Costa Rica Family Multisport
Biking, Hiking & Rafting the Pacific Coast
Ready to treat yourself to an intimate encounter with Mother Nature? Come play with us in Costa Rica! Beloved for its parks, biological reserves and wildlife refuges, this friendly Central American nation protects a larger proportion of its land than any country in the world. On this action-packed multisport journey in the less-visited southern Pacific region, you'll experience many of Costa Rica's precious ecosystems firsthand. Bask on untouched beaches, venture through lush jungles, encounter wildlife at every turn and enjoy a rich array of activity options, from surfing and sea kayaking to horseback riding and zip-line "flying." You'll spend four nights right on the ocean, highlighted by two evenings at an enchanting and luxurious boutique hotel.
Trip Planning Links
- Sharing a meal with a local family
- Zipping down Rafiki Safari Lodge's 100-foot waterslide
- Experts who intimately know the country's incredible flora and fauna
- Sublime white-sand beaches great for swimming and surfing
- White-water raft Río Savegre, one Central America's most pristine rivers
The Day-to-Day Itinerary
Days 1-2 Dominical
Meet in San José and fly to the Pacific Coast 
Hike through a virgin rain forest and down to the beautiful coastline for some beach time Bike along the coast, with views of ocean, rain forest and mountains Kids spend time with an indigenous Boruca artist and get to paint their own masks The afternoon is yours to sea kayak, go on a mangrove tour or horseback riding, try a zip-line adventure through the jungle canopy or just relax beachside at our hotel.
Day 3 Savegre
Explore Hacienda Barú National Wildlife Refuge with a naturalist guide who helps us spot a wealth of exotic plants and wildlife, including white-faced monkeys, toucans, river otters and iguanas Join a local family for lunch in their home Hike through the rain forest to our secluded hotel Relax on your private deck and swim in the lodge's pool, which features a 100-foot waterslide.
Days 4-6 Playa Esterillos Este
Prepare for a thrilling white-water rafting excursion on the Río Savegre Enjoy lunch at Rancho Casa Grande, then choose from an array of optional activities in Manuel Antonio Our beachfront hideaway on Playa Esterillos Este offers many ways to play and relax: hike nearby trails, walk or jog the untouched beach, go horseback riding, take surfing lessons, lounge by the cascading pools or treat yourself to a massage or yoga class Pedal along rolling hills and mountain trails, and into a landscape of banana and palm oil plantations Cap off your adventure with an al fresco dinner featuring organic produce and fresh seafood specialties A morning flight brings us back to San José.
- Premiere Inns: These lodgings possess both elegance and authentic regional flair.
- Casual Inns: These lodgings are comfortable and appropriate to the area with such characteristics as authenticity, scenic settings and proximity to our activities.
- Deluxe Family Camping: We set up the tents (and take them down), handle every camp chore and perform culinary magic.
Other Trips You Might Like:
Costa Rica Pacific & Nicoya Multisport Costa Rica Insider Yucatan MultisportOther Central/South America Trips
Look at what other guests are saying about this trip!
Fabulous. The leaders were outstanding and our kids had the time of their lives. Backroads is a great way to travel for a busy family - minimal preparation required, and a rich and diverse schedule of activities and experiences that we never could have planned on our own.- Palos Verdes Estates, CA More about this Trip All Guest Reviews
For 30 years, Backroads has been perfecting the art of active travel. We are the Costa Rica tour experts. For multisport tours in Latin America, trust our in-depth connections. To see all our Latin America multisport tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Latin America biking tours click here. For our selection of award-winning Latin America walking and hiking tours click here.
Costa Rica Family Multisport
Tico Treasures: Premiere Inns*
Cristal Ballena
Dominical (2 nights) Savor breathtaking ocean vistas from your room at this peaceful retreat, nestled between the Pacific and rain forest-covered hills and featuring a huge swimming pool and a 30-acre garden.
Rafiki Safari Lodge
Savegre (1 night) These luxury safari tents - each set on a hardwood deck surrounded by rain forest and featuring large screened windows - offer the ideal setting for enjoying the sights and sounds of the jungle.
* Casual Inn
Xandari by the Pacific
Playa Esterillos Este (2 nights) The spacious private villas at this beachside resort feature a large terrace with unencumbered views of the Pacific Ocean and a mosaic-tiled shower that opens to a private garden.
Costa Rica Family Multisport
Daily Mileage Options & Cumulative Elevation Gain
Routes For All Abilities
Every Backroads trip is designed to appeal to a wide variety of interests and fitness levels. We know your pace may vary from one day to the next-and your traveling companion's may differ somewhat from yours. So we present a range of mileage options, and each day you decide exactly what and how much you want to do.
| Activity Level | Average Time | Biking Average | Walking Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insider Trips | Explore at a leisurely pace—on village walks, market strolls, art history excursions, hands-on cooking classes and more. | ||
| 1 | 2-3 hours | 10-20 miles | 2-5 miles |
| 2 | 2-4 hours | 21-30 miles | 5-7 miles |
| 3 | 3-5 hours | 31-40 miles | 7-9 miles |
| 4 | 4-6 hours | 41-55 miles | 9-11 miles |
| 5 | 5-7+ hours | 56-75+ miles | 11-13+ miles |
Day 1
- Level 1 2 Route Options Available
- Hiking 1.3, 4 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 2
- Levels 1 to 3 3 Route Options Available
- Biking 7, 21, 38 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 3
- Level 1 2 Route Options Available
- Hiking 1.5 hours
- Hiking 2.1 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 4
- Level 1 1 Route Option Available
- Rafting 1.5 hours
Day 5
- Level 1 2 Route Options Available
- Biking 10, 17 miles or 13, 20 miles (tide dependent)
- Kids Surf Lessons 2 Hours (tide dependent)
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
Day 6
- Level 1 2 Route Options Available
- Hiking 2, 3.5 miles
- 0 - 500 feet elevation gain
On this Family Trip, our routes are designed to be easygoing, with no significant gain or loss in elevation. However, rough terrain and heat can make biking in Costa Rica more challenging. Although these road conditions slow down your riding, it's also what makes biking in Costa Rica an adventure! Liberal van shuttling is incorporated into the itinerary to facilitate our activities and mileage is kept moderate to enable you to spend more time exploring on your own.