Costa RicaCosta 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.
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.
Accommodation
Below is an example of the hotel we may use in this city. For the actual hotel your specific departure will be using, please check your voucher.
Hotel Courtyard by Marriot
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.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Your G for Good Moment: 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!
Accommodation
El Establo Hotel
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.
Free Time
Get up early to check out some of the optional activities on offer around Monteverde.
Your Family Journeys Moment: 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 Activities - Day 3Show
Accommodation
El Establo Hotel
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.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
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.
Accommodation
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
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 the tumbling Oropendula 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.
Hike to Oropendula Waterfall
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 Oropendula waterfall, where you can take a refreshing dip in the cool, clear water. Then saddle up to ride back to our family 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.
Accommodation
Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin
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.
Private Vehicle
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Free Time
Spend time at leisure in a quaint beach town.
Optional Activities - Day 6Show
Accommodation
Hotel Villa Sol
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.
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 Activities - Day 7Show
Accommodation
Hotel Villa Sol
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.
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.
Accommodation
Hotel Courtyard by Marriot
Depart at any time.
Departure Day
Not ready to leave? Your Expedition Leader can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.
