Global Adventures: Costa Rica
Guanacaste Region

What's included?

This is an all-inclusive adventure! That means that ALL the details of planning your trip are taken care of for you by Vacation Races including:

Also, SWAG!

Vacation Races always treats you right, but Global Adventures takes it up a notch.

Apart from the awesome medal you'll get at the end of the week, you'll also get some great high quality gear and souvenirs that you'll cherish for years to come.

What's NOT included?

All of your meals will be covered except two dinners and one lunch, where you’ll get to explore the culinary options of Costa Rica on your own. Apart from that, the only thing you're expected to cover while on the trip is any souvenirs or additional food or drink.

Day 1: Saturday

Arrive in Costa Rica

You’ll arrive in Liberia, Costa Rica (nicknamed the “white city”) and take a shuttle to the hotel. We’ll have dinner, orientation, and registration that first night and you’ll get to meet your fellow travelers. If you arrive early enough, the historic downtown is within walking distance of the hotel and definitely worth checking out.

Day 2: Sunday

Liberia to Monteverde

On our way from the flat open lowlands of Liberia to the forestry highlands of Monteverde, we’ll stop at Rio Perdido (“lost river”) for our run. This is a private protected preserve with a network of fun running and biking trails. We’ll run through open land and forest, and climb two (small) mountains for a 360 view of the three Guanacaste volcanoes: Miravalles, Rincon do la Vieja, and Tenorio. After our run, we’ll cool down in the pools and have lunch at the gorgeous resort.

After lunch, we’ll continue our drive to Monteverde. This drive is a newly paved road, which will make it easy going! It’s a very scenic, but also a winding road, as it follows the contour of the mountain and provides gorgeous views of the Pacific ocean and the cloud forest. Steep in some areas, we’re climbing 4,000 ft. Once we arrive, we’ll get checked in to El Establo Mountain Hotel. Each room provides amazing views of the cloud forest. We’ll have dinner together that night at the hotel.

Day 3: Monday

Monteverde

This morning we’re going on a challenging run in the hills of Monteverde. Expect a steep but rewarding run. We’ll spend the first 4k climbing straight up on a wide dirt track before heading down a single-track into the jungle. We’ll run a lollipop loop through thick jungle before heading back down the mountain we climbed earlier. This trail is muddy and rocky in places. We’ll finish the run at our hotel where we’ll eat lunch and clean up.

That afternoon we’ll drive a short distance to the famous hanging bridges. As we walk along several bridges suspended over a complicated and beautiful ecosystem, we’ll get to know the vegetation and animals of the cloud forest canopy from all their levels. We’ll also stop to explore the butterfly garden, one of the largest in all of the Americas and home to more than 30 native species.

You’ll have the evening free to explore downtown Monteverde.

Day 4: Tuesday

Monteverde to Rincón de la Vieja

Day 5: Wednesday

Hacienda Guachipelin

This morning we’ll run along the trails of the Hacienda Guachipelin. Originally a cattle ranch dating back over 100 years, the government tasked the family owners to create a park and geothermal energy plant.

On today’s run you’ll get to see an excellent example of sustainable development. There are two rivers that cut through the park, so no matter where you run you’ll see multiple waterfalls. The trail finishes back at the hotel where we’ll have a quick lunch before we bounce and go white water tubing on the Rio Negro. We’ll finish the day with a relaxing soak at the hot springs on the property and dinner together. 

Day 6: Thursday

Sardinal to Playa Flamingo

Today we’ll depart the hotel and head west to the beach. We’ll stop at Sardinal for a refreshing morning run through the countryside. Wave to the Tico’s (their dogs and chickens) as you pass. The road is smooth and flat, so you’ll really get to stretch your legs.

After our run we’ll have lunch at a local restaurant, then drive to our hotel on the beach. After getting checked in we’ll go on a sea kayaking adventure. That evening you’re on your own for dinner; take advantage of the great restaurants on the property or shuttle to the downtown area for a great meal. 

Day 7: Friday

Playa Flamingo

Today is our last run. We will go to Las Catalinas, for some of the most epic jungle-beach trails you will ever run. These famous and well-maintained trails host a lot of triathlons and xterra events. The single-track trail climbs to the cliffs above the beach and the trail continues to follow the shoreline of the ocean, before winding down onto the beach. We spend some time playing on the beach, eating lunch and looking at tide pools before going back to our hotel.

Once back at the hotel, you’ll have time to enjoy the pools, pool bar and beach. That night we’ll have dinner together at the hotel where we’ll celebrate running 55k (in one week!) and new friendships.

Day 8: Saturday

Shuttle to Liberia

All good things must come to an end. Today we’ll provide transportation back to the airport.