Costa Rica Challenge Adventure Tour
A week of muscle stretching, surprising adrenaline and action adventure
High adrenaline, we promise
Only for the young of soul and fit of body. Class IV white water rafting on the Pacuare River , mountain biking, hiking,canopy zip lines, canyoning, -- in rain forest, pristine rivers, all in an amazing seven days. Limited to six participants. This small group approach really allows you to move at your pace rather than designed to accommodate the least experienced.
Day 1-Sunday: your first Costa Rica adventure - getting to downtown alone!
Your first adventure is clearing customs and walking through the maze at the airport out to the taxi section. You'll be on your own getting to the hotel in San Jose.
Day 2-Monday: Costa Rica canopy tour
Your Challenge leader will pick everyone up at the hotel at 8:00 to start heading toward the wilder parts of Costa Rica. It's your first chance to use some excess adrenaline. The most famous Costa Rica adventure s a purely adrenaline rush on a canopy zip line. This is where we see how well you can scream... everyone does it.
Combine waterfalls, ropes, harnesses and a lot of TRUST in yourself and your Serendipity guides
We're headed to Turrialba, one of the frontier towns of Costa Rica. We're sleeping tonight on the slopes of very active Turrialba volcano - you'll see the pure white column of steam rising in the morning. (Includes breakfast, lunch)
Day 3-Tuesday: Costa Rica canyoning - ropes, harnesses, jungle
Nothing in a climbing gym prepares you for the thrill of jungle canyoning. Waterfalls and ropes, rocks and massive trees. The canyon gets chilly when the sun drops below the rim. Serendipity loans you a fleece and a warming jacket, plus some hot chocolate for fun.
Muscle stretching mountain biking in Costa Rica jungle
We're sleeping again overlooking the Turrialba valley, and lights of the city 1,000 feet below. You'll need a warm blanket in the fresh mountain air. (Includes breakfast, lunch, dinner).
Day 4-Wednesday: Mountain biking paradise
Turrialba is a central location for international mountain biking competitions (like the Ruta de los Conquistadores). We have dozens of backroads to go uphill, hundreds of ways to go downhill, and at least as many ways to get wet when you're done. We'll determine which route when we see how well everyone relates to fat tires. With the 4x4 following us we can hop aboard to avoid boring stretches, then ride again once we find interesting off-road.
Jungle hiking, with guide in front and guide at the back
Day 5-Thursday: Hiking - Bushwhacking in unspoiled jungle
Real jungle hiking requires machetes and guides who know what plants are edible, which plants can hurt you, what water is pure, while spotting interesting lizards and insects and birds or snakes. There are no trail markers, no bridges. Radios don't work here, or cell phones. You are as remote and pristine, in jungle much as the Spanish explored with Columbus in 1503. We are on land belonging to the reclusive Cabecar indigenous tribe. If we meet one en route we rarely speak to each other - their greatest fear still, after 500 years, is the white man. We respectfully pass and allow them their privacy.
Your guide has a lot of knowledge about the Cabcars, their life style. Give yourself a chance to feel what the Indigenous must have felt when they encountered their first great ships, their first guns.
No bridges, pristine water, trailblazing adventure
Day 6-Friday: White water rafting the Pacuare River
The Pacuare river is well known for its beautiful scenery, pristine wilderness, and continuous class III and IV rapids.
The final Challenge — the magnificent Pacuare, 19 miles of Class IV adrenaline white water rafting. You'll be pleased with all the earlier teamwork you've developed over the past week, because now you can take on some of the big challenges in this river, knowing exactly how each person will react, how to look out for your team members, how they will look out for you.
And of course you will swim here, too, and of course there will be a rescue kayaker right next to you when you fall in (we sort of know the tough spots, and your safety kayaker is standing by with the right equipment to be sure you exit the water, laughing at yourself). Pure adrenaline, and you'll be amazed at what you have experienced. This one day, if none other, you'll tell your grandchildren. (Includes breakfast, lunch)
After the river we're going directly back to San José, and your last evening in the capital city will be a great time to carouse and share stories, exchange addresses and photos and promises to return next year for another week of adrenaline and sore muscles.
Sitio Bambu overlooking Turrialba valley, birds, and clouds. Not quite camping, not quite a hotel
Day 7-Saturday: Return to civilization. Goodbye, Costa Rica adventures!
Your official CHALLENGE itinerary returns to San José. But you are half way to the Caribbean beaches at the end of the river, and opt to head EAST 3 hours via car to Puerto Viejo or Cahjuita, for $230 for one to six people. And Serendipity can make your hotel reservations and arrange your return to San José from the beach... just ask us!
Depending on your departure time Serendipity will arrange the most convenient hotel. If departing in the morning, we'll leave you last night at a hotel near the airport. If departing in the afternoon, then stay in the city for sight seeing or shopping, then catch a taxi (about $22) to the airport (about 2 1/2 hours before flight time). We hope to see you next year, again!
Cost and Making Your Reservation
CREATE A GROUP DEPARTURE DATE: Call us with your travel dates -- starting on any Sunday (except December 15-January 1). If your travel dates are more than 60 days in the future, you are charged at the GROUP DEPRTURE rate of $1,990 per person. We will post open trips on this website so other people can join.
Reservations requested for non-published dates within 60 days of departure will be treated as a Private Departure, and priced accordingly.
The following dates are now open for GROUP DEPARTURE - limited to 6 persons per guide/vehicle- U.S. $1,990 per person
(Currently no open dates for CHALLENGE)
PRIVATE DEPARTURES: Costs for a PRIVATE trip (where you will have exclusive use of Serendipity's guide, vehicle, and activities) can start and end on ANY day requested. Private departure costs are:
Two or three people: U.S. $2,230 per person
Four or five people: $1,990 per person
Six or more people: $1,790 per person
Detailed TERMS, DIRE WARNING! and information on making reservations - please READ this before making a reservation
The price includes all hotels (3 star or better), plus Sitio Bambu , Serendipity's observation shelter on cliff overlooking Turrialba valley. All meals included DAY 2 thru DAY 6 and breakfast on Day 7. Included are all adventures as listed (and some others you'll just happen upon as you move along from place to place), transportation in air conditioned vehicles. NOT INCLUDED are your airline tickets, meals not listed, alcoholic beverages, your exit visa for Costa Rica ($26 per person), and the (optional) tips and gratuities.
By the way, many people add a beach stay on the Pacific or Caribbean coast, or for a nature retreat in Corcovado or Tortuguero. We can arrange extensions for you as well.
The first step to enjoying this Costa Rica adventure vacation is to contact us.
