Outdoor Activities in Costa Rica

Learn about the natural charms that make the Arenal area famous on this 4-hour hanging bridges tour. Walk with an expert guide along a series of 15 bridges, which vary in length from 16- to 130-feet long (5 to 100 meters), that allow for a unique perspective on the rain forest plants and animals. Your guide will point out wildlife along the way for a tour as entertaining as it is educational.

The beaches of Tortuguero National Park are a famous nesting ground for endangered green sea turtles, while the park's dense rain forest is home to monkeys and a variety of bird species. This canoe tour avoids the use of a motor and provides a silent and eco-friendly mode of transportation, which allows you to see native wildlife up close while your guide navigates through Tortuguero's freshwater creeks and lagoons.

Explore three levels of lush Costa Rican rain forest from the floor to the canopy on a 3-hour guided tour tour of Braulio Carrillo National Park. Learn about local flora and fauna as you walk along nature trails, explore specialty gardens, and glide over treetops in an aerial tram, all narrated by a guide with extensive knowledge about the local ecosystem. Optional upgrade includes pickup and drop-off from your lodging in San Jose and a typical lunch.

Push your limits on this competitive canopy tour in La Fortuna. Develop your team spirit and a sense of friendly competition over the course of 12 adventurous activities such as a Tarzan swing, rappel, and swinging bridge, all under the watch of your safety-trained guide. This tour includes pickup and drop-off from select Arenal-area hotels.

Experience a fun-filled day in the jungle at the Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica Atlantic eco-reserve. Your multi-pass gives you access to six different activities throughout the beautiful tropical park. Get a bird's-eye view of the rainforest canopy with an aerial tram ride, encounter native critters at a butterfly and frog garden, cross a hanging bridge, and explore the jungle on a nature hike. Get your adrenaline pumping as you soar through the treetops on ziplines, including one of the longest and fastest in the country.

Explore Tamarindo's beaches and dry forest on an off-road ATV tour with river crossings, mountain views and stunning tropical scenery. Learn to maneuver your vehicle, then follow your guide along a rugged 2-hour circuit. Take in the sights and sounds of the Costa Rican forest, watch for birds and monkeys as you steer beneath coastal trees, and ride the back roads and byways of the gold coast.

Spend an afternoon exploring the vibrant wildlife, explosive history, and inspiring views of Arenal on this hiking and nature tour from La Fortuna. Trek across hanging bridges, past a waterfall, and through the lush rain forest and gardens around the Arenal Observatory Lodge, where panoramic views of Arenal Volcano and Lake await. Unwind with a soak in a natural hot river pool, paired with a volcanic mud facial and refreshing cocktail.

Explore a protected tropical rainforest on a 4-hour hanging bridges tour from La Fortuna, and hike a 2-mile (3.1-km) circuit that crosses a series of 15 bridges with extraordinary views of the jungle canopy. Watch for brilliant birds, monkeys, boars and jewel-toned frogs as you follow your guide through the forest, and listen to the sounds of tropical birdsongs and trilling insects. Experience Costa Rica’s rich diversity and lush habitat in terrain that abuts the Arenal volcano, and discover a remarkable world hidden in thick rainforest canopy.

Located in Mistico Park, Arenal Hanging Bridges is known as one of Costa Rica's most beautiful environmental projects - a combination of trails and bridges through the rain forest near Arenal Volcano. On this tour you can travel through the park and across elevated bridges, see views of the volcano, and enjoy close-up encounters with native flora and fauna. Your guide, a wildlife specialist, provides helpful narrative along the way.

Spend a delightful day soaking in the dramatic vistas and relaxing hot springs of Arenal. Explore Arenal 1968 Park with an easy hike and take in awe-inspiring views of the active volcano and lush jungle. Then, unwind and give your muscles a good soak in the natural pools of nearby volcanic hot springs. Choose from three different hot springs to suit your style, and finish the night with a dinner of traditional Costa Rican cuisine.

Escape to the tropical paradise of the Buena Vista Lodge for a full-day Costa Rican adventure! Fly through the treetops on a zipline, lather up with mineral-rich volcanic mud and relax in geothermal hot springs. Encounter the native wildlife of Rincon de la Vieja National Park, including monkeys and hundreds of species of birds. This combo tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off from Guanacaste plus a tasty lunch.

Explore the forested foothills of Rincon de la Vieja volcano with a full day combination tour from Tamarindo, and swing, slide and ride through the park's scenic landscape. Get a bird's-eye view of the forest floor as you travel from treetop to treetop on a canopy tour, then launch down a 1,200-foot (400-mt) water slide. Pause for lunch before riding a horse to a natural spa, and spend the rest of your day rolling in mineral-rich volcanic mud and enjoying a series of steaming thermal pools.

Hike through Tenorio Volcano National Park's remarkable landscape and see the otherworldly blue of the Rio Celeste waterfall on a full-day trip from La Fortuna. Follow your guide on a 4.3-mile (7-km) trail into the forest, watch for the monkeys and birds as you stroll past a serene lagoon, and take in views of the imposing Tenorio Volcano. Visit the park's boiling mud pits and brightly colored jungle waterways, then enjoy a full lunch in the park before returning to your hotel.  

Discover some of the 850 birds that thrive in Cinco Ceibas Rainforest Reserve on 1.5-hour bird watching tour from San Jose. Spot species that include green macaw and lineated woodpecker, and watch for roadside hawks, green herons, trogons and motmots. Enjoy your choice for four optional tour additions and explore the reserve by kayak, horse or oxen-drawn wagon.

See the best of Costa Rica in a single day on this 12.5-hour four-in-one tour that's perfect for outdoor adventurers. Cross the famous hanging bridges, where you'll experience the beauty of walking high above the jungle floor. Take in the incredible wonder of La Fortuna Waterfall and hike to the top of a nearby volcano where you'll capture incredible views of Costa Rican countryside. This tour includes a stop at Tabacon Hot Springs and a traditional meal of regional cuisine prepared in the home of a warm and welcoming local. It's the perfect way to experience the beauty, excitement and adventure of Costa Rica in a single day.

Fly through the canopy of a rare tropical dry forest on this 3-hour ziplining excursion from the Tamarindo area. Keep your eyes peeled for sightings of monkeys, lizards, and more as you traverse the treetops on a kid-friendly morning outing.

Combine six popular rain forest activities into a single day jam-packed with adventure on this tour to Braulio Carrillo National Park from San Jose. Fly down ziplines over the rain forest canopy, visit a terrarium and butterfly garden, walk along nature trails, and more, all with hassle-free round-trip transportation from your San Jose hotel and a typical Costa Rican lunch to keep you going.

An all-inclusive tour is an efficient and affordable way to visit Costa Rica's essential highlights in just a week. Transportation, activities, meals, and lodging are included on your visits to Arenal Volcano, Monteverde Cloud Forest, Tortuguero Canals, and more. Plus, traveling with a guide means gleaning lots of insight into local culture and history that you might miss traveling alone. This tour is limited to just four people for a more personalized experience.

Experience Costa Rica's rich natural environment on an all-day tour from San Jos e. After a convenient hotel pickup, head to beautiful Miskito Park and take a horseback ride with an informative guide to towering Arenal Volcano. Soak in a thermal hot spring, relax in a steam room, zip down giant water slides, and enjoy a delicious lunch included in the tour.

This quick off-road ATV tour is a great way to away from the crowds and onto the open road without investing a full day to the excursion. Get a taste of what the Guanacaste region is like off the beaten track as your guide leads you through tropical forests and to beautiful vista points. High-quality ATVs ensure that the ride goes smoothly the whole way through.