Costa Rica - Sky-to-Sea Freeride Tour
Costa Rica is a mountain biker’s dream. In addition to having some of the world’s most breathtaking and diverse scenery, it’s also criss-crossed by a variety of tracks, paths, and cattle trails so that we can experience all the diversity of this land while staying off-road for 90% of our journey. Our 8 day tour, 60% of which is downhill, will start at the crater of an ancient volcano and will wind it’s way through cloud forests, traditional farmlands, coffee plantations, dry forests, national parks, and lakeshores until it reaches the magnificent Pacific ocean. In addition to exhilarating mountain biking you’ll receive expert instruction from our qualified instructors, enjoy a relaxing soak in a volcanic hotspring, swing from the trees during a canopy tour of Monteverde Cloud Forest, and enjoy lively evenings in our carefully selected restaurants and lodges.
Our Costa Rica mountain bike tour is ideal for beginner and intermediate mountain bikers who wish to develop their all-round riding skills. Our expert instructors will work with you to develop your riding technique, your confidence, and your technical knowledge. Beginners will learn critical skills such as: climbing, descending, cornering, balance, and weight distribution. Intermediates will work on these skills as well as more advanced techniques such as drop offs, basic front and back wheel lifts and switchbacks. Our Instructors will also teach you about bike mechanics, maintenance and repairs and responsible trail use.
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| Day 1 |
You`ll get your first taste of Costa Rica as soon as you step off your plane at the San José International Airport. Nestled high in the Central Valley, the airport faces both the metropolitan city of San José and, in the distance, the green volcanic mountain ranges characteristic of this lush countryside. Your Access Trips guide will meet you at the airport, and together, you`ll drive through rolling countryside to the foothills of Poás Volcano. After getting to know the other guests over a traditional casado dinner, you`ll spend the night at a private lodge set on lush farmland.
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| Day 2 |
Our Costa Rica mountain bike tour officially begins early this morning with a ride to the legendary Poás Volcano National Park. Here, we`ll have the opportunity to visit the impressive craters that distinguish the park as well as the surrounding cloud forest. At 2500 mts of elevation, the biking begins with a downhill route through pasture, cloud forests, and emerald-green coffee plantations of Costa Rica`s central valley. The 34 km ride, which is 70% downhill, includes many long descents and a few short climbs. We`ll ride a mixture of single track, cattle farm roads and a stretch of gravel road through highland forest. All the while your expert instructor will be providing you with tips, advice and encouragement to help you maximize your mountain biking performance and enjoyment. In the afternoon you`ll have an opportunity to visit a coffee processing plant before heading to our hotel, a cozy B&B, for a drink before dinner.
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| Day 3 |
On the third morning of our Costa Rica mountain bike tour we`ll drive to the top of the Continental Divide and then mount our bikes for a 15km ride on technical single track, passing dense rainforest and lush pastures along the way. After a stretch on secondary paved roads, we`ll start a double track 12km downhill, ending with a fast gravel road. Today will be a great day to hone your downhill and single track skills with your expert Access Trip`s instructor. In the afternoon we`ll drive to the renown Arenal Volcano, the most active of Costa Rica`s four volcanoes as well as one of the ten most active volcanoes in the world. Against the backdrop of the setting sun, you`ll spend an unforgettable couple of hours relaxing you muscles in natural hot springs that are framed by lush ferns and dense jungle. The evening will draw to a close with a traditional dinner of homemade tortillas and a visit to lookout point, where you`ll hopefully glimpse the fuming glow of Arenal`s hot lava. Tonight we`ll stay in a comfortable lodge that offers amazing views of the volcano.
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| Day 4 |
Today we`ll take a spectacular ride along deserted trails on the southern shore of majestic Lake Arenal (the largest in Costa Rica). We`ll start with an easy ride on a wide, hard-packed dirt/gravel road at the foot of Arenal Volcano National Park. After 17 kilometers of long flat stretches and a few short, easy climbs, we`ll cross the Cano Negro river (there are no bridges in this remote part of the park so we`ll need to wade). From here we`ll ride 15-20 kilometres on an abandoned dirt road that`s been taken over by vegetation. Crossing 10 different creeks and negotiating several muddy spots, this ride will be quite an adventure, but the terrain is undulating with only short climbs and the views of the lake are spectacular! At the end of the ride we`ll reach our first sign of civilization – a small restaurant where we`ll enjoy a refreshing soda and some lunch! After lunch, you can either bike the 25 kilometres up to Monteverde Cloud Forest or you can board van for the `quick` way up. The world-renown Monteverde Cloud Forest has been likened to a “green cathedral”.
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| Day 5 |
The fifth day of our Costa Rica Mountain Bike tour is a rest day. We`ll set our bikes aside and participate in a guided hike through the Cloud Forest while a knowledgeable guide will point out the remarkable flora and fauna of the jungle. The forest itself is a mosaic of vegetation and exotic plant life, and it literally drips with water thanks to the moisture-filled clouds which hover above it. Following a break for lunch, we`ll see the forest from a whole different angle courtesy of an exhilarating Canopy Tour. Moving through the treetops on ziplines and suspension bridges, we`ll spend an unforgettable afternoon experiencing the forest from a bird`s eye view.
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| Day 6 |
The scenery changes yet again for a technical downhill ride, followed by a rapid descent on dirt roads that offer plenty of curves. As we move down in altitude, we`ll experience a huge change in climate and scenery - from lush, Costa Rican rain and cloud forests to the dryer land of the Pacific slope. In the afternoon, you`ll be able to take advantage of the hotter weather in the beach town of Sámara, in the Nicoya Pennisula. The natural cove is surrounded by a flourishing rainforest (Costa Rican rainforests, no matter how often seen, will continue to amaze you for the duration of your stay in the country) and also features an intricate system of coral reefs. If the weather is right, we`ll enjoy a spectacular sunset here on the Pacific before enjoying a delicious seafood dinner. Our accommodation for the next two nights is a stylish boutique hotel.
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| Day 7 |
We`ve saved one of the most beautiful rides for the end! The rugged, almost deserted stretch of Pacific coast along Guanacaste represents wildlife uninterrupted. Most tourist maps have yet to chart the course you will bike, and there are few hotels to impede the spectacular views. Our loop ride will start inland with a 12 kms ride on small, undulating dirt roads that pass through small farms and dry forest. A 7km downhill will take us to a deserted stretch of coastline from where we`ll ride 15kms one hard-packed sand and small dirt roads, following the spectacular ocean all the way and passing tiny villages and very simple houses. The ride includes some fun downhill and some uphill stretches. After a full day of biking, we`ll convene to celebrate the end of our Costa Rican mountain bike tour with cold drinks and an abundant seafood dinner.
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| Day 8 |
Our Costa Rica mountain bike tour will conclude with a final breakfast on the coast. Afterward, we`ll drive you to San José Airport to catch your flight home.
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| Required Skill Level |
Open to All
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| Required Equipment |
Not Applicable
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Mountain Biking Skills & Disciplines |
Road Cycling |
Urban Terrain |
Lap Racing |
Offroad Biking |
Cross-country |
Hill Climb |
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Downhill |
FreeStyle |
Dirt Jumping |
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Basics & Backgrounds
in Dutch
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