Exclusive · One of a kind
Costa Rica on Foot
Seven ecosystems in fifteen days, on foot — from the volcanoes of Guanacaste to the heart of Corcovado.
Next departure: 13–27 June 2027
Enquire15 days · airport to airport · 14 nights · Small group · max 4 travellers · Guanacaste to Corcovado
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Río Celeste
Dates
- 13–27 June 2027OpenRequest a place
Key facts
- 14 nights
- 7 ecosystems
- 7 days with our naturalist guide
- 9 small-group guided outings
- 3 meals a day
- max 4 travellers
The journey
Costa Rica is best understood on foot. This journey crosses seven genuinely different ecosystems: the dry forest and fuming volcanoes of Guanacaste, the Río Celeste, the rainforests of Arenal, the lowland jungle of Sarapiquí, the oak forests and páramo of the Talamanca range at 3,491 m and, at the end, Corcovado. The route follows a natural arc, so you never drive the same road twice, and you return from the Osa Peninsula on a short flight. It runs once, for four travellers at most.
The ecosystems
7 ecosystems, one route.
- 01
Tropical dry forest and geothermal zone
Rincón de la Vieja · days 2–3
Fumaroles, mud pots and the shift from humid forest to savanna; the 40 m La Cangreja waterfall over a blue pool.
- 02
Mid-elevation Caribbean-slope forest
Río Celeste · day 4
Los Teñideros, where two colourless rivers meet and the water turns blue through a volcanic mineral reaction.
- 03
Volcanic premontane rainforest
Arenal · days 5–7
Primary forest on the volcano's slopes, hidden waterfalls and more than 500 bird species in the area; home to howler, capuchin and spider monkeys.
- 04
Lowland rainforest (Caribbean slope)
Sarapiquí · days 8–9
La Selva, one of the world's most important tropical research stations: 1,600 hectares and 467 bird species, more than half of the country's.
- 05
Oak cloud forest
San Gerardo de Dota · days 10–11
The best place in the country for the quetzal; June is still breeding season. Moss-covered oak forests.
- 06
Páramo
Cerro Buena Vista, 3,491 m · day 11
Páramo vegetation above the treeline and birds that live only in the Talamanca heights.
- 07
Pacific primary rainforest
Drake Bay and Corcovado · days 12–13
The Sierpe River mangroves and Sirena Station, in the heart of Corcovado: home to tapirs, all four of the country's monkey species, scarlet macaws and peccaries.
The route
Every leg, handled.
- 01Rincón de la Vieja
- 02Río Celeste
- 03Arenal
- 04Sarapiquí
- 05San Gerardo de Dota
- 06Drake Bay & Corcovado
Solid lines are road transfers, dashed lines boats and dotted lines flights.
Day by day
15 days, airport to airport.
- Day 01Sunday 13 June
Arrival — San José
Transfer from the airport to your lodging, a few minutes away, to rest after the flight.
- Meals
- none (arrival day)
- Day 02Monday 14 June
To Rincón de la Vieja
A shared transfer to Guanacaste (about 5 hours) and a quiet afternoon in the dry forest around your lodge.
- Walking
- a free walk
- Meals
- breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 03Tuesday 15 June
A full day on a living volcano
First thing, the Las Pailas trail on your own: fumaroles, mud pots and the “volcancito”. Before noon, La Cangreja with a naturalist in a small group, reading the plants and wildlife as you go: the forest opens onto savannas with Pacific views and ends at a 40 m waterfall over a blue pool.
- Walking
- Las Pailas 2 h · La Cangreja 4–5 h, 10 km
- Guiding
- naturalist, small group (La Cangreja); Las Pailas on your own
- Meals
- breakfast, picnic, dinner
- Day 04Wednesday 16 June
Río Celeste, on the way to Arenal
Our guide collects you in Rincón de la Vieja for a hike in Tenorio Volcano National Park: the waterfall, the Laguna Azul and Los Teñideros, where you can watch the blue being born. Arenal by afternoon.
- Walking
- 4 h, about 7 km
- Guiding
- our guide
- Meals
- breakfast, picnic, dinner
- Day 05Thursday 17 June
The great volcano hike
A full day with our guide in a 350-hectare private reserve on the volcano's slopes: primary forest, a waterfall, hanging bridges and towers to see the canopy from above. Perhaps a great curassow, trogons, motmots and toucans.
- Walking
- 5–6 h
- Guiding
- our guide
- Meals
- breakfast, picnic, dinner
- Day 06Friday 18 June
Hidden waterfalls and hot springs
Our Hidden Falls & Wildlife day: several waterfalls, no crowds and no map, with our guide showing you how to read the forest along the way. Late afternoon, natural hot springs by the falls, hotter and far quieter than the resorts in town.
- Walking
- 4–5 h
- Guiding
- our guide
- Meals
- breakfast, picnic, dinner
- Day 07Saturday 19 June
Dawn birds and Arenal at your own pace
Out with our guide at first light, when the birds are most active — perhaps toucans, motmots, trogons and hummingbirds. In the afternoon, Arenal Volcano National Park on your own: the Las Coladas trail crosses recent lava and links to El Ceibo, up to a ceiba tree about 400 years old.
- Walking
- birding 3 h · Las Coladas and El Ceibo 3 h
- Guiding
- our guide in the morning; afternoon on your own
- Meals
- breakfast, picnic, dinner
- Day 08Sunday 20 June
La Selva research station
A shared transfer to La Selva Biological Station, one of the world's great tropical research stations. In the afternoon, a 3-hour guided walk with a station naturalist; after dark, a 2-hour guided night walk. With Tier 1 you sleep at the station itself, inside the reserve; with Tier 2 or 3, at a lodge nearby.
- Walking
- guided walk 3 h · night walk 2 h
- Guiding
- station naturalists, small groups
- Meals
- breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 09Monday 21 June
A full day with La Selva's naturalists
At 5:45, a 2-hour guided birding walk. Then the day's two guided walks, at 8:00 and 13:30: about six hours with station naturalists through different sectors of the reserve, with lunch at the station in between.
- Walking
- birding 2 h · guided walks 6 h
- Guiding
- station naturalists, groups of up to 12
- Meals
- breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 10Tuesday 22 June
Up into the Talamanca
Our guide collects you in Sarapiquí and you travel south together, climbing into the Savegre valley at about 2,200 m (about 4.5 hours with stops). An afternoon by the river among oak forests and hummingbirds.
- Walking
- stops en route and a valley walk
- Guiding
- our guide
- Meals
- breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 11Wednesday 23 June
The quetzal and the páramo
Before dawn, out with our guide to the quetzal's territories; June is still breeding season. Then across the páramo of Cerro Buena Vista at 3,491 m, above the treeline, and down through the oak forests of Los Quetzales National Park.
- Walking
- quetzal 2.5 h · páramo 3–4 h
- Guiding
- our guide
- Meals
- breakfast, picnic, dinner
- Day 12Thursday 24 June
Through the mangroves to Drake Bay
Our guide drives you to Sierpe (about 3.5 hours), where a boat takes you through the Sierpe mangroves out to the Pacific and Drake Bay (1–1.5 hours; beach landing). After dark, a guided night walk looking for frogs, insects and snakes.
- Walking
- night walk 2 h
- Guiding
- our guide to Sierpe; specialist guide at night
- Meals
- breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 13Friday 25 June
Corcovado: Sirena Station
An early boat to Sirena Station (1 hour) and a guided hike through the heart of Corcovado, the richest wildlife area in the country, home to tapirs, monkeys, scarlet macaws and peccaries. Lunch in the park, back in the afternoon.
- Walking
- 5–6 h
- Guiding
- certified guide, small group
- Meals
- breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 14Saturday 26 June
Drake Bay birds and the flight back
Dawn birding with a local guide and the coastal trail between beaches and forest. At midday, a short flight to San José and a transfer to your lodging.
- Walking
- birding 2 h · coastal trail 1.5 h
- Guiding
- local guide, small group
- Meals
- breakfast, lunch, dinner
- Day 15Sunday 27 June
Departure
Breakfast and your transfer to the airport.
- Meals
- breakfast
How the guiding works
Our naturalist guide is with you for seven days — the Río Celeste, three days in Arenal (one of them a dawn birding morning) and the Talamanca stretch from Sarapiquí to Sierpe, including the quetzal and páramo day — with binoculars and a spotting scope, and never more than four travellers. The rest is covered by expert naturalists in small groups: a day and a half with La Selva's naturalists, La Cangreja in Rincón de la Vieja, Sirena Station in Corcovado, and a night walk and dawn birding in Drake Bay. These outings are run by local operators and may include other visitors. On your own: the Las Pailas trail and Arenal Volcano National Park, both well marked.
Short on time? The second half of this route runs on its own as Quetzal to Corcovado →Where you stay
Fourteen nights: San José on arrival and on the last night, two in Rincón de la Vieja, four in Arenal, two in Sarapiquí, two in San Gerardo de Dota and two in Drake Bay. At La Selva, Tier 1 is the biological station itself, inside the reserve; with Tier 2 or 3 you stay at a lodge nearby and join the same station walks.
- Tier 1Relaxed & characterfulSimple, comfortable places chosen for their natural setting.
- Tier 2More comfortLodges with more services and more space.
- Tier 3Most exclusiveThe most exclusive addresses in each area.
Each traveller chooses their own tier when requesting a place, and travellers on the same departure can choose different ones: you sleep where you chose and share every guided day with the group. Whichever you choose, a private room whenever possible.
Getting around
Shared transfers between lodgings, transport with our guide on the guided days, the Sierpe–Drake Bay boat, the boat to Sirena and a short flight back to San José. Always licensed tourist transport, never public buses.
What’s included
- Airport transfers
- 14 nights in the tier you choose, a private room whenever possible
- All meals from day 2 to day 14, with a picnic on hiking days, and breakfast on day 15
- Our naturalist guide on 7 days, with a spotting scope
- 9 small-group guided outings: La Cangreja; a day and a half with La Selva's naturalists (birding, three guided walks and a night walk); Sirena Station; a night walk and dawn birding in Drake Bay
- National park, reserve and hot springs entrance fees in the programme
- All transfers, the boats and the Drake Bay–San José flight
- Binoculars and a headlamp for the whole trip
- Booking and permit management, and support throughout your trip
Not included
- International flights
- Travel insurance (recommended)
- Alcoholic drinks
- Tips
- Personal expenses and laundry
- Excess baggage
- Activities not in the programme
The essentials
Airport to airport
We collect you at the airport and take you back at the end.
Small group
Max 4 travellers.
Where you stay
In the tier you choose.
Pricing
Priced on enquiry, depending on the tier you choose.
Dates
13–27 June 2027
Enquiry only · no online payment
How booking works
- 01
Request a place
Choose your date and your lodging tier, and tell us who's travelling. No payment and no commitment.
- 02
Your proposal
We send the full programme, the price for your tier and the booking contract.
- 03
Confirm
A 50% deposit by bank transfer confirms your place and your acceptance of the contract. The balance is due 90 days before the start. You cover any bank fees on your transfers.
- 04
Changed your mind?
Within 8 business days of accepting, you can withdraw with a full refund.
Questions
The things people ask us first.
- How fit do I need to be?
- Fit enough for several days in a row of 4–6 hours on foot, with altitude up to 3,491 m on the páramo, heat and humidity in the lowlands, and boat rides with beach landings.
- Why June?
- It's green season: rain tends to come in the afternoon, the forests are at their greenest, the quetzal is still in breeding season and the parks are quieter than in the dry months.
- Who else will be in the group?
- Never more than four travellers with our guide. Outings run by local operators (La Cangreja, La Selva, Sirena and Drake Bay) may include other visitors.
- What about luggage?
- Pack light: the domestic flight has a strict weight limit that depends on the fare, and the boats land on the beach.
- Can I do it privately?
- Yes, on your dates, with our guide throughout. Enquire about a private journey
- Can I choose where I stay?
- Yes. Every departure runs in all three lodging tiers, and each traveller chooses their own when requesting a place. The price depends on the tier.
- What if a park or trail closes?
- The programme runs rain or shine and is subject to change for reasons beyond our control, such as weather, rough seas or an official closure. If something can't go ahead, we replace it with an equivalent alternative.
- What if I need to cancel?
- Within 8 business days of accepting, you can withdraw with a full refund. After that: 91 days or more before the start, we keep 20% of the deposit and you choose between a refund of the rest and credit for a future trip; 90 to 61 days before, we keep 25% of the trip price, the rest of the deposit stays as credit and we refund any balance you've paid; 60 to 31 days before, we keep 50% of the trip price and refund any balance you've paid; 30 days or less, there's no refund, except anything our suppliers refund to us. Credit is valid for a trip starting within 12 months and can be passed to someone else. Refunds are made within 30 days. Your booking contract has the full terms.
- Can I change my dates?
- Up to 91 days before the start, once and free of charge; from 90 to 61 days before, once, with a change fee; within 60 days, the dates can't change and the cancellation terms apply. New dates depend on availability.
- Do I need travel insurance?
- It isn't required, but we strongly recommend it, with cover for cancellation and medical care.
Next departure · 13–27 June 2027
Seven ecosystems. Fifteen days. One departure.
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