Active family holiday in Costa Rica
12 days – from €7,900 per person
family holiday – active – rainforest – wildlife – birds
Highlights of this trip
- After a thrilling white-water rafting trip, reach your paradise in the cloud forest
- Glide through the canopy on a zip line in the Rio Blanco Canyon
- Push your limits with river tubing, abseiling down a waterfall or mountain bike rides through the jungle
- Go hiking in the rainforest and spot monkeys, sloths, coati and birds
Itinerary
Day 1 | Amsterdam – San José
Your active family holiday in Costa Rica begins today. You’ll fly from Amsterdam to San José, where you’ll be warmly welcomed by one of our local staff and taken to your accommodation. You’ll be staying at the Hotel Grano de Oro in the centre of San José.
Overnight stay: Hotel Grano de Oro | bed and breakfast
Day 2 | San José – Pacuare
Early in the morning, you’ll be taken to the Pacuare Lodge. From San José, you’ll travel to the banks of the Pacuare River. Once there, and after receiving professional instruction, you’ll board a rubber dinghy and your first adventure will begin. Today’s accommodation can only be reached by raft! During this trip, you’ll float past stunning mountains and watch the landscape gradually transform into unspoilt rainforest. Our colleague Petra visited this accommodation; read more about an adventurous stay at Pacuare Lodge.
Overnight stay: Pacuare Lodge | Linda Vista Suite | full board including activities
Please note: the minimum age for rafting at the Pacuare Lodge is 12 years.
Days 3 & 4 | Pacuare
The luxurious Pacuare Lodge is tucked away deep in the heart of nature. The ecolodge has just 20 suites and is situated on the banks of the river of the same name, which is renowned for its rafting opportunities. An ideal location to enjoy a relaxing stay and connect with nature, but it is primarily the wide range of activities that draw visitors here. As well as rafting, you can go kayaking, rock climbing, abseiling, birdwatching or on jungle walks. For a cultural experience, pay a visit to a Cabécar family, an indigenous community from this region. If you’d also like some peace and quiet, plan your activities for the morning and relax in the afternoon on a sun lounger by the pool. Order your favourite drink at the bar and – here’s our tip – book a private family dinner on the riverbank and let the chef surprise you.
Accommodation: Pacuare Lodge | Linda Vista Suite | full board including activities
Day 5 | Pacuare – Arenal
In the morning, you’ll check out of Pacuare Lodge and travel to the town of Arenal, near the volcano of the same name. The impressive volcano is covered in lush tropical rainforest and surrounded by mountains. You’ll be staying at the Nayara Tented Camp. This accommodation is tucked away in Arenal National Park, and wild animals from the surrounding area are often seen roaming the camp’s gardens. Culinary delights are in abundance here; the chefs employ modern cooking techniques, using local ingredients, to allow you to enjoy seasonal dishes with refined flavours.
Overnight stay: Nayara Tented Camp | bed and breakfast
Day 6 | Arenal – Bagaces
After breakfast, you’ll go on a walking trip in Arenal National Park, covering around 3 km across 15 bridges in the rainforest, six of which are suspended in the air. This allows you to view the forest from a unique perspective. There’s a good chance you’ll spot monkeys, birds, lizards and other animals during the walk.
In the afternoon, you’ll continue your active family holiday through Costa Rica and be taken to the Rio Perdido hotel in the Guanacaste region. This accommodation is situated on a 240-hectare nature reserve. From your accommodation, you can take part in various activities, payable on site. These include ziplining through the Rio Blanco Canyon surrounding the accommodation, swinging through the treetops like Tarzan, or walking across suspension bridges. Hiking, mountain biking and river tubing are also among the options.
Overnight stay: Hotel Rio Perdido | bed and breakfast
Day 7 | Bagaces
Start the day with a yoga class. Once you’re relaxed, we recommend going ziplining through the Rio Blanco Canyon. The professional guides will help you make your way through the 15 platforms, six of which are on rocks and nine suspended from the canyon walls. You’ll walk through the reserve’s forests, past waterfalls, crystal-clear streams, thermal springs and viewpoints.
Overnight stay: Hotel Rio Perdido | bed and breakfast
Day 8 | Bagaces – Puerto Jimenez
After breakfast, you will be taken to San José airport and fly to Puerto Jiménez, in the south of Costa Rica. Once you have landed, you will be taken to your accommodation. You will be staying at Playa Cativo Lodge for the next few days. This ecolodge is situated by the tranquil waters of the Golfo Dulce in the unspoilt rainforest and surrounded by lush grounds, accessible only by boat. From your room, you’ll enjoy a stunning panoramic view. Your stay here includes full board, and you’ll also have access to kayaks, paddleboards and snorkelling equipment.
Accommodation: Playa Cativo Lodge | full board
Days 9 & 10 | Puerto Jimenez
During this part of your trip, you’ll be staying in the heart of the tropical rainforest of Piedras Blancas National Park, which forms an extension of the nearby Corcovado National Park. It is a region of great biological diversity, home to an estimated 750 species of trees, 140 species of mammals, 367 species of birds, 117 species of reptiles and nearly 10,000 species of insects. There is so much to see here. Four different species of monkey, white-nosed coati, deer, kinkajous (curly-tailed bears), agoutis, peccaries and sloths live in this area. A number of felines can also be found in the area, although they are difficult to spot during the day. As there are no other nearby accommodation options in the area, you can enjoy complete peace and quiet here.
Accommodation: Playa Cativo Lodge | full board
Day 11 | Puerto Jimenez – San José – Amsterdam
Unfortunately, your personalised trip of Costa Rica has come to an end. After breakfast, you will be taken to the airport, where you will board your domestic flight to San José. Once you arrive there, you can check in for your return flight to Amsterdam.
Day 12 | Amsterdam
You will arrive in Amsterdam today.
Travel price - Customised trip of Costa Rica
From € 7,900 per person
- Based on 4 people travelling together
- Depending on when you book, the availability of local flights and accommodation, and the time of year you are travelling
Included:
- domestic flights, economy class (14 kg hold luggage)
- 4 nights’ accommodation, meals as stated
- 3 nights’ accommodation at Pacuare Lodge on a full-board basis, including excursions led by professional guides
- 3 nights’ accommodation in Playa Cativo on a full-board basis, including complimentary ‘self-guided’ activities
- All transfers and excursions as stated
- local taxes, where applicable
- entrance fees, where applicable
- Public levy Calamity Fund travel; €2.50 per booking
- SGR contribution of €5 per person per booking
- 24/7 our backup; locally and in the Netherlands
- comprehensive travel pack with small gift
Not included:
- International flights, we will book them for you if required
- Early check-in/late check-out, based on availability sometimes given by hotel. If you want to make sure you have this, please enquire with us about the extra cost.
- travel and cancellation insurance
Request a travel proposal - Customised trip of Costa Rica
Would you also like to go on this personalised trip of Costa Rica? We can, of course, organise the above trip for you, but we’d also be happy to put together an itinerary based on your wishes and ideas. Please feel free to get in touch. Call +31 73 610 62 04, send an email to info@sapapanatravel.nl or request a bespoke quote below. We’d be happy to help.
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