If you’re visiting the Guanacaste province and looking for a full day excursion of fun and adventure, then you have to check out the Guachipelin one day adventure pass. It consists of ziplining, horseback riding, white water tubing, lunch, hot springs and mud baths. This day tour is one of our favorite things to do in Guanacaste!
If this sounds like something you would like to do during your vacation, read below to see what the Guachipelin one day adventure pass is like! You can contact us to book your day pasess or scroll to the bottom of the post to request your passes or book a tour.
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
Hacienda Guachipelin is 20 kilometers from Liberia in the small town of Curubande. It’s 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) from the entrance of Rincon de la Vieja National Park. It used to be a cattle farm but the owners decided to turn it into a mini adventure park since they have a river and lots of waterfalls on the property. As today, Guachipelin offers one of the most popular and fun day tours in Guanacaste!
They also have small cabins so visitors can stay overnight and experience more of Rincon de la Vieja but the most popular activity is their one day adventure combo pass. You can perfectly visit on a day trip from Tamarindo, Playas del Coco, Flamingo, Liberia or La Cruz. Tamarindo about 2 hours driving from Guachipelin, Liberia is only 30 minutes.
Guachipelin One Day Adventure Pass Video
Check out our Guachipelin one day adventure pass video to see what it’s like!
Guachipeline One Day Adventure Pass Ziplining
First, up was the canopy tour (ziplining). I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was pumped for a fun day of zipping through the trees!
The first few ziplines were a piece of cake, short and sweet and they even let us go upside down on a couple of them which was awesome! Then it went through the river canyon which was amazing. They have an optional rappel and rock climb, and then you have to tarzan swing over the river.
So much fun!
Horseback Riding
After we finished the canopy tour, we headed back to the main office and got a little breather before our next activity: horseback riding! We geared up, got on our horses and headed off into the forest.
The entire horseback riding was about 1 hour and we stopped quickly at a blue waterfall on the way. When we finished the horseback riding, we got on the Guachipelin bus to take us to the white water tubing start point.
Our guide explained to us about the tubing, the proper way to sit on the tube and safety tips. After that we put on our helmet and life jackets, carried our tube down and started our next adventure!
Guachipelin White Water Tubing
This river with class 1 and 2 rapids runs through Rincon de la Vieja and the entire tubing tour is a grand total of 5 kilometers (3.1 miles), lasting about 1-1.5 hours.
This was probably the most fun hour I’ve ever had. The rapids weren’t too big so there is very low chance of falling out or any feeling of danger but they were strong enough that you get knocked around enough like bumper boats and you have handles to hold onto. I felt like a little kid on a hot summer day at the water park except this time, I was floating around in a beautiful natural river!
There are lazy pools after every few falls where you can float around and take it all in: the delicious refreshing water, the sun, the gorgeous sky, the trees and the wildlife.
At first I thought an hour would be plenty of time for the tubing but at the end I was so bummed it was over already! By the time we finished, it was 2pm and I was ready for some delicious buffet lunch.
Lunch
Lunch is at the Hacienda Guachipelin restaurant and it’s buffet style with typical Costa Rican food. They offer lots of salads, rice, beans, veggies and meat.
After lunch, you can take as much time as you want to get to the hot springs. You do need your own transportation for this part since the hot springs are 5 kms away from the adventure center.
There are a lot of signs for the hot springs that will point you the right way.
Guachipelin Hot Springs and Mud Baths
You can stay as long as you want at the hot springs which closes at 6. The receptionist will give you towels and there are bathrooms/changing stations at the entrance. From there, follow the trail down to the hot springs. You’ll cross one hanging bridge which has a great view of the hot springs!
The proper way to do the whole mud baths-hot springs thing is like this. First, cover yourself in mud. Like your whole face, body, chest, everything. Let it dry and then wash off in the showers or if you’re feeling adventurous, in the river. The water is so refreshing!
Once you wash all the mud off, then jump into the hot springs and relax! There were only two pools for the hot springs but they are right over a river so you are surrounded by nature. I loved the hot springs at Guachipelin since it’s right next to a river. Soaking in natural hot water while listening to the river running is so soothing and relaxing.
After the hot springs, you’ll feel SO relaxed and ready to go home. We stayed about 1 hour at the hot springs. Hot springs close at 6 PM and you can stay as long as you want until they close.
