The Coast To Coast, What To Bring?

For your adventure across Costa Rica you will be traveling with a Coast to Coast guide and driver. Our driver will be driving a support vehicle (for equipment and luggage only!). This means that you will be free to hike, bike and raft without concerning yourself about your luggage. Duffle bags are more convenient than backpacks so you can easily access changes of clothing or much needed items at transition points. You will also need to bring a smaller daypack for overnight at our camp, El Nido del Tigre. A bum bag is also a good idea for sunscreen etc. while hiking and biking.

Day 1 – Flight to Quepos – Relaxation

There are weight restrictions on the local flights and so you should pack your small daypack with essential items for the day at the beach. You may choose to take a hike in the Manuel Antonio National Park and if so, make sure you have you are wearing your hiking shoes. Your main luggage will travel in our support vehicle, which will arrive in the afternoon.

Day 2 – Leaving the Pacific – Mountain Biking

Today you should put on your clean biking clothes. This will be the last time for many days that these are clean, so make the most of the moment! You should wear:

• Biking shorts
• Polypro top or t-shirt. Cotton t-shirts once wet can make you cold.
• Lightweight hiking shoes or running shoes.
• Bum bag (optional) for sunscreen, bug repellent, cash, personal items
• Biking gloves (optional)
• Sunglasses
• Biking helmet
• Gel Saddle (optional)

It is a good idea to pack your hiking clothes in your smaller daypack together with a towel and any other items you may want when changing from biking to hiking. In this way your driver can pack the heavier luggage at the back of the vehicle and the smaller daypacks will be easily accessible.

For the hiking section you should wear:

• Lightweight, comfortable clothes
• Hiking boots
• Sunglasses
• Hat/bandana (option but advisable)
• Camelbak/water bottle. You will need to drink plenty of water and so a cambelbak is a good investment.
• Bum bag for sunscreen etc.

Tonight is the first of a few nights camping during the trip. You will need:

• Towel
• Toiletries
• 1 set of dry clothes
• Sandals for the evenings
• Lightweight fleece
• Therm-a-rest (sleeping pad)
• Lightweight Sleeping bag
• Headlamp/flashlight
• Bug repellent
• Sunscreen
• Sleeping clothes
• Lightweight rain jacket

You will be provided with a tent

Day 3 – Los Santos – Hiking

A full day of hiking. You will not see your luggage during the day so make sure you pack everything you will need for the day. You should wear:

• Lightweight, comfortable clothes
• Hiking boots
• Sunglasses
• Hat/bandana (option but advisable)
• Camelbak/water bottle. You will need to drink plenty of water and so a cambelbak is a good investment.
• Bum bag for sunscreen etc.

When you reach camp you will see your main luggage and have a chance to clean up and change for the evening. The same requirements as last night for camp.

Day 4 – Los Santos – Hiking and Mountain Biking

For the hiking you will probably now be familiar with the fact that your clothes get damp pretty much as soon as you start to hike. So many of our clients keep to just one or different sets of clothes. Today you should make sure you pack your biking clothes in your daypack so the main luggage can be packed at the back of the vehicle and the daypacks packed for easy access. At the transition you will change into biking clothes. You should wear:

• Biking shorts
• Polypro top or t-shirt. Cotton t-shirts once wet can make you cold.
• Lightweight hiking shoes or running shoes.
• Bum bag (optional) for sunscreen, bug repellent, cash, personal items
• Biking gloves (optional)
• Sunglasses
• Biking helmet
• Gel Saddle (optional)

Tonight you will be staying in cabins in the small town of Santa Maria de Dota. You should arrive in the afternoon and so have a chance to change into comfortable clothes to have a wander around the town or visit the coffee plant (depending on the season). It is also a good chance to sort out your luggage, do some laundry and generally get re-organised.

Day 5 – Continental Divide – Mountain Biking

It is a full day of mountain biking and the temperatures today will vary with the altitude. Your early morning start will have you climbing the steepest climb of the trip. Look out for encouragement from the locals and don’t forget to take the time to enjoy the scenery and the local life – after all that’s what it is all about.

You may want to put a lightweight fleece easily accessible in the support vehicle as this will be waiting for you at the top of the climb. Having worked hard for several hours, when you stop at this altitude you will notice the drop in temperature and may want to put on your fleece while you have a well-deserved hot drink.

At least as you set off from the top of the mountain you know it is downhill for a while. You will feel the temperature change and warm up your muscles again before you set off on an off-road section through the Orosi Valley. You will leave the support vehicle at the top of the mountain and may not see it again until tonight.

Overnight is in cabins in the mountains and so can be chilly. The last hill to the cabins is quite a challenge!

Day 6 – Free Day – Orosi Valley

A welcome rest from the bike for the day. The cabins are set in a beautiful setting in the hillside and so you can choose to just hang out for the day or take a trip into either Orosi or Cartago for the day. You can also get some laundry done while you are here.

Day 7 – Tapanti – Mountain Biking and Hiking

Back into your biking gear this morning as we bike to the Tapanti National Wildlife Refuge where you will have a and a chance to change into your hiking clothes. Your support vehicle will meet you here so you don’t need to carry any unessential items with you.

Make sure you fill your camelbak/water bottle before you begin the hike.

The vehicle takes a different route to the campsite so you will not see it until late afternoon. The campsite is by the side of the Pejibaye River and there are showers (no hot water!) and toilets available.

