Tour overview

This 14-day family holiday explores Costa Rica's jungles, volcanoes and beaches, designed for children aged five and over. A local leader looks after the group, which numbers no more than sixteen. You stay thirteen nights in locally run hotels, with breakfast daily, four lunches and two dinners.

You start in Tortuguero, exploring its canals and beaches, then visit the rainforest of Sarapiqui, with a free day for chocolate tours or river trips.

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In La Fortuna you make tortillas with a local family beneath Arenal Volcano, then see the cloud forest of Monteverde from hanging bridges. The holiday ends with three days on the Pacific coast at Dominical, with a visit to Marino Ballena National Park.

The physical rating is low. This holiday suits active families who want wildlife and beaches together.

Trip highlights

  • Tortuguero (Days 2–3)
  • Sarapiqui rainforest (Day 5)
  • Tortilla-making in La Fortuna (Day 6)
  • Monteverde hanging bridges (Day 9)
  • Marino Ballena National Park (Day 11)
  • Beach days in Dominical (Days 10–12)

Your route

8 stops from San Jose to Manuel Antonio

14-day route: San José – Tortuguero – Sarapiqui – La Fortuna – Monteverde – Dominical – San José
  1. San Jose Days 1 & 13–14
  2. Tortuguero Days 2–3
  3. Sarapiqui Days 4–5
  4. La Fortuna Days 6–7
  5. Monteverde Days 8–9
  6. Dominical Days 10–12
  7. Marino Ballena Day 11
  8. Manuel Antonio Day 13

Why choose this tour

Costa Rica designed for families. Wildlife and beach in one trip.

Best suited to

  • Families with children aged 5 and over
  • Wildlife lovers
  • Beach lovers
  • Active families
Cahuita beach and jungle from above

Day-by-day itinerary

14 days from San José, Costa Rica to San José, Costa Rica

  1. Day 1 · San José San José

    Welcome to Costa Rica.

    Hotel
    Hotel Auténtico
  2. Day 2 · Tortuguero Tortuguero

    To the canals.

    Hotel
    Hotel Tortuguero Beach Front
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  3. Day 3 · Tortuguero National Park Tortuguero

    Wildlife.

    Hotel
    Hotel Tortuguero Beach Front
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
  4. Day 4 · Sarapiqui Sarapiqui

    Rainforest.

    Hotel
    La Tirimbina
    Meals
    Breakfast
  5. Day 5 · Sarapiqui Sarapiqui

    A free day.

    Hotel
    La Tirimbina
    Meals
    Breakfast
  6. Day 6 · La Fortuna La Fortuna

    Tortilla-making.

    Hotel
    El Faro Arenal
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  7. Day 7 · Arenal Volcano La Fortuna

    A free day.

    Hotel
    El Faro Arenal
    Meals
    Breakfast
  8. Day 8 · Monteverde Monteverde

    The cloud forest.

    Hotel
    Jardines de Monteverde
    Meals
    Breakfast
  9. Day 9 · Monteverde hanging bridges Monteverde

    Hanging bridges.

    Hotel
    Jardines de Monteverde
    Meals
    Breakfast
  10. Day 10 · Dominical Dominical

    To the Pacific.

    Hotel
    Villas Rio Mar
    Meals
    Breakfast, Lunch
  11. Day 11 · Marino Ballena National Park Dominical

    A marine park.

    Hotel
    Villas Rio Mar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  12. Day 12 · Dominical Dominical

    A beach day.

    Hotel
    Villas Rio Mar
    Meals
    Breakfast
  13. Day 13 · San José San José

    A family lunch.

    Hotel
    Hotel Auténtico
    Meals
    Lunch
  14. Day 14 · San José San José

    The holiday ends.

    Meals
    Breakfast
A woman crossing a wooden hanging bridge

Where you stay

  • San José (1 night) Hotel Auténtico
  • Tortuguero (2 nights) Hotel Tortuguero Beach Front
  • Sarapiqui (2 nights) La Tirimbina
  • La Fortuna (2 nights) El Faro Arenal
  • Monteverde (2 nights) Jardines de Monteverde
  • Dominical (3 nights) Villas Rio Mar
  • San José (1 night) Hotel Auténtico

Hotel names are indicative and may be replaced with a property of similar standard and location.

What's included

Included

  • Accommodation 13 nights in hotels with family rooms
  • Meals 12 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 2 dinners
  • Private vehicle and boat transfers
  • Tortuguero National Park
  • Tortilla-making and family lunch
  • Monteverde hanging bridges
  • Local leader throughout

Not included

  • Flights
  • Meals not included 1 breakfast, 7 lunches and 11 dinners
  • Optional activities
  • Travel insurance and personal spending
A turtle basking on a log in Tortuguero

This trip might not be for you if…

Honest disclaimer — please read

  • You have children under 5
  • You want luxury hotels
  • You want most meals included
  • You want flights included — they are not

Good to know

Meals by day Breakfast: Days 2–12 and 14 · Lunch: Days 2–3, 6, 10 and 13 · Dinner: Days 2–3
A quiet beach on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica

In pictures

Departures & prices

From £2,595 per person, twin share, tour only. 30 upcoming departures.

Frequently asked questions

How do I book this tour?

Tap any "Enquire" button on the page and one of our travel specialists will be in touch within 24 hours (often same day). We'll confirm availability on your preferred date, run through anything you need to know, and only ask for the deposit once you've decided.

What financial protection do I get?

Every Travelisto booking is 100% financially protected. Your money is held in a ring-fenced Trust account until you return from your trip, and we are members of the Protected Trust Services scheme (PTS 6035). Most tours also include ATOL protection where flights are part of the package.

What ages is this holiday for?

Families with children aged 5 and over.

Do I need a visa for Costa Rica?

No, UK citizens can visit Costa Rica visa-free for up to 90 days.

Will we see turtles?

Turtle nesting in Tortuguero is seasonal, mainly July to October.

Which meals are included?

Breakfast daily, four lunches and two dinners.

How are families roomed?

In family-configured rooms where available.

How many people travel together?

No more than sixteen travellers, with a local leader.

Can you tailor the trip?

Yes — every escorted tour can be modified into a private tailor-made version with your own dates, adjusted pace, upgraded hotels and add-on extensions. Tell us what you'd like changed when you enquire and we'll quote it both ways so you can compare.

What if my flight is delayed or cancelled?

If your international flight is part of your booking through us, we re-book at no cost. If you've booked flights separately, the tour's local team holds your transfer slot until you arrive. We strongly recommend a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes delay and cancellation cover.

ATOL protected 100% financially protected in a Trust bank account PTS 6035 4.7 on Trustpilot
Tailor-made option

Not quite the right fit? Make it tailor-made.

If this group tour doesn't match your ideal trip, our specialists will turn it into a private tailor-made journey — your own dates, your own pace, upgraded hotels where you want them, and the parts you don't love swapped out. Same destinations, just rebuilt around you.

Contact us for a tailor-made version of this itinerary
From £2,595
See dates & prices