Family Fun Adventure in Costa Rica: San Jose to San Jose

Arrive in San Jose. Meet and greet at the airport by one of our guides and transfer to your hotel.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel. The adventure begins traveling towards the Central Valley Mountains, to La Paz Waterfall Gardens hosting a wide variety of plants and bird life amongst stunning scenery. These gardens are a one-stop introduction to all of Costa Rica. It offers an interactive experience through its park, aimed at bringing families and visitors into closer contact with Costa Rica's natural resources.
At La Paz, we will walk down a trail leading to a series of spectacular waterfalls amongst a dense cloud & rain forest. Moreover, we will also visit the hummingbird gallery with 26 documented species, the serpentarium, the aviary, the butterfly garden, the Jungle Cats and the Frog Exhibit. This learning experience concludes with lunch included at the site, buffet style for the children's convenience.
Following, we depart to the Caribbean lowlands, to Sarapiquí town, home of the tropical rain forest. This region is mainly agricultural, and one of the major banana producing sectors of the country. The land is very fertile thanks to the Sarapiquí River, this waterway irrigates the whole region, transforming the area into an ideal crop-growing location.
Right after dinner, we will enjoy a wonderful night tour where children will learn about the natural history of several nocturnal species. When night falls, a new world awakens within the rainforest since a significant part of the resident wildlife is much more active during the evening.

During the morning we will visit La Tirimbina Biological Reserve to discover the wonders of the tropical forest and one of its jewels, the Cacao fruit, one of the mankind's favorite foods: chocolate. In the company of an experienced guide, you will cross Tirimbina's hanging bridge and head into a section of the rainforest, where a small acreage of cocoa is found. You will be able to witness the traditional method of processing cocoa (harvesting, fermentation, drying, etc.) while at the same time learning more about its pre and post-colonial history. You will also have the chance to taste the different handmade chocolates that are prepared on site.
In the afternoon, we take part of an enchanting safari floating trip down the Sarapiqui River, a leisurely float of 2.5 hours down the river, allowing you to witness the breathtaking natural surroundings. Exotic amphibians, numerous tropical birds, otters, fish, snakes, sloths, iguanas, and an impressive variety of fauna will make your tour unforgettable. You can choose between using a canoe or a duckie boat.

After enjoying breakfast, the trip continues to La Fortuna, the closest town to the Arenal volcano. Located in the northern part of the Alajuela province, the Arenal region possesses beautiful and varied scenery. Refreshed by gentle tropical rains, this land stays green and humid almost all year round. The lowlands boast gushing rivers, hot springs, lagoons, remote national parks, and plentiful wildlife. In October 2010, the Arenal Volcano entered into an indeterminate resting phase; for the time being, visitors will be unable to watch the much-loved explosions, but the area remains attractive due to all the outdoors family oriented activities it offers.
Right after midday, we will visit Kalambú Hot Springs Water Park. Featuring hot springs, slides, pools, and play areas, there is something for children of all ages to enjoy! With multiple levels to explore, kids will soak up hours of fun in this aquatic playground with naturally heated thermal water equipped with water cannons, slides, and swimming pools. Children younger than 6 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
**The site is overcrowded Saturdays and Sundays (option suggested Tabacon Hotsprings at an extra cost)

We visit this morning the Arenal Volcano National Park. The park's primary rainforest is exuberant and includes four different micro-climates, making it the home of an enormous amount of flora and fauna. These include white-faced capuchin monkeys, sloths, coatis, deer, and much more. Birds are abundant here; almost 75% of Costa Rica's total 850 species reside in these forests.
During this gentle hike, you will be able to enjoy the most extraordinary view of the colossus, walking around its base. The hike begins on a trail close to the volcano, a path that will take you through the forest, over recent lava flows, and the area destroyed by the 1969 eruption (now in regeneration process).
In the afternoon, we take part of an aerial tram ride and a nice walk along the hanging bridges. The tram ride takes you to a wide observation platform at the highest point of Arenal Reserve. The ride on the open-aired gondolas offers unique volcano views and rises 236mts across a 1250mts long trip. Once at the lookout point, you can sit down on comfortable chairs to enjoy picture time within this magnificent view.
Afterwards, you will go on a walk through the rainforest along the hanging bridges. You will be surprised at how different it is to observe the forest from the tops of the trees. From the beginning of your walk, you will be ascending step by step until you find yourself as high up as the vegetation that surrounds you (up to 39.5mts/130ft.).
Local guides accompany each tour and help visitors learn about native plant and animal species.

Departure after breakfast towards the central Pacific coast, to Manuel Antonio beach.
The prized treasure of Costa Rica's Central Pacific coast, Manuel Antonio National Park is filled with breath taking landscapes of international renown. It is a unique blend of scenic rainforest panoramas, gorgeous white-sand beaches, deep blue lagoons, and extensive mangroves. All these combined makes for some of the most bio-diverse habitats in the world. Manuel Antonio boasts fabulous beaches (not limited to those within the national park), deep blue waters, and a friendly population. Even though it is a great place to relax and unwind, there is much to do here.
The afternoon is at leisure to enjoy the hotel facilities.

After a delicious breakfast, we depart the hotel for a visit to the beautiful Manuel Antonio National Park, one of the most famous parks in our country due to its wide variety of flora and fauna specimens. The park boasts 3 different trails that vary in grade from flat to very steep. The trail we will take is flat and picturesque and loops through the park making our course approximately 2 miles long. Throughout the hike our guide will stop and explain the different nature specimens that can be observed, the park is home to 3 of the 4 existing monkey species in Costa Rica. Half way through the hike there is a leisure stop at the third beach located within the national park where we will have time to rest and enjoy the beach
Important: The Park is closed on Mondays (activity will be rescheduled if necessary)

After breakfast departure to San Jose International Airport. The time of the transfer to Juan Santamaria International Airport will depend on the time of your flight. After making sure you arrive at the airport with sufficient time, Camino Travel will bid you a safe journey home. Driving time: 3hrs
Check in has to be done 3 hours prior the departure of the flight.