Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Costa Rica...
Transfer to Copey Arrive in Costa Rica's capital city of San Jose. After a greeting at the airport by a specialized natural history guide, transfer to the accommodations for the first night and the start of your riding adventure. A briefing gives riders a chance to get acquainted with the guide and fellow travelers. Overnight El Toucanet Lodge. Dinner included this day.
Day 2: Highland Coffee farms to the coast...
Today descend from the highland region of Terrazzo, through beautiful forests to the warmer region of the coastal area. This ride is truly a spectacular trek starting at coffee farms, with panoramic mountain views along a colonial trail all the way to the Quepos Area. Enjoy this full day ride with lunch en route. Reach Paquita River and meet the support van that will transfer us to Hotel Mono Azuel or similar of Manuel Antonio on the Pacific Coast. There will be time to check out the town this evening and have dinner on own.. Breakfast and lunch included this day.
Riding time 5+ hours
Day 3: Beach and Sunset ride…
Transfer a short distance to Palo Seco for an incredible beach ride. This is the part of the ride that everyone has been waiting for; here you can canter on the beach and even take the horses into the water. Lunch at La Isla then transfer to Jaco Beach. This afternoon we’ll be riding to the hidden waterfalls and riding back to the stables as the sun sets over the Pacific Ocean. Overnight Hotel Arenal Pacifico or similar…Breakfast and lunch included this day.
Riding time 6 hours
Day 4: Hermosa Beach Lookout…
Start out at the stables at the Hermosa Beach area, heading to the look out point, pause to take in the beauty of the Pacific coast and Hermosa Beach below, gallop along the vista bordered by virgin rainforest. Ride through stunning farm tracks to arrive at our secret spa waterfall, surrounded by abundant flora and fauna. Time to take a break and enjoy the waterfall pools. Keep your eyes peeled for the white face monkeys and toucans that reside around us…. Return at sunset, energized, relaxed and ready for the whole new day of riding tomorrow. Overnight Arenal Pacifico breakfast and lunch included.
5 hours of riding time
Day 5: Horseback riding Monteverde….
Morning transfer to Monteverde area, While it is not permitted to ride in the Reserves themselves, we are pleased to offer the chance to ride on a private family farm of more then 300 acres. Here we’ll have an opportunity to enjoy exclusive quiet trails, bird watching, sugar cane and coffee plantations, secondary and primary forest, open fields (great for cantering with the horses), and amazing views of mountains, canyons and the Gulf of Nicoya.. Overnight Hotel Poco a Poco or similar Breakfast and lunch included this day.
Riding time 4 hours
Day 6: Monteverde to Arenal…
Enjoy the incredible vistas during today's ride as you descend from the cool cloud forest area of San Gerado to Lake Arenal, where on clear days you can see Arenal Volcano and Lake as you wind slowly down the mountain passes crossing rivers until reaching Rio Chiquita. Transfer to Eco Thermales Hot Springs. The fabulous thermal hot springs will be a refreshing treat after the days of riding. Overnight Arenal Paraiso Lodge or similar, in rooms facing Arenal Volcano. With any luck you will see the mighty volcano put on a natural firework display. (Today's ride is approximately 5 plus hours with lots of stops along the way to allow the horses to rest) Breakfast, lunch and dinner included this day.
Riding time is 5 hours
Day 7: Fortuna Waterfalls / Arenal Volcano…
This is a combination of horseback riding and hiking. The horses take you all the way up to the waterfall trough green areas of pastures, forest and high hills. The views of San Carlos valleys and the Tropical Forest that surround the waterfall are spectacular. At the end of the road the horses wait while we walk down the trail to the base of a waterfall which is 65 mts high. . There is time to swim in the natural pools before starting back. On the way back we ride trough a privet farm of 400 hectares, where there is plenty of good areas where the horses love to canter. In the afternoon, explore the surrounding trails of Arenal Volcano which are only passable by horseback or on foot. The views from this area are magnificent. Not only can you see the cone shape of the volcano but also the old lava flow trails and the green fertile hills near the volcano. Afternoon free for optional activity such as Canopy Zipline or to relax in the hot springs which are on site at Hotel Paraiso Breakfast included this day.
Riding time 6 hours
Day 8: Hacienda La Garza…
Transfer to La Fortuna and Hacienda La Garza. Imagine cantering through sugar cane plantations, fording thigh-deep rivers, rounding up cattle and trotting through virgin rain forest on top of a fine, well bred Paso Fino steed. That will be the ride today at La Garza. Lunch at La Garza then transfer to San Carlos area and Termales del Bosque. Here you can enjoy the natural hot springs which are on site. How about a massage to the sound of the flowing hot spring waters and the sounds of the rainforest. Massages are not included but well worth the extra fee. Overnight Hotel Termales del Bosque. Breakfast and lunch included this day.
Riding time 4 hours
Day 9: Finca Los Uraales /Juan Castro Blanco National Resere....
Ride to Finca Los Uraales to Juan Castro Blanco National Reserve and back to Termales. The terrain here is hilly to mountainous with here and there steep slopes but the footing is good and the horses are well suited to the terrain. Vegetation gets denser as you get closer to the reserve. At various points you will have incredible views of northern San Carlos. On clear days you can even see Lake Nicaragua. The Juan Castro Blanco National Park has a similar ecology as the Brauilo Carillo National Park which it borders. It is also an Eco-corridor to the lower San Carlos plains which generates a constant traffic of birds and mammals from the higher to the lower areas and is versa. You will see lots of different type of birds including Toucans and also possible to see mammals such as wild pigs, monkeys, raccoons, and sloths. Overnight Thermales del Bosque. Breakfast and lunch are included this day.
Riding time 5 + hours.
Day 10: Departure
After breakfast you will be returned to the San Jose International Airport for your departure. Breakfast included this day.
