Today you’ll be immersed in local Costa Rican culture and hospitality straight from the get-go. You’ll visit a local family home, where Doña Elida will welcome you with a smile and teach you how Costa Rican food is prepared using traditional ways – all in her very own kitchen. She’ll share her culinary secrets with you, including the perfect way to make Costa Rica’s national dish, “gallo pinto”, in the wood stove she uses every day. After being the very best sous chefs you can be, you’ll sit down to enjoy your delicious work with Doña Elida and your guide. This authentic and delicious experience is a must for foodies, it gets you right to the heart of Costa Rica – and we love that.

Today you’ll leave the tourist trail well behind you as you drive to Boca Tapada. As the miles roll by, the landscape will get more and more rural, and the road more bumpy! This is an area that true eco-travellers embrace for its natural beauty and tranquillity – it’s seriously special. The sense of adventure kicks up a notch when you arrive in Boca Tapada and have to phone for a little boat to come and pick you up to cross the river to Maquenque Eco Lodge. This is the moment where you’ll know you’re really in Costa Rica. With the low clouds kissing the treetops and nothing but the sounds of wildlife to enjoy, it’s time to check into your very own treehouse for a three night stay in the treetops. 

This morning your wake up is one you’ll never forget. As the sun glints through the curtains of your treehouse, there’s no harsh alarm clock needed here. You’ll open your eyes to a symphony of bird calls and the sounds of cheeky monkeys howling as they swing through the trees all around you. You’re not simply watching the wildlife from afar here, you’re part of it. We know your next couple of days at Maquenque will be one of your Costa Rica holiday highlights. There are so many special experiences to be enjoyed here: Explore the many walking trails around, keeping an eye out for wildlife every step of the way – you might even encounter a roving band of coatimundis along the way. Bird watchers will be in their element here, with 500 or so species to look out for. You’ll have the opportunity to support sustainable tourism by planting a tree in the rainforest – a real honour, and you get to know a little piece of your heart is in the Boca Tapada rainforest forever.. There are other tours available, such as guided night walks, birdwatching tours with a naturalist guide, chocolate and coffee tours, boat safaris and boat tours down the San Carlos River where you’ll find yourself right on the border with Nicaragua. Plus, the lodge’s restaurant serves up the most delicious food and cocktails, all with huge Pura Vida smiles – it’s the perfect spot to unwind and indulge.

Today it’s time to head to Costa Rica’s adventure capital: Arenal. Nestled in the heart of Costa Rica, Arenal is dominated by the iconic and conical Arenal Volcano that towers over the town. Hopefully, if the weather is clear, its imposing peak will be there to welcome you as you arrive. Set against a backdrop of emerald rainforests and glistening lakes, there’s so much to explore here. From the surrounding rainforests that are teeming with wildlife (and sloths), to natural hot springs, and thrilling activities such as ziplining, paddleboarding and white-water rafting – Arenal is the perfect place for the adventurous. 

Today you’ll be heading off on one of our favourite tours in Costa Rica: A sloth tour! Arenal Volcano's surrounding forest is home to many sloths, and they’ve become quite well known by the local guides over the years. You’ll go looking for them together with your guide, walking the trails, staring up into the trees and waiting to meet the adorably snoozy creatures living amongst them. The guides are absolutely brilliant here, and you’ll learn so much about sloths along the way – as well as getting to know the individual personalities of the creatures you encounter. Dawn, our resident Costa Rica expert and founder of the HA sloth fan club couldn’t recommend this more.

Although you can’t climb the Volcano, you can still get quite close to the action! Today you’ll lace up your hiking boots and head off on a trek across the lava fields of Parque Nacional Volcan Arenal. Walking in the very lava path of the eruption back in 1968, with a view of the volcano to accompany you (if the skies permit!), is a moment you won’t forget in a hurry. The lush primary cloud forests that cover the national park are absolutely bursting with wildlife, so there will be plenty to keep an eye out for along the way. After all of your hard work today, we have the perfect reward: A nourishing soak in the nearby hot springs. There are a few different hot spring options in Arenal, some more rustic and others more luxurious. We’ll be sure to recommend the best soaking spot for you. 

A seriously scenic drive awaits you today, from Arenal to the Monteverde Cloud Forest. As you’re driven further into the mountains, the temperature drops, mist dances amongst the trees, and things get even more wild and green. Established in 1972, Monteverde Cloud Forest covers an incredible 10,500 hectares and boasts an unfathomable diversity of plants and animals. More than 400 bird species can be spotted here, including the elusive resplendent quetzal, which should have pride of place on your wildlife-spotting wish list. After checking into your cloud forest hotel or lodge, you’ll be collected for your night tour in the Monteverde reserve. Walking the trails under the cover of darkness, looking out for creepy crawlies of the night… will you hold your nerve and look into the tarantula holes? 

You’ll head to the cloud forest adventure centre this morning where you’ll venture along canopy walkways suspended high in the treetops. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife! When our Costa Rica specialist, Lou, visited she was lucky enough to spot an extremely rare and elusive ocelot! So you never know what might be lurking around every corner. This afternoon, channel your inner Tarzan and head off on a zipline adventure. Flying above the trees (and often the clouds), is as beautiful as it is exhilarating. The guides are fantastic here, and they control your speed and stopping – so you can focus on enjoying the ride. At the end of the tour you’ll have the chance to challenge yourself even further. Would you brave the freefall leap? 

Today, you’ll spend more time in the company of Costa Rica’s most adorable residents with a visit to the Caribbean Sloth Sanctuary at Selvatura Park. You'll join a sloth expert as you walk around the park, observing rescued sloths living out their happy lives in their natural environment. The sanctuary promotes education and conservation, providing a safe haven for sloths affected by poaching, habitat loss, and other threats, so it’s a really worthwhile place to visit. You’ll meet brilliant people who dedicate their lives to looking after these gorgeous people and directly contribute to the work they’re doing to protect them in the process. 

You’ll travel south towards the beaches of Manuel Antonio on Costa Rica’s Pacific Coast today. On the way, stop by the famous Tarcoles River to spot crocodiles lurking in the depths below, ticking yet another wildlife encounter off your list. On arrival, you’ll check into your beach hotel for the next four nights – a lovely few days of R&R, sandy toes, sunsets and wildlife spotting awaits. Manuel Antonio really does have a bit of everything. It’s got spectacular beaches, lush rainforests and it’s very much teeming with wildlife everywhere you look. There’s a wealth of active activities to try your hand at, from snorkelling and driving to horse riding and trail hikes. We’ve included a half-day kayaking tour along the gentle currents of the Paquita River. You’ll wind your way along the brackish waters between the mangroves as you float below the verdant forest canopy. With a sky full of birds and treetops full of cheeky capuchin monkeys overhead, your expert guide will explain the unique ecosystems as you go. For the rest of your time on the beach, be sure to make plenty of time to pop your feet up, relax and soak up all of the Pura Vida culture that makes Costa Rica so special. The sunsets are known to be magical here, the perfect place to toast your final evening in Costa Rica. 

You’ll head back to the airport today for your flight back to the UK. We have no doubts that you’ll be leaving bursting full of wild memories, a Pura Vida mindset and a bit of your heart forever in Costa Rica. Until next time!