- Tour code
CRIADV01
- Start
San José
- End
San José
- Min. age
16 years old
- Group size
Max 6-16 travellers
- Trip style
Explorer
- Trip pace
Active
- Language
English
After a welcome dinner in San José, the trip heads for the Caribbean slope. Taste chocolate at an organic cacao farm, then paddle through class III and IV rapids to a riverside lodge deep in the forest. You stay two nights, off the grid and offline, with an after-dark jungle walk, a big swing and a waterfall hike on offer.
Raft back out and transfer to the Arenal Volcano area, famous for its hot springs and volcanic scenery. Here you'll go canyoning, share a traditional meal in a local home and get a free day to fill with hikes, horseback riding, ziplines or ATVs.
The last stretch is on the Pacific side. Cruise the wetlands and mangroves of a national park looking for crocodiles, birds and monkeys, learn how rum is made at a traditional sugar mill, and settle into a boutique lodge on the Gulf. Your final full day is spent sailing and snorkeling by private catamaran, ending with a farewell dinner.
You travel in a small group with your Soca Islands Host, and the logistics between river, volcano and coast are taken care of.
Why This Journey
Costa Rica rewards travelers who get off the main roads, and this route does it literally: the river lodge has no road access, so the only way in is by raft. From there the trip crosses the country from the Caribbean slope to the Pacific, taking in rainforest, a volcano and dry-forest coast in just over a week.
It suits active travelers who are happy to get wet and try canyoning or whitewater, but it balances the adrenaline with slower moments: cacao on the farm, dinner in a family home, a rum tasting and a day under sail. Coordinating rafting outfitters, river logistics and transfers on your own takes real effort; here it's simply part of the trip.
Where You'll Stay
San José (1 night): Hotel Grano de Oro, a boutique hotel in a historic mansion. Pacuare River (2 nights): Rios Lodge, a rainforest lodge with no road access, reached by raft. Arenal / La Fortuna (3 nights): Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs Resort, with hot springs and volcano views. Gulf of Papagayo (2 nights): El Mangroove, Autograph Collection, a boutique hotel on the beach. Proposed accommodation (or similar), subject to confirmation.
Getting There
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. This is an open-jaw trip: fly into San José Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) and out of Liberia Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport (LIR). Arrival and departure airport transfers are included. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
What you will see and do
Paddle grade III–IV whitewater to a remote lodge in the jungle
Cruise Pacific waters by private catamaran to quiet coves and beaches
Rappel down waterfalls and canyon walls in the jungle
What's included
All activities mentioned on the itinerary
Accommodations in double rooms
Experienced Soca Islands Host with you throughout the trip
One farewell group activity when possible
Arrival and departure airport transfers
Group transportation
What's excluded
- International flights (travelers arrange their own)
- Travel insurance (required)
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
- Optional activities, such as horseback rides, ziplining, ATV tours and volcano hikes in La Fortuna
- Single room supplement (single rooms on request, subject to availability)
- Extra hotel nights before or after the trip
Group itinerary
On arrival in San José, a private transfer is waiting to drive you to a boutique hotel. Spend the afternoon resting after the flight.
This evening, meet your Soca Islands Host and the group over a traditional Costa Rican dinner, and go over the plan for the river days ahead.
Start at an organic cacao farm to see how chocolate goes from bean to bar, with tastings as you go.
Then climb into the raft. Rapid by rapid, the river leads you far into the forest, and your home for two nights is an isolated lodge on its banks. Pack light for the river: your guide will explain how luggage is handled.
After dark, grab a flashlight for a guided night walk to find the frogs, insects and other creatures that come out once the sun goes down.
Wake to birdsong and monkeys in the canopy. There's no WiFi here, and you won't miss it.
The day is yours to fill with the lodge's included activities. Try the famous swing, or walk out to a waterfall close by and cool off in its pool.
Paddle back downriver through more rapids, stopping for a riverside picnic lunch.
A minibus then drives you on toward Arenal Volcano, a region known for its hot springs and volcanic landscapes, and your hotel for the next three nights.
Enjoy a slow morning at the hotel before a half-day canyoning trip: lower yourself down cascades on a rope, clamber over rock walls and jump into natural pools.
Tonight, a local family welcomes the group into their home for a traditional home-cooked meal.
