Trek the Camino de Costa Rica

This was an incredible experience, and I really feel I got to see the true Costa Rica with a fabulous group of people. Much Better Adventures had responded to the feedback from previous groups, and amended the itinerary to hike the Camino in the opposite direction ie from Pacific to Caribbean, and put a hotel stay in the middle. We were lucky with the weather with minimal rain, but this new itinerary worked out brilliantly for us. Some of the campsites were quite basic ie when we stayed in schools and some were stunningly beautiful, but all were great experiences. The hotel in the middle offered a warm shower, air conditioning and laundry services, all of which were very much appreciated. Our guide Jeffry, cook Beto, driver Mao and man with machete, Miso, could not have been kinder, more helpful or prouder to show us the beauty of their country. Some of the days hiking were challenging due to the heat/humidity, others due to mud, tree roots and steep ascents and descents. But all were manageable and the daily briefings meant we were fully aware of what lay ahead. Definitely recommended!

Just returned from this fabulous trip trekking the Camino De Costa Rica. I can't give anything but positive feedback. We were lucky with the weather, no rain at all, which undoubtedly enhanced the trip. I think we were the first group to do the trek from the Pacific coast to the Caribbean coast, which worked very well as the nicer accommodation was nearer the end of the trip, when it was appreciated most. The itinerary works so well as you get to experience the highlights of the Camino, whilst chopping out some of the not so interesting road sections. I'm a fit 62 year old female and found a couple of the days challenging, but nothing that I couldn't manage. The day trekking through the rain forest with an indigenous guide was a particular highlight. We were in a group of 5, plus our fabulous guide Jeffry, who looked after us, both on the hikes and back at camp. All the other guides, Beto, Miso and Mao were great too, and they all went out of their way to ensure that we had a good experience. Food was great, better than expected, super breakfasts and delicious wholesome meals in the evenings. We didn't have any issues with the campsites. A mixture, from very basic to more comfortable with a hotel night thrown in the middle, which was welcome. Two of the campsites, nearer the end of the trek, were beautiful. I would recommend this trip to anyone who wants to see the unspoilt areas of Costa Rica and its varying landscape. Some of days we saw very few people and I would say go before the rest of the world discovers this hidden gem. . . .

My wife and I took part in this trip in early November 2025 as part of a group of six. I start this review by saying that we made a complaint about some aspects of the trip. After some toing and froing, Much Better Adventures did look in some detail into the issues we raised, and they and the local company running the trek are now (December 2025) looking at how they can improve this trip. The good: the landscape and wildlife were spectacular. The team guided, looked after us and fed us well, created a positive atmosphere and were knowledgeable and engaging. Some of the campsites were in stunning locations. Our group were fun and interesting people. The bad: some days of hiking were finished by lunch time or very early afternoon with no more activities available. Like some other reviewers, I didn't find the hike overall was as challenging as described. Some of the campsites were basic which I didn't have a problem with, but I thought a night with tents pitched inside a community hall with no notable views or areas of nature nearby stretched the meaning of "camping" quite a bit. Most importantly for me, the itinerary differed from the description on the MBA website, with some significant elements missing. Our head guide explained that the local company had made some planned changes to their itinerary. When we showed him the itinerary from the MBA website, he explained he had never seen it. Parts of our week and elements of the trip were excellent. But the quality overall was mixed, the trek didn't match - and in my opinion was inferior to - what was promised by MBA. Communication between MBA and the local company appeared to be lacking. I have rated my experience as 3 stars. But I give MBA credit for now investigating with a view to improving this trip and I believe they will. If you're considering this trip, my advice would be to seek some assurance from MBA about the new itinerary. With some changes, this could be a wonderful 5 star experience.

I should start this review by saying that my husband and I raised a complaint with MBA regarding our trip, based on the issues which I will explain below. MBA took the complaint to the provider (Coast To Coast Adventures) and came back to us with an initial response with which we felt dissatisfied given the mismatch between what the provider said and what our experience had been. When we contested the initial outcome of the complaint, MBA went back to the provider and have come back to us with what seems like a plan to make sure future trips provide better experiences for travellers. This may mean that some of what I describe below does not relate to future trips directly. Let me start with the good things about the Camino trip. The first few days of the trip were really promising and we stayed at some beautiful campsites in remarkable places. We absolutely lucked out with the wildlife we saw (I can’t guarantee that for anyone else!) and we clearly had enthusiastic guides in Josue and Miso (what a remarkable man!) as well as a super chef in Mao. The indigenous community dance show was a delight, our own participation less delightful (!) and I think a number of our group welcomed the dinner and drinks on the final night ;) The front end of the trip and the group experience have led me to give a three star review overall. On to the negative aspects… the itinerary described on the MBA website was not the itinerary delivered on the tour. We were given a map by the guide on Day Three which had the route mapped as per the MBA itinerary, and we were told that our route was going to be different.  This was made explicit to the whole group and we were told we would be staying at the El Nido campsite for two nights. Coast To Coast Adventures have since said that the decision to stay two nights at El Nido was made on Day Four due to weather conditions. All I can say is that it was made clear to us by our guide that the decision had been made in advance and our whole group were made aware that we would be staying there for two nights. Day Five was a completely different day to that described on the MBA website. Our guide referred to it as a ‘day off’ and explained that Coast To Cast Adventures had changed the day based on customer feedback. Instead of doing a stint of the Camino, we would be doing a short hike to and from a waterfall near the camp, and staying at the same camp for a second night. This programme change, by its nature, went against the whole point of the Camino trek and involved a much shorter hike than that advertised. One the MBA website, Day Five is listed as a 15km hike to Tres Equis through a ‘picturesque river valley of glistening azure waters and lush, verdant rainforest’ - we did not get to do this hike.   Day Six, as a result of our group not doing Day Five as advertised on the MBA website, was also not as described. We had a sort of chopped up day of hiking and transport, including the first of several very early lunch stops (in this case, 1100) because we had completed the hike. Day Seven was advertised as a 10km walking day. We were told we would do 2km before lunch and 8km after lunch. Given that it took us less than 20 minutes to complete the walk before lunch, meaning we once again were having a very early lunch, I don’t think it was a 2km hike (I cannot prove this as I only have daily distances). The MBA description had said we would trail ‘through coffee plantations with a chance to learn about the processes, history and importance of coffee’; what happened in reality was that we were driven to a local supermarket at the end of our walk and told we could buy locally produced coffee there. Day Eight on the MBA website stated that, ‘halfway through the hike you’ll reach a beautiful waterfall for swims and a cracking lunch spot. ’ There was no lunchtime swim on offer and no place for us to swim on the route. We were taken to the remote campsite with nothing else provided for us to do for the rest of the day. We played cards. We did a child’s foil art kit that my husband and I had bought for someone else on our travels. At 5pm our guide brought us a mouldy game of Jenga to play. Day Nine was advertised on the MBA website as a 15km hike but, like the days before, this was not so much a hike as a walk, and not fitting of a ‘challenging’ rating. As such, there were multiple significant deviations from the advertised trek and it was not the trip we felt we had been sold. During the trip, I showed our guide the MBA itinerary day by day from the MBA website, and he asked if he could take photos of it as he had never seen it, which was concerning to us and seems unprofessional. He also said to us (to me, and to the whole group) that Coast to Coast Adventures had made changes to the Camino programme for this season based on past feedback. I was left wondering whether these had not been communicated to MBA, or had been communicated but the website had not been updated. It is also worth noting that the camps in the second half of the trip were significantly different to those in the first half and included one night camping on a basketball court in a barn at a church (which for me was fine as it was part of the indigenous community experience) and then one night in tents within a community centre on a tiled floor (which, due to the short length of the hike, we spent quite a long time playing cribbage in). I was lucky to be trekking with a lovely supportive group and we kind of worked out a way to make the best of it, but having a lovely supportive group isn’t a certainty on any tour, and it should not be down to the group to make the best of it when everyone has paid for what they hope to be an incredible experience. I do know how to play cribbage now though. This is a very lengthy review - well done if you have got to the end and I hope it helps you in deciding whether this is the trip for you. It has felt like we have had to push quite a bit to see through our complaint which has been hard, although I will say that the team at MBA has been very polite, transparent and detailed in the whole process. More than anything I don’t want anyone else to end up in a similar position, but the hope is that seeing it through will mean future trips will be better for others.

Stunning scenery and hikes. Be prepared for a lot of mud, rain and generally being damp for the entirety of the trip, especially if going in wet season/transition of wet season. A few tips: You do not need a 40L backpack for the day hikes. A 25L is adequate. Your main backpack is transported in a vehicle daily. I would highly recommend taking gaiters if going in wet season. Take at least 3 pairs of shoes - my hiking boots and trainers didnt dry for the entire trip. Pack extra socks! I personally didnt find the hikes challenging but I am aware this is entirely subjective. A few issues with some campsites but this is being handled by MBA. The guides and food were excellent - nothing was too much bother and they did all they could to ensure we were comfortable. The group was fantastic and really added to the experience.

Trip ranked as challenging but it is not. Very easy and time wasting. Mostly seating at the camp instead of hiking as it was advertised/described.

We had a great trip led by Josue, Mao and Miso. Josue calm and jolly whilst seamlessly coordinating transport and alterations. Meeting a Sloth walking on the ground after 2km set the expectations high and the wildlife kept coming throughout the trip. Campsites varied 4 nights were very special locations, others more basic, but all protected by corrugated iron roof from the heavy afternoon and night rain. Walking was relatively easy, 18km in the mud on day 3 was the most challenging, but done at an easy pace was comfortable. Take plenty of plastic bags to separate clothing in various states of damp/ wet etc The English mentality of putting a coat on when it rains is soon dispelled as it is too humid. Be adaptable. Take a pack of cards, our group really got into afternoon cards.

Absolutely brilliant trip! The walking was a good challenge with the tropical climate, a great experience. 

We were led by Jeff who did such a good job of keeping us informed of the plan throughout, I definitely felt in safe hands even in the middle of the jungle. His knowledge of the wildlife was really valuable too, and we spotted so much too thanks to his keen eyes. My favourite was a laughing falcon at the end that looked like a tiger from the orange dust in it’s feathers. 

 The food was such a foundation to the trip too, Memo’s cooking was delicious. I really felt like we got a true tase of Costa Rica eating, and we totally picked up some Lizano sauce before heading home! And now I know why the Camino de Costa Rica logo is a hummingbird, they are everwhere!

This was my second 7+ day trip through Much Better Adventures, and it was a total hit. Costa Rica is an incredible place, with the highest biodiversity in the world. We were extremely lucky to be taken through this by people who knew the nature who knew the nature in and out. Our tour guide was Jeffry, and he was was amazing. Always smiling, answering our many questions about wildlife, and working out how to make the trip as enjoyable possible, taking the group's preferences into account. It was really special to have a guide that grew up in the area and knows so much about the nature, the area, and the local culture. We had a lot of questions, and somehow Jeffry always had the answer. On many of the hikes through the jungle, we were also accompanied by Miso. Miso was our steady guide through challenging parts of the forest that sometimes required navigation due to rerouting, chopping poisonous plants out of the way (with a machete!), and traversing difficult terrain. He knew all the ins and outs of the forest. The jungle has its share of dangers that you'll find in any richly natural environment, and we we felt really safe having him on the trail with us along with Jeffry. And Memo was the person who made sure our accommodation was set up, and most crucially, cooked us incredible food throughout the entire trip. I've rarely eaten so well for so long as on this treat - it was a culinary retreat as much as a nature reset. Every meal on this trip was fantastic. The campsites were good and some of them outright gorgeous. There was one in particular that was so stunning that we didn't want to leave. Two of of the campsites were temporary due to maintenance of the main sites and those were more basic, but in each case we were safe and well sheltered and had all the necessary amenities like showers and clotheslines. Some of the other campsites often were bordering on glamping! For folks thinking about going during rainy season, I can only recommend it. Until the very last day, we had every trail entirely to ourselves, with no other hikers. The rain was often a refreshing part of the hike. But to help prepare you: when packing, think about the chance that a 100% overnight humidity doesn't dry your clothes, and expect you might have a few wet hikes in a row (followed by ample dry time in your camping clothes in the afternoon and overnight, since most hiking days are short. ) It's really not a problem once you get used to it, and I never got cold hiking in July. The group was fantastic and was a wonderful time to meet like-minded friends. Huge thanks to Jeffry, Memo and Miso for putting all their effort in making the trip unforgettable, always thinking about how to make the trip as enjoyable as possible.

What a trip. This trip was something different. Staying in communities, hiking through the jungle, learning traditional dance, uncovering whole new landscapes and so much more was such a treat for this trip. The group was great and Josue, Jefrey, Memo and Miso were fantastic!! Would recommend to anyone to do this.