COSTA RICA
COSTA RICA
Costa Rica Group Tour For Solos 30s & 40s !
Costa Rica doesn’t do ordinary. Our 9-day Costa Rica group tour takes you from San José into the rainforest, where we raft the Pacuare River, ride horseback through Sarapiquí, and get hands-on with cacao. Then it’s on to Arenal Volcano for waterfalls, ATV rides and canyoning, before making our way to Monteverde for sky walks above the cloud forest. Finally, we swap jungle trails for the laid-back Pacific coast, where we learn to surf at Iguanita Beach. Nine days packed with adventure and plenty of pura vida along the way!
San José + Sarapiquí + La Fortuna + Monteverde + Playa Hermosa
Highlights
- RAFT the winding rapids of the PACUARE RIVER
- Discover the rainforests of SARAPIQUÍ on HORSEBACK
- Learn the journey from CACAO BEAN to chocolate at TIRIMBINA
- Explore the VOLCANIC landscapes of ARENAL on ATV
- RAPPEL tropical canyons in LA FORTUNA
- Rise above CLOUD FORESTS on MONTEVERDE’S hanging bridges
- Learn to SURF at IGUANITA BEACH
Included
- 9-days / 8-nights: 1 San José, 1 Sarapiquí, 2 La Fortuna, 2 Monteverde, 2 Playa Hermosa
- Accommodation in hand-picked 3 & 4-star hotels (based on sharing twin room)
- Meals – All breakfasts, 6 lunches & 2 dinners
- Airport pickups and drop-offs
- All transportation & activities within itinerary (excluding optional activities)
- A trip host plus various local experts
- Note – international flights not included (we will recommend best options)
Highlights
- RAFT the winding rapids of the PACUARE RIVER
- Discover the rainforests of SARAPIQUÍ on HORSEBACK
- Learn the journey from CACAO BEAN to chocolate at TIRIMBINA
- Explore the VOLCANIC landscapes of ARENAL on ATV
- RAPPEL tropical canyons in LA FORTUNA
- Rise above CLOUD FORESTS on MONTEVERDE’S hanging bridges
- Learn to SURF at IGUANITA BEACH
Included
- 9-days / 8-nights: 1 San José, 1 Sarapiquí, 2 La Fortuna, 2 Monteverde, 2 Playa Hermosa
- Accommodation in hand-picked 3 & 4-star hotels (based on sharing twin room)
- Meals – All breakfasts, 6 lunches & 2 dinners
- Airport pickups and drop-offs
- All transportation & activities within itinerary (excluding optional activities)
- A trip host plus various local experts
- Note – international flights not included (we will recommend best options)
Our Route Through Costa Rica
Itinerary
Day 1
PURA VIDA, SAN JOSÉ!
Welcome to Costa Rica! After landing at Juan Santamaría International Airport, you’ll be transferred to our hotel in San José, where there’s time to settle in and shake off the travel day. In the evening, meet your local guide in the hotel lobby before heading out for our first taste of Costa Rica over a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. Nothing too complicated tonight: good food, a few drinks, introductions all round, and plenty of time to get excited about what the adventure ahead has in store.
Day 2
PACUARE RIVER RAFTING
This morning, we leave San José behind and head towards Siquirres for an adrenaline-fuelled adventure. We take on the mighty Pacuare River, rafting 29 kilometres / 19 miles of Class III and IV rapids through some seriously spectacular rainforest. After a safety briefing and a crash course in paddling, it’s time to hit the water, racing through rushing rapids, past waterfalls and deep into the jungle. We’ll stop for a riverside picnic lunch before finishing the adventure with time to shower and change, then continue on to our hotel located in a private nature reserve in Sarapiquí. Dinner is yours to enjoy tonight.
Day 3
HORSEBACK RIDING + CHOCOLATE TOUR
We saddle up at the hotel for a horseback ride through the landscapes of Sarapiquí. Whether you’re a confident rider or haven’t been on a horse before, expert guides will lead us along tropical trails, river crossings, and through peaceful rainforest, with plenty of opportunities to spot wildlife along the way. Afterwards, we leave Sarapiquí and make our way towards Arenal, stopping at Tirimbina for lunch and then crossing a hanging bridge into its cacao plantation. Here you’ll follow the bean from harvest to chocolate, with tastings included, before continuing to our hotel in Arenal.
