Essential Package
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The following Itinerary was created for a family of three who wanted to experience as much of Costa Rica as they could comfortably in the time they had.
The family shared a family room at each location. The plan was for 8 nights. This itinerary is just a guide which can be used as a basis for your own bespoke family vacation. Everything listed here is included within the price unless stated otherwise. If you have more time we can extend the stay in each location and add more activities, or even add in a different area.
The total cost (not including flights) for the family of three in low season was $3499 USD.
The same itinerary for a couple sharing a room would cost $2499 USD not including flights.
Day 1
1 night at hotel near the airport, there is a free shuttle from arrivals to your hotel. Before your arrival we will call the hotel to double check they are ready for you. There is a pool and your room has AC and 2 double beds. Breakfast included.
Day 2
Stop 1: Arenal Volcano National Park and Lake (3 nights)
8:20am pickup for the Baldi Hot springs and Dinner tour which includes your transport to the Arenal area.
First you stop in the famous town of Sarchí, known as the birthplace of Costa Rica’s Artisans. Here you will see beautiful brightly painted traditional ox carts. Your next stop around 12–12:30pm is for lunch in a restaurant with a great view of Arenal Volcano. Next stop is the Baldi hotel where you will enjoy 25 individual thermal pools of various temperatures. At 6pm you are served dinner.
At 7pm, the driver/guide for the tour will be leaving to head back to San Jose. They are unable to drop you at your next hotel. This means you can stay and enjoy the hot springs for longer! They close around 10pm. It would be a good idea to talk with the reception at Baldi Hotel to arrange a taxi and leave your luggage somewhere safe with them. Your lodge is just 3.8km away – 6 minutes – taxi should not cost much.
3 nights at a beautiful Eco Lodge and Wildlife Refuge.
You will be staying in a 2 bedroom villa. Breakfast included.
Day 3
Optional early morning bird watching with lodge – $35pp – book at checkin. Not included in our package – just a suggestion.
9am pickup for Tubing. This is family-run business very close to your lodge but they provide transfer from and back to your lodge. The tour is around 3.5 hours long. When you get back to the lodge, you have about 2 hours to get yourself lunch.
2:30pm pickup for Canopy Tour. The tour includes a Canopy Zip line tour and a Tarzan Swing! Weight limit is 300 pounds. You will probably be back at the lodge around 5–5:30pm
Optional frog night walk with lodge – $25pp – book at reception.
Not included in our package. You have tomorrow evening too.
Also as suggested, one night you could jump in a taxi to one of the other hotels with hot springs. All are quite close by. An evening pass with dinner and possibly transport could be $50–70 per person. Not included in our package.
Day 4
7:25am pickup for Rio Celeste hike at Volcano Tenorio National Park. You will follow a trail that takes you to the magical Rio Celeste Waterfall, the observation deck of the Tenorio Volcano, fumaroles filled with boiling mud and the place where the river acquires it unique turquoise color due to a natural chemical reaction. This tour includes round-trip transport, guide, entrance to the National Park and lunch. You will probably be back at the lodge by around 3:30–4pm
Day 5
8:30am pickup for Taxi-Boat-Taxi transfer from Arenal to Monteverde. You cross lake Arenal on a relaxing boat trip under the majestic volcano. The journey in total is about 3.5 hrs.
Stop 2: Monteverde (2 nights)
2 nights at a comfortable Eco Lodge. Standard room with one double bed and one bunk bed. You will arrive here about 12pm so plenty of time to explore the nature reserve which is free for hotel guests and the town of Santa Elena. Breakfast included.
5:30pm pickup for Coffee and Jungle tour. On this tour you will visit a coffee plantation, see the process the coffee goes through, and obviously get to taste some! There is a bonus chocolate and cocoa part to the tour. Finally you will take a walk through the protected forest on the property and see frogs, sloths, various insects and other species that are active at night. You should be back at the hotel around 8:00pm.
Day 6
In the morning again, you will have some time to relax in your beautiful surroundings at the hotel.
10:20am pickup for your Nature Package at a beautiful park in Monteverde. First, you will walk the hanging bridges through the cloud forest. After this will be lunch. Then you will visit the butterfly garden, the reptile and amphibian exhibit, the insect museum and the hummingbird garden. You will have plenty of time to explore, before getting back to the hotel probably around 4:30pm.
Day 7
7am pickup for private transfer from Monteverde to Manuel Antonio. The drive is approx. 4 hours. You should ask your driver to stop on the Tarcoles bridge to take a look at the giant crocs!
Stop 3: Manuel Antonio (2 nights)
2 nights at a beautiful rainforest hotel. Your room is beautiful and light with 2 queen size beds and a kitchenette. Breakfast included.
You should arrive at the hotel around 11:00am so we will let them know you’ll arrive early. If your room is not ready, we would suggest leaving luggage with reception and heading on down to the beach to make the most of the day. Taxis can be arranged or you can jump on the local bus which goes past every 20 minutes or so. You may need exact change so any colones coins you have, keep them for this approx. 600 or 700 colones per person, reception will help you with all of this.
This first night maybe have drinks or dinner while you watch the sunset (around 5:15pm) at El Avion – which is a restaurant built around a salvaged Nicaraguan military plane!
Day 8
7:25 pickup for your Manuel Antonio National Park tour. This includes your guide, park entrance, and snacks after the tour. Your guide will likely have a telescope giving you the best views of the wildlife. The park is an easy walk and you will stop for a dip at the beautiful beach within the park for 30–40mins.
11:30 you will be finished. At this time the guide can drop you back at the hotel or you could hang out at the beach and arrange for them to come pick you up from there for your next tour. You will have around 2 hours.
1:20pm pickup for Sunset Sail / Catamaran Tour. The catamaran leaves from Quepos marina – a large comfortable catamaran with a slide! You will snorkel at a mini coral reef, sail past small islands and encounter some sea creatures! There is an open bar, snacks and fruits. Around 2:30pm you will be treated to a late lunch. This time of year there is a mild risk of rain, but it is definitely not so hot on the boat which can make it more comfortable. You will be back at your hotel about 6pm.
Day 9
6am pickup for your private transfer from Hotel to SJO airport.
The drive is approx 2.5–3 hours, getting you there in plenty of time for your 12:15pm flight.
Separately we'll send you a comprehensive guide of what to bring, things needed for tours, advice on money tipping and much more.