Costa Rica Coast to Coast Ride

Name: Costa Rica Coast to Coast Ride
Brand: Exodus
Rating: 4.6 (49 reviews)

49 reviews

Activity

Cycling

Overview

From coastlines to lava fields, marvel at Costa Rica’s beauty from the best seat in the house – your saddle

Immerse yourself in the tropical scenery of Costa Rica by bike… there’s no need to hurry when the views are so spectacular. Guided by a tour leader with unrivalled local knowledge, you’ll witness an ever-changing slideshow of idyllic coastlines, coffee farms, towering volcanoes and more. But this cycling adventure goes far beyond breathtaking scenery. Off the saddle, you’ll dive into the country’s rich wildlife and culture, gliding along Tortuguero’s wildlife-filled waterways, wandering through the botanical wonders of Las Cruces, and tracing ancient lava fields at the foot of Arenal volcano.

Key Information

Trip Code: MUD
Ways to Travel: Guided Group
Countries: Costa Rica
Carbon Footprint: 14kg CO2e per person per day

What's Included

All breakfasts, six lunches, four dinners
All accommodation
All transport and listed activities
Tour leader throughout
Group arrival and departure transfers available
Local bike hire

10 days of Cycling

Pace:

Moderate: 8mph-10mph (13kph-16kph)

Terrain:

Low altitude; 97 percent paved, 3 percent unpaved track
Routes follow quiet roads wherever possible

Day 2: 26 km / 16.2 miles
Day 3: 35 km / 21.7 miles
Day 4: 26 km / 16.2 miles
Day 5: 38 km / 23.6 miles
Day 6: 30 km / 18.6 miles
Day 7: 50 km / 31.1 miles
Day 8: 42 km / 26.1 miles
Day 9: 50 km / 31.1 miles
Day 12: 35 km / 21.7 miles
Day 13: 33 km / 20.5 miles

Highlights

Cycle past rainforest, volcanoes and coast in Costa Rica, guided by our expert tour leader
Visit Manuel Antonio National Park to spot wildlife
Navigate the Tortuguero waterways in search of monkeys, caiman and more
Discover Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity with a walk through Las Cruces botanical gardens
Hike through a hardened lava field at the foot of Arenal volcano

Itinerary

First Destination: La Garita de Alajuela, near San José
Next Destination: La Garita de Alajuela, near San José

Meals included:None

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Meals included:Breakfast

Meals included:Breakfast

First Destination: La Garita de Alajuela, near San José
Next Destination: La Garita de Alajuela, near San José

Begin your adventure in La Garita de Alajuela, around a 15-minute drive from San José airport.

We start cycling tomorrow, so enjoy the rest of the day to relax and prepare for the exciting adventures ahead.

Want more time in San José or La Garita de Alajuela? Secure pre-tour hotel nights through your sales representative.

Accommodation: Hotel La Rosa de América (or similar)

After breakfast, say hi to your tour leader and fellow travellers, when we gather as a group to get to know each other, learn more about the adventures ahead and to collect and adjust our bikes.

Our cycling then starts right from the hotel, riding towards the town of Atenas, where we meet our bus and transfer (one hour) to Guacalillo.

Here, we embark on a beautiful boat tour through mangrove forests to the Rio Tárcoles, hoping to see crocodiles, waterbirds and even scarlet macaws as we go.

Enjoy lunch followed by a transfer (around one hour) to our beach hotel at Playa Bejuco. If tide and sand conditions permit, we can fit in more cycling and arrive at the hotel riding on the immense tropical beach (extra 6.2mi/10km for beach ride option).

Terrain: 95% paved/5% gravel

Accommodation: Hotel Playa Bejuco (or similar)

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Start with a transfer (approximately one hour) to Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the great wildlife-watching destinations in Costa Rica. Join an expert guide for a two-hour nature walk, who can teach us all about the local flora and fauna and help us spot the iguanas and white-faced capuchin monkeys that live here.

Leaving the park, we transfer (approximately 40 minutes) to Rio Savegre. From here, our route follows a main street to the vibrant beach town of Dominical and the calmer surf beach of Dominicalito.

Reaching La Parcela Restaurant in Punta Dominical, we have lunch before heading to our next hotel, where the evening is free to enjoy the pool and jungle setting at our hotel.

Terrain: 95% paved/5% gravel

Accommodation: Villas Rio Mar (or similar)

Meals included:Breakfast

Leave the hotel by bike, riding to the town of Uvita, where we hike to the jungle-wrapped Uvita Waterfall for a refreshing swim.

After, we continue cycling towards the beautiful Marino Ballena National Park, where we leave our bikes for a walk in the sand; if tides allow, we enjoy the view of the Whale Tale Tombolo, a natural rocky and sandy geological formation that can only be accessed during the six hours of low tide.

Terrain: 90% paved/10% gravel

Accommodation: Villas Rio Mar (or similar)

Meals included:Breakfast

This morning, we take a 30-minute bus transfer to the village of Piñuelas. From here, we enjoy a scenic ride along the south coastal highway, granting beautiful views of the Sierpe Mangrove every now and then.

Upon arrival at Palmar Sur, we enjoy a short visit to the Park of the Stone Spheres, where we explore the mystery behind these impressive stone globes created by pre-Colombian Indigenous people.

We lunch in the town of Chacarita, then transfer (1hr 30min) to Las Cruces Biological Station, a leading tropical biology research hub, where we stay tonight.

Terrain: 100% paved

Accommodation: OTS Las Cruces (or similar)

Meals included:Breakfast, Dinner

Cycle to the southern town of San Vito this morning, enjoying rural Costa Rica as we go. On this circular route, we visit Sabalito town, where we stop at the coffee mill of the local coffee cooperative Coope Sabalito, before riding the ascent back to Las Cruces.

After lunch at the biological station, we join an expert guide for a nature walk.

Terrain: 90% paved/10% gravel

Accommodation: OTS Las Cruces (or similar)

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Start today with a 10-minute transfer to San Vito, where we enjoy a nice downhill ride near the biological corridor between Costa Rica and Panama: La Amistad National Park. It is also an area of indigenous territories, where the Ngöbe Buglé people can sometimes be seen in traditional dress.

At Paso Real, where the Río General meets the huge Río Térraba, we finish today’s route with our box lunch, before we transfer (about two hours) to our mountain hotel in San Gerardo de Rivas.

Terrain: 85% paved/15% gravel

Accommodation: El Pelicano Mountain Lodge (or similar)

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

We have two cycling stages today! First, we cycle along the Río Chirripo from our hotel down to the Pan-American Highway, enjoying beautiful views of Cerro Chirripó, the highest mountain in Costa Rica.

We load up the bikes at San Isidro and cross the Cerro de la Muerte to Orosi by bus. At 11,617ft (3,541m) above sea level, this is the highest point on the PanAm Highway in Central America.

Here, we get back on our bikes and cross coffee plantations to the village of Orosi, which is one of the oldest communities in the country. From here, we continue to the Cachi reservoir, near our accommodation.

Terrain: 100% paved

Accommodation: Hotel Quelitales (or similar)

Meals included:Breakfast

Leave the hotel for one of the most beautiful cycling routes on this trip, past numerous coffee plantations. With any luck, we will see farmers using their traditional oxcarts to haul their crop to nearby processing facilities.

Along the way, we stop at coffee trees to learn more about coffee and its role in Costa Rican history. Continuing through the valley, we ride around a hydroelectric dam before starting a section that involves some climbs.

We then arrive at the little town of Tucurrique, where we have time for lunch. After, we cycle through sugarcane plantations to La Amistad, before a short transfer to our hotel. Our mountain lodge has excellent views, including over the coffee-growing region in the Orosi Valley and the Irazú and Turrialba volcanoes.

