Chirripó Hike and Cloud Forest Costa Rica Tour

Day 1: San José – Welcome to Costa Rica (-/-/-)

An English-speaking guide will welcome you at the airport and drive you to your well-located hotel in San José. Along the way, our guide will give you all the tips and recommendations to get the most of your stay in Costa Rica. The rest of the day is free for you to relax and settle in, then perhaps take a walk around the city. There is plenty to do in the capital, from walking in its parks, visiting a museum, taking a food tour or browsing in the shops and the busy central market.

Day 2: From San José to Dota (B/L/-)

After breakfast, you will be picked up at your hotel in San José to start a private journey to the beautiful Tamí Lodge in Providencia de Dota (approx. 2 hours). On the way, you will enjoy the wonders of this fertile land in a guided small-group tour in Copey de Dota, where you will learn about highland tropical fruits and you will have the chance to see how a semi-organic farm operates. The tour finishes with a delicious traditional lunch. Free afternoon once you arrive in Tamí Lodge. The next two nights will be spent deep in the cloud forest surrounded by nature but with access to all your basic needs and amenities. Experience Tamí Lodge’s unique luxury tented camp with spectacular views of Los Santos Region.

Day 3: Activities in Tami Lodge (B/L/-)

Wake up early and take part in a small-group Quetzal watching tour that lasts around three hours (quetzal main viewing season is from December to May). Go in search of the resplendent Quetzal with its iridescent green feathers, its long, graceful tail and right red breast! Later, you will enjoy a traditional breakfast at the lodge. Then, a 4WD transfer will take you to start a half-day small-group hike to Los Santos Forest Reserve starts. During this challenging but rewarding hike, you will see more than three beautiful waterfalls over 20 meters high settled in the lush nature. After the first part of the hike you will enjoy a well-deserved traditional lunch before trekking back through a beautiful trail to see another two waterfalls. Free rest of the afternoon and evening to rest.

Day 4: From Dota to San Jerónimo (B/-/D)

Free morning in Dota. Several optional activities available: treetop net hangout at Armonía Ambiental, hiking, farm tours, adventure park (canopy, zip lining, rappel, etc). After time for lunch, a private transfer will take you to the town of San Jerónimo (approx. 2.5 hours), where your trek to Chirripó will depart from the following day. Tonight, you will sleep in a private cabin with all the necessary amenities for a pleasant stay. Members of the community and the local rural tourism association of Cerro Ena (ATURENA) will host you. ATURENA was founded in 2007 with the intent to develop an eco-friendly, rural tourism and adventure project in the community of San Jerónimo. Its main goal is conservation, by protecting the environment and natural resources through sustainable rural tourism. The association has over 70 families from San Jerónimo and neighbouring communities, playing a crucial role in the rural ecotourism of the area. Dinner will be home made traditional food, that you can have with your hosts or on your own. Free evening to relax or explore the town.

Day 5: San Jerónimo to Chirripó Mountain Lodge (B/L/D)

Today is the first day of your trek to Mount Chirripó, the tallest mountain in Costa Rica: it rises to an altitude of 3,820 meters (12,532 feet) above sea level. This incredible hiking experience will take you through five different ecological zones and spectacular landscapes. It is inhabited by a wide range of flora and fauna, including orchids, tapirs, quetzals, monkeys and pumas. Today's hike is 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) long and ascends 2,400 meters (7,874 feet) – it is more demanding than your average trail.
After a very early breakfast, a shared transfer will take you to the start of the trail (approx. 15 min). You will begin your ascent alongside a small group of fellow adventurers (between 4 and 8 people). An English-speaking naturalist guide will be with you for the duration of this trek. After 6 to 8 hours hiking through beautiful landscapes, you arrive at the mountain lodge of Los Crestones, where you will enjoy a well-deserved lunch. Accommodation is in shared rooms with bunk beds (4 beds per room). Free afternoon and evening to explore the area. Several hiking circuits are available around Los Crestones.
Optional: If you are looking for a less physically demanding hike, we recommend Mount Ena, located in the Talamanca Mountain Range, with an elevation on 3,126 m.a.s.l. This 2-day hike also departs form San Jerónimo, covers 11 km approximately and lasts about 6 hours (each way). This trek can be tailored to your needs so that you can truly enjoy one of the most beautiful and unspoiled areas of the Talamanca Mountain Range.

Day 6: Chirripó National Park (B/L/D)

After an early breakfast at Los Crestones, you will begin your ascent to reach the summit of Mount Chirripó (5 km, approx. 2 to 3 hours each way), or you can leave earlier to watch the sunrise from the top and have a boxed breakfast later. Back to the lodge in time for lunch. In the afternoon, you will have the opportunity to explore other points of interests within the national park, always in company of our naturalist guide.

Day 7: From Chirripó to San Jerónimo (B/L/D)

After an early breakfast, you will start your guided descent from Los Crestones to San Jerónimo (approx. 14 km), which should take between 6 to 8 hours. Upon arrival, your shared transport will take you back to your cosy private cabin, where a home made lunch will be waiting for you. Free afternoon and evening to rest and recover. Dinner will be served with your hosts or in your cabin.

Day 8: From San Jerónimo to Biolley (B/-/-)

After breakfast, you will be picked up (flexible time) at your cabin for a private transfer to the town of Biolley (approx. 2.5 hours). Check in at Posada Cerro Biolley, a rustic and comfortable community lodge where you can enjoy the peace and tranquillity characteristic of a rural village. Located in the foothill of Cerro Biolley, the lodge is known for its stunning views of the Coto Brus Valley. Biolley is a rural community surrounded by the majestic mountains of La Amistad International Park. It offers wonderful landscapes, excellent climate and friendly people. Free afternoon and evening to relax. Optional: Upgrade to Coffea Diversa to stay in one of their cabins that looks like a coffee basket.

Day 9: Coffee tour in Biolley (B/-/-)

After breakfast, start a small-group half-day tour to visit a coffee farm where you will learn about the cultivation and harvesting process. This farm is a model of sustainable production and as such contains a great variety of native trees and plants. Following the farm visit, you will head to the “beneficio” (mill), to learn more about processing coffee from the women of the Association of Organized Women of Biolley (ASOMOBI), a valiant group of ladies who joined forces in 1997 with the aim of improving their families’ lives as well as those living in the buffer zone of La Amistad International Park. Their “beneficio” implements sustainable production practices by conserving water, making organic fertilizer, and using the coffee husks removed during processing as fuel. The local guide will explain each stage of the art of processing coffee. At the end of the tour, awaken your senses by sampling delicious coffee, processed and roasted by the women of ASOMOBI, the first group of women in the country to operate their own “beneficio”. Free afternoon and evening to relax or join one of the optional activities available, such as an amphibian monitoring night tour, Aguas Calientes de Coto Brus hot springs excursion or Sabana Esperanza hike. You can also visit the coffee variety garden of Coffea Diversa.

Day 10: Biolley to San José or the Panama border (B/-/-)

After breakfast (flexible time), a private transfer will take you to Palmar Sur airport (approx. 1.5 hours) where you can take a 45-minute flight to San José (not included in the price). Alternatively, it can take you to the border with Panama in San Vito (approx. 1.5 hours) to continue your journey to the town of Volcán, the Barú Volcano and other destinations in the Province of Chiriquí. End of tour.

You will be greeted at the airport on arrival by a local guide who will take you to your hotel and will be able to answer any questions, make any additional arrangements and generally ensure everything goes smoothly.

No minimum number of passengers required. Prices quoted are per person and based on at least 2 people travelling. You should expect a cheaper price for bigger groups.

Your passport is required at time of booking. For information on visa requirements, immunisations and health formalities please visit the FCO Travel Advice Website (for UK citizens) and US Travel Advice website (for US citizens).

Information on money changing in each destination, as well as what it is customary to tip for various services, will be provided.

This tour of Costa Rica has a medium level of physical difficulty and participants can choose to do as much or as little as they like. If you have any concerns or require special arrangements please call or email us to discuss. In case you prefer a less demanding hike, you can replace the Chirripó Hike by the Mount Ena Hike.

What to bring: Travel insurance, passport, binoculars, alarm clock, walking shoes, water bottle, daypack, sun protection, insect repellent, sun glasses and hat, swimwear, flip-flops, torch with extra batteries, comfortable light cotton shirts with long and short sleeves, comfortable trousers made of cotton or a light synthetic material (bring at least two sets of light clothes which can be washed and dried easily), shorts, rain coat, plastic ziplock bags, plastic bags for your luggage in case of rain.