Visit a cocoa farm in the rainforest with majestic views of Arenal Volcano. See where cocoa is grown, processed and produced and unearth the hidden secrets of local chocolate production. This interactive experience lets travelers eat as much chocolate as they want while learning about the history, culture, and traditions of this popular Costa Rican sweet. In this 2-hour hands-on program, have the opportunity to learn interesting facts about cocoa and chocolate, its origin and history. Participate in all aspects of the production process, from the harvesting of the fruit, drying, and grinding of the seeds.  Discover why the cacao tree was very important to ancient cultures. Find out how cacao was not only used as a ceremonial drink, but its seeds were also used as currency because of its economic value, in many regions of Mesoamerica, including Costa Rica.

If you would like to learn the basics of organic farm-to-table cooking, you don’t want to miss this experience. This farm-to-table tour gets your hands dirty and bellies full! Before we start cooking, we will take a walk in our organic farm to collect ingredients. All depending on the season, we will collect what there is available. On this tour, you learn about all the facets of our sustainable and organic farm. You are invited to the kitchen, where you prepare and cook your own lunch on an open wood stove.

Combine two tours with this coffee and cocoa farm excursion from La Fortuna. Learn about Costa Rica's rich history from your guide, see how a tiny cocoa seed becomes sweet chocolate, and taste a delicious cup of fresh coffee. Enjoy a comfortable pickup from your hotel in La Fortuna and head to the farms. Upon arrival, start a tour of a coffee farm, beginning with an introduction to the history of coffee. Learn about how the coffee industry has affected Costa Rica's development. Next, see every step of the coffee production line, from the seed to the final product. Finish your coffee tour with a tasting of local coffees before beginning a chocolate tour. Learn about chocolate's place in Costa Rica's traditional and cultural heritage. Go on a journey full of delightful aromas and history and taste the fruit of the cocoa in a delicious drink. See the entire process of transition, from seed to pure and ground cocoa, before returning to La Fortuna.

This tour is ideal for those who want to take advantage of their nights in Costa Rica to discover some of the country’s nocturnal wonders. You will begin your tour in the small town of La Tigra, located just 30 minutes from La Fortuna. Here you will meet a local family who has devoted part of their land to the natural regeneration of plants and animals.  Once you arrive, you will take the trail into a small patch of rainforest with some mirrored lakes, which facilitate wildlife observation. You can expect to see a variety of nocturnal birds and mammals, insects, amphibians, bats, and more. The trail will take you around the mirrored lakes to the frog sanctuary, which is an area dedicated to the regeneration and natural reproduction of frog species. Here you will discover countless species such as the dart frog and the bullfrog, the smallest and largest species in Costa Rica, as well as the spectacular Red-Eyed Tree Frog, and the beautiful Glass Frog. After the tour, a delicious Costa Rican dinner prepared on a wood burning stove will await You. You will enjoy your dinner viewing the lights of the valleys of San Carlos, before returning to your hotel in La Fortuna.

This Peñas Blancas safari float offers travelers an excellent opportunity to explore some of the best attractions in the Arenal area. Your adventure starts along the Peñas Blancas River where you’ll enjoy the tranquility of the lower section on an easy-going, nature-lovers safari float. Birds and other animals are most active in the morning and you’re pretty much guaranteed to spot a number of creatures while floating on our inflatable rafts. Experience a relaxing tour, led by one of our expert bilingual naturalist safari guides. He will provide a safe environment and point out the beautiful flora and fauna of this region including animals like sloths, monkeys, and toucans. We will make two stops on our journey, one to enjoy our fresh locally grown tropical fruits and again for a delicious, authentic Costa Rican organic lunch. You’ll also learn about the growing, harvesting, and production of chocolate, medicinal plants, fruits, and sugar cane. Finally, as you learn about sugar cane in Costa Rica your guide will help you extract juice from the cane in a traditional fashion, and you’ll get to enjoy a glass of pure sugar cane juice!

