Costa Rica family holidays

When Columbus landed at Limon on the Caribbean coast on his fourth and final voyage to the Americas, he could only guess at what beauty the interior possessed. With long sandy beaches, towering volcanoes and unspoilt tropical rainforest, Costa Rica is an adventurer's paradise - the habitat of sloth, monkey, tree frog and many other creatures, including some 800 species of bird.

Poas Volcano & Guayabo ruins: Arriving in San Jose, we visit the towering Poas volcano - its smouldering crater surrounded by tropical forest where humming birds can be seen hovering among wild orchids.

Later we learn about Central America's amazing reptiles at a serpentarium, and visit Costa Rica's most important archaeological site: the Indian ceremonial centre at Guayabo.

Tortuguero National Park: At Turrialba there's a chance to enjoy some whitewater rafting, before we make our way into the forests and swamps of Tortuguero National Park. Boarding our riverboat, we'll enter a network of jungle waterways, where we can hear the cry of howler monkeys and spot brightly coloured parrots among the tangled vegetation.

Monteverde & Pacific Coast: Arenal, a volcanic cone that regularly spews out lava and steam, is our next stop. We then climb into the cloud forest of Monteverde Reserve, where some 2,500 species of rare plants are found, and we can also enjoy some spectacular bird watching, perhaps spotting the resplendent quetzal or even the unusual bare-necked umbrella bird. Finally we head to Manuel Antonio National Park on the Pacific coast. You can soak up the variety of flora and wildlife or just relax on miles of beach, where monkeys and iguanas often wander down to the sand.

Group size is approx. 12 to 18.
Travel is by bus, riverboat & on foot.
Swimming: Most hotels have pools, there will also be an opportunity to swim in the Pacific and several rivers.

Price includes 12 nights hotel, 2 nights lodge, 5 breakfasts, 3 lunches & 2 dinners, tour leader plus driver, boatmen and some local guides.
Price excludes insurance (£79) and airport tax abroad.

Minimum age is 5 years old.
Grade: An easy-going wildlife exploration of Costa Rica's diverse habitats and the opportunity for easy walks in one of Central America's most attractive countries.