Costa Rica Family Escape

• Travel by minibus, boat and on foot
• Group normally 4 to 16, plus a local leader
• Seven nights in comfortable hotels

Costa Rica is 10 degrees north of the equator and has an almost perfect tropical climate. The average temperature is 12C-22C (54F-72F) in the highlands and 22C-27C (72F-81F) in the lowlands. There is a rainy season from May to November when there are daily downpours, though these are usually quite short and there is still plenty of bright sunshine, so the midsummer is not necessarily a bad time to go. December to April is the driest time of the year but expect some rain. Many areas visited on the trip are hot and humid throughout the year.

This trip is rated Activity Level 2 (Leisurely/Moderate). It has been designed for children aged 13 to 16 years’ old but is also suitable for those aged nine to 12 years’ old.

Our Family Activity levels are aimed at children in the primary or ‘Designed for’ age group. We are confident it is also suitable for those in the ‘Also for’ age range; however, if your child is in this secondary category, they may find it a little tougher. Please see the Family Activity levels on our website for further information. When grading our trips, we consider multiple factors: the pace (how busy an itinerary is) and the level of activity involved. Then there’s the amount of travel time and the weather. Costa Rica can be hot and humid, which can be tiring.

This trip aims to show you the best of Costa Rica using a mixture of buses and boats. While the driving distances are not huge and most roads are good, some sections are of poor quality/potholed, which can result in slower driving times. Most drives are not longer than four hours and all drives include regular stops. On some travel days, we depart early in the morning to ensure we optimise the time at our next destination.

There are some dangerous insects and snakes in the jungle, although incidents are extremely rare. Advice from the guide must be heeded at all times – it is the responsibility of parents to ensure children listen to the guide and don’t stray from paths.

The trip involves a walk to reach La Fortuna Waterfall that has some steep steps. There are also several included activities, such as white-water rafting and a zip-wire canopy tour: experience of these activities is not required as a full safety briefing is covered at the start, and all necessary equipment is provided. Please be aware, some activities may be changed as a result of the weather.

All the accommodation is comfortable with private bathrooms and everywhere has air conditioning apart from the lodge in Monteverde. For further details, please see the accommodation section below.