Day 4
ATV FUN + ARENAL VOLCANO
Today we switch to four wheels and hit the trails around Arenal Volcano on a 3-hour ATV adventure. After a safety briefing, we’ll rumble through tropical landscapes, and climb towards a viewpoint with seriously impressive volcano views. Along the way, we’ll visit a Maleku Indigenous Village to learn about one of Costa Rica’s surviving Indigenous communities, then take a short hike through volcanic lava fields. After lunch, the afternoon is yours to explore. You could visit nearby La Fortuna Waterfall, Arenal Lake, or unwind at the famous Tabacón hot springs.
Day 5
CANYONING ADVENTURE
A day where we turn the adrenaline up another notch with a canyoning adventure in the rainforest. Enjoy a 4×4 ride to the canyon, then rappel down three waterfalls and a rock wall, take on a “monkey drop” combining a zipline and rappel, and scramble up a rock face surrounded by lush jungle. After lunch and a quick change, we hit the road for Monteverde, heading into Costa Rica’s famous cloud forest. We’ll settle into our peaceful nature retreat, surrounded by scenic trails and sweeping views all the way to the Pacific.
Day 6
RISE ABOVE THE CLOUD FOREST
This morning we’re heading into the treetops for a SkyWalk through Monteverde’s famous cloud forest. Over 2 hours we’ll follow a 1.7miles / 2.7km trail through the forest, crossing six suspension bridges that soar up to 50 meters above the ground. En route, take in the misty forest and towering canopy from a completely different perspective. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy the surroundings at your own pace: you could follow the self-guided walking trails at our hotel or take in some of the many natural beauty spots nearby.
Day 7
PLAYA HERMOSA!
We leave Monteverde’s misty cloud forest behind and make our way towards the sunny Pacific coast. The scenery shifts from jungle-clad mountains to tropical beaches as we arrive in the Papagayo area and check into our beachfront base. After lunch, the day is yours to do as you please. You could take a dip in the hotel pool, wander along Hermosa Beach, or get out on the water with a kayak or SUP. After a few action-packed days, this is your time to exhale!
Day 8
SURF’S UP AT IGUANITA BEACH
Today, we hit the water for a beginner-friendly surf lesson at beautiful Iguanita Beach, just a 15-minute boat ride from our hotel. First, your surf guide will teach some moves on the sand, before you paddle out to put those new skills to work. Learn how to handle your board, catch an unbroken wave and, hopefully, stand up! It’s equal parts relaxing and exhilarating and a great way to enjoy the ocean. After lunch, there’s some downtime to chill before we head out as a group for one final dinner.
Day 9
HASTA LUEGO, COSTA RICA!
And just like that, it’s time to say goodbye to Costa Rica. You’ll have a private transfer from our hotel to Guanacaste International Airport for your flight home. Over the past nine days, we’ve tackled whitewater rapids, explored rainforests, rappelled waterfalls, ascended the cloud forest, and traded jungle trails for Pacific waves. You’re heading home with a camera full of wildlife, new friends, and a slightly stronger appreciation for pura vida.
Trip Price
We have guests join us from all over the world but predominantly from the UK, US, Canada, Europe, Australia & New Zealand. As standard we sell in both GBP and USD – however if you prefer to switch to your local currency you can do so during the checkout process.
United Kingdom
- Includes all items mentioned in “Included” above.
- Deposit = £200, to reserve your spot.
- Remaining balance due 70 days before departure.
- Private room = + £900
- Payment plans possible – get in touch to arrange.
USA + Rest of World
- Includes all items mentioned in “Included” above.
- Deposit = $250, to reserve your spot.
- Remaining balance due 70 days before departure.
- Private room = + $1200
- Payment plans possible – get in touch to arrange
- Convert to local currency (inc CAD, EUR, AUD) during checkout.
Dates & Booking
Select your preferred departure date, currency and pay your deposit now to reserve a spot!
19 – 27 Nov 2027 * (Inaugural Trip)
Notes:
*Inaugural Trip Discount: This is our first official time running this trip with a group. We put a huge amount of effort into research and planning every trip and consider ourselves experts in launching into new destinations (we’ve done this many times across multiple countries and continents with great success). However, since this is our first trip to Costa Rica, we’re offering guests a special £200/$250 discount in return for you being open to any possible teething issues along the way (this discount will be subtracted from the advertised prices and you can use the discount codes listed above). It is also possible we will send an OWR photographer on this trip to help us build out our content (some of these photos may appear on our website/socials so you should be comfortable with this). If you have questions on this, please get in touch.
