Join our world of travel
Receive handpicked inspiration, insider tips and exclusive updates from Emma, Deborah and the Essential Escapes team.
Our bespoke journeys
Costa Rica is a land that stirs the senses, where volcanoes rise above rainforest canopies and beaches meet untamed jungle. Wake to the call of howler monkeys, drift through mangrove waterways, and feel the pulse of pure nature all around you. Our journeys reveal the country’s wild heart with expert guides, boutique stays, and time to simply be.
Our Costa Rica journeys are shaped by the country’s natural rhythm; the call of the rainforest, the calm of the coast, the energy of adventure in between. Every itinerary is built with care and local insight, then tailored entirely to how you want to explore.
Start inland, perhaps, in the hills around Bajos del Toro or San Gerardo de Dota, regions often overlooked but rich in biodiversity and calm. Or head north to the Arenal region, where thermal springs and quiet forest lodges sit beneath the shadow of a volcano.
In the south, the Osa Peninsula offers one of the most biodiverse corners of the planet. Days here begin with toucans overhead and end with the sun dropping over the Pacific. Track tapirs in Corcovado National Park, or take a boat through the Golfo Dulce’s quiet estuaries.
On the Nicoya Peninsula, stay in a quiet coastal retreat near Nosara or Santa Teresa, where forest meets surf and life moves with the tide. In the Caribbean lowlands, explore Cahuita’s Afro-Caribbean culture, taste traditional coconut rice, or walk the black sand beaches at dusk.
You don’t need to chase adrenaline to feel something here, though ziplining through the canopy and rafting remote rivers are easily arranged. But often, it’s the quieter moments that stay with you: spotting sloths from your balcony in Monteverde, sipping coffee grown on the farm next door, or listening to rain fall on a jungle roof in Tortuguero.
You might take a guided night walk through the cloud forest, explore volcanic terrain near Rincón de la Vieja, or join a local naturalist in the wetlands of Caño Negro. Every region offers its own lens on Costa Rica’s relationship with the land, and we help you see it in an immersive way.
Whether you’re travelling for family connection, reconnection with yourself, or simply space to breathe, we’ll help you explore Costa Rica.
From the colonial streets of Oaxaca to the cenotes of the Yucatán and the surf...
There’s something humbling about being in nature, standing still while the world moves around you....
Few places capture the essence of Africa quite like Tanzania, a land where nature still...
Tell us your wishlist and we'll be in touch with the ideas.