El Camino de Costa Rica is a challenging and enriching journey that spans coast to coast. However, experiencing it with expert guides makes a substantial difference.
Choosing a guided tour with Urritrek ensures safety and knowledge, enhancing every step with valuable insights and worry-free experience. This blog will explain why a professionally guided experience is always more rewarding and enjoyable.
Benefits of Hiking El Camino with Professional Guides
- Safety Along the Route: Our certified guides ensure that the routes are safe and suitable for hikers of all experience levels. They avoid dangerous areas and have contingency plans for any unexpected situations. In fact, at Urritrek, we design our routes based on both enjoyment and security. Our expertise is backed by more than six years of experience and safety certifications.
- Enriching Knowledge: A guided trek is more than just walking; it’s an opportunity to learn about Costa Rica’s biodiversity, history, and culture from passionate experts. Our guides continually undergo training to expand their knowledge in various areas, enhancing your overall experience.
- Prevention and Emergency Response: Our guides not only make the journey enjoyable but also help prevent accidents and ensure the right course of action in emergencies, giving hikers peace of mind. That said, while our guides are well-trained, each traveler is responsible for following their instructions to ensure their own safety.
- Connections with Local Businesses and Communities: Urritrek collaborates with rural communities along the route, allowing travelers to enjoy authentic accommodations and cuisine while supporting sustainable tourism. Our guides have built trusted professional relationships with local hosts, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience.
- A Worry-Free Experience: From trip logistics to support at every stage, our guided tours allow participants to focus on enjoying the adventure without the stress of organizing the details. With our guides, you’ll always have someone supporting you.
The Scenario You Want to Avoid
Hiking with uncertified or inexperienced guides can compromise your safety and negatively impact your experience. We strongly emphasize the importance of certified guides. In Costa Rica, some individuals may offer guiding services without proper certification or safety protocols. Supporting these informal offers could even contribute to illegal activities, including using unauthorized trails or trespassing on private lands, which may lead to legal consequences.
According to an article in La Nación, these unauthorized trips can harm the environment and lead to costly rescue operations for lost hikers. Read more here.
Solo vs. Guided: What’s the Real Difference?
The following are the risks when going solo or with an uncertified guide:
- Safety: Higher risk of getting lost or encountering unsafe conditions.
- Local Knowledge: Limited or no in-depth knowledge of the route.
- Logistics & Support: Must arrange everything yourself, which can be stressful.
- Community Engagement: Limited or no structured support for local communities.
- Environmental Responsibility: There is a risk of using unauthorized trails that may harm nature.
- Legal & Ethical Concerns: Uncertified guides may operate illegally, leading to potential legal issues.
Urritrek: Pioneers in Professional Guiding for El Camino de Costa Rica
Since Urritrek was founded, we have upheld the values of responsibility and care for the travelers who join us.
When Juancho and Andrés (our founders) began this journey, they saw the need to professionalize guiding along El Camino. Their vision led them to establish the first formal guiding company on this route, recognized by the ICT and staffed with certified guides.
Fun fact: Juancho was part of the first group to hike across Costa Rica from coast to coast. Read more about it in: The First Adventure of El Camino de Costa Rica Backpacking
By 2021, as the number of trekkers grew, they decided to expand their team, bringing in other professionals with extensive experience.
Meet Isabel, a Cartago native and expert in botany and medicinal plants. Joseph, another team member, actively contributes to our environmental efforts. Learn more about them here.
From the start, Urritrek has been dedicated to exploring, promoting, and preserving El Camino. We ensure that local communities are at the heart of the tourism experience and benefit directly from it.
Our Mission: More Than Just a Journey, A Transformative Experience
At Urritrek, our guides are committed to:
- Educating and engaging people in long-distance hiking.
- Providing opportunities for people of various nationalities to enjoy Costa Rica’s natural wonders.
- Collaborating with community projects that promote rural tourism.
- Designing rewarding, revitalizing, and camaraderie-building experiences.
- Offering immersive experiences related to rural work and agriculture in Costa Rica.
You may also like: How Costa Ricans Prioritize Local Consumption—And Why You Should Too
What some hikers have shared with us
❤️ Reviews of El Camino de Costa Rica with Urritrek ❤️
We encourage visitors to be critical and honest with their reviews after they experience El Camino de Costa Rica. Feedback not only helps future hikers get a clearer idea of what to expect—it also helps us continue improving our tours and guide training. We’ve gathered some testimonials regarding our tour guides.
- “Juancho was our guide for the majority of the trek. He was very knowledgeable and passionate about Costa Rica and its species. It was fascinating to talk to him about what we saw and what was happening in the country.”
Hiker from UK
- “Ana was exceptional. Ana knew so much about everything we saw and did; her passion was infectious. She looked after us all incredibly well. Ana is an outstanding guide.”
Hiker from Australia
- “Pablo’s knowledge was outstanding, and he was always eager to share as much of it as possible.”
Hiker from USA- “Jairo was very flexible, knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He brought a good camera and shared the pictures at the end, which was a nice addition.”
Hiker from Netherlands
- “I have only positive things to say about our two guides - Eliseo and Isaac. They made the trip for me and I feel so lucky to have had them as our guides. I learnt so much from them - from their incredible knowledge of wildlife and plant species, to their patience helping me to practice my Spanish. The trip would not have been the same without them.”
Hiker from the UK
- “Brandon was incredibly knowledgeable about the areas we visited and the living things along the way. He helped in every way and always made things fun. It is rare to meet such a warm, encouraging person, and I’m blessed. I honestly can’t imagine making the trek without his guidance.”
Hiker from the USA
- “Our guide, Joseph, was absolutely outstanding. He was knowledgeable about the flora and fauna we encountered on our walk and very attentive to the needs of the walkers.”
Hiker from UK
Book Your Adventure with Urritrek!
→ Join a Group Guided Tour:
Experience the Camino with others on one of our scheduled departures. It’s more affordable and just as enriching — ideal for solo travelers or small groups.
→ Request a Custom Guided Tour:
Looking for something specific? We design fully tailored tours based on your pace, preferences, and travel goals. Just tell us what you need.
