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Costa Rica

From Monkeys to Macaws: Colorful Costa Rica With Your Grandchild

Program No. 3636RJ
Fly a little south of the U.S. to discover a world of chatty macaws, playful monkeys, industrious leaf cutter ants and butterflies as you explore Costa Rica with your grandchild.

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Protecting the Environment

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At a Glance

A scarlet macaw swooping overhead. A trek through the green rainforest. A large crocodile gliding unnoticed in the river. Postcards simply won’t do Costa Rica justice – you have to experience it for yourself! Alongside your grandchild, search for truly amazing animals, like sloths and howler monkeys, as you march through the rainforest, sail along the rivers, kayak the warm waters and zipline over the jungle on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure together. On this week-long journey, you’ll learn about all the colorful landscapes on walks through nature and across hanging bridges as you both go wild in Costa Rica.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to 1.5 hours a day over uneven trails in hot and humid conditions, zip lining, swimming activities, and getting in and out of boats and buses. Elevations up to 5,000 feet.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

What You'll Learn

  • Keep your eyes peeled for sloths, iguanas, monkeys, crocs and more as you float along the Sarapiqui and Tarcoles Rivers with an expert naturalist.
  • Hold onto your helmets as you zipline over the jungle and walk over hanging bridges to view a large volcano.
  • Explore a local farm where silly macaws fly about and learn how the locals are trying to protect them.

General Notes

Program is for grandchildren ages 9-11 or 12-14 or 15-17, depending on the date. This program allows participants to explore a number of Costa Rica’s eco-systems in a relatively short amount of time. Bus travel is a necessity for an up-close experience, but program activities help to break up travel time. Local road conditions, weather, traffic and elevation are factors in determining time of travel.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
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Andrey Acosta
Andrey Acosta is a certified Costa Rican naturalist expedition leader and a birding enthusiast. The ocean was his first love, and his fondest childhood memories involve swimming and playing with friends at the beach in his hometown of Puntarenas. He discovered the joys of birdwatching while studying ecotourism at the Universidad de Costa Rica. As cash-strapped students, Andrey and friends birded on a budget, assisting in bird counts and volunteering. He has been leading educational groups since 2015 and is also a licensed scuba diver.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Andrey Acosta
Andrey Acosta View biography
Andrey Acosta is a certified Costa Rican naturalist expedition leader and a birding enthusiast. The ocean was his first love, and his fondest childhood memories involve swimming and playing with friends at the beach in his hometown of Puntarenas. He discovered the joys of birdwatching while studying ecotourism at the Universidad de Costa Rica. As cash-strapped students, Andrey and friends birded on a budget, assisting in bird counts and volunteering. He has been leading educational groups since 2015 and is also a licensed scuba diver.
Profile Image of Edwin Duarte
Edwin Duarte View biography
Edwin Duarte’s childhood in dry forests of Guanacaste honed his observational skills. Birds and native plants were an early obsession. Edwin completed university degrees in agro/eco-tourism and education, and is a certified naturalist. His first foray into group leading was active adventure, including zip-lining, rappelling, kayaking, and white water rafting. Edwin now lives at the base of a volcano. He is a gifted, multifaceted individual who lives to grow and share, learning more about the world as he teaches others.
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