Terrain: 75% paved/25% gravel

Accommodation: Guayabo Lodge (or similar)

Meals included:Breakfast

Start the day early with a transfer (1hr 30min) to Guápiles, where we enjoy a delicious breakfast. Back on the bus, we pass numerous banana plantations and learn about the packaging and export process.

After, we board a boat that takes us through the impressive canals of Tortuguero towards our jungle lodge. Enjoy a delicious lunch, then visit Tortuguero village and walk along the Caribbean beach.

Between July and September, you may join an optional beach excursion after dinner to watch the sea turtles lay their eggs. An unforgettable experience!

Accommodation: Pachira Lodge (or similar)

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today we maximise our explorations of Tortuguero National Park with two boat trips. Thanks to the expertly trained eyes of our guide and boatmen, we spot animals such as monkeys, lizards, caimans, turtles, bats and many bird species.

One of the boat tours takes place before breakfast, when the animals are waking. We also explore the surrounding area on the lodge’s walking trails. Meals are served at the lodge. The rest of the day is free for you to stroll through the gardens and relax by the pool.

Accommodation: Pachira Lodge (or similar)

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today’s schedule depends on where our boat can dock, meaning we enjoy one of two routes today.

Route one: After breakfast, we start our return journey by boat to Caño Blanco. Arriving, we cycle to Siquirres town, where we transfer to Guapiles for lunch. After, we transfer (two hours) to the town of La Fortuna, at the foot of Arenal volcano and our town centre hotel. Total cycling distance: (22mi/35km)

Route two: After breakfast, we start our return journey by boat to La Pavona Dock. Arriving, we transfer to Guapiles for lunch. From here, we transfer (1hr 30min) to the town of Muelle, where we cycle to Zona Fluca, then transfer (15 minutes) to our town centre hotel at the foot of Arenal volcano. Total cycling distance: 15mi (24km)

This evening there is an optional excursion to one of the local hot springs – an excellent way to relax and unwind!

Terrain: 100% paved

Accommodation: Hotel San Bosco (or similar)

Meals included:Breakfast, Lunch

Following a short transfer to Nuevo Arenal, our final cycling stage starts with a pleasant ride through the dense rainforest surrounding beautiful Lake Arenal. This provides several spots to observe the volcano as we continue towards Arenal 1968, where we pause our cycling to visit the lava trails.

After lunch, we transfer (about 2hr 30min) to the Central Valley.

Terrain: 100% paved

Accommodation: Hotel La Rosa de América (or similar)

Meals included:Breakfast

You’ve marvelled at the tropical scenery of Costa Rica by bike, cruised the wildlife-rich canals of Tortuguero, and hiked across hardened lava in the shadow of a volcano, but now it’s time to begin your return journey home.

Alternatively, if you’d like to extend your adventure, speak to your sales representative to discuss our large range of extension options.

Meals included:Breakfast

Dates & Prices

Skip the hassle: We’ll handle your trip from start to finish, with competitive flight prices, dates that suit you, 24-hour support, loyalty discounts, and peace of mind for delays or disruption.

Call us on 1 844 462 4317

Your Group, Your Adventure

Want to choose your travel companions? Gather your family and friends and let us create a Private Adventure just for you.

View Details

Accommodation

Characterful hotels and lodges

We aim to secure locally owned accommodation that is well located, offers good value for money, and plenty of comfort. To help you find your ideal adventure, each trip is given a Comfort Level rating, which indicates the overall standard of accommodation. For more on our ratings, see our Comfort Level guidelines.

Below are a few of the standout accommodations on this trip.

