Family adventure holiday, Costa Rica and Panama
| country: | Costa Rica, Panama |
| departures: | 2009: 4 Apr, 25 Jul, 8 Aug, 22 Aug, 19 Dec 2010: 27 Mar, 24 Jul, 7 Aug, 21 Aug, 18 Dec |
| price: | From £2249 - £2639 (16 days) per adult and from £1999 per child including flights from the UK. This trip can also be booked without flight from £1599. Minimum age 5 years |
| offers: | If you organise a group of 6 – 9 people onto one of our adventures we will give you £50 off per person. If you organise a group of 10 or more people onto one of our adventures one person will go FREE. Offer can not be combined with any other promotion. The booking must comprise of a minimum of 6 people, with 1 lead passenger who all the booking correspondence will be sent to. Adult prices must be more than £900 per passenger. Valid on all trips departing before 30 Sept 2009. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Help to rescue and nurture young turtles among the beautiful surroundings of beaches, lagoons and pristine rainforest at the Pacuare Reserve turtle conservation project in Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica.
Crossing the border into Panama takes you to the spectacular and hardly known Bocas del Toro, an archipelago of small, palm-fringed islands and white, sandy beaches. Take the time to snorkel in the crystal clear water and marvel at the marine life.
From the Caribbean coast you head inland to the Panamanian Highlands of Boquete. The scenery changes dramatically around you as you enter lush, leafy hills covered in coffee and orange plants. Walking among the unspoilt hills you can see all types of wildlife and plants that will amaze you.
Your final stop on this journey is Panama's capital. Panama City is a vibrant contrast between the modern and the historic. You will see both sides of this in visiting the Panama Canal as well as the old Spanish fort of Portobello.
Crossing the border into Panama takes you to the spectacular and hardly known Bocas del Toro, an archipelago of small, palm-fringed islands and white, sandy beaches. Take the time to snorkel in the crystal clear water and marvel at the marine life.
From the Caribbean coast you head inland to the Panamanian Highlands of Boquete. The scenery changes dramatically around you as you enter lush, leafy hills covered in coffee and orange plants. Walking among the unspoilt hills you can see all types of wildlife and plants that will amaze you.
Your final stop on this journey is Panama's capital. Panama City is a vibrant contrast between the modern and the historic. You will see both sides of this in visiting the Panama Canal as well as the old Spanish fort of Portobello.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Depart London/Arrive San Jose. Fly from London to San Jose. On arrival transfer to your hotel. Hotel – 2 nights |
| Day 2: | San Jose. San José (1150m), the capital city, stands at the heart of the country in the fertile Central Valley, where the majority of the Costa Rican population is concentrated. Today you begin with a guided tour by bus around the sights of the city including visits to the National Museum and ‘INBio Park’, an educational and recreational centre. This provides a fascinating introduction to the natural history of Costa Rica by way of interactive exhibits and interpretative trails through assorted habitats. (B) |
| Day 3: | Braulio Carillo NP. Early morning pick up for the drive through Braulio Carrillo National Park to the Tortuguero canals which line the Atlantic Coast. Here you’ll board a boat to transfer to your lodge in the Pacuare Reserve. Lodge – 3 nights (BLD) |
| Day 4-5: | Pacuare Reserve/Tortuguero NP. This area has long been associated with the catching of turtles (tortuguero means turtle-catcher). The original indigenous inhabitants used turtles as a sustainable resource, but the arrival of Europeans led to major exploitation and reduction in their numbers. Tortuguero National Park, was established in 1970 to protect both the turtles and the natural habitat and is now home to 13 of Costa Rica’s 16 endangered mammals. Among them are manatee, ocelot and jaguar, as well as over 300 bird species, including the threatened great green macaw. First and foremost, however, it is the nesting ground of the green turtle, which comes ashore between August and October to lay its eggs on the sandy beaches. Lesser numbers of the critically endangered hawksbill turtle, plus loggerhead, and giant leatherback turtle also nest within the park at different times of year. For your two days here your focus will be the protection and conservation of the turtles. The exact activities you’ll do will depend on what is needed at the time of you visit however this is likely to include patrolling the beaches with biologists and research assistants looking for the endangered turtles, protecting their nests, collecting research data on individuals. You’ll also learn about these beautiful animals, their habits and lifecycle. (BLD) |
| Day 6: | Cross Panamanian Border. Today is a travelling day as you head south through Costa Rica via Puerto Limón to Sixaola. Cross the Panamanian Border you then drive to La Escapada, where you’ll take a boat to Tranquilo Bay in Bocas del Toro. The archipelago of Bocas del Toro is for the most part a pristine and untouched island chain with unspoiled coral reefs, deep-sea fishing, boating, kayaking, snorkelling and long sandy deserted beaches. The crystal-clear waters are teeming with tropical fish whilst the islands also have their share of tropical forest home to sloths, howler, spider and white-faced monkeys, toucans, parrots, iguanas and tiny, brightly coloured, poison dart frogs. Hotel – 3 nights (BLD) |
| Day 7-8: | Bocas Del Toro. Get the taste for this tropical island paradise on a full-day excursion through the Bastimentos National Marine Park to the Zapatilla Cayes. Bastimentos was Panama's first marine park, established in 1988 to conserve the rich marine and coastal ecosystems found here. The park itself includes wetlands, mangroves, coral reefs, white-sand beaches and more than 200 species of tropical fish. The cayes themselves are two beautiful islands set on a coral platform and surrounded by reefs. They’ll be plenty of time for swimming and snorkelling along the reefs and in the shoals. For those wanting to stretch their legs a little there is a nature trail through the mangroves and forest. You have a day free to relax on the unspoilt beaches of Bocas del Toro or you may choose to take an optional excursions. There is plenty to do on the islands, you could go snorkelling, take a boat or fishing trip or head into the forests for some bird watching. (BLD) |
| Day 9-10: | Boquete Highlands. Returning by boat to the mainland you’ll drive into the hills to Boquete. The town sits on the eastern slopes of Baru Volcano and has the reputation for producing the sweetest oranges and some of the richest coffee in Panama. This is the chance to experience yet another eco-system as the town rests at an altitude of about 1000m and is surrounded by cloud forest and coffee plantations. During your time here you’ll take a hike in the cloud forest, an eerie and magical environment of the giant trees, draping moss and brightly coloured bromeliads. As well as the flora you’ll be keeping your eyes open for the bird life, trying to locate them from their calls. The cloud forests are a key habitat for the Resplendant Quetzal, and the early morning is the best way to see these notoriously shy birds. The sight stunning bright green, red and white birds is truly magical. The afternoon free at leisure for any optional tour, such as a visit to the coffee plantation. (Bx2) |
| Day 11: | Cloudforest/Coffee Plantation. There are lots of optional activities on offer. As well as local coffee plantations there are also hot springs and the more adventurous can fly through the canopy on zip lines (minimum age 6 years old), go white-water rafting (minimum ages apply depending on section tackled but start at 5 years old) and the countryside is perfect for horse riding. (B) |
| Day 12: | Panama City. Today you’ll travel through the Pacific Lowlands to Panama City. The city is a vibrant and eclectic place that can be broken up into three areas. There are the ruins of Panama La Vieja founded in 1519, the Casco Viejo – the historical and colonial centre and finally the skyscrapers of the modern city. Hotel – 2 nights (B) |
| Day 13: | Panama Canal/Portobello Fort. Today you transfer to the station and board the train to Colon on the Atlantic coast. From here you drive to the town of Portobello. The wealth of South America once flowed through this town making it a prime target for the pirates that plied the Caribbean. Their legacy is very much in evidence in the old forts of Santiago and San Geronimo. After exploring the town you’ll head to the world famous Panama Canal. Opened in 1914 the canal was an engineering masterpiece that today allows more than 14,000 vessels a year to cross back and forth between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The sight of the ships going through the giant lock is nothing short of awe-inspiring as there is often only a few feet on either side of the ships as they pass through. Back in Panama City you will visit some of the cities highlights and get the chance to appreciate its contrasts. (B) |
| Day 14-15: | Depart Panama City/Arrive London. Transfer to the airport in Panama City for your flight to London. (B) |
hands on small group family holiday
This is a 'small group family hands on adventure' these are designed to give you a chance to give something very real back to the regions you visit during your trip. Whilst still a great family holiday, on these trips, time is scheduled in (usually 2-3 days) to visit and assist with worthwhile projects, directly benefiting the local people or environment. Typically you will join several other families and travel in a group of approx. 16 people. While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of time to yourselves. Most adventure kids tend to be aged between 7 and 15, but some are younger (minimum age is usually 5) and some older (perhaps travelling as part of a larger family group). Please check with the operator to confirm the minimum age for this trip how this holiday makes a difference
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These adventures are designed to give you a chance to give something very real back to the regions you visit during your trip. Whilst still a great family holiday, on these trips, time is scheduled in (usually 2-3 days) to visit and assist with a variety of conservation and wildlife charities, getting to see their work up close and in action.
On this trip: This fantastic adventure gives the whole family the opportunity to join in with the valuable work of the Pacuare Reserve Turtle Conservation Project. Working closely with the researchers, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in the turtle patrols along the beaches, protecting the nests, hiding them from poachers and helping to count, measure and tag the turtles – all of which helps to preserve this fragile eco-system. Your visit not only helps support this project practically, but your stay also offers much needed financial support to the team at the reserve. All of our small group adventures are designed to impact as little as possible on the regions through which we travel – this trip is no exception. We have chosen the lodges and hotels carefully to ensure they reflect the character of the local area and we work closely with a local agent who employs local guides, drivers and the Group Leader on our behalf and money from our visit reaches a wide range of people from local hoteliers to restaurateurs. Our small groups have minimal impact on the environment, and our interaction with local people helps demonstrate the importance of preserving the region’s cultural heritage whilst protecting sites of historical and natural importance. Our Responsible Travel Code: Clients who travel with us will automatically receive a copy of our Responsible Travel leaflet. This contains details and advice on how you can make a positive difference when you travel. If you would like a copy in advance of travel please contact us. Charity Partnerships: We work in partnership with the following charities. SOS Children is the world’s largest orphan and abandoned children charity, helping some of the world’s most vulnerable children whose parents are not there for them. We also support Friends of Conservation – an international charity committed to working with local people to develop a balance between their needs and the wildlife with which they share the natural habitat and ecosystems. Other charities that we work closely with include the Born Free Foundation, an animal welfare charity working to prevent animal suffering in captivity and to protect them in the wild, the Galapagos Conservation Trust - a UK charity that raises funds and awareness for the conservation of the Galapagos Islands, and The Travel Foundation, a UK charity that has been established to promote responsible travel practises throughout the whole of the travel industry. Carbon Balancing: Global warming is a real issue and is a direct result of your travel. We have teamed up with the Tourism Industry Carbon Offset Service to give you the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions from your flight. You’ll be asked upon booking if you want to donate to the solar stove and poverty reduction project we are supporting in South Africa – with set amounts from £4. As a company we offset the carbon emissions from all staff travel and office energy use in full. Our Foundation: We’ve highlighted a few of the ways in which we offer our support to various charitable initiatives, both financially and otherwise, and now you can too. We have set up our own foundation, which will administer funds donated by you and us. A small donation of £1 per person will be taken when booking a holiday and that money will be put to good use by one of our carefully selected projects. If you don’t want to make the donation, just tell us when you book. To encourage you to do this and to put our money where our mouth is, we’ll match every single £1 donated and this we’ll give to our charity partner, Just a Drop. This is a global charity founded by members of the international travel industry, aiming to provide clean water and sanitation where it is most badly needed. In the developing world it costs just £1 to supply water to a child for nearly 10 years, so for every single person who travels with us, we’ll give Just a Drop £1. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |