Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in San José
You'll fly into San José and get transferred to your hotel to settle in. After dropping your bags and freshening up, dinner this evening is with the rest of the group so you can meet everyone and get oriented before the real adventure begins.
- Meals
- Dinner
- Day 2
San José to La Fortuna
The drive takes you through the green mountains of Alajuela heading toward La Fortuna in the northern lowlands. Once there, you'll check out Arenal Volcano National Park and learn about the 1968 eruption that shaped the landscape. The volcano's cone shape gives you a real sense of the geological forces at work in this region.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Explore Arenal Volcano National Park
- Learn about the 1968 eruption history
Optional Activities
- Relax in warm thermal springs at Ecotermales
Landmarks Arenal Volcano - Day 3
La Fortuna
You'll head to Los Chiles for a boat journey through Caño Negro Reserve, one of Costa Rica's most biodiverse wetlands. The boat moves quietly through the rainforest so you can spot herons, toucans, caimans, sloths, monkeys, iguanas, and turtles without disturbing wildlife. After returning, the afternoon is free for relaxation.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Boat tour through Caño Negro Reserve (approximately 2.5 hours)
Landmarks Caño Negro Reserve Río Frío - Day 4
La Fortuna to Tenorio National Park
This morning you're doing a jungle hike that crosses six suspension bridges and ten wooden bridges through thick greenery. Watch for colorful birds, squirrel monkeys, sloths, and frogs along the way. Later you'll head to Tenorio National Park to continue exploring the forest.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Suspension bridge and wooden bridge hike (six suspension bridges and ten wooden bridges)
- Continue to Tenorio National Park
Landmarks Tenorio National Park - Day 5
Tenorio National Park
You'll explore the area around Tenorio volcano on the Alajuela-Guanacaste border and find the Río Celeste with its striking turquoise waters created by volcanic minerals and limestone. The hike through the national park gets you close to diverse plants and wildlife. By afternoon, things slow down so you can catch your breath.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike through Tenorio National Park
- Explore Río Celeste
Landmarks Tenorio Volcano Río Celeste - Day 6
Costa Rica to Ometepe Island, Nicaragua
Heading to Peñas Blancas, you'll cross into Nicaragua and board a ferry at San Jorge port for about an hour across Lake Nicaragua to Ometepe Island, landing in Moyogalpa. After settling in, you'll walk through Charco Verde nature reserve where you can see Concepción volcano from different angles and spot howler monkeys and Morpho butterflies.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Border crossing to Nicaragua
- Ferry crossing Lake Nicaragua to Ometepe Island (approximately one hour)
- Walk through Charco Verde nature reserve
Landmarks Ometepe Island Lake Nicaragua Concepción Volcano Charco Verde Nature Reserve - Day 7
Ometepe Island
Early morning hike to Maderas Volcano starts at Finca El Porvenir where local guides will share indigenous history and show you petroglyphs. The hike takes you through plantations up to a viewing platform with views of Concepción Volcano and Lake Nicaragua. In the afternoon, you'll kayak through Istian wetland looking for herons, kingfishers, iguanas, and various birds.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike to Maderas Volcano with local guide
- View indigenous petroglyphs
- Kayak through Istian wetland (afternoon)
Landmarks Maderas Volcano Finca El Porvenir Istian Wetland 
- Day 8
Ometepe Island to Granada
After returning to Moyogalpa, you'll take the ferry back across Lake Nicaragua to the mainland for about an hour, catching final views of both volcanoes as you go. Then you'll travel north along the Pan-American Highway past sugarcane, papaya, and banana plantations heading to Granada. The afternoon here is yours to wander the vibrant colonial-style streets.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Ferry crossing Lake Nicaragua (approximately one hour)
Landmarks Lake Nicaragua Concepción Volcano Maderas Volcano Pan-American Highway 
- Day 9
Granada to León
You'll climb the black Cerro Negro volcano near León, which is strenuous but rewards you with views into the crater and the landscape beyond. Coming down, you can board wooden sleds and go at speeds up to 70 km/h or walk if you prefer. Later, explore León's old town with Central America's largest cathedral and climb to the roof for views over the city.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike up Cerro Negro volcano