Dominical: Villas Rio Mar

Costa Rica Coast to Coast Ride

In a beautiful rainforest setting, Villas Rio Mar is a slice of Costa Rican wilderness but with plenty of amenities. There’s a large palm tree-wrapped swimming pool, tropical gardens, and a rainforest trail to explore. Sustainability-focused practices include solar power running the air conditioning in the bungalows, vegetables for the restaurant grown in their greenhouse, and a monthly clean-up of Playa Dominical beach (which is just a 10-minute walk away).

Near San Vito: OTS Las Cruces Lodge

Costa Rica Coast to Coast Ride

Unleash your inner natural historian with a stay at the Organisation for Tropical Studies Las Cruces Research Station. It’s a hub of science and nature, which brings together researchers and wildlife lovers from across the planet, with accommodation for up to 100 people. During our time here, we enjoy a guided walk around the Wilson Botanical Garden, which surrounds the property and is home to an extraordinary collection of tropical plants and more than 400 bird species.

Tortuguero: Pachira Lodge

Costa Rica Coast to Coast Ride

Five minutes from the main entrance to Tortuguero National Park and hugged by scenic canals, this 94-room resort has a prime location. When it’s time to relax, there’s a turtle-shaped pool (this is green turtle country, after all), a buffet restaurant serving Costa Rican-Caribbean cuisine, and a bar. But the real draw is the other residents. You may spot sloths, howler monkeys and white-faced monkeys and, if you’re lucky, an otter or manatee in the surrounding waterways.

Worth knowing

Tailor your trip: Extend your adventure by securing extra hotel nights before or after the main itinerary. Speak to your sales representative to book.
Private rooms: Like most tour operators, we room solo passengers together. If you’d prefer to have a private room, it’s normally possible to do this for a supplement. Speak to your sales representative to book.

Post-trip Extensions

Exclusive Add-ons

Costa Rica Hotels

Recharge with a few relaxing nights by the beach and make your adventure feel even more extraordinary. Costa Rica’s coastline is a paradise of golden sands and warm Pacific waters, perfect for unwinding after wildlife encounters and rainforest exploration. Here are a few of our favourites to inspire your stay:

Si Como No Resort, Spa & Wildlife Refuge: Nestled above Manuel Antonio’s coastline, boasting jungle-to-ocean views and access to a private wildlife refuge. Its comfortable rooms, relaxing spa and proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park make it ideal for nature lovers wanting both comfort and adventure.

Alma del Pacífico Beachfront Hotel: A colourful, boutique beachfront escape set along Playa Esterillos, offering spacious villa-style rooms just steps from the sand. With an oceanfront spa, tropical gardens and a peaceful atmosphere, it’s perfect for travellers seeking tranquillity by the Pacific.

Punta Leona Beach Club & Nature Resort: Set within a private nature reserve, this resort has two beautiful white-sand beaches, swimming pools and wildlife-spotting opportunities. Monkeys roaming the grounds, sloths lazing in the trees, a butterfly garden, and free guided walks to spot toucans or hummingbirds.

This is just a glimpse of what’s possible. Speak to your sales representative, who can guide you through the options and arrange everything for you.

Essential Information

This trip is classified Activity Level 3 (Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings, visit our Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip, please contact us.

Average daily distance: 19mi (31km)
Number of cycling days: 10
Vehicle support: 75%
Terrain and route: 94% paved/6% gravel
Total distance: 191mi (307km)

Routes and terrain: Though many of the roads are good, expect some potholes and poor road conditions in places. Routes follow quiet backroads wherever possible. On some sections on the Pacific coast only one road is available, so you should expect traffic as we head south.

Swimming: There are plenty of swimming opportunities on this adventure. However, the sea has very strong rip currents in Tortuguero and is not suitable for swimming from the beach. At Cahuita, heed the warning flags.

Key information

Start hotel: Hotel Rosa America, Calle La Rosa, La Garita de Alajuela, Alajuela Province, Alajuela
Phone: +506 7101 6785
Recommended arrival time: Check in from 2pm. When you arrive at the hotel, please make the reception staff aware you are part of our group. The leader is normally there from the early afternoon. There are no activities planned on the first day of the trip. Our welcome briefing will take place on the morning of Day 2.
Airport: Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO)

Getting to the start hotel

The start hotel is approximately 15 minutes’ drive from the airport. We provide one group transfer from the airport to the hotel, which you can join at no extra cost, provided you can be at the airport before the transfer leaves. Speak to your sales representative for the transfer times or to arrange a private transfer.

Catching your return flight

There’s one group transfer to the airport, which you can join at no extra cost. Please speak to your sales representative for the time of the transfer. If the group transfer does not suit your flight time, speak to your sales representative to arrange an alternative.

Costa Rica

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally do not need a visa to enter Costa Rica; however, proof of onward travel may be required – we suggest you take a physical copy of your flight details in case officials ask to see them.

Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/americas/costa-rica
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/costa-rica
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/costa-rica/entry-requirements
• USA:  www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Costa-Rica.html

Expect plenty of gallo pinto, a Costa Rican speciality, and lots of rice, beans, fruit and grilled meats. Fish lovers will be well satisfied with a variety of fresh fish from both Pacific and Caribbean waters.

Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are limited but food is plentiful and tasty – please inform us before departure of any special dietary requests.

Please note, we do not recommend that you drink the tap water.

Costa Rica is 10 degrees north of the equator and has a tropical climate. The average annual temperature is around 26C (79F) in the lowlands and 10C (50F) in the highest mountain regions. However, it’s essential you prepare for the time of year in which your departure takes place.

Dry season (December to April): This is the driest period of the year and can get incredibly hot; on the Pacific side, temperatures may exceed 37C (98F). If passing through areas of dry tropical forest it can be hot, dusty and dry. Prepare for some rain even during this time of year.

We aim to leave the hotel as early as possible to avoid the strongest heat of the day. In many cases, we leave by 8am; by 10am, temperatures can be hot. Your tour leader is well-equipped to deal with this, making sure everyone is safely protected and well hydrated. In cases of extreme heat, they may alter the cycling route to ensure everyone’s safety.

Rainy season (May to November): Expect daily downpours, although these are usually quite short and there is still plenty of sunshine. Typically, there are sunny conditions until approximately 1pm-2pm and then a build-up of cloud from around 3pm, resulting in late afternoon rain (most likely showers between 3pm-5pm). Usually, the sky clears by 6pm.

Our cycling tours are scheduled to make the best of the weather and we aim to get going early so we have arrived at our overnight hotel before any rain. In our experience, June, July and August are the most pleasant times to travel to Costa Rica – following rainfall, the vegetation will be at its most lush and temperatures are more pleasant than at other times of the year.

As a certified B Corp, we’re on a mission to improve our social and environmental impact across all our adventures.

We do this through our innovative Thriving Nature, Thriving People plan.

This ‘nature positive’ approach is designed to help nature and communities thrive in harmony through practical solutions, such as reducing carbon and waste on our trips, supporting conservation projects through the Exodus Adventure Travels Foundation, and rewilding 100 square metres for every Exodus traveller.

Reviews

Add new review

Suzanne Ryan

Added December 2025

Poor Cycling Experience Coast to Coast

This was more of Bus Tour with a small amount of cycling added on on very busy roads s

Most Inspirational Moment

Wild life and Trocadero

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto who was excellent given his limited support

Advice for Potential Travellers

This was a full tour and was under resourced. They group shoud have had a back rider for safety reasons. 80% of the accomodation was below basic and about 50% had no hot water. . .

Reply from Exodus

We’d like to thank Suzanne for sharing her thoughts and for travelling with Exodus. We’re truly sorry that this departure didn’t deliver the experience she expected.

The Coast to Coast itinerary remains the same one so many of our customers have loved, and we’re committed to ensuring it delivers the adventure and enjoyment they expect. Recent feedback—including Suzanne’s—has highlighted areas where we need to do better, and we’ve already taken steps to improve resourcing and logistics so future departures run more smoothly.

