Family Trip to Costa Rica: From the Caribbean to the Pacific

Welcome to Costa Rica, the land of Pura Vida! Arrival at San José international airport, where a driver meets you and takes you to your hotel. Check in, then a call with our English-speaking representative to go through all the details of your road book. Your family adventure in Costa Rica can begin!

An early morning departure for the Tortuguero jungle! A shuttle takes you through Braulio Carrillo National Park, the Caribbean lowlands and the banana plantations. Then a 2-hour boat journey to your lodge in the heart of lush nature. Free afternoon to explore the village and the lodge facilities. Optional: sponsor a sea turtle!

Explore the biodiversity of Tortuguero along the lodge's trails and on a boat tour with an expert biodiversity guide. Here, nature puts on a show at every turn: caimans, tropical birds, monkeys and sloths! Optional: nocturnal sea turtle nesting observation (in season from July to September).

Depart the lodge by crossing the Tortuguero canals, then head to Guápiles for lunch and to collect your hire car. Your Costa Rica family road trip begins! Drive to La Fortuna, the small town at the edge of the magnificent Arenal Volcano, which dominates the region with its near-perfect conical silhouette.

Explore Arenal National Park at your own pace. A wealth of activities awaits: natural hot springs, meeting local farmers, zip-lining to play Tarzan, suspension bridges, the Danaus botanical gardens and their incredible biodiversity or a nocturnal boat safari (suitable from age 6).

This morning, leave the slopes of Arenal Volcano for the Monteverde cloud forests. Here, a completely different landscape awaits: a high-altitude tropical forest where thick clouds engulf its enormous trees! This is also the kingdom of the Quetzal, the mythical bird of the Mayas.

Explore this enchanting forest in your own way: on foot along the trails and suspension bridges, or through the canopy above carpets of ferns and moss. The village of Monteverde - founded by Quakers - and the Bat Jungle are also well worth a visit!

Time for a new adventure, heading for the shores of the Pacific Ocean! Leave the mountains behind for the beach. Drive to Manuel Antonio, which is home to both one of the most celebrated national parks in Costa Rica and some of its most stunning beaches, ideal for a beach stay combining relaxation and biodiversity.

Enjoy a beautiful sunny day exploring Manuel Antonio at your own pace! The park is home to a 100-metre-wide isthmus covered in vegetation and flanked by two magnificent beaches, where many unafraid animals roam freely. Optional: a snorkelling cruise in crystal-clear waters.

After this blissful interlude, head back to the Costa Rican capital. Return your hire car at the Alajuela agency, then take the shuttle to the airport (5 minutes away) where your international flight awaits. Safe travels back home!