- Volcano boarding/sledding down Cerro Negro (up to 70 km/h)
- Explore León's old town
- Climb León Cathedral roof
Optional Activities
- Visit Museum of Legends
Landmarks Cerro Negro Volcano León Cathedral Museum of Legends - Day 10
León to Granada
After a relaxed breakfast, you'll travel to Granada with a stop at Masaya Volcano National Park if weather cooperates, where you can see glowing lava from the crater's rim. In Granada, walk through the historic center with its colonial buildings and colorful market, then you'll buy ingredients and cook a traditional meal together as a group.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Traditional home-cooked meal prepared during cooking class), Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit Masaya Volcano National Park (weather permitting)
- Explore Granada's historic center
- Visit colorful market
- Cooking class - prepare traditional meal
Landmarks Masaya Volcano National Park Granada Historic Center Granada Market - Day 11
Granada
An early morning boat takes you through the Isletas, a maze of islands and channels in Lake Nicaragua where you'll see tropical trees, herons, and various birds. After breakfast, you'll travel by ecomobile up Mombacho volcano into the cloud forest. The hike passes through steaming crevices with rare plants, and on clear days, you get extensive views of Granada below.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Early morning boat tour through Isletas (pre-breakfast)
- Ecomobile journey up Mombacho volcano
- Hike through cloud forest zone
Landmarks Isletas Lake Nicaragua Mombacho Volcano - Day 12
Nicaragua to Rincón de la Vieja National Park, Costa Rica
You'll cross back into Costa Rica with a local guide greeting and then head to Rincón de la Vieja National Park in an active volcanic region. The hike takes you through dry forest where you'll encounter bubbling mud pools, hot springs, and hissing fumaroles. Evening is spent relaxing at the hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Border crossing to Costa Rica
- Hike through Rincón de la Vieja National Park dry forest
- Experience mud pools, hot springs, and fumaroles
Landmarks Rincón de la Vieja National Park 
- Day 13
Rincón de la Vieja to Dominical
An early departure means a long drive ahead, but you'll stop at Carara National Park on the Pacific coast, which is less crowded than Manuel Antonio. This transitional ecosystem where dry and humid forests meet has extraordinary biodiversity and you should spot scarlet macaws. You'll reach Dominical in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Hike through Carara National Park
Landmarks Carara National Park - Day 14
Dominical
You're heading to Corcovado National Park, which holds about 3% of global biodiversity and is called the Amazon of Costa Rica. A boat from Uvita to San Pedrillo ranger station might bring dolphins, whales, or sea turtles alongside you. The rainforest hike lets you encounter wildlife and tropical plants, and lunch is a typical local meal before returning to Uvita in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Typical local meal), Dinner
Included Activities
- Boat journey to San Pedrillo ranger station
- Hike through Corcovado National Park rainforest
- Lunch - typical local meal
Landmarks Corcovado National Park San Pedrillo Ranger Station - Day 15
Costa Rica to Boquete, Panama
The morning is relaxed so you can rest and prepare for Panama. You'll cross at Paso Canoas and travel to Boquete in Chiriquí Province, a lush mountain region with cool weather where coffee, flowers, and citrus grow well. Check in at the hotel and settle into the peaceful surroundings.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Border crossing to Panama
Landmarks Boquete - Day 16
Boquete
Morning brings a guided hike through the evergreen plateaus around Boquete in fresh mountain air where you'll find tropical plants, colorful orchids, and wildlife like sloths, coatis, and birds. The afternoon shifts to coffee culture at a local finca where you'll learn about cultivation and roasting, then taste Geisha coffee where it's actually grown.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Included Activities
- Morning hike through Boquete plateaus with guide
- Coffee finca visit - learn cultivation and roasting
- Taste Geisha coffee at source
Landmarks Boquete
