12 Jan Soft Adventure, Wildlife And Beach in Costa Rica
Costa Rica is full of adventure activities from white water rafting on some of the best white water rafting rivers in the world to the famous ziplines and hanging bridges in the rainforest canopy of Arenal and Monteverde. Also waterfall rappelling and canyoning and wildlife adventures which also include night jungle walks, sloth and monkey watching, sea turtle nesting tours in Tortuguero. Kayaking and paddleboarding and surfing opportunities can be found to suit all abilities. There is the opportunity to soak in natural hot springs and hike lava fields, participate in ATV and quad biking, horseback riding, diving and snorkelling too.
Costa Rica for me was a wonderful mix of nature and wildlife, stunning scenery, adventure and the Pura Vida vibe; friendly and relaxed. In just a week we managed to include 1 night in San Jose, 2 nights at Pacuare Lodge in the east, 2 nights at Nayara Tented Camp in the central region and then we took a light aircraft flight down to the Osa Peninsula in the south western corner and spent a night a Rios Lapas and Playa Cativo.
White water rafting down the Pacuare river to Pacuare Lodge, a unique rainforest lodge was one of the highlights of this trip for me. The remote eco-lodge is located amongst dense rainforest in the Limon province and is perched on the banks of the Pacuare River. It is surrounded by nature, wildlife and the roar of the rapids and offers exhilarating activities such as a zip-line canopy tour and canyoning. It was the perfect base to immerse yourself in the depths of the rainforest jungle and if white water rafting into and out of the lodge is not for you then access can be achieved in a 4×4 vehicle followed by a short gondola ride across the river.
I thoroughly enjoyed my stay Nayara Tented Camp for its beautiful luxurious tented accommodations, think African safari style located in the Costa Rican rainforest, the tents blend sustainable luxury with a “Pura Vida” vibe and have wonderful mineral hot spring pools and outdoor showers. The area is home to a diverse array of birds, wildlife, and a sloth sanctuary and I really enjoyed sitting in my pool listening to the sounds of the rainforest, especially at dawn and dusk. We even saw an armadillo scuttering along the path one morning.
Playa Cativo Lodge was another highlight for me because of its remote location on it’s own beach in a private 1,000 acre Private Nature Reserve on the Osa Peninsula. The boutique lodge is beautifully furnished, small, has a lovely homely feel to it, the food just delicious and wildlife is in abundance. Access is only by boat and during our scenic boat trip across we experienced playful dolphins playing in our boat’s wake. Between July and November you can experience whale watching when the humpback whales migrate to mate and give birth.
The country is one of the most biodiverse in the world and during my trip I got to see all of the most prominent wildlife including sloths, monkeys of varying species, toucans, macaws, and hummingbirds. Whilst very rare and elusive, wild cats like jaguars, ocelots, and pumas inhabit remote areas. My most rewarding sightings were seeing the brightly coloured macaws and sloths in the wild and I loved listening to the howler monkeys in the rainforest as the sun went down.
Costa Rica is so easy to get around using a combination of road and a good internal flight network that includes light aircraft. It is high on the leaderboard for sustainable tourism and this was evident at all the lodges we stayed at, each one running their own sustainable practices in their own way.
Would I go back? Absolutely there is still so much to see and do and there is certainly something for everyone whether you are into soft adventure or just simply love being in the outdoors and surrounded by nature. For me personally my favourite experience was the white water rafting into Pacuare Lodge. Sadly, due to heavy rain, the night before we left, the water levels were too high for us to participate in the 18km water rafting out of the lodge. I loved Osla Peninsula so scenic, remote and very untouristy. The Pura Vida shone throughout the trip and my top tip for any traveller is the pack lots of quick dry clothing when visiting the rainforest areas.
Helen travelled to Costa Rica in November
