Pura vida – your Costa Rican adventure has begun. Arriving at San José Airport, a private Flash Pack transfer will be waiting to transport you to your upscale downtown hotel. There’ll be time to freshen up before meeting your guide and group for a welcome drink and traditional Costa Rican dinner. In an atmospheric set-up, you’ll sample some typical local dishes – think rich black bean soup, fresh ceviche and plantain – and raise a glass of guaro to the week of adventures to come.  

After breakfast, settle in for a scenic journey into the Monteverde hills. True to its name (‘green mountain’), the high elevation area is known for its rare cloud forests, fertile climate and incredible biodiversity. Your first stop will be a smallholding where you’ll enjoy a hands-on cheese-making experience with the farmer: milking the cows, bottle feeding the calves and learning the art of tortilla-making. Later, you’ll venture into a private reserve for a night walk in the forest. Many critters are most active at night and the noises are quite incredible. Your biology focused guide will not only point out colourful orchids, insects and sleeping birds, but will show you how to use the settings on your smartphone to take impressive macro photos – no extra equipment required. 

You’ll be up early this morning for your best chance to spot wildlife in Monteverde’s famous Cloud Forest Reserve. Mist-shrouded for much of the year, the strangulated fig trees, mossy tendrils and abundant epiphytes look straight out of Lord of the Rings. Hidden amongst the dense foliage, animals can be hard to spot but you’ll be exploring with an expert guide who can point out the camouflaged creatures. Keep your eyes peeled for the resplendent quetzal – a secretive bird that was sacred to the Maya – plus anything from porcupines and frogs to vipers and bird-eating spiders. Feeling brave? This afternoon, you’ll have the option to spice up your wildlife-viewing with a thrilling high-speed zipline tour over the jungle canopy.

With its high humidity and mountainous terrain, Monteverde is the ideal climate for slow-ripened Arabica coffee, and today you’ll follow the process from bean to brew on a local plantation tour. See how the humble red cherries are picked, washed and hulled and polished before being roasted according to taste, then mix your own bag of light, medium or dark roasted beans to create your perfect blend. After the freshest cup of coffee you’ll ever have, your group will visit a private artisanal gold mine located next to the farm. Some 2,000 miners still work in the area, extracting ore from the mountain. You’ll be invited to see the hand-dug tunnels, grind the glittering gravel and try your hand at panning. You might get lucky…

Today, you’re heading west to the beautiful beach town of Manuel Antonio, fringed by crescent bays and steamy jungle-covered hills. En route, you’ll pause to check out the huge crocodiles lurking underneath Tarcoles Bridge, before visiting a family-run spice farm filled with tropical fruits, medicinal plants and exotic flowering trees. Learn how the likes of cardamom, pepper and vanilla are grown before a delicious spice-infused lunch cooked over a wood-fired stove. Then, it’s time to check into your idyllic rainforest abode. You’ll be spending the next few nights here, soaking up the stunning sunsets and settling into beach life. 

Small but perfectly formed, Manuel Antonio is Costa Rica’s most popular national park, and it’s easy to see why. This craggy outcrop of tropical terrain jutting out into the Pacific has three picture-perfect rainforest beaches and is absolutely teeming with wildlife. You’ll spend the morning wandering the park trails with an expert naturalist guide, scanning the lowland vegetation for playful monkeys (spider, capuchin and howler), dangling sloths (both two and three toed) and hundreds of squawking birds, including toucans and scarlet macaws. You could easily spend a whole day here, exploring the forest-fringed beaches, snorkelling the offshore reefs and hiking to Cathedral Point for panoramic views. 

Wake up in heaven to the sounds of birds and monkeys chattering in the trees. Your final full day will be spent exploring the luxuriant Manuel Antonio coast by catamaran, cruising to small islands, secret coves and hard-to-reach beaches. You’ll stop off to snorkel amongst the tropical fish while the crew prepares a light lunch on board. Keep your eyes peeled for dolphins, turtles, sting rays and even migrating whales – depending on the time of year – as you motor slowly back to shore. Tonight, you’ll gather with your group for a farewell dinner, celebrating the end of a wildlife-filled week. Drink in a final Pacific sunset from your rainforest-fringed restaurant, savouring the perfect moment with your new-found friends.   

After breakfast, it’s time to say goodbye – never easy when you’ve had such a memorable adventure amongst pristine natural beauty. You’ll transfer back to San José for your onward flight home. To extend your time, why not combine this relaxing tour with our Untamed Costa Rica trip? Or start planning your next tropical Flash Pack adventure to Bali or Sri Lanka?