Week 16: Leaving Costa Rica… Our Journey to the Desert Begins
Week 16: Transitioning from Rainforest to Desert 🌴➡️🌵
After months in the rainforest of Costa Rica, everything suddenly changes.
This week we leave the Caribbean coast, travel to San José and begin our adventure in the United States — flying from Costa Rica and on to Phoenix, Arizona.
The contrast feels surreal. From humid jungle, endless rain and dense wildlife… to dry desert air, cacti, red rocks and heat.
We spend our first days exploring places like Skyline Regional Park, adjusting to the new environment (and finally drying all our gear), while also dealing with the reality of travel fatigue — running on very little sleep and laughing our way through it.
A big part of this transition is made easier thanks to our friend Mark, who welcomes us into his home in Arizona. From cold beers and golf cart rides to simply having a place to land, it turns a big shift into something both comfortable and memorable. Soon we'll be ready for our 10-day roadtrip in Arizona and Utah!
This is the beginning of our next chapter — and the lead-up to the Pacific Crest Trail.
🎥 In this video:
00:00 Intro
00:08 Last wildlife of Costa Rica
00:27 Public bus to San José from Cahuita
00:32 Arriving in San José
0:39 Having fun with content creation
01:27 Packing all our stuff one last time in Costa Rica
01:53 Double Cheeseburger breakfast in SJO Airport
02:27 We got into the USA!
02:58 Arriving in Phoenix, Arizona
03:12 Best breakfast so far in 2026
03:23 Like christmas time in April!
03:33 Spotting wildlife in Buckeye, Arizona
03:47 Drying our stuff from the humid Costa Rican rainforest
04:17 First time driving a Golf Cart
04:42 Pizza and beer time with friends
05:38 Time for new shoes
05:53 Answering our beloved YouTube comments
06:12 From Rainforest to Desert
06:27 Skyline Regional Park
06:58 Big Cactuses
07:17 Thanks for taking your time to watch our videos
▶ Start from Week 1 and follow the full journey here:
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🌎 About Chasing Endless Horizons
We document our journey of living abroad, long-distance hiking and building a location-independent life — blending cinematic travel films with weekly real-life storytelling.
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Website: https://chasingendlesshorizons.com/
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📍 Filmed in Costa Rica & Arizona, USA
🎥 Gear used:
Sony A7 IV
Tamron 28–75mm f/2.8 G2
Tamron 70–180mm f/2.8 G2
DJI Osmo Pocket 3
🎵 Licensed music via Audiio
Tomy Wyne - I'm In Luck
The Lost Trailers - Down At The Ocean
Brady Lee - I Can Do This All Day