8 Days From San Jose (Costa Rica) to San Jose (Costa Rica)
Brochures: USA Canada and Central America 2022
Visits: Costa Rica
The entire family will delight on this Costa Rica tour with endless days spent ziplining through a lush canopy, gliding along the canals of Tortuguero under the watchful eyes of colourful toucans, and trekking up the slopes of a volcano in this action-packed family adventure in the Pura Vida playground.
Day 1 | Your Adventure Starts in San José |
| Bienvenidos a Costa Rica. Leave your gringo boots at the door and embrace the Pura Vida playground of Costa Rica. A local host will greet you at the airport and arrange your transfer to the hotel. Chill at the pool or go walkabout before meeting your Travel Director and fellow adventurers this evening for some fiesta fun at our Kickoff Party. |
| Visits: San Jose |
| Meals: Kickoff Party |
| Accommodation: Sheraton San Jose Hotel |
Day 2 | Float Through Tortuguero National Park Make Travel Matter |
| Rise this morning and head east through Braulio Carrillo National Park then Board a river boat with a Local Specialist  to glide through canals, lagoons and lowland rainforest with time to enjoy and explore the village of Tortuguero.   For dinner tonight enjoy a buffet at the resort's open-air restaurant. Meet a biologist at the Sea Turtle Conservation Center in Tortuguero for this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. |
| Visits: San Jose, Tortuguero |
| Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
| Accommodation: Laguna Lodge Tortuguero |
Day 3 | Take A Voyage Through Tortuguero |
| There's nothing like the wake-up call of a troop of howler monkeys to start your day. Set off on a Family Fun cruise through the park's canals with your Local Specialist and guide to explore the lush waterways of Tortuguero National Park. You may want to start a tally of all the types of wildlife you'll see. Look out for sloths, green iguanas, caiman, crocodiles and colorful toucans. Of course, you'll spot tons of monkeys—agile howler and spider monkeys and white-faced capuchins swinging through the dense rainforest canopy. This afternoon, venture back out on the canals to add to your wildlife tally or relax back at the lodge, the choice is yours. A buffet dinner is served at your hotel this evening. |
| Visits: Parque Nacional Tortuguero |
| Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
| Accommodation: Laguna Lodge Tortuguero |
Day 4 | Unlock Horquetas Connect with Locals |
| Bid adiós to the monkeys for now as you boat back to the mainland and travel to Horquetas. Here you'll Connect With Locals and visit a local Tico family's palm plantation to learn how they grow this exotic vegetable. Taste something you've probably never tried before, the delicate heart of palm. After, head to a local restaurant for some refreshing passion fruit sorbet and view some of the huge green iguanas that hang around. This evening, enjoy a pizza party in an open-air kitchen where you can make your own pizza. |
| Visits: Tortuguero, Horquetas, Sarapiqui, Arenal Natura Ecological Park |
| Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner |
| Accommodation: Hotel Arenal Paraiso Resort and Spa |
Day 5 | Venture into Arenal National Park Family Fun |
| Rise and shine as the forest and volcano call you back. Start the day with a guided trek around the quiet side of the volcano at Arenal National Park. Walk through the old lava rocks and learn about the powerful forces behind the volcano's past eruptions. Then, head to the Arenal Hanging Bridges to walk eye-level with the lush canopy, observe the monkeys, sloths and chattering birds up close, and look out to see towering Arenal Volcano. Later, relax in the thermal springs or take a swim in the pool back at the hotel. |
| Visits: Arenal Natura Ecological Park |
| Meals: Breakfast, Be My Guest, Dinner |
| Accommodation: Hotel Arenal Paraiso Resort and Spa |
Day 6 | Fly above Arenal National Park Family Fun |
| Imagine yourself soaring high above the jungle floor as you zipline (Waiver Required) through the treetops, eye-to-eye with the lush foliage and exotic rainforest creatures for some Family Fun. Later, head south to Manuel Antonio, renowned for its warm blue waters, beautiful beaches and abundant exotic wildlife. |
| Visits: Arenal Natura Ecological Park, Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio |
| Meals: Breakfast |
| Accommodation: Parador Nature Resort and Spa |
Day 7 | Marvel at Manuel Antonio National Park |
| Walking deep into the national park with your Local Specialist guide, you'll definitely check off a few more creatures on your wildlife list—at last count, there were 109 different animals and 184 species of birds living here. Listen to the whooping bark of howler monkeys and the chattering of mischievous squirrel and white-faced monkeys. Then, it's time to hit the beach. Laze in the warm Pacific or choose an optional Mangrove Kayak tour^ or Open Sea Kayak and Snorkel tour^ where you may see various bird species, reptiles, anteaters and white-faced monkeys. This evening, join your fellow explorers to celebrate new friendships over a Farewell Dinner at the hotel. |
| Visits: Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio |
| Meals: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner |
| Accommodation: Parador Nature Resort and Spa |
Day 8 | Back To San José |
| Travel back to San Jose's Juan Santamaria International Airport for your flight home or consider extending your stay at the Sheraton San Jose. Airport arrival will be at approximately 11:00 am, please be aware when booking your flights. |
| Visits: Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, San Jose |
| Meals: Breakfast |