Costa Rica Family Journey: From Cloud Forests to the Beach

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.