Wrist numbing down-hills, knee burning up-hills, pristine single tracks combined with rolling countryside hills and spectacular views are some of the elements a mountain biker thrives for. If you add to these elements, active volcanoes, 11.000 feet peaks, incredible biodiversity, numerous microclimates, jungle trails, and cloud forest routes, you have in hand probably the ultimate MOUNTAIN BIKE MECCA.

Costa Rica, famous all over the world for its nature and beauty, is now rapidly becoming a prime destination to those intrepid adventurers on two wheels known as Mountain Bikers.
Costa Rica offers "fat-tire" thrills to all levels of ability, weather you are a beginner and prefer to stroll along the easy trails 'round the Arenal Volcano Lake enjoying the majestic beauty of this ever erupting volcano, or a daredevil gear-head that prefers the teeth-clattering, eye-watering 75+ Km's per hour down hills of Cerro de la Muerte (The Mountain of Death is the true translation to this peaks name!) Costa Rica has it all!

This fast growing pastime (and to many a passion) has become a fixed mark in the list of the many adventure activities available in Costa Rica. With its countless kilometers of dirt roads and paths traversing a variety of terrain, Costa Rica has enough mountain biking routes to keep a serious biker rolling for years. But you need neither be an enthusiast nor willing to deal with the hassle of dragging a bike along as luggage to enjoy the sport there. Mountain bikes can be rented at most resort towns, and several local companies offer mountain bike tours of the country's less visited areas, many of which are mellow enough for people who haven't been on a bike for years.

A good selection of one-day tours head out of San Jose to nearby attractions, such as Irazu and Poas Volcanoes, and the inspiring Orosi Valley. A more strenuous day of pedalling takes you through the forests of El Rodeo, a protected area near Ciudad Colon.

 

There are also multiple-day mountain bike tours, which range from a two-day exploration of the area around Arenal Volcano to a six-day tour of the Osa Peninsula. Bikers who bring their own wheels will find no shortage of routes in Costa Rica. The southern Nicoya Peninsula, which is crisscrossed by sparsely travelled dirt roads, is the perfect region for mountain-bike touring, as is the southern Pacific Coast, especially the area around the Golfo Dulce.