Costa Rica is the ultimate eco-destination for families, and this handcrafted 11-day adventure will lead you from the cloud forest to the coast. Escape to Pacific beaches, zipline through the forest canopy, traverse a volcano, and come face to face with Costa Rica’s incredible wildlife. Your family adventure will help to preserve ancient biodiversity and will provide your entire family with a new perspective of nature. Each tour is completely private, and you can tailor each day to your family’s...
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
San Jose – Colonial Charms
You will be greeted at the airport by a local guide who will transfer you to a small hotel in the oldest part of San Jose. Here, there will be time to rest and refresh before discussing the afternoon with your guide. If your children need to run off some steam, your guide can lead you to a local park. Wandering around the old center will be a treat because the faded charm of San Jose greets you at most turns. A short walk can also provide you with the opportunity to hear tales of the country’s history, which will be expertly narrated by your guide. San Jose also has some excellent restaurants, so you can dine on Western cuisine before venturing to Costa Rica’s rural destinations.
What's Included:
Day 2
Manuel Antonio National Park – Tropical Bliss
Day 3 - 4
Manuel Antonio National Park – Eco-Adventures with Wildlife
Day 5
Santa Elena – Nestled in the Clouds
Day 6 - 7
Santa Elena – Exploring with Your Family
Day 8
La Fortuna – Adventure by Boat
Day 9 - 10
La Fortuna – Choosing Your Activities
Day 11
San Jose – Departure
Trip Highlights
- Sail around the Pacific on a private catamaran, looking for dolphins and snorkeling coral reefs
- Feel the enchantment of yesteryear as you explore old town San Jose and the cute town of Quepos
- Zipline through a rainforest canopy and discover a hidden world in the trees
- Discover a fabulous array of local wildlife from howler monkeys and iguanas to sloths
- Luxuriate in volcanic hot springs after a day of hiking on Arenal Volcano
- Escape to beautiful bays and beaches, where there is the space you need to unwind as a family
- Wander upon giant suspension bridges and search for wildlife on a nighttime wildlife walk in Monteverde
- Customize your eco family adventure around Arenal with mountain biking, rafting, and other activities on the lake
- Help to preserve local wildlife on eco-tours that conserve Costa Rica’s incredible biodiversity
Detailed Description
Costa Rica dazzles from all angles. Howler monkeys shout from the treetops, suspension bridges create excitement, and dolphins play in the wake of catamarans. This Central American country offers a remarkable variety of nature to explore. One day, you will be deep in the rainforest, gazing up at three-toed sloths, and the next, you will discover the mystique of a world above the trees. Beaches will provide you with space to unwind, while Arenal Volcano has so many eco-activities to try. With this family eco-tour through Costa Rica, you will discover ancient biodiversity and a natural world that remains unchanged. Furthermore, through this tour, you will help to preserve Costa Rica’s nature for future generations.
Diversity will be the real highlight of your vacation. After an introductory night in the capital city of San Jose, you will have three nights in each of three destinations. Biodiversity reigns in Manuel Antonio National Park, where over 100 mammals gather close to beautiful, Pacific beaches. It is the perfect destination for adventure, and you can hike past monkey troops, laze around calm bays and beaches, and spend an afternoon sailing on a catamaran. Wildlife sometimes takes center stage, and there can be real excitement here, especially when capuchin monkeys swing past your lodge. Mostly, this destination is about relaxing as a family and enjoying some quiet time together.
After a brief stop in old-world Quepos, you will spend the next three nights high in the clouds. Santa Elena will be your base for eco-adventures in and around Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. Here, you will feel the thrill of Costa Rica as you zipline through the trees and cross magnificent suspension bridges. All the tours are private, so they can be tailored to the age and interest of your kids. Local guides will show you how your vacation is making a difference in terms of Costa Rica’s ecosystem, and you can get involved with planting trees. Santa Elena is an extremely laid-back destination, and once again, you can relax as a family in privacy.
You will complete your eco vacation with three nights in La Fortuna, which is Costa Rica’s most popular destination. There is a lively atmosphere to the town, which can be nice if anyone is feeling a bit restless and wants some excitement during the evenings. Just getting to La Fortuna will be an adventure. To reach La Fortuna, you will be transferred in a 4WD before taking a boat across Lake Arenal. With three days in La Fortuna, you can do so much, such as mountain biking, hiking, canyoning, sailing, and kayaking. You can also spend most of your time in the hot springs, basking in the healing waters. Such an array of options makes La Fortuna an excellent final stop, and you can customize everything around your energy and mood.
Starting Price
$3,300 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.91 stars based on 718 reviews.
We celebrated my daughter's high school graduation with a 12-day trip to Costa Rica. I interviewed several local travel agencies and fell in love with Zicasso's tour company from the very first phone conversation. The owner was fantastic to work with, helping me craft the perfect adventure-filled, action-packed vacation for my family. He was honest and took the time to listen to our preferences. He provided great feedback and suggestions.
Prior to our trip, I felt very confident that I was in good hands and knew that every detail was taken care of. During our trip, the company owner checked in with me several times to make sure everything was ok. Unfortunately, someone in my family had to go home early and he was so helpful in coordinating an extra trip to the airport to accommodate our family needs (it required an extra nine hours of driving and a hotel stay for the driver).
The company owner and our agent were generous enough to not charge me for this extra trip. They even canceled all the hotel and activity reservations for that family member, and I received a refund at the end of my trip! It truly was a trip of a lifetime. I found myself thinking, I wish there was a travel company like this for every country because I would use them again to plan my next vacation, wherever it may be!
I also want to give a special shoutout to my driver, who drove my family on several long road trips during our vacation. During our drives, he would spot many interesting animals and birds, and stop on the side of the road so we could get out and get great pictures. Some of my best close-up opportunities to look at animals occurred while in the car. He talked about the agriculture, the school system, and the different rainforests. He even bought plantain chips from the side of the road and shared them with my family. Even though his job was to drive us from point A to point B, I felt his knowledge and his ability to spot animals was better than many of the tour guides we had on the trip. He really cared about Costa Rica and was excited to show us all it had to offer.
I highly recommend this travel company. And ask for our driver to drive you around; you won't be disappointed.
Reviewed By caroline C.
We used a Zicasso travel expert to plan our trip. The trip was absolutely fabulous and the service was very easy to use. We would definitely use them again.
Reviewed By Allison A.
Zicasso's travel company was very attentive and followed up with us throughout the trip to make sure we were doing well. We had an awesome time and would recommend them to anyone planning a trip to Costa Rica
Reviewed By Tara I.
Everything was arranged thoughtfully, with time for "adventures" and downtime at terrific resorts to relax. All pick-ups, travel by limo, and drop-offs went as arranged. The drivers, guides, and hotel staff were all very pleasant and kind. Zicasso's tour operator did a great job planning our eight-day, family-of-10 trip to Costa Rica! We appreciated that most tours, hikes, and ocean experiences were small groups of just our group of 10. This made it a personal and annoyance-free experience all around. Thanks!
Reviewed By Lolli H.
The Zicasso tour company was very accommodating. They put together a great itinerary and when we wanted to add something, it was no problem.
Reviewed By David M.
We had an unbelievably great trip! Everything went smoothly, was already lined up by Zicasso's tour company, and communication was excellent. The private drivers between locations were excellent and very informative. We could not have asked for a better experience!
Reviewed By JESSICA V.
