8 Day Arenal, Monteverde & Samara Beach
8 Days | 7 Nights - From $875 USD* per person
Explore the best of Costa Rica with a week-long excursion to the country's most popular landscapes. Visit the colossal Arenal Volcano and witness its near perfect cone, traverse through the clouds on zip lines among the misty mountains of Monteverde and feel the sand between your toes on the beach at Samara.
Highlights
- 7-night accommodations in standard hotels
- Hotel taxes
- Ground transportation from/to Juan Santamaria airport in Alajuela
- All ground transportation from destination to destination
- 9 meals: 7 breakfasts and 2 snacks
- Services of local bilingual guides
- Entrance fees per itinerary
Activities Included
- Choose one: Class II-III rapids on the Balsa River, Class III-IV on the Toro River, or Safari float down the Peñas Blancas River
- Choose one: Lost Canyon waterfall rappelling with a buffet-style lunch or Arenal Hanging Bridges
- Zip line tour in Monteverde
- Stand Up Paddle tour on Samara Beach
Itinerary
Day 1: Escape San Jose and travel to Arenal
A private shuttle will pick you up from the Juan Santamaria airport near San Jose and whisk you away on a three-hour journey through Costa Rica's rolling hills to your hotel at the base of the Arenal Volcano outside the town of La Fortuna.
Overnight: Volcano Lodge and Springs (or similar)
Day 2: Whitewater rafting in Arenal
Choose your level of excitement: raft down the Balsa River on Class II-III rapids through the verdant pastureland and secondary forest; Ride the adrenaline-pumping Class III-IV rapids of the Toro River or float down the Penas Blancas River while searching for Costa Rican wildlife like sloths, monkeys, caimans and iguanas. Trips include experienced locals guides, equipment, meals and round-trip transportation from your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Snack
Overnight: Volcano Lodge and Springs (or similar)
Day 3: Canyoneering or hiking the hanging bridges in Arenal
Rappel down waterfalls and hike through gorges within the primary rainforest of Lost Canyon on a once in a lifetime excursion. You'll rappel down four different waterfalls, one reaching a height of 200 feet, traverse streams, plunge into natural pools and zip line through a two-mile stretch of canyon. Trip includes experienced local guides, equipment, meals and round-trip transportation from your hotel.
- or -
Hike through the layers of the rainforest along Arenal Hanging Bridges with an experienced naturalist guide. Search for wildlife like spiders and howler monkeys, snakes, birds and lizards with the help of a naturalist guide while trekking across 15 different hanging bridges that take you from the forest floor through the rainforest canopy to the emergent layer towering over the top of the rainforest. Trip includes experienced local guides, equipment, meals and round-trip transportation from your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast, Snack
Overnight: Volcano Lodge and Springs (or similar)
Day 4: Adventure Connection boat transfer to Monteverde
Get an early start on your journey around the Arenal Volcano to the country's largest manmade lake, Lake Arenal, a source of impeccable beauty and the country's largest producer of hydroelectricity. Jump on a boat and skate across the lake where a shuttle is waiting to transfer you to Monteverde.
In the afternoon, you'll have the opportunity to ride through the sky on one of Monteverde's famous zip line tours. Join the Sky Adventures tour for a fast paced thrill-ride along descending 2,500 feet down 10 cables above the cloud forest, or, ride 13 cables between moss-covered trees and above the forest canopy on the Selvatura canopy tour. Trip includes experienced local guides, equipment and transportation from Arenal to your hotel in Monteverde.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Montaña Monteverde (or similar)
Day 5: Share-ride shuttle to Samara
Hop on a shuttle and get to know your fellow travelers on the way to Samara and arrive in time to catch the sun set over the Pacific. One of Costa Rica's most popular beaches, Playa Samara's a great destination for snorkeling, surfing and dining along the beach.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Belvedere (or similar)
Day 6: Stand Up Paddle or Sea Kayaking in Samara
Learn the art of Stand-Up-Paddling, a sport somewhere between surfing and canoeing. Stand on the wide, long surf board and paddle to the nearby Chora Island for snacks, drinks and a chance to revel in your experiences. Trip includes experienced local guides, equipment, a snack and round-trip transportation from your hotel.
- or -
Kayak through the Pacific to Chora Island. Don a mask, snorkel and some flippers then head out among the rocks and reef off the island. Look closely among the coral and you might see giant blue and tropical parrotfish, silver jack, damselfish, queen angelfish, grouper and parrotfish. Regain your energy, munch on some fresh fruit, take in the scenery and prepare for the trip back. Trip includes experienced local guides, equipment, a snack and round-trip transportation from your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Belvedere (or similar)
Day 7: Free day on Samara Beach
Explore the exotic surfside town of Samara, get caught up in the local flavors by eating at a soda, try your hand at surfing, sunbathe with piña colada in hand, try your luck with a turtle observation or kayak along the coastline looking for a secluded place to picnic.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Belvedere (or similar)
Day 8: Airport transfer
Enjoy those last few hours of relaxation with a private shuttle transfer back to the airport in San Jose for your journey back to the real world. Make sure to schedule your flight to allow two extra hours to check-in at the airport.
Meals: Breakfast
* Price is for reference only, subject to availability and the confirmation at the time of booking.
All prices are per person (8 years old & above) based on double occupancy in standard rooms & traveling during a year except on Easter Week, the last two weeks of December and first two weeks of January.
Prices do not include airfare, fuel surcharges, airport taxes and fees, alcoholic beverages and soft drinks.
Tours are subject to a two-passenger minimum (or management discretion), weather conditions and age limit. costarica.com reserves the right to suspend a tour based on non-complying conditions and provide an alternative tour.