Costa Rica, sports and adventures
2024
Highlights of the trip
During your stay you can enjoy the following highlights: Culture / Heritage, Faune and flora, Discovery, Adventure / Sports & Leisure.
Best times to go
The best time(s) to go is/are : Printemps, Automne, Hiver.
Petit Futé
Where to stay - Parque Nacional Chirripó ?
The map of your stay "Costa Rica, sports and adventures"
Detail of the stay : Costa Rica, sports and adventures
How to get there - Parque Nacional Chirripó
Treks in nature
Steps: Parque Nacional Santa Rosa
For short trips (between 1 and 3 days): the craters of the Central Valley volcanoes are accessible by short hikes from the car park (except the Turrialba, currently active). The ascent of the Rincón de la Vieja is now forbidden, but you can discover its large park by walking, just like río Celeste. The discovery of the Cahuita national parks, Manuel Antonio and/or the Amistad is ideal to start the adventure on foot.
For longer trips (3 days and more): It is essential to have an excellent physical condition, especially in tropical area. The Corcovado National Park will offer you adventure tours in one of the most beautiful tropical rainforests. In addition, you can stay at the Sirena base camp. Similarly, The national park of Santa Rosa, with its different physiognomy and its dry tropical forest, leads to the beautiful surf beaches of Naranjo and Bahia Salinas.
For a little more intense trekking, you will find in the park of La Amistad hikes adapted to your more adventurous requirements, including the ascent of Cerro Chirripó with its summit of "Andean" nature.
Places of interest : PARQUE NACIONAL VOLCÁN TENORIO ET RÍO CELESTE
Rafting
Steps: San Isidro Del General
Because of its high mountains, some of which are over 3,000 meters high, the humid tropical climate and the nearby sea, the rivers are not long and have a steep gradient. Costa Rica has many streams and rivers of great interest for rafting.
Itinerary for two weeks (including transfer and some relaxation): in the Central Valley, east of San José, you will find the Pacuare River, class III-IV, in a beautiful wilderness setting. On this exceptional site, you can spend 3 or 4 days exploring all the possibilities and pleasures of rafting. More south of San José, the General River, also class III-IV, offers a lot of water and strong currents. Allow two or three days. In the same area, you will find the Savegre river and especially its tributary, the Divisiónn river, class IV+. The stay can be enhanced by the observation of quetzals (count one day by arriving at the lodge the night before) in the Savegre valley(Quetzals National Park). Further north of San José, the Sarapiquí River offers rafting trips (classes I-IV) with the possibility, from Puerto Viejo, to continue by motorized dugout canoe to the San Juan River (border with Nicaragua). Count on three days.
Places of interest : PARQUE NACIONAL LOS QUETZALES RIO SAVEGRE
Surf
Steps: Santa Teresa
Because of its numerous coasts and especially the powerful rollers(olas) of the Pacific Ocean, Costa Rica has many surf spots. A two weeks stay is not too much for surfers to appreciate the Costa Rican spots. It is even a little short, especially if the evenings in the bars and the nights are as agitated as on the surfboards... Among the most famous :
On the south Caribbean coast, the region of Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo offers beautiful waves, the most famous of which is the Salsa Brava... Reserved for very experienced amateurs, and totally inadvisable to others.
In the South Pacific, south of Golfito, Playa Pavones offers the longest left wave in America. Opposite, Cabo Matapalo offers three mythical spots: Playa Matapalo, Backwash and Pan Dulce, far from the crowd.
In the central part of the Pacific coast, Manuel Antonio and Playa Jacó are ideal for beginners, while Playa Hermosa is a jewel for the more experienced. There are beautiful and regular olas (waves) all year round. In the south of the Nicoya Peninsula, the good spots are in Santa Teresa and Malpaís.
Further north, Tamarindo is an excellent, pleasant and well equipped base for surfers. It offers sites for beginners and also nice olas for the others like Playa Grande, Playa Langosta and Playa Avellanas. Even further north, in the Gulf of Papagayo, the most beautiful spots are in Playa Naranjo, in the south of Santa Rosa National Park. The world-famous spots of Witch's Rock (or Peña Bruja) and Ollie's Point offer well rolled right and left olas, from 2 to 3 meters high.
