Andy & Courtney: Young Kids Costa Rica Adventure

Day 1 -------- Arrive & Drive to Turrialba (Casa Turire)

Today your private naturalist guide and driver will meet you outside of the San Jose Airport. We will   drive through the capital city on our way to the Turrialba area. Our final destination will be the Casa Turire Hotel, one of our favorites in all of Costa Rica. It has a beautiful view of of the smoking Turrialba Volcano and is located on a spectacular lake surrounded by lush mountains.

Our first day will be just getting you acquainted with how the trip will run, meeting your guide and learning some local information about Costa Rica. (Meals: None)

Day 2 -------- Raft Pacuare & Visit Sitio de Mata Village (Casa Turire)

Day on the River

Today we will be rafting Pacuare River. The section we raft is a small section located in a spot that allows us to operate trips with young children. This will be a privately operated trip with one of the best guides in the country along with myself or somebody else taking pictures as the kids make their way down some adventurous class II rapids. Its a great day of jumping off rocks, having lunch on the river, a little 4 wheel drive to arrive to the put in, hikes to waterfalls, and plenty of water in our faces as we enjoy this beautiful section of the Pacuare which is tucked deep into the lush tropical rainforest.

In the afternoon we will be enjoying a full dose of "Pura Vida" as we visit the village where our river guides are from. We will be having dinner at Dona Fressy's house who lives in the rural village of Sitio de Mata and makes some of the best home-cooked meals in all of Costa Rica. She is a grandmother of a number of little kids that always enjoy sharing their sense of Pura Vida and engaging with any visitors that arrive. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 3 -------- Travel to Arenal Volcano Area (Manoa Hotel or Tabacon)

Today is a travel day as we make our way to the Arenal Volcano. This is a beautiful cone-shaped volcano. We will make some interesting stops along the way to keep the kids engaged and also try one of the best ice-cream sandwiches ever made.

Arenal Volcano

When we arrive we will be staying at the Manoa Hotel where you can relax and enjoy the pool with breath-taking views of the volcano. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 4 -------- Danaus Nature Reserve & Visit Volcano (Manoa Hotel or Tabacon)

Today is a day to get the kids excited about the wonders of the rainforest. The best part is we will get an upclose look at all the different species of the rainforest. Everything from colorful butterflies, poisonous dart frogs, tree frogs, sloths, and much more as we take the easy hike through a small reserve that is dedicated to education and conservation. The kids will leave loving the colorful new friends they will make as we spend the morning in the reserve.

Cloud-forest

In the afternoon we can tour the area of the Arenal Volcano and even have the option to take a short hike to the base of the volcano. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 5 --------  Zipline San Lorenzo!!!! Travel to Manuel Antonio (Si Como No o Arenas del Mar)

Today everyone gets to zipline! We will make the drive to the Pacific coast as we say good-bye to the Arenal Volcano. As we drive through the mountains we will stop at a very unique ecosystem known as the cloudforest where we will venture on different cables and zipline through the clouds. This is a great adventure and not the most extreme zipline but perfect for the little ones.

Could be you Andy and the Fam! PURA VIDA!

After the zipline we'll head to Manuel Antonio where we will be staying at the Si Como No Resort. This is a hotel that is dedicated to conservation, excellent views, and I really enjoy it for kids because it has a pool with a great slide. There are no TV's in the room which we like to tell families before arriving just so they know. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)


Day 6 -------- Visit National Park for Monkeys, Sloths, & More Monkeys! (Si Como No or Arenas del Mar)

One of the most incredible parks in all of Costa Rica is the Manuel Antonio National Park. This is a beautiful place with more monkeys than people and a chance to see them up-close as we take an early morning hike through the National Park.

Hola Andy & Courtney! 

In the afternoon you can relax at the beach or just enjoy your time at the hotel sliding on the slide! (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 7 -------- Free Day (Si Como No or Arenas del Mar)

Today is a free day. One option would be to enjoy some classes of surf or just relax on the beach. There are a few other optional tours we can do such as kayaking in the mangroves to see more wildlife or just sliding some more on the slide! (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 8 --------- Travel to San Jose Airport & Fly Home!

