Adventuring in Nature's Playground
Costa Rica Family Private Journey
Overview
With its natural bounty of rainforest lagoons, towering volcanoes, and long, palm-fringed beaches, Costa Rica is a paradise for nature lovers. Almost 20 percent of the country is protected in national parks or nature reserves that are prime examples of Costa Rican ecosystems, including deciduous tropical forests, mangrove swamps, rainforests, cloud forests, and wetlands. On this Private Journey, you can hike, zip line, explore a tropical rainforest, and paddle by sea kayak in azure Pacific waters, all with expert naturalist guides at your side. Your journey includes mountainous Arenal Volcano National Park and Manuel Antonio National Park on the sparkling Pacific. We also offer extensions to world-famous Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, one of the outstanding nature reserves in the New World tropics, a whitewater rafting adventure on the wild Pacuare River, and Corcovado National Park, a haven of unique wildlife.
Arrive: San Jose, Costa Rica
Depart: San Jose, Costa Rica
Highlights
- Visit two national parks, each brimming with unique flora and fauna
- Soak in Arenal Volcano’s inviting thermal springs
- Walk “hanging bridges” through rainforest, ride a zip line across the canopy
- Hike nature trails of Manuel Antonio National Park
- Optional activities available to customize your Private Journey
Itinerary
After an overnight in a boutique hotel in San Jose, head out to scenic Arenal Volcano National Park. At Arenal, you can walk an elaborate network of spectacular hanging bridges that give access to the tree canopy of the park's primary rainforest, where a colorful array of birdlife and butterflies reside, and enjoy a soak in natural thermal springs.
Try your hand at Costa Rica's popular adventure sport—the zip line—for a bird's-eye view of the rainforest canopy! At Manuel Antonio, set beside the Pacific coast, walk through vine-draped forests where monkeys leap from tree to tree, sloths gaze down from the canopy, and iguanas sun themselves on logs. Optional activities include ocean kayaking, surfing, and river rafting. Depart on Day 8 or join one of our extensions.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated Level 2, Easy to Moderate, according to our trip grading system. Although the overall pace of this trip is relaxed and you are free to choose the activities you like, this is an active vacation. The shape you're in will be an important factor in your enjoyment.
Review Trip Level Details
The temperature in Costa Rica does not change drastically with the seasons. April to May are generally the hottest months, and December to February generally are the coolest months. In San Jose and in the highlands, the weather is eternally spring-like with average temperatures in the 70s. In the Manuel Antonio area, temperatures average in the 80s with cooling sea breezes. Lowland areas are warmer, while in the mountains, it is cooler, especially at night. If you are sensitive to the cold, bring a warm layer for cold early mornings and evenings, especially in the winter months, when it can be quite chilly. On the Pacific Coast and in the highlands, the rainy season begins in late May and ends by November. Mornings are usually bright and sunny, with typical afternoon rains that come as short downpours. December through April is the dry season, but Costa Rica is tropical so you can expect some rain at any time of the year.
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Book your trip today
Our Area Specialists know every detail about our tours. They will be happy to answer any questions and help you choose the journey that’s right for you. Contact us to learn more or book your trip today!
Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.