Top Costa Rica Cultural Tours

Explore Tamarindo’s beaches and dry forest on an off-road ATV tour with river crossings and stunning tropical scenery. Learn to maneuver your vehicle, then follow your guide along a rugged circuit. Take in the sights and sounds of the Costa Rican forest and watch for birds and monkeys as you steer beneath coastal trees. Upgrade your tour to include other activities such as snorkeling, driving a UTV, ziplining, or even exploring other areas by ATV.

San Jose is the cultural capital of Costa Rica and boasts a rich and varied history. Get acquainted with the city’s charms on a private tour, featuring a customizable itinerary of must-see attractions and private transportation through the city’s maze of trafficked avenues.

Taste how Costa Rican chefs are incorporating farm-to-table concepts on a food tour through San Jose’s vibrant Escalante neighborhood. Take a seat at restaurants and cafes hand-picked for their fresh, innovative cuisine, sampling the best of menus featuring local, seasonal, and organic ingredients. A foodie guide introduces you to chefs and owners for a more personal tasting experience.

Learn more about Costa Rican culture on a full-day small-group tour revolving around two of the country’s finest products: cigars and rum. Visit a handcrafted cigar shop, have a go at rolling your own, and sample three varieties. Then, head to a private sugar estate where you’ll take a walking tour and learn about rum production. Enjoy a personalized rum cocktail with a traditional lunch at a grand 19th-century mansion.

Visit the Irazú Volcano National Park and Lankester Botanical Garden on this all-day tour from San Jose. First, head to Irazú Volcano, the highest active volcano in Costa Rica at 11,260 feet (3,400 meters) tall and see its most popular attraction, the giant Diego de la Haya crater. On the return trip, stop at the Lankester Garden, which was established to protect types of flora.

Experience several of Costa Rica's natural highlights on one private, leisurely-paced excursion—with a comprehensive itinerary saving you the hassle of combining separate tours and logistics. Visit a coffee and chocolate plantation, stroll through a wildlife park, take in the rainforest, and cool off at Llanos de Cortés Waterfall. Along the way, learn about local cultivation, sample local exports, enjoy a meal, and look for wildlife, including sloths, toucans, and butterflies.

Visit two of the most popular attractions near La Fortuna with the full-day excursion to the Arenal Mistico Park and La Fortuna Waterfall. First, walk along a 2-mile (3.2 kilometers) hanging-bridges circuit up to 200 feet (60 meters) above the rainforest floor. Afterward, swim and relax at La Fortuna Waterfall before having a traditional lunch and returning to La Fortuna.

Hike to the edge of a steaming caldera on a full-day trip to Rincón de La Vieja volcano, where bubbling mud, sulfurous ponds and simmering lagoons are warmed by underground activity. Follow your local guide on a 2-hour hike along the mountainside, and get an up-close look at the otherworldly features of this “gently active” volcano. Enjoy sweeping views of the Guanacaste mountain range, eat lunch inside the park, then finish your day with return transfer to your Guanacaste hotel.

Make the most of your day at Puerto Limon with this jam-packed shore excursion that gives you a memorable taste of Costa Rica's Caribbean highlights. Spot wildlife on a rain forest trek, visit a working banana plantation, and cruise down the biodiverse Tortuguero Canal. You’ll also take a scenic drive along the coast, explore the region’s diverse culture on a Limon city tour, and hunt for souvenirs at local shops.

Coffee lovers, get your fix on a tour of the Café Britt plantation including private transfers from your San Jose hotel. Learn the history of this famous Costa Rican export, and see firsthand how coffee beans are cultivated, roasted, and transformed into fragrant elixir with a behind-the-scenes look at the farm and processing facilities. Browse products at the Britt factory store, order a freshly brewed drink from the coffee bar, and enjoy a buffet lunch from the plantation’s own restaurant.

Spend a day exploring Costa Rica’s beauty away from the beach on this guided shore excursion from Punta Arenas. Head out with a guide and a small group of 15 people or fewer to discover the region’s highlights, including the tropical fruits grown in nearby “fruit towns,” a wildlife area known for its population of white-faced monkeys, and a sail down the lush Tarcoles River. Tour includes entrance fees and all transportation with port or hotel pickup and drop-off.

Head into the rain forest of Costa Rica and discover the Arenal Volcano on a half-day tour. Trek past lava formations, swim in a lake created by the volcano, and take a dip in the warm hot springs of the Tabacon River. Enjoy a delicious Costa Rican lunch while taking in the views of the volcano and enjoy your day in the rain forest.

Though Costa Rica may be more famous for its natural attractions, its capital city of San Jose is not to be overlooked. Head out from downtown San Jose on a double-decker sightseeing bus to discover the city’s important historical landmarks, learn about the history and culture of Costa Rica, and find the best panoramic views of the city.

Enjoy a combination of outdoor activities in Costa Rica during this zipline, ATV, and waterfalls tour. You'll have the chance to explore the rainforest scenery above and below as you zoom across the treetops and travel down muddy paths and along rivers. This adventure takes place about 10 minutes from Jaco Beach and Los Suenos Resort.

Set sail and take in views of the Costa Rican coastline on this sunset tour. On board a catamaran, you’ll have the chance to spot local sealife such as whales, dolphins, turtles, rays, and seabirds. The tour also includes time to swim and snorkel or simply relax on the boat, plus a hearty lunch of BBQ chicken, black beans, and fresh fruit, and an open bar featuring premium drinks. On the sail back to Playas del Coco, you’ll catch sight of the sunset from the water.

Discover the natural beauty and heritage of Nicaragua with a full-day tour that travels round-trip from northern Costa Rica. Visit the active Masaya Volcano and the extinct Apoyo Volcano, view picturesque Spanish colonial architecture in Granada, watch monkeys in the jungle, and more. You’ll benefit from border-crossing assistance and hassle-free transportation that allows you to make the most of your day.

Explore three of Costa Rica's most incredible national parks in just three days with this tour. You'll spend time hiking in Arenal Volcano National Park, traversing the canals and rivers at Tortuguero National Park, and hanging out at the beaches in Manuel Antonio National Park. For added convenience and comfort, all accommodation, transportation, and meals are included.

You don’t need to venture deep into the rain forest to see Costa Rica’s spectacular wildlife on this guided nature walk in a La Fortuna nature center. On this tour, a guide accompanies you on an easy, kid-friendly walk through the forest, pointing out wildlife like sloths, birds, and tree frogs along the way.

Learn about one of Costa Rica’s indigenous populations first-hand with this tour to the largest Bribri community in the country. See how traditions like plant medicine and cacao ceremonies still thrive today—you can even taste handmade chocolate for yourself. Then, take a dip in a local waterfall before returning to your hotel.

Get closer to nature while still experiencing thrills during a fun-filled day in the jungle at the Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica Atlantic eco-reserve. Your multi-pass gives you access to six different activities, so you can ride an aerial tram, encounter native critters at a butterfly and frog garden, cross a hanging bridge, and explore the jungle on a nature hike at your own pace. Get your adrenaline pumping as you soar through the treetops on ziplines, including one of the longest and fastest in the country.

Visit the impressive crater of Poas Volcano and go behind-the-scenes at a large commercial coffee farm on this full-day tour from San Jose. A guide shares fun facts about one of Costa Rica's most-visited volcanos and biggest exports on a field-to-cup tour of the coffee farm. Plus, private transportation and included lunch make this tour a breeze.

Tabacon Hot Springs is considered one of the most beautiful natural attractions in Costa Rica, and visiting the natural thermal pools is even more relaxing on a guided tour. Transportation, meals, and entrance fees are already included so you don't need to plan a thing, plus a guide is by your side to share information and answer any questions throughout the day.

Discover the beautiful natural attractions of Costa Rica on this all-day tour from San Jose. Fly over the rainforest canopy via a zipline course and rappel down 150 feet (50 meters) at an adventure park. Visit two waterfalls and admire the local wildlife including iguanas. Stop at a coffee plantation where you'll learn how it's cultivated and harvested. Finally, relax in thermal mineral hot springs at the base of Arenal Volcano.

Cruise along one of Costa Rica’s most scenic coastlines on a sailing and snorkeling tour of Manuel Antonio. Relax on deck and sip unlimited drinks from an open bar as you get a new perspective on the unspoiled nature preserve and try to spot dolphins, turtles, and migrating whales. Stop to swim and snorkel among tropical fish in the clear waters off Biesanz Beach, and then reward your efforts with a gourmet lunch prepared right on board.