Costa Rica Challenge Adventure Tour
Our trip was one of the best we have ever taken. It falls right in line with the most important memorable events in our lives:
1) When Cliff and I married
2) The birth of our children (all 4 of them)
3) the birth of our grandchildren
4) the marriages of our daughters
5) Our trip with Serendipity in Costa Rica
—Cliff & Helen R., Lexington, SC, February 2007
Nine days of muscle stretching, surprising adrenaline and action adventure
Start the adrenaline pumping when you fly through the tree tops.
Only for the young of soul and fit of body.
Day 1-Saturday: your first Costa Rica adventure - getting to downtown alone!
Your first adventure is clearing customs and walking through the maze at the airport out to the taxi section. You'll be on your own getting to the hotel in San Jose. Once in town enjoy the sights of the city. There is good bus service; let us know your flight details and we'll get you pointed to your first Adventure — taking an inter-city bus from the airport into town. Once in town one of Serendipity's guides will be meeting with you (if you are there by dinner time) and we can go over some of the action for the days to come.
Day 2-Sunday: Costa Rica canopy tour in the mountains
Your Challenge leader will pick everyone up at the hotel at 8:00 to start heading toward the wilder parts of Costa Rica. On the way we're stopping at a very Costa Rican experience — ascending the tops of giant trees with ropes and harnesses and pulleys, and literally zipping from tree to tree on steel cables and ropes. Today is more adrenaline than sweat.
After this adrenaline rush, it's an easy drive — about 2 hours — to Turrialba, the city on the edge of the last frontier of Costa Rica, bordered on the east and north by Indigenous preserves, and to the south by Costa Rica's largest untamed nature preserve. (Includes breakfast, lunch)
Your group will decide the intensity of your
mountain
biking to match
your level of enthusiasm.
Day 3-Monday: Costa Rica mountain biking in the Turrialba area
First chance to get really sweaty, and possibly use some excess adrenaline. Mountain biking in the Turrialba area runs from extreme to benign, from steep to flat, from open terrain to remote isolation, and there needs to be some consensus of your fellow travelers to decide which routes to use. We have a whole day, and can make two different forays into the hinterlands, starting with a moderate three hour run through nestled villages and large farms, and, after everyone agrees that they want more pedal pushing, hit a harder trail for the afternoon. (Includes breakfast, lunch)
Day 4-Tuesday: White water - duckies or kayaking
This is no float trip. You're guaranteed to get wet when you go down a white water river in a ducky.
Here's a sport you may never have heard of. Duckie dumping. It's 100% wet, and 120% fun. You'll be in charge of your own 2-person inflated kayak, running down a marvelous Class III river (Pejebeye or Pacuare, depending on water level of that day). You've got about a 50% chance that you'll fall out of the duckie, but not to worry — there's a rescue boat right next to you, and, while everyone laughs at you, the only thing you'll lose is probably your sense of immortality. Adrenaline, yes. Sore muscles, definitely. (Includes breakfast, lunch).
Day 5-Wednesday: hike to the top of Turrialba volcano
In an effort to keep you dry, we're hiking above the clouds today, passing through a cloud forest on the way. Ascending Turrialba volcano to the end of the paved road seems like a very long way, but the rest of the way, on foot on a gravel trail for the last 2 hours, is a good way to feel the altitude (it's 11,300 feet at the top) and get accustomed to the thin air. The rim of this perfect cone is only about 5 feet across, and the drop-off on either side reminds you very clearly how recently this volcano was active — only about 120 years ago it spewed forth tons of molten lava in the valley below. Descending into the cone (caldera) we'll see and hear steam vents blowing yellow vapors skyward, some surprisingly close to where we'll be hiking. The volcano is constantly monitored for pressure buildup, and there's been no alarms set off for the past 3 years. (Includes breakfast, lunch)
In Costa Rica horses are still a primary mode of transpiration.
Day 6-Thursday: horseback in an indigenous farm
Horseback is still the primary transportation system in the outer reaches of Costa Rica. We'll be riding today at one of the more extreme places, on the edge of the Talamanca forest extending from here to central Panama. The farm is the last post before entering the Cabecar Indigenous area, and the farm employees (including our horsemaster) are Cabecars. And the riding is wild! Run, cut cattle, explore the border where the forest meets the fields. Once on the horse you'll feel yourself out of this century and into the last. (Includes breakfast, lunch)
The action continues as you
descend lush tropical canyons
by rope and harness.
