Costa Rica Luxury Bike (Arenal Volcano To The Osa Peninsula) 6D5N, Fully Guided

TWO BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 2, Approx. 35 km (22 miles),  Elevation gain: 396 m (1,300 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 51 km (32 miles),  Elevation gain: 731 m (2, 400 ft)

Start the trip with your arrival in Costa Rica and proceed to the Costa Rica Marriott Hotel Hacienda Belen, a few miles outside San Jose City, to meet with your trip leaders. The hotel is just 10 minutes away from the international airport, and you can easily spot your trip leaders in their apparel.

Please arrive dressed in your biking clothes and bring your luggage and a daypack with your rain gear and any gear you may need for the day's biking experience (your luggage will be transferred to our accommodation for the night).

Important Note: Due to space restrictions on our private internal flights, luggage on this trip is restricted to one small carry-on (5 kilograms or less) and one checked bag (15 kilograms or less) per person. After meeting with your trip leaders, we leave the vibrant city of San Jose on a shuttle across the Continental Divide to Valle Azul (Blue Valley) in the Central Highlands. Along the route, we will cruise past coffee plantations, a cloud of thick forests, and ornamental farms to arrive, where we will begin the first cycling expedition to La Fortuna, the gateway to Arenal Volcano National Park.

Relish a light meal on arrival, and your trip leaders will fit your bike for the task ahead and deliver a short lecture on biking techniques and safety tips. With sights and minds on La Fortuna, home to the Arenal Volcano, one of the world’s most active volcanoes, we pedal with ambition and high spirits to our destination. We ride through a flat road lined by pineapple, papaya, and yucca plantations alongside quaint farming settlements. If the weather is friendly and clear enough, this first ride will be complemented by enchanting views of Arenal Volcano on the horizon.

On arrival, our shuttle is always available to take you to the hotel if you want to enjoy more free time. Otherwise, spend your free time cycling to the hotel if you’re up to it. It takes just a few kilometres up a hill to arrive at our tropical retreat. Regardless of how you choose to come, the Nayara Hotel, Spa, and Gardens will welcome you with its charming ambiance surrounded by lush rainforest and framed by the volcano. You can enjoy views of the volcano from your private deck while the rainforest is just at your window. On arrival, check into your room and head out to grab an exotic cocktail to relax in an outdoor pool and wet bar. Alternatively, settle in for a spa treatment to soothe your worked-up nerves with organic coffee or volcanic mud, among other treatments. (Spa treatments are at own expense).

We will convene for a wine reception tonight and enjoy our first dinner featuring Costa Rican specialties at the hotel’s bamboo-decked restaurant.

TWO HIKING OPTIONS:
Level 2, Approx. 32 km (20 miles),  Elevation gain: 548 m (1,800 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 42 km (26 miles),  Elevation gain: 853 m (2,800 ft)

Wake up on your second day of the trip and enjoy a rich breakfast paired with Costa Rican coffee – one of the world’s finest. We hit the outdoors afterwards for today's ride, and this one promises to be the trip's highlight. The route runs parallel to the northern shores of Lake Arenal and is also the same route of the Costa Rica annual Vuelta Del Lago bike race. The path is well paved, and it gives us the ease of cycling along it while soaking in its scenic allure.

However, you must overcome some hilly terrains as we cycle on. Don't worry; the gorgeous views of Lake Arenal and the whole postcard-perfect scenery more than compensate for the hilly ascent, and you might be so engrossed in the views you won't notice you're on a challenging path.

You will cycle past some trees that make up the rich biological diversity of Costa Rica, such as ferns, palms, pines, bromeliads, and epiphytes, among an army of other tropical plants. Keep an eye out for howler monkeys on the route as the ride ends at a local gallery overlooking the lake, where we will enjoy a sumptuous and exotic lunch. From this point, we board a boat to cruise across the charming Lake Arenal, the largest landlocked water body in Costa Rica. The cruise across the lake is not only thrilling for its views and the boat ride on the water but also for the rich diversity of the surrounding landscape around the water. Right before our eyes, we witness the landscape transform from a tropical forest to cascading pasture lands while the imposing frame of Arenal Volcano rents the sky.

Come with your binoculars to observe the bird diversity here, which includes species such as great blue heron, kingfisher, and flycatcher. Tonight, dinner is at your expense and choice. You can either visit the hotel's sushi bar or venture into La Fortuna town to explore its culinary landscape and craft your own sensational experiences.

TWO BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 2, Approx. 32 km (20 miles),  Elevation gain: 366 m (1,200 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 40 km (25 miles),  Elevation gain: 609 m (2,000 ft)

Gear up for exciting activities with a vitality-rich breakfast featuring fresh fruit and traditional gallo pinto (rice and beans). We will head for El Castillo, a small touristy village bordering Lake Arenal. Hop on your bike's saddle after breakfast and pedal towards this exotic village, watching out for sloths and anteaters as you slice through the dense forest and pasture lands overlooked by Arenal Volcano. Breaks are allowed whenever you choose, and when you hop off the saddle, you can check out a local art gallery along the way or snack up at a fruit stand. As you proceed, the trail terminates at a natural hot springs spot nestled in a forest oasis.

You can arrive at this spot by completing the out-and-back trail or just taking a van and relaxing on the way there. On arrival, we will enjoy lunch and a relaxing dip in one of the pools filled with geothermal water. There is also a steaming waterfall where you can relax with the views or enjoy a warm bath beneath it. The area is filled with geothermal water due to the volcanic activity of the arena, making it a tourist hot spot.