Today is unscheduled. Choose from optional wildlife walks, volcano hikes, horseback rides, ziplining or ATV tours, or simply take it easy in the hot springs.
Your Soca Islands Host can point you to the best options and help with bookings.
Take a guided boat trip through the wetlands and mangrove channels of a national park, looking for birds, crocodiles and monkeys.
Next stop is a traditional sugar mill, where you'll follow the rum-making process and finish with a tasting. Tonight's base is a boutique lodge by the Gulf, set among beaches and tropical forest, with a surprise waiting in the evening.
Board your private catamaran to sail between coves and small islands, with snorkel stops and lunch served on deck.
Tonight is your farewell dinner with the group under the stars.
It's time to head home, and your departure transfer takes you to Liberia airport (LIR).
From river rapids to canyon walls to Pacific islands, it's been a big week, and a good story to take home.
Accommodations
Here's a glimpse of the hotels we selected for this adventure.
Hotel Grano de Oro
A boutique hotel in a converted turn-of-the-century Tropical Victorian mansion, just off Paseo Colón in San José, about 25 minutes' drive from Juan Santamaría International Airport.
Its restaurant, set inside the mansion, combines French technique with Costa Rican ingredients and has a well-regarded wine cellar, which makes it a fitting place to begin the trip.
Hotel websiteRios Lodge
An ecolodge on a 1,000-hectare private rainforest reserve on the banks of the Pacuare River, on Costa Rica's Caribbean slope. There is no road access: guests arrive by raft or along a guided forest trail.
Rooms overlook the river and have private bathrooms and electricity. Meals are served in an open-air dining pavilion, and guided day and night walks, a creek hike to a waterfall pool and river tubing are on the doorstep.
Hotel websiteArenal Manoa & Hot Springs Resort
A resort in the La Fortuna area with direct views of Arenal Volcano, including from the breakfast tables. Its grounds have natural hot springs pools and ponds fed by mineral-rich thermal water, a good way to end a day of canyoning or hiking.
Room types range from Garden and Volcano rooms to Premium rooms and villas, giving flexibility for a group of mixed sizes over three nights.
Hotel websiteEl Mangroove, Autograph Collection
An all-suite boutique hotel on the beach at Playa Panamá, on the Gulf of Papagayo in Guanacaste, with tropical dry forest behind it and Liberia airport about 30 minutes away.
It has its own tour boats, an outdoor pool plus an adults' pool, and three restaurants, including the open-air Matiss and the Mediterranean-inspired Malu.
Hotel websiteRooms
You'll stay at Trip Hotel.
- Included
Shared double
Shared with the person you book with, or a fellow traveller of the same sex.
- +$1,648 per person
Single room
A room to yourself, subject to availability.
Room prices are per person for the May 22, 2027 departure and can differ on other dates. You choose your room when you book.
Tour FAQS
Fly into San José Airport (SJO) and fly out of Liberia Airport (LIR).
Proposed accommodation is Hotel Grano de Oro in San José (1 night), Rios Lodge on the Pacuare River, reached by raft (2 nights), Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs Resort near La Fortuna (3 nights) and El Mangroove, Autograph Collection on the Gulf of Papagayo (2 nights), or similar, subject to confirmation.
International Flights Not Included. International airfare to and from the destination is not included in the package price. Travelers are responsible for arranging their own flights and ensuring their arrival and departure align with the trip itinerary. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
Yes. An arrival transfer from San José (SJO) and a departure transfer to Liberia (LIR) are included. Please share your confirmed flight details with Soca Islands so we can coordinate applicable arrival and departure arrangements.
8 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners are included, among them the welcome dinner, the riverside picnic lunch, the home-cooked dinner with a local family, lunch on the catamaran and the farewell dinner. Other meals are at your own cost.
Extra nights can be requested, subject to hotel availability; contact our Customer Experience team for a quote.
There are no scheduled activities on the final day, so feel free to book your departure at your own convenience.
We recommend arriving before 3 pm on Day 1 to make it in time for the welcome event. But don’t worry no matter when you land, we’ll have an airport transfer ready for you.
Please Refer to your government’s travel advice or consult your local consulate. Remember, passport and visa requirements can change, so make sure to stay updated.
Excluding alcohol, we suggest budgeting around USD $40.00 per day for extras.
While we’re not medical professionals, we want to help you prepare for a safe and healthy adventure. Here are some tips:
- Consult with a healthcare professional: Schedule an appointment with your travel nurse or doctor at least eight weeks before your adventure to get any necessary vaccines or medications.
- Up-to-date medical advice:
- US residents: Check the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
- UK residents: Visit the NHS Fit For Travel website.
- Australian residents: Refer to the Smart Traveler Health website.
3. Government travel advice:
- US residents: Consult the US Department of State Travel Advice.
- UK residents: Check the FCDO Travel Advice.
- Australian residents: Visit the Smart Traveler website.
4. Medication tips: If you take prescription medication, bring enough to last the entire trip, plus a few extra days in case of delays. Carry a copy of your prescription in case you need to visit a clinic abroad.
We hope this helps you prepare for a safe and enjoyable adventure.
Please keep in mind that our itinerary, activities, and hotels might change. These adjustments could happen with little notice due to factors like availability, weather conditions, seasonal shifts, or other circumstances beyond our control. Rest assured, we always aim to minimise any impact on your experience. Occasionally, we may tweak the itinerary to try out fresh ideas and keep the adventure exciting.
We believe solo travelers shouldn’t have to pay extra to explore the world. That’s why our group trips are designed around shared accommodation and do not include a single supplement. Solo travelers joining our group trips are paired in twin or multi-share rooms with another traveler of the same sex for the duration of the trip.
Some of our Independent trips are structured differently. For these itineraries, solo travelers will need to book at the single occupancy rate.
Tips are not included in the cost of this tour. Remember, tipping is entirely at your discretion and based on what you feel comfortable with.
Would you like to learn more or customise our Untamed Costa Rica trip?
Have questions about accommodations, accessibility, group preferences, or dietary needs? Complete the form below and our team will get back to you shortly.
Similar trips
Untamed Costa Rica 9 days, 8 nights
- Travel dates:
May 22 – 30, 20279 days · Trip Hotel16 spots remaining$4,995$4,496 USDper person, sharing a room · single room +$1,648Early bird: 10% off the first 3 placesTaken off at checkout while places last.$300 today, then 4 monthly payments of about $1,049Or save 5% when you pay in full (the trip price only, not add-ons)
- Travel dates:
Jun 12 – 20, 20279 days · Trip Hotel16 spots remaining$4,995$4,496 USDper person, sharing a room · single room +$1,648Early bird: 10% off the first 3 placesTaken off at checkout while places last.$300 today, then 5 monthly payments of about $840Or save 5% when you pay in full (the trip price only, not add-ons)
- Travel dates:
Jul 10 – 18, 20279 days · Trip Hotel16 spots remaining$4,995$4,496 USDper person, sharing a room · single room +$1,648Early bird: 10% off the first 3 placesTaken off at checkout while places last.$300 today, then 6 monthly payments of about $700Or save 5% when you pay in full (the trip price only, not add-ons)
- Travel dates:
Nov 13 – 21, 20279 days · Trip Hotel16 spots remaining$4,995$4,496 USDper person, sharing a room · single room +$1,648Early bird: 10% off the first 3 placesTaken off at checkout while places last.$300 today, then 10 monthly payments of about $420Or save 5% when you pay in full (the trip price only, not add-ons)
- Travel dates:
Dec 4 – 12, 20279 days · Trip Hotel16 spots remaining$4,995$4,496 USDper person, sharing a room · single room +$1,648Early bird: 10% off the first 3 placesTaken off at checkout while places last.$300 today, then 11 monthly payments of about $382Or save 5% when you pay in full (the trip price only, not add-ons)
- Travel dates:
Dec 26, 2027 – Jan 3, 20289 days · Trip Hotel16 spots remaining$4,995$4,496 USDper person, sharing a room · single room +$1,648Early bird: 10% off the first 3 placesTaken off at checkout while places last.$300 today, then 11 monthly payments of about $382Or save 5% when you pay in full (the trip price only, not add-ons)
Your impact
With this purchase you are supporting local guides, drivers, hosts, accommodations and businesses.
Secure your spot
Trips 90 days or more away need just a $300 deposit per person. Between 60 and 89 days, it's 50% at booking.
Flexible payment plan
Pay the balance in equal monthly payments. Everything is due 60 days before departure, so trips departing sooner are paid in full at booking.