Day 8 – Pejibaye River – Biking and Rafting

Depending on the weather and the group, your guide may begin the day mountain biking to a river put-in or just begin rafting from the campsite. He will let you know the night before so you can dress and pack accordingly.

For the biking section you will by now be very familiar with what to wear! But for the rafting section here is an idea:

• Swimwear
• Shorts
• Polypro shirt (optional)
• River shoes/Teva Sandals or an old pair of running shoes
• Waterproof camera (optional)

After the rafting section you will see the support vehicle and have a chance to change into your biking clothes while lunch is being prepared.

The last climb of the day is to your mountain top lodge for overnight. It can get chilly at this altitude so you may want to wear long sleeves and long pants. Laundry service is available but make sure they know that you will leaving early in the morning.

Take the time this evening to prepare your luggage for the next couple of days. For the whitewater rafting you should pack your daypack with the following:

• Towel
• Set of dry clothes for the evening. It is generally not cold at the camp but you may want to bring a long sleeved shirt and/or pants as protection from insects.
• Toiletries
• Sunscreen
• Bug repellent
• Dry shoes/sandals to wear around the camp
• Lightweight rain jacket (green season only)
• Sunglasses
• Headlamp/flashlight

Day 9 – Pacuare River – Mountain Biking and Whitewater Rafting Day 10 – El Nido del Tigre camp/hiking Day 11 – Pacuare River – Whitewater Rafting

Your reward for the last climb of yesterday is a section of downhill. It doesn’t last long though as the section of mountain biking to the river put-in is a group of hills but with some great downhills! You start the day in your biking gear but it is an emotional day as this is the last time you will be wearing it on the trip!

At the put-in there are changing facilities for you to change into your rafting clothes. The support vehicle will be there with all your luggage but this is the last time you will see your main luggage until the take-out on the river tomorrow.

On the river you should wear:

• Swimwear
• Shorts
• Polypro shirt (optional)
• River shoes/Teva Sandals or an old pair of running shoes
• Waterproof camera (optional)

You will be supplied with:

• Life Jacket
• Helmet
• Paddle

Your daypack will be put into dry-bags and transported to the camp by raft.

You will get wet in the raft and so if you have quick drying clothes you may be more comfortable. Cotton t-shirts once wet will remain wet and can make you feel cold.

The weather on the river can be unpredictable. When it is sunny it is very hot and you will need to be sure to be wearing sunscreen. You will be paddling in the raft and so are unlikely to be cold whilst running the rapids but there are a few calm sections where, if it is raining, it can get chilly.

Once at the camp you can change into your dry clothes but if you go on a hike it is advisable to wear your rafting clothes. The hikes are in the rainforest and sometimes up waterfalls to swimming holes so once again you will get wet. If you are not sure-footed while hiking, perhaps sandals are not the best option for you so consider river shoes or an old pair of running shoes. In the evening you will have your dry clothes to change into.

In the evening you will have your dry clothes to change into. For the second day of rafting you will be wearing the same clothes as the previous day.

Our take out is at Finca Pacuarito where you will spend the night. You will meet with your main luggage and have a chance to repack for the coming days as you raft to the mouth of the river and then stay at the beach.

Tomorrow you will be on the raft all day and so it may be a good idea to wear the same rafting clothes that you have been wearing with the addition of a brimmed hat and lots of sunscreen! You should make sure to pack your daypack for your stay at the beach. It is very warm in Cahuita and so you just need lightweight, casual clothes.

You will not have access to your daypack during the day as it will be packed in drybags but you can put some essential items in a bum bag and your guide will pack this for easy access during the trip. At the end of the rafting section (which is the winding part of the Pacuare River, through banana plantations) you will be met by a motorboat and will then travel to the nearest access point to meet the vehicle that will take you to the beach. Your main luggage will be on this vehicle.

Day 11 – Cahuita – R&R

Day 12 – Return to San Jose

The journey back to San Jose will take approximately 4 hours. Your guide will discuss departure time with the group.

We hope your trip will be more successful with the aid of our What to Bring information sheet.

General Note: Casual clothes are very acceptable in Costa Rica. It is generally not necessary to dress for restaurants. There are however some expensive restaurants in San Jose where customers may dress a little less casually so check when making a reservation.

THE COAST TO COAST TRIP – REMINDER LIST

General

• Duffel Bag
• Small Day Pack
• A couple of plastic bags
• Bum bag (optional)
• Hat

Mountain Biking

• Biking shorts
• Polypro top or t-shirt
• Lightweight hiking shoes or running shoes
• Bum bag (optional)
• Biking gloves (optional)
• Camelbak/water bottle
• Sunglasses (optional)
• Biking helmet
• Gel Saddle (optional)

Camping

• Lightweight sleeping bag
• Sleeping pad/therm-a-rest
• Casual clothes
• Lightweight fleece
• Lightweight rain jacket
• Headlamp/flashlight
• Towel
• Toiletries
• Dry shoes (running shoes or sandals)

Hiking

• Bum bag (optional)
• Lightweight hiking clothes
• Hiking boots

Whitewater Rafting

• Swimwear
• Shorts
• Polypro shirt (optional)
• River shoes/teva sandals/running shoes
• Waterproof camera (optional)

Beach

• Your choice

Evenings

• Casual Clothes

This information is intended as a guide of what you should pack for the trip, we hope it helps! but if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask us.

Coast to Coast