Top Central Valley Half-day Tours

Get a taste of San Jose’s culture and cuisine on this 3-hour walking tour. Explore Costa Rica’s capital accompanied by an expert guide and learn about the city’s history, architecture and flavor. Explore the produce stalls of two traditional markets and discover what makes Costa Rican coffee so delicious as you sample some local brews. The tour is capped at 12 people for a personalized small-group experience.

Satisfy your inner explorer on this half-day tour from San Jose that combines a trek to towering Irazú Volcano with a visit to the historic ruins and basilica of Cartago. Take in spectacular views from the summit of Costa Rica's tallest volcano, and uncover centuries of history among fascinating parish ruins and the rich iconography of the Basilica of Our Lady of the Angels.

Discover San Jose’s hidden delights with this unique evening tour of the Costa Rican capital. Wander through a maze of vendor stalls and to learn about staples of local cooking at the Central Market, and see the opulent National Theater and other architectural highlights on a twilight walking tour. Drive to the ritzy Paseo de la Luz the east side of San Jose well known for its gastronomy. Finish the night with a 3-course meal and wine pairings at a gourmet Costa Rican restaurant.

Visit a Costa Rican animal sanctuary and learn about sloths on this half-day tour from San Jose. Discover other local wildlife being treated at the sanctuary to be released into the wild such as monkeys, toucans, kinkajous (known as honey bears), coatimundis, macaws, and more. Plus, head to the folkloric towns of Grecia and Sarchi to explore.

Escape the ordinary on this immersive bike-riding day trip to the charming town of Cartago. Experience the Costa Rican rail system with a short train ride, and then hop on your bike for a two-wheeled tour around Cartago’s historic streets. Learn about the town’s colonial history with your expert guide, and visit a local market to sample delicious produce and traditional treats before heading back to San Jose by bus. A small group limit of 12 people provides a personalized experience on this half-day tour.

We start at the Mistico ARENAL HANGING BRIDGES is one of the greatest eco touristic projects of Costa Rica, with the exuberant 250 hectare (618 acre) reserve of primary forest. where you will find a great biological diversity with an incomparable scenic splendorThere are 10 walking bridges and 6 Real hanging bridges highest bridge is 48 meters besides the longest bridge 98 meters.Best place to see wild life in La Fortuna, Arenal. for example three species of monkeys howler monkeys, Spider Monkeys and the most intelligent one white-faced capuchin Monkey, sloths, Toucans large number of snakes as well.After the bridges we drive 10 min to get to our next adventure.The Volcano hike takes 1 hours at the base of the Arenal Volcano.After the volcano hike we enjoy some snacks and fruits.We provided you with flash light for our Jungle night walk in Arenal Costa Rica.The night tour takes about 1 hour or so. 

Treat your taste buds to a sampling of Costa Rica’s famed coffee paired with gourmet chocolate on this half-day tour of the Café Britt coffee plantation. See firsthand how this sustainable, gourmet producer grows, harvests, and roasts coffee beans to create the perfect aromatic cup. Visit the on-site coffee bar to taste several of Café Britt’s different roasts, accompanied by chocolate. Round out the day with a farm-fresh buffet lunch of traditional Costa Rican cuisine at the plantation restaurant.

Spend a half day learning about local wildlife and conservation during this once-in-a-lifetime Costa Rican volunteer opportunity. Enjoy the lush landscapes just outside La Fortuna and have the chance to  observe some of the country's most exotic species. Prepare food, and help maintain the grounds as you learn about local wildlife from area experts. This 3.5-hour tour of the property is sure to be a memorable part of any Costa Rican adventure!

Enjoy an insider’s perspective of San Jose on this half-day city walking tour. Accompanied by an expert guide, you’ll get a sense of daily life in the Costa Rican capital as you ride public transportation, stop by a beautiful local park and visit the artisan workshop of a third-generation craftsman. Taste local flavors while you browse stalls at the historic Central Market, savor a traditional lunch at an 80-year-old inn and learn to make tortillas.

Spend time exploring some of Costa Rica’s famous natural attractions on this tour to Poas Volcano National Park and Doka Coffee Estates from San Jose. Take an easy 10-minute hike to the summit of Poas Volcano, pausing to admire the view, and swing by a working coffee farm for a tour of one of Costa Rica’s biggest crops on the way. This tour includes breakfast and all transportation for a hassle-free experience.

Explore the dramatic landscapes of Arenal from the air with a day at Sky Adventures. Hike through the treetops on the Sky Walk, ride a gondola to a lookout point over Arenal Volcano on the Sky Tram, and soar above the mountains and rain forest on the thrilling Sky Trek zipline course. Take your pick of sky-high activities, or do all three for an unforgettable Arenal adventure.

