Central America Trekking and Hiking Trips 2025/2026
Great trekking and hiking trips in Central America in 2025/2026. Compare prices for 45+ trekking and hiking tours with 70+ trip reviews. Book today and save up to 27% on Bookmundi.com!
Duration
1 day40 days
Departures
Tour Types
Countries
Physical Rating
Accommodations
Simple stays with essential amenities. Typically guesthouses, hostels or hotels rated below 3 stars — clean, no-frills, and great for value-conscious travelers.
Comfortable and reliable 3-star stays. Expect private rooms, en-suite bathrooms, and solid amenities — a great balance between comfort and cost.
Craving excitement in the heart of Central America? The "Raft, Hike and Explore Costa Rica" tour is your ticket to seven days of pure adventure. This active journey is crafted for those who want more than just sightseeing: you'll whitewater raft through exhilarating rapids, trek volcanic landscapes, ride horseback along rainforest trails, and soar above the canopy on a zip-line. Each day is a chance to spot wildlife and immerse yourself in Costa Rica’s spectacular biodiversity.
Designed for young adults, spirited couples, groups of friends, and active families with teenagers, this trip balances energetic excursions with moments of relaxation, like soaking in soothing natural hot springs after a day of volcano hiking. The moderate physical activity level ensures a satisfying challenge for those who love to stay on the move.
The unique selling point? Direct encounters with Costa Rica’s wild side—few tour packages offer such a diverse range of adrenaline-pumping activities in one seamless itinerary. If you’re after an adventure trip that mixes nature, action, and authentic experiences, this Costa Rican escape is the one to beat.
We originally looked at booking the longer Costa Rica Family Adventure as we thought the Family Escape (at 7 nights) may be too much of a whirlwind. However, we liked the fact that there were less distances to travel (as the Family Escape does not include a visit to the Caribbean coast), and that there were more activities included, plus, on enquiry, we found out that on the dates we wished to travel the families booked onto this trip had children of similar ages to our own (16 and 12). We are so pleased we went for this option! From being met at the airport by our wonderful guide, Eduardo, and driver, Cesar, to being waved off as we boarded our transfer on the last day, we enjoyed every minute of our holiday!
Costa Rica is an incredible country and this trip gives you a sense of its diverstiy - from the volcanic landscape around Arenal, to the Cloud Forest at Monteverde, and the tropical beaches of Carillo. The mix of activities is great - from the high adrenaline rafting and zip wire course at Monteverde, to fascinating nature walks and wildlife spotting. The itinery is quite pacy - there are activities most days, however, you get at least 2 nights at each hotel (apart from in San Jose) so you do get chance to unpack a little and enjoy some downtime.
The hotels all offer something different: Los Lagos at La Fortuna is set in lush tropical gardens with its own resident crocodile and butterfly and insect houses. Plus, it has its own hot springs complete with water slides which our children loved. The Country Lodge at Monteverde is a little more basic, but charming, whilst the Nammbu Beachfront Bungalows are super stylish with spacious rooms and a stunning pool area.
This is an absolutely incredible tour -- our guide Jason was both very informative and very helpful. He explained the history of the Arenal volcano to us, we took a short hike a small part of the way up the mountain, and then went back down to look at wildlife in the rainforest. We saw spider monkeys, which Jason said are a pretty rare sight, and then a red curacao just walked out onto the trail in front of us! It was an incredible feeling to just be seeing all these animals spontaneously on a nature hike.
Speaking of hikes, it is important to be aware that this tour is somewhat physically demanding. There are no extreme parts, just some strenuous walking over very uneven ground, but I think the tour description could do a better job of emphasizing the challenge. At the same time, the tour is extremely convenient in terms of picking you up and dropping you off at your desired location, whether a hotel, hot springs, or somewhere else. Overall, I strongly recommend the Arenal Volcano trip to anyone who is into volcanoes and wildlife and plans to visit the Arenal area.
This was my first Contiki trip & I'm not sure that any holiday will ever be the same! I had the most amazing time in Costa Rica with the best group of people. From chill beach days to zip lining over the rainforest we did such a variety of things but still had plenty of free time (in Monteverde we used our free time to go & do the highest bungee in Central America!). Our trip manager & driver were incredible & really made the trip unforgettable with crazy knowledge of the local areas & wildlife. Pura Vida!
Great all around trip. The guide (Jeff) was organized, attentive and fun to be around. Briefings each day were informative and useful. The food was excellent, camp sites were good. The rafting was very exhilarating. The equipment was in good condition and they were prepared for mishaps. We had bike chain break but they had spare bike readily available. You could push yourself as hard or as easy as you felt comfortable.
Great tour, planned to perfection by Oldemar at th last minute. We travelled to La Fortuna, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio over 12 days and feel that we needed at least 3 more days. Did a host of activites, all organised by the company such a zip lining, waterfall rapelling, whitewater rafting, bird watching, night safari, coffee tours, etc. Very happy.
I spent 13 days in Costa Rica and did a self-drive everywhere from Liberia to San Jose while hitting places such as Rincon, Arenal, Monteverde, Samara Beach, and Dominical to name a few and I was able to do pretty much everything I wanted to do in Costa Rica thanks to Alex's brilliant trip planning! On top of that, the hotels that were booked for me were all top notch and there were plenty of opportunities to have lunch and dinner no matter where I stayed. If you plan to stay in Costa Rica anytime soon, I highly recommend having Alex to plan your trip with you!
Independent TourTypically a private tour undertaken by one or two travelers
Accommodation
Eco Lodge, Hotel, Lodge
Age Range
12-65 yrs
Operated in
English
Destinations
Monteverde Cloud Forest Biologic
Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Preserve, Samara Beach, Rincon de la Vieja Volcano National Park, Tenorio, Guanacaste, Bijagua, Rio Celeste, Monteverde, Playa Carrillo, Carrillo Beach, Liberia City
Venture to Costa Rica’s breathtaking Osa Peninsula on this four-day self-guided trip, perfect for both adventurous young adults and seniors seeking nature’s wonders. Begin your journey with a convenient shuttle transfer from San Jose, Jaco Beach, Manuel Antonio Beach, or Dominical Beach, heading to the riverside town of Sierpe. From there, a scenic boat ride delivers you to your hotel in the lush environs of Drake Bay.
A highlight of this tour package is a full exploration of Corcovado National Park, renowned as the crown jewel of the Osa Peninsula. This remarkable park preserves over three percent of Costa Rica’s entire biodiversity and boasts one of the largest populations of scarlet macaws in the country. Wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers alike will be in paradise as they trek through dense rainforest and spot rare species.
Your adventure continues with a boat tour to Cano Island, a protected natural reserve steeped in history. Once a pre-Columbian burial site, the island now entices travelers with its vibrant underwater world, making it a top destination for snorkeling and marine wildlife encounters. Dive into crystal-clear waters to observe colorful fish and perhaps even rays or sea turtles.
On your final day, relax as your return shuttle whisks you back to your starting location—San Jose, Jaco Beach, Manuel Antonio Beach, or Dominical Beach—ensuring a seamless travel experience.
The unique selling point of this tour lies in its immersion in some of the richest biodiversity in Costa Rica, offering both land and marine adventures in a compact, manageable itinerary. This trip is ideal for travelers who want to combine effortless logistics, wildlife encounters, and gentle physical activity on Costa Rica’s stunning South Pacific coast.
