Colors of Costa Rica Gay Adventure Travel

Day 1: Welcome to Costa Rica

Guests should plan to arrive at San Jose’s Juan Santamaria International Airport by late afternoon. We will be greeted by our local guide and transferred to our tropically inspired hotel in San Jose. This evening we will meet for a reception, then venture out for our welcome dinner to kick off our adventure. After dinner, there’ll be a Night Out City Tour to explore San Jose’s nightlife, visiting the most famous gay spots of the San Jose area.

Day 2: A Charming Town with a Unique History

After breakfast, we start our trip to Monteverde. For the first couple of hours, we follow the Pan American Highway past villages, coffee plantations, and forests. Then, starting from near sea level, we start our winding ride up the spine of a mountain to the village of Santa Elena, just below the continental divide and our home base for exploring the Monteverde Cloud Forest. In Spanish, Monteverde means “green mountain” and it is one of the most interesting and popular destinations in Costa Rica.

Upon arrival, we’ll find our charming hotel with a view of the mountains rippling into the distance. Monteverde was settled in the 1950s as a Quaker community and today continues a tradition of environmental responsibility and quality farming. This afternoon, we will have lunch together then tour the town of Santa Elena, sampling fresh dairy products and desserts with the local cheese producer. Enjoy visiting art galleries and shops and search out the small and colorful frogs who live in the rainforest. We will dine together tonight at a local restaurant.

Day 3: Into the Cloud Forest

After breakfast, we will take a 3-hour nature walk along trails of the famous Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, a private protected area with over 25,730 acres (10,415 hectares) of land encompassing eight distinct ecological zones. Vines, mosses, ferns, and lichen cover nearly every inch, and more than 500 species of orchids can be found clinging to the enormous trees.

The Cloud Forest of Monteverde is a naturalist’s paradise, an outstanding sanctuary for more than 130 types of mammals, 400 kinds of birds, 30 species of hummingbirds, 5000 types of moths, and 3000 species of plants. In addition to the spectacular Resplendent Quetzal, you may see the endangered Bellbird or Emerald Toucanet.

We will enjoy lunch together today before returning to the hotel for a free afternoon. You can take advantage of the Jacuzzi, pool bar, or spa before getting together for dinner.

Day 4: On to Manuel Antonio

After breakfast, we will journey to Manuel Antonio, with its world-renowned Pacific beaches, arguably some of the most beautiful in the country. With multiple gay bars, a gay-friendly beach, and a tolerant atmosphere, Manuel Antonio is certainly considered a premier gay travel destination.

We will check into our bright and airy hilltop hotel that overlooks the jungle, and beyond, a glorious waterscape. We’ll have the afternoon and evening free to lounge at the beach, head to the spa, or simply sip a cocktail while watching the sunset.

Day 5: Catamaran Cruise

This morning we’ll board a 100-foot catamaran for a boating and snorkeling adventure along the coast. The boat features small pools for relaxing, netting to lay in, and slides for silly fun, as well as a large open bar with alcoholic and non-alcoholic refreshments, fruits, and snacks. We’ll have lunch on board and stop at pristine Bizans Beach for snorkeling. Dolphin and whale sightings are common, so keep your eyes peeled!

Dinner will be together tonight at a quaint local restaurant.

Day 6: Wildlife Walk in the National Park

Manuel Antonio National Park has just 900 hectares, including 12 islands in its vicinity, making it the smallest, but still one of the most important National Parks in Costa Rica. We’ll take a guided walk and learn more about the Park’s importance as a transition zone where the tropical dry forest and rainforest meet. Walkthrough mangrove wetlands and visit some of the most beautiful beaches on the Pacific coast.

We are likely to encounter sloths, raccoons, and any of the three types of monkeys (capuchin, squirrel, and howler monkeys) that live in Manuel Antonio National Park. How many of the 350 species of birds can you identify? Be on the lookout for agoutis (large rodents), armadillos, and iguanas!

Day 7: Canopy Tour by Zip Line!

Our tour begins with an amazing 45-minute drive through the rainforest to our canopy site near the closest town of Quepos. We’ll make stops to learn more about the colorful and abundant plants and animals of the area. Our local bilingual guide has a vast knowledge of the rainforest and will share with us many of the secrets that the canopy holds.

We’ll gear up for our zip line adventure in an area called Paso Real, near a pristine river: a spectacular backdrop for the platforms and cables carefully built in the rainforest canopy. The trained guides start us out with a short “zip,” then we experience longer and longer slides as we sail through the canopy between platforms.

After our thrilling flight among the treetops, we’ll go back to our gay paradise hotel in Manuel Antonio and dine together this evening.

Day 8: Return to San Jose

We’ll have a leisurely morning to enjoy breakfast and perhaps a last visit to the beach before our return trip to San Jose. We’ll stop for lunch along the way. The afternoon is free before we join together for our Farewell Dinner.

Day 9: Adios!

There are no activities scheduled today, so guests are free to plan whatever flights are most convenient and offer the best price. We will provide transfers to the airport for those departing today. Say farewell to your new friends, and we hope to travel with you again in the near future!