Costa Rica Family Journey: From Rainforest to Coast

Welcome to San José–your arrival transfer to the hotel is included. Check in and get excited to meet your fellow travelers during a welcome meeting this evening where all families can bond before the Journey ahead.

Costa Rica has one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world and is a top destination for nature lovers. As such, there is a lot of rain, regardless of the season, allowing for its lush green rain forests and cloud forest, in which flora and fauna thrive. Please come prepared for the possibility of wet weather and variations in temperature.

Included Experiences

• Arrival Transfer: You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.
• Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting: The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. After introductions, your Expedition Leader will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.

This morning, travel up into the misty cloud forests of Monteverde, where we’ll visit a rural community for a farm-to-table lunch, where our hosts will share insights about the local products and ingredients used in your meal. Enjoy fresh, seasonal, locally-sourced dishes—rice, beans, vegetables, homemade tortillas—and have the opportunity to touch and taste some of these products, giving you a deeper connection to Costa Rica’s local flavors. After lunch, visit the farm where children will enjoy hands-on agricultural activities. Explore tropical crops like coffee and fruits, see sustainable farming practices in action, and even learn how to make sugar cane juice using a traditional "Trapiche" mill—an interactive experience perfect for children and families alike. Later, enjoy some free time to get settled in our hotel. In the evening, follow a naturalist into the forest to seek out the fascinating nocturnal creatures that spring to life after the sun goes down, from red-eyed tree frogs to spiny porcupines.

The town of Monteverde is fairly small with shopping and some great restaurants, but most of the upgraded accommodations in this area are located outside of the main town centre - to take better advantage of the natural beauty and stunning landscapes of the area. Taxis are readily available to take you into town and back and can cost approx. $10USD each way. Accommodations tend to be a bit more simple here, with fewer amenities. Its important to remember that the cloud forest sits at a higher elevation and offers a cooler but humid climate - which is why hotels in this area do not have A/C. It can also feel damp in rooms which is unavoidable in such a climate.

Included Experiences

• San Luis Rural Community Experience & Lunch: Enjoy a visit to the rural community of San Luis. Your time here directly benefits the economic development of this local community and helps expand their community services. Observe snapshots of rural like in Costa Rica before sitting down for a farm-to-table lunch featuring a hands-on demonstration of the local ingredients. Learn together as a family about the important knowledge of native plant species in the area along with conservation efforts, and some birdwatching.
• Guided Cloud Forest Night Walk: Join a naturalist guide for a 1.5-2 hour tour in the cloud forest after dark. Learn more about the habits of the area's nocturnal wildlife including mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, and amphibians, and keep your eyes and ears open on this slow-paced walk. You never know what you might see – it depends on the day and your luck!

Visit the Monteverde Institute, a research and educational organization supported by National Geographic. Hear about reforestation projects spearheaded by the institute, then roll up your sleeves and lend a hand in the tree nursery. The rest of the day is free for poolside relaxation or optional excursions in the clouds, including zip-lining, hiking in the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, or a walk through the forest canopy across hanging bridges.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Get up early to check out some of the optional activities on offer around Monteverde.
• Monteverde Institute Lecture & Reforestation Project: The Monteverde Institute is a base for National Geographic-funded explorers and researchers studying the famed canopy of the Monteverde Cloud Forest. A researcher will present the various projects National Geographic has sponsored including new discoveries, insect and bird studies, and the reforestation of tropical regions. Then, play an active role in this project by visiting the National Geographic-sponsored research plot and getting your hands dirty by either planting trees to restore habitat or assisting in tree care in the nurseries.

Optional Experiences

• Santa Elena Cloud Forest Visit: Pull on your poncho and boots and head into the cloud-covered forest, past over-sized ferns and exotic orchids. Harness your inner Tarzan as you imagine swinging from the forest’s giant vines, trudge along 12 km of trails, watch for wildlife and trek to the top of the observation tower. Be sure to stop and listen too. Hear the haunting hollow call of the bellbird and perhaps catch sight of the brilliant green and red resplendent quetzal. Feel good about protecting the preserve and sustaining the quality of local schools through payment of your park fees. (35-50 USD per person)
• Ziplining : Buckle up your harness, don your helmet, and prepare to launch. Glide along cables suspended high above the cloud forest canopy. Dare to let go and reach top speeds as you zip past stunning scenery. Forget your fear as you spot a toucans or exotic orchids in this adrenaline-filled experience. Minimum age: 6.
• Hanging Bridges Monteverde: Get up high to see the tree tops of Monteverde’s Cloud Forest from a bird’s-eye view. Cross a series of hanging bridges to discover what biologists once required (ropes and pulleys) to glimpse the lush, green vista accented by bromeliads, vines, and orchids. Wonder at this wet canopy, home to 90% of all the organisms in the forest, including thousands of species of birds, small animals, amphibians, and insects. (56-60 USD per person)
• CASEM Coop Visit: CASEM—the Cooperative of Artisans Santa Elena Monteverde—is an inspiring example of female empowerment and teamwork. By focusing on providing women artisans with the opportunity to gain economic independence and develop new skills, this G for Good Project helps improve the quality of life for its members and strengthens the community. Through the marketing of their products, CASEM Coop not only supports its 90 artisan members, but also promotes the culture and traditions of the Monteverde region. Stop by the restaurant on your way out to try some delicious local food!

