Family Fun in Costa Rica
San Jose, Pacuare, Osa Peninsula, Arenal & PapagayoExplore the stunning natural diversity of Costa Rica and sample the very best activities on this action-packed and fun-filled family adventure across the jewel of Central America. Try rafting, paddle boarding and look out for the incredible wildlife!
At a glance
Adrenaline pumped activities to suit everyone in the family
Amazing wildlife experiences from sloth spying to kayaking with dolphins
Robinson Crusoe inspired jungle lodges to bring out the explorer in everyone
A taste of the real diversity in Costa Rica, taking in volcanoes, jungles, rivers, mangroves and golden sand beaches
Journey highlights
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Adrenaline pumped activities to suit everyone in the family
-
Amazing wildlife experiences from sloth spying to kayaking with dolphins
-
Robinson Crusoe inspired jungle lodges to bring out the explorer in everyone
-
A taste of the real diversity in Costa Rica, taking in volcanoes, jungles, rivers, mangroves and golden sand beaches
Our tailor made journeys include:
- Your dedicated Travel Consultant who will take care of arrangements
- Private international airport transfers in destination
- Your own private, English-speaking local guides
- Unique experiences, hand-picked by our Journeys team
- Entrance to must-see local sites
- Dedicated 24/7 team providing in-country support and guidance
- Complimentary access to My Scott Dunn – industry-leading travel app providing pre-departure information and in-journey support
When to visit
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
This itinerary is best from December to April so can be enjoyed to the maximum during the school holidays. Costa Rica experiences rainfall throughout the year due to its tropical climate, but the summer months (June - October) are classified as the green season where heavier rain can be expected. That's not to say it's not a good time to travel - the extra rain means the landscapes are extra lush but the rain can be particularly strong during September and October. Rafting at Pacuare is possible year-round but may be slightly colder during the green season.
Price Guide: (Per Person based on double occupancy and includes international flights)
| Departing |
Price from*
|
Deposit from * | Enquire |
|---|---|---|---|
| February | GBP £8,900 | GBP £1,300 | plan your trip |
| March | GBP £8,900 | GBP £1,300 | plan your trip |
| April | GBP £8,900 | GBP £1,300 | plan your trip |
| May | GBP £8,200 | GBP £1,200 | plan your trip |
| June | GBP £8,200 | GBP £1,200 | plan your trip |
| July | GBP £8,900 | GBP £1,300 | plan your trip |
| August | GBP £8,900 | GBP £1,300 | plan your trip |
| September | GBP £7,400 | GBP £1,100 | plan your trip |
| October | GBP £7,400 | GBP £1,100 | plan your trip |
| November | GBP £8,200 | GBP £1,200 | plan your trip |
| December | GBP £8,900 | GBP £1,300 | plan your trip |
| January | GBP £8,900 | GBP £1,300 | plan your trip |
-
February
Price from *
- Pricing is a guideline only, is based on two people sharing and excludes special offers.
- Travel over peak periods (e.g. Christmas, New Year, festivals and other public holidays) can affect prices considerably, as can exchange rates, flight class and room type.
- Solo traveller pricing is available upon request.
GBP £8,900
Deposit from*GBP £1,300
-
March
Price from *
- Pricing is a guideline only, is based on two people sharing and excludes special offers.
- Travel over peak periods (e.g. Christmas, New Year, festivals and other public holidays) can affect prices considerably, as can exchange rates, flight class and room type.
- Solo traveller pricing is available upon request.
GBP £8,900
Deposit from*GBP £1,300
-
April
Price from *
- Pricing is a guideline only, is based on two people sharing and excludes special offers.
- Travel over peak periods (e.g. Christmas, New Year, festivals and other public holidays) can affect prices considerably, as can exchange rates, flight class and room type.
- Solo traveller pricing is available upon request.
GBP £8,900
Deposit from*GBP £1,300
-
May
Price from *
- Pricing is a guideline only, is based on two people sharing and excludes special offers.
- Travel over peak periods (e.g. Christmas, New Year, festivals and other public holidays) can affect prices considerably, as can exchange rates, flight class and room type.
- Solo traveller pricing is available upon request.
GBP £8,200
Deposit from*GBP £1,200
-
June
Price from *
- Pricing is a guideline only, is based on two people sharing and excludes special offers.
- Travel over peak periods (e.g. Christmas, New Year, festivals and other public holidays) can affect prices considerably, as can exchange rates, flight class and room type.
