You book your flights. Costa Rica Escapes plans and arranges the rest, so all you have to do is show up ready for adventure.
We plan private, custom Costa Rica adventure and nature trips: 8-11 day routes built around whitewater rafting, canyoning, jungle trekking and remote wildlife areas, with every lodge, private driver, guide and domestic flight arranged for you. Our operations team works from Turrialba, the gateway to the Pacuare River, with a US office in Park City, Utah.
Our adventure routes go where most visitors don’t: the Pacuare River, Drake Bay and Corcovado on the Osa Peninsula, and the Caribbean coast. These regions are less crowded and often have better hotel availability in the busy season. Getting started takes one short form at the bottom of this page, and talking through options and pricing with a planner is free.
Costa Rica Adventure Trips at a Glance
Quick answers to what active travelers ask us first.
Great for: active couples, friend groups, families with teens, repeat visitors and anyone who wants more than the classic route. Start with the short form below.
Which Costa Rica Adventure Itinerary Is Right for You?
Use this quick comparison to find your starting point. Every itinerary is private and can be adjusted for your dates, group and fitness level.
All adventure itineraries are quoted for your group. Holiday dates and upscale lodging cost more.
Our Costa Rica Adventure and Nature Itineraries
Each route below is a starting point. We can add or remove nights, swap activities or combine two routes. Review our adventure itineraries below, or design a custom trip.
Avid Explorer
Turrialba -> Pacuare River -> Arenal -> Drake Bay
The route for travelers who want a bit of everything. Start at the base of Turrialba Volcano with a two-day whitewater rafting trip on the Pacuare River and a night in the rainforest. A private driver then takes you to Arenal Volcano for hot springs, canyoning, waterfall rappelling or hiking. Finish with a domestic flight to Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula to hike Corcovado National Park with a naturalist guide and snorkel at Caño Island. Some activities require participants to be 12 or older.
Best For: Active couples, friend groups and families with teens
Cost Range: Custom quote
Itinerary Duration: 8-11 days (7-10 nights)
Spirit Trekker
Dominical mountains -> Uvita or Dominical -> Osa Peninsula, Corcovado & Isla del Caño
A trek into Costa Rica’s southern Pacific mountains. Hike into the jungle near Dominical and the foothills of Cerro Chirripó, spend a night in an open-air cave behind waterfalls, and fill your days with waterfall rappelling, cliff jumping and jungle trekking. Then relax for two nights in Uvita or Dominical before a boat ride through the mangroves to Drake Bay, where you’ll explore Corcovado National Park and Isla del Caño. You return to San José on a domestic flight.
Best For: Hikers and deep-jungle adventurers
Cost Range: Custom quote
Itinerary Duration: 9 days (8 nights)
Tico-Panama: A Piece of Panama
Turrialba -> Pacuare River -> Cahuita -> Bocas del Toro, Panama
Two countries on one Caribbean trip. Start in the mountains near Turrialba with canyoning and zip lining, then raft the Pacuare River most of the way to the Caribbean coast. Spend a few days in the quiet village of Cahuita with its beaches, tide pools and national park. Then cross into Panama with your local guide and take a boat to Bocas del Toro and Isla Bastimentos for jungle hikes, snorkeling and scuba diving. A short regional flight brings you back to San José.
Best For: Caribbean lovers, two countries in one trip
Cost Range: Custom quote
Itinerary Duration: 9 days (8 nights)
Volunteer Adventure
Arenal -> Manuel Antonio
A trip that mixes adventure with giving back, visiting the mountains and beaches of western Costa Rica. Volunteer options change over time, so ask your planner what’s currently available for your dates.
Best For: Groups who want to give back
Cost Range: Custom quote
Itinerary Duration: 8 days (7 nights)
Why Adventure Travelers Plan with Us
Remote regions are where planning matters most. Boat schedules, domestic flights, river levels and lodge availability all have to line up. We handle that so you can focus on the adventure.
What a typical adventure trip includes
Based where the adventure starts
Our operations office is in Turrialba, the gateway to the Pacuare River. We know these routes, guides and lodges firsthand.
Guides we trust
We work with guides and outfitters we know personally. Our drivers and guides are trusted local partners.
Remote logistics handled
Domestic flights to Drake Bay, boat transfers, border crossings and river trips are booked as one connected trip, so nothing falls between destinations.
Private, never a group tour
Every itinerary is private. We don’t run shared departures, and your ground transfers are private too.
One real person
Every trip starts with a short form and a real phone conversation. Your consultant usually stays your point of contact while you travel, you have an in-country host, and we’re reachable 24/7 for emergencies.
Clear pricing, no surprises
You get one packaged price that shows exactly what’s included. The only extras are tips, meals outside your itinerary and any activities you add later. There’s no planning fee.
Adventure Activities and Minimum Ages
Here are typical minimum ages for popular adventure activities. Exact limits vary by operator, river level and season, and we’ll confirm the details for your group when we plan your trip.
| Activity | Typical Minimum Age | Where You Can Do It |
|---|---|---|
| Hanging bridges and guided nature walks | All ages | Arenal, Monteverde and most rainforest regions |
| Zip lining / canopy tour | 6+ at most tours; never under 5 | Arenal, Monteverde, Turrialba |
| Canyoning and waterfall rappelling | Varies by operator | Arenal, Turrialba, the mountains near Dominical |
| Whitewater rafting (day trip) | 8-13+, depending on the river and season | Arenal area, the Pacific side |
| Overnight Pacuare River rafting | 12+ | Turrialba and the Pacuare River |
| Corcovado hiking and Caño Island snorkeling | Varies; confident swimmers for snorkeling | Drake Bay and the Osa Peninsula |
Arenal Volcano is part of about 9 in 10 trips we plan. We can pair it with an off-the-beaten-path region like the Pacuare River or Drake Bay for a trip that feels both easy and unique.
When to Go on a Costa Rica Adventure Trip
| When You Travel | Our Routing Advice |
|---|---|
| December-April (dry season) | The busiest time of year. Remote regions like the Pacuare River, Drake Bay and the Caribbean coast often have better hotel availability and smaller crowds than the classic routes. For Christmas and New Year’s, start planning 10-12 months ahead. |
| May-November (green season) | Mornings are often sunny, with showers more likely in the afternoon. Rainforests are at their greenest, with lower rates and fewer travelers. |
| September-October | Lean toward the Caribbean coast and Tico-Panama, which often have their own drier spell while the Pacific is at its wettest. |
Costa Rica looks small on a map, but drives take time. For example, San José to Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast takes about 4-4.5 hours. See our drive-time table and our month-by-month guide to the best time to visit Costa Rica.
What Adventure Travelers Say
You set up an incredible adventure vacation that my boys will never forget. I don’t think you missed a detail. I can not thank you enough. It was the greatest family adventure trip we have ever done. Thank you!
It was also quite clear that you know the country well and your connections go beyond the norm of a travel agent. We were amazed and grateful for how smooth all our transitions were.
Read more reviews from our travelers on our testimonials page, Google, TripAdvisor and Facebook.
Costa Rica Adventure Trip FAQs
What are the best adventure activities in Costa Rica?
Whitewater rafting on the Pacuare River, canyoning and waterfall rappelling, zip lining, hiking in Corcovado National Park, and snorkeling at Caño Island are some of the most popular. Our itineraries combine several of them with downtime at hot springs or on the beach. See our guide to whitewater rafting in Costa Rica.
Which adventure itinerary is right for us?
For a bit of everything, choose Avid Explorer: rafting, Arenal Volcano and the Osa Peninsula. For deep jungle trekking and a night in an open-air cave, choose Spirit Trekker. For the Caribbean coast and two countries in one trip, choose Tico-Panama.
How fit do we need to be?
You should be comfortable with active days, but you don’t need to be an athlete. Guides adjust most activities to your group, and we balance big days with easier ones. Tell us your experience and any limits on the form, and we’ll match the trip to your group.
Can families with kids do these trips?
Yes, for active families with older kids. Some activities have minimum ages: overnight Pacuare River rafting is 12+, day-trip rafting is 8-13+ depending on the river and season, and no one under 5 can zip line. Families with younger kids usually do better with our family itineraries.
How much does a Costa Rica adventure trip cost?
Our adventure itineraries are highly customizable, so we quote each one based on your group, dates, route and lodging level. As a general guide, full-service Costa Rica trips with us start at about $1,800 per person with Casual lodging, and remote regions, domestic flights and holiday dates cost more.
Are these group tours?
No. Every itinerary is private. We don’t run shared or group departures, and your ground transfers are private too. That makes these trips a good fit for couples, friend groups, families with teens or any private group.
How does the Tico-Panama border crossing work?
You cross into Panama with your local Costa Rican guide, then take a boat to the Bocas del Toro archipelago. At the end of the trip, a short regional flight from Bocas del Toro takes you back to San José for your flight home. You’ll need a valid passport, and we’ll walk you through the entry details when we plan your trip.
Do domestic flights come with the trip?
Yes, when your itinerary needs them, such as flights to or from Drake Bay. International flights are not included. Most travelers book their own, but we can arrange them for an added per-person fee.
When is the best time for an adventure trip?
Any month works. Rafting rivers run year-round, and in the green season (May-November) mornings are often sunny with afternoon showers. The Caribbean coast, including the Tico-Panama route, often has drier weather in September and October. We’ll confirm river levels and conditions for your dates.
Do you still offer volunteer trips?
Please ask us. We’re reviewing our Volunteer Adventure options, and your planner will tell you what’s currently available for your dates.
Get Help Planning Your Costa Rica Adventure
Fill out the short form below to get started. Here’s what happens next.
Tell us about your group
Send the form below with your phone number, travel dates, who’s coming and the adventures you want.
Hear back within 24 hours
A real person on our team replies within 24 hours to set up a short call about routes and pricing, at no cost.
Book your flights. We handle the rest.
We book your lodges, drivers, guides, river trips and domestic flights, send a detailed itinerary about a week before you go, and stay reachable 24/7 for emergencies.
Prefer to talk now? Call 314-808-7232.