Consider some of the best days of your life—and include this week in Costa Rica. You'll bike amid enchanting scenery. Soak in hot springs, hike in a tropical dry forest, bliss out on a beach and marvel at that majestic volcano. Love those papaya batidos. Be greeted by howler monkeys! Six incredible days that will never be forgotten.
Day 1 Meet our longtime local friends, who introduce you to the pura vida lifestyle that defines the Tico culture | Ride on undulating roads through rain forests, over rivers, past fruit groves and farming hamlets | Clouds willing, the views of Arenal Volcano will be impressive! | Cool off with a refreshing fruit drink in La Fortuna.
Day 2 Take in majestic Arenal Volcano on a boat ride across Lake Arenal | Pedal part of the Vuelta del Lago bike race route | Sweet music to your ears? Listen for the call of howler monkeys as you venture across a network of hanging bridges high in the rain forest canopy | Soak in hot springs amid palms, bromeliads and ferns.
Day 3 Pedal rolling roads flanked by papaya, pineapple and yucca plantations | Hop off the saddle to explore a local art gallery | The afternoon is yours to do as you choose—more biking, a zip-line adventure through the jungle canopy or a visit to the spa, perhaps?
Days 4-6 A scenic flight whisks us to the Nicoya Peninsula | Pedal through the province of Guanacaste, with spectacular views of the mountains and the Gulf of Nicoya | Enjoy ocean breezes on a private boat ride to Bahia Ballena | Ride to Curú Biological Reserve, keeping your eyes open for scarlet macaws and spider monkeys | Bask by the spring-fed swimming pool, hike through a tropical dry forest, do some yoga or lounge on the beach.
best trip ever- Washington, DC
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception. Read the Straight Talk
We want to make sure you're on the right trip and that you have the best experience possible. Every Backroads trip is unique and this one is no exception.
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Arenal Volcano is on display at this tranquil oasis, whose spacious bungalows each offer a private deck with whirlpool tub and a secluded outdoor shower. A Small Luxury Hotels of the World member. (pool, spa)
This serene seaside haven provides the perfect setting for a leisurely stroll on the beach or a siesta in a hammock slung beneath palms. (pool, spa)
There's no better way to find out about Backroads than by hearing it from the people who have traveled with us. For more about the Backroads Experience, read our Guest Testimonials.
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Reviewed by 2 customers
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Comments about Costa Rica Bike Tour:
best trip ever
Comments about Costa Rica Bike Tour:
I had an amazing trip to Costa Rica with Backroads! Biking is definitely the best way to see this wonderful country, and the routes were great. The hotels were a treat to stay in, and the leaders were fabulous. I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
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The earlier you book, the more choice you'll have and the lower your price. And you can always change your mind—you won't be charged to transfer to a different trip before your final payment is due.
Please click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
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AVAILABLE TO BOOKi GOING FASTi CONTACT USi PRIVATE TRIP - RESERVEDi
Interested in a Private Trip? Check out the Make It Private tab for private dates available, or call us at 800-462-2848.
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.
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| Daily Route Options | ||||||||||
| Day | EASYGOING | ACTIVE | AVID | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Level 2 | Level 3 | Level 4 | Level 5 | ||||||
| miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | miles | feet gain | |
| 1 | 19* | 700 | 30 | 1700 | ||||||
| 2 | 11* | 900 | 21* | 1800 | 37 | 3200 | ||||
| Boat Cruise on Lake Arenal (30 Minutes) | ||||||||||
| Optional Hanging Bridges Walk (2 Miles; 300' elevation gain) | ||||||||||
| 3 | 21* | 1500 | 35* | 2100 | 55 | 3500 | ||||
| Optional Zip-Lining | ||||||||||
| 4 | 17* | 700 | 35* | 1200 | ||||||
| 5 | 14* | 800 | 27 | 1700 | 39 | 2300 | ||||
| 6 | Waterfall Hike (2 Miles; 200' elevation gain) | |||||||||
| Morning Yoga (1 Hour) | ||||||||||
Note: Humidity and heat can make routes feel more challenging than the mileage may suggest.
* Includes shuttle.
Learn more about how we determine our activity levels and fully support a range of abilities and interests.
Please note that our distance and elevation figures come from Ride with GPS. Other sources (such as Map My Ride and Garmin devices) may give differing elevation figures due to different GPS and mapping technologies. Readings from a Garmin or a smart phone are influenced by other factors such as air pressure.
Many active travel companies advertise a selection of hotels in Costa Rica where you might end up staying. That's not how Backroads does things. On this trip you know exactly where you'll rest your head after each active day in the rainforest or along the coast: at the best spots in the region. You enjoy three nights at Nayara – rated the number one hotel in Central America by Condé Nast Traveler – and then a couple of memorable nights right on the beach at Tango Mar.
Backroads is the only active travel company providing two support vans in Costa Rica—because we know it's essential to ensure a truly great travel experience. It doubles our ability to be there when you need us to offer hydration, lighten your load or give you a lift if it's time to take a break. Read more on why two vans make all the difference.
Backroads has the best-qualified people to lead your trip in Costa Rica, and our guests back that up, rating our Trip Leaders an average of 9.75 out of 10 for all-around quality of performance. Get the facts (and no fluff) on how we recruit and develop the very best people for your trip.
We design and support our Costa Rica trips to suit mixed abilities and varied interests—so you can set your own pace, then change things up as the day unfolds. And all guests are free to do the same, traveling together or apart, with no one cramping anyone else's style. Which sounds easy in theory, but it's hard to pull off. Here's more on how we do it.
Most companies' trips in Costa Rica are run by local operators. At Backroads we manage our own trips; we would never subcontract your precious vacation to a third party. So as you enjoy the support of your seasoned Trip Leaders, along with our expert local guides and drivers, you have the confidence of knowing we're with you every step of the way.
A great bike is obviously critical for a great biking trip; you don't want to gamble on one that's been sourced locally to trim costs. This trip features our acclaimed Backroads Custom Titanium bikes, expertly tuned and fitted, and included in your trip price. Learn why our titanium bikes are ideal for most riders.
In Costa Rica you head off each morning after choosing among several expertly designed routes—all with detailed directions, mileage and shuttle options. Unlike trips with one fixed daily route (or worse, one guide that everyone's obliged to follow), you're free to enjoy the best of the region at your pace, stopping wherever you want to explore further.
Our Trip Leaders in Costa Rica live in the area and are deeply engaged in their communities, giving them unique inside knowledge they're happy to share in making your experience that much richer. They'll introduce you to people, customs and parts of town you'd likely never encounter on your own—and teach you a few local phrases to help break the ice.
It may seem obvious to say the great hotels we tell you about are the ones you'll actually stay in. But the fact is many companies haven't even booked the places they promise and are later forced to settle for inferior alternatives. We book our hotels and exact rooms long in advance—often over two years—so you stay where you expect to stay.
Since 1979, Backroads Founder and President Tom Hale has shown that staying #1 means constantly evaluating our performance using the best possible source of information: our guests. As we systematically analyze your feedback on our trip consultants, leaders, hotels, meals and on-trip activities, we never stop working to make a great company even better.
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Gather your favorite people to share a Backroads adventure on a ready-to-book Private Trip - featuring all the legendary Backroads hallmarks from expert leaders to unforgettable activities. You can pick from the selection of dates below for your group of 8 or more. If your party has fewer than 8 guests, or your preferred date is not available, we'll create a departure just for you. Call or email us to reserve your date.
Click on a date below for specific pricing and possible itinerary variations.
8 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 8 OR MORE GUESTS 16 AVAILABLE TO BOOK FOR 16 OR MORE GUESTS RESERVED
Don't see your ideal travel date? Make a Date! i
Invite your family and friends on an adventure that's entirely your own - for your group of 8 or more. Find out more
I simply can't imagine a better way to immerse yourself in the life of a region, to explore hidden corners and appreciate nuances while enjoying the benefits and enormous satisfaction of traveling under your own power. These are experiences you cannot have behind the wheel of a car, or on a train or a tour bus. Active travel is, at its heart, a way of connecting more authentically with the world. Sure, Backroads provides amazing leaders, superb accommodations and meals, and opportunities you could never arrange on your own. But all of our comprehensive planning and support is aimed at something far simpler: bringing you the immediate, highly personal satisfaction of discovering a new world on your own terms.
— Tom Hale, Founder & President
