Lush rainforests, abundant wildlife experiences, golden beaches, thrilling adventures and a laidback culture make Costa Rica a firm favourite for a once-in-a-lifetime family holiday.
This two-week family tour of Costa Rica is taken on a self-drive basis, allowing you to travel at your own pace, setting off at a time which suits you best and exploring hidden gems along the way. Begin your holiday in the tropical Tortuguero, a region only accessible by boat or air which gives a great introduction to Costa Rica’s incredibly diverse wildlife. From here take the short drive to Sarapiqui which is known for its pristine rainforests before your family adventure continues in Arenal. Known for its dramatic landscapes here you can explore the rainforest and search for wildlife by walking over the hanging bridges. Finish your trip on the Pacific Coast’s Nicoya Peninsula where you will stay in the lovely laidback beach town of Tamarindo.
San Jose – Tortuguero – Sarapiqui – Arenal – Tamarindo – Central Highlands
Trip Highlights
- Search for sloth, monkey and birdlife in the dense wetland rainforest of Tortuguero National Park
- If visiting between mid-June to October, experience Tortuguero’s famous turtle nesting season
- Spend time in the highland rainforest of Sarapiqui where you will visit a chocolate plantation
- In Arenal enjoy a range of activities from the hanging bridges to relaxing in picturesque hot springs
- Discover the beautiful beach town of Tamarindo located on the Pacific Coast and known for its surf
- In the Central Highlands, take a tour around a coffee plantation or visit a local handicraft market
Itinerary
Day 1
UK to San Jose
Depart from the UK in the morning, arriving in Costa Rica early evening. On arrival in San Jose, you will be transferred in a private vehicle to your hotel in the centre of the city ready for your family tour to begin the next morning.
This tour can be taken throughout the year, although it is best to avoid September and October when heavy rain can make driving more difficult. Staying in the drier northern parts of the country, there is no problem taking this tour during the summer holidays, and this gives the opportunity to see turtles coming ashore to lay their eggs on the Caribbean Coast at this time of the year.
Hotel Presidente
Day 2
San Jose to Tortuguero – 168kms
In the morning take a shared bus and boat transfer to your rainforest lodge in Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean Coast. The journey is a great introduction to Costa Rica, taking you out of the Central Highlands and through small towns and the dense forests of the coastal wetlands. Arrive in your lodge in time for lunch followed by an afternoon activity, such as a visit to Tortuguero Village to learn about life in this remote community that can only be reached by boat.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Laguna Lodge
Day 3
Tortuguero
Today continue your exploration of Tortuguero National Park. Explore the trails around the lodge and take a boat trip through the wetlands and mangrove swamps in search of the incredible wildlife for which Tortuguero is famous. Hopefully you will spot many colourful birds darting through the treetops including the endangered great green macaw, keel-billed toucan, great blue heron and kingfisher, as well as sloth, monkey, caiman and more. During turtle nesting season which runs from mid-June to October, you will also be able to join an optional night visit to the beach to watch the turtles coming ashore to lay eggs. A truly magical experience.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch,
- Dinner
Laguna Lodge
Day 4
Tortuguero to Sarapiqui – 89kms
Leave from Tortuguero after breakfast, travelling by shared boat and bus to Guapilles where lunch will be arranged in a local restaurant. Your hire car will be delivered to you at the restaurant, and after completing the paperwork you will be able to set off on the road to Sarapiqui. This is a short drive on a good quality road and is a great introduction to driving in Costa Rica. End the day at your rainforest lodge in Sarapiqui, where after dinner you can enjoy a night walk around the lodge grounds, looking out for the frogs and insects.
- Breakfast,
- Lunch
Selva Verde
Day 5
Sarapiqui
Early this morning join a shared birdwatching tour, exploring the grounds of your lodge with a naturalist guide in search of the colourful birdlife of the region. After lunch, learn about one of Costa Rica’s most tasty exports – chocolate. You will cross over a suspension bridge for a shared guided tour of a cacao plantation, learning about its history and the process to turn raw beans into chocolate, with a chance to try the local produce before returning to your lodge.
- Breakfast
Selva Verde
Day 6
Sarapiqui to Arenal – 75kms
It is a short drive today heading through the highlands of Costa Rica to your lodge at the base of the Arenal Volcano where you will be staying for the next four nights. The Arenal region is one of Costa Rica’s most iconic destinations which is known for its lush rainforests, adventure activities, hot springs, and of course, the dramatic volcano whose peak is visible from afar.
