Starting Price:	£1,802.00
Trip Length:	9 days

Interests:

Family

Arenal Volcano

Manuel Antonio National Park

Tortuguero National Park

Family Tour - San Jose, Tortuguero, Arenal and Manuel Antonio

Description Pricing Itinerary Hotels

This complete family highlight program starts in San Jose and continues to El Tortuguero National Park. The small village of Tortuguero (translated as “Region of Turtles”) lies on the northeastern Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, approximately 50 miles north of the principal Port of Limon. The village is comprised of a variety of cultures: Hispanic, Miskito Indian (Nicaragua), and Afro-Caribbean. Both Spanish and Creole English are spoken.

We continue our trip to El Arenal to gaze at the might Arenal Volcano. Guided tours to the Volcano, hot springs and treks are available. Before returning to San Jose, we are going to visit the Manuel Antonio National Park where you will experience the white sandy beaches, cliffs, rivers, rain forests and varied animal life.

This trip has been specially design for families traveling with children. We have picked hotels and activities that are suitable for everyone in the group.
In San Jose, we are choosing The Costa Rica Marriot, a hotel with spacious rooms and outdoor pools, Pachira Lodge located in the middle of the Tortuguero tropical forest, Hotel Arenal Manoa with its complete panoramic view of the Arenal Volcano and the exclusive and private Hotel El Parador at Manuel Antonio National Park.

Additional information on this trip:

Days of Week the Trip can Start:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday
Visited Cities:
San Jose and Central Valley, Tortuguero, Arenal Area, Manuel Antonio

Day 1

Take flight to San Jose. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.

Day 2

El Tortuguero
Early breakfast at the hotel, depart the hotel for the beautiful drive to the Caribbean area. On the way, you will have to opportunity to see the beautiful Braulio Carrillo National Park, a primary forest. On route you will have the opportunity to taste a delicious Costa Rican breakfast.

After breakfast, continue driving through banana plantations to Caño Blanco dock where we will board a boat for Tortuguero, on the Caribbean coast. You will have a one-in-a-lifetime experience in this unique place surrounded by a great variety of flora and fauna of breathtaking beauty. This part of the country is a maze of canals through dense lowland rainforest, best accessed by boat. The trip has been compared with cruising down the Amazon, though on a much smaller scale. You may see gaudy toucans, mischievous monkeys, three-toed sloth, crocodiles and caimans, and much more.

The boat trip ends at Tortuguero and Pachira Lodge, home for the next two nights. This lovely lodge has comfortable rooms; all are spacious and comfortable beds, private bathrooms, hot water, and ceiling fans, swimming pool. The rooms at Pachira Lodge will give the feeling of being in the jungle because of its location in the middle of the Tortuguero tropical rainforest. After lunch, we will visit the museum, the beach area and the small and picturesque town of Tortuguero.

Day 3

El Tortuguero
After breakfast at the lodge, we have the full day to explore Tortuguero National Park, via boat tour and hike with our guide. The name Tortuguero comes from the Spanish “Tortugas” – the sea turtles that nest on the beaches in this region. The area was known for turtle hunting as far back as the 16th century. Turtles were killed for their meat, shells and eggs. By the 1950s they were severely endangered and facing possible extinction. In 1970 they were finally protected when the national park was established. The prime nesting months for green sea turtles are July to mid-October. Weighing up to 200 lbs, the females climb up on the beach at night to lay their eggs – up to 100 in a nest – then bury the eggs in the sand before returning to the sea.

More than half of the Caribbean coast is inaccessible except by boat or small plane. This has helped preserve this large tract of virgin rainforest, which is now protected by the National Park. There’s an astounding variety of wildlife that lives in these beautiful canals, including 350 different species of birds. Mammals include howler monkeys, pig like peccaries, anteaters, and the elusive jaguar. The beaches in this area are not appropriate for swimming. With rough surf and sharks around, the pool at the lodge is a much better place for a refreshing swim before dinner.

Day 4

El Arenal
After breakfast, transfer to Guapiles. Lunch at this place and then continue to El Arenal and to your hotel.

Day 5

El Arenal
Day at leisure to relax or use the services of the hotel, optional tours at extra cost can be arranged. We highly recommend the Sky Trek & Sky Tram, the Ecotermales Hot Springs, a guided tour to the Volcano National Park.

Day 6

Manuel Antonio National Park
After breakfast depart the area to Manuel Antonio. Today you will have the opportunity to drive through beautiful mountains and then drive along the coast. On the way, we will stop for a delicious Costa Rican lunch (not included). After lunch you continue the road to Manuel Antonio passing the towns of Jacó, Esterillos and Parrita which are surrounded by African Palms (elaeis guineensis) that was introduced to this area by The United Fruit Company (Chiquita) as an experimental response to the Panama banana plight which was decimating crops during the 1940’s. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel.

Day 7

Manuel Antonio National Park
After breakfast, we will visit Manuel Antonio National Park. The pace of this adventure is determined by your group’s abilities and interests, and the abundance of wildlife you want to stop, observe, or learn about – all in its natural and breathtaking habitat. Watch sloths and numerous species of monkeys travel through the tree canopy, hunt for nocturnal silky anteaters and several types of monkeys or iguanas resting in the tropical rain forest, and listen to the songs of the various birds as they glide above your group, curiously looking for adventure.

And if you are lucky, you might spot one of the only 1,000 remaining endangered Mono Titi or squirrel monkey, which live in only one location in the world, in our Manuel Antonio National Park biological corridor. See how many different kinds of flora and fauna you can spot just in the span of a 2 ½ hour nature walk or hike.

Afternoon at leisure.

Day 8

San Jose
Early afternoon our driver will transfer to your hotel in San Jose. Upon arrival, transfer to your hotel. Day at Leisure to do some shopping and enjoy of the Capital City.

Day 9

After breakfast, transfer to the airport to catch your flight back home.

Suggested Hotels by City and Category *

San Jose and Central Valley
3-star	Colonial Hotel, Country Inn & Suites, Fleur de Lys or similar.
4-star	Days Hotel or similar.
5-star	Hotel Real Intercontinental or Costa Rica Marriott, Grano de Oro or similar.
Deluxe	Finca Rosa Blanca or similar.
Tortuguero
3-star	Mawamba Lodge (standard), or similar.
4-star	Laguna Lodge (standard), or similar.
5-star	Manatus (standard), or similar. Note: No children.
Arenal Area
3-star	Arenal Lodge, Arenal Paraiso, El Silencio del Campo or similar.
4-star	Mountain Paradise, Arenal Manoa, Lost Iguana Resort, or similar.
5-star	Arenal Nayara, Royal Corin Resort & Loto Spa or similar.
Deluxe	1 night Deluxe hotel. Arenal Kioro, The Springs Resort and Spa, Tabacon or similar.
Manuel Antonio
3-star	Casitas Eclipse or similar.
4-star	El Parador (garden room) or similar.
5-star	El Parador (premium room), or similar.
Deluxe	Gaia Hotel & Reserve, Arenas del Mar (ocean view suite) or similar.

* Subject to confirmation at time of booking

Occupancy Type	3-Star
Triple	£1802
Double	£2218

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