Experience a high-flying adventure on a rain forest zipline course near San Jose. Journey from the Costa Rican capital to a private ecotourism reserve, where you’ll soar through the lush jungle canopy and above the rushing Molinete River. Glide across 10 different zipline cables, including the 2,297-foot (700-meter) Adrena-Line, and walk across a hanging bridge. Expert adventure guides will accompany you throughout the day to ensure your safety and help you spot native rain forest critters.

Experience San Jose’s party scene with a pub crawl through the heart of Costa Rica’s capital, and skip the line with an expert guide and a fun crew of fellow travelers. Learn about the city’s history as you walk alongside your guide, drink like a Tico as you tip back house shots at a series of four bars and clubs, then dance, drink and party the night away in the heart of the city.

Tap into Costa Rica’s emerging craft beer movement with this 4-hour beer tour in San Jose. Accompanied by a local guide, you’ll explore the Barrio Escalante, the heart of San Jose’s pub culture and home to many brewpubs. Taste 10 different varieties of beer, accompanied by traditional tapas — the Costa Rican version of bar snacks. You’ll also have a chance to pick up a few souvenirs at the Artesanos Market. A small group size helps create a more personalized tour experience.

Discover highlights of Costa Rican history and culture on this city tour of downtown San Jose. Visit the city’s architectural treasures, including the historic National Theater. Take a spin through the galleries of an art museum to admire pre-Columbian treasures, and enjoy the lush landscaping of one of San Jose’s beloved emerald parks.

Discover the vibrant history and culture of the Costa Rican capital on a half-day San José city tour. Soak up the green oasis of La Sabana Metropolitan Park, explore diverse neighborhoods like Rohrmoser and Otoya, and visit stately landmarks including the National Library and Casa Amarilla. Featuring admission to the majestic National Theater and the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, plus a combination of walking and minivan touring, it’s a great way to experience the city’s highlights in a single afternoon.

Sample what’s on tap at local breweries on this pub crawl tour in San Jose. Hear about the beer revolution in Costa Rica while you learn about the brewing process and how to pair beer with certain foods. Plus, as you travel between pubs, discover the city's streets at night on this walking tour.

Visiting San Jose’s markets with a guide turns an everyday scene into a rich cultural experience as your guide tells you the stories behind the markets’ offerings and takes the guesswork out of deciding what’s worth a try. After visiting top San Jose markets, head to the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum to take a look at the city’s early history.

Immerse yourself in Costa Rican culture and history on this guided tour of the capital city. Highlights include the National Theater, the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, the University of Costa Rica, the Supreme Court, and Central Market. A bilingual guide is on hand to answer questions and provide insight about what you see along the way.

Upon arriving at the Waterfalls Gardens, we walk a path, which leads to different attractions of the park including the aviary, the largest butterfly observatory in the country, the hummingbird gallery, the serpentarium, the frog, monkey and cat exhibition In addition to the 5 highest waterfalls in Costa Rica, with several very impressive views.

This is a small-group gastronomic experience of our country and our city. Our groups are of 8ppl max. to ensure a personalized attention. We'll walk through the gastronomic district of San Jose Costa Rica, sharing with you not only the history of the neighborhood and it's architecture but also visiting the places that are pushing the envelope on the local gastronomy and/or rescuing our gastronomic heritage. We'll visit three restaurants and sample their flagship dishes as we talk about the different periods on the costarican cuisine.

The tour is ideal for people who only have half a day to make an excursion, since you can take the tour and ask to be dropped off at the international airport.This excursion takes us to one of the most active volcanoes in Costa Rica, cataloged as one of the most beautiful and impressive volcanoes, just one hour from downtown San Jose.We can walk through the main crater, and after the tour we go to the highest point of the National Park, then descend from the volcano to visit the most important church in Costa Rica, we know a little about the architecture and the different constructions that the structure has had.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens showcases Costa Rican wilderness at its most picturesque, with lush tropical rain forest, thundering cascades, white rivers, and a rich variety of wildlife. This tour provides round-trip transportation from San José and allows you to see the highlights of La Paz in a single day. Your guide navigates through the park’s many trails and takes you to White Magic Waterfall, the butterfly observatory, and other attractions.

Explore Arenal’s famous hanging bridges on a 4-hour tour from La Fortuna, and get panoramic views of the dramatic Arenal volcano. Follow your guide along an easy, 1.9-mile (3.1-km) trail through a lushly forested reserve, and cross a series of six suspension bridges and nine fixed bridges for a bird’s-eye perspective of the forest floor. Watch for bright feathers and monkey tails as you walk through the jungle, and take in the sights and sounds of Costa Rica’s thriving wilderness.