Day 1 : San José
Welcome to San José–your arrival transfer to the hotel is included. Check in and get excited to meet your fellow travelers during a welcome meeting this evening where all families can bond before the Journey ahead.
Costa Rica has one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world and is a top destination for nature lovers. As such, there is a lot of rain, regardless of the season, allowing for its lush green rain forests and cloud forest, in which flora and fauna thrive. Please come prepared for the possibility of wet weather and variations in temperature.
Arrival Transfer
Juan Santamaría International Airport - San José
You will be met at the airport and transferred to the hotel to start your adventure.
Arrival Day and Welcome Meeting
1h
The adventure begins tonight. Feel free to explore before your welcome meeting, but make sure you’re back in time to meet the group. Check for the meeting time on the welcome note at the hotel. After introductions, your CEO will review the details of your tour. Please note that normal check-in times apply at our start hotels, but you can usually store your luggage for the day if you arrive early.
Day 2 : San José/Monteverde
This morning, travel into the misty cloud forests of Monteverde to visit a rural community for a farm-to-table lunch. Your hosts share the local ingredients behind the meal: rice, beans, vegetables, and homemade tortillas, all fresh and locally sourced. After lunch, head to the farm, where children can try hands-on agricultural activities: sampling tropical crops like coffee and fruit, watching sustainable farming in action, and learning to make sugar cane juice using a traditional "Trapiche" mill. Later, settle into your hotel with some free time. In the evening, follow a naturalist into the forest to seek out nocturnal creatures like red-eyed tree frogs and spiny porcupines.
The town of Monteverde is fairly small with shopping and some great restaurants, but most of the upgraded accommodations in this area are located outside of the main town centre - to take better advantage of the natural beauty and stunning landscapes of the area. Taxis are readily available to take you into town and back and can cost approx. $10USD each way.
Accommodations tend to be a bit more simple here, with fewer amenities. Its important to remember that the cloud forest sits at a higher elevation and offers a cooler but humid climate - which is why hotels in this area do not have A/C. It can also feel damp in rooms which is unavoidable in such a climate.
Private Vehicle
San José - Monteverde 3h - 4h 155km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
San Luis Rural Community Experience & Lunch
San Luis
Enjoy a visit to the rural community of San Luis. Your time here directly benefits the economic development of this local community and helps expand their community services. Observe snapshots of rural life in Costa Rica before sitting down for a farm-to-table lunch featuring a hands-on demonstration of the local ingredients. Learn together as a family about the important knowledge of native plant species in the area along with conservation efforts, and some birdwatching.
Traditional Sugar Cane Press
San Luis 0h30m - 0h45m
See a traditional sugar cane press in action and try your hand at squeezing your own for a glass of the sweet natural juice. Lean about the importance of sugar cane in these rural parts of the country and to the many different uses that the plant provides, from sustainable packaging and animal feed to consumable products like spirits, molasses and of course the bags of sugar that we find at the grocery store.
Guided Cloud Forest Night Walk
Monteverde
Join a naturalist guide for a 1.5-2 hour tour in the cloud forest after dark. Learn more about the habits of the area's nocturnal wildlife including mammals, birds, insects, reptiles, and amphibians, and keep your eyes and ears open on this slow-paced walk. You never know what you might see – it depends on the day and your luck!
Meals Included:
Breakfast | Lunch
Day 3 : Monteverde
Visit the Monteverde Institute, a research and educational organization supported by National Geographic. Hear about reforestation projects spearheaded by the institute, then roll up your sleeves and lend a hand in the tree nursery. The rest of the day is free for relaxation or optional excursions in the clouds, including zip-lining, hiking in the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve, or a walk through the forest canopy across hanging bridges.
Monteverde Institute Lecture & Reforestation Project
Monteverde 2h
The Monteverde Institute is a base for National Geographic-funded explorers and researchers studying the famed canopy of the Monteverde Cloud Forest. A researcher will present the various projects National Geographic has sponsored including new discoveries, insect and bird studies, and the reforestation of tropical regions. Then, play an active role in this project by visiting the National Geographic-sponsored research plot and getting your hands dirty by either planting trees to restore habitat or assisting in tree care in the nurseries.
Free time:
Monteverde Half day
Enjoy free time to get out and explore Monteverde and the surrounding areas with plenty of options available, or relax at the hotel.
Optional Activities - Day 3
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Visit
Monteverde
Pull on your poncho and boots and head into the cloud-covered forest, past over-sized ferns and exotic orchids. Harness your inner Tarzan as you imagine swinging from the forest’s giant vines, trudge along 12 km of trails, watch for wildlife and trek to the top of the observation tower. Be sure to stop and listen too. Hear the haunting hollow call of the bellbird and perhaps catch sight of the brilliant green and red resplendent quetzal. Feel good about protecting the preserve and sustaining the quality of local schools through payment of your park fees.
Ziplining
Monteverde 3h - 4h
Buckle up your harness, don your helmet, and prepare to launch. Glide along cables suspended high above the cloud forest canopy. Dare to let go and reach top speeds as you zip past stunning scenery. Forget your fear as you spot a toucans or exotic orchids in this adrenaline-filled experience. Minimum age: 6.
