The Ultimate Adventure Medley: Costa Rica

Our adventures are built for small groups, with a maximum of 12 travellers on each guided tour. Each group is diverse, comprised of men and women of many different nationalities and ages. By travelling in small groups we leave minimal ecological impact, cause less disruption to the native life and are able to gain a better appreciation for our surroundings. Small numbers also allow greater flexibility and spontaneity: a dinner in a local home, an impromptu village wedding invite and any such experiences that can become among the most memorable experiences of your BikeHike adventure.

We understand that people come in many fitness levels, so we've graded our trips accordingly. There are four difficulty levels on our trips: Easy, Moderate, Challenging, and Strenuous. 

This is a “moderate” trip.

This trip includes 4-5 hours of physical activity throughout the day, with many breaks along the way. The biking portion is the most cardiovascular portion of the trip, but there is always a support vehicle available. During the biking section, you don’t have to carry anything on your back as backpacks can be carried in the support vehicle.  During the hiking portion of the trip, the most you would have to carry on your back is a daypack.

BikeHike Adventures has been operating since 1994. We began in Costa Rica so these trips are our strongest. 

The logistics of organizing tours to remote corners of the world can be very complex. Our trip development department spends long hours researching destinations, routes, ground operations and equipment. All itineraries are screened without clients before they are added to our growing repertoire of adventures. Nothing is untested. 

Our travellers share a common love for outdoor adventure. Most are looking for a physical adventure in an unfamiliar destination. This trip attracts one of our most diverse groups. A typical trip is comprised of men and women in good physical condition, who exercise regularly and are invigorated by a personal challenge. The age range on this trip is typically from 40-60, although we occasionally get younger and older travellers as well.

This label just means that this trip is quite suitable for families, but anyone can book it. In fact, the listed group dates usually fill up with a good mix of couples, friends and singles. When families book with us, they usually choose to customize the trip and choose private dates. Our group dates over Christmas are typically the ones the fill up with families.

San Jose, Costa Rica. You can arrive anytime on day 1 of the trip and depart anytime on day 9.

Costa Rica is suitable year round. Located just ten degrees north of the Equator, Costa Rica enjoys the advantages of the "perfect" tropical climate. The average temperature is 22°C (72°F) in the highlands and temperatures vary from mid 20’s to low 30’s °C (77°F to 95°F) in the lowlands. All year long the conditions are pleasantly moderate, with a rainy season from June to early November, and a dry season from December through May.

Many of our travellers (both men and women) join as singles. On average, BikeHike groups are 75% single travellers and 25% couples. Unlike many adventure travel companies, we don't charge single supplement fees to solo travellers. Instead, we pair you with another traveller of the same gender. If we can't find you a roommate, you get your own room at no additional charge. A single private room supplement fee is only required if you specifically request a confirmed private room for the duration of the trip. Learn more about solo travel with BikeHike. 

We will do our best to accommodate special dietary requests (e.g. vegetarian, gluten free, etc.), but ask that you please discuss your request with us when signing up for a trip.

While most of our trips are created with adults in mind, many of our itineraries are suitable for strong and active teenagers. This trip is generally good for older children (twelve or older) and teenagers. However, we do offer many Family Focused trips, some of which are able to accommodate children as young as six.

During the rafting, there are up to 6 people plus one guide in a raft. Before the start of the rafting, you will be given a full safety briefing. When rafting, you must wear a lifejacket and a helmet. If the water levels are too high and the river is dangerous, the guides will come up with a plan B for the day.

It is not a problem if you can’t swim for the rafting. Everyone will be wearing a life jacket. Firstly, sitting in the back of the boat is the easiest place for the rafting, with less chances of falling out of the boat. If you are nervous about even the possibility of falling out of the boat, you can go down in our oar boat (equipment boat). It is also a raft, but with an internal frame. It is much more stable than a regular raft and the possibilities of it tipping are very remote.

We use Trek 4500 and Scott Aspect 49er mountain bikes because of the rugged roads. All bikes have front suspension and disc brakes. The riding is not suitable for road bikes.

Costa Rica does not have availability for E-bikes at this time.

The biking on this trip is varied. There is a stretch we ride on a hard packed sand beach, a few small rivers to cross, and a mix of dirt roads, gravel roads and paved roads. The biking distances are not far, However, please note that Costa Rica is very hilly, so you must expect a good deal of uphill climbs.

Yes. The support vehicle will carry all the necessary equipment like bikes, drinking water and all our personal equipment. You will have access to the support vehicle throughout the trip.

The night at the Pacuare camp is a highlight of the trip for many. The camp has permanent tents (raised off the ground on wooden platforms), with foam pads, sheets and pillows in them. There is a dining area where the cooks prepare home cooked meals and a gazebo filled with hammocks. There are cold showers, flush toilets and sinks and the gardens are beautifully manicured in the rain forest. There is a hike to a great waterfall that you can swim in.