10-Day Costa Rica Tour from San José: Monteverde and Santa Teresa**Meals and Entrance Mentioned Included**

Welcome to the good life! PURA VIDA! That's Costa Rica's national tagline meaning 'pure life'Today is all about getting situated, meeting the group, and getting your first feel of this amazing country. You did it! Settle in, check out the local city or just sit back and relax as you're about to start the most epic 10 days of your life. We'll meet as a group, head out for a welcome dinner, and then follow it up with some drinks in Costa Rica's largest city.

We're straight into Costa Rica's rich culture today, we're heading to Coop San Juan, a rural Costa Rican village off the beaten path where we will experience life just as the locals do. A quick scenic drive through the country (3 and a half hours) we make it to our picturesque village where we check into our homestays. If you want to get to know the real Costa Rica. This is it. Get to know the families who so kindly let us stay, before they show us a cooking demonstration. Costa Rican food is out of this world. So try to learn a thing or two.
Before the sun goes down we head out to explore the area - keeping an eye out for wildlife and getting a true feel for the Costa Rican countryside. Play some games with the local community, watch the sun go down as we gather around the bonfire. Has this been an epic first full day? You better believe it. But hey, start as you mean to go on right?

Today we head for La Fortuna - ADVENTURE CAPTIAL OF COSTA RICA. A beautiful mountain town sat at the base of the epic Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna is an adrenaline lovers playground. After getting settled into our accommodation,  we head straight for a hike around the base of Arenal Volcano! The views are going to be something special! After we have walked and explored, we'll get some R&R in some natural hot springs and enjoy a group dinner.

Today is a full day dedicated to exploring La Fortuna and there certainly isn't a shortage of options. Your Tru Leader (that's your super cool, unbelievably suave, knowledgeable genius of a tour guide by the way) will be taking those looking for a more chilled day down to the local swimming hole called El Salto, and for those who are craving some adrenaline can choose to spend the day as they please.

Today is just as much about the journey as it is the destination. We pack up and begin one of the most scenic journeys of our trip to Monteverde. This route takes us high through the jungle mountains where we cross a scenic lake with panoramic views of the Arenal Volcano.
After we make it Monteverde we have time to check in and get settled before heading out for a night safari later in the evening. The diversity of wildlife in Costa Rica is unmatched, and tonight we are going to get a first hand look at the nocturnal nightlife. Sloths, armadillos, vipers, colorful tree frogs and exotic birds are a few of the animals you will likely be lucky enough to come across on the night safari. Just imagine yourself in a David Atteborough documentary, get your TruFam member to film and narrate the whole thing.

When people mention Costa Rica, ziplining through a cloud forest is likely one of the first images that comes to mind. In the 1970's, scientists used ziplines to explore the country's rich canopy without disturbing the environment, and from there the idea of using ziplines for recreation was born. If we could travel everywhere by zipline, trust us, we would. As the birthplace of the zipline and hands down one of the most EPIC possible locations to try the activity, it's a no-brainer that we include a day of ziplining in the earth's most famous cloud forest. Not to mention, these are some of the longest and most thrilling ziplines out there, so grab the go pro. It's a hell of a day!

We've covered the culture, we've experienced nature, and now we've got our fill of adventure so there's only one thing left - the beach! Costa Rica is world-renowned for its beautiful coastline and world-class surfing, so today we head to our favorite beach town in the country. SURF'S UP BABY! We love Santa Teresa because it's got the exact vibe we look for when visiting beach towns on our Tru tours. Beautiful, not too touristy, plenty of fun activities in the area and a fun, young vibe. Today is just a travel day but when we get settled in, we'll head over to the beach for cocktails and to enjoy our first sunset over the Pacific.

Today we chill at the beach, it's been a crazy few days and we're all about that Pura Vida lifestyle. Our accommodation is just a short walk from the beach, so spend the day relaxing at the beach or if you're feeling super energised you can head off on one of the many activities Santa Teresa has to offer. If you are looking to do a bit of surfing while on the trip, today is the perfect chance as there are plenty of great surf schools along the beach. In the afternoon we have a sunset yoga class where you can unwind and get a bit of zen in before another day of adventure tomorrow.

Not far from Santa Teresa is a lesser known Costa Rica highlight - the Bohemian beach town of Montezuma. We'll grab transport over to Montezuma where we will grab lunch by the beach before going to see one of Costa Rica's iconic jungle waterfalls (and hopefully catch a glimpse of some howler monkeys and other wildlife!). After the waterfall we go and explore Montezuma town, a super colorful and chill beach town, filled with local artisans and home to an incredible beach that is not to be missed. Tonight is the last night of our trip, so we head back to Santa Teresa to prepare for a farewell dinner and one last WILD night out with the group.

All good things must come to an end, we're not crying...you are. We're in one of the best spots in Costa Rica, so hang around town, check out Santa Teresa. Whatever you do, don't forget us. Your travel ninja is on hand for any onward travel plans you have. Need to get back to San Jose? They can help you. Need a hug because you're sad about leaving? OK OK GROUP HUG.