May through November is known as Costa Rica's 'green season'. We think it is the best time to visit.
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Costa Rica - Why Summer & Fall is the Best Time to Go


"The 'green season' in Costa Rica should also be called the 'value' season. In exchange for a few hours a day of rain, travelers find an absence of crowds plus rock-bottom airfares." -Frommer's Guides

May through November is known as Costa Rica's 'green season'. We think it is the best time to visit. The countryside literally comes alive, similar to springtime in northern climates, with lush vegetation and a greater variety of blooming orchids and flowers. The air is fragrant, humid and warm. It's true that you may get some rain during your travels. But you could be there for a week and see none, or you might see intermittent afternoon or evening showers, or at worst, a few days of clouds and drizzle and rain. But, for most vacationers, there is eventually more than enough sun to take home with you in the form of a good, tropical, Costa Rican tan!

Here are just a few good reasons to consider summer and fall travel in Costa Rica:
  • Visiting during the off-peak 'green season' you will experience attractions and natural areas without the usual tourist crowds.
  • The rivers are full and whitewater rafting is at its best.
  • Rain usually falls for a few hours in the afternoon or at night and rarely disrupts travel.
  • Sea turtles come to nest during this period of time so many have come to also call it 'turtle season'.
  • It is the peak surfer season as the waves are at their best.
  • The coastal waters are an almost constant 74 degrees on both coasts.
  • June often sees veranito, a 'little summer' of several weeks with little or no rain.
  • Airfares are at their absolute lowest and some great deals can be found.


Take a Look at These Three Green Season Escapes From Austin-Lehman Adventures


Costa Rica - Beach, River & Rainforest

A trifecta of extraordinary experiences and scenery

Observe spider monkeys and flocks of endangered scarlet macaws on a beach walk from Corcovado Tent Camp • Savor the sights and sounds of the jungle atop a canopy platform 120 feet above the forest floor • Follow a trail downward through sub-alpine meadows and deciduous forests ending at the Savegre Mountain Lodge • Gather for stories around a campfire before drifting off to sleep to the liquid lullaby of the Pacuare River • Raft one of the most beautiful river canyons in the tropics through exploding whitewater and under towering waterfalls.

Trip Length: 9 Days & 8 Nights
Green Season Dates for 2008: May 17-May 25 • Jun 07-Jun 15 • Jul 05-Jul 13 • Jul 19-Jul 27 • Aug 16-Aug 24 • Nov 22-Nov 30
Trip Price: Starting from just $1,638 per person, double occupancy. Children 12-16 receive a 25% discount when sharing a room with two adults.
Click for more details on our Costa Rica Vacation - Beach, River & Rainforest >>

Costa Rica Family Adventure

Magical days of wide-eyed discovery and nonstop fun

Designed for families and kids age 5 and older • Visit a real farmer's market • Learn about butterflies at La Paz Waterfall Gardens • Visit Escuela Eslavon, a local public school, and join a third grade class for morning activities • Saddle-up and take a horseback ride through the rolling hills of our hacienda • Raft, swim and tube the Rio Pejibaye • Boat the jungle waterways of Tortuguero National Park observing monkeys and tropical birds • Witness the nesting rituals of Atlantic Green Sea Turtles on a night walk along a deserted Caribbean beach.

Trip Length: 9 Days & 8 Nights
Green Season Dates for 2008: Jul 19-Jul 27 • Aug 16-Aug 24
Trip Price: Starting from just $3,198 per adult and $1,698 per child, double occupancy. Children 5-12 receive a 25% discount when sharing a room with two adults.
Click for more details about our Costa Rica Family Vacation - Coastlines to Cloudforests Family Adventure >>

Costa Rica - Volcanoes & Jungles Multisport

An active week of biking, hiking, rafting and boating

Bike through farmland and tropical rainforest to view sloths, toucans, and howler monkeys • Witness the power of the active volcano Arenal • Visit Doña Mireya's private hot springs for a soothing soak • Spot crocodiles, monkeys, and exotic birds on a guided nature cruise down the Sarapiqui River to the Rio San Juan • Paddle a kayak along the emerald canals of Tortuguero National Park • Raft the Class IV rapids of the Pacuare through a virgin rainforest canyon.
Note: The best time of year to see both nesting and hatching turtles is September, which is also the sunniest month of the year in Tortuguero.

Trip Length: 7 Days & 6 Nights
Green Season Dates for 2008: May 10-May 16 • Jun 14-Jun 20 • Aug 09-Aug 15 •  Sep 13-Sep 19 •  Oct 18-Oct 24 •  Nov 22-Nov 28
Trip Price: Starting from just $1,798 per person, double occupancy
Children 12-16 receive a 25% discount when sharing a room with two adults.
Click for more details about our Costa Rica - Volcanoes & Jungles Multisport Vacation >>

Costa Rica - Wilderness and Wildlife Adventure

Tropical canyons, old-growth rain forests, mighty volcanoes, pristine beaches and abundant wildlife

Watch at night as smoldering red boulders pour from the mouth of the Arenal Volcano • Zigzag through treetops on a jungle canopy tour • Comie eye to eye with monkeys and tropical birds • Sea kayak the Agujitas River and Drake Bay on the Osa Peninsula • Snorkel around Caño Island, home to the best snorkeling in Costa Rica • Hike past thundering waterfalls and lush rainforest trails in Corcovado National Park • Tackle rapids on the Pacuare River.

Trip Length: 9 Days & 8 Nights
Green Season Dates for 2008: Feb 16-Feb 24 • Mar 15-Mar 23 • Jul 12-Jul 20 • Aug 09-Aug 17 • Dec 20-Dec 28
Trip Price: Starting from just $2,398 per person, double occupancy
Click for more details about our Costa Rica Wilderness and Wildlife Adventure Vacation >>

Costa Rica - Luxury Tropical Getaway

Eight full days of action, wilderness, pampering and seclusion

Wake up on a 75-acre farm • View volcan Arenal from your window at Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel and Spa • Swoop between treetops on a canopy tour through Los Angeles Biological Reserve • Ride horseback through a picturesque dairy farm • Enjoy a private bungalow all to yourself in a world-famous eco-lodge on the Osa Peninsula • Surf, river kayak, hike or bird-watch before winding down with a hot stone massage, mud wrap or facial at the Xandari Plantation's esteemed spa.

Trip Length: 7 Days & 6 Nights
Green Season Dates for 2008: Call for dates
Trip Price: Starting from just $3,598 per person, double occupancy
Click for more details about our Luxury Costa Rica Tropical Getaway >>

For Help Planning Your Costa Rica Vacation Contact Carol at 1.800.575.1540


Why Take a Trip with Austin-Lehman Adventures?

Some Good Things To Know...

Founded in 1985, Austin-Lehman Adventures is the result of two leading active travel companies that came together in 2000; Backcountry Tours of Bozeman, Montana and Adventures Plus of Billings, Montana.

Smaller is better. We travel with a maximum of 12 guests and two guides (except on some family adventures). The travel industry's most generous guide to guest ratio (1:6) results in the highest degree of personal attention and flexibility possible.

Home to vacation and back home in a week's time! Arrive on a weekend and return home the following weekend. In between you get days filled with hiking, biking, rafting, paddling, and adventure with first-class dining and accommodations to reward you each night. That's active, multisport luxury.

We're experts in the Americas and Southern Africa. Start with 20 distinct itineraries in the US and slowly add as you grow and learn. We've expanded to Canada, Central and South America, and now Southern Africa.  We stick to our knitting. Others may cover the globe; Austin-Lehman Adventures wants to be the best wherever we go.

Above all, your trip is guaranteed! Every vacation offered is covered by a money-back satisfaction guarantee.

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