Today we travel towards Rincón de la Vieja National Park, an otherworldly land of smoking volcanoes, bubbling mud pots, and thermal hot springs—all shrouded in thick tangles of rainforest. This afternoon, channel your inner Tarzan as you swing across zip lines strung through the forest canopy.

Included Experiences

• Zip Line Rincon de La Vieja: Fly through the trees over a narrow river canyon while navigating zip lines, natural rock climbing walls, Tarzan swings, rappelling and hanging bridges.
• Free Time: Take the evening to relax or opt to visit the local butterfly gardens.

Rise early for a full day of adventure in the national park. Get introduced to the park’s creatures on a naturalist-guided wildlife hike and swim beneath a tumbling waterfall. Then saddle up for a horseback-riding excursion as you make your way back to your lodge in time for a delicious lunch. After lunch, visit thermal hot springs and mud baths, where playing in the mud isn’t just allowed, it’s encouraged.

Included Experiences

• Waterfall Hike: Set off on foot alongside your naturalist guide to explore the flora and fauna of Rincon de la Vieja. Keep your eyes peeled for iguanas, white-faced howler or spider monkeys, armadillos, and many types of tropical birds. Your walk culminates at a waterfall, where you can take a refreshing dip in the cool, clear water. Then saddle up to ride back to the hacienda.
• Hot Springs and Volcano Mud Bath: Visit natural hot springs which give rise to very hot mountain streams; sulfuric ponds filled with bubbling mud. Dare to step in and get muddy. Soak in the hot, therapeutic waters and feel invigorated and alive.

Journey toward the Pacific Ocean and the Gold Coast of Costa Rica. But first, take the morning to enjoy one final slow start to the day before getting on the road. Or, choose to get wet and wild on a tubing adventure on the Rio Negro. In the afternoon, head west to Guanacaste and get settled at your beachside locale.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: Spend time at leisure in a quaint beach town.

Optional Experiences

• Rio Negro Tubing Adventure: Enjoy the great outdoors on an innertube, bouncing and splashing down 5 km (3 miles) of class 2 and 3 rapids on the Black River. There are plenty of quiet pools along the way to appreciate the beautiful tropical scenery. Opt to ride the ranch horses (or you can go by vehicle transport) along scenic trails through the forest to reach the river.

The day is free to do as much or as little as you like. Relax at the pool or on the beach in this tropical paradise. Feel free to play in the sand and water; or opt to set sail across the bay and around the nearby Islands.

Included Experiences

• Free Time: There's plenty of exploring to do here, opt to get out on the water or choose to play at the beach or in the pool all day.

Optional Experiences

• Guanacaste Sailing: Hit the water on a sailing tour. Opt to snorkel, kayak or zayak with the fish and keep on the lookout for turtles and maybe even a shark! Enjoy views over the water from the deck of the boat. (85-95 USD per person)

The journey back towards the capitol includes one incredible stop along the way. Embark on a jungle boat cruise through the Cipanci Reserve, part of the Tempisque River Conservation Area. The reserve is a wildlife-lover’s paradise: crocodiles glide beneath the water’s surface, monkeys swing through the surrounding treetops, and numerous winged wonders wade and fly at the river’s edge—including ospreys, wood storks, and roseate spoonbills. Upon arrival into San Jose, celebrate your adventure at a farewell dinner.

Included Experiences

• Transport: Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
• Cipanci Reserve Boat Excursion: Enjoy a boat ride, travelling along the Tempisque River to discover Cipanci Reserve. Learn about the park and the creatures that call this region home from our local guide on board. Keep a keen eye out as the guide helps spot wildlife in the water, trees, and sky.

Depart at any time.