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What an amazing trip with so much to see and do. What an experience.
Green turtles laying eggs and all the wildlife and National Parks. Making Chocolate and making coffee.
Jorge was Outstanding in every way. He loved his country, his job and life. Victor was also an excellent driver.
Enjoy
A fantastic taste of Costa Rica
There were too many moments of awe to pin point just one but watching a turtle lay her eggs by moonlight and return to the sea was a highlight. Sloths, a tapir in the garden, a dolphin leaping, all 4 types of monkeys and a quetzal were just a tiny part of the wildlife we saw. Add to that, making chocolate, walking in the cloud forest and visiting an organic coffee farm…
We had a fabulous group leader, Jorge. He wanted to provide the very best experience for us and with his wealth of knowledge we saw just about everything on our lists. He kept us well informed when we had to make a change to the itinerary due to heavy rains but even that turned into an adventure where we saw more of the beautiful interior of the country.
If you go in the rainy season you will get wet! A poncho is the best think to bring as it covers your kit. Be prepared for early starts where you will be rewarded with amazing animal encounters.
Costa Rica is beautiful and Jorge Diaz, our guide was wonderful. He had a bigger than normal job, due to road closures from rain/landslides, but he did it all.with clear communication and patience. He is passionate about his country and his work. He clearly enjoys teaching visitors about Costa Rica. We saw so many beautiful parks and stayed in lovely accommodations. The only problem was with one hotel in Cahuita that didn’t have running water. The rain only interfered with a few activities but we did other things that made up for it. The wildlife viewing was spectacular—sloths, tapirs, turtles, crocs, boas and so many different birds. The chocolate making tour and coffee farm tour were fun and interesting. Both were delicious and I am now a coffee drinker! At least of Cafe Cristina’s light roast! If you are thinking about this trip, go—you won’t be disappointed. Pura Vida!
Seeing the sloths at the Sloth Sanctuary. Their “residents” are all injured in some capacity that doesn’t allow them to return to the wild. We learned so much about these interesting animals.
Jorge was terrific. It was really fun to get to know him over the 2 weeks and I would highly recommend him. Our driver, Victor, was also top notch.
Enjoy yourselves! The food is delicious but don’t expect hot and spicy like Mexican. Rice, beans, vegetables and seafood are typical. US dollars are accepted nearly everywhere. Larger places take credit cards but internet can be spotty can be difficult to authorize at times. Take care walking around larger cities like San Jose. The gutters along the sidewalks are DEEP!
I loved this trip! The itinerary was excellent – we saw so much and varied wildlife – dolphins, whales, a tapir, howler monkeys, quetzal, scarlet macaws, sloths, turtles and so on! Lots of variety and included some more remote places. Cahuita was great, and Torteguero, and Drakes Bay were particular highlights. Savegre was a lovely cooler spot for a couple of days, really loved Corcovado and the snorkelling. Accommodation and food was of a really good standard overall. La Marta needed more time spent there – the short walk didn’t really do it justice. I had maybe expected some longer walks generally on some of the days activities, however we were able to do some additional walking on our free days / time. We had a group of ten which was a nice number, and a really great bunch of people!
Seeing a turtle laying eggs and seeing turtles mating at sea, seeing a whole flock of macaws, spending 10 minutes watching a tapir munching fruit, and of course, seeing the quetzal! Waking up to the sound of howler monkeys and the forest. Too many to mention!
Randall was fabulous! His fun, friendly and organised way of leading the group, combined with his enthusiasm, expert knowledge of wildlife, plants and of CR more generally, made him one of the best tour leaders. As well as the itinerary activities and optional trips, he arranged other things not on the itinerary such as stopping at a cafe where there was a good chance of seeing a quetzal (which we did!), and organising a trip to the sloth sanctuary at Cahuita.
Be realistic when wildlife viewing - trying to looking for birds and animals often in dense forest means that wildlife can be difficult to spot even when there is plenty of it! Although Costa Rica is not a huge country, some places are quite remote so travel can take time- but travelling by boat is always enjoyable!
An Absolutely Fabulous adventure seeing a lot of what Costa Rica has to offer. Seeing the interesting and varied wildlife, flora and fauna on the Caribbean, in the mountains and at the Pacific.
There were so many moments it is hard to pick. We saw animals from the start - a sloth in a tree when we stopped for breakfast on the first day on our way to Tortuguero NP and that set the tone for the rest of the holiday. The boat trip the lodge in Tortuguero NP was great stopping whenever there was anything interesting to see, sloths, Caymans, crocodiles, different types of birds etc The second afternoon boat trip was particularly spectacular. The morning boat trip was undertaken in torrential rain so not much was seen but in the afternoon when the rain had stopped and it became beautiful sunny day we saw lots - sloths, monkeys, iguanas, birds etc plus when we turned into tributary the water turned black so the mangroves were see in spectacular reflections. Even our boat captain was taking photos. Listening to the rain and thunder storms whist staying at Evergreen lodge in the NP became part of the experience. The humming birds and seeing the Resplendant Quetzal in Savegre as well as the humpback whales, dolphins and turtles on Drakes Bay. I am going through hundreds of photos but also took the time just to immerse myself in the whole adventure. We were so luck - we saw everything!
Our group leader Carlos was fantastic. He had an encyclopaedic knowledge of Costa Rica's flora and fauna as well as answering all our questions about the country and the way of life. So we got the full experience. Nothing was too much trouble, he went above and beyond to make this an unforgettable trip - even going through my bird book marking all the birds we had seen on the trip. As Carlos also runs photographic tours he helped me with my photography and also shared some on his photos which my lenses just could not capture. Our driver was Randall - who got us to where we needed to go and couldn't have been more helpful. On our trip there were only 6 of us - so it made it easier for the guide to point things out and us all have a good chance to photograph - it made it a rather personal tour.
It is not called the rain forest for nothing!. Do not let the rain stop you or you will miss out - just go with it as activities will take place what ever the weather unless it is dangerous. We experienced a lot of torrential rain showers. Take a good rain poncho - it is good for covering your bags also, an umbrella, a good dry bag when travelling on water or walking in the rain forest, closed toed water shoes. We had to wade through knee deep waterways - which were footpaths. I used my canoe shoes. If you wear your trainers they will get soaked and as it is very humid things do not dry very quickly. Insect repellent is a must also as in sunscreen. If you are taking photographic equipment make sure that you have something to cover it with. I also took pouches of silica gel which I kept with my camera and lenses to absorb any moisture. We took Colons as well as US dollars since they could be used to pay in local shops or also when you stop for lunch. If you have any left they can form part of the tip. Mastercard was accepted at all the hotels we stayed in also. When in the mountains you will need a fleece or jumper since it gets a bit cold
Interesting and varied wildlife opportunities every day at a very leisurely pace. Some long journey times but with adequate breaks that made it manageable. A great driver (Carlos) and an excellent guide (Jorge) made for a great journey.
Every day there was something different from animated sloths, ant-eater, racoons and the vivid colours of the birds through to an encounter with a turtle, humpback whale and a Sailfish. Expect to be woken early morning by Howler monkeys (you'll need to be up anyway). If you want to see the Quetzal expect to wait and wait and wait. You might get lucky and see one in five minutes but that wasn't our lucky. One day we waited for two hours, we saw the tail feathers of the male and nothing else. Another day we waited for another two hours. This time we were rewarded with a glimpse of the head and shoulders of a female Quetzal. The programme didn't schedule this much time but we just made the time after all not that many Costa Ricans have seen their National bird.
Brilliant! Any other comment would be superfluous.
As the Trip Notes mention you need to be prepared for all weathers. 30 minutes before a 6am departure to look for wildlife on the river the heavens opened and the rain was torrential. Just a few minutes before our departure it stopped. We were lucky, a few minutes either way and we'd have been soaked to the skin. Throughout the trip the humidity was high - bottom line, you will not completely dry any clothes. Savegre will come as a shock after many days at 28-30C because at night in the Rain forest you'll be looking for fleeces and trousers to wear (unless you're Canadian). On the journey to Drakes Bay you will spend around an hour in a high powered motorboat. Sitting mid-point in the boat the sound levels were consistently around 100dB. You might want to consider some ear plugs. Cold is not an issue at Irazu but the altitude could be. It effects different people in different ways but just remember that at 3,400m you'll be above the clouds and the air will be thin.
On our second night in Costa Rica I had a huge wave of emotion hit me… I was sleeping in the rainforest during a tropical thunderstorm with frogs croaking and insects chirping.. it was AMAZING!
Hard to pick out a defining part but I do have a little bit of love for whales and seeing humpbacks and drakes bay will stay with me forever. Tortoguero and Drakes Bay are by far the highlights of the trip. Everyday there was a chance to see new wildlife that you hadn't seen before.
Both Jorge (our guide) and Carlos (our driver) were exceptional throughout the entirety of the trip. Jorge was always on the lookout with his eagle eyes for anything moving in the bushes. His passion to make sure we got to see the best Costa Rica had to offer was only outshon by his helpfulness and that everyone in the group was well looked after. Carlos was always there with a smile on his face to greet us in the morning and to make sure all our luggage was safe and secure on the minibus. Again, always going that extra mile to make sure the experience you had was 5+.
Although most reviews say to take dollars I actually had no issues with mainly using the local currency, and you will always get them in change so why bother taking multipe currancies. Drake's Bay is very hot! In the jungle its a constant sweatbox, occasionally we stepped outside onto the beach and whilst the humidity went the sun was just unrelentless. Also with Drakes Bay the "wilderness" is non exisntant. Mulitple boats doing the same thing all wanting to get the best for their customers - just somthing to be wary about. Most hotels had AC, those that didn't had ceiling fans which most of the time did the job, one hotel the fan wasn't working, but we were only their for one night. On previous trips there were optional extras suggested for free time - but I found I had to arrange some of this myself. Double check trip notes with those of the guide as the "optional (included) second boat ride at Tortuguero" was not an option.
This trip was an excellent introduction to the many and varied climactic zones in Costa Rica and their associated wildlife. All of the locations visited on the trip were really interesting, although perhaps a minor change could be made to improve the experience.
Costa Rica is a relatively small country and so driving distances were easily manageable.
Drake bay - returning by boat to the Wilderness Lodge following a rain forest walk, we saw some whales breaching. On investigating, we found that sitting in the boat with the engines off, the whales could be heard vocalising. Absolutely magical moment. Even outrguide said he had not heard that before. Nearly saw a puma at Drake Bay - pug mark in the mud only. But the forest walk was still one of the highlights. Staying in the Savegre Cloud forest area was also very good. Had a very brief glimpse of a quetzal.
The group leader Jorge was excellent, as was the driver Carlos. Jorge had an encyclopaedic knowledge of the birds and wildlife that we could expect to find in each area, and was very quick in spotting wildlife and setting up his scope so that all could get a good close up view. Jorge also gave a good overview of life in Costa Rica during the longer drives. Jorge was very good at managing the group, and seemed to enjoy his trip with us.
Although the trip is aimed at people who like to swim/snorkel etc it is not mandatory, and I found that having no interest in maritime pursuits was not a problem. Plenty of other things to do. I would recommend walking into the little village at Drake bay - an interesting place to stop for refreshments and a walk around.
There were a couple of memorable highlights over two weeks that involved a lot of travelling by bus. However, the point of the trip was to cover a lot of ground to get a broad experience of what Costa Rica has to offer, and that was achieved. Apparently, it was the first time this trip had run since Covid and lockdown, and the guide told us to ignore the trip notes as they were out of date. That wasn’t always the case, but it gave the impression that the guide didn’t know what to expect at each destination and whether advertised activities would go ahead. In some places, it was evident that things needed some updating. The Caribbean side in Cahuita had clearly suffered due to the dramatic fall in tourism, and accommodation facilities were very poor as a result. But this will be an issue everywhere, no doubt, and it’s a case of managing expectations.
If you need an escape in 2022 then Costa Rica is certainly a safe, sunny and visually beautiful place to visit.
Without a doubt it was the Pacific side at Drakes Bay Wilderness resort. It feels quite remote, takes an hour and a half boat journey as there is no road access, and the place itself is wonderfully understated. The food is fabulous, all included in the price, and the staff are really great; helpful, relaxed, and as local folk very knowledgeable about the area and its flora and fauna. I would have spent half the trip there easily. There are many activities available though for 3 nights, 2 full days, we could only do two, snorkeling and a waterfall walk in a newly protected (since the seventies) coastal rainforest.
Knowledgeable, a bit mechanical in his delivery, and on this trip, he said his first as a tour guide in over a year, lacking essential understanding of a duty of care beyond Covid rules. Without unnecessary detail an incident occurred where one client verbally abused another in a very intimidating and threatening manner, in public and in front of the tour leader, driver and group, and although the tour guide agreed that it was unacceptable behaviour, he did nothing to address it or remedy it and as a result of ignoring that behaviour it made for a very bad atmosphere throughout the trip. When you are expected to travel with x number of total strangers for several weeks, often eating together, doing activities together, and in this case, spending long periods of time travelling together then being aware of the importance of setting clear boundaries in terms of acceptable, and unacceptable behaviour is vital in supporting a clear code of conduct. This didn't happen, and no responsibility was taken on the part of the tour leader to address it. These things do need to be nipped in the bud to avoid unpleasant atmospheres; in the case of intimidation, bulling etc of one client by another, it is the tour leader that must lay down the rules. There should be something in traveller documentation in terms of behaviour expectations, but I couldn't find anything.
I did everything, walks etc, wearing a pair of crocs so you could save packing space and leave your walking boots behind. Unless you are a big SLR camera enthusiast, then if you've got a good camera in your phone, just use that. I've never just used my phone before, as I've always used my SLR with several choices of lens, but it broke a few days before I left, so I had no choice. Photos were great. Bring good binoculars as there will be a lot of birds, monkeys and that elusive sloth hidden away high in the trees.
We would like to thank Phyllis for her review, although we are very sorry that she was disappointed with aspects of the leadership of her tour. Alejandro is a very experienced and knowledgeable tour leader, who has recently started leading for Exodus, and the general feedback we have received about him has been overwhelmingly positive. Having discussed the incident with him, we are satisfied that Alejandro followed the steps we would expect from our tour leaders on the rare occasions incidents such as this occur. However, we will continue to closely monitor the feedback we receive from clients who join his trips to ensure that he is meeting our expectations on every departure he leads.
We regret that the accommodation in Cahuita fell below expectations, as this is not the type of feedback we expect to receive. At the beginning of each season, our product managers and local managers use client and staff feedback to review each property used on this tour, and if any concerns are raised by clients throughout the year or identified by our staff who have also stayed at the properties, these will be addressed and dealt with accordingly. We cannot recall receiving similar feedback to Phyllis’ previously but, as this trip has only recently resumed, we are very grateful for her comments and will endeavour to ensure that any issues with this property are addressed ahead of future departures.
Malcolm Parkinson – Product Manager
This trip surpasses all other wildlife trips I have been on, in that so much wildlife is seen on every excursion that it is almost impossible to go home at the end of each day disappointed. Wildlife seems to be guaranteed. Its like going into a wildlife superstore and witnessing all that nature wants to provide. The trip was well put together but there are a few long travel days so be prepared. The hotels were mostly comfortable with great facilities. The food was excellent and our guide and driver fantastic.
the sheer amount of wildlife available for us to see especially at Tortuguero and Cahuita the remoteness of Drake Bay getting to see the quetsal, when it is like finding needle on a haystack
Alejandro was fantastic, kind, so informative about nature and could spot a bird in a tree from a mile off. We had a problem person in our group and he managed her with such professionalism, our driver Carlos spoke great English and was fantastic throughout. They made a great team.
pack some things to do on the long travel days. bring more than one costume, they dont always dry in the humidity, its cold ,4 degrees , waiting for 2 hours for the quetzal, wrap up warm. go on the direct flight from uk to san jose and get to see san jose, some lovely places to see there.