Journey To The Heart Of Costa Rica
Slow Down. Boost Your Wellbeing. Find Your Center.
JANUARY 21 - 28, 2025
Relax, reset, and renew your body, mind and spirit.
Nourish your heart and soul as you steep in awe, joy, and vibrant wellness.
In this tiny Central American country, you will experience some of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth along with fascinating indigenous communities and the renowned Blue Zone region of Nicoya.
Imagine spending a week in the Sacred Feminine energy of nurturance, grounding into the Earth, spending time with other women, and connecting with your Self, your soul, and Mother Nature.
We will get up close with the magical Arenal volcano, soak in mineral hot springs, walk amongst exotic birds and animals in the jungle, cook traditional dishes in wood ovens, submerge our bodies in the Pacific Ocean, and have authentic experiences with some of the indigenous people of this land.
We will see and do many things while nurturing our nervous systems by taking our time. Our guiding principles will be "ease and flow" and the ubiquitous Costa Rican phrase "pura vida" (pure life), which symbolizes the simple, cheerful outlook and lifestyle of what is often called the happiest country in the world.
Jenny Wood Wellness Trips
Since my first curated small group women's trip to England in 2017, I have always sought the path less taken for my travelers. This translates to traveling outside of high tourist seasons; staying in smaller, family-owned lodging as much as possible; and booking authentic experiences where we meet local people and learn about their lives and their places directly from them.
In the past few years, my journeys have begun to center on travel as pilgrimage, which means traveling with more consciousness and mindfulness than we otherwise might. I weave in opportunities for travelers to reflect on the experiences you are having, which greatly enriches your inner journey and creates deeper connections among group members.
Click here to see what past travelers say about journeying with Jenny.
Central Valley - San José
DAY 1. Whether you arrive at our Hotel Bougainvillea oasis the day before the trip starts or on Day 1, you will immediately have the opportunity to connect with Mother Earth in their magical 10-acre botanical gardens. The amazing variety of tropical plants and trees attract numerous butterflies and birds. See if you can spot all seven different colors of the bougainvillea flower in the gardens!
We will gather in a circle at 4 pm to officially begin our trip! We will have started to get to know each other on the pre-trip zoom, and now we can share our intentions for the trip in person and start to weave our energies together for the week.
We will meet our exceptional guide, Costa Rican native José Acuña Morraille, receive our beautiful journals for the week, and hear from José about the immersive experiences he has planned for us.
We will have our welcome dinner together at the hotel.
Where We'll Stay
Arenal Volcano Region
DAY 2. After a delicious breakfast at our hotel (choose Costa Rican food or American or both!), we will journey northwest to the Arenal Volcano.
Our first stop will be the Doka Coffee Hacienda, a three-generation family coffee farm. As we walk the fields, one of the family members will share the history of coffee in Costa Rica and the fascinating story of how it's harvested. You will be able to sample different varieties, including combinations with honey and dried fruits. Whether you drink coffee or not, you will have the opportunity to open all of your senses to this powerful medicinal drink and to the estate itself.
We will continue on our journey through the high altitude Vara Blanca cloud forest, with picturesque valleys and cascading waterfalls, and then down through the intensive agricultural area of the northern plains, passing through fields of pineapple, sugarcane, yucca and peppermint.
We will arrive at our ecolodge by mid-afternoon and settle in. José has offered to take us on an immersive 1 km walk through the living organism of the rainforest around our cabins. What will we see, hear, touch, and smell? (Keep your eyes peeled for toucans, sloths and monkeys!).
For dinner we will travel to the home of Costa Rican cook Chela, who will take us on a walk through her vegetable gardens and teach us how to make traditional food in wood-fired ovens.
Where We'll Stay
DAY 3. José will be offering an early morning birdwatching walk before breakfast should you wish to join. We will have breakfast (inside the jungle!) and then depart for the day's adventures, starting with circumnavigation of the Arenal volcano, stopping along the way to learn about its history and structure.
Mid-morning we will arrive at Sky Adventures, an extensive, family-owned park with hanging bridges, ziplines, and a gondola. We will ride the gondola up to a platform where you may choose to either zipline down or descend on the gondola and walk the 3 km of spectacular hanging bridges with stunning views.
We will lunch directly in front of the majestic volcano and then have free time to walk around the nearby town of Fortuna.
After a rest back at the lodge, we will depart at 5 pm for the EcoTermales mineral hot springs, where you will have the opportunity to completely let go into nurturing pools of water in the midst of lush and vibrant jungle.
We will dine at EcoTermales and then fall into bed for a deep, restful sleep.
Guanacaste Province - Pacific Coast
DAY 4. After our last breakfast in the jungle, we will travel one of the most scenic routes in Costa Rica to a cacao farm. In this activity personally crafted for our group, we will have a sacred, hands-on experience turning cacao beans into soul medicine. You will never look at (or imbibe) chocolate in the same way again.
As we continue on our journey, we will transition from the hot, humid green jungle to dry, brown tropical forest and desert. When we cross the bridge into the Nicoya Peninsula, we will discuss its designation as a Blue Zone and have lunch in one of the rural villages here.
We will arrive at the Pacific coast and the tiny village of Carrillo in mid-afternoon. After checking into our women-owned hotel, you will have the rest of the day to explore the surroundings, swim in the ocean, and relax on the beach. (I have included a link to our hotel, but I must say that its loveliness does not come across so well on their website.)
Be sure to watch for the amazing sunset over the Pacific!
Where We'll Stay
DAY 5. Today is completely at your leisure. You may choose to snooze, journal, sit by the pool or on the Carrillo beach; or you may opt for a morning sailing tour (extra cost) in the tranquil bay, with snorkeling, dolphins, and marine birds, and/or an afternoon spent on the gorgeous beach in the neighboring town of Sámara.
DAY 6. Today we will connect with and celebrate the women of the village of Matambú, home to the indigenous Chorotega people, in the heart of Nicoya's Blue Zone. Matambú is an hour's drive from our hotel.
We will sink our hands into local clay with traditional Chorotega potter Doña Maria Eugenia. While our creations dry, we will pop next door for coffee and the local treat rosquillas guanacastecas baked by her neighbor.
We will return to the hotel in the afternoon, and the rest of the day will be at your leisure.
From The Pacific Coast Back to Central Valley
DAY 7. This is our day of completion and integration. You will be able to linger at the hotel or on the beach until checkout at noon, and then we will travel a few minutes to a very special place for our closing circle. At this time we will each have the opportunity to revisit our intentions for the trip and share gems, insights and transformations from the week.
Departing the coast, we will wend our way back to San José, stopping a few times during the 3.5 hour drive. We will stay at a hotel near the airport.
Where We'll Stay
Hotel near the airport in San José
DAY 8. With your heart and soul full, you will depart Costa Rica in body but not in spirit, bringing this powerful, loving and wholehearted energy back into your life. PURA VIDA!
Our local guide
I am thrilled to be partnering on this journey with Costa Rican native José Acuña Mourraille of Quetzal Stone Experiences.
José is a man with such strong Sacred Feminine energy that I feel immensely joyful to be traveling with him as our inspiration and our guide.
José has a deep love for ecotourism and rural experiences, and his more than 17 years exploring the hidden gems of Costa Rica and crafting unique travel experiences has been fueled by a deep-seated desire to connect people with the magic of the natural world. He loves leading travelers on immersive adventures that awaken the senses and open the heart, wherein each journey becomes a voyage of self-discovery, allowing each traveler to find their center amidst the natural splendor of Costa Rica.
Both José and I are members of the Transformational Travel Council, the mission of which includes promoting mutual respect among travelers and communities, supporting the wellbeing of humanity and Mother Earth. We are both passionate about this approach to travel and are thrilled to have collaborated on creating this experience for you!
Questions? Ready to sign up?
Contact me by phone or email!
If you're ready to sign up, I will send you a registration form, and you can pay the $800 deposit by check or Venmo. I am happy to take a credit card with the addition of the 3.5% processing fee. You can pay the balance in segments or in full at any time.