Costa Rica – La Fortuna & San José

After visiting the beautiful cloud forests of Monteverde, Costa Rica on a 17-day Central American tour, it was time for us to head to the volcano town of La Fortuna and then the capital, San José.

Day 1 – Traveling to La Fortuna

We left Monteverde at 8 AM to head to the town of La Fortuna, which is located near Arenal Volcano. First we had two separate 45-minute drives, then we took an hour-long boat ride across Lake Arenal. We then had a final 45-minute drive into town. The drives were mostly uneventful, but we did see a rare 3-toed sloth in the wild which was awesome. They really do move soooo slow!

We checked into our hostel and then had a quick meeting to decide which adventure activities we would be participating in over the next few days. Afterwards, some of us headed to a lunch spot with our guide where I had another casado (a typical Costa Rican meal with rice, beans, protein, and various sides). I had a relatively relaxing afternoon back at the hostel and then went for an early sushi dinner with two of my friends. While I like Central American cuisine, it was nice to have something different!

After dinner, a group of us went to some local hot springs with our guide. The water wasn’t super hot, but it was relaxing. We had brought our own drinks, and our guide also brought us mud masks to put on which made it even more fun. We learned that mostly locals go to the springs; there were several Costa Rican groups around us having a good time. Before long it was time to head back to the hostel, where I got cleaned up and spent the evening at a local bar with some group members.

Mud masks and hot springs

Day 2 – Rappelling and Cliff Jumping

Those of us who had signed up for the “Gravity Falls” tour with Desfacio Adventure Company were picked up at 8:30 AM the next morning, where we would be rappelling down waterfalls and cliff jumping. We drove a ways out of town and then got suited up in our gear. After driving on some very bumpy roads, we finally arrived at our destination. We had to hike quite far to the first waterfall we would be rappelling down, which was the tallest at 40 meters (130 feet). The rappelling was actually a lot of work, but it was a cool experience. We were told to let go when we reached the bottom, where we were then dropped the rest of the way into the freezing cold water!

The group before our Gravity Falls adventure

Rappelling down the tallest waterfall

We waded through the river to the first jump spot, which scared me a lot more than I expected due to all the rocks on the edge. I finally jumped into the water after some encouraging from the rest of the group. We couldn’t do the second rappel because of a landslide that had occurred the night before, so we headed to the third rappel which was a lot smaller. After descending that waterfall, we did a cannonball jump at an angle and then waded through more water to get to the final rappel. This waterfall’s height was in-between the other two, and it was more fun since I now had the hang of things.

Finally getting the hang of things (literally)

Lastly, we headed to the main event which was a 12 meter (40 feet) jump off a long platform. I wasn’t as scared of this one since I couldn’t see the rocks below. The guides instructed us to jump with our legs together and not to plug our noses since this can break your nose. I followed their instructions but it was still painful! We then had to rock climb up the really steep cliff face which scared me more than the jump.

The instructors then let us jump a second time – ugh! I hesitated a bit since it had been so painful, but eventually I jumped again. This time I swallowed and choked on a bunch of water, and combined with the adrenaline, I almost threw up. It was back up the cliff face, though, and then we had a steep hike through the forest back to the car. While it was probably the scariest thing I’ve ever done, I was glad I challenged myself to complete all the jumps. I don’t think I would have been as brave without my group members cheering each other on!

We changed into dry clothes before heading to the Desfacio headquarters for a nice lunch. Once we got back to the hostel, I cleaned up and tried to relax despite the hot weather. For dinner, a group of us went for empanadas and I had to help manage the order since I was the only one who could speak Spanish. After a few hiccups, everyone finally got their food which was really delicious. It was a rewarding but exhausting day (more mentally than physically!).

Ordering empanadas

Day 3 – Whitewater Rafting

We had to be packed before we left for the day’s whitewater rafting excursion since we would be dropped off in San José afterwards. Everyone participated except one group member who was sick; she had to take public transportation to San José with our guide. We drove around an hour to the rafting spot, then had a quick practice session before heading down the rapids. Our raft was successful at staying afloat, and I was the only one to “fall” in (because our guide pushed me). There was a spot along the way that you could jump off a cliff into the water, but I decided I did enough jumping the day before! The waves were supposed to be Class 3 & 4, but I think they were more 2 & 3 … nevertheless, I had a fun time.

Rafting the Sarapiqui River

Holding on tight!

We stopped at the company’s headquarters for lunch and to purchase photos, and then we had a quiet ride to San José, the capital of Costa Rica. I spent the afternoon relaxing in the air conditioning, and then we all headed to our final group dinner at Jardín de Lolita, a food court-like area with several different options. Afterwards we went to an ice cream spot for dessert, and then some of us went to a bar to spend one final night together and say our goodbyes!

Our final dinner as a group

Day 4 – San José

Most of the group members left early, so it was a quiet and relaxing day. My closest friend from the group was staying for a few days afterward, so we went to lunch at an amazing bakery called Panadería Cumpanis. I didn’t do much the rest of the afternoon; after all, I was tired from my last few action-packed days. A few of us met at KAN Pizzeria for one final dinner, and then I headed to the hotel to get an early night’s sleep for my 3:30 AM shuttle to the airport. Overall, my time in Costa Rica was a perfect blend of nature and adventure. I was sad to be leaving Central America so soon, but thankful for all the opportunities I had throughout the tour. I hope to visit the region again in the future!