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2026

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Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

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ChildrenUnder 18

0

Family Costa Rica Highlights

9 days
Start and end in San Jose
4.8 (2 reviews)

No departure dates available

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Plan your adventure:
Nature & Wildlife
Explore untamed landscapes teeming with wildlife
Fully Guided
An experienced guide will be with you for the entire tour
Medium Intensity
Travelers should be comfortable with somewhat-demanding activities
Guided in English
Group Size 7 - 16
Ages 7+
Image of a map showing the route of the tour

Itinerary

  1. Intro

    Introduction

  2. Day 1

    San Jose

    San Jose
    Accommodation
    Hotel 3* (Buena Vista Hotel)

    Optional Activities

    • Explore San Jose's grid-patterned barrios and city neighborhoods
    • Visit the National Museum (Museo Nacional De Costa Rica)
    • Dinner in San Jose (optional, after welcome meeting)
    Landmarks
    National Museum (Museo Nacional De Costa Rica)
  3. Day 2

    San Jose to Arenal

    San Jose to Arenal
    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel 3* (Tilajari Hotel Resort)

    Included Activities

    • Visit Poas Volcano National Park and crater viewpoint (restricted to 20 minutes)
    • Guided oxcart painting lesson with local artist Don William in Sarchi
    • Journey to Arenal with viewing of Arenal Volcano

    Optional Activities

    • Doka coffee estate tasting session (alternative if Poas Volcano National Park is closed due to volcanic activity)
    Landmarks
    Poas Volcano National Park
    Arenal Volcano
    Sarchi
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  4. Day 3

    Arenal

    Arenal
    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel 3* (Tilajari Hotel Resort)

    Included Activities

    • Whitewater rafting on Balsa River - two hours of grade two and three rapids with professional guides
    • Wildlife spotting during rafting (sloths, monkeys, tropical birds)
    • Post-rafting swim in the river
    Landmarks
    Balsa River
    San Carlos Bridge
  5. Day 4

    Arenal to Monteverde

    Arenal to Monteverde
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch (Typical Costa Rican Casado comprising rice, beans, beef or chicken or fish and plantain at El Establo family ranch)
    Accommodation
    Hotel 3* (Fonda Vela Hotel)

    Included Activities

    • Journey around Arenal Lake to Monteverde Cloud Forest
    • Lunch at El Establo family ranch with traditional Costa Rican Casado
    • Guided night walk in search of nocturnal species
    Landmarks
    Arenal Lake
    Monteverde Cloud Forest
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  6. Day 5

    Monteverde

    Monteverde
    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel 3* (Fonda Vela Hotel)

    Included Activities

    • Guided tour of Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve with naturalist guide

    Optional Activities

    • Visit local butterfly garden
    • Visit local orchid garden
    • Trek in one of the other reserves
    • Use hotel swimming pool and Jacuzzis
    • Pool table at hotel
    Landmarks
    Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
  7. Day 6

    Monteverde to Dominical

    Monteverde to Dominical
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
    Accommodation
    Hotel 3* (Villas Rio Mar)

    Included Activities

    • Cross Rio Tarcoles Bridge with crocodile spotting opportunity
    • Two-and-a-half hour scenic boat adventure through Guacalillo estuary and mangrove forests
    • Wildlife spotting including scarlet macaws, crocodiles, and endemic bird species
    • Lunch (included)
    Landmarks
    Rio Tarcoles Bridge
    Guacalillo Estuary
    Dominical Beach
    Itinerary Image 1Itinerary Image 2Itinerary Image 3
  8. Day 7

    Dominical to Corcovado National Park

    Dominical to Corcovado National Park
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch (Picnic lunch at San Pedrillo Ranger Station)
    Accommodation
    Hotel 3* (Villas Rio Mar)

    Included Activities

    • RIB boat crossing from Punta Uvita to San Pedrillo Ranger Station, Corcovado National Park (90 minutes)
    • Three-hour guided trek through Corcovado primary forest with expert local guide
    • Picnic lunch at ranger station
    • 30-minute afternoon walk in Corcovado
    • 90-minute return boat journey to Punta Uvita
    Landmarks
    Punta Uvita
    Corcovado National Park
    San Pedrillo Ranger Station
    Osa Peninsula
  9. Day 8

    Dominical

    Dominical
    Meals
    Breakfast
    Accommodation
    Hotel 3* (Villas Rio Mar)

    Optional Activities

    • Beach time and swimming at Dominical Beach
    • Surfing at Dominical Beach
    • Dining at beach restaurants
    • Kayaking
    • Explore laid-back bars in the area
    Landmarks
    Dominical Beach
  10. Day 9

    Dominical to San Jose

    Dominical to San Jose
    Meals
    Breakfast

    Optional Activities

    • Extend stay in Dominical for additional beach days
    Landmarks
    San Jose's Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO)

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What's Included

Expand All
  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport

What's Not Included

  • Flights
  • Insurance
  • Optional
  • Additional Services

Where You'll Stay

All accommodations are subject to change

Operated by

Explore!

Platinum Operator
Rating
4.5 (9,365 reviews)
Response time
within 1 day
Response rate
92%
Cancellation policy
Learn more

Traveler Reviews

4.8
Overall rating based on 2 Reviews
  • Itinerary
    5.0
  • Transport
    5.0
  • Guide
    5.0
  • Accommodation
    4.0
  • Food
    5.0
  • 4.5

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Most Popular
Highest First
Lowest First
  • Claire4.7April 2023
    Diverse creature encounters. White water rafting.
    Traveled in April 2023
    Review collected by Explore!
  • Assunta4.8August 2023
    White water rafting Speed boat trio to national park and obersing wild life there. Cloud forest
    Traveled in August 2023
    Review collected by Explore!

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What our customers ask about this tour

The content in our FAQ section is subject to change.
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  • B

    Bill

    Asked on December 16th, 2024

    Can I book a Family Tour if I’m not traveling with a child?

    Age Range
    Tour Details
    • Explore!OperatorWritten December 2024

      Family Tours are specifically designed for families traveling with children. Unfortunately, these tours are not available for booking if you are not traveling with a child. This ensures the experience remains focused on creating a family-friendly atmosphere and catering to the needs of young travelers and their families.

  • J

    Jacob

    Asked on November 6th, 2022

    How large are the groups? Is it only families, or a mix of families and groups that are just adults? How long are the car rides on each stage? Do you have any online reviews or customer referrals I can read?

    Group size
    Tour Details
    • Explore!OperatorWritten November 2022

      Our Family trips are just that families. I have looked at our planning sheets for the drives for this trip are as follows: Day 1 arrival transfer 25KM, Day 3 Charter Bus 98KM, Day 5 drive 114KM, Day 6 Charter bus 75km, Day 8 Charter bus 120km. Our online reviews are viewable directly on our Explore website.

Can’t find the answer to your question?
Reach out to the experts at Explore! with your enquiry, they usually respond within 1 day.

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Good to Know

Tour ID: 208652

  • Currency
    Costa Rican Colon
    Costa Rica
  • Plugs & Adapters

    As a traveler from England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa you will need an adaptor for types A, B.

    Type A
    Costa Rica
    Type B
    Costa Rica
  • Vaccines
    • These are only indications, so please visit your doctor before you travel to be 100% sure.
    • Typhoid - Recommended for Costa Rica. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis A - Recommended for Costa Rica. Ideally 2 weeks before travel.
    • Hepatitis B - Recommended for Costa Rica. Ideally 2 months before travel.
    • Yellow fever - Certificate of vaccination required if arriving from an area with a risk of yellow fever transmission for Costa Rica. Ideally 10 days before travel.
  • Visa
    • Unfortunately we cannot offer you a visa application service. Whether you need a visa or not depends on your nationality and where you wish to travel. Assuming your home country does not have a visa agreement with the country you're planning to visit, you will need to apply for a visa in advance of your scheduled departure.
    • Here is an indication for which countries you might need a visa. Please contact the local embassy for help applying for visas to these places.
  • Payment information
    • For any tour departing before December 5th, 2026 a full payment is necessary. For tours departing after December 5th, 2026, a minimum payment of 10% is required to confirm your booking with Explore!. The final payment will be automatically charged to your credit card on the designated due date. The final payment of the remaining balance is required at least 75 days prior to the departure date of your tour. TourRadar never charges you a booking fee and will charge you in the stated currency.
    • Some departure dates and prices may vary and Explore! will contact you with any discrepancies before your booking is confirmed.
    • The following cards are accepted for "Explore!" tours: Visa, Maestro, Mastercard, American Express or PayPal. TourRadar does NOT charge you an extra fee for using any of these payment methods.
  • Cancellation Policy
    • Cancellation terms may vary per tour. Please check for the full cancellation policy here.

      Checking the cancellation terms for this tour…
    • Your money is protected.
      TourRadar is an authorized agent of Explore!, and we handle payments so you don't have to. Payment is securely transferred to the Operator based on your departure date.
  • Insurance

    Our travel protection from our award-winning partner, XCover, means you and your travel companions can book with peace of mind knowing there’s protection available in case your trip doesn’t go to plan. At checkout you will be able to select between different options in case you or the tour are eligible for insurance. In case no option is available, you are always able to purchase travel insurance outside of TourRadar.

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  • Accessibility
    Some tours are not suitable for mobility-restricted traveler, however, some operators may be able to accommodate special requests. For any enquiries, you can contact our customer support team, who are ready and waiting to help you.

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Who is travelling?

AdultsAges 18 or above

2

ChildrenUnder 18

0

Select departure month

2026

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2027

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

2028

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec