Mountain biking in Costa Rica
| country: | Costa Rica |
| trip type: | Introductory to hard core mountain biking holidays |
| departures: | Daily mountain bike tours available all year |
| price: | From US $85 (half day) - US $1750 (8 days) excluding flights. All tours include hotel pick-up and drop-off, breakfast, lunch, hydration, park entrance fees and rental of bicycle and safety equipment |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Mountain biking is the best way to meet Costa Rica's friendly people, see its nature and magnificent scenery. Pedaling through traditional villages, past working farms, and through virgin forests is a once in a lifetime experience.
Our guides are professionally trained expert cyclists who are also first aid qualified and experienced mechanics. Whether in English, German, Portuguese or even in Spanish, our guides are always ready to show you the Costa Rica they love. The terrain varies according to the tour and its rating. Advanced trips feature more technical terrain, more climbing and descending, and/or are all-day affairs. Intermediate tours offer moderate amounts of climbing and descending, but little or no technical terrain.
Easy tours feature mostly paved roads and the occasional dirt road on level gradient.
This three day all inclusive ride starts with a climb up to Irazu Volcano ay over 3200 meters above sea level on Day 1. We then traverse the mountain along a technical doubletrack through primary and secondary forest and continue down to the foothills of lush Turrialba Volcano and onwards to the town of Turrialba. During day 2 you get to rest your legs and instead get your heart rate up rafting wild Pacuare River. On Day 3 the cycling adventure continues first with an easy ride through cane sugar plantations and then up a tough technical singletrack up to Pit Bull Pass (ride it to find out why the name!). From Pit Bull Pass it is an easy ride down the Orosi Valley with magnificant views of Rio Macho, Orosi and Irazu Volcano.
Advanced
La Vuelta Sur: Price, US $1750 (8 days)
This eight day all-inclusive multisport adventure features our best rides near Irazu and Turrialba volcanoes, our famous 6 hour downhill to beachside Manuel Antonio National Park, rafting the Pacuare River, sea kayaking amongst dolphins and chilling at the beach.
Intermediate
La Vuelta Guanacasteca, US $1499 (8 days)
La Vuelta Guanacasteca combines the incredible experience of Arenal’s volcanic activity with the best tropical beach ride in the Nicoya Peninsula. Along the way we will visit absolute biological reserves, deserted beaches, cascading waterfalls and the enchanting waters of the Northern Pacific Coast. 4 PAX MIN. Includes lodging and all meals.
Intermediate
Tapanti Wet and Wild, US $100 (half day)
Similar to the Tapantí Loop. We depart Orosi but stop at Tapantí N.P. for a swim before lunch at Purisil trout farm (fish your own trout!). The ride back to Orosi is an easy downhill along dirt roads.
Intermediate
Orosi Loop, US $85 (half day)
Ride around the Cachí lake and through some of Costa Rica's most fertile coffee farms. Visit tranquil towns and see first- hand what makes Costa Rican coffee one of the best in the world.
Easy
Cerro de la Muerte Downhill/Ride to Quepos and Manuel Antonio, US $115 (half day)
Going to Quepos/Manuel Antonio? Why ride in a van when you can ride a bike?! Not for the timid! This unique ride takes us through several of Costa Rica's many ecosystems – temperate forest to tropical beach. We drive to the coffee producing region of Tarrazu and ride downhill to Quepos...just in time to watch sunset in Manuel Antonio. This is a unique ride!! 2 PAX MIN.
Advanced
Irazú Challenge, US $100 (half day)
Drive to Irazú Volcano to see this magnificent sleeping giant. Ride a technical downhill past lush primary forest to Turrialba Volcano, at three hours away one of the least visited parks. The ride ends in the town of Turrialba, Costa Rica's whitewater rafting hub. 2 PAX MIN.
Advanced
Our guides are professionally trained expert cyclists who are also first aid qualified and experienced mechanics. Whether in English, German, Portuguese or even in Spanish, our guides are always ready to show you the Costa Rica they love. The terrain varies according to the tour and its rating. Advanced trips feature more technical terrain, more climbing and descending, and/or are all-day affairs. Intermediate tours offer moderate amounts of climbing and descending, but little or no technical terrain.