Hotels
We know that accommodation is important to you and it’s important to us too. We’ve therefore carefully hand-picked a selection of our favourite 3 & 4-star hotels for this itinerary. These are the hotels we typically use (please ensure you are comfortable with them before booking).
Hotel Presidente, San José
El Lugar Hotel, Sarapiquí
Hotel Lomas del Volcan, La Fortuna
Hotel Valle Escondido, Monteverde
Hotel Bosque del Mar, Playa Hermosa
Hotel Presidente, San José
El Lugar Hotel, Sarapiquí
Hotel Lomas del Volcan, La Fortuna
Hotel Valle Escondido, Monteverde
Hotel Bosque del Mar, Playa Hermosa
Customer Reviews
FAQs & Important Notes
Below are some of the common questions we tend to get asked – we’ve answered both in video format (general across all OWR trips) and written format (specific to this particular trip).
SPECIAL NOTES ABOUT THIS TRIP!
This is an adventure-heavy itinerary.
Costa Rica is made for getting stuck into the landscape, and this trip does exactly that. Expect rafting, horseback riding, ATV riding, canyoning, hanging bridges and surfing, with plenty of time outdoors and in the rainforest. There are quieter moments too, particularly around Monteverde and Playa Hermosa, but this isn’t a sit-back-and-watch-the-world-go-by kind of trip.
There will be some longer travel days.
Costa Rica may look small on a map, but getting between destinations can take time. Several days involve road travel between San José, Sarapiquí, La Fortuna, Monteverde and Playa Hermosa. The drives are broken up by activities and stops, but be prepared for some time on the road.
Adventure Activities Overview
This trip includes several active experiences. You don’t need previous experience for most activities, but you should be comfortable being outdoors, getting wet, and taking part in physically active experiences.
- Pacuare River rafting – Class III & IV rapids, approximately 29 km / 19 miles
- Horseback riding – minimum 1.5 hours
- ATV adventure – approximately 3 hours
- Canyoning – 4 rappels, including 3 waterfalls and 1 rock wall, plus a monkey drop and rock climb
- Monteverde SkyWalk – approximately 2 hours / 2.7 km / 1.7 miles
- Surf lesson at Iguanita Beach – approximately 2 hours
Some activities have specific requirements.
The ATV experience requires a valid driving licence (those who don’t have one will be paired with someone who does). Canyoning involves rappelling, climbing and navigating a rainforest canyon, while the SkyWalk includes uneven terrain, moderate ascents and descents, and suspension bridges. The surf lesson is designed for beginners, so no previous surfing experience is required.
Fitness Level
You don’t need to be an athlete, but you should be comfortable being active for several hours at a time and taking part in the above-mentioned activities. Some experiences involve uneven terrain, river crossings, climbing and getting wet.
FAQ video timestamps
The above video takes just under 40 minutes. If you prefer to navigate to a specific topics then you can see the timestamps below.
00:00 Intro
00:33 How It Works
03:00 Demographics
07:25 What’s the Price?
08:04 What’s Included?
10:42 Which Hotels?
12:10 Are Airport Transfers Included?
13:31 Room Sharing / Private Rooms
16:02 Booking & Cancellation Terms
20:30 “I Found the Same Tour for Cheaper”
23:37 I’m an Introvert!
24:54 Is Every Activity Mandatory?
26:02 What Happens After Booking?
27:58 Can I Bring a Friend?
30:50 Are You a Good Fit for OWR?
32:42 Where Is OWR Based?
33:31 Why Should I Choose OWR?
37:35 More Questions?
Am I a good fit for an OWR trip?
We know it’s important to you to choose the right tour company for you.
And equally, for us, it’s super important that we get the right people joining our trips (people who are likely to get the most out of it).
We’d therefore appreciate if you could please read the following page carefully before signing up: OWR Trip Style
How does it all work?
For an overview of how it all works, you can go to this page here: How It Works
Are international flights included?
No.
International flights are not included in the price of our tours. This is something you would book yourself separately.
Which airports should I fly into?
Our trip starts in San José and ends in Playa Hermosa so you should fly in San José Airport (SJO) and out of Liberia Airport (LIR). You should organise your own flights accordingly.
Ideally you should arrive at the hotel by 6pm on the first day. This is when we have our welcome meeting and afterwards go for dinner (although if you arrive later it’s fine to catch up).