We’re equally concerned by the accommodation points she raised, particularly hot‑water reliability. Though this is sometimes unavoidable in rural Costa Rica, we’re auditing the properties used on this tour with our local partners to make sure stays meet our minimum standards.

We’re pleased the wildlife—especially in Tortuguero—and Roberto’s leadership were highlights, and we’ll pass on her praise. Thank you again to Suzanne for her honest review; it helps us improve and keep this much‑loved itinerary delivering the quality our customers deserve.

The Exodus Team

Jonathan Branch

Added November 2025

Disappointing

We’ve been on 6 Exodus trips previously and they’ve all been excellent. This trip was a real disappointment. It was under resourced and poorly planned. This was a surprise because we’ve been personally recommended this trip by other Exodus customers and the trip is very well reviewed on the Exodus...

Reply from Exodus

We'd like to thank Jonathan for sharing his thoughts and for being such a loyal Exodus customer. We’re truly sorry that this trip didn’t live up to the fantastic experiences he's had with us before. The Coast to Coast itinerary remains the same as the one so many of our customers have loved, and we’re committed to making sure it delivers the adventure and enjoyment they expect. Recent feedback has highlighted areas where we need to do better, and we’ve already taken steps to improve resourcing and logistics so future departures run more smoothly. We’re incredibly grateful for Jonathan's honesty and for the trust he's placed in us over the years. We sincerely hope he’ll give us the chance to welcome him back and show him the quality he's come to expect from Exodus.

Stefan Podolean

Added September 2024

Costa Rica Coast to Coast Ride

This was a great opportunity to see Costa Rica on two wheels! Amazing scenery and beautiful wildlife!

Justine Ross

Added July 2024

Costa Rica cycling holiday met all our expectations and more.

A fabulous cycling holiday - our first with Exodus and certainly not our last. So much to see and so well organised....well worth doing.

Most Inspirational Moment

Far too many magical and inspiring moments to list but my most memorable moment was standing in the warm pacific sea eating pineapple having just paddled up the mangrove river. The stay in the Botanical lodge was really interesting with a very informative guide and the trip to Tortuguero brilliant. But most inspiring of all was the abundance of wildlife and birds everywhere you looked.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto was just wonderful - he was funny and so informative about every part of Costa Rica we passed through. His enthusiasm was infectious and he was so knowledgable about the history, geography and wildlife of the country. His whole team were great - between them they were organised, friendly and made the whole holiday so easy.

Advice for Potential Travellers

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Costa Rica Coast to Coast Ride

Activity Level

Comfort Level

Activity

Overview

From coastlines to lava fields, marvel at Costa Rica’s beauty from the best seat in the house – your saddle

Key Information

What's Included

10 days of Cycling

Highlights

Itinerary

Dates & Prices

Skip the hassle: We’ll handle your trip from start to finish, with competitive flight prices, dates that suit you, 24-hour support, loyalty discounts, and peace of mind for delays or disruption.

Your Group, Your Adventure

Accommodation

Characterful hotels and lodges

Post-trip Extensions

Costa Rica Hotels

Essential Information

Key information

Getting to the start hotel

Catching your return flight

Costa Rica

Reviews

Poor Cycling Experience Coast to Coast

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Reply from Exodus

Disappointing

Reply from Exodus

Costa Rica Coast to Coast Ride

Costa Rica cycling holiday met all our expectations and more.

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Costa Rica Cycle tour

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Greatly exceeded expectations, primarily because of excellent team.

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Suggestions

Fantastic trip which lived up to all it advertised

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Suggestions

Accurate

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Suggestions

Shame about the tour leader

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Reply from Exodus

A great trip - made brilliant by the other members of the group

Most Inspirational Moment

Thoughts on Group Leader

Advice for Potential Travellers

Suggestions

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