Costa Rica Family Adventure Holiday

Day 1: Arrival in San Jose

Rendezvous at group hotel in San Jose. KE Land Only package services begin with a single timed transfer from the airport to the hotel. On arrival we will meet the group and the guide. Overnight San Jose. Meals included: None.

Day 2: Poas Volcano & INBio

After breakfast at our hotel we transfer (1hr 30mins) to Poas Volcano National Park. At the crater rim we have views of the bubbling turquoise crater lake through the steamy mist. The coloured waters are a beautiful contrast to the dense luxuriant forest that surrounds it. We may also see the second crater – Laguna Botos through the cloud forest. This lake contains cold water and flows into the Rio Angel. After sometime exploring and listening how the volcano is formed we return to the vehicle and continue to our lunch spot. In the afternoon we visit the National Biodiversity Institute (INBio) centre and park. Here we learn about environmental conservation in Costa Rica. There is a large park and here we can meet many of the species that the Costa Rican jungle is famous for including: a butterfly garden; the ‘house of critters’ with its spiders, lizards and stick insects; frogs including the poison dart frog and the blue jeans frog; snakes…at a distance; turtles; caimans and much much more. After an informative guided tour we have some time to wonder around before we head back to our hotel in San Jose. (B,L)

Day 3: Tortuguero National Park

We leave the city this morning on our journey east to the infamous Tortuguero National Park. The exciting journey takes us first by bus and then by boat through the canals and forest teaming with wildlife into the heart of the park. Tortuguero is located on the Caribbean coast, it is only accessible by boat or airplane. Its beaches are key nesting grounds for the endangered sea turtles such as Hawksbill, Leatherbacks, Green and Loggerheads. The park has incredible bio-diversity with several different habitats, including rainforest, swamps, beaches and lagoons. It has a tropical, humid climate which is great for wildlife. In the late afternoon we visit Tortuguero village before checking in to our lodge for the next 2 nights. (B,L,D)

Day 4: Tortuguero National Park

After breakfast at our lodge we set off in canoes into the minor creeks and canals of the National Park. This is a superb way of seeing the wildlife with disturbing it. We gently drift along and can expect to see monkeys, caimans, iguanas and hopefully the sloth. The bird life is incredible and with 300 different species we are bound to come across some of the more colourful and handsome of them. After lunch we are taken in a motor boat to the Cano Palma, a narrow, palm-filled canal that is separate from the Caribbean sea by just 200-300 metres. If we are lucky we maybe able to some of the endangered turtle species on these beaches. Leatherback turtles lay their eggs between Mar and May, and Green turtles between July and October. Their eggs incubate in the sand for about 2 months before hatching. If you are travelling at Christmas it is likely that you will see turtles hatching either here or at Manuel Antonio National Park later in the holiday. We return to the lodge for dinner and overnight. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Transfer to Sarapiqui & Chocolate Tour

We depart Tortuguero by boat again, navigating through the Rio La Suerte to the town of La Pavona (1hr 30mins). Here we meet our awaiting vehicle and transfer to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui through banana and pineapple plantations. On arrival we visit La Tirimbina natural reserve and learn about one of our favourite foods: Chocolate. The guided tour takes us to the cacao-growing plot and we will witness how the cacao is transformed, through harvest, fermentation and drying to today’s chocolate. We can taste different kinds and will learn the story of pre and postcolonial chocolate – delicious! Overnight hotel in Sarapiqui. (B,L,D)

Day 6: White water rafting, transfer to Arenal Volcano

This morning is an adrenaline-paced adventure – rafting on the Sarapiqui River. A fun wet ride, of grade 2 to 3 rapids and is totally suitable for the children. Full training and safety equipment is supplied as well as experienced river guides. We will shoot some of the rapids, and there is also plenty of time to relax and enjoy the spectacular scenery whilst drifting down the river. After drying off and some lunch we transfer to La Fortuna, the village at the base of the magnificent and Arenal Volcano. Arenal is Costa Rica’s best known volcano, it is a large symmetrical mountain built on layers of ash, rock and lava, almost 2000m high. From 1968 to July 2010 it was an active volcano throwing lava and smoke high into the air. Arenal is very rich in animal life and it is possible that we may see three different spices of monkey, sometimes peccaries, and then the beautiful toucan and numerous other birds. We have an optional visit to the thermal hot springs. Overnight La Fortuna. (B,L,D)

Day 7: Monteverde Cloud Forest

Leaving early we will transfer to Lake Arenal. We board the boat and cross the lake (approx 40 minutes). The peaceful ride across the lake shows off the rolling hills of farmland with Arenal Volcano as a backdrop. Arriving at the village on the other side of the lake we have time for coffee before driving with our 4WD vehicle up a potentially muddy track into the cloud forest of Monteverde (approx 1 hr 30 mins). The village at the forest is called Santa Elena and it is here we stay. Monteverde was founded in 1951 by a group of North American Quakers. It is an idyllic settlement occupying a secluded site on a high plateau. Originally, some of the virgin forest-land was cleared for dairy farming, but the founders’ environmental consciousness has subsequently led to the creation of a biological preserve that hosts one of the richest ecological systems in the country. The reserve is home to over 100 species of mammals, more than 400 species of birds, including the quetzal, and 30 local hummingbird species. There are also 120 species of amphibians and reptiles. Temperature ranges from 13-24ºC (55-75ºF), and as this is cloud forest we can expect some mist and/or rain during our visit. This is an excellent place for bird spotting and there are several miles of forest trail to explore. This afternoon we have a treetop walk ‘Sky Walk’ via a network of suspended bridges which allow a bird’s eye perspective over the cloud forest and enjoy the forest sounds and sights from the hanging bridges. We return to our hotel in Santa Elena/Monteverde. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Manuel Antonio National Park

This morning we visit the frog garden in Monteverde where we can observe over 25 different species of frogs, with wacky colours, names and poisoning tendency’s! Departing the forest in the clouds we transfer south to the Central Pacific regions. At the Tarcoles River we stop and observe the enormous crocodiles basking under the bridge – an incredible site. On arrival in Quepos the town next to Manuel Antonio National Park we check into comfortable rooms at a hotel close to the beach. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the beautiful beach, the hotel pool or walk around the craft shops on the sea front. Approx 4 ½ hours transfer. Overnight Quepos/Manuel Antonio. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Manuel Antonio National Park

This morning we visit the Manuel Antonio National Park. There are plenty of easy walking trails here with various wildlife including sloth, 4 monkey spices and plenty of iguanas, to mention a few. If we are lucky we may even be able to see some baby turtles coming out of their eggs from the ground – an incredible sight. There are also some beautiful beaches which are great for snorkelling. We have the afternoon at leisure. There is a wide range of optional extra activities available here many of which can be arranged at short notice through the hotel or in town. These activities include sea kayaking, horseback riding, coastal paddling and sport fishing. Activities can be arranged through the hotel or in town and payment is made directly. Some of these activities may need to be booked when you first arrive. There are many restaurants in Quepos serving a variety of different types of food, many with views over the beach and Pacific Ocean. Overnight Quepos/Manuel Antonio. (B,L)

Day 10: Beaches and Zip wire fun

We have the morning at leisure to continue to enjoy this paradise, relax and let the children enjoy the beach and the activities here. After lunch we continue south down the Pacific coast to the beautiful beaches of Dominical. At the Hacienda Baru Eco Reserve we have a quick look around seeing if we can find the leaf cutter and or the sloth (if we’ve not seen one previously), we then participate in the ‘Flight of the Toucan’ – an awesome zip wire tour leaping from one tree to the next. Our expert guides will kit us out with harnesses and the gear required before giving us a safety briefing and guidance on how to ‘zip’ through the trees. The guides will be at every platform helping us with the next wire. Flying through the rainforest is a magical experience of fun, adrenaline and let’s us see the forest from a different angle. We then transfer back to our hotel in Dominical. (B,L,D)

Day 11: Horse-riding to Nauyaca Waterfalls

Departing the coast we have a short transfer to the start of the trails. We saddle up on our well-behaved small horses or pony’s and have a gentle 45 minute ride to Don Lulo’s house. Here we have a typical Costa Rican breakfast before continuing for another approx 40 minutes to the waterfalls. We can cool off with a swim in the natural pools of the waterfall whilst the horses rest in the shade. On the return we again stop with Don Lulo and have some refreshments and rest in his hammocks before returning to the road head and where we stay farewell to our horses. In the afternoon we transfer to the Talamanca Mountains and overnight in a lodge. (B,L,D)

Day 12: The Resplendent Quetzal, transfer to San Jose

An early breakfast and we have an exciting morning walk in the forest to find the Resplendent Quetzal. These birds are bright green and red with tuffy plumage on their heads, and the breeding males have very long tails. After our walk we return to the vehicle and transfer back to San Jose. We have a celebratory final meal with the group. Overnight San Jose. (B, L, D)

Day 13: Depart San jose

KE Land Only package services end after breakfast. A single timed airport transfer is provided. (B)