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Flying to Costa Rica from your home country, you will arrive into the Juan Santamaria International Airport and meet your local Charity Challenge representative before transferring to your hotel in the capital city of San Jose for your first group dinner and a chance to meet your teammates on this group challenge. Most of the team will arrive this evening and can start to get to know one another.
After breakfast, you will have a couple of hours to explore San Jose before the group assembles at the hotel to start the challenge with introductions to the leadership team and a thorough safety briefing. Mid-morning the excitement builds for the adventure ahead as you depart, heading for the Finca Paruarito camp located in striking distance of tomorrow’s challenge starting point. On arrival at the campsite you will store your kit into your allocated tent and sit down for a relaxing lunch. The afternoon will be spent setting up the group’s kayaks and bikes in preparation for the challenge to begin in earnest tomorrow. Spend the evening settling into your environment getting to know your fellow participants. Camping overnight
You will rise early for breakfast and to break camp and then set off by road for approximately an hour to Cano Blanco, situated at the mouth of the rainforest fringed Pacuare River in the tropical Caribbean Sea. Kayaks at the ready, the challenge activities begin as you paddle 10km from the mouth of the Pacuare River to Freeman, taking in views of the Caribbean lowlands with the rainforest slowly giving way to ubiquitous banana plantations. Lunch will be served in Freeman and is a chance to rest your arms, rehydrate and change clothes for this afternoon’s bike ride. This afternoon it’s time to saddle up and give your legs a workout as you begin the 35km cycle. The route will take you through the forested lowlands, across rivers, past verdant patches of jungle winding its way to finish back at your campsite. Rest your legs and share stories of the day with your teammates, before enjoying dinner and a well-deserved slumber. Camping overnight
This morning you will enjoy a leisurely breakfast before preparing your kit and setting out on the first trek of the challenge. The route will cover 18km and treat you to incredible views of the rainforest and Turrialba Volcano, experiencing first-hand the amazing biodiversity and natural beauty Costa Rica has to offer. You will have a picnic lunch en route and finish invigorated from the journey at our overnight camp. Camping overnight
An early breakfast today will set you up for the second trek of the challenge as well as allow time for the team to pack up camp. The trek will be tougher than yesterday, pushing your way through primary jungle enjoying the sense of adventure and feeling of the team being self-sufficient amid the isolated forest. There will be physically demanding sections, river crossings, an abundance of rainforest flora and fauna and chance to meet the indigenous people of the area along the way. You will arrive at the El Nido del Tigre campsite late afternoon. The campsite takes its name from the giant patches of ginger plants that carpet the floor of the main area. After settling in there will be time to explore the trails that radiate from the camp to discover hidden waterfalls before dinner and a relaxed evening. Camping overnight
Another early start is required for today’s challenging and rewarding activities fuelled by breakfast at sunrise as the jungle awakens. You set out on foot from the campsite up a tough ascent through the rainforest and continue for around 7km until you reach the bike rendezvous point for a quick change onto two wheels. The epic ride is a real 70km challenge of undulating terrain past coffee and sugar cane plantations. The stunning views of the active Turrialba Volcano will energise you to keep peddling and distract you from the ascents, before the route flattens out along a picturesque lakeside road as you coast into Orosi to rest and spend the evening. Overnight in a lodge
Today the challenge level of difficulty continues to increase on this next leg of your adventure with mountain biking at its best, both downhill and uphill on dirt roads and single-track trails. This morning you’ll ride out of Orosi for 15km before dismounting to ascend a 70% gradient for 4.5km. When you reach the top, you will once again meet the bikes ahead of a much-needed descent in to Estreya for lunch. As you ride out of Estreya refreshed, you head straight into a challenging climb of 10.5km followed by a long, steep ascent of 15km spurred on by your teammates. Your efforts are soon rewarded by finishing the afternoon entering the beautiful town of Santa Maria de Dota, a very picturesque town that lies in a green valley surrounded by coffee plantations, forested hills and distant mountain peaks. Cabin or camp overnight
After breakfast we prepare ourselves for the final tough cycle ride, our spirits buoyed by the exciting thought of this afternoon’s white-water rafting. This morning’s route takes you through 50km of farm land tilled by the locals, past palm oil plantations all while uphill and downhill on dirt tracks and single-track roads. On arrival at Rio Naranjo it’s time to rest your legs and enjoy a well-earned lunch. The afternoon kicks off with a splash when we launch the rafts to begin an exhilarating 10km white-water run. As you make your way downstream the vivid colours of the exotic birds make the forest flash with life, with many species of kingfishers and toucans. The day, and indeed the challenge, finishes back on two wheels with a triumphant 15km cycle into the stunning Manual Antonio National Park and the Pacific Ocean. This evening the whole team can relax in reflection of their efforts and achievements together at the celebratory meal. Overnight in hotel
You will be transferred as a group back to San Jose to catch your flight and begin your journey home.
BELIEVE >> ACHIEVE >> INSPIRE
We hold an Air Travel Organiser's Licence granted by the Civil Aviation Authority. Our ATOL number is 6546. Many of the flight-inclusive challenges on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. But ATOL protection does not apply to all holiday and travel services listed on this website. This ATOL protection only covers challenges that include flights booked by Charity Challenge and that originate in the UK. Please ask us to confirm what protection may apply to your booking. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. Please see our booking conditions for information or for more information about financial protection and the ATOL Certificate go to: www.atol.org.uk/ATOLcertificate
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