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Family Adventure Trip In Costa Rica
Visit: San Jose - Cartago - Puerto Viejo de Limón - Sarapiquí - Arenal
Costa Rica is a rugged, rainforested Central American country with coastlines on the Caribbean and Pacific. Though its capital, San Jose, is home to cultural institutions like the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, Costa Rica is known for its beaches, volcanoes, and biodiversity. Roughly a quarter of its area is made up of protected jungle, teeming with wildlife including spider monkeys and quetzal birds.
Welcome to Costa Rica! Upon arrival at the Juan Santamaría International airport you will be welcomed by our representative who will escort you to your hotel in San Jose and give you your road book.
Your journey will begin with a first night in San José, the capital, which is located at 3 937 feet above the sea level and gathers half of the population of the country. The town is placed in Central Valley Area, surrounded in the north by different volcanos like Poás, Irazú or Turrialba, and in the south by the Talamanca Cordillera which is the highest mountain range of the southern part of Central America.
EXPLORE THE OLD CAPITAL
After breakfast, your car rental representative will meet you at your hotel reception to hand you off your rental vehicle.
Departure inland, but still in the south of the country, where the Turrialba and Irazú volcanoes are located. They are sometimes referred to as twins because they are supported on the same base. This volcanic region offers a very rich soil, favorable to a great diversity of plantations. This region has become even more interesting due to the latest activity of the volcano which makes a spectacle without being dangerous.
Canyoning and zip line (Lasts about 3 to 4 hours with a local English/Spanish speaking guide)
Rafting in the Pejibaye River (Duration of about 3 to 4 hours with a local Anglophone/Spanish speaking guide)
Monumental Park of Guayabo (Lasts about 2 hours with a local English/Spanish speaking guide)
Dr. Jorge Leon Botanical Garden - CATIE (Lasts about 4 hours with local English/Spanish guide)
Traveling time: 2 hours
Included meals: B
Accommodation: Guayabo Lodge 3*
Taste Costa Rica’s fresh coffee and its colonial history
Drive to the community of Aquiares to discover a coffee plantation town (included activity). Aquiares is the largest Rainforest Alliance certified coffee plantation in Costa Rica. This amazing little town produces high altitude arabicas of the best quality grown in the shade.
You will discover the process of coffee processing, its different methods and even get the chance to taste different samples. Then, you will head to Casa Hacienda La Esperanza where you will enjoy a delicious typical lunch.
Free rest of the afternoon to enjoy your hotel’s facilities or to explore the area.
Included meals: B/L
Accommodation: Guayabo Lodge 3*
Head to Puerto Viejo de Limón
You will depart to the beautiful South Caribbean coast. You will follow Route 10, pass by Siquirres and by Limón’s port city before heading toward the sea border where the villages of Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo are.
A unique vibe will greet you on this fisherman village of the Caribbean Coast, a rich area with a multicultural vibe with its calypso-reggae music, which came from the African-Caribbean culture.
Traveling time: 4 hours
Included meals: B
Accommodation: Hotel La Kukula Lodge 3*
Learn about the stories of rescued wild animals
Today you will visit an animal shelter with a local Spanish/English speaking guide (included activity). The center’s primary goal is to help and rehabilitate the injured or confiscated wild animals from unscrupulous people with the aim of reintroducing them as far as possible back into their natural habitat. You will learn about the wild animal’s stories and how they have recovered from their injuries. Here, you can observe monkeys, sloths, toucans and poisonous snakes from Costa Rica that stay in terrariums that reproduce their natural habitat.
You’ll have the rest of the day to enjoy the surrounding beaches or you can also book an optional activity in the area.
Included meals: B
Accommodation: Hotel La Kukula Lodge 3*
Take your car to discover the different beaches of the coast, discover Cahuita National Park or explore the wildlife rescue center of Gandoca, located south of Puerto Viejo.
You can walk, drive or rent a bike, which is the most popular way of transportation in the area. From your hotel, you can ride to the warm Caribbean beach: Playa Chiquita, Playa Cocles or Playa Punta Uva will be waiting for you.
Between your visits to these beautiful beaches, don’t forget to take a break to have a cocktail or a beer in one of the bars of the area.
You can also opt for an optional activity in the area such as:
Guided hike in Cahuita National Park
Visit the Bri-Bri Indigenous community
Bird observation tour
Artisanal fishing
Surfing lesson with local Spanish/English-speaking guide
Take a Caribbean cooking class
Included meals: B
Accommodation: Hotel La Kukula Lodge 3*
Drive to Sarapiquí, a rich agricultural area (pineapple, palm heart, pejibaye, guanábana…) in the northern part of the country. This village is located right in the surroundings of the road towards the Arenal Lake. However, this area offers various natural reserves like the Biological Station of La Selva or La Tirimbina, as well as different activities like walking through the rainforest, rafting in of the best rapids of the country or book eco-tourism activities in local farms.
Depending on your arrival time, you can do one of these optional activities:
Chocolate tour at La Tirimbina
Rafting on Sarapiquí River
Canopy
Visit of Doña Rosa’s palm heart plantation and restaurant
Kayak or tubing
Take a snake tour
Visit of Don Rodolfo’s Agro Farm (with Spanish speaking local guide - possibility of spending 1 night on site, ask us)
La Fortuna Village
You will continue northward to La Fortuna, a town situated at the skirts of the Arenal volcano, Costa Rica´s most famous one. Costa Rica is well-known for its 116 volcanoes, but the Arenal volcano is probably the most famous one. This active volcano rises over 5 347 feet above the sea level and it has the iconic volcano-shaped perfect for pictures. Surprisingly, this volcano is the youngest of the country, being only 7 500 years old!
Even if the Arenal Volcano activity decreased over the past 3 years, some clouds of smoke can still be seen going out of the crater when the sky is clear.
Traveling time: 2h30
Included meals: B
Accommodation: Arenal Oasis Ecolodge 3*
Rainforest’s hanging bridges
After breakfast, you will enjoy a hike through the hanging bridges (included activity). Observe the rainforest through the bird’s perspective. These trails and suspended bridges are completely immersed in a rainforest private reserve which will let you spot many of its inhabitants. Some of the animals you might see are the howler monkeys, emerald toucanettes, bell birds, snakes, lizards and basilisks.
Free afternoon to enjoy your hotel’s facilities or explore the region by yourself.
Included meals: B
Accommodation: Arenal Oasis Ecolodge & Reserve 3*
Explore the area as you like!
You will have the day to yourself to enjoy your hotel’s facilities and relax. If you’re up to more adventure, you can add any of these additional activities (for more details please contact your local specialist):
Guided hike in the Arenal Volcano National Park
Excursion to La Fortuna Waterfall (with or without guide)
Zip lining
Chocolate Farm tour
Salsa Dance Lessons
Cooking lessons with a local family and dinner
Relaxing time in the hot springs (lunch or dinner can be included)
Proyecto Asís Rescue Center
Enjoy your last day in Costa Rica
Today, you will head to the province of Alajuela where the Poás Volcano is located. Along the way, you will enjoy the scenes offered by the coffee plantations, ferns and strawberries, as well as the flower gardens which offer you a beautiful palette of colors and textures. You will have the advantage of being near the airport for your quick return the next day.
Rest of the day to rest and enjoy the hotel or add any optional excursion in the region. Optional activities on San José: (to do on DAY 11 or DAY 12 according to your flight hours)
Cultural and Historical Tour at the Central Market
Visit Cartago Like a Local! Tour of the old capital by train, bus and bike.
Day/Night Tour in San José’s Gastronomical District
Craft Beer Tour
IMPORTANT: Since April 2017, the Poás Volcano is active and it is closed until further notice, however you can also visit the province of Alajuela without any danger or problem.
Traveling time: 3 hours
Included meals: B
Accommodation: Wyndham Herradura 4*
Today, you will head to San Jose International Airport.
You will drop your car off at the car rental agency situated close to the airport and a free shuttle will then take you to the airport.
*You must be there 3h before your departure.
Traveling time: 15 minutes
Included meals: B
Inclusion
Meet and greet at the airport and private transfer to your hotel on day 1 Phone support by our team all along the trip Travel documents in English 11 nights with breakfast in the mentioned hotels - depending on availability on the moment of the booking 10 days of car rental 4X4 SSANG YONG KORANDO (std version) or 4X2 HYUNDAI CRETA (sup and lux version) (base 2 pax), 4x4 HYUNDAI TUCSON (base 4 pax), HYUNDAI H1 (Base 6 pax), unlimited kilometers, basic obligatory insurance, GPS and WI-FI included from day 2 at 08h00 to day 12 at 13h30. Mentioned activities Administration feesExclusion
International flights, cancelation, repatriation, luggage insurance Additional car insurance, deposit for the car, the GPS and gas expenses. Any meal that is not mentioned as included or not mentioned at all Any activity o entrance fee that is not mentioned as included or not mentioned at all Personal expenses and tips Anything not mentioned above in the “The price includes” sectionSimilar Tours From Costa Rica
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