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Premiere Inns
Trip Price:
  • $3,598 pp dbl. occ.
  • (+$570 for sgl. occ.)
  • Internal Flights:
    $400
6 DAYS, 5 NIGHTS
ROLL OVER DATES BELOW FOR SPECIFIC PRICES
2010 DATES
CLASSIC TRIPS
TRIP NOTES

All meals except 1 lunch included in trip price.

Cancellation Policy

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Meet / Depart

San José, Costa Rica

Special Interest

Boat, Culture & History, Exotic Adventure, Horseback Ride, Natural Beauty &/or Wildlife, Rainforest Exploration, Spa, Swim, Tropical/Winter Sunshine, Water Activities

Recommended Reads

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Contact Us

Call: 800-462-2848
or 510-527-1555
Fax: 510-527-1444
E-mail us

801 Cedar St.
Berkeley, CA 94710

Business Hours:
7 days a week
from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time

Or contact your travel agent

Costa Rica Insider Vacations
Insider Trip Badge

Costa Rica Insider

From Cloud Forest to Volcano to Beach

Delve into Costa Rica's natural wonders and cultural riches on this exclusive itinerary that features the best of our insider connections. Travel through wildlife-rich national parks to the shell-strewn Pacific coast with knowledgeable leaders and local experts. Be welcomed into the homes of our longtime friends, who happily share Costa Rican traditions and reveal the pura vida lifestyle that defines the Tico culture And spot elusive jungle creatures with help from our naturalist guides, whose passion for the environment will expand your understanding of Costa Rica's incredible ecosystems and deepen your appreciation of the natural world.

View the Family Premiere Inns Itineraries.

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Bajos del Toro

Meet in San José Kick-start your journey with a visit to a coffee plantation and learn about Costa Rica's grano de oro (golden bean) java  Meet a local artist for lunch at his home in Sarchí and explore traditional oxcart-painting techniques Follow interpretive trails through a cloud forest oasis.

La Fortuna

Learn about the cloud forest ecosystem on a walk with our "eco-host," then plant an indigenous tree Float down the Río Peñas Blancas, watching - and listening - for howler monkeys, frogs and colorful waterfowl View steam-spouting Arenal Volcano from your private terrace Get a bird's-eye view of the jungle canopy from Arenal Volcano National Park's suspension bridges   Find out from a volcanologist how an effusive eruption differs from a pyroclastic flow  Wander among ferns, fig trees and bromeliads looking for white-nosed coatis and iguanas  Enjoy a scenic boat ride on Lake Arenal  Immerse yourself in soothing geothermal waters.

Playa Esterillos Este

Fly to Quepos   Savor fresh pescado and other typical fare beside the azure Pacific Join our naturalist guide to discover Manuel Antonio National Park, home to more than 100 mammal species and 180 bird species   Spot white-faced monkeys, green kingfishers and brilliant purple and orange land crabs Spend time with a native Boruca artist, who offers insight into Costa Rica's oft-overlooked indigenous cultures  Spend an afternoon strolling the beach, relaxing by the pool, or perhaps indulge at the spa Return to San José on a scenic flight.

Maurilio Cordero, Rain Forest Naturalist

Our experience in Costa Rica's national parks is brought to a whole new level thanks to local expert Maurilio Cordero. A dedicated guide and naturalist for the past 18 years, Maurilio will amaze you with his knowledge of the region's diverse ecosystems and delight you with his uncanny ability to spot seemingly invisible wildlife hidden in the jungle. With his experienced eye and trusty scope, you stand an excellent chance of seeing creatures - such as collared aracaris, "Jesus Christ" lizards, lazy perezosos (sloths) and perhaps even a few endangered squirrel monkeys - that other visitors might completely miss.

Lodging What's this? Our lodgings are divided into three different categories.

Premiere Inns:These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic regional flair.

Casual Inns:These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the areawith such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and proximity to our activities.

Deluxe Camping:We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every camp chore and perform culinary magic.

Detailed Itinerary

Reserve This Trip!

Guest Trip Reviews

Backroads is really excited to add our latest way to explore the world - Insider Trips - to our award-winning biking, hiking and multisport vacations. These are experiences you cannot have behind the wheel of a car, or on a train or a tour bus, or in a few excursions from a cruise ship or a secluded resort.
Tom Hale - Backroads President and Founder

All Guest Reviews

For 30 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Costa Rica tour experts. For Insider tours in Latin America, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Latin America Insider tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Latin America biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Latin America walking and hiking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Latin America multisport tours click here.

Costa Rica Insider

TROPICAL ELEGANCE: Premiere Inns

El Silencio Lodge & Spa
El Silencio Lodge & Spa

Bajos del Toro (1 night)
Nestled in the cloud forest, this 500-acre sanctuary is the antidote to stress. Relax in your luxury suite, complete with a private deck, hot tub and gas fireplace.

Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa
Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa

La Fortuna (2 nights)
This eco-friendly hotel's nearest neighbor - Arenal Volcano - may rumble a bit, but that's part of the ambience! Enjoy superb views of the molten mountain from the pool deck or from the whirlpool spa of your private suite.

Xandari by the Pacific
Xandari by the Pacific

Esterillos Este (2 nights)
Breathe in fresh ocean air at this exclusive beachfront hotel with spacious private villas, a spa, two outdoor swimming pools, an art gallery and breathtaking vistas of the sparkling Pacific.

You are viewing the Clasic Premiere Inns version of this trip.

View the Family Premiere Inns Itineraries.

Costa Rica Insider

Route Rating: Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain

Trips For All Abilities

Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.

Activity Level Average Time Average Distance
    Biking Walking
& Hiking
1 2-3
hours		 10-20
miles		 2-5
miles
2 2-4
hours		 21-30
miles		 5-7
miles
3 3-5
hours		 31-40
miles		 7-9
miles
4 4-6
hours		 41-55
miles		 9-11
miles
5 5-7+
hours		 56-75+
miles		 11-13+
miles

You are viewing the Clasic Premiere Inns version of this trip.

View the Family Premiere Inns Itineraries.