After recharging, relaxing, and recreating in one of the most unique ways outdoors, we take a shuttle back to the hotel, where more amenities await. You can continue relaxing with a dip in the outdoor pool or shower or visit the spa centre to be pampered with various treatments.

Optional: Alternatively, if you fancy a more thrilling adventure, you can opt for Costa Rica’s zip-line canopy tour, one of the country’s most famed sports adventures. Interestingly, this canopy tour was invented in Costa Rica, and it is as exciting as they come in the great outdoors. The canopy tour takes you through the treetops attached to a cable and serves you marvellous views of the jungle from a toucan's view point. (Not included in the trip price).

As the evening calls, we shuttle to the outskirts of the town to see a Tico cooking demonstration. The cooking class is put together by an American chef who has been living in Costa Rica for many years, helping the community through various projects and organising farm-to-table cooking classes. You will learn how to make ceviche, patacones, and the famous guard mojito during the classes. When we finish the lessons and activities for the day, we return to the hotel to rest and prepare for what lies ahead at dawn.

TWO BIKING OPTIONS:
Level 2, Approx. 34 km (21 miles),  Elevation gain: 244 m (800 ft)
Level 3, Approx. 74 km (46 miles),  Elevation gain: 701 m (2,300 ft)

Enjoy a hearty breakfast this morning, and instead of hopping on our saddles, we take a flight to the Osa Peninsula, flanked by the Pacific Ocean to the west and Golfo Dulce to the east. On landing on the peninsula, we hop on our bikes and exit the city – Puerto Jimenez, the main town on the peninsula and cycle along the shores of Golfo Dulce. The ride will be pretty easy at the onset, but as we advance, it gets tougher as we encounter and conquer steep hills overlooking the water. These views are worth the extra effort of slugging them out with the hills, and you might not feel stressed until you are done, which will be compensated for at the hotel. As you cycle with the views, keep your eyes peeled for whales and dolphins in the distance.

We stop for lunch at noon in a farm-to-table property, well furnished to the taste, with a swimming pool where you can cool off after battling it out with the wheels. After lunch and some recreation, we go on a short boat ride across Gulfo Dulce to our hotel. If you’re feeling rejuvenated after lunch and a brief time in the pool, you can take in more kilometres by biking to the hotel instead of using the shuttle.

Regardless of how you choose to arrive, our retreat at Botanika Osa Peninsula is a paradise that awaits and welcomes you with open arms. On arrival, check into your cosy and spacious room with a balcony for striking views, even as the sounds of scarlet macaws echo across the skies. A stay here offers front-row views of the Pacific Ocean and a forest reserve behind. We will explore the area later, but for now, cool off at the lagoon pool, taste handcrafted cocktails at Driza Bar and Grill, and enjoy dinner at your leisure in one of the hotel's restaurants. Afterwards, sign up for pampering at the spa at your expense, or just relax on your balcony to soak in the views before calling it a night.

Today, the last complete day of activities, will be void of bikes as it takes a new turn involving our legs. This morning, we munch on a pre-dawn Costa Rican breakfast chock lavish with fresh, ripe, and soft tropical fruits. Afterwards, we replace our bikes with hiking shoes and storm the Osa Peninsula to explore and capture sights of its endemic wildlife. The shift of gears is necessary because visiting the Osa Peninsula without delving into its wildlife scene would be inexcusable, which has earned the peninsula global acclaim. The area holds the reputation as the world's most ecologically diverse region, and we will be exploring this globally renowned region.

Since the animals are out and about very early, we catch up with them by setting out early as well with a local naturalist guide. We delve into the heart of the Rio Nuevo Nature Preserve, bordering the Corcovado National Park. As we explore, keep an eye out for scarlet macaws and toucans peacefully cohabiting with the rest of the jungle’s wildlife. You could spot jaguars, three-toed sloths, snakes, howler monkeys, and Baird’s tapirs. These are just a few wildlife varieties here, as they are almost endless. Our naturalist guide decides our paths and trails, focusing on wildlife sightings over terrain.

After the hike and having sated our eyes with enough wildlife, we visit the home of a chocolate-making family to enjoy a well-deserved, hearty lunch and recoup our spent energies. Following this special lunch, the family takes us on a tour of their farm and walks us through the process of making chocolates.

We return to the hotel afterwards, and the rest of the day is at your leisure. Leverage the downtime to enjoy the hotel's indulgent amenities and offers. Swim in its lagoon pool, visit the spa to enjoy various treatments, patronise the fitness centre to boost blood flow, chill at the poolside bar with exotic cocktails, or take a nap to compensate for our early wake-up this morning. In the evening, we convene for a farewell cocktail reception, followed by our last dinner together before calling it a day as we set our hearts on the next day and departure.

Wake up to the last sounds of howler monkeys and whistling birds, and take a morning yoga class to stretch your body and reconnect with your inner self. Utilise the time to savour the enchanting scenery of the Osa Peninsula around you. Walk to the small beach by the hotel to marvel at the Pacific Ocean, dip in the sands, and return. We will have our last breakfast together and head to Puerto Jimenez airstrip, where we board our chartered plane for a scenic flight over the magnificent peninsula back to San Jose, the endpoint of the trip.

NOTE: This itinerary is provided as an example only – prevailing conditions and local arrangements may cause variation.