- Breakfast
Arenal Manoa
Day 7
Arenal
This morning you will join a shared guided tour of the Mistico Hanging Bridges to explore the wildlife of the highland rainforest. Your trail will take you across the forest floor to suspended walkways that allow you to observe the birds and mammals that inhabit the rainforest canopy at eye level. After your tour, return to your lodge with the rest of the day free to relax or continue your exploration of Arenal. You may wish to enjoy the hotel’s hot springs that are warmed through geothermal activity.
- Breakfast
Arenal Manoa
Day 8
Arenal
Today is at leisure to further explore Arenal and the surrounding area. You may wish to visit one of the area’s coffee and cacao farms where you can embark on a tour to further understand the cultivation and production process, taste freshly made coffee, sample chocolate and sugar cane products and enjoy the beautiful views.
- Breakfast
Arenal Manoa
Day 9
Arenal
Enjoy a day of leisure today. Your vehicle is at your disposal to explore the region, perhaps heading into the town of La Fortuna for lunch or visiting another one of the hot spring resorts at the base of Arenal.
- Breakfast
Arenal Manoa
Day 10
Arenal to Tamarindo – 201kms
The drive from Arenal to Tamarindo is a scenic journey which should take about four hours. Look out for monkeys and sloths as your drive along the shores of Lake Arenal with views of the volcano in the distance before heading down into the drier coastal districts where the rainforest gives way to lush farms and plantations. Your route will take you past Liberia, the largest settlement in the region known as the ‘White Town’ due to its whitewashed colonial houses. In the afternoon reach the beach town of Tamarindo on the Nicoya Peninsula where you will check into your beachfront resort for the next four nights. Known for its golden sands, consistent surf, vibrant atmosphere and spectacular sunsets, Tamarindo is one of the Pacific Coast’s most loved resorts.
- Breakfast
Tamarindo Diria
Day 11
Tamarindo
Today is a free day to relax or explore Tamarindo and the surrounding region. Tamarindo’s beautiful sandy beach stretches for a couple of miles and howler monkeys are often seen in the palm trees fringing the beach. Known for its excellent surf, Tamarindo attracts visitors around the world with a vibrant night market and many restaurants and bars which you may explore at your own pace in the evening.
- Breakfast
Tamarindo Diria
Day 12
Tamarindo
With your car at your disposal, today you may wish to visit nearby beaches and towns. The Nicoya Peninsula boasts many sheltered coves with sandy beaches backed by rainforest, some favourite spots include Playa Flamingo, Playa Conchal and Las Catalinas.
- Breakfast
Tamarindo Diria
Day 13
Tamarindo
On your last full day in Tamarindo, you can choose to relax by the beach or try your hand at some of the activities available through your hotel. Maybe try your hand at surfing or enjoy a catamaran ride around the bay and experience some snorkelling. Alternatively, you could head inland to Rincon de la Vieja where you can explore the trails in the national park.
- Breakfast
Tamarindo Diria
Day 14
Tamarindo to Central Highlands – 228kms
Today you will be driving from Tamarindo to the highlands close to San Jose. The drive should take about 5 hours, and we recommend you take your time enjoying the drive and the sights along the way. You will be stopping overnight in a boutique hotel about an hour from the airport in the hills of the Central Highlands surrounded by cloud forest.
- Breakfast
Chayote Lodge
Day 15
Central Highlands to San Jose – 41kms / San Jose to UK
The morning is free to relax in your hotel with the chance to enjoy the gardens and surrounding cloud forest. The region around the lodge is known for its coffee and you can explore a local plantation or head to the nearby town of Sarchi known for its handicrafts. In the afternoon your car will be collected from the lodge and you will be taken privately transferred to the airport to check in for your flight home, arriving back in the UK the following morning.
- Breakfast
Extending your stay...
The Pacific Coast is famed for its beaches and you can easily extend your stay in Tamarindo or consider combining a couple of different beach resorts along the coast.
The cloud forest is easy to include to experience the unique environment, perhaps including a visit to Monteverde after leaving Arenal, or a staying in a lodge near San Ramon between the Pacific Coast and San Jose.
Rincon de la Vieja is an easy add on, a short distance from the Pacific Coast offering excellent family friendly adventures such as hiking and biking.
Guide to Price
15 days from £3150 per person
What's Included
- International flights
- Transfers at the start and end of the tour as indicated
- Car hire as specified
- Shared guided tours as specified
- Hotel accommodation and taxes
What's Not Included
- Visas
- Travel Insurance
- Expenses of a personal nature
- Meals unless specified
- Deposit, fuel and tolls for car hire
from £3150
Travel Information
Getting There
British Airways offers frequent direct flights from London to San Jose during the peak season from October until March. There are also indirect flights via Europe with airlines including Iberia, KLM, Air France and Lufthansa, as well as flights via Canada and the United States.
Flying Time
The direct flight between London and San Jose is about 10-11 hours, with indirect flights slightly longer depending on where you are flying via and the stopover time.
Time Zone
Costa Rica -6 hours GMT.
Visa Requirements
British citizens do not need a visa to visit Costa Rica for stays of up to 90 days.
Do’s and Don’ts
Greet locals with a friendly ‘buenos dias’ or ‘buenas tardes’ and understand that eye contact is valued in conversation. ‘Pura vida’ is the most common saying throughout Costa Rica, translating to the ‘simple life’ or ‘everything is good’ and recognises a relaxed, optimistic and grateful lifestyle.
Embrace the slower pace of life and expect service in restaurants and bars to be slower than the UK and Europe.
If self-driving, don’t underestimate travel times as when driving in more rural and remote areas roads can be windy and/or unpaved. Also avoid driving at night.
Do not touch or feed wildlife and do not remove natural souvenirs such as taking rocks, shells or plants from their natural habitats.
It is polite to ask permission of any local people before taking any photographs.
Money
Costa Rica has its own currency, the Costa Rica Colón, which is divided in 100 centimos. The US dollar is also very widely accepted in Costa Rica and can be used in most hotels, restaurants and shops as well as for tips. There are ATMs in larger towns and cities and credit cards are also widely accepted, but in remote rainforest lodges it is best to have US dollars cash or local currency.
Tipping
Tipping is common in Costa Rica as with the rest of Latin America but is at your discretion. The amount of tip should depend on the service received. A 10% service charge is always included in restaurant bills. As a guideline, a tip of around US$5 to US$10 per person per day for a guide is about the right amount, and about S$5 per person per day for a driver. Tips to guides and drivers are normally given in US dollars cash. Please note that American travellers to Costa Rica do often tip much higher than this amount, but you should not feel pressured to overtip.
Food and Drink
Costa Rica is known for its abundance of fresh tropical fruits and vegetables as well as excellent seafood. Many dishes were brough to Costa Rica by Spanish settlers but adapted to local ingredients, although the Caribbean coast does have more of an Afro-Caribbean influence. Gallo Pinto, the local version of the ubiquitous Latin American staple of rice and beans is one of the most common dishes, often served for breakfast, but can also be found for lunch and dinner. Grilled meat and fish with rice or salad is served in most restaurants, with ceviche, raw marinated fish, common on the Pacific Coast and rondón, a meat and vegetable stew common on the Caribbean coast.
Copo, shaved ice flavoured with fruit syrup is a great way to cool down, and there is an abundance of fresh fruit juices as well as excellent local coffees. The national alcoholic drink is guaro, made from sugar cane, although American-style beers are more common, with some excellent craft beers produced in San Jose.
Shopping
Local handicrafts such as the woodwork and handmade jewellery can be found in the Mercade Central in San Jose as well as the markets of Tamarindo and Sarchi. Costa Rica is known for its excellent local coffee and chocolate which can often be purchased directly from plantations as well as in Britt stores.
Travel Advice
Costa Rica is generally regarded as a safe country, although petty theft such as pickpocketing and purse-snatching is not uncommon, especially in San Jose and you should remain vigilant. For current information on Costa Rica the best resource is the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice) which is a comprehensive resource and updated regularly. We would also recommend visiting the Safer Tourism Foundation website (www.safertourism.org.uk) before you travel and will be happy to address any questions or concerns you may have.
Suggested Reading
Lonely Planet and Rough Guides have excellent guide books for Costa Rica. The ‘Birds of Costa Rica’ by Richard Garrigues is an excellent guide to the birdlife of the country, although many lodges have their own field guides.
Health
Costa Rica is considered to have the best healthcare system in Latin America with a comprehensive public health system supported by reputable private clinics. Your doctor is the best person to advise you on staying healthy whilst abroad but current recommended vaccinations are Hepatitis A and Tetanus. Yellow Fever is not present in Costa Rica, but a Yellow Fever certificate is required if travelling from countries with a risk of Yellow Fever. This includes all destinations with Latin America with the exception of Panama and Argentina. There is a low risk of malaria on the Caribbean Coast and very low risk elsewhere in the country - antimalarials are not usually recommend except in exceptional circumstances. For current information on health advice you may wish to visit the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website Travel Health Pro on https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/. The Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad (MASTA) website (www.masta.org) is also a useful resource.
Accommodation
Costa Rica offers a wide range of accommodation, from city hotels to rainforest lodges to boutique beach resorts and private villas, all with a wide range of standards. While there are some large beach resorts, most accommodation tends to be small and focuses on providing excellent service. Outside of San Jose, visitors to Costa Rica rarely stay in large towns or cities and most often stay in more remote locations to soak up the wildlife and scenery. Due to the remote location and small size of the hotels and lodges, accommodation needs to be booked well in advance.
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