- Solo traveller pricing is available upon request.
GBP £8,200
Deposit from*GBP £1,200
-
July
Price from *
- Pricing is a guideline only, is based on two people sharing and excludes special offers.
- Travel over peak periods (e.g. Christmas, New Year, festivals and other public holidays) can affect prices considerably, as can exchange rates, flight class and room type.
- Solo traveller pricing is available upon request.
GBP £8,900
Deposit from*GBP £1,300
-
August
Price from *
- Pricing is a guideline only, is based on two people sharing and excludes special offers.
- Travel over peak periods (e.g. Christmas, New Year, festivals and other public holidays) can affect prices considerably, as can exchange rates, flight class and room type.
- Solo traveller pricing is available upon request.
GBP £8,900
Deposit from*GBP £1,300
-
September
Price from *
- Pricing is a guideline only, is based on two people sharing and excludes special offers.
- Travel over peak periods (e.g. Christmas, New Year, festivals and other public holidays) can affect prices considerably, as can exchange rates, flight class and room type.
- Solo traveller pricing is available upon request.
GBP £7,400
Deposit from*GBP £1,100
-
October
Price from *
- Pricing is a guideline only, is based on two people sharing and excludes special offers.
- Travel over peak periods (e.g. Christmas, New Year, festivals and other public holidays) can affect prices considerably, as can exchange rates, flight class and room type.
- Solo traveller pricing is available upon request.
GBP £7,400
Deposit from*GBP £1,100
-
November
Price from *
- Pricing is a guideline only, is based on two people sharing and excludes special offers.
- Travel over peak periods (e.g. Christmas, New Year, festivals and other public holidays) can affect prices considerably, as can exchange rates, flight class and room type.
- Solo traveller pricing is available upon request.
GBP £8,200
Deposit from*GBP £1,200
-
December
Price from *
- Pricing is a guideline only, is based on two people sharing and excludes special offers.
- Travel over peak periods (e.g. Christmas, New Year, festivals and other public holidays) can affect prices considerably, as can exchange rates, flight class and room type.
- Solo traveller pricing is available upon request.
GBP £8,900
Deposit from*GBP £1,300
-
January
Price from *
- Pricing is a guideline only, is based on two people sharing and excludes special offers.
- Travel over peak periods (e.g. Christmas, New Year, festivals and other public holidays) can affect prices considerably, as can exchange rates, flight class and room type.
- Solo traveller pricing is available upon request.
GBP £8,900
Deposit from*GBP £1,300
- plan your trip
Itinerary
San Jose
Arrive in Costa Rica’s capital, San Jose, where you and your family will spend one night before your adventure begins. We recommend enjoying dinner in one of the city’s good restaurants before a good night’s sleep so you’re raring to go the next day.
Accommodation: Grano de Oro ( 1 night )
Turrialba and Pacuare
It’s an early start today as you’re picked up from your hotel and transferred in a private vehicle out of the city, through countryside to a drop off point where you and your family are met and greeted by a guide, who will give you all a quick introduction to white water rafting. From here, begins your thrilling adventure along the beautifully wild Pacuare River to Pacuare Lodge. The gentle hour and a half raft in will take you through stunning jungle scenery and occasionally across rushing rapids for a short sharp blast of adrenaline, before the beautiful Pacuare Lodge comes into view. This remote jungle hideaway is a magical place for discovering the rainforest and contains Costa Rica’s highest canopy walkway, as well as offering activities such as canyoning, horse riding, zip-lining and visits to some of the local indigenous Cabecar Indian communities.
Accommodation: Pacuare Lodge ( 2 nights )
Osa Peninsula
Return by an exhilarating raft ride to the river’s put-out point and transfer back to San Jose, where you’ll catch a short flight to the incredible Osa Peninsula, one of the most bio-diverse and untouched places in the country. We’ve included a selection of activities here from sunrise and sunset tours, trips to wild waterfalls, hikes through the rainforest both during the day and the night so you have the chance to meet the jungle’s day and night-time residents! Guiding is excellent and the tours are both fun and educational, striking the right balance between respecting and having fun in nature. Lodges in this area are ecologically conscious with a touch of luxury - perfect for those looking to really immerse themselves in nature whilst not having to sacrifice any of the creature comforts that make for a relaxing stay!
