PHOTO OF THE MONTH:

Photo gallery of pictures from our ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure vacation
Iguana Jan 2010
Travelling on two wheels is a great way to meet the locals and slow down to smell the coffee.

MEET OUR GUIDES:

ACTIVE NEW ZEALAND adventure travel guide
Sebastian Hansen
"Sebastian was the best trip leader that we had so far on all our trips. He was very entertaining and knowledgeable. Always ready and eager to help you with any problem that came along. He made sure everyone was happy on this trip. His planning for everything was always done ahead and with care. Everything he did shows that he really enjoys what he is doing and is doing it very, very well. "
Krystyna & Joseph Wcislak (Willowbrook, Illinois, USA) Jan 2010 Condor
News Clips and Reviews
Finding the Real Gold in Costa Rica
by Linda Ballou

After nine days of non-stop fun on a multi-sport adventure with Active South America in Costa Rica, floating belly-up in a secluded cove at Playa Coyote gave me a chance to savor the journey. A morning swim in placid waters beneath pastel pink heavens soothed muscles put to tests that included mountain biking, white water rafting, pony trekking, hiking in rain forests, kayaking across blue-green depths to a picnic on a palm-studded island, and a night patrol with turtle conservationists along a strand of deserted beach. These were just a few of the high points of this holiday designed for those who want to breathe deeply of the landscape. Read more...

Find the real gold in Costa Rica
"If you are looking for a unique trip full of adventure, Active South America is for you! No tour buses or typical tourist activities. Everything was planned out so all we had to do was wake up for our daily call and pack our bag for the day. Our guide was knowledgeable, flexible, and passionate about the outdoors. Our trip to Peru was an amazing adventure that we will never forget!"

Cara Nicolini (New Jersey, USA) Aug 2006 Jaguar

More Activities: Adventure in Costa Rica

For more on our favorite things to do in Costa Rica, have a look at the complete itineraries for our Quetzal: Costa Rica adventure (runs May - Nov), Iguana: Costa Rica travel tour (runs Dec - Apr) and Quetzal: Costa Rica wildlife adventure (runs year round).

Birding

Costa Rica is pretty much birdwatching nirvana so you'll encounter many people ticking off their checklists, binoculars hanging from their necks, scope under their arm and eyes scanning the trees. For the uninitiated, birding may appear to be a hobby akin to stamp collecting, but it's easy for novices to catch the birding bug in these parts. Almost 900 bird species have been recorded in Costa Rica - many only found here - so it's nearly impossible not to see and hear birds wherever you go, especially in the company of an experienced naturalist guide.

Coffee Plantation Tours

Costa Rican coffee is some of the most popular in the world so if you want to see where your cuppa Joe comes from, head to the Central Valley near San Jose. Several coffee farms and processing stations here will offer tours.

Horseback Riding

Costa Rica has strong equestrian roots and you'll find lots of opportunities to saddle up, from sunset horseback rides along deserted beaches to slogging uphill through a cloudforest. Horses are still considered a main form of transport in some parts around here, so you can expect good steady horses that are well taken care of.

Hot Springs

Soaking in therapeutic hot water after a big day of adventure is luxury, doing it while watching the Arenal Volcano's mini eruptions is truly an experience. There is lots of geothermal activity in Costa Rica, and therefore plenty of secluded hot springs to be found.

Sportfishing

Costa Rica is a sportfishing mecca, but be prepared to do some damage on the credit card if you want to charter a boat and experience hooking world-class billfish. Charter boats are readily available on the Central Pacific coast as well as down at the wilderness lodges on the remote Osa Peninsula.

Surfing

With 1,290km (or 800 miles) of coastline in Costa Rica, the surf is guaranteed to be up somewhere in the country any time of year. Young surfers tend to congregate on the Central Pacific coast, in the popular surf town of Jaco and further down to Quepos, where you can surf off the stunning beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park. For a truly memorable surfing safari, fly down to the remote Osa Peninsula to experience one of the longest left breaks in the world at Pavones (second only to Chicama, Peru). If you hit the right conditions, you can catch a ride for more than 2km!

Read more about Costa Rica adventure activities including beaches, biking/cycling, diving/scuba diving, hiking, kayaking/canoeing, rafting, weddings and honeymoons, wildlife and zipline canopy tours.

Request a FREE Brochure