Today we will make the drive to the San Jose Airport and catch your flight home so we can start planning your next Costa Rica Adventure! Don't forget when the kids get older we have to raft the entire Pacuare River and enjoy the class IV rapids! (Meals: Breakfast)

Costa Rica Adventure & Spa

Day 1 -- Arrive & Drive to Turrialba (Casa Turire Hotel)

Today we will meet you outside of the San Jose Airport with your private naturalist bilingual guide and driver. We will make our way through the capital city and southeast to the valley of Turrialba. Here you will be surrounded by beautiful mountains and views of the smoking Turrialba Volcano. We will be staying at the Casa Turire Hotel which is one of our favorite hotels. It is small and has a peaceful, beautiful setting to welcome you to the incredible country of Costa Rica. (Meals: None)

Day 2 -- Raft Pacuare River (Casa Turire Hotel)

Pacuare River

After a delicious breakfast at the hotel, we'll head to the Pacuare River. We have a section of the river we use with younger children, and it is a great day of staying wet, relishing nature, and feeling like we are the only raft on the river as your trip is privately operated by your CRR guides. We try to avoid the crowds of the famous Pacuare River. We will make some waterfall hikes and enjoy the day in the sun.

In the evening we will return to Casa Turire where you can relax in the pool or on the dock of the lake taking in the views of the surrounding mountains. We also have the option of a dinner in a local village where you get a home-cooked delicious meal and meet some of the local lifestyle and friends we have in the area. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)

Day 3 -- Travel to El Silencio (El Silencio)

El Silencio

A hotel where you will experience the true essence of nature and enjoy just being part of the natural setting, the El Silencio Hotel is a very unique spot. It has a great spa for yoga and meditation and some nature trails to keep everyone busy. We will spend the morning traveling to the lodge and make some interesting stops along the way  arriving to El Silencio in the afteroon. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 3 -- Hike to 300ft Waterfall (El Silencio)

Today is a hiking day but its nothing too strenuous as we can see the waterfall up close from a very short hike. There is another option for a longer hike but to see the 300ft waterfall hidden in the rainforest. It's just minutes away from the hotel and is a picturesque waterfall that is not visited by herds of tourists.

300ft Waterfall

After we spend some time hiking in and around the waterfall we can take you to an extinct volcano in the area or just relax at the lodge and the spa and reconnect with the natural surroundings and enjoy the peace of El Silencio. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 4 -- Travel to Arenal Volcano (Tabacon Resort)

After breakfast we will leave in the morning and make the two hour drive to the Arenal Volcano, a perfectly cone-shaped volcano surrounded by tropical rainforest. Your hotel will be the Tabacon Resort & Spa where you will have the most beautiful hotsprings in all of Costa Rica just steps away from your rooms. The options at the spa are endless and the resort is an overflow of luxury and nature. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 5 -- Zipline (Tabacon)

Today we'll take an aerial tram ride through the canopy of the rainforest. For those that are interested in ziplining from mountain top to mountain top, we will take you for the zip. This is an amazing adventure of cables that hang high above the rainforest floor and make for an unforgettable experience.

In the afternoon we will head back to Tabacon and we can take you out to dinner in the town of La Fortuna which is now home to many great places to eat. You can walk around town and visit the different shops or just get an ice-cream. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 6 -- Canyoneering (Tabacon)

Today we will be canyoneering, an adventure that the kids can do and will love staying wet from start to finish. We will slip and slide down a tropical canyon surrounded by rainforest. When we get to the waterfalls we'll have to hook on and rappel down the side of the waterfall. Its an adventure that makes you feel like your on a survival show making your way through a lost world. It is all set up safely to make the trip kid-friendly.

Tabacon

In the afternoon we will head back to Tabacon where you can bask in the hotsprings after a day of conquering the canyon. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)

Day 7 -- Travel to Nosara (La'Acqua Viva Hotel & Spa)

Nosara is becoming known as one of the top spots in all of Central and South America for Yoga. Here you will find Costa Rica Yoga Spa, Blue Spirit, and Nosara Yoga Institute which is run by the former administrator of Kripalu. It is an area of small shops, restaurants, and a very relaxed vibe. Oh and not to mention an absolutely beautiful beach.

We will drive from Arenal and drive on some dirt road for about an hour to get to the remote area of Nosara. Here we will check you in to the La'Acqua Viva Hotel & Spa where you can enjoy the pool after you day of travel or we will take you to the beach for the sunset. (Meals: Breakfast)

La'Acqua Viva Hotel & Spa

Day 8 -- Surf Classes (La'Acqua Viva Hotel & Spa)

Today we'll have some surf classes on the waters of Nosara. This is a great place to learn how to surf and we will get an early start as we plan on conquering the surf for the better half of the morning. We will have the afternoon to visit some of the different spots in the area and can set up a number of yoga classes, spa treatments, or a relaxing meditative moment at sunset is always an option. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 9 -- Beach Day (La'Acqua Viva Hotel & Spa)

Today is a beach day and we leave it open for you to relax a bit after the last eight days of adventure and fun. We also have this day open if you need to fly back from (SJO)  San Jose Airport. It would be ideal to fly into San Jose and fly out of Liberia but we could operate either way if needed. (Meals: Breakfast)

Day 10 -- Fly Home!

Today we will transport you to the airport you will be flying out of. (Meals: Breakfast)

Family Costa Rica Culture/Safari

Cloudforest

Day 1 --- Arrive and Drive to Cloud-Forest (Trogon Lodge)

Today your private naturalist, bilingual guide and driver will meet you outside of the San Jose Airport. All of our trips are privately operated giving you a chance to go as you feel needed. Our transportation is modern and allows for smooth comfortable traveling throughout your stay.

Our first stop will be the cloudforest located in the mountains of Cerro de la Muerte. This is our favorite area for experiencing the cloudforest and it really gives you the true essense of being in this type of ecosystem. You will also encounter a second unique ecosystem of the tropics called the Paramo. To give you an idea this area is what Montverde was 20 years ago before the large tourist boom, where you will now find more tourists than wildlife. (Meals: Dinner)

See you in the Cloudforest!

Day 2 --- Trogon Nature Hike (Trogon Lodge)

Today is a nature hike in and around the cloud-forest. Our main goal will be to first find the amazing Resplentant Quetzal which people travel from all over the world to see. It is considered one of the most beautiful birds on the planet. After we site the Quetzal we'll then make our way hiking to a nearby waterfall. 

This is a fabulous day in and around astonishing scenery and we will even make some local stops to give you a feel for the culture of the area. (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 3 --- Travel to Turrialba (Casa Turire)

We'll get an early start today and drive to Turrialba which is a town sitting in a valley surrounded by mountains and the smoking volcano of Turrialba. On our way to the area we will make a stop to look down into the crater of the Irazu Volcano. Here we'll be able to see both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts from the top of Costa Rica's tallest volcano.

We will also be making some stops along the way in the town of Cartago where we will learn about Costa Rica's first capital city and have a chance to visit some if it's most well-known historical sites.

In the early afternoon we'll arrive at our favorite hotel, Casa Turire. This is a small hotel located on a lake with great views of the volcano and in the design of a old sugar-cane plantation. (Meals: Breakfast)

Early Morning Coffee Anyone?

Day 4 --- Golden Bean Coffee Tour  and Dinner with  Dona Fressy (Casa Turire)

Today we are going to enjoy some more culture and education about the people and country of Costa Rica. We will start with a coffee tour. This is an excellent tour and again not one of the larger commercial tours but gives you a great feel for the real production of coffee and why and how it became known as the golden bean in Costa Rica.

After our coffee tour you will have time  enjoy the grounds of the hotel and take some walks with your guides or float around the lake in kayaks.

In the evening we'll make the 15 minute drive up to the village of Sitio de Mata where you will meet some of the nicest people and get a chance to experience a locally home cooked meal, traditional dance, and even learn how to make tortillas! (Meals: Breakfast & Dinner)

Arenal Volcano

Day 5 --- Travel to Arenal & Chocolate Tour (Manoa Resort)

Today is a travel day to one of the most breath-taking areas you will find. The Arenal Volcano is a perfectly cone-shaped volcano. You will be staying at its base and have marvelous views from your rooms at the Manoa. This is a travel day and to break up the drive we will be stopping at a chocolate tour in the Tirimbina Reserve. Here you will learn the history of chocolate and how they grow and process it organically. 

We will arrive to the Arenal area after lunch. You will have the afternoon to enjoy the hotel's hotspring and just relax while viewing the magnificent volcano. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)

Who turned the lights on?

Day 6 --- Arenal (Danaus & Hanging Bridges)

This next part of the trip we will dedicate to wildlife. The first two days were cloudforest, then we moved on to culture & food, and now we are going to give you a full dose of the wildlife and the amazing biodiversity of Costa Rica.

Our first stop will be the reserve of Danaus, where your naturalist guide will help you understand the wonders of the tropical rainforest as we follow a walking trail looking for different species such as butterflies, hummingbirds, toucans, sloths, and much more.

After the walk on the reserve floor we will take you to an entirely new area. This will be the hanging bridges which will have us enjoying the canopy of the rainforest where you can find some of the tropics most miraculous species and life forms. 