The End of a Fun Day
This is one of our favorite tours in Costa Rica since you get a little bit of everything in this tour: excitement, adrenaline and relaxation. It’s one of the best ways to experience the dry tropical forests, nature and volcanoes of Guanacaste.
What to Know About the Guachipelin One Day Adventure Pass
- The order of activities may change depending on the number of people and the schedules at the park for the day.
- Hiking sandals are the best shoes to wear for this tour. You can go from water to land easily, your feet can breathe and it won’t be uncomfortable if they get wet compared to wearing socks. Closed toed shoes are mandatory during the white water tubing.
- There are bathrooms and changing facilities at the main area and at the hot springs.
- Mosquito repellent and sunscreen are a must.
- Eat a good breakfast!
- You will need your own transportation to the hot springs. The hot springs are about a 10 minute drive from the activity center. If booking a tour, the tour company will take you there.
- Don’t lose the towels at the hot springs, they will charge you if you do.
Hacienda Guachipelin Adventure Tour Companies
Please fill out the form below to book your tour or get your tickets! Select tour if you do not have your own transportation and require a tour with roundtrip transportation included.
Carolina says
I am looking to visit the area but if I get to stay in the hacienda, is it possible to spread out the tour and not do all the activities in one single day? I have a group of 9-11 people and I would love to plan a trip.
Is there a discount if staying at the Hacienda? Are there restaurants near by?
Do you apply “Tico price”? Soy Tica.
Thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Carlina, you can contact the lodge directly for national rates if you’re staying at the hotel to check their activities
Lydia F. says
A couple days ago we (family of 4, mom dad 11yo girl and a not-easily-amused 9yo boy) did the Guachepelín one day adventure pass and just WOW. For the price, it’s an amazing day of fun. We did the horseback ride first which my 9yo loooooved (his first time ever on a horse), then the river tubing which was the favorite of both adults and my 11yo… the water was chilly but the warm air made up for it and I was so sad when it was over! Next we had lunch and when my picky eater son had nothing he liked on the buffet, they made him a quesadilla. The zip line was awesome—in particular the rappelling part, which my 11yo daughter did and was SO proud of herself. The hot springs felt wonderful after the day of adventure (though if we had not been so sunburned it would have been more enjoyable!). Overall though it was a magnificent day. Can’t recommend it enough!!!
Sammi says
Hi Lydia, thank you for the feedback and we’re happy to hear your family had a good time at Guachipelin! It’s a great place for families.
Ann Schmidt says
The all day adventure tour is a great way to see the area. They have a lot of staff on the tour to assist – everyone we interacted with was nice, fun and absolutely focused on safety. The highlight for us was the rafting – it was way more exciting than we had thought it was going to be.
My only feedback for something to change is that I wish there were less people on the tour, especially for the zipline. We have done zipline tours in the past and they moved more quickly, were less crowded on the platforms.
Sammi says
Hi Ann, we’re very glad you had a good time! In high season, the park gets completely full so it does feel more crowded due to smaller platforms on the ziplines but we are glad you still had a good time.
Sherry says
I love your blog!!! Is this tour the same as the One-Day Adventure Pass offered on https://www.guachipelin.com/?
Sammi says
Correct!
Sandra says
Hi is the canopy zip lines optional?
Sammi says
You don’t have to do them if you don’t want to (the zipline). The other part (tarzan swing, rock wall, rapell is optional).
Sarah Worrell says
We are traveling to Costa Rica with three kids, two are older than 8, but one is only 5. We want to do this adventure day, but it says over 8 is required. Is that only for the tubing portion or is that for all of it? Would you recommend another tour that we can all do?
Sammi says
Hi Sarah, the over 8 is for the tubing part, in that case, an adult will have to stay with the 8 year old while the others do the tubing.
