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Private Journeys

Family Costa Rica: Jungle walks and turtle spotting

14 days from £3,610pp

(based on two people sharing & excluding flights)

Costa Rica

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Overview & Highlights

An action-packed family trip visiting well-organised national parks. Explore on foot, by kayak or zip-line, with hissing volcanoes and steaming jungle, while Pacific beaches are enlivened by monkeys and parrots.

This compact country is bursting with an extraordinary diversity of landscapes, flora and fauna, and this family journey explores its well-organised national parks in an active way, with the children wowed by canoe trips, suspended bridges and a beachside camp where monkeys roam free.

Begin with a guided waterborne exploration of the Caribbean jungle channels and mangrove forests to see wildlife in the Tortuguero reserve. Later, scramble over hanging bridges suspended over waterfalls and forest and recover with a bathe in naturally heated thermal springs in the shadow of the picture-perfect Arenal Volcano. Move on to another wildlife experience in a Pacific-coast fixed safari camp, and end the holiday on the sunny beaches of popular resort at Manuel Antonio. 

Costa Rica is one of the most peaceful and stable countries in the world:  and the people are among the friendliest in Latin America. The comprehensive network of national parks with their extensive trails is always very accessible.  In line with its love and respect for the great outdoors, Costa Rica also has been at the vanguard of adventure tourism, with lots of activities on offer from zip-lining to white-water rafting. 

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  • Explore the canals and waterways of Tortugero National Park
  • Discover the jungles of Arenal & Savegre
  • Relax on the beaches of the Pacific coast

THE UK’S NO. 1 SPECIALIST IN TRAVEL TO LATIN AMERICA

Lina

Lina Fuller

Travel Expert

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Outline itinerary

Day 1

Arrive in San José, transfer to hotel.

Day 2

Drive and boat to Tortuguero Jungle Reserve.

Day 3

Wildlife-spotting excursion and village visit in Tortuguero.

Day 4

Fly and drive to Arenal volcano area.

Day 5

Guided river rafting expedition.

Day 6

Guided adventure to the hanging bridges.

Day 7

Transfer to rainforest safari lodge, Savegre.

Day 8-9

At leisure; optional activities

Day 10

Transfer to Manuel Antonio on the Pacific coast.

Day 11

At leisure

Day 12

Guided exploration of Manuel Antonio National Park.

Day 13

Optional Midworld Adventure.

Day 14

Transfer to San José airport for international flight home.

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Things to do

We proudly offer the widest range of activities, excursions and one-of-a-kind experiences across all our destinations, tried and tested personally by our travel experts.

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Nature trail across Arenal’s hanging bridges
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Take a surfing lesson
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Go white-water rafting on the Sarapiqui river
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Zip line in the Costa Rican jungle
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See giant leatherback turtles nesting at Tortuguero
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Tortuguero kayaking and wildlife-spotting trip

Accommodation

Browse our unrivalled portfolio of accommodation . Every option has been carefully chosen by our team of travel experts, so you can rest assured that you’ll relax in utter comfort.

Hotel Presidente

Costa Rica / San Jose, central highlands and central valleys

Presidente

  • This is a Satisfaction Rating based on our own customer feedback
Tortuga Lodge & Gardens

Costa Rica / Caribbean coast

Tortuga Lodge

  • This is a Satisfaction Rating based on our own customer feedback
Volcano Lodge

Costa Rica / Arenal and the north

Volcano Lodge

  • This is a Satisfaction Rating based on our own customer feedback
Rafiki Safari Lodge

Costa Rica / Pacific coast

Rafiki Safari Lodge

  • This is a Satisfaction Rating based on our own customer feedback
Falls Resort

Costa Rica / Pacific coast

Falls Resort

  • This is a Satisfaction Rating based on our own customer feedback
Itinerary Essentials
Bartolome, Galápagos

What our clients say

  • There were many highlights as each area of Colombia visited was very individual and varied giving a good overview of the country - from the well maintained archaeological parks around San Agustin to the friendliness of the local people and hotel staff at the coffee farm we stayed at. Also enjoyed the colonial atmosphere of Cartagena & the boat trip at Mompos. Overall found the country to be very friendly and safe to travel around.

    SN, Belper
    Jan 2014

  • Enjoyed the trip to the equator while in Quito. Loved Alausi, very interesting place, people. Cuenca was lovely, very easy to get around, felt safe, staff at hotel very helpful, happy hour cocktails 2 for 1 delicious! Las Cajas national park very interesting. The Galapagos week was fantastic! Staff really professional, islands and wildlife more than I imagined, learnt to snorkel, scenery fantastic. The group were also really nice, and as a single traveller this made my holiday really special. And on the whole the weather was very sunny and warm. Enjoyed the picnics we had during our trips in the Andes, which the tour leader arranged, especially the exotic fruits which she advised us to try.

    JC, Bury
    Feb 2016

  • It was my first trip on this kind of tour. I felt very safe & included & thoroughly enjoyed my time in Mexico. As a group I felt we really bonded & good friendships were made.

    KM, Salisbury
    Feb 2020

  • Most memorable experience? "Lots - Tour of Caracas, the canoe trip to Angel Falls plus the Falls themselves, the night bus trip to St Elena followed by good facilities to freshen up, Rock View (see above), the canopy walkway, which I surprised myself by taking in my stride (!), the somewhat challenging jungle trip by substandard "minibus" to Georgetown, the canoe and parogue crossings along the coast, the trip to the Iles du Salut and the visit to the Arane Space Station.

    I was very happy with the experience, but I suspect that this was one of your more unusual trips, as practically all the places we visited were not usual tourist areas. But I got all I could realistically expect from such a tour."

    ET, Huddersfield
    Oct 2011

  • Even though I had seen countless photographs of Iguazu Falls and Machu Picchu when I first saw the sights I was reduced to a , 'Wow!' every few minutes.

    FB, Spain
    Jan 2018

  • This was a great trip - wonderful scenery and amazing sites. It was well organised and allowed for some opportunity to do things on one's own away from the group.

    DS, London
    Sep 2011
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Our expert's view

Lina
Lina Fuller - Travel Expert

Lina's passion for the continent where she was born really took off when she moved to Córdoba (Argentina) to study, spending the holidays travelling between Argentina and her native Colombia.

Get in touch Meet our experts

Inspired by this trip

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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Your edit for Latin American inspiration

Our exciting range of articles on Latin America explore everything from iconic destinations and lesser-known cultural gems to delicious traditional recipes. You’ll also find exclusive travel tips, first-hand client reviews and the chance to get your personal questions answered by our travel experts.

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San Jose Costa Rica

48 Hours In

48 hours in… San José
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Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

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  • Heloise
    Heloise Buxton - Travel Expert

    Heloise started her Latin American journey as an exchange student in Santiago, Chile. With extended summer holidays this was the perfect opportunity to backpack through Bolivia, Peru, Argentina and Brazil.

  • Charlotte
    Charlotte Daubeney - Travel Expert

    Charlotte's fascination with Latin America began with a family holiday to Belize. She went on to study Spanish in school and at university before spending a year living in Santiago, Chile.

  • Carrie
    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

  • Kathryn
    Kathryn Rhodes - Travel Expert

    Kathryn backpacked across Argentina, Chile, Bolivia and Peru before joining us. She has a degree in Philosophy and French and is a keen netball player.

  • Chris
    Chris Rendell-Dunn - Travel Expert

    Anglo-Peruvian Chris grew up in Lima and spent much of his adult life in between London and Cusco as a tour leader, before settling permanently in our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours sales team.

  • Mary
    Mary Anne Nelson - Travel Expert

    Born in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile, Mary’s insider knowledge and dry sense of humour make her a highly valued member of the Tailor-made Holidays and Group Tour sales team.

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