Hanging Bridges Monteverde
Monteverde 2h30m
Get up high to see the tree tops of Monteverde’s Cloud Forest from a bird’s-eye view. Cross a series of hanging bridges to discover what biologists once required (ropes and pulleys) to glimpse the lush, green vista accented by bromeliads, vines, and orchids. Wonder at this wet canopy, home to 90% of all the organisms in the forest, including thousands of species of birds, small animals, amphibians, and insects.
Meals Included:
Breakfast
Day 4 : Monteverde/Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park
Leave the misty highlands behind and travel toward Rincón de la Vieja National Park. This volcanic wonderland welcomes you with thick rainforest trails, bubbling mud pots, and steaming thermal vents rising from the earth. After arriving, gear up for an afternoon flying across ziplines strung high above the forest canopy, taking in sweeping views as you glide through the trees. Check into your rainforest lodge and relax to the sounds of nature as evening settles over the mountains.
Private Vehicle
Monteverde - Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park 4h - 4h30m 152km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Zip Line Rincon de La Vieja
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park 1h30m - 2h
Fly through the trees over a narrow river canyon while navigating zip lines and hanging bridges.
Free time:
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park Afternoon
Take the afternoon to relax or visit the local butterfly gardens.
Meals Included:
Breakfast | Dinner
Day 5 : Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park
Wake up early for a day full of discovery. Join a naturalist guide on a wildlife hike to search for monkeys and tropical birds, stopping for a splash beneath a cool, tumbling waterfall. Next, saddle up for a horseback ride back to your lodge in time for a hearty lunch. Afterwards, head to the natural hot springs and warm mud baths, where slathering yourself in squishy volcanic mud isn't just allowed, it's encouraged! Tonight, gather for dinner and a game of wildlife bingo led by your National Geographic Expedition Leaders to track all the plants and animals you've spotted.
Waterfall Hike
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park 6h
Set off on foot alongside your naturalist guide to explore the flora and fauna of Rincon de la Vieja. Keep your eyes peeled for iguanas, white-faced howler or spider monkeys, armadillos, and many types of tropical birds. Your walk culminates at a waterfall, where you can take a refreshing dip in the cool, clear water. Then saddle up to ride back to the hacienda.
Hot Springs and Volcano Mud Bath
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park 1h
Visit natural hot springs which give rise to very hot mountain streams; sulfuric ponds filled with bubbling mud. Dare to step in and get muddy. Soak in the hot, therapeutic waters and feel invigorated and alive.
Nature and Wildlife Bingo
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park 1h30m
Join your Expedition Leaders for an entertaining and educational game of nature and wildlife bingo. Check off the things we have seen so far in the trip and get excited for the chance to see any that haven't been spotted yet. Delicious plates of typical Costa Rican food will accompany the activity.
Meals Included:
Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner
Day 6 : Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park/Guanacaste
Spend a relaxed morning at your own pace, soaking in the quiet surroundings of the lodge. If you're looking for something more active, opt to splash down the Río Negro on a water-tubing run. By afternoon, board your vehicle and head west toward the Pacific Ocean and Guanacaste's famed Gold Coast. Watch the dry forest shift into sunny beachscapes, and check into your beachside home for the next two nights. Put your toes in the sand and listen to the waves as the sun sets over the ocean.
Private Vehicle
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park - Guanacaste 2h 110km
Settle in and scan the scenery from the convenience of a private vehicle.
Free time:
Guanacaste Evening
Take the evening to settle in, relax and take in the vibes of this quaint Pacific beach town.
Optional Activities - Day 6
Rio Negro Tubing Adventure
Rincón de la Vieja Volcano National Park 2h30m - 3h
Enjoy the great outdoors on an innertube, bouncing and splashing down 5 km (3 miles) of class 2 and 3 rapids on the Black River. There are plenty of quiet pools along the way to appreciate the beautiful tropical scenery. Opt to ride the ranch horses (or you can go by vehicle transport) along scenic trails through the forest to reach the river.
Meals Included:
Breakfast
Day 7 : Guanacaste
Spend a full day playing and relaxing by the ocean. Splash in the warm Pacific waters, build sandcastles on the shore, or lounge poolside under the tropical sun. If you feel like exploring, choose an optional boat trip across the bay to spot marine life around neighbouring islands. Tonight, gather with the whole group for a farewell dinner to laugh, trade photos, and celebrate your favourite moments from the week.
Free time:
Guanacaste Full day
There's plenty of exploring to do here, opt to get out on the water or choose to play at the beach or in the pool all day.
Optional Activities - Day 7
Guanacaste Sailing
Guanacaste 4h
Hit the water on a sailing tour. Opt to snorkel, kayak or zayak with the fish and keep on the lookout for turtles and maybe even a shark! Enjoy views over the water from the deck of the boat.
Meals Included:
Breakfast | Dinner
Day 8 : Guanacaste
Depart at any time.
Not ready to leave? Your CEO can help with travel arrangements to extend your adventure.
Meals Included:
Breakfast
