Horseback Riding in Costa Rica: Top Outdoor Adventures Awaiting You

Occupying just 51,100 square kilometers (19,700 square miles), Costa Rica boasts plenty of great horseback riding opportunities.

Among the most popular is to head from the southeastern beach town of Cahuita, through the coastal tropical forests and over the blacksand beaches of Playa Negra. This is a great and easy way to see some of the various landscapes in Costa Rica and have a blast while doing so.

Other great adventures include heading to Centaura and riding around the base of the famed Arenal Volcano; heading on the eight-day horse trek of Monteverde; visiting Manuel Antonio National Park, on the country’s west coast; and heading to Corcovado National Park, on the southern tip of the Osa Peninsula.

Stunning scenery

Composed of pristine white sand beaches, modest but rugged mountains, verdant valleys and thick tropical rainforests, there is plenty of incredibly stunning scenery to see in Costa Rica. Heading out on horseback is a great way to get out into the heart of the countryside and see as much of the diverse little country as possible.

Wondrous wildlife

In spite of its small size – Costa Rica is the 156th largest country on earth – roughly five percent of the world’s plants and animals live here. Heading out on a horseback riding expedition is a great way to get out and see iconic plants and animals, such as scarlet macaws, tapirs, mangrove forests and even more.

Go to the beach

Costa Rica is renowned for having some of the best beaches in Central America. One of the best ways to head out for an unconventional beach day is to take horses to a more remote locale. Allowing you to cover much more distance than on foot, this is the perfect way to escape from the crowds and enjoy a lesser-traveled part of the country.

Due to its proximity to the equator, there are only two seasons in Costa Rica: the wet and dry seasons. The dry season runs from December to April and sees average daily temperatures around 23 ºC (73 ºF). Crucially for outdoor trips, not much rain falls during this time of year.

Any trip to Costa Rica begins with a flight into the Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) in the capital. From here, it is easy to rent a car and drive to the start of the trip.

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Costa Rican colón (CRC)

December to April