Trek Hidden Costa Rica
From AUD $2839
Small Group
Demanding
Rating
(20 reviews)
Trek Hidden Costa Rica
12 days
Small Group
Basic
Demanding
English
Experience Overview
Think you know Costa Rica? Trade in the same old settings for the real deal. Trek into the heart of the jungle to live with three families in a remote village.
Think you know Costa Rica? Trade in the same old settings for the real deal. Trek into the heart of the jungle to live with three families in a remote village. Discover the emerald core of a diverse land while bunking down amid the beauty of the jungle. Learn about the medicinal plants native to these parts and how to make sugarcane candy. This is a spectacular country with opportunities for waterfall rappelling, surfing, and whitewater rafting. This is what adventure is all about.
Highlights
- Trek into a remote community to live with the locals
- Camp for a night in the Costa Rican jungle
- Make your own sugarcane candy
- Rappel down hidden waterfalls
- Whitewater raft on the Savegre River
Trip Details
12 days
Local bus, pickup truck, private vehicle, raft, hiking.
Small Group
English
San José, Costa Rica
San José, Costa Rica
Basic
Active
Demanding
Itinerary
Day 1: San José
There are no planned activities during the day, so check into the hotel and explore the city. As it is located in the central highlands, San José enjoys a moderate climate.
Amid the hustle and bustle, San José has beautiful parks, museums and the ornate Costa Rica National Theatre downtown. Enjoy the view of the surrounding mountains from the downtown streets.
The central plaza is a good place to people-watch. A mime, juggler, marimba band, magician, or storyteller may be performing for whatever is collected when the hat is passed. Artisan booths are common, creating a regular arts and crafts fair atmosphere.
Day 2: San José/San Isidro
Spend the day visiting some shops and stock up before the next day's trek into the jungle. Located near three rivers and Costa Rica's highest mountain, Mt Chirripó, this region is well-known but few travelers stay to find out why.
Day 3: San Isidro/Piedras Blancas
The journey is always half the fun! Travel in the back of a pickup truck through lush green landscapes and end in the small town of Brujo. Enjoy a 4-hour hike to a jungle homestay while spotting tropical fauna and plenty of wildlife along the way.
Day 4: Piedras Blancas
Wake up with the sun today and get ready for loads of activities. Enjoy a delicious traditional Costa Rican breakfast to start the day off right. In small groups, make 'dulce' (candy) at the family's traditional 'trapiche' (sugar cane mill). Cool off in the river that flows right by the house while the sugar simmers over the fire and lunch is being prepared.
Hike one hour to another household and stay the night. While there, local guides and members of the family will explain how to make fresh cheese and breads, play card games and enjoy tasty traditional Tico cooking. Once the evening winds down, head to bed for a well-deserved rest.
Day 5: Piedras Blancas
Start the day with a delicious home-cooked breakfast and fortify for the two-hour hike through the rainforest to tonight's home stay retreat. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the rushing waterfall directly in front of the dining area. Watch wildlife and hummingbirds up close. Reward yourself homemade chocolate made from cocoa beans collected right from the garden.
Day 6: Piedras Blancas/Dominical
Today is a full, action-packed day. Set your alarm for an early morning start and a two-hour hike back to Brujo where we jump into rafts and head off on the Savegre River.
Paddle toward the Pacific coast, then take a van to Dominical. Spend the rest of the day at the local bungalows, in the swimming pool or walking along the beach.
Day 7: Dominical
Day 8: Dominical/Diamante Verde
Time to put the boots back on and hike to Catedral de Piedra ('Cathedral of Stone').
A free day for exploring the area, the local guides will plan a number of activities depending on the group's interest and energy levels.
Options include a number of hikes to the surrounding falls, waterfall rappelling, cliff jumping and swimming in the natural pools.
Day 9: Diamante Verde/Uvita
Wake up early and set off on foot back to Las Tumbas. At the trail's end, hop in a private van and enjoy the ride to Uvita, a small beach town on the southwestern Pacific coast.
Take some much deserved time to rest and relax.
Day 10: Uvita
This is a perfect day for some quality hammock time. Still need to move? There's lots to do. Take a surf lesson, horseback ride, snorkel, SCUBA dive or take a trip to nearby Caño Island.
Day 11: Uvita/San José
Day 12: San José
Depart from San José at any time.
- Flights to and from origin and destinations
- Airport transfers (arrival and departure)
- Anything else not explicitly listed in tour inclusions
- Recommended gratuities/tipping
- Optional activities/tours
- Personal expenses
- Travel insurance
- Visas, meals and beverages not stated in the list of inclusions.
When meals are not included, your tour leader (where available) will be happy to help with restaurant recommendations, bookings, and directions. Please let us know if you have any dietary needs or preferences. We willdo our best to accommodate these, though we cannot guarantee that every request can be met.
You are responsible for your personal belongings throughout the tour. You will need to carry your own bags between the vehicle and your hotel room. Drivers will assist with loading and unloading luggage from the vehicle.
Travellers requiring wheelchair access should contact our sales and service team, who can make enquiries on your behalf.
This tour requires an Average level of fitness. Activities are paced gently and include leisure time. You may be expected to join guided walks of up to one hour, navigate short stairways and mild inclines, and manage your own luggage. You should also be able to board and exit all transport without assistance.
Travellers are expected to be self-sufficient and capable of handling all aspects of their journey. Please discuss your circumstances and support needs with your booking agent to confirm this trip is suitable.
If you are unsure, we recommend consulting your doctor before booking or travelling. (Note: I assume each tour has a different description depending on level of fitness required).
If a planned site visit is unavailable due to changes in operating hours or holiday closures, the itinerary may be altered, or a comparable activity will be substituted where possible and subject to availability.
Visa conditions can change. Once you receive your travel documents, check with the relevant embassy, consulate, or immigration office of your destination for the latest information.
- It is your responsibility to ensure you have the correct and valid travel documents and to comply with all entry requirements.
- Non-Australian citizens must also confirm visa and identification requirements with the appropriate consulate or visa agency.
- Certain occupations (for example, journalists, government officials, or those working in charities) may face additional restrictions when applying for visas, which could affect the type of application required.
Duration: 12 days
Trip Type: Small Group
Activity Level: Demanding
Think you know Costa Rica? Trade in the same old settings for the real deal. Trek into the heart of the jungle to live with three families in a remote village.
Price based on per person in Double Room for departure 08 Nov 2025
Customer Reviews
07/26/2023
I enjoyed the jungle trek and all the activities.
07/26/2023
Overall a very good trip and a variety of things to do. Possibly would have enjoyed more ',difficult', trekking. To qualify this statement, I'm very fit and would describe as having very moderate fitness/difficulty.
Tour Operator
G Adventures, founded in 1990 by Bruce Poon Tip, is a global adventure travel company specializing in small-group tours that emphasize authentic, sustainable, and culturally immersive experiences. Originally launched as GAP Adventures (“Great Adventure People”), the company pioneered the concept of community-driven travel by offering affordable trips that connect travelers with local communities while minimizing environmental impact. Today, G Adventures operates in more than 100 countries, offering a wide range of itineraries across themes such as active adventures, wildlife, wellness, family, and National Geographic–partnered tours, while maintaining a strong commitment to responsible tourism and social enterprise through its Planeterra Foundation.
In Business Since 1990
07/26/2023
I enjoyed the jungle trek and all the activities.
07/26/2023
Overall a very good trip and a variety of things to do. Possibly would have enjoyed more ',difficult', trekking. To qualify this statement, I'm very fit and would describe as having very moderate fitness/difficulty.
07/26/2023
Fun activities and our tour guide Natalie Vega ensured everything went smoothly.
07/26/2023
Great CEOs. Unique experiences. Planned but also some flexibility.
06/28/2023
G Adventures is well organised. You can focus on the beauty of the nature and your travelmates insted of planning all the time.
06/28/2023
It was an amazing way to travel. Just show up and let someone else do all the work of planning. Having a local to spend the trip with you is very comforting, especially for certain areas.
07/26/2023
I like the way that G Adventures travels to slightly different places than the most common ones. If it wasn't for taking this tour, I wouldn't have seen so many great places in nature, the cave, the warterfalls and the homestays.
06/28/2023
A great way to see and learn lots about a country in a short amount of time
06/28/2023
I love the memories i Made and the one in a Lifetime experience. It was Hard but in the end it was amazing!
05/24/2024
Had a great time and the CEO made the trip easy. Everything was setup and questions answered.
05/24/2024
The trip was great, the guide went out of her way to make sure uor experience the best.
05/24/2024
Company and staff promote responsible tourism
05/10/2024
I think it was great!
05/10/2024
The tour itself was well organised, however the website when booking was very slow and difficult to use.
05/10/2024
The guide - Adrian - was great! He made the trip! He was super informative about Costa Rica and was just a fun/nice guy. It was a pleasure spending the few weeks with him and the group!
05/10/2024
Was a really nice experience to be able to have some adventures surrounded by nature.
04/12/2024
G Adventures provided a great opportunity to travel in such a unique way that I haven't heard of with other tour groups.
04/12/2024
Everything has been professionally organized from Airport pickup to last stay in hotel.
04/12/2024
I have been on 2 treks and the leader, tour and groups have been great!
04/12/2024
The service for returning calls and emails before my trip was not good. I called a few times with nobody responding. I emailed with a question for my trip and I got the email many days later and too late, I was already on the plane to Costa Rica when I got the reply.
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