Adventures in the Great Outdoors
Itinerary
*Some of the activities are for ages 8 and above, but we can easily adapt the holiday for younger kids too.
Days 1-3 – Strolling through San Jose
Costa Rica’s capital might not be top of your family’s must-do list, but the city has its Latin charms and is a pleasant place to start your journey through the country. You’ll be transferred to a comfy hotel with a pool just outside of the city centre, where you can recharge your batteries and set out to explore the city at your own pace. Whether you’re travelling by hire car or transfers, we’ll have made all the arrangements for you and you’ll also meet with our local partners who’ll be there to support you throughout your trip.
Days 3-5 – Wildlife & waterways of Tortuguero
From San Jose, you’ll be picked up by coach for the journey through the mountains to the east coast, and to Tortuguero. After about 3 hours you’ll stop for refreshments, before switching to a boat for the final 90 minutes of your journey into the rainforest. Keep an eye out for wildlife along the way.
For the next couple of days you’ll be taking your family back to nature as you stay in the lush Parque Nacional Tortuguero – a breeding ground for sea turtles, and home to sloths, monkeys, toucans, caimans, river otters and a whole host of birdlife. The park is full of waterways cutting through the jungle and you’ll set out to explore them by boat, and on foot, with experienced local guides who’ll know exactly where to look for all that wildlife the kids (and adults) will love.
You’ll spend 2 nights at a comfy lodge amongst the trees, with a swimming pool and freshly prepared food throughout your stay. If you’re travelling during turtle season (July to October) then you can arrange a night tour with the lodge to see the green turtles laying their eggs on the beach….a really unforgettable experience for the whole family!
Days 5-7 – Pit stop in the pineapple fields
At the end of your stay in the rainforest you’ll travel around 3 hours by boat and bus to nearby Guapiles. Here, you’ll jump on the shuttle bus, or pick up your hire car to head to Sarapiqui – a journey of roughly 1.5 hours.
Nestled in the picturesque countryside of northern Costa Rica, spend a couple of days in the peaceful village of Sarapiqui. You’ll be staying in a lodge with a big garden, forests, fields and rivers all around. It’s a nice little pit stop on your family adventure, where you can breathe in the fresh air, soak up local Costa Rican life and sample some freshly grown pineapples. We’ll arrange for you to take a boat trip to spot the local wildlife, but you could also try your hand at rafting on the Sarapiqui River.
Days 7-9 – Footsteps (and kayaks) at the Arenal Volcano
Next up, you hop back in your hire car or catch the shuttle bus to La Fortuna, about 1.5 hours away.
La Fortuna is home to the famous Arenal Volcano, a lush destination full of nature and adventure – something for all the family. Despite La Fortuna becoming more and more popular, it still maintains that ‘small-town’ feeling and is the perfect place to explore the greenery of Costa Rica. Take a wander around the national park, before getting out on the beautiful Arenal Lake on a kayak trip arranged by us.
Days 9-11 – Head in the cloud forest – Monteverde
Next, you’ll travel south to the cloud forests of Monteverde by hire car or shuttle bus. Today’s journey will take roughly 4 hours.
Over the next few days, you and your family will explore the cloud forests of Monteverde, a laid-back hilltop town, with some good restaurants and plenty of family-friendly activities. You’ll stay in a lodge on the outskirts of town, and set out to explore the tree-tops. Walk across hanging bridges high above the forest floor, keeping your eyes peeled for sloths hanging in the trees, then on to the sky tram which takes you high above the canopy. Finally you’ll head to the ziplines, for a final flight through the cloud forest.
Days 11-14 – Sand & surf in Samara
Next, you’ll jump in your hire car or hop aboard the shuttle bus for the journey to the Pacific coast, and the town of Samara, around 3 hours away.
Relax and play around on the quiet beaches of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast. You’ll stay in a small-scale hotel with a pool in the little beach town of Samara, where life moves at a snail’s pace and you can spend a few days reading your book whilst the kids splash around in the sea. The waves here are perfect for learning to surf too, and we’ll arrange a lesson to get you all started! You can arrange dolphin spotting, snorkelling trips, rent a quad bike or even go zip lining. In the evenings you can sit by the sea with a drink – total relaxation!
Next, you’ll take the 4.5 hour trip to the outskirts on San Jose, either by hire car or by shuttle bus,ready for your flight home.
Accommodation
