Overview
Learn to cook local cuisine with fellow solo travellers in vibrant San José, visit a community coffee project in Sarapiquí, and spend an unforgettable day in La Fortuna with a special G twist. From the volcanoes of Arenal to the cloud forests of Monteverde and the read more beaches of Manuel Antonio, you’ll return home more connected — to yourself and the world.
Itinerary
Please ensure your flight lands in San José prior to 3pm. Enjoy an included arrival transfer to the start hotel where you will attend a welcome briefing with your newest travel pals. Then, experience a hands-on cooking lesson with the whole group. Learn how to prepare a few tasty Costa Rican treats and witness first-hand how the joy of sharing a meal can bring strangers together.
- Costa Rican Cooking Experience: Food is a universal language, and there's no better way to get to know a new friend, or a new community, than by breaking bread together and digging in to a delicious meal. Join your fellow Solo-ish travellers in an immersive cooking class at a local spot in San José. The class begins with the group receiving a surprise bag of ingredients. Relying only on touch and smell the group will pull the ingredients out of the bag blindfolded. There will be discussion around each object in the bag. Afterwards, learn how to make and cook tortillas and enjoy them with a delightful Costa Rican 'picadillo'.
- Arrival Transfer: You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.
- Meet Your CEO and Group: Your opportunity to meet your CEO and fellow travellers, and learn more about your tour. Opt to join the group for a local meal afterwards. Don't forget to see the notice in the lobby (or ask reception) for the official time and place to meet up with the group.
Today is all about the impressive landscapes of Costa Rica. Start by driving to Sarapiquí to visit a G Adventures-supported community coffee plantation. Here, you will learn about the project’s impact on the local community and have a chance to sample some of the products being sold. From here, travel onwards to La Fortuna in the Arenal region known for its dramatic volcano, natural hot springs, and abundance of outdoor activities. Later, deepen those connections with the group during a cocktail demonstration. Discover local ingredients from fresh fruits to herbs and spices native to this landscape, and explore the different flavours that embody this lush jungle region.
- Mi Cafecito Coffee Cooperative Tour: Find out where your cup of java comes from. Visit the Mi Cafecito coffee cooperative in San Miguel de Sarapiqui, see shade-grown coffee plants, learn about everything from harvesting, to husking, drying, and roasting the beans before enjoying the best part – a fresh cup! Enjoy a typical lunch of plantains, beans, and freshly caught tilapia fish. Feel good about all this eating and drinking knowing that you are supporting a G Adventures for Good project that helps 200 farmers and their families.
- Tastes and Flavours of the Arenal Region: With your incredible CEO at the helm, get to know the local community and your Solo-ish travel mates on a day packed full of interesting and engaging adventures. After visiting Mi Cafecito, the group will dive into the world of craft Costa Rican cocktails, learning techniques and secrets behind creating a delicious and refreshing drink. Discover local ingredients and the unique combinations of fresh fruits and native herbs and spices that will create a vibrant, flavourful drink that embodies this very enchanting region.
Prepare to experience what G Adventures does best and enjoy an epic adventurous day in La Fortuna with a surprise G twist occurring somewhere along the way. Feel your heart pound in your chest and the adrenaline surge as you rappel down alongside a waterfall. Hear the rush of the falls, feel the spray hit your face, and smell the fresh air of the La Fortuna rainforest environment. Then, enjoy time for yourself and choose to remain adventurous or relax in your abundantly green surroundings. Who knows where you might end up to cap off this epic G Day.
- The Thrills and Surprises of La Fortuna: With your Solo-ish travel mates and CEO, explore some of the world's coolest activities alongside new friends. It's not just an epic day of fun, its chock full of incredible experiences and a surprise G element along the way to take your day to an 11. Hold tight and get ready for a thrilling adventure as you rappel down the face of a rushing waterfall in La Fortuna. Fear and fun collide as your adrenaline surges and the sounds of the jungle surround you. Get soaked by the rushing water and feel alive and exhilarated. Walk through rivers and keep a look out for exotic birds and wildlife.
- Free Time: Enjoy a few hours to yourself after your adrenaline filled first part of the day and choose to relax or keep the activities going with the options available in destination.
Enjoy a boat ride through the stunning landscape and continue driving up into the cloud forests of Monteverde. Spend the afternoon free to wander the town on your own getting a sense of one of the rarest environments on earth.
- Shared Van: Climb aboard and make friends with your seatmate en route to the next stop.
- Boat: Climb aboard and get your float on.
- Free Time: Enjoy a free afternoon to become acquainted with the town of Monteverde on your own. Opt to find a fun local spot to grab some lunch either alone or with a few of your travel mates.
- Guided Cloud Forest Night Walk: Join a naturalist guide for a 1.5-2 hour tour in the cloud forest after dark. Learn more about the habits of the area's nocturnal wildlife including mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, and amphibians, and keep your eyes and ears open on this slow-paced walk. You never know what you might see – it depends on the day and your luck!
- Monteverde Butterfly Garden Visit: Get close to butterflies, bump into giant bugs, and make friends with hairy eight-legged spiders in this collection of gardens nestled in the mountains of Monteverde. Observe caterpillars, take prize-worthy photos of the iridescent blue morpho butterfly, and check out the leaf-cutter ant colony. The nature centre is home to 30 species of butterfly, a whole bunch of insects, and more.
- El Trapiche Tour Monteverde: Step back in time into El Trapiche (the sugar mill), home of three generations of Costa Rican farmers. Explore plantations of sugar cane, coffee, bananas and cacao. Start with a walk through the farm, learn about coffee and cocoa harvesting processes, ride a Costa Rican ox cart, and finally make artisanal sugar cane candy and liquor. Finish the tour with a fragrant cup of coffee made from beans grown right here on the farm!
It’s time for a day that belongs to you! The choice really is all yours. From spending the day doing an array of optional activities available like ziplining or a hanging bridges tour, take the itinerary into your own hands. There is also an option to join your CEO for a short, easy walk through the trails of “La Raiz”, a bridge trail formed by a tree that fell, but whose roots continued to grow vertically downward. The small stream that runs underneath is responsible for washing away soil and further exposing the shape of the tree's 'skeleton'. Dinner will be at your leisure this evening.
- Monteverde Me Day: Traveling solo alongside your new Solo-ish travel mates means there's always something fun to do and new friends to explore with. But the joy of travel can also be about taking time to yourself to recharge, refresh and reflect on the journey. Today, choose to join your CEO for a local activity, or take the time to yourself to enjoy your own company in one of the most incredible places on our planet.
- Santa Elena Cloud Forest Guided Tour: Pull on your poncho and boots. It’s time to head into the cloud-covered forest, past over-sized ferns and exotic orchids. Harness your inner Tarzan and Jane as you imagine swinging from the giant vines. Walk along 2 to 3km (about 1.5 mi) of trails at a leisurely pace, watch for wildlife, and trek to the top of the observation tower. Be sure to stop and listen, too. Hear the haunting call of the bellbird and perhaps catch sight of the brilliant green and red resplendent quetzal. Feel good about protecting the forest and sustaining the quality of local schools through payment of your park fees.
- Hanging Bridges Monteverde: Get up high to see the tree tops of Monteverde’s Cloud Forest from a bird’s-eye view. Cross a series of hanging bridges to discover what biologists once required (ropes and pulleys) to glimpse the lush, green vista accented by bromeliads, vines, and orchids. Wonder at this wet canopy, home to 90% of all the organisms in the forest, including thousands of species of birds, small animals, amphibians, and insects. (56-60 USD per person)
- CASEM Coop Visit: CASEM—the Cooperative of Artisans Santa Elena Monteverde—is an inspiring example of female empowerment and teamwork. By focusing on providing women artisans with the opportunity to gain economic independence and develop new skills, this G for Good Project helps improve the quality of life for its members and strengthens the community. Through the marketing of their products, CASEM Coop not only supports its 90 artisan members, but also promotes the culture and traditions of the Monteverde region. Stop by the restaurant on your way out to try some delicious local food!
- Ziplining : Buckle up your harness, don your helmet, and prepare to launch. Glide along cables suspended high above the cloud forest canopy. Dare to let go and reach top speeds as you zip past stunning scenery. Forget your fear as you spot a toucans or exotic orchids in this adrenaline-filled experience. Minimum age: 6.
- Monteverde Horseback Riding: Enjoy Monteverde’s breath-giving wilderness by horseback. Spot toucans, bellbirds, and parrots as you ride through private mountain trails along the primary and secondary forest. Meet monkeys, see sloths, and possibly glimpse the Gulf of Nicoya through the clouds. Take photos, inhale the pure air, and let your horse lead you on this memorable meander in misty Monteverde.
Travel away from the misty green hills of Monteverde to the coastal lush jungle of Quepos, just outside Manuel Antonio National Park. Discover the lush tropical forests and white-sand beaches of Costa Rica’s smallest national park. Hike through the dense forest, climb up to rocky outcrops for views of the dazzling Pacific Ocean, and go swimming in the park’s lovely lagoons and tidal pools.
- Manuel Antonio National Park Visit: Pack your sunscreen, snack, and beach shoes and prepare for a great day in Costa Rica’s smallest, yet no less stunning, national park. Manuel Antonio offers four white-sand beaches separated by jagged rock outcrops and tidal pools where you can swim, snorkel, and sunbathe. When you’re all beached out, head to the shade of the nearby hiking trails to search for sloths, monkeys, and armadillos. Climb to the lookout to capture views of the pristine Pacific Ocean and the area’s off-shore islands. Today's walking distance within the park is 3km and will take about 2-3 hours.
Enjoy a full free day in the area. You can choose to pre-book a catamaran on the ocean, or swim in the warm waters of the Pacific. Other activities available to choose from include kayaking through the mangroves or whitewater rafting.
- Free Time: There's plenty to see and do in Quepos, and we wanted to make sure that you had some time to take it all in. Feel free to relax or try optional activities like visiting Manuel Antonio National Park, mangrove kayaking, and surfing. Your CEO has more ideas if you need them. Just ask!
- Manuel Antonio Catamaran Tour: Cruise along the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica aboard a 100 ft catamaran, taking in the impressive scenery and lush jungle that has made Manuel Antonio famous. Keep your eyes peeled for playful dolphins who call these waters home before stopping to snorkel, swim, or ride one of the boat's water slides into the ocean. Grab a drink or just sit and watch the gorgeous views of the lush coastline go by.
- Kayaking: Choose to kayak the calm waters of the mangroves or paddle the waves of the Pacific. In the Damas Island estuary, the ocean meets fresh water rivers and creates a protected home for birds, snakes, crocodiles, and white face monkeys. For the more adventurous, opt for an open-seat ocean kayak and paddle along the shoreline and nearby islands, keeping an eye out for frigates, boobies, and jumping fish. Minimum age: 6-8 depending on tour type.
- Whitewater Rafting Manuel Antonio: What better way to get from A to B then taking the natural route along a scenic and exciting river? Buckle up your life jacket, grab a paddle and head off to raft some Class II - IV rapids. Minimum age: 6-15 depending on rapid class. (75-98 USD per person)
You arrived a solo traveller and are leaving with many new friends. Say goodbye to your fellow Solo-ish travellers and depart at any time.
Your CEO can help you secure transportation back to San José, if needed.
Trip Inclusions
- Rappel down a waterfall in La Fortuna surrounded by lush landscapes and jungle views.
- Dive deep into local culture with an insightful tour of the Mi Cafecito Coffee Cooperative – a G for Good Moment.
- Take a well-deserved Me Day in Monteverde and explore or relax at your own pace.
- Enjoy free entrance to the breathtaking Manuel Antonio National Park where wildlife and beaches await.
- Look out for the elusive quetzal bird as you wander through the misty cloud forests.
- Your G for Good Moment: Mi Cafecito Coffee Cooperative Tour, Sarapiquí
- Dinner Party: Costa Rican Cooking Experience, San José
- Your Welcome Moment: Meet Your CEO and Group
- We Day: Tastes and Flavours of the Arenal Region, Arenal
- G Day: The Thrills and Surprises of La Fortuna, La Fortuna
- Me Day: Monteverde Me Day, Monteverde
- Your Discover Moment: Quepos
- Complimentary arrival transfer
- Night walk in Monteverde
- Entrance to Manuel Antonio National Park
- Free time in La Fortuna Monteverde and Manuel Antonio for your own choice of activities
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
- Private vehicle, boat, walking
- CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout
- Hotels (7 Nights) On A Twinshare Basis
- If You Are Interested In Purchasing Your Own Room, Please See Below For The My Own Room Option
- 2 lunches, 1 dinner
- Accommodation, itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Price is for land, cruise and internal flights as specified. Flights not specified are not included.
Operator
On all of our tours, you get to know locals every step of the way, from the places you visit and stay to where you eat and drink. You’ll also get to experience our ‘G for Good’ social impact initiatives on-trip, including our industry-leading ‘Ripple Score’. This score measures, as a percentage, the amount of money that stays in the local community through on-trip services like accommodation, restaurants and transport.
Travel solo, not alone. Solo-ish tours are designed just for independent travellers who want to see the world with a small group of like-minded people. These tours are exclusively for solo travellers, so you will never feel like the odd one out.
The first few days are designed to build fast connections, with shared meals, group activities, and time to get to know your new friends. With thoughtful perks like an included airport transfer and discounted solo room option, it's solo travel with a social twist.
Dates & Pricing
AUD
A definite departure means minimum numbers have been reached for this departure to operate. Your Global Journeys Travel Advisor will check the availability of your departure date when you Enquire. Additional savings may apply. T&C’s apply.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by G Adventures. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from the cruise-line and should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
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