You can leave at any time on the last day. There are no activities scheduled for that day.
If you need help researching flights, contact us at [email protected] or fill out the contact form on this page.
Are airport transfers included?
Yes, they are included at both the start and end of every trip.
Notes
- We only do transfers between airports and our selected hotels. No other locations.
- For those tagging on extra days, we will endeavour to include transfers up to 2 days outside of official tour dates.
Can I book a private room?
Yes.
Our standard prices are based on sharing a twin hotel room with one other person of the same gender.
However, if you prefer a private then you can select this option for £900 / $1200 extra.
You can select this option at the time of booking.
(Note – we have limited availability of private rooms, these will be allocated on a first come, first served basis).
Can I book pre and/or post accommodation?
Yes, we can book you in for extra days at either our arrival hotel or departure hotel.
This is up to a maximum of 2 days on either side. If for longer, we suggest you book directly with the hotel.
As you book your trip spot through our website, during the checkout process you will be given the option to “add-on” the pre or post accommodation. You can also do this at a later point through our guest portal (you will have access to this after booking).
Note: We can hold rooms in Auckland for pre-accommodation until 121 days before departure. So up to this day, we can guarantee the room and rate; after that, since we would release rooms, we would need to check rates and availability on request.
I’m traveling solo, will I be the only one?
No.
Our trips are specifically designed for solo travelers so you will fit in perfectly.
Some people may bring a friend but the majority will always be traveling solo.
How do I book?
On this page you will see a “Book Now” button next to each trip departure date. Simply click this to start the checkout process and reserve your spot.
You will need to pay a £200 / $250 deposit upfront and then the remaining balance must be paid by 70 days before the trip.
If your booking is within 70 days, then you must pay the full balance at that point.
What happens after I book? (next steps)
This is what you should expect in the lead up to your trip.
- Book trip (secure your spot with a deposit)
- Book international flights (these can be booked at any point after we’ve confirmed your spot – don’t leave too late as price will go up closer to trip)
- Purchase travel insurance (this will cover for issues leading up to trip as well as during)
> 70 Days Before Trip (cancellation penalties kick-in beyond this point)
- Full balance must be paid
- OWR sends survey: requests flight information, dietary requirements, health conditions, emergency contacts etc…(must be returned within 7 days)
> 10 Days Before Trip
- OWR sends day-by-day schedule, optional activity recommendations & some final info to prepare you for trip
> 3 Days Before Trip
- WhatsApp group created with all trip attendees + Tour Leader
> Trip Start Date
- Welcome meeting is typically scheduled for 6pm on first day. This is where you will meet your Tour Leader and other guests (note – we may change this time depending on overall group arrival times. If it changes we will notify you).
Is the deposit refundable?
No, the deposit is non-refundable.
However, if you can no longer make the trip you can transfer that deposit onto any other future trip.
Do you have payment plans?
Yes.
We can either split your balance into even monthly payments, or we can set it up so you can pay any smaller amounts as and when you like.
You can go ahead and book your spot through our website as normal and then afterwards email us at [email protected] to request we set up your payment plan.
Visas, vaccinations & packing lists?
Two months before your trip you will receive a comprehensive pre-trip pack which tells you everything you need to get prepared for the trip (including info on visas, vaccinations & packing lists).
In general, most of our guests don’t need a visa to come to Costa Rica.
Do you cater for special dietary requirements?
Yes.
We cater for vegetarian, vegan, gluten free and other dietary requirements. We will always make sure there are options available to you in the restaurants we visit.
Please be aware though that there will not likely be the same range of options as you have available in your home country.
Will I get to meet other members of the group before the trip?
Yes.
3 days before the trip we will create a WhatsApp group with all the people joining the trip. This is a great opportunity to connect ahead of the trip.
Are the hotels listed on the website the actual hotels you use?
Generally yes, it will be these hotels.
From time to time we may need to change a specific hotel if for example it’s not available on those given dates. But in such situations, we will always replace with another hotel at the same quality and notify you in advance.
What’s the cancellation policy?
The £200/$250 deposit is non-refundable. However, if you need to cancel at any point, you can put this towards any future trip you book with us (in any location).
The rest of the balance is refundable up until 70 days before the trip. From that point we have to start committing funds to local suppliers and so:-
> 30-70 days before trip – 50% refund
> 0–30 days before trip – 0% refund
But, we also recommend that you take out travel insurance to cover you for any unexpected last-minute cancellation.