Stop and be captivated by the wildlife of Costa Rica
Ride through some captivating landscapes
Saddle up and enjoy the sea views fly by
Join a group guided tour and experience camaraderie and fun exploring together
Discover a wonderful land by bicycle
Explore, cycle, connect and sightsee
Stay in and discover the picturesque town of La Fortuna, close to the dramatic Arenal volcano

Costa Rica Coast to Coast Ride

Duration
14 days
Site savings
$89
From
$4,338 USD

Cycle stretches of the Pacific coastline and see the highlights of Costa Rica over 14 wonderful days. Take in the variety of Costa Rica by bike, pedalling past rainforest, volcanoes and stunning sections of coastline. From San Jose you'll cycle south with vast Pacific views to the right and dense forest to the left. Crossing the 3400m Cerro de la Muerte pass into the Orosi Valley you'll ride past coffee plantations and volcanoes to arrive on the fertile Caribbean plains where banana plantations take over the landscape. You can take a break from the saddle to explore the wildlife-rich rivers and waterways of Tortuguero before travelling to La Fortuna, a lovely spot located at the foot of Arenal Volcano.

  • Category
    Solo
  • Type
    Fully Guided
  • Duration
    14 days
  • Culture Level
    Adventurous
  • Skill Level
    2 - Novice
  • Activity Level
    3 - Active
  • Elevation
    3 - Intermediate
  • Terrain
    Coastal
  • Distance
    290.8 miles
  • Avg. Daily Distance
    24.2 miles
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Quick Stats

  • Duration
    14 days
  • Main Destination
    Costa Rica
  • Distance
    290.8 miles
  • Avg. Daily Distance
    24.2 miles
  • Elevation
    3 - Intermediate
  • Terrain
    Coastal

Route Map (click to view larger image)

Itinerary Details

  1. Day 1Start San Jose

    Make your way to the start hotel in La Garita de Alajuela,  around 15-minute drive from the airport. There’s nothing planned today, so take time to relax and prepare for the exciting adventures ahead.



    • Hotel Rosa America (or similar)
  2. Day 2Ride and transfer to Rio Tarcoles; boat tour; transfer to Playa Bejuco

    After breakfast, you will have a briefing and spend time adjusting bikes before riding out on paved roads with very little traffic through small rural communities and a dry tropical forest. This initial stage will finish just outside Atenas, and then there will be a short transfer (approximately 20 minutes) to Orotina, where you will jump back on the bikes and cycle onwards until you reach the coastal highway.

    After lunch, embark on a private, guided boat tour of the estuary. We hope to see crocodiles, waterbirds and even scarlet macaws. After, you'll take a roughly 30-minute transfer to the beach hotel at Playa Bejuco. If tide and sand conditions permit, you can fit in more cycling and arrive at the hotel riding on the immense tropical beach.

    (Extra 6.2mi/10km for beach ride option)

    • 28 miles
    • Hotel Playa Bejuco (or similar)
    • Breakfast
  3. Day 3Wildlife hike in Manuel Antonio National Park; to Playa Dominical

    Start the day with a transfer (approximately 40 minutes) to Manuel Antonio National Park. This is an outstanding region for wildlife, and you will enjoy a two-hour guided hike. Here, the forest meets the sea while iguanas and white-faced capuchin monkeys can often be seen on the beach.

    Leaving the park, take a transfer (approximately 20 minutes) to the coastal road outside Quepos, where you will cycle south to Playa Dominical. You'll spend the night in the rainforest at Hotel Villas Rio Mar.

    • 23.6 miles
    • Hotel Villas Rio Mar (or similar)
    • Breakfast
  4. Day 4Ride to Ciudad Cortes

    Today, continue cycling south along the coastal road, which includes a few hilly sections near Uvita and Ojochal. Off to your right is the Pacific, with some lovely, isolated beaches, and at Playa Hermosa we will stop for a quick refreshment break.

    Afterwards, cycle further until you arrive at Boca Coronado and stop for lunch at a restaurant with great Rio Terraba estuary views. After lunch, have a short easy ride to your hotel for tonight, Las Palmas de Osa, just outside Ciudad Cortes.

    • 32.9 miles
    • Hotel Las Palmas de Osa (or similar)
    • Breakfast
  5. Day 5To Osa Peninsula; ride to Puerto Jimenez

    The ride today takes you from Ciudad Cortes on to Palmar Norte, where you'll cross the Rio Terraba, Costa Rica's longest river, then to Palmar Sur, where you will stop at the central park for a look at some of the famous spherical rocks, made by a little-known ancient indigenous culture.

    Afterwards, you will board the coach for a transfer (approx 1.5 hours) to La Palma, stopping for lunch on route. You will resume the cycling, passing through Puerto Jimenez en route to tonight's beach hotel, set on the beautiful Playa Platanares.



    • 26.1 miles
    • Agua Dulce Lodge (or similar)
    • Breakfast
  6. Day 6Ferry to Golfito; ride to Rio Claro; transfer to Las Cruces

    You will board a ferry this morning for a 30-minute journey across the Golfo Dulce to Golfito. Here, sometimes dolphins can be seen frolicking in the surrounding waters. The cycle route heads to Rio Claro using a short but hilly biking stage. Following a 1-hour bus transfer across the steep mountains surrounding San Vito, you'll arrive at Las Cruces Biological Station. Las Cruces Biological Station is surrounded by the famous Wilson Botanical Gardens where you will enjoy a guided hike in the afternoon.



    • 13.7 miles
    • OTS Las Cruces Lodge (or similar)
    • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
  7. Day 7Cycle to Paso Real; transfer to San Gerardo de Rivas

    Back on the saddle, you'll enjoy a fantastic ride from the hilly region near San Vito downhill to Paso Real, far below at the Rio Terraba. En route, you'll pass through an indigenous area where villagers can sometimes be seen in traditional dress. You will stop in Buenos Aires to have lunch before boarding the bus for a transfer (approx. 2-3 hours) to San Gerardo de Rivas. You will pass the first of many pineapple plantations, which has now become Costa Rica's most exported crop. As the hotel tonight is located in the mountains it may be chillier than you expect.   



    • 31.7 miles
    • El Pelicano Mountain Lodge (or similar)
    • Breakfast
  8. Day 8Ride to San Isidro de Perez Zeledon; transfer across the Cerro de la Muerte pass; cycle to Orosi

    This morning you'll start with a short downhill stage before jumping on the bus for a transfer that will take you over the infamous Cerro de La Muerte. At 3,541 metres above sea level, this is the highest point of the PanAm Highway in all of Central America. On this stretch, you will drive through rainforest, up into the cloud forest before starting the descent back down towards the Central Valley. From here you will get back on the bike for another downhill stage into the Orosi Valley.



    • 23.6 miles
    • Tapanti Media Lodge (or similar)
    • Breakfast
  9. Day 9Ride to Turrialba

    After breakfast, you'll start cycling from the hotel for perhaps one of the most beautiful cycling stages riding past numerous coffee plantations. With any luck, you will see some farmers using their colourful traditional oxcarts to haul the coffee to nearby processing facilities. Along the way you will stop to look at coffee trees and the tour leader will give an explanation on coffee and its part of the history of Costa Rica.

    As you continue your ride through the valley, you will ride around a hydroelectric dam before starting a section that involves some climbs. You will arrive at the little town of Tucurrique where you will stop off for lunch. Afterwards, you will cycle through lush scenery of sugar cane plantations before a short transfer to the hotel for the night. The mountain lodge, which is your accommodation this evening, has excellent views of the surrounding region, including the coffee-growing Orosi Valley and both the Irazu and Turrialba volcanoes.



    • 29.2 miles
    • Hotel Turrialtico (or similar)
    • Breakfast
  10. Day 10Cycle to the Caribbean side of Costa Rica, Cahuita National Park hike and transfer to Puerto Viejo

    After breakfast, you will start cycling a hilly section with incredible views, followed by a fast downhill to the town of Siquierres, where ypu board the coach and transfer to the Caribbean coast.

    This afternoon, enjoy a guided hike in Cahuita National Park and expect to see lots of wildlife including two- and three-toed sloths, capuchin monkeys and iguanas. Afterwards, take a transfer (approximately 15 minutes) to Puerto Viejo, a Caribbean town with lively reggae music, beautiful culture and spicy cuisine.

    • 23.6 miles
    • Hotel Escape Caribeno (or similar)
    • Breakfast
  11. Day 11Transfer to Guacimo; cycle through banana plantations; transfer to La Pavona for boat trip to Tortuguero

    You have an early start today, as you have a transfer (approximately 20 mins) to the town of Cahuita for breakfast. Then, continue to the beginning of your backroads biking stage, which takes you through several small towns within the immense banana plantations. ]

    You'll have lunch at a banana-packing facility and have the chance to observe the harvesting and packaging process. Afterwards,  transfer (approximately 30 minutes) to La Pavona and board a boat to Tortuguero National Park along the wildlife-rich rivers and canals used for transiting in this densely forested area.

    • 23.6 miles
    • Rana Roja Lodge (or similar)
    • Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
  12. Day 12Boat trip in Tortuguero; ride and transfer to La Fortuna near Arenal Volcano; visit thermal springs

    An early morning boat trip enables you to discover the extraordinary flora and fauna of Tortuguero, passing serenely along the waterways. At this time of day, wildlife is usually at its most active and with the help of the expert guide you are likely to encounter monkeys, caiman, iguanas, butterflies and many of the 300+ bird species recorded here. You'll retrace the route by boat to the dock at Pavon where you will start cycling through banana plantations, stopping for a brief explanation about the importance of these plantations to Costa Rica.

    Afterwards, you'll have a transfer to just outside Guapiles for an early lunch provided by the Tortuguero lodge. After lunch, you'll head towards La Fortuna and the imposing Arenal volcano. Following a massive explosion in 1968, Arenal was Costa Rica's most active volcano until recently when it entered a resting phase. En route, you will take a break to observe the thriving pineapple operations in Costa Rica before continuing on to the hotel, set in the centre of town. This evening there is an included excursion to Volcano Lodge hot springs.


    • 13.7 miles
    • Hotel San Bosco (or similar)
    • Breakfast and Lunch
  13. Day 13Cycle to Bajo Rodriguez; transfer to La Garita de Alajuela

    Following a short transfer, the final cycling stage starts with a ride through the dense rain forest surrounding beautiful Lake Arenal, with several spots to observe the volcano as you continue back toward La Fortuna.

    Departing Fortuna, you'll bike through tropical farmlands dedicated to exotic fruits and vegetables, then do a bit of climbing through forested hills up to the conclusion at Bajo Rodriguez. The last leg of your journey is completed by bus as we transfer back to La Garita de Alajuela, travelling for around two hours with tropical views on the way.



    • 36 miles
    • Hotel Rosa America (or similar)
    • Breakfast
  14. Day 14End San Jose

    The trip ends in San Jose (La Garita) after breakfast this morning.

    • Breakfast