimenez by bike. End the day with a refreshing bath in the Golfo Dulce, enjoying the natural environment.

Day 5  Osa Peninsula
Enjoy a relaxing morning on the beach, before a transfer (1hr 30min) to the village of Rincon de Osa. From here, we enjoy a scenic ride near the woods of Piedras Blancas National Park, granting some beautiful views of the Golfo Dulce. We have time for lunch at Chacarita, before transferring (1hr 30min) to Las Cruces Biological Station, a vital tropical research centre that hosts leading scientists, researchers and natural history enthusiasts alike.

Day 6  Osa Peninsula to San Vito        
Cycle to the southern town of San Vito this morning, enjoying rural Costa Rica as we go. On this circular route, we visit Sabalito town, where we stop at the coffee mill of the local coffee cooperative Coope Sabalito, before riding the ascent back to Las Cruces. After lunch at the biological station, we join an expert guide for a nature walk.

Day 7  San Vito to San Gerardo de Rivas            
Start today with a 10-minute transfer to San Vito, where we enjoy a nice downhill ride near the biological corridor between Costa Rica and Panama: La Amistad National Park. It is also an area of indigenous territories, where the Ngöbe Buglé people can sometimes be seen in traditional dress. At Paso Real, where the Río General meets the huge Río Térraba, we finish today’s route with our box lunch, before we transfer (about two hours) to our mountain hotel in San Gerardo de Rivas.      

Day 8  San Gerardo de Rivas to Orosi Valley          
We have two cycling stages today! First, we cycle along the Río Chirripo from our hotel down to the Pan-American Highway, enjoying beautiful views of Cerro Chirripó, the highest mountain in Costa Rica. We load up the bikes at San Isidro and cross the Cerro de la Muerte to Paraíso by bus. At 11,617ft (3,541m) above sea level, this is the highest point on the PanAm Highway in Central America. Here, we get back on our bikes and cross coffee plantations to the village of Orosi, which is one of the oldest communities in the country. From here, we continue to the Cachi reservoir, near our accommodation.  

Day 9  Orosi Valley to Turrialba        
Leave the hotel for one of the most beautiful cycling routes on this trip, past numerous coffee plantations. With any luck, we will see farmers using their traditional oxcarts to haul their crop to nearby processing facilities. Along the way, we stop at coffee trees to learn more about coffee and its role in Costa Rican history. Continuing through the valley, we ride around a hydroelectric dam before starting a section that involves some climbs. We then arrive at the little town of Tucurrique, where we have time for lunch. After, we cycle through sugarcane plantations to La Amistad, before a short transfer to our hotel. Our mountain lodge has excellent views, including over the coffee-growing region in the Orosi Valley and the Irazu and Turrialba volcanoes.

Day 10  Turrialba to Tortuguero  
Start the day early with a transfer (1hr 30min) to Guápiles, where we enjoy a delicious breakfast. Back on the bus, we pass numerous banana plantations and learn about the packaging and export process. After, we board a boat that takes us through the impressive canals of Tortuguero towards our jungle lodge. Enjoy a delicious lunch, then visit Tortuguero village and walk along the Caribbean beach. Between July and September, you may join an optional beach excursion after dinner to watch the sea turtles lay their eggs. An unforgettable experience!

Day 11  Tortuguero        
Today we maximise our explorations of Tortuguero National Park with two boat trips. Thanks to the expertly trained eyes of our guide and boatmen, we spot animals such as monkeys, lizards, caimans, turtles, bats and many bird species. One of the boat tours takes place before breakfast, when the animals are waking. We also explore the surrounding area on the lodge’s walking trails. Meals are served at the lodge. The rest of the day is free for you to stroll through the gardens and relax by the pool.        

Day 12  Tortuguero to La Fortuna          
After breakfast, we start our return journey by boat to Caño Blanco/La Pavona; from there, we take the bus to Guápiles, where lunch is served. Our driver then picks us up for a short transfer to Pital, where we start cycling around the lowlands, discovering pineapple, yucca and pepper plantations. Our ride ends at Centro Familiar Cuyito, where you can enjoy views from the Río San Carlos. From here, we transfer (1hr 30min) to the town of La Fortuna, at the foot of Arenal volcano. This evening, you have the option of soaking in one of the local hot springs – an excellent way to relax and unwind!      

Day 13  La Fortuna to La Garita de Alajuela  
Following a short transfer, our final cycling stage starts with a pleasant ride through the dense rainforest surrounding Lake Arenal, starting from El Castillo, with several spots to observe Arenal volcano. Arriving at the conservation area of Arenal 1968, we take the opportunity to hike through hardened lava. After, we get back on our bikes and continue riding to Nuevo Arenal. Our end point is a German bakery, where we enjoy lunch, before transferring (about 2hr 30min) to the Central Valley.

Day 14  San Jose        
You’ve marvelled at the tropical scenery of Costa Rica by bike, cruised the wildlife-rich canals of Tortuguero, and hiked across hardened lava in the shadow of a volcano, but now it’s time to begin your return journey home.