Accommodation: El Remanso Lodge ( 3 nights )
Arenal
After a few days of indulging in more nature orientated adventures, it is time for some real adrenaline inducing activities, and so for this it’s on to one of Costa Rica’s top highlights, the Arenal volcano. Arenal is a great base for all kinds of adventure activities with extreme ziplining, white water rafting, quadbike roaming, volcano hiking and waterfall rappelling madness on offer. We’ve included the famous zip-lining adventure through the canopy as a starting point but Arenal really is the country’s activity hub and has something suitable for all the family.
Accommodation: Nayara Gardens ( 3 nights )
Papagayo Peninsula
After this long and activity filled itinerary, head for a well-deserved few days of pure beach chill-out before the journey home. You will be privately transferred to the beautiful Papagayo Peninsula to spend four nights on the sun-kissed beaches of the Pacific Coast. Here you can do as much or as little as you’d like. If your thirst for adventure has not already been quenched, you can go snorkelling, windsurfing and sailing, stand-up paddle boarding, white water rafting, tubing, zip-wiring between the forest canopies or hiking on volcanic slopes in Rincón de la Vieja National Park. Alternatively, just sit back, soak in the views and relax on the beach or by the pool; it's the perfect place to end a high-energy, Indiana Jones-esque trip - in a true oasis of cool.
Accommodation: El Mangroove ( 4 nights )
Fly home from San Jose
Call us on 020 3993 9308 to start planning your holiday.
Experiences included in this itinerary
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![Zipwiring]()
Read moreArenal Sky Tram & Sky Trek
Soar through the rainforest canopy on this thrilling zip wiring adventure in the Arenal reserve. Experience the sights and sounds of the rainforest from a bird’s-eye view, admiring the wildlife and spectacular scenery from above. Minimum age 8 years old.
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![Arenal Volcano Hike]()
Read moreArenal Volcano Walk
The best way to get as close as possible to the spectacular Arenal Volcano is to walk the reserve’s easy series of trails, which will take you through secondary rainforest and former lava fields. The park is known for its diverse wildlife.
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![Riding - Horseriding to the volcano at Arenal Nayara]()
Read moreHorseriding to the volcano at Arenal Nayara
Wind your way to the Silencio Observation Point, to view the magnificent Arenal Volcano and its lava fields! Whatever your level of riding, the experienced bilingual guides will have the perfect horse for you so you can explore and enjoy stunning views.
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![Sloth - Twilight Safari at Arenal Nayara]()
Read morePure Nature Exclusive Safari Float Adventure
Take a raft through the jungle, floating down the Rio Frio river, keeping your eyes peeled for howler monkeys, sloths, bats and crocodiles as the jungle turns from day to night!
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![Rapids - Rafting the Pacuare River]()
Read moreRafting the Pacuare River
The Pacuare River offers some of the finest white water in Latin America, winding through rugged canyons deep inside one of Costa Rica's impressive rainforests. As no roads lead to Pacuare Lodge, rafting in and out is the perfect way to arrive in style!
-san-jose-and-central-valley-costa-rica-central-america-americas.jpeg)
-san-jose-and-central-valley-costa-rica-central-america-americas.jpeg)
Your Hotels
When to visit
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
This itinerary is best from December to April so can be enjoyed to the maximum during the school holidays. Costa Rica experiences rainfall throughout the year due to its tropical climate, but the summer months (June - October) are classified as the green season where heavier rain can be expected. That's not to say it's not a good time to travel - the extra rain means the landscapes are extra lush but the rain can be particularly strong during September and October. Rafting at Pacuare is possible year-round but may be slightly colder during the green season.
We design each itinerary around you, so this suggested itineraryis a starting point that we can tweak or transform into something completely bespoke to you. Call us on 020 3993 9308 to start planning your holiday.
Why Scott Dunn?
At Scott Dunn, we live and breathe travel. An insatiable appetite to discover the world runs through everything we do. We relish the planning and revel in the detail. We know it’s the smallest touches that make the biggest difference, and we stop at nothing to make every trip not only exceptional but totally unique.
- Every itinerary is crafted from scratch, based around exactly what’s important to you
- Packed full of unique experiences, hand-picked by our journeys team
- Expert local guides enrich your experience in every destination
- Your own dedicated Travel Specialist who will take care of every detail of your trip
- We have a 24/7 team providing in-country support and guidance
- We offer flexibility and financial protection to give you total peace of mind