Cycle Costa Rica

Our tour starts today in San Jose, Costa Rica's cosmopolitan capital. Lying in a fertile valley, at an altitude of 1,150 metres, coffee and sugar are big industries here - coffee is even planted between buildings and along the roadsides on the outskirts of the city. For those arriving in time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 7pm for a welcome meeting, and for those that wish there'll be the chance to go out for dinner. There are no other activities planned today, so you're free to arrive in San Jose at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer, you'll need to arrive into San Jose's Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), which is around a 30-minute drive from our hotel. If you miss the welcome meeting, your tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. If your flight arrives earlier in the day, you might like to head out and explore the city - the barrios are easy to navigate, laid out in a grid pattern of avenues and streets. The National Museum (Museo Nacional De Costa Rica) is also well worth a visit if you can't wait for your fill of Costa Rican history.

We'll have an early start this morning as we leave the capital behind and head to the Caribbean coast. Our destination is La Pavona Pier, around a three-and-a-half-hour drive away. The journey takes us through Braulio Carillo National Park and on arrival we'll board a boat and continue along the Tortuguero River, towards the richly diverse landscapes of the Tortuguero National Park. The first part of the cruise takes around an hour before we stop off at the Visitor Centre for a brief orientation, after which we'll continue by boat to our lodge. After lunch, this afternoon is free to explore your surroundings in a little more detail, with the option to rent a kayak, or just relax on the beach.

Tortuguero's remarkably rich landscapes include rainforests, mangroves, swamps, beaches and lagoons and we'll spend this morning discovering its stunning natural diversity. After an early morning coffee, we'll head out on a guided boat tour along some of the park's canals and waterways, which provide a home for manatees, crocodiles, Tropical Gar and an abundance of freshwater fish. Returning to the lodge for breakfast, we'll then set out on a jungle hike through the surrounding rainforest. These forests are home to sloths, three of Costa Rica's four species of monkeys and a huge variety of birdlife. After lunch, the afternoon is then free for optional activities.

Leaving Tortuguero this morning, we'll head back to La Pavona Pier by boat, a journey of around two hours. From here, we'll drive on to Guapiles, lying in the heart of the country's banana-growing region, where we'll stop for lunch before driving on to the starting point of our cycling adventure close to Sarapiqui. After making sure our bikes are properly adjusted, we'll begin with a relatively easy introduction, riding along tarmac roads that take us through a rural setting of farmland and banana plantations. Our ride will be mainly on the flat today and afterwards, we'll drive for around 90 minutes to our hotel in the small crossroads village of Muelle de San Carlos. Please note, on some departures, we'll be staying in the town of Guapiles instead and will drive on to Muelle tomorrow morning before the ride instead of today. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 20 kilometres/12.4 miles with a total accumulated ascent of 50 metres/170 feet and descent of 180 metres/590 feet.

Starting from our hotel today, we'll cycle through a landscape of undulating terrain, passing through a rural landscape of farms, cultivated fields and patches of tropical forest. Arriving in Muelle, we'll stop and look for some of the huge iguanas that can occasionally be found here, before continuing on to La Fortuna. Weather permitting, we might be accompanied by the spectacular backdrop of the Arenal Volcano as we arrive at our next hotel by bike. This afternoon is free to explore a little of La Fortuna at your leisure - you might like to visit the local La Fortuna Waterfalls. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 28 kilometres/17.3 miles with a total accumulated ascent of 330 metres/1082 feet and descent of 150 metres/500 feet.

There's no cycling today and you're free to enjoy the area at your leisure. There are several optional activities you could try including canopy tours, zip lines and hot springs. The city's downtown area is dominated by the Arenal Volcano, one of the world's most active volcanoes, and the town itself is blessed with a number of thermal springs where you can relax and unwind in the natural hot water pools.

We'll start today with a short drive to Lake Arenal, the largest man-made lake in Costa Rica. Beginning our day's riding at the base of the volcano, we'll follow the northern shore of the lake and negotiate our way through a landscape of rolling hills, rainforest and pastureland. The Arenal Volcano lies at the heart of a stunning national park that covers some 9,884 acres and is home to 850 species of birds including the endangered resplendent quetzal. We'll enjoy some fine views of the lake and the volcano during our ride this morning, before finishing the rest of the journey by car after lunch. Our final destination is the small town of Tilarán, located in the hills overlooking the western shores of the lake. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 27 kilometres/16.7 miles with a total accumulated ascent of 830 metres/2725 feet and descent of 800 metres/2625 feet, with an extra optional 17 kilometre/10.5 miles ride starting earlier in La Fortuna.

We'll start our day with an easy ride down towards the drier plains of Guanacaste today, enjoying spectacular views of the Pacific coastline and the chain of volcanoes that lie to the north. Our ride ends at Bebedero from where we'll take our bus to the Llanos de Cortes waterfall for a refreshing dip in the pool beneath the beautiful cascade. We'll then drive to our hotel in the small community of Cañas. The rest of the afternoon is free to relax. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 37 kilometres/23 miles with a total accumulated ascent of 420 metres/1380 feet and descent of 970 metres/3180 feet.

We'll start early today to make the most of the cooler temperatures as we take on our most challenging ride. Beginning with a short drive to Bagaces, we'll start with a gentle uphill ride, heading north towards the Miravalles Volcano. The route is mainly uphill but the gradient is gradual, so the answer is low gears and a steady pace today. We'll make a number of longer stops too, making the most of the breathtaking scenery as we make our way to Yoko Termales, on the slopes of Miravalles Volcano. Finishing the day at the higher and cooler elevations of the slopes, we'll be rewarded this afternoon with a welcome dip in the natural hot springs. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 27 kilometres/16.7 miles with a total accumulated ascent of 700 metres/2300 feet and descent of 200 metres/660 feet.

The Miravalles Volcano is the highest peak in the Guanacaste Mountains (2,023 metres/6635 feet) and sits in the heart of the largest geothermal field developed in Costa Rica. We'll spend another day here to relax and enjoy more of its unique attractions, starting with a three-to-five-hour ride along the slopes of volcanoes and through the forest to Liberia (we'll return by vehicle) - the perfect excuse for revisiting the hot springs. The volcano's verdant slopes form part of the area's protected zone, which is a lush haven of cloud and primary forest that provides shelter for coyotes, howler monkeys, peccaries and even pumas. For anyone not wanting to cycle, there are other options available including hot mud baths or a walk to Las Hornillas, to visit its active volcanic crater. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 37 kilometres/23 miles with a total accumulated ascent of 490 metres/1610 feet and descent of 920 metres/3020 feet.

Early this morning we'll explore the local area further on a circular bike ride. After the ride, there'll be time to shower and change before we check out of our hotel in the late morning. We'll spend the rest of the day making our way by bus (a four-hour journey) to the Pacific Ocean and onto our final destination, Manuel Antonio National Park. We'll take a break in our journey for lunch and again at Tarcoles Bridge where we'll hopefully spot a few of the gigantic crocodiles that regularly bask beside the river's edge, before finally arriving at our hotel later this afternoon. Our total cycling distance today is approximately 20 kilometres/12.4 miles with a total accumulated ascent of 200 metres/660 feet and descent of 200 metres/660 feet.

One of Costa Rica's most popular parks, Manuel Antonio provides a wonderful mix of world-class views and golden beaches along the country's central Pacific coastline. Today is free for you to make the most of this idyllic spot, with plenty of options available for sea kayaking, canopy walks, fishing or just relaxing on the beach. The national park is home to a rich diversity of flora and fauna and a walk through its primary forest provides a chance to look for sloths, monkeys, iguanas and over 180 species of birds including toucans, parakeets and potoos.

After a relaxing morning, we'll drive back to San José after lunch. The journey will take around five hours and we'll arrive in time to enjoy a stroll through the centre of the city before dinner.

Our trip ends this morning at our hotel in San Jose. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to depart from Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), approximately a 30-minute drive from our hotel.