Costa Rica · Private & tailor-made
Costa Rica — Caribbean & Rainforest
Cloud forest and volcano, the jungle canals of Tortuguero and a slow finish on the Caribbean coast — a classic first long-haul trip for families.
Private & tailor-made — price on enquiry, shaped around your group and dates. Land only, excludes flights.
The journey
Costa Rica packs cloud forest, an active volcano, jungle waterways and two very different coastlines into one small, easy-going country — which is exactly why it's such a good first big trip with children.
This route runs from the highlands down to the Caribbean. You start in the misty cloud forest of Monteverde — ziplines, hanging bridges and a canopy full of birds — then cross to Arenal, where a near-perfect volcano cone rises over hot springs and forest trails.
From there you head to Tortuguero, a maze of rainforest canals on the Caribbean coast reached only by boat, before finishing with a few slow days on the palm-backed beaches of the southern Caribbean. It's private and flexible throughout, with plenty of gentle options alongside the more active ones.
Where you'll go
Trip highlights
What stays with you
The Sky Tram and Sky Trek through the Monteverde cloud forest canopy.
The hanging bridges and a horseback ride beneath the Arenal volcano.
The rainforest canals of Tortuguero, explored by boat with a naturalist.
Slow beach days on the southern Caribbean coast around Puerto Viejo.
Day by day
Your itinerary
Arrive in Costa Rica
You're met at San José airport and transferred to your hotel for the night, with time to settle in before the journey begins.
Up to the cloud forest
A scenic drive up into the mountains to Monteverde, a highland town wrapped in cloud forest — one of the richest wildlife habitats in the country, famous for its birdlife, including, if you're lucky, the resplendent quetzal.
Into the canopy
A morning on the Sky Tram, a gondola that carries you up over the forest, followed by the Sky Trek — a series of ziplines strung across the canopy — with hanging bridges and guided trails for a closer look at the trees, frogs and birds.
Across to Arenal
A jeep-boat-jeep transfer crosses Lake Arenal, the volcano growing ahead of you. Arenal is one of Costa Rica's most striking landscapes: a near-perfect cone above rainforest, waterfalls and thermal springs.
Bridges, horses and hot springs
A morning at the Arenal hanging bridges, walking the forest at canopy level, and a horseback ride through the countryside beneath the volcano. Many of the lodges here have their own hot-spring pools to ease into afterwards.
By boat into Tortuguero
A drive and then a boat ride bring you into Tortuguero, a network of rainforest canals and lagoons on the Caribbean coast with no roads in. Settle into your lodge and visit the small canal-side village in the afternoon.
The canals
A boat tour of the canals with a naturalist, gliding quietly past caiman, river turtles, monkeys and herons, and a short rainforest walk. Between July and October, green turtles come ashore at night to nest on the beaches here — a remarkable thing to see in season.
Down the Caribbean coast
Leave Tortuguero by boat and travel south to the Puerto Viejo area, a laid-back stretch of the southern Caribbean with a distinct Afro-Caribbean culture, good food and easy beaches.
Beach time
A free day on the coast. The beaches around Puerto Viejo and Cahuita are quiet and swimmable, with a coral reef offshore for snorkelling and the coast road an easy cycle.
Beach time
Another day at your own pace — more beach, a visit to the Cahuita or Gandoca-Manzanillo reserves for coastal rainforest and wildlife, or simply nothing much at all.
Back to San José
A drive back across the country to San José for your final night, in time for onward flights the next morning.
Homeward
After breakfast, a transfer to the airport for your flight home. We can easily extend the trip — more time on the coast, or a Pacific and Guanacaste leg — just ask.
Where you'll stay
Your hotels
Comfortable hotels and rainforest lodges throughout; the source lists each as one option "or similar", and we'll confirm the exact properties when we tailor the trip. We can step the whole route up to a higher standard on request.
What's included
- All accommodation as listed (11 nights)
- Private transfers and transport, including the boat transfers to and from Tortuguero
- The Sky Tram and Sky Trek at Monteverde, and the Arenal hanging bridges and horseback ride
- The Tortuguero canal tour and guided walks with a naturalist
- Breakfast daily, plus all meals at Tortuguero (where the lodge is full-board)
- 24-hour in-country support and ATOL financial protection
Not included
- International flights to and from Costa Rica
- Travel insurance (required — with medical and repatriation cover)
- Meals and drinks not shown (most lunches and dinners are free to choose locally)
- Optional activities and reserve entrance fees taken locally
- Tips, and anything of a personal nature
Good to know
Before you go
When to travel
The drier months, December to April, are the most reliable, though Costa Rica's rainforest is green and rewarding year-round; the Caribbean side keeps its own rhythm and can be fine outside that window. We'll advise for your dates.
Who it suits
One of the easiest long-haul trips to do with children of any age — short travel legs, lots of wildlife and a good mix of active and lazy days.
Pace and fitness
Gentle overall. The ziplines, bridges and horse riding are optional and can be dialled up or down; nothing is strenuous.
Wildlife
Sloths, monkeys, toucans, frogs and countless birds are everyday sightings. Turtle nesting at Tortuguero is seasonal (roughly July–October for green turtles); we'll be honest about what you're likely to see when you travel.
Money
The currency is the Costa Rican colón, though US dollars are widely accepted. Cards work in most places; carry some cash for smaller spots.
Making it yours
Private and flexible — we can add a Pacific coast or Guanacaste leg, more beach, or a night in the deeper rainforest of the Osa Peninsula. Just ask.
Make it yours
Ready to start planning?
This is a starting point, not a fixed package. Tell us who's travelling, your dates and roughly what you have in mind, and we'll tailor it — the pace, the comfort level and any extensions — and send you a detailed quote.
Travelling well
The STC way
We work with trusted local partners in Costa Rica, and it shows in the detail: naturalist guides who know where the wildlife is, family-run lodges in the places you travel through, and the ethos of low-impact travel the country is known for. It's the same groundwork behind our sister company, STC Expeditions.
Prefer the Pacific side? See our Costa Rica — Pacific & Guanacaste →