Easy tours feature mostly paved roads and the occasional dirt road on level gradient.
mountain bike tours
Irazu - Orosi Challenge Multiday, US $799 (3 days) This three day all inclusive ride starts with a climb up to Irazu Volcano ay over 3200 meters above sea level on Day 1. We then traverse the mountain along a technical doubletrack through primary and secondary forest and continue down to the foothills of lush Turrialba Volcano and onwards to the town of Turrialba. During day 2 you get to rest your legs and instead get your heart rate up rafting wild Pacuare River. On Day 3 the cycling adventure continues first with an easy ride through cane sugar plantations and then up a tough technical singletrack up to Pit Bull Pass (ride it to find out why the name!). From Pit Bull Pass it is an easy ride down the Orosi Valley with magnificant views of Rio Macho, Orosi and Irazu Volcano.
Advanced
La Vuelta Sur: Price, US $1750 (8 days)
This eight day all-inclusive multisport adventure features our best rides near Irazu and Turrialba volcanoes, our famous 6 hour downhill to beachside Manuel Antonio National Park, rafting the Pacuare River, sea kayaking amongst dolphins and chilling at the beach.
Intermediate
La Vuelta Guanacasteca, US $1499 (8 days)
La Vuelta Guanacasteca combines the incredible experience of Arenal’s volcanic activity with the best tropical beach ride in the Nicoya Peninsula. Along the way we will visit absolute biological reserves, deserted beaches, cascading waterfalls and the enchanting waters of the Northern Pacific Coast. 4 PAX MIN. Includes lodging and all meals.
Intermediate
Tapanti Wet and Wild, US $100 (half day)
Similar to the Tapantí Loop. We depart Orosi but stop at Tapantí N.P. for a swim before lunch at Purisil trout farm (fish your own trout!). The ride back to Orosi is an easy downhill along dirt roads.
Intermediate
Orosi Loop, US $85 (half day)
Ride around the Cachí lake and through some of Costa Rica's most fertile coffee farms. Visit tranquil towns and see first- hand what makes Costa Rican coffee one of the best in the world.
Easy
Cerro de la Muerte Downhill/Ride to Quepos and Manuel Antonio, US $115 (half day)
Going to Quepos/Manuel Antonio? Why ride in a van when you can ride a bike?! Not for the timid! This unique ride takes us through several of Costa Rica's many ecosystems – temperate forest to tropical beach. We drive to the coffee producing region of Tarrazu and ride downhill to Quepos...just in time to watch sunset in Manuel Antonio. This is a unique ride!! 2 PAX MIN.
Advanced
Irazú Challenge, US $100 (half day)
Drive to Irazú Volcano to see this magnificent sleeping giant. Ride a technical downhill past lush primary forest to Turrialba Volcano, at three hours away one of the least visited parks. The ride ends in the town of Turrialba, Costa Rica's whitewater rafting hub. 2 PAX MIN.
Advanced
how this holiday makes a difference
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As a mountain biking outfitter, we are very aware about the impact of our operation on the environment, particularly on soil erosion. We limit our riding to established dirt roads (jeep roads) and use off-road trails or singletrack only if it is sustainable managed and cared for by users. We never ride in off-limits areas such as national parks or otherwise protected areas. Our groups are small - this limits our footprint.
In order to reduce the impact on wildlife we discourage close encounters with wildlife in sensitive areas (nesting sites, feeding areas, etc.).  During our safety overview with passengers we discuss minimal impact riding techniques. Our trips have a strict no-trash policy. We also encourage guides and passengers to pick up what others have left behind. As a Costa Rican company we employ and buy locally. We strive to buy produce and supplies from small and/or organic farmers and try to include paid tours to organic farming operations.During our trips we encourage respect to the privacy of the communities that we visit, and recommend a sensible approach to cultural differences. We only visit indigenous or local communities that openly welcome tourists and where trained local guides accompany the group at all times. In addition we signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Association for the Conservation of the Mono Tití (ASCOMOTI) to fund their environmental conservation and educational programs in Costa Rica 's Central Pacific. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |