Horse Riding in the Backcountry of Costa Rica: 

   "Trails of the Campesinos" 

Eight Days, Seven Nights with Six Day's Horseback Riding

   Horse lovers this is a great adventure for you! Spend 7 days exploring the beautiful areas of Monteverde, Guanacaste and La Fortuna. See amazing cloud forests, waterfalls, nature reserves, local farms, wildlife, volcanoes, hot springs and lakes.

   The tour starts with a pick-up from San Jose by private transport. Forget the worries about public buses and safety. Our driver will take you to the hotel where you will meet up with a staff member who will be over- seeing your tour and will give you advice and tips about the area.

Itinerary: 8 Days, 7 nights and 6 Day's Horseback Riding 

Day 1

1.00pm (or later). You will be picked up at your hotel in San Jose by private transport. Enjoy the scenery as we make our ascent up the mountains and then to the beautiful valley of San Luis. You will be staying the first night at the San Luis Ecolodge & Biological, recognized as a model of sustainable tropical ecotourism. It is situated on a working tropical farm at the head of the valley, which borders the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve and the Children's International Rainforest, and shares with them a stunning diversity of wildlife. The Ecolodge has rustic but spacious, well-appointed accommodations nestled among the trees, with private baths, balconies, and a covered terrace overlooking the San Luis River gorge. 

We will arrive in time for dinner (included in the tour). After your meal you can relax in your hotel and recover from all your travelling or you can discover the tropical nature and Costa Rican rural culture in the company of the team of expert resident naturalists, by doing a night hike in the Ecolodge's forest. The guides are active researchers, eager to share their knowledge and enthusiasm. You can immerse yourself in hands-on activities, learn about tropical ecology, and experience Costa Rican life first-hand. 

Day 2 

Am You are your free to use the services of the Ecolodge and take a guided hike to the magnificent 100m San Luis Waterfall. 

   San Luis Waterfall

1.00pm After lunch (included in tour) we will introduce you to your horses. You will wind your way up from the San Luis valley, through rolling hills covered by lush coffee plantations with spectacular views of the Pacific and the cloud forests. Today will be a 3-4 hour ride and we will end up at the Hotel Miramontes, 20 minutes outside the village of Santa Elena. You will spend three nights at this hotel, located in a quiet area surrounded by pine trees and in a garden full of flowers. There is full restaurant service from 1.00PM to 8.30PM with over 40 different specialties from Italy, Switzerland, Austria, France and Costa Rica. You can also enjoy the butterfly and orchid garden with over 350 species.

   Miramontes Hotel

Day 3

AM 9.30am Today we will ride for about 4-5 hours stopping for a picnic on the way. The route will be on little used dirt roads and through some farms, crossing small streams and valleys. Beautiful views. 

Day 4

Today there are two options: 

1. 4-5 hours riding to the highest point in the area, crossing the continental divide. We will ride along on little used back roads and tracks and weather permitting we will get a view of Arenal Volcano and Lake. Lunch will be at a local "soda" (the name for a small café in Costa Rica))

OR

For those who would just like to participate in the activities available in Monteverde and have a rest from riding there is an option (included in the price) to do the following:

Am 7.00am. Pick up from the hotel for a guided hike in the Monteverde Reserve for about three hours. The guide will explain all the there is to know about the fauna and flora of the area, as well as the history of the park and Monteverde. You will be picked-up after the tour with a quick stop at the cheese factory. We will stop at the well-known Stella's bakery for lunch. 

1.30pm Pick-up at your chosen location, drive to Skywalk / Skytrek Canopy Tour. Enjoy the thrills of zipping from tree to tree, using cables and harnesses high in the canopies of the cloud forest. For those who want a more gentle time you can opt for the Skywalk, which is a 2 to 3 hour hike at your own pace high in the canopies along suspended bridges. We need to know in advance which tour you would like. 

Day 5 

AM After a late breakfast we will travel about 30 minutes in a private shuttle to the start of the next ride. Our ride today is to Solania, passing though Campos de Oro (an area famous for its coffee plantations). The route is steep in places and we will rest the horses frequently, plenty of photos opportunities of the coffee plants! You can't fail to enjoy riding into the heart of the mountains and the countryside, passing other riders known as campesinos (local people of the rural communities) who often rely on horses for mobility. In Campos de Oro we will stop to have lunch in a typical Costa Rican family house, a real chance to taste home cooking. Here we will rest the horses before continuing down to Solania. The ride today will be 4-5 hours in total.

At Solania we will spend the night in rustic cabinas (bunk house style) in a cowboy country setting. The rooms are very basic but it is the only hotel/ranch in the area and it does boast good food! It is a good opportunity to experience staying on a working ranch. Solania is much hotter than Monteverde being at a lower elevation. You'll have a chance to cool off in the swimming pool or take hikes along the trails and go bird watching. In the evening there is a jacuzzi to relax in. 

Day 6

AM Early morning ride to an area called Quebrada Grande (a few kms outside of Tilaran). The scenery again changes and you will ride alongside a river for part of the day. We will have a chance to swim in the river at our picnic spot. 

Lots of monkeys and other wildlife can be spotted on this day. In Quebrada Grande a microbus will be waiting to take us the short distance to the Hotel in Puerto San Luis, a tiny village alongside the Lake Arenal. We will stay at a comfortable hotel with nicely appointed rooms, views of the Lake, swimming pool and jacuzzi. A bit of comfort after the ranch at Solania! The ride today will be about 4-5 hours.

Day 7

7.30 am Ride from Puerto San Luis to Rio Chiquito (4-5 hours). We will ride early in the morning through small villages until we reach the lake. We will continue to ride along the lake- side, stopping along the way for a fruit break and a snack. Monkeys and many birds are often spotted amongst the trees at the edge of the Lake. At the end of our ride a boat will be waiting for us to take us to the other side. Sadly we have to say goodbye to our horses who will travel by truck back to their farm for a well-earned rest. We will travel by boat (30 minutes) and car (20 minutes) to a hotel called Arenal Volcano Inn. The hotel has a small breakfast room, pool, jacuzzi and a great view of the volcano

At 5.00pm transport will pick you up and take you (100 minutes) to the world famous Hot Springs of Tabacon at the foot of Arenal Volcano. Arenal Volcano (1,633 meters) is a picture-perfect cone. It is one the world's most active volcanoes and a must-see on any tourist's itinerary. Its lava flows and eruptions have been continuous and on virtually any day (when it is not cloudy) one can see huge smoking boulders tumble down the steep slope. A perfect place to view the volcano is from the hot springs of Tabacon. 

Here you can soak any aches away from the last few days of riding. This is a place where you can really relax and pamper yourself. Tabacon has a series of pools and rivers heated by Arenal Volcano. The Springs are set amid glorious tropical gardens, complete with a waterfall that you can swim under. The pools vary in temperature, from the temperature of a swimming pool to the warmest, at around 39C (102F). It's a place where, on a clear night, you can sit in a warm pool, sipping the cocktail of your choice, while watching the fireworks as Arenal volcano erupts. Evening buffet is included.

Tabacon Hot Springs

You might also decide to pamper your body by opting for one of the many body treatments that are available such as massage, reflexology, body polish, volcanic mud wraps and facials (this is optional and nor included in the price). Included in this tour is a buffet dinner. The transport back to the hotel will depart around 9.00pm.

Day 8 

This morning you will be free to do optional activities such as cycling, exploring the volcano or do a half-day white water rafting. At around 1.30pm we will end the tour with shuttle transport to San Jose or we can arrange transport to some of the main beaches in Costa Rica.

Read bottom of page for trip details...

  Details:

Cost: $1395 per person ( Single supplement $250)

Minimum: 4 people (Double occupancy) Max 10 people. We can organize tours for less than 4 people for extra cost $40pp extra per day.

Max weight:  200lbs, Riding Western Style

Tour Dates: 2006: 25 March, 15 April, 8 July, 22 July, 12 August, 26 August 

Year 2007: 24 Feb, 10 March, 24 March, 14 April, 7 July, 21 July, 11 Aug, 25 Aug

We can be flexible with the dates - Inquire by email: info@monteverdetours.com

Included on Trip: 6 days riding, 7 nights accommodation, all breakfasts and all lunches (except the last day), evening meals are provided only at San Luis Ecolodge and Tabacon Resort), all transport, luggage transfers, entrance to Tabacon Resort, English/Spanish speaking guides and all tours in the itinerary (except optional activities) 

Not Included: Flights to Costa Rica, hotels in San Jose, evening meals (except San Luis Ecolodge and Tabacon where evening meals are included), lunch on the last day, optional tours or transportation to other tours. 

What to Bring: T-shirts, shorts, long pants for riding (you might want to bring half-chaps), sweater or light jacket, light hiking or riding boots, rain jacket, water-proof pants, sunscreen, insect repellant, anti-histamine cream for insect bites, any personal medication, shorts, swimming gear, sports sandals, riding hat (note they are not compulsory in Costa Rica), traveler's insurance (to include horse riding), full passport (a driving license is not sufficient), traveler's cheques and a credit card (VISA only - other cards are difficult to use in Monteverde). 

Insurance: You must have your own insurance that includes horse riding (the policy number and details needs to be send to us).