Gentle Family Fun in Costa Rica
Tour Introduction
An ideal introduction to the New World for families with children aged six and upwards, this itinerary takes you to two fabulous wildlife lodges to seek an colourful tropical wildlife spectacle of fish, birds, butterflies, monkeys, sloths, turtles, iguanas and much more. There follows some seriously relaxing time in a two-bedroom villa – with private plunge pool – at a smart boutique hotel near the Pacific Ocean. Visit National Parks, learn to surf, venture out on boat excursions, paddle a kayak or simply swim in the sea or pool and luxuriate in the sun. Fly home having had the time of your lives.
Full Itinerary
Arrive San Jose, capital of Costa Rica in the late evening. Met and transfer to your hotel, not far from the airport.
Staying at Bougainvillea Hotel. Includes Breakfast.
A day for you and the children to acclimatise and relax after the flight. Enjoy the lush hotel grounds and large swimming pool, and visit nearby La Paz Waterfall Gardens, an ecological park offering an introduction to Costa Rica’s natural treasures, as well as a short trail to some beautiful waterfalls.
Staying at Bougainvillea Hotel. Includes Breakfast.
Morning pickup at your hotel and transfer through Braulio Carillo National Park to a Caribbean lowlands river dock to embark on a boat transfer to Tortuguero. Arrive at your lodge and settle in. In the afternoon, go on a guided visit to little Tortuguero Town.
Staying at Laguna Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Morning boat trip through the jungle-fringed waterways and rivers of the Tortuguero region. It is possible to see howler, spider and white-faced capuchin monkeys, three-toed sloth, river turtle, caiman, iguana, basilisk lizard, freshwater turtles and many bird species. After lunch, relax and enjoy the lodge's facilities. Night- time turtle watching trips are arranged in season*.
Staying at Laguna Lodge. Includes All Meals.
Morning departure by boat to the river dock, then met and transfer to your next lodge, situated on the mighty Sarapiqui River. Rest of the day at leisure to try and find as many poison dart frogs as possible in the lodge gardens, or swim in the refreshing pool.
Staying at Selva Verde Lodge. Includes Breakfast and Dinner.
Today cross the suspension bridge to enjoy a guided nature hike within the lodge’s primary rainforest reserve on the other bank. Rest of day at leisure to swim or enjoy the gardens with their poison dart frogs and abundant tropical flowers.
Staying at Selva Verde Lodge. Includes Breakfast and Dinner.
Take a morning’s gentle river rafting trip down the Sarapiqui, looking out for wildlife inhabiting the fringing forest canopy. Afternoon at leisure.
Staying at Selva Verde Lodge. Includes Breakfast and Dinner.
Pickup and transfer to the northern Pacific coast at Tamarindo. Arrive at your delightful boutique hotel, away from the main town and very close to the beach, and check in to your two-bedroom bungalow with kitchenette, living room and private plunge pool.
Staying at Cala Luna. Includes Breakfast.
Bathe in your private plunge pool or swim in the hotel’s large main pool or the warm Pacific Ocean. You can also visit Tamarindo town for breakfast, lunch or dinner in one of the many restaurants. In season (October to February), opt to join a nocturnal tour to see leatherback turtles nesting on the beach near Tamarindo.
Staying at Cala Luna. Includes Breakfast.
Relax at the hotel, or choose an optional tour, such as a half- or full-day boat excursion, surf lessons, sea kayaking, visit a local farm on horseback, take a boat to Palo Verde National Park and visit an Amerindian potters’ village, or - if your children are old enough - join a quad bike guided tour and go off-road.
Staying at Cala Luna. Includes Breakfast.
Early morning transfer to Liberia airport for your flight out.
Includes Breakfast.
Tour Accommodation
Bougainvillea Hotel
Overview
The Bougainvillea Hotel is situated in a quiet location in Santo Domingo de Heredia, about 20 minutes from central San Jose. The hotel has elegant and spacious rooms with private hot water bathrooms, two double beds, flat-screen cable TV, ceiling fan, tea and coffee facilities and a safety deposit box. The rooms have been well designed with wide windows affording pleasant garden views.
