Costa Rica Family Trip Review: La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, Tortuguero, Canyoning, Wildlife, Private Tours

Review by traveler

Elaine Y.

9.9.2023

General Info

Traveler Review

Which Country (Countries) did you visit on this trip?

Costa Rica

Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:

When my parents decided they wanted our entire family, 18 people, ranging in age from seven to 80, to go to Costa Rica as a belated celebration for their 50th wedding anniversary, I knew we would need help to make it happen. I reached out to a few different travel companies for quotes and more information, and we ultimately chose this one to help plan this trip of a lifetime.

From the beginning, Pierre and the team at the travel agency offered great insight and advice. They asked lots of questions to make sure they met our needs, and with such a large group, there were many different things to take into consideration. They were also very good at working within our general budget, which ended up being approximately $1500 per person for the main part of the trip (10 days in La Fortuna, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio). We also added a Tortuguero extension for 14 of us.

Throughout the planning process, Pierre and the team were great at updating the itinerary and keeping us informed. We ended up adding on a few tours just a few weeks before the start of the trip and they quickly worked to include those. (It is challenging to get 18 people together for a discussion, so it took us a while to confirm some of the optional tours.)

From day one everything was very efficient and smooth. We had comfortable private transportation between destinations and for all of our tours, we had private transfers and guides, except for the Tortuguero extension. Pierre chose great hotels for us in terms of amenities, ambiance, etc, though in hindsight, with 18 people, accommodations that were within walking distance to town, restaurants, etc, would have made things easier.

We also happened to celebrate three birthdays on this trip, including my husband's 50th, for which Pierre and his team surprised us by arranging a beautiful cake, balloons, and sparkling wine. That was incredibly thoughtful. Then they helped us arrange a cake at our resort in Tortuguero for my sister.

Definitely a very memorable family trip with so many great moments. We saw so much wildlife and had many exciting experiences. Thank you!

What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?

We loved seeing so much wildlife in their natural habitat, and the diversity of the ecosystems. Seeing the green turtles laying eggs at Tortuguero, sloths, the quetzal, the blue morpho...those are some of our wildlife favourites. We also loved watching the monkeys, especially at the resort in Manuel Antonio.
For tours, everyone's favourite was either canyoning at Arenal or the safari river float. The canyoning was so much fun and I highly recommend this to everyone. My parents didn't take part but our youngest participant was 7 years old. The guides were so great at calming fears and making sure everyone was having a great time. The safari river float was really lovely, despite the pouring rain, and it was such a relaxing way to enjoy nature.
We also loved our Curi Cancha tour in Monteverde. Our guides there were excellent and it was peaceful and beautiful without hordes of tourists.
Tortuguero was very special and we would have enjoyed it more if it hadn't been so incredibly hot and humid. :( The food at the lodge was excellent.
The kids absolutely loved the pools at the hotel in La Fortuna...a definitely highlight. The waterslides were a huge hit and they spent a lot of time doing that.
The pool and beach at the resort in Manuel Antonio were also very beautiful, though the steep grounds were challenging for my parents.
We also really loved the little cabins in Monteverde...it was a really nice change to have larger family-style accommodations with a kitchen. We enjoyed the hammocks on the decks. They also have a beautiful garden that guests can go use and pick fresh veggies.
Also, the special 50th birthday surprise for my husband was a very memorable highlight!

If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?

I think I would probably look closer at the location of accommodations. While the hotels were all great, location wasn't always ideal for dinner, shopping, etc. Both hotels in La Fortuna and in Manuel Antonio were located further outside of the main part of town and if we wanted to go for dinner in town, that was challenging. We couldn't just walk down the street from those properties.

Costa Rica Family Trip Review: La Fortuna, Monteverde, Manuel Antonio, Tortuguero, Canyoning, Wildlife, Private Tours

General Info

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Your overall comments on the trip and the travel company:

What were the most enjoyable or memorable parts of your trip?

If you could take your trip again, what would you do differently?

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