In the evening we can take you out to eat to any one of our favorite places in the area. (Meals: Breakfast)

GET UP! YOUR FLIGHT IS LEAVING!

Day 7 --- Cano Negro (Manoa Resort)

The Cano Negro Wetland (about an hour from Arenal) in northern Costa Rica is well known worldwide for its biodiversity.  We'll take a private boat ride in the wetland today, and get upclose looks at different species of monkeys, sloths, birds, caymans, Jesus Christ Lizards, and much much more. It gives us the feeling we are working for National Geographic.

In the afternoon it will be back to the Manoa Resort where we will have a final meal prepared for you to celebrate you last night in Costa Rica and get you ready to pack your bag and your memories after an unforgettable trip! (Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, & Dinner)

Day 8 --- Fly Home!

Today we will make the two and a half hour driver to the airport. It would be ideal if your did not have a very early morning flight but we can always make due if needed. (Meals: Breakfast)

Colleen: Costa Rica Adventure 2013

Aug 4 - Arrive to Turrialba (Casa Turire Hotel)

Today your private transportation and guide will meet you outside of the San Jose airport. We will make the drive through the capital city to the area of Turrialba. This is beautiful valley surrounded by mountains and the smoking Turrialba Volcano.

Our final destination will be one of our favorite hotels called Casa Turire. This is a small hotel located on a picturesque lake with excellent views of the volcano. (Meals: None)

Aug 5 - Raft Pacuare (Casa Turire)

Today we will have some adventure as we spend the day on the famous Pacuare River. National Geographic has this river listed as one of the top 5 most scenic rivers on the planet. Your rafting trip with be operated privately by your CRR river guides and you will be able to take your time on the river, enjoy some waterfall hikes, and see the magic of the CRR staff whip together a gourmet meal on the side of the river.

Rafting Pacuare River

In the afternoon it is back to the Casa Turire to relax and enjoy the pool or hot tub, or just walk the grounds . (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)

Aug 6 - Travel to Tabacon (Tabacon)

Today is a travel day. We will make the drive north to the area of the Arenal Volcano. Here we will enjoy some incredible scenery as we go through the country-side. When we arrive we will be at the Tabacon Resort which sits at the base of the Arenal Volcano. This resort is famous for its hot springs. There are many hotsprings in the area but Tabacon is the only one that is the resukts of an actual volcanic river. (Meals: Breakfast)

Aug 7 - Zipline & Nature Reserve (Tabacon)

Tabacon Resort

Let's get back to the adventure. There are over 70 different zipline companies in the country and this is still by far my favourite. Here we will be zipping on cables that are 700ft high! While they run from mountain top to mountain top on the side of an active volcano, there are also great with views of the Arenal Lake. It just does not get any better than this when it comes to a zipline.

After the zipline we are going to treat you to one of the best meals in Costa Rica. Don Rufino's is getting known as one of the top places to eat in all of Costa Rica. We will be taking you to enjoy an astounding meal to celebrate hanging on a cable 700ft in the air above the rainforest!

In the afternoon we plan to show you some of our best friends from the rainforest as we visit the small nature reserve of Danaus where you will get a chance to see many different species up-close. 

In the evening it is back to the hotsprings to just relax and enjoy! (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)

Aug 8 - Canyoneering (Tabacon)

Today we will enjoy some adventure as we make our way down a lush tropical canyon filled with waterfalls. We will be wet from start to finish and have a chance to rappel 5 different waterfalls the tallest being 120ft.

In the afternoon you can relax in the hotsprings back at the Tabacon Resort. (Meals: Breakfast & Lunch)

Aug 9 - Travel & Beach Day (Arenas del Mar)

Today we will get an early start and arrive to the Pacific Beach of Manuel Antonio just after lunch giving you the afternoon to enjoy some time on the beach or relax at the Arenas del Mar.

In the evening we can take you out to some of the many excellent places to eat in and around the Manuel Antonio. (Meals: Breakfast)

Aug 10 - Tour Park (Arenas del Mar)

Arenas del Mar

The true essence of Costa Rica can always be found it its National Parks. With over 30% of the country protected, the National Park system is something to be amazed at here in Costa Rica. You will be visiting the National Park of Manuel Antonio where there are still more monkeys than people. This is a great chance to enjoy an easy hike along with visiting some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. (Meals: Breakfast)

Aug 11 - Fly Home!

Today we will make the 21/2 hour drive back to the SJO for your flight home. (Meals: Breakfast)