Cooking and Salsa Dance Lesson Combo

Recommended by 94% of travelers

Badge of Excellence

La Fortuna, Costa Rica

Great choice

10+ bookings last month.

3 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

Why travelers loved this

4.8

· Danny_W ·

Feb 2026

A fun evening had by our eight amigos who chopped and diced veggies, made tortillas from scratch, and learned some history, culture, and language skills. We all so enjoyed Cathy and her remarkable way of getting everone involved. Her dance instruction was clear and fun, and we all enjoyed the class.

· Alexis_R ·

Jan 2026

Such a fun experience! Kathy was a wonderful host and made this activity so worth it. The food turned out amazing, she's even going to send us the recipes. My husband was not looking forward to the salsa dancing part, but he actually wants to take classes now when we get back home!

Overview

Combine learning to cook with learning to dance with this combo experience. You'll learn how to make traditional Costa Rican food and sit down to eat your creation. Once you're done, you'll work off your meal with a dance lesson focused on Latin dance styles such as salsa, merengue, cumbia, and bachata.

Learn how to cook a traditional Costa Rican meal
Learn Latin dance moves from a professional instructor
Round-trip transportation from your hotel will be provided
Group sizes capped at 10 participants for an intimate experience

What's Included

Dinner
Air-conditioned vehicle
WiFi on board

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Pickup details

We have an extra transport charge for hotels outside of our normal pick-up zone.

Operating hours
.5:00 pm

What To Expect

Iglesia de La Fortuna de San Carlos

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible

Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 60 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

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Featured review

Tiffany_D

Kathy was incredible! She did a fantastic job. She explained the traditional dish we were making in great detail. We made a curry chicken dish, with beans, rice, and picadillo. When it came to the salsa dancing she was very patient as I tried to navigate my two left feet. I have been to La Fortuna 5 times and this was one of my favorite excursions. Thank you Kathy for making our evening so special, we will never forget the delicious food and laughter.

Reviews

4.8

based on 97 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Really enjoyed this...

Amanda_A, Apr 2026

Really enjoyed this activity! They made our 7 year old feel special and included throughout all the cooking steps. The salsa dancing afterwards was so much fun. Recommend this for an evening in La Fortuna. You can drive and park there or be picked up.

Cathy was really sweet....

Alvin_A, Apr 2026

Cathy was really sweet. We made some typical Costa Rican food. She aalso taught the salsa class and the kids really enjoyed. Luis was our driver and was great.

Katherine was so nice,...

Tiffany_M, Mar 2026

Katherine was so nice, provided instructions, gave great conversation and was very knowledgeable in her cooking and dancing. Great excursions for kids and adults alike.

Uno, Dos, Tres …Chop, Eat & Dance

Danny_W, Feb 2026

So much fun. Kathy is a professional. Great night

Nina_B, Feb 2026

This was so professional. There was a chef who taught us how to make a Costa Rican dish with one other family. When it was over we had our own salsa lesson.

Such a fun experience!...

Alexis_R, Jan 2026

Such a fun night!

Jeff_S, Jan 2026

We thoroughly enjoyed this experience. It was just us and another couple and the setting was lovely and a short ride from La Fortuna (transportation included). Kathy was a very warm, charming host for both the cooking and dance lessons. We made Casado Pollo and learned a thing or two about Costa Rican cooking and culture. Would highly recommend. You end up making a good amount of food so come hungry. ✌️Pura Vida

Fantastic experience !

caroline_c, Jan 2026

This was one of the best experiences we had in Costa Rica ! My daughter is 16 and finding things she likes can be challenging. She had a blast. It is a very hands on class. We diced veggies, made dough for the tortillas ( and cooked it too !) … Katy and her crew made it very interesting. The salsa dancing at the end was a lot of fun as well. We leaned a few sample steps but they will stick with me and be a good base for more maybe.

Salsa Caliente

Tiffany_D, Oct 2025

Amazing experience

Jacquelyn_J, Oct 2025

Wonderful time, instructor was amazing, I would definitely recommend it and be coming back again! Food was delicious and had a great time learning salsa 💃💃

Fun, Delicious, and Full of Culture

Shalonda_M, Aug 2025

We had such a great time doing the cooking and salsa dance combo class! We learned how to make a traditional Costa Rican dish called Casados, and it turned out absolutely delicious. Our instructor guided us through both the cooking and dancing portions, she was informative, patient, and so kind throughout the entire experience. It was the perfect mix of learning, fun, and great food. Highly recommend this to anyone looking to immerse themselves in Costa Rican culture while having a blast!

Response from Host, Aug 2025

Thank you so much for your wonderful feedback! 💛 We’re delighted to hear you had such a great time with our Cooking & Salsa Dance Combo Class. 🥘💃 Learning to prepare a delicious Casado and mastering some fun salsa moves sounds like the perfect recipe for an unforgettable day! 🎶🍚 We’re so glad our instructor made the experience informative, patient, and kind — that’s exactly the atmosphere we love to create. 🌟 Your recommendation means the world to us, and we can’t wait to welcome you back for more Costa Rican adventures! 🌴🌺 Pura vida, - Desafío Adventure Company 🌋team

Good food and laughter with new friends!.

Roderick_H, Jul 2025

This tour is a wonderful way to pass the evening after a daytime of jungle adventures. Kathy was the best cooking instructor. Although our class was small, we all got to know each other and enjoy the laughter with our new friends.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you so much for your kind words! 🌟 We’re thrilled to hear you had such a wonderful evening after your jungle adventures 🌿🌄. Kathy will be so happy to know she made your cooking class fun and memorable — she truly has a special gift in the kitchen 👩‍🍳✨. It’s always amazing how food brings people together, and we’re glad you got to share laughter and connect with new friends 🥘❤️👫. We hope to welcome you back soon for more unforgettable experiences in Costa Rica! 🇨🇷😊 - The Desafío Team

Experience a piece of Costa Rican cuisine and culture

Mark_M, Jul 2025

We had a great time, the cooking portion was pretty straightforward (a group experience making casada, a homemade dish with a mix of protein, rice, beans, fried plantain etc) but enough to learn how things are done and be confident to cook something on our own, and the salsa class afterwards was a nice touch to have some fun right after eating. Definitely recommend if you like these kinds of things.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you so much for your kind review! 👩‍🍳🇨🇷 We're delighted to hear you had a great time during the cooking class and enjoyed preparing a traditional casado together 🍛🍌🥩. It's wonderful to know you now feel confident to recreate it at home — that’s exactly the goal! 🙌 And we're so glad you enjoyed the salsa dancing afterwards — such a fun way to wrap up the experience! 💃🎶 Thanks for recommending us, and we hope to see you again for more tasty and joyful moments! 🌟🥰 Pura Vida! 🌿 — The Desafío Team 💪😄

So fun!!!

Darby_t, Jun 2025

How fun!!! We got to make a delicious Costa Rican meal with Jennifer, who was so helpful and knowledgeable in local cuisine. Kathy was an excellent salsa and dance instructor, we had such a fun time! Highly recommend!!!

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you for the wonderful feedback! 🍽️🇨🇷 We're thrilled you enjoyed cooking a delicious Costa Rican meal with Jennifer and had a blast dancing with Kathy! 💃🎶 Your recommendation means a lot to us. Hope to see you again soon for more fun and flavors! 🌟👏 #PuraVida — The Desafío Team 💪😄

We made a traditional...

Andrew_G, Jun 2025

We made a traditional casado. Our instructor was knowledgeable and helped show everyone how to best cut up the produce. Everyone was able to participate and help cook the meal. Afterwards we did a salsa dancing class. My wife and I had 2 left feet but we both had fun and the instructor was patient with us as we went through the steps.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you for sharing your experience! 👩‍🍳🍽️ We're glad you enjoyed making a traditional casado and that our knowledgeable instructor guided everyone through the cooking process 🥦🔪. It's great to hear you both had fun in the salsa dancing class too—even with two left feet, the important thing is enjoying the moment! 💃🕺😄 We appreciate your kind words about the instructor's patience. Hope to see you again soon for more fun and culture! 🇨🇷✨ — The Desafío Team 💪😄

Authentic Costa Rican food with salsa evening what more could you want on a trip in Costa Rica!

Merilyn_A, May 2025

Great experience from beginning to end, commencing with a Costa Rican drink prior to cooking an authentic Costa Rican dinner. Jenny the cooking instructor explained the steps in full detail including all safety measures at every stage with a fabulous meal to enjoy afterwards. Then came the salsa … Unfortunately I cannot remember the name of the salsa teacher but can say that it was loads of fun re-learning old and new steps - I certainly worked up a sweat - but well worth the effort. A thoroughly enjoyable evening filled with lots of laughter and salsa. Highly recommended.

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you for sharing your wonderful experience! 🌟 Starting with a refreshing Costa Rican drink 🍹 and followed by an authentic cooking class with Jenny sounds fantastic! 👩‍🍳🔥 We’re glad the safety measures and detailed instructions made you feel comfortable. The salsa session 💃🕺 sounds like a perfect fun and energetic way to end the evening — sweating it out with laughter and great moves! 😅🎶 We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to see you again for more unforgettable moments! 🙌🇨🇷✨ Pura Vida! 🌺 — The Desafío Team 💪😄

Authentic Must Do

Sandra_G, May 2025

Kathi was a gem. She helped us prepare a delicious meal and then ate with us. And to top it off she then taught us Salsa dancing. It’s a nice way to start off your Costs Rica vacation.

Costa Rican Dinner and Dancing

Michael_C, Mar 2025

Food was fresh, and mainly cooked by us, the people who signed up for the class. It was cool to meet other people and learn how to cook a Costa Rican meal, and then later learn how to do a little bit of Salsa dancing.

Great Experience !

Christine_M, Feb 2025

Kathy was amazing ! She is so friendly and we had a great time . The food was great along with the salsa lesson . We had a blast and would do it again .

A plus experience

GenevieveDesjardins, Feb 2025

Fantastic evening of fun and food the dancing was a hit as well ; only did salsa dancing but was a great time food was also delicious!

This was such a fantastic...

Tiffany_S, Feb 2025

This was such a fantastic experience. The cooking and the dancing were a lot of fun, with great instruction and lots of cultural background interwoven into the experience. I definitely recommend partaking in this class. And do the dancing option!

Excellent experience

Vika_S, Feb 2025

Good organization, an enjoyable experience, nice to feel the atmosphere of Costa Rica, the culture, the food and the language

Dinner and Dancing

Sheri_M, Jan 2025

Kathy was very knowledgeable and down to earth. She was a delight to visit with. The meal was delicious. Had a great evening. We need to practice our salsa moves 😉

CR experience

Nigel_H, Dec 2024

Was an amazing experience, Jennifer is the best dance instructor ever. Would highly recommend the cooking class and dance class

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Yay! 💃🥘 We're so happy you had an amazing experience! Jennifer will love to hear your sweet words — she's truly the BEST dance instructor! 💖🔥 Thanks for the high recommendation! 🙌 Cooking + dancing = unforgettable memories 😋🎶 Hope to see you again soon for more fun! 🇨🇷✨ — The Desafío Team 💪😄

Amazing experience! Our...

Shaanvi_M, Dec 2024

Amazing experience! Our cooking instructor was really nice and she taught us well. The food also tasted really good. Salsa class was the cherry on top, so cute so fun!

Response from Host, Jul 2025

So happy to hear that! 😄🍽️✨ We're thrilled you had an amazing experience! Our cooking instructor will be glad to know you enjoyed the class 👩‍🍳❤️ — and we're glad the food was delicious too! 😋🌮🥑 The salsa class 💃🕺 being the cherry on top 🍒 just makes it even better! Thanks for sharing your joy — pura vida! 🇨🇷🌴 — The Desafío Team 💪😄

Cooking & Dancing Galore

Natalie_W, Dec 2024

Great for all ages. Our group had a variety of ages from 9-60 and it was great for everyone. Clientele is very international. Definitely stay for the dance class - it’s a blast. If you want to learn about Costa Rica from Costa Ricans who want to teach, this is the place for you. Great food, great vibes, great culture, learned a ton. It’s notably longer than you’d think, great value for money. Super fun - come energized and ready to socialize!

Response from Host, Jul 2025

Thank you so much for the amazing review! 🌟 We're thrilled to hear your whole group — from 9 to 60 years old — had a blast with us! 🙌💃🌎 We absolutely love sharing the pura vida spirit, Costa Rican culture 🇨🇷, and delicious food 🍽️ with adventurous souls like you. Thank you for highlighting the international vibe and fun dance class — it really is a party! 🎶🎉 We're so glad you felt it was a great value and learned a lot — that’s exactly what we aim for! 🧠❤️ Hope to welcome you back soon for more unforgettable moments! 🌺🔥 — The Desafío Team 💪😄

Highly recommend while in La Fortuna

Tracy_L, Dec 2024

We cooked and danced with a few other family groups who were vacationing in the area from different areas of the world/USA which was a lot of fun - meeting other people while engaged in a common activity brings a sense of fellowship. The food was great and the dancing lesson afterwards was a lot of fun.

Response from Host, Dec 2024

Hi, Thank you for your lovely feedback! 😊 It’s fantastic to hear that you enjoyed cooking and dancing with other families from around the world. 🌍💖 It’s always great to meet new people while sharing in a fun and engaging activity—it really does create a wonderful sense of connection! 🤝 We’re thrilled the food and dance lesson were such highlights of your experience. 💃🍴 We hope you’ll carry those great memories with you! We’d love to welcome you back for more fun in the future! 🌟 Desafío Adventure Company Team

Fun and informative

Kathryn_R, Nov 2024

What a fun evening! Kathy was a great teacher - showing us how to make Casado and then teaching us some salsa basics. We certainly didn’t leave as experts on either, but we laughed a lot and had fun pounding tortillas and tripping over our feet. The setting was gorgeous, and the evening was a nice change of pace from eating out every night of our vacation. The only ding of the evening was the lack of communication before hand about the pickup time, but that was quickly rectified by a great experience once we arrived. Be aware that the venue is fully covered, but open air, so dress for the temperature and use bug spray.

Response from Host, Nov 2024

Thank you so much for the feedback! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the Casado cooking class and salsa lesson with Kathy! It sounds like there was plenty of laughter and fun, which is exactly what we aim for. We appreciate your understanding about the pre-class communication and will work on making pickup details clearer for future guests. Thank you for the tip about the open-air venue as well—it’s a great reminder for other guests to come prepared. We’re so glad you had a memorable evening with us!

Memorable and fun

OliviaLe, Aug 2024

The cooking and salsa experience was very lovely and memorable. Kathy was kind and taught us so much about the ingredients and was very patient and fun to dance with. We enjoyed getting to know her, and the food and cocktail was delicious. This was a lot of fun and we highly recommend the experience!

Great family experience

Mike_S, Aug 2024

Katherine was fantastic. She was kind and helpful and very good at instructing. Her English was like that from the USA. She was kind and understanding when my son was too tuckered out to participate. It was a great family experience and I have the recipes to take home with me. Delicious food!