From Monkeys to Macaws: Colorful Costa Rica With Your Grandchild

If heat and humidity do not bother you and you are a curious senior in good physical shape, From Monkeys to Macaws in Costa Rica with your grandchild is an awesome choice for you! Costa Rica is an unique central American Country that contrasts with many others and deserves a visit.

From Monkeys to Macaws: Colorful Costa Rica With Your Grandchild. Was a great fun and educational program for myself and my 13 year old grandson. I would highly recommend it to any interested in a great experience with their grandchild!

A perfect trip for grandparents and grandchildren to share a wonderful experience. All activities were planned with the ages of the children in mind. Andre and Liz were fantastic group leaders. They solved problems easily and meshed well with the kids. Highly recommend this trip to make lasting memories with your grandchild.

This program was so exciting and enjoyable that my granddaughter did not want to leave Costa Rica.

The diversity of wildlife in Costa Rica is amazing, and we were able to see and learn about it through the eyes of our expert guides.

Top notch. I highly recommend Road Scholar and in particular the Costa Rica trip we took with our granddaughter. The balance between adventure and education was perfect.

This program is a rich, comprehensive dip into Costa Rica's plant and animal world, including everything from zip-lining at the top of the rain-forest canopy to floating past crocodiles on the Tarcoles River.

Comprehensive and appropriate for the age of the children. A well run program!

Here is what my 10 year old granddaughter, Hazel, had to say about the trip. “I would give road scholar 10/10 stars! I love how they had everything all planned out, you didn't need to worry about all the side stuff like lunches and hotels. They are very prepared too! I also liked that they did briefing for the next day every day instead of telling us everything at once! They told us what to bring, they told us what to wear, and they told us the order of the schedule. I have no bad things to say about them, they made my trip even better than I thought! They made sure if everyone was comfortable and wanted to do it. The activities that I did were SO FUN! I did a lot of things I thought I would never do! I would LOVE to go on another road scholar trip! I totally recommend this to people who love adventures and the outdoors!” I completely agree with her. I found all of the information sent prior to the trip to be very informative and helpful. I think the website is excellent. Our leaders, Fabi and Danny, were excellent (as was Sammy the bus driver). They are very knowledgable and related well to both grandparents and kids. I liked that while the focus was on education about nature and conservation, our activities were varied and fun. We all enjoyed looking at birds and animals through the scope. Hazel was quite nervous about rafting and ziplining but did both and loved both. Some highlights for me: -Staying at the Selve Verde Lodge and meeting Andrea Holbrook -Visiting the Macaw Farm -The “free” afternoon at the pool when Danny played games with the kids. This was a nice change of pace for them. It was wonderful to watch seven of the nine kids having so much fun together. One grandmother thought that teaching us a song would be a great way to increase our knowledge of Spanish. I agree. This was my second Road Scholar trip. I look forward to more. Thank you! This trip should have five stars.

The team — Fabi, Danny and Sammy — were outstanding in every way! They were professional, always available, and really enjoyed showing us their country. The stay at Selva Verde was the best, the way we were immersed in the rainforest. The trip to the bat science setting was my favorite, but all the activities were amazing. It’s been a week and we haven’t stopped talking about the experience and reliving moments. Highly recommend.

A wonderful program with the value that we should learn about our environment and care about protecting it. A great balance of active hands on learning with more listening to wonderful involved experts. Physically fairly demanding but always guided by well trained and safe experts in their businesses and fields. Inspiring in so many ways, this is a program that is fun and active and involving. It makes life time memories for your grandchild and you and could inspire your grandchild to see the world in a new way.

This was an outstanding adventure for both myself and my granddaughter. My highest complements to our guides Edwardo and Andrey Acosta. They were superb and exceptional with the kids and adults too. Knowledgeable, Kind, Joyful, Flexible. They made the trip seamless. We enjoyed every expedition and met the most wonderful people leading the group that day. We enjoyed the places we stayed in. My favorite was the lodge in Sarapiqui. It was laid out and gave us a great appreciation for the rainforest. We loved the chocolate farm and the rafting trip. Our guide was the best. The Macaw Farm was very fun and the arenal hanging bridges, waterfalls very memorable. The Hotel at Arenal was nice, but we did not have even warm water. The kids loved the thermal springs and again Edwardo and Andrey had lots of extra activities for us (dancing and bird watching). Zipline was very challenging and unique. The farm experience at Arenal Vida Campesina was ok, but the guide seemed inexperienced and did not keep the attention of the group. The enjoyed making tortillas. The Hotel in the Central Pacific was ok. It was very big and overwhelming. Loved the sea canoeing and our guide Capt. Leo. The food was good, best at the first two hotels. Lots of variety. We had contact with the emergency travel twice on this trip. First our flight into CR was diverted. They responded very quickly. Going home, we lost our connection in Miami and had to be on the phone with emergency travel for about 2 hrs. We were on hold a good part of the time and the plan kept changing. Finally, after we insisted, we were advised that we had hotel rooms and flights booked for the next day. This was the most frustrating part of the trip, but we did get resolution. Overall, it was a marvelous trip and I and my granddaughter are looking forward to another opportunity to travel with RS.

This is one of the best programs I have attended with Road Scholar. Highly recommend!

Our experience with our grandson was exactly what we hoped for. Look forward to another with our granddaughter next year.

This is the third time we have taken this trip, each with a different grandchild. The previous trips were in 2011 and in 2017. We enjoyed each trip equally. Acquired new knowledge on each trip and enjoyed everything we re-experienced. Jose and Lenin were excellent group leaders. Knowledgeable, personable, and highly competent.

This trip had to be one of the most fantastic experiences I ever had. This is saying a lot since I have traveled quite a bit all over the world. Each activity on this trip was carefully thought out and perfect for both children and adults. Our two guides were absolutely delightful and very knowledgeable. This is an absolute must experience if you want to have a great adventure with your grandchild.

My grandson and I are just back from this trip. To say it was amazing, well, that doesn't begin to describe our experience. The activities were appropriate to the grandparents as well as their grandchildren. Roger and Gilbert (Cheeto) put a lot of energy into making this trip adventurous, educational and smooth-running for everyone who was on the trip. I particularly liked the presentation of Costa Rica as a country where we could use all 5 senses to learn about and enjoy our surroundings - and it was absolutely true. Of course the zip lining, outriggers and rafting were highlights, but we also learned so much about cooking in Costa Rica, making chocolate, running a small farm, biodiversity of the country, volcanoes, macaws, bats and so much more. We went all 3 early morning birding walks and were rewarded with not only birds, but monkeys and beautiful flowering plants. The hotels were well located for our day trips and in general, very comfortable. All had pools so that if any of the grandchildren still had some energy at the end of the day, they could burn it off while we looked on -or joined them in the pool. The food was varied with lots of pineapple and watermelon - delicious! It's pretty obvious that I was very impressed with the program. I recommend it for anyone who, along with their grandchildren, is accustomed to a high energy activity level. This was my 3rd intergenerational trip with grandchildren and I enjoyed every bit as much as the first 2.

Outstanding experience for both my grandchild and me. RoadScholar "skip-gen" experiences are available nowhere else.

This program is a MUST for anyone who wishes to take their grand children on a truly incredible trip. To me, it was a trip of a lifetime to have spent 10 wonderful days with my grandson on this outstanding trip!

We learned an incredible amount about the diversity of plants and animals in Costa Rica. The guides were enthusiastic and knowledgeable. There was a variety of activities. My grandson especially like making chocolate from seed to finished (delicious) product. We felt that our participation in this program helps the residents of Costa Rica be motivated to preserve the rain forest.

My husband and I just returned from the From Monkeys to Macaw to Monkey Costa Rica trip for grandparents and teens. The program was fantastic! In less than two weeks, we experienced exciting, informative and hands on programs and activities that were tailored for kids 15-75. Our guide, Jose, was knowledgable, accommodating and personable. My main goal was to create an experience with our grandson that he would enjoy now but treasure in the future as he looks back on our time together. I believe Road Scholar helped me achieve that goal.

Website hard to find what you are looking for. A lot of information. Sometimes too much information was provided multiple times to email.

Website moderately helpful but very difficult to reach a representative. Long wait times

Best vacation trip we have ever taken! A delightful mix of adventure, education, culture and interaction with other participants that kept both age groups engaged and excited.

My wife and I just returned from our Costa Rica adventure with our granddaughter. From Monkeys to Macaws was an exceptional experience for everyone. It was the perfect mix of adventure and learning. I strongly recommend this program for anyone considering visiting Costa Rica.

Sharing this experience with my granddaughter was wonderful! I can't say enough good things about this program - from the amazing guides to the adventures to the educational components - every element was first rate.

This is an incredible program for active grandparents and children. So much to do everyday. I cannot even remember all the fabulous activities we shared. I made four new friends who I intend to stay in touch with. My granddaughter is in a chat group and has already communicated with her friends. A blast!! Exceeded my expectations every day!!

Great trip but it was disappointing to be dropped at the airport at 10:00 for a 3:00 flight coming home.

This is an awesome trip for grandparents and grandchildren. There is learning and adventure! You won’t regret this experience.

This was my 6th trip with RS. It started a little shaky when the wrong itinerary was passed out causing some confusion. This was rectified on day 2 and the trip got back to normal. A great trip with knowledgeable guides and much to see and do. We even had to dodge an incoming hurricane and evacuate to the coast The guides were great handling the changes and filled in activities on the fly while dodging downed trees and power lines in the process. Learned much about the history, people and culture of the wonderful people of Costa Rico. Kudos to Lenin and Eric our guides and special shout out to our superb bus driver Omar. I don't know how he navigated some of the obstacles. Very good experience for grand kids and grand parents alike.

I just got back after my first grandparent and grandchild trip! I can’t wait to do it again!

Thought you'd like to know that this review was printed on GO World Travel in December, 2021: https://www.goworldtravel.com/costa-rica-ecotourism-adventure/

Hand feeding gentle semi-wild Macaws, and later wild capuchin monkeys who visited our beach picnic—and seeing their little faces as we handed them a bit of pineapple—were moments of great awe and joy for both my grandson and myself. I think this trip will have made an indelible impression on us both, in many ways.

My grandchild, husband and I all enjoyed the variety of activities in this program. There was also sufficient free time for our grandchild to enjoy the pools at the various resorts where we stayed.

This is the 2nd time we have taken this trip with a grandchild. This is a wonderful location for a grandparent/grandchild trip. This trip left us with lifelong memories of a special time together with a grandchild.

From Monkeys to Macaws: Colorful Costa Rica with Your Grandchild was a top-notch program which met expectations and beyond. We saw monkeys in the rain forests, macaws and toucans in the wild and in flight, a mother sloth holding an infant, poison dart frogs, red-eyed tree frogs, blue jeans frogs and more, and fell in love with bats, as we learned to appreciate them, up close and personal!

A wonderful week of a wide variety of experiences shared with your grandchild. The week was fun, educational and eye-opening on a whole spectrum of areas from wildlife to history and culture.

An exceptional experience with my 17-yr-old grandson. He had a great time and said he was glad he had chosen this tour. It provided a combination of physically challenging experiences (ziplining over rain forest, white water rafting, outrigger canoe paddling, hanging bridges) and educational ones (bat research, cacao and coffee growing and processing, walks through gorgeous forests with exceptional birds, monkeys, and reptiles). Our guide was well-informed, organized, and super friendly. ( Only comment is to warn people about possibility of intestinal upset and possible need for over-the-counter meds to control that. Definitely on "to pack" list. ) A+ experience overall.

Wonderful experience for my granddaughter and me. Getting ready for the trip the Covid regulations were a challenge but so worth it in the end. Costa Rica is a beautiful country with to much diversity. We especially liked the white water rafting, the kayaking and the visits to local farms. Zip lining was a special challenge for me, but granddtr. loved it. Beautiful flora and fauna. Wonderful accommodations. HIghly recommend.

For grandparents with grandkids ages 12-14, this was an enormously satisfying trip. There were moments of challenge, but we felt safe at all times. The activities and trips were educational and fun for both the kids and the adults, and we experienced a vast sampling of the country of Costa Rica. Simply a beautiful experience.

This was an excellent program to introduce our 13 year old grandson to a culturally different country. Guides were beyond fantastic. The program kept us busy, with interesting information and activities, while also allowing free time for swimming and bonding with other kids.

This trip had everything that was advertised. We got to visit many different areas of Costa Rica, we traveled on a wonderful, private coach, and saw sights few others would get to see if they tried to plan a trip themselves. I highly recommend it.

This is a great program! A well organized and friendly trip through stunning scenery, new animals and plants, new foods and a new language. Organized and led by wonderful people, I can't imagine a better introduction to this beautiful country!

This was a great program for teens and grandparents. We loved the wildlife and the activities.

Our Costa Rican experience will never be forgotten for the friendly people on the trip, leading the trip, and in each location. The activities were thrilling and we learned so much. My grandson and I made a book and wrote about our time together. I know he will look back on this time with a happy heart.

I'm impressed: every single grandchild, irrespective of age or sex, had a really great time, each and every day! And they seem to have learned an awful lot in the process. That's what a good program is supposed to do, and this did it well. The overall quality and the unique educational opportunities greatly enhanced the already excellent opportunities to bond with one's grandchildren.

This was a fantastic trip -- 100% successful for both my grandson and myself -- on so many levels. Everything about it was perfect. The two guides -- Roger and Pedro -- were superb. They were extremely knowledgeable, personable, and helpful. The accommodations, the food, the activities, were all top drawer! it was the trip of a life time for my 13 year old grandson, and for me -- memories that we will hold close to our hearts forever. I loved that I always knew that Road Scholar, and Holbrook, and our two guides and driver had our backs 100% of the time. I would recommend Road Scholar Grandparents' trip to anyone. This is my second grandparent trip, and I am sad to say that I didn't learn of these trips until I was on my last two youngest. I've run out of grandchildren. Thank you, thank you for the work you do to build memories for us.