Heidi says
We had a phenomenal full day at Haciendo Guachipelin and when we were reliving the day at the mud baths/hot springs, we decided we wouldn’t change a thing! The guides are awesome and so much fun.
anonymous says
Thank you so much for all of the information on this site. We didn’t do the tour with Hacienda Guachipelin. But we stayed there two nights and took advantage of the free options. It was sparkling clean with no bugs (and in a tropical climate, that’s amazing) and felt incredibly safe. We originally planned to only stay one night – our first night in Costa Rica – before traveling to our next destination. But we liked it so much that we returned for our last night in Costa Rica! Rafael at the hot springs was our favorite – he was so good with my 12 year old son! Definitely go to the hot springs in the morning, as you’ll probably be one of the only people there, and don’t miss the hike to red pond. There’s a little swimming hole that’s delightful. The a la carte menu for dinner is delicious. We had the chicken and rice, quesadillas, and shrimp and rice – all were very good and reasonably priced. They provide soaps and shampoos and coffee in all of the rooms. The walls are a little thin, so you can hear a little bit from the other rooms, but it’s not a big deal, especially if you have a noise machine app on your phone.
We wish we had done the tubing at Guachipelin. But we did the hikes to the waterfalls and loved the on-site pool. The gift shop there is reasonably priced.
Jaye says
Love this blog!!! Thanks for all the great info. Wondering if the Guachipelin adventure park is suitable for a 7.5 yr old? Is the rafting rough or scary? Also do they have helmets for the horse back riding?
Thanks so much!
Sammi says
The white water tubing minimum age is 8 so the 7.5 year old wouldn’t be able to do it. They do have helmets for the horseback riding.
Eric. G. says
Great website, thanks. Our family is planning to self-drive to Guachipelin for the adventure tour. What do people do with their bags, wallets, keys etc. during the day? How do they organize the changes to bathing suits and water shoes etc. Thanks.
Sammi says
Guachipelin has lockers for you to leave your things and they have bathrooms and changing areas at their main operation center which is where you’ll gear up for ziplining and check in. Also is where you will park your car.
Kristen Moore says
Hi there,
Have loved your website as we prepare for our trip in February 2020. Just wondering, if you have a couple of nights booked at the hotel, which activities are included with the price of your stay (it seems you can hike to Oropendola, access La Negro Mudbaths, and hike the little trail to Red Pond)? I don’t want to book a tour with things that we have free access to.
Also, We will be travelling with a 5 1/2 and 9 year old and this stop will be in the middle of our 3 weeks. Just curious if there is anything you’d particularly “not miss” while here for a couple of days (we are already visiting LaFortuna, Monteverde and Playa Hermosa/coast; so will be doing ziplines and hikes elsewhere)? Sounds like the horseback riding and tubing could be a hit.
Thanks again for your amazingly detailed information!
Sammi says
Hi Kristen, I would contact the hotel directly to see what they include in the stay.
The tubing is super fun but the minimum age is 8 so your youngest one wouldn’t be able to do it.
I’d also go for a hike inside the national park, that is really nice.
missy says
Would a small waterproof camera in a waist pack be ok for this tour?
Sammi says
You can’t bring it on the zipline because you will be wearing a big harness with lots of stuff but you can probably bring it on the tubing and horseback riding. Make sure your camera has a wrist strap so when you use it during the tubing, you have the strap to hold onto.
Nino says
Hi, Sammi.
Do you know how much it is to just do the tubing? Also, will there be a time slot scheduled or would it be ok to come whenever? Thanks
Sammi says
Hi Nino, it’s $35 per adult, I would make reservations because they only have so many spots so you’ll want to reserve it, especially if you are visiting December – April.
orit says
Hi!
Do you know if it’s possible to do just the tubing? because we are planning to take the canopy and horseback riding in other places in costa rica
Sammi says
Hi, sure you can no problem. They offer just the tubing.
Kristin says
Hello!
We have a group of 26 from ages 6-68….would this tour accommodate to those ages. We are staying at the Westin, Playa Conchal…..how far away is this location. Do you recommend we travel in a rental vehicle or do they have a pick up service? First time to Costa Rica, we are so excited!
Sammi says
Hi Kristin! I just sent you an email 🙂
Sammi says
Hi Autumn, it is always recommended to book tickets in advance because July is a very busy month with lots of families on summer vacation and you want to save your spot because this tour is very popular. You can do it on the Hacienda Guachipelin website or we can also help you book them too.
Autumn says
Hi, we are going in two weeks and want to do this tour. We are renting a car so we can get ourselves to the park. At this time of year do you think I need to reserve/pay for the day in advance? And if I need tickets in advance, what’s the website to use to reserve them?