There is a good restaurant and bar that serves a la carte international cuisine and caters well for special dietary requirements.
Other facilities include a gift shop, business centre, swimming pool, gym, sauna, tennis court and large, attractive tropical gardens.
The hotel’s location makes it ideal for a stopover before and after your international flights but it is far enough from the city centre to provide a peaceful and relaxing atmosphere.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Private bathrooms, hot water, restaurant, bar, lounge, sauna, tennis court, safety deposit box, ceiling fan, cable TV, free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee making facilities, room service, massage service, laundry service, luggage storage and currency exchange.
Local Wildlife
An array of tropical birds and insects
Optional Activities
Tennis, gym and sauna on site and bird watching excursions can be arranged.
Cala Luna
Overview
The luxury resort has spacious, well-appointed rooms and villas and is set amidst tropical gardens close to the town of Tamarindo. The secluded sandy beach of Playa Langosta is just a few steps from the hotel and there is always helpful staff on hand.
The resort has a modern chic style and all of the deluxe rooms and private villas have been thoughtfully and smartly designed. All rooms are air-conditioned and have climate control, a ceiling fan, mini-bar, satellite TV, direct-dial telephone, safety deposit box, desk, seating and a patio with attractive garden views. Each room also has a private bathroom with a modern shower and complimentary bathrobes. The private villas offer a greater volume of space and have a separate living area, two bedrooms and a small private pool.
There is a large swimming pool in the centre of the communal area where a good restaurant, bar and extensive lounge area can also be found. The beach is just a short walk from the lodge and is the perfect spot for a romantic evening watching the sunset. The beach is quite rocky here though and there are strong tides offshore so the swimming is better further along the beach.
The forest around the lodge is frequented by a population of mantled howler monkey that often come to the swimming pool for a drink.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Private bathrooms, climate control, ceiling fans, mini-bars, satellite TV, safety deposit box, direct-dial telephone, air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, restaurant, bar, lounge, swimming pool, laundry service, currency exchange and concierge service.
Local Wildlife
Mantled howler monkeys are a common sight in the forest around the lodge.
Optional Activities
Snorkelling, diving, horse riding and water sports including surfing are all available in the local area.
Selva Verde Lodge
Overview
Just off the main road at Chilamate, the long established and well-run lodge is quite large and attracts birdwatching groups and individuals to its splendid riverside location by the impressive Sarapiqui River. The simple yet comfortable rooms are of wood construction and set in small blocks reached by covered walkways lined with tropical garden plants such as heliconia and wild ginger. Each room has comfortable double or twin beds, ceiling fan, safety deposit box, hair dryer, desk and private bathroom with solar powered hot water. There are also five seclude bungalows and a special suite suitable for large families.
There are trails near the lodge for independent walking, private primary and secondary forest reserves, a swimming pool, a conference room, a butterfly garden and a library of natural history books. Rafting trips on the Sarapiqui, both white-water and gentle, are available and can reveal much of the wildlife interest.
Otters have been seen hunting from the upstairs dining room, where typical Costa Rican meals are served buffet-style: there is also an a la carte restaurant on the ground floor serving pizza and other dishes. Many birds (400 species), mammals, butterflies (700 species) and poison-dart (dendrobates) frogs are found around the lodge and in the 530 acres primary rainforest reserve, reached by a bridge across the river.
The separate La Selva rainforest reserve and research station can be explored on booked visits. This reserve encompasses more than 1500 hectares including a variety of ecosystems characteristic of the wet lowland tropical zone. It forms part of a much larger protected area that includes the Braulio Carrillo National Park and is particularly good for sightings of three- and two-toed sloths, spider monkeys, peccaries, toucans and macaws.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Private bathrooms, solar powered hot water, ceiling fan, writing desk, safety deposit box, hair dryer, restaurant, bar, lounge, gift shop, conference room, swimming pool and laundry service.
Local Wildlife
Both three-toed and two-toed sloths are particularly abundant in the forest and all four primates (squirrel, howler, spider and capuchin monkeys), peccaries, iguanas, turtles, macaws, toucans and 400 bird species are also present. Night walks regularly reveal kinkajous, woolly opossums, poison dart frogs (also seen by day), snakes and owls.
Optional Activities
Guided nature and bird walks are the main activities. There are more adventurous ones such as white water rafting, canoeing, gentle river rafting, horse riding and zip lining, and cultural activities such as visits to local communities and a chocolate making factory.
Laguna Lodge
Overview
Founded in 1990, this pleasant wildlife lodge is located on a strip of land facing Tortuguero lagoon and only 200m from the main turtle nesting beach (no swimming allowed). The lodge sits within 14 acres of beautiful gardens and wooded grounds, home to an abundance of fauna and flora.
Laguna Lodge has 80 simple wooden bedrooms in small blocks scattered throughout the grounds and connected by an extensive path system. All are equipped with a private hot water bathroom, ceiling fan, reading light, safety deposit box and small veranda.
Much of the main lodge has been skilfully constructed using wood found on the beach. The open-sided buffet restaurant overlooking the lagoon serves tasty local and international cuisine, and tea, coffee and biscuits are available 24 hours a day. Other facilities include two bars, a swimming pool, small gift shop and communal lounge area.
The main attraction of the area is the fantastic Tortuguero National Park. The park is a heavily forested alluvial plain with many inland waterways. It contains a great abundance and variety of wildlife, especially monkeys, sloths and frogs and 309 bird species have been recorded. The local beach is an internationally important nesting site for green and hawksbill turtles which can be watched after sunset between mid-July and October.
Swimming Pool
Air Conditioning
Rooms
Facilities
Private bathrooms, hot water, ceiling fan, safety deposit box, 24 hour tea and coffee facilities, hammocks, restaurant, two bars, swimming pool, lounge, small gift shop, currency exchange and laundry service.
Local Wildlife
Green and hawksbill turtles nest between mid-July and October. Three- (diurnal) and two-toed (nocturnal) sloths, mantled howler and white-faced capuchin monkeys, crab-eating racoons, spectacled caiman, basilisk lizards, iguanas and a huge diversity of birds.
Optional Activities
Guided walks and wildlife watching in Tortuguero National Park, kayaking and boat trips on the waterways.
Route Map
Departure Dates
Travel Information
Are International Flights Included?
No. Please contact us for a quote if required.
Best Visited:
November to April
Are you ATOL Registered?
Yes. This means we are legally able to book your international flights in conjunction with your ground arrangements so you can book with us with complete confidence. Read more about our ATOL license here.
John Melton
Area Specialist
This tour is ideal for the school summer holidays, as the locations visited tend to receive better weather during this period. It also works well for adults or families with older children wanting a relaxed trip. *July to September is the season for green turtles nesting on Tortuguero beach.
At Selva Verde, look for two colourful species of poison dart frog – one called “blue jeans” because of its red body and blue legs – in the lush borders lining the walkways. Cala Luna is just a 2-min walk from its nearest beach, Langosta which is part-rocky and usually not busy, or walk a little further (10 mins) to the main Tamarindo beach which is larger and popular, with more waves. Perhaps hire a car in Tamarindo to explore the Pacific coast at your leisure.
If you have any questions regarding this Tour, please feel free to contact me on +44 (0)1803 866965
We would like to express our thanks for your help in arranging a superb holiday in Costa Rica…Throughout the tour the organisation was of the highest order and was, to all intents and purposes, perfect.. .To sum up, the holiday was a great success.. .We saw around eighty species of bird, many for the first time, and many more animals than we expected. Everyone we encountered was unfailingly pleasant and helpful and the standard of the accommodation was absolutely superb. Many thanks.