The best way to learn about a new culture is to learn about what the locals eat. Costa Rica has an amazing cuisine that is healthy, natural, and actually very easy to learn how to cook. Take some of the best local recipes back home with you after this cooking experience. These cooking classes are a great way to get to know other travelers and hang out with a knowledgeable local chef. As soon as you finish cooking, you will be able to sit down to the delicious meal you helped cook up and chat about the "Pura Vida" of Costa Rica. Make sure you have brought your dancing shoes to Costa Rica, because next up you will head to the dance floor to learn how to dance to latin beats. There is no better way to spend an evening in La Fortuna than cooking, eating, and dancing like a local.

Your day of adventure and cultural immersion begins on the Peñas Blancas Safari Float, the perfect spot for everyone from the very youngest to the very oldest nature lover in your group to get close enough to hear the sounds of the wildlife. After a short drive from La Fortuna to the river dock, your guide will supply life jackets and help you aboard the raft for your two-hour float down the Peñas Blancas. Your guide will share his love of Costa Rica and the knowledge and history they know from living in the region. On this relaxing float down the Peñas Blancas River, you move slowly and stealthily so you won’t disturb the ambiance, which greatly improves your chance of seeing the abundant life that inhabit this river. Monkeys, the Long-Nosed bat, iguanas, Jesus Christ lizards, owls and much more reside along the banks of the Peñas Blancas River. After returning to the dock, you will depart for the Doña Mara Tortilla Making Experience, and visit with a local family. This time at Doña Maras home will give you a better understanding of the meaning of “Pura Vida” (pure life) experienced by rural Costa Ricans. This authentic cultural experience should be a part of everyone’s visit to Costa Rica! You will be welcomed with a tropical drink (pineapple, orange and coconut water) at the “rancho” (like a gazebo) and enjoy a delicious typical lunch prepared on Doña Mara’s rustic wood-fired stove. While lunch is cooking, you will get an opportunity to try your hand at making tortillas from freshly ground corn “masa.” You will learn how to flatten the dough into perfect circles, ready for cooking – and for the best part – you will get to enjoy the fresh home-made tortillas served with lunch! Guests are encouraged to practice their Spanish and learn about the Costa Rican culture while eating lunch with the family. At the end of the tour, your driver will take you back to your La Fortuna area hotel.

Take a taste tour through the history of chocolate from its important role with indigenous populations to its arrival to Europe and the global market. Guests will get a hands-on demonstration of the chocolate making process, from the transformation of the Cacao bean to the chocolate products available on the market. Clients will have the chance to mix chocolate with different exotic ingredients such as natural cinnamon, nutmeg, Jamaica flower and Chile powder. One you have satisfied your sweet tooth, continue on to the beautiful, tropical Balsa River, where you will enjoy up to 2 exhilarating hours of white-water action. Get wet and wild through rapids such as “Magnetic Rock” and “Dredges”. Enjoy a swim, some fresh tropical fruits and cold drinks followed by a hearty Costa Rican lunch at a local farm. The lunch spot is a tour in itself. This traditional country estate with the aim to let visitors experience the genuine and peaceful way of country life in Costa Rica You will enjoy a delicious typical lunch served in a traditional way.

Discover the rushing whitewater of the Sarapiqui River with a full-day rafting trip, including transportation from Arenal or La Fortuna. Along with your guide, maneuver your way through the rapids, watch for toucans and crocodiles, taste-test fresh jungle fruit, and relax with a traditional lunch. Your tour begins with a bus ride from the city center and into the surrounding Alajuela countryside dotted with papaya, pineapple, and yucca plantations. Watch as the majestic Arenal Volcano appears in the distance, towering 1.6 meters above you, as well as nearby hot springs and ice-cold lakes. Upon arrival at the Sarapiqui River, learn safety protocol, paddling techniques, and directional commands. Then it's time to get into the rafts and paddle the fierce rapids. During breaks, look into the jungle and along he banks to see monkeys, toucans, and butterflies, crocodiles and turtles. At the halfway point, take a break and snack on fruit from the jungle. Then return to your raft and tour further down the rapids for more heart-pounding action. At the end of the river, savor a traditional Costa Rican lunch with your fellow rafters before being driven back into town.