Day 7-Friday: Costa Rica canyoning
Combine waterfalls, ropes, harnesses and a lot of TRUST in yourself and your Serendipity guides
Canyoning in Costa Rica is unlike anywhere else you may have tried it. The jungle makes the difference. We have a series of waterfalls (one of our canyon choices features 18 separate waterfalls), so clear and sparkling that you are tempted to drink it as you descend on foot, with straps, in harnesses and on ropes and carabiners and figure eights, sometimes using your feet, sometimes using your knees, and often using your butt. With sunshine and giant trees and glorious birds and butterflies all around you, it sure beats a climbing gym. (Includes breakfast, lunch)
Day 8-Saturday: White water rafting the Pacuare River
The final Challenge — the magnificent Pacuare, 19 miles of Class IV adrenaline white water rafting. You'll be pleased with all the earlier teamwork you've developed over the past week, because now you can take on some of the big challenges in this river, knowing exactly how each person will react, how to look out for your team members, how they will look out for you.
The Pacuare river is well known for its beautiful scenery, pristine wilderness, and continuous class III and IV rapids.
And of course you will swim here, too, and of course there will be a rescue kayaker right next to you when you fall in (we sort of know the tough spots, and your safety kayaker is standing by with the right equipment to be sure you exit the water, laughing at yourself). Pure adrenaline, and you'll be amazed at what you have experienced. This one day, if none other, you'll tell your grandchildren. (Includes breakfast, lunch)
After the river we're going directly back to San José, and your last evening in the capital city will be a great time to carouse and share stories, exchange addresses and photos and promises to return next year for another week of adrenaline and sore muscles.
Day 9-Sunday: Return to civilization. Goodbye, Costa Rica adventures!
Your departure is today, alas! Depending on your departure flight you might want to grab a taxi (about $22) from the hotel, or once again, the city bus. But this time the city bus adventure will seem pretty tame, and your confidence in your ability to survive will be significantly enhanced. Yes, you'll have bruises and probably road rash and lumps to prove you were here, and really alive for a whole week. We hope to see you next year, again!
Fixed Departure Dates (Join a group!)
Upcoming departure dates:
September 20 - 28, 2008
October 18 - 26, 2008
November 15 - 23, 2008
January 10 - 18, 2009
January 31 - February 8, 2009
February 28 - March 8, 2009
March 28 - April 5, 2009
April 25 - May 3, 2009
May 16 - 24, 2009
June 20 - 28, 2009
July 11 - 19, 2009
August 8 - 16, 2009
September 12 - 20, 2009
October 10 - 18, 2009
November 7 - 15, 2009
December 5 - 13, 2009
If you have a self-formed group of 6 or more, we will operate this itinerary at any time you choose for the group departure price except December 18-January 2 (because of holiday hotel costs).
Prices and Terms
Printable version of itinerary and full terms of payment
U.S. $1999 per person, double occupancy. Single occupancy add $240. Reservation confirmed upon deposit of $450, paid with personal check or credit card (VISA, MasterCard or American Express). Balance due 30 days before trip starts. Balance by personal check or company check. Price includes transportation within Costa Rica, all the adventures listed, all hotels (good, safe, basic accommodations: clean, private bathroom, hot water shower, center of town) and most breakfasts and lunches (as indicated). Does not include airfare to and from Costa Rica.
Cancellation: If notice received more than 60 days before trip start date, full refund, less $190 per person. Cancellation within 60 days of departure date: no refund. NOTE: Trip will NOT be canceled by Serendipity Adventures due to too few participants.
Notice of trip modification: Itinerary sequence and activities may be modified or, in the interests of safety, cancelled completely. Serendipity Adventures will refund for cancelled activities only, based on normal retail rates of companies offering similar activities.
Notice of risk: All participants will be required to sign a Costa Rica travel with Serendipity: participant RELEASE form and acknowledge the inherent danger of adventure travel. Prior to confirming reservations, please read the release.
Please follow this to read all the advice on what dangers exist, what to expect, terms of participation, cancellation at Costa Rica adventure travel with Serendipity: DIRE WARNINGS! Our record of participant "emergencies" and medical problems has been extraordinarily clean, but we really want you to know your risks before you commit to coming here.
What to bring: Here's a list of the equipment and clothing we recommend.
All departures begin on Saturday and the Challenge itinerary is complete on Sunday. Serendipity will be happy to arrange additional days elsewhere in the country (beach, volcano area, cloud forest or city).
The first step to enjoying this Serendipity adventure is to contact us.