Sammi says
Hi Carrie, for your flight that early, I would recommend to stay close to the airport since you need to leave very early in the morning. Here are some recommendations for Best hotels near LIR airport. or you could also stay in Coco if you’re not visiting there already since Coco to the airport is about a 20 minute drive.
Carrie Haverfield says
Thanks so much for the blog posts! We’re heading to CR at the end of May and are trying to make some decisions. We plan on renting a car (via Adobe) and driving around Guanacaste, but are running into questions around where to spend our last day or two. We are looking at some of the resorts/lodges near Rincon de la Vieja. Our concern is that they are 45 mins-1hr15 away from the airport and we have an early morning flight (7:15am). We’re not very excited about trying to drive to the airport in the dark at 4 in the morning, but also don’t know if getting a taxi/shuttle is feasible. Are we better off just staying in/around Liberia the last night?
Sammi says
Hi Tara! It’s a great family excursion but the tubing has a minimum age of 8 and the zipline is 5 so your youngest won’t be able to tube. The ziplining has an optional “adventure” section which is the rappel, tarzan swing and rock climb. If you choose not to do it, you’ll do just the ziplines which are short but fun.
Guachipelin is about an hour and 20 minute drive from Coco so after a long day, it is nice to have a guide and have someone else do all the driving. As you need to be at the park by 830 AM, you’ll have to leave early by 7 AM to get there in time. My personal recommendation for a young family is to book a tour because it is very nice to have a guide to show you where to go, drive and share information about the flora and fauna of the anywhere.
Tara Christie says
Hi! This tour sounds awesome. Would you recommend it for a family with younger kids ( 8 and 5)? I’m just wondering how scary the ziplining is? Is everything optional?
And we are staying in playas del coco— would you recommend just booking a tour from there or renting a car?
Thanks in advance!
Kellie says
Hi! Love your blog! It’s so helpful and full of great information. We are going to CR In two weeks and interested in doing this tour. We’re staying at Bahia Pez Vela and will have a rental car. Not sure if we should drive ourselves or go with a tour. Like the idea of someone else driving especially on the way back since we’ll probably be super tired but if we don’t have a vehicle will we still be able to do the hot springs? If we go with a tour, who do you recommend? Thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Kellie! I just sent you an email!
Moriah says
Hi there!
We are thinking of booking this tour, just wondering if the buffet lunch is included in the price or not.
Thanks,
Moriah
Sammi says
Hi Moriah! If you purchase the one day pass, buffet lunch is included.
Ken says
Hello,
My wife and are I are in the process of planning our honeymoon to Costa Rica in June 2019. We’re staying in Tamarindo and looking at various excursions to maximize our experience in CR, and this Hacienda Guachipelin Adventure Tour seems to have a little bit of everything. Really seems awesome!
My question: is transportation provided to and from Guachipelin? It appears as though we get transportation there as part of the total cost of the tour package, but after lunch, anything else is up to us to figure out (waterfalls, hot springs, mud baths), and that seems to include the ride back to Tamarindo. Is this accurate? Thank you so much for your help here!
Sammi says
Hi Ken! The tour company should provide everything (roundtrip transportation to and from Tamarindo and to the hot springs). Usually they don’t go to the waterfalls since that is a separate part of the park that is not included in the Adventure Combo Tour but they should take you to the hot springs and mud baths. Let me know if you guys need any tour company recommendations!
Leslie H says
I’m taking a trip to CR at the end of October and wanted to do Guachipelin combo tour. Is it possible to book a tour for one person, as I am a solo traveler? Since, it is rainy season, could activities get canceled?
Thanks
Sammi says
Hi Leslie! Yes you can definitely book as a solo traveler but you will need your own transportation. Tour companies require a minimum of 2-3 and for 1 person it’ll be expensive because you will have to pay for the whole shuttle so I’d recommend seeing if there is a tour already running that you can join. Or renting a car for a couple days and going yourself, October is a cheap month to rent cars and you don’t need a big car to get to Guachipelin, you can get there with a normal sedan.
Heidi says
If you don’t have a car how do you get to the Hot Springs after the tour?
Sammi says
You will need to ask someone for a ride. It’s too far to walk so if you’re just getting dropped off there, don’t have a car or going on a tour, you’ll have to see if anyone can give you a ride since no taxis are in the park.
LAS says
This blog was a great resource for our recent trip to CR. We stayed in the Playa Flamingo area and did an easy day trip to Rincon do la Vieja for the Guachipelin combo adventure. It was exactly as described. We had an older couple with us and they did a “spa day” and hung out by the hotel pool while we did the more adventurous stuff. They were able to have a nice day too and we were able to all have lunch together. Thanks for the great suggestions.
Sammi says
Hi! I’m glad you enjoyed Guachipelin, it is such a great tour and great value for your money! Thanks for reading Laura and we’re glad you enjoyed Costa Rica!
Daniel says
Hi there, I am going to Costa Rica in about a week. I wanted to know for the Guachipelin combo tour and the Buena Vista combo tour, do I need to stay at their lodging/hotel to receive the special combo tour offers? And I see the only times available for the Guachipelin combo tour is at 8:30 am and the Buena Vista combo tour only available time is 8 am. Does this mean I have to get there by those specific times in order to be able to do the combo tour? Thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Daniel, outside guests can do their tours, you don’t need to be a guest at their hotel. Those are the only times they have available for the tour and I highly recommend booking your spot in advance because right now is our high season and if you arrive without a reservation, there’s a big chance they might not have spots available. I know Guachipelin has been full for the past few weeks for their tours so definitely make reservations.
Scott says
Thank you for the recommendation to do the Guachipelin Adventure Park…it was super fun. We zip-lined, tubed down the river, hit the hot springs, and did horseback riding. The family that runs this place is awesome, accommodating, and very professional.
Travel to this park is not bad; all roads to the park were paved and fairly decent. It’s certainly a great destination, and different than something closer to the coast.
yeison says
Guachipelin is one of our favorite activities we always take readers and family there. It’s a great value for your money
Arlene says
Hello,
Love reading your blog. What is the name of the waterfall you visited on this trip?
Thank you,
Arlene
Sammi says
It is called Catarata Oropendola
Arlene says
Thank you 🙂
Arlene
hieu says
hello,
From your post about Buena Vista combo tour and guachipelin combo tour are from two different companies. Do both offer to take us to the waterfall and include horse riding?
I like everything about the Buena vista combo tour except the water slide. I like everything about the Guachipeling tour except the rock climbing and rapelling. Would it be possible to switch the water slide for the river tubing because I have two little ones that wont be able to do the rock climbing and rapelling?
Sammi says
Hi Hieu, the tours are in completely different areas and run by two different companies. So they have the same basic activities – ziplining, horseback riding, hot springs and mud baths but the scenery is different including the waterfalls.
For Guachipelin, the rock climbing and rappelling part is optional so you don’t have to do it and we recommend Guachipelin instead of Buena Vista, the white water tubing is amazing especially since you don’t want to do the water slide so you’ll get more for your money at Guachipelin.
Sammi says
Hi Amanda, can you email us here: Contact Mytanfeet with the number of adults and children and if you need transportation. We can help book it for you
Amanda says
Hi, We want to do the exact combo tour above that you write about. We will be staying at the borinquen resort and would love to do the tour on April 15, 2017. How do I go about booking this tour? Im having trouble figuring out how to book this exact tour from beginning to end.
Kristen says
Hi! We’re planning on going to Guachipelin based on your review 🙂 But can you recommend any transportation from Liberia airport to the Hacienda? We don’t feel comfortable renting a car and driving, and want to spend a few nights there.
Any suggestions would be great, thanks!
K
Sammi says
Hi Kristen! Yes definitely! You can book a shuttle transfer to Guachipelin, I dont recommend taking a taxi. You can email us on pur contact page for recommendations and we can help you book it!
Anna says
Hi. I saw that you recommended to someone a tour company that does private tours. Could you please send me this information! thanks 🙂
Sammi says
Hi Anna, can you send us an email with your information and the date you’d like to do the tour and # of people. Thanks! You can contact us here: https://mytanfeet.com/contact-us/
Sammi says
Hi Jill, for renting a car we have a tips for renting a car post that will be super useful: Costa Rica car rental tips and we also have an exclusive car rental discount for Mytanfeet readers you can check out here: Costa Rica car rental discount This is a great deal we secured for our readers to save on the car rental and GPS and get a free 2nd driver and cell phone.
As for off shore fishing, there are two beaches that are well known and famous for it: Playas del COco and Playa Flamingo. You can read more about them here: Playas del Coco and Flamingo
Jill G says
Hi! We are taking our son to CR after his high school graduation in June. Planning on renting a car with 4WD. Recommendations on renting? We are flying into San Jose. Plan on visiting Arenal, Monteverde and the Pacific, not sure where. Husband and son would like to go off shore fishing, any recommendations? Love your blog. Thanks, Jill
Jennifer says
I Sammi,
I’ll be in Costa Rica in about a month and I would love to do this tour! I know this was several years ago, but I checked their website and don’t see a combo package listed. Do you happen to know if this combo tour is still offered and I’m curious about pricing. Is my best bet to email Hacienda Guachipelin hotel even though it’s not offered as a tour on their website? Thanks for your help! This article was inspiring and very helpful.
Sammi says
Hi Jennifer, the tour is listed on their site as the One Day Adventure Tour. You can reserve it through them but if you don’t have transportation, you’ll have to either hire a shuttle or book it with a tour company since they provide transportation. It’s $90 for adults plus $10 for the national park entrance fee. If you need recommendations for a tour company, let us know 🙂
Jennifer says
This sounds like the best $90 I’ll ever spend. I can’t wait to book it. Thank you so much for sending the link so quickly! We won’t have transportation so I’d love to know what tours your recommend. I can’t thank you enough for your help.
Just to pick your brain, what is the most adventurous, unique, one-of-a-kind thing you’ve ever done in Costa Rica? I’ve been doing a lot of research and see a lot of the same adventure activities in different cities. We are looking for something truly unique to do.
Sammi says
Hi Jennifer, I just send you an email about the tour companies.
As for adventurous things, there are a lot of adventures in Costa Rica but most are about the same throughout the country – ziplining, canyoning, white water rafting. I would say bungee jumping, snuba, sky diving and hang gliding aren’t quite as popular. When it comes to one activity that is truly unique to Costa Rica and not anywhere else in the world… well there isn’t really but all of the adventures are super fun.
Sammi says
HI Maribel. Congratulations on graduating college! You can find all our Costa Rica information here:
Costa Rica information
Happy travels! We have a bunch of information about the country but let us know if you have any other questions we may be able to help you with.
Maribel says
Hi,
I Love your post! I am about to graduate from college ,and my friends and I are looking to take a trip to Costa Rica. Is there any advice you can give to first time travelers and guides you recommend? Thanks!
Sammi says
Hi Stephanie! Thanks for checking the site out and glad to hear it’s been helpful! As for places to stay, Rincon and Arenal are quite far apart, it’s about a 3-4 hour drive from each other. There’s not really too much in the middle except for some local towns so that is an option if you want really want to do that. If you plan on visiting different areas of the country on short time, you can take local flights to minimize transit time. Another option is to rent a car. Renting a car is really nice because then you can stop and see the sights and you can go around to wherever you want along the way. The drive from Guanacaste to Arenal is quite beautiful. If you decide you want to rent a car, we have a special discount for readers, just let me know if you do rent one.
As for San Blas, I’d definitely take a flight to Panama City because the bus from San Jose to PC is about 16 hours and then it’s another 4 hours or so to San Blas. I don’t know how long you’re planning on staying in Costa Rica but I’d recommend staying at least 2-3 days in San Blas.
Bunni says
When going to San Blas make sure you take everything you need if you want the native of xperience of anything other than the main island. They are beautiful but the only amenities is a bathroom and it will cost you a quarter.
Sammi says
True, there are no amenities there! We had a bathroom on Dog Island though and we didn’t have to pay – but that was in 2013.
Stephanie says
Hi Sammi!
I absolutely LOVE your guys’ blog! My boyfriend and I are taking our first international trip together to Costa Rica and Panama sometime in December / January and I stumbled upon your blog while doing some research. It has been so helpful already! We are thinking of doing a total trip for approximately 11-12 days. I know it seems a bit short since we want to visit both countries, but I just couldn’t pass up the opportunity to visit both after looking at your blog! The 3 things we absolutely want to do are a combo tour like shown on this post, the canyoning in Arenal, and a visit to the San Blas Islands. Do you have any recommendations of where to stay in Costa Rica that would be close enough to both Rincon de la Vieja and Arenal national parks? We are also trying to figure out if renting a car is a good idea (even though it will be our first time visiting Costa Rica), but there are so many things we want to see in the short time we are there! Thank you so much for your blog, and for any other information you can help provide!
Claudia says
Hi Sammi! We are planing a trip to Costa Rica for our anniversary! We are first timers so any advice would be appreciated! Where do you recoment to stay to be close to all the action. Like zip lining we also love to snorkle? And what tour companie do you use? Thank you!
Sammi says
Hi Claudia! Congratulations on your anniversary! I’d suggest Guanacaste, you are near the beach and the mountains/volcanoes/national parks. You can do all the activities like snorkeling, hiking, ziplining, river tubing and much more! We always use Shaman Tours out of Playas del Coco, you can email him here info@shamantourscostarica.com and tell him we sent you so you get the best service 🙂 They are really great and I always use them for my friends and family.
Kelly Hanifl says
This sounds amazing! We are going to Costa Rica in a month and will be staying at the RIU Guanacaste. How far is this from there? Also, we will not have a car so is there a way to arrange for someone to take us to the mud bath and hot springs?
Sammi says
Hi Kelly! It’s about 50 minute drive from the RIU (might be longer with the bumpy roads). You can book the tour with a tour company who will pick you up and can take you to the mud bath and hot springs at the end.
Kelly Hanifl says
Thank you so much! I’ve been doing some research and it seems like there are a million and one different tour groups to go through. Do you have any recommendations? Any tour groups that do private tours so it’s just the four of us?
Ps I absolutely love your website! It’s super helpful and fun to read!
Sammi says
There is one company that we love and like to recommend. They do private tours so you can request that so it’ll just be the four of you. I’ll email you the info 🙂
Jessica Buchwald says
Hi, I would love the email of that private company as well please.
Sammi says
Just sent you an email 🙂
TinkerBell says
I think we’re doing this tour next week. I have some questions about what to do with our bag.
Do we wear the backpack while we’re zip-lining or will they transport it for us?
You mentioned they give you towels at the hot springs so I’m assuming we don’t have to bring that, correct?
Thanks for your help.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!
Sammi says
No you can leave your backpacks, you can’t take anything with you ziplining except a small camera/Go Pro. Yes if they give you towels at the hot springs you don’t need to bring them. Unless you want to bring your own 😉
Gen says
Hello,
I’m in Costa Rica now and stumbled upon your post. Looks so awesome! Can you tell me how you booked this tour? Was it through Hacidena Guachipelin? If so, about how much did it cost? We’re stay in Tamarindo. Should we rent car and drive ourselves?
Sammi says
Hi Gen! We didn’t book through a tour company, we went there ourselves. You can book through Hacienda Guachipelin or any tour company in the area that offers it. The total price of the tour is about $90 if you drive yourself but it’s more (~$120) if you book through a tour company and include transportation. If you already have a car, you can drive yourself but if not, then it’s worth the money to book with a tour company especially if you’ve never driven in Costa Rica or to Rincon de la Vieja National Park before. This tour is also all day (7-6 ish) and it’s nice to have someone else drive at the end of the day because you’ll be quite tired. Renting a car will cost about $40 a day anyways so it’s worth it to book through a tour company and have a driver who knows the roads.
Cristina says
I was just in Costa Rica in December for the first time! I am a Europe gal by heart but I must say I fell in love with Costa Rica! So many adventures but never tried the mud bath!
Sammi says
Glad to hear you had a great time! There’s so much to do here for sure! We love the mud baths you’ll have to try it out next time !
Jim says
A fun filled day in a beautiful country. Matt will definitely love this trip. Going upside down on a zip line make me feel dizzy. But your video shows it is doable. How far is it from Coco? A longer than usual day trip seems to be required but a relaxing day on the beach will definitely compensate it afterward.
Sammi says
I think Matt will have a great time! It is about a hour and a half drive from Coco and you can leave after lunch since the hot springs aren’t guided. We got there at 830 in the morning and left around 530 but having the hot springs at the end is very relaxing after a long day.