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Reviews

Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers  

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335 Reviews

4.8 out of 5

Reviews

Beauty and the Beasties

Ever wonder what people mean when they harp on about microclimates, well just visit Costa Rica and experience it for yourself. From tropical coastlines to dry forests to rain forests and cloud forests, Costa Rica seems to have it all. The variety of climates gives rise to a diverse range of plant life which it turn supports a wide variety of beasties. Drives between locations were a pleasure as the scenery was so beautiful. Gardens whether local or at the lodges we stayed in were extraordinary in the variety of flowering plants and wildlife. You do not even need to leave the lodge premises to experience the wildlife. We saw sloth, iguana, coati, agouti, monkeys, armadillo, frogs, toads, lizards, bats, toucans, motmot, hummingbirds, quetzal and zillions of other colourful birds all in the gardens of lodges/hotel we stayed in. It was wonderful to go to sleep with the sound of nature as a backdrop.
We were fortunate to have good weather throughout (apart from one morning) so were able to enjoy the included walks fully as well as some additional walks our excellent guide Gio kindly added for those who wanted to go. Good closed shoes with ‘grippy’ soles are recommended. It was hot and humid throughout (apart from evenings/early mornings in the mountains) and the pace of the walks was easy to suit the conditions. Many of the lodges have their own marked trails for those who want to make the most of the locations. If you have any interest in wildlife, nature or stunning landscapes you would enjoy Costa Rica.

Most Inspirational Moment

Tortuguero waterways and beach was beautiful as was the lodge we stayed at. The wildlife was just stunning, giant green male iguana in their bright orange breeding colours were a highlight as was our first sloth. But that doesn't do justice to the other wonderful locations and lodges visited as they were all of a very high standard and everywhere had it's own special moments, whether it was the hummingbird garden in Monteverde, the sloths at Manuel Antonio, the volcano and waterfall in Arenal, the moment a bird eating snake slid into then out of a birds nest in Esquinas lodge or spotting Quetzal at Savegre.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Gio was a excellent leader who was very professional in his approach. He was very good at spotting and identifying the multitude of birds and animals we saw, while Juan-Jose (our ever smiling driver) was excellent as both driver and wildlife spotter. Gio went the extra mile in organising additional walks for those interested as well as arranging two excellent group meals on a couple of occasions when the evening meal was not included. He was happy to share with us the history of Costa Rica and it's peoples during the journeys and always ensured everyone was informed of the plans for the next day so that all activities went to plan.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If travelling from the UK, embrace the jet-lag! You will wake early which helps as there are many early starts. The early to bed, early to rise mantra works in this case as the lodge gardens are wonderful for wildlife so get out at first light (about 6am) and enjoy them to the full. The other benefit of not trying to overcoming the jet-lag is that you adjust quickly on returning home!

WIldlife Paradise

An amazing holiday with lots of stunning wildlife and rich forest. Moving every 2 days so a lot of travel on gravel roads. Lovely lodges, good food and surprisingly civilised amenities even in the deepest rain forest. All about the wild environment. No nightlife. Great country. Group size was 11 which was very friendly and we had our own boats, bus and visits except for day 1. Suitable for singles. Climate changes are dramatic so carefull wardrobe planning needed.

Most Inspirational Moment

There was so much to enjoy. This truely is a Garden of Eden and it is humbling to be able to see all these creatures and the forests. The canals of Tortuguero where a boat takes you around the river estuaries/ canals are stunning. Swimming in the warm Pacific was gorgeous, getting up at dawn to see the reslendent quetzal less inticing. Night walks to see sloths, sleeping toocans, tree frogs, bats, green vipers curled on twigs, emerging cicada and Toasty the caiman gulping down fish, were fascinating. The birds were spectacular: scarlat macaws, humming birds and birds in every colour imaginable. There were many at hotels and restaurants eating bananas. The monkeys leaping across the canals and pathways were greeted with oohs and aahs as they leapt the gaps between trees. The white faced capucine looks so human. Boats and the bus stopped immediatley whenever a special creature appeared.

Thoughts on Group Leader

A brilliant man who knew how to find the wild creatures and had lots of knowledge about the flora and fauna. Unlike many trips, wildlife does not stand around so the holiday is much less predictable.

Advice for Potential Travellers

You need clothes for humid hot weather and cold mountains (but no frost), and a plastic cape is useful for downpours. I imagine that this is a very wet country in the rainy season. We choose the dry season but missed the turtle egg laying. Ask the guide to tell you what to wear and take each day. Some of the extra trips are expensive for what they are and there is enough to do without them. The night walk at Esquinas Rainforest Lodge was well worth it and the better one of two. Take closed toe walking shoes but walking boots would be rather hot. Take a travel towel for swiming in the National Parks. Do not leave bag unguarded at the beach. Monkies! The accommodation is in wooden lodges except for San Jose. They have wonderful gardens. Take your own plug for the sinks! Most have hair dryers. All have good showers. Wifi was good. Do not attempt to do any laundry in your room because it does not dry. Laundry at Esquinas is $15 for a sackful! San Jose is not worth any extra days. A tour of the Theatre was lovely and the National Museum taught us the history of the country. We had no trouble with mosquitos inside or outside in January but we did choose to wear long trousers and long sleeved shirts. The bus is air conditioned/heated, the driver was very good but many miles are on gravel roads and very bumpy. You move every 2 days so have to be organised. Early mornings meant early to bed for us and there was no nightlife, music or dancing. Take binoculars and good cameras. Your holiday snaps will wow your friends! My son who usually confines himself to the top 10 photos of my holiday, is insisting on 50 with an option for more this time! This trip is not for you if you would mind restaurants with no walls so that the wildlife comes in too: lizards on the walls, birds flying through, bats on the wall behind the bar. Always take a torch and watch where you are walking especially at night. Cases were delivered to rooms. Dollars are acceptable everywhere. Not USA coins.

Excellent Trip

Costa Rica was truly amazing, I hadn’t realised the diversity for such a small country. So much wildlife and beautiful scenery, I felt I didn’t want to miss a thing. Although I had travelled through Costa Rica before, this tour offered so much more, I still can’t believe how much we saw in just two weeks. Glenda our tour and driver Carlos were constantly on the lookout, making sure we didn’t miss anything.

Most Inspirational Moment

The wildlife and beauty of the country. The amount and variety of the hummingbirds were for me a highlight, having plenty of opportunity to attempt to photograph them.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Glenda is a wonderful leader, one of the best. Not only as a wildlife spotter! The guide that spotted the quetzal first! She is kind, friendly and funny, sorting out problems and queries with ease. Her organisation and knowledge second to none. Glenda went out of her way to make the holiday special for everyone. I really appreciated the time to take photographs, Glenda never hurried us and we had plenty of time just to enjoy the beautiful country.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared to pack for all weather conditions. It can be quite cold at the high altitude locations.

Wonderful trip to Costa Rica

This was our 8th Exodus trip and one of the best. The tour leader was excellent..Giovanni Madrigal. He was very knowledgeable, professional in his approach and good fun especially as he had a great relationship with the driver, Juanjose who was also part of the team. Gio made it clear from the outset that this was a group holiday and group harmony was important. We were encouraged to rotate the seats on the bus so everyone got a chance to sit at the front. The group really got on well. There were many excellent group meals and we had a good mix between travel, group walks and downtime by the pool. The accommodation was very good….wooden lodges set in wonderful surroundings. We stayed for 2 nights in each place which was great. Much of the food was included so it wasn’t so expensive when we were there….most hotels had happy hours! We saw so many birds, mammals and reptiles. Gio knew where to look and had a scope so we could all see. There are additional trails we could walk on our own which we enjoyed. He knows his country and was keen to pass on his knowledge.

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the quetzal, the scarlet macaws, the toucans, the monkeys,sloths, iguanas,snakes, crocodiles,caimans.......etcetcetc. So much to see everywhere we went. The fantastic Pacific beaches where you can swim...you can’t in the Caribbean where we were. The hot springs at La Fortuna The suspension bridges at Monteverde The waterways at Tortuguera Manuael Antonio Park Esquinas lodge and its surroundings The night walk

Thoughts on Group Leader

Superb. My husband fell on gravel and had to go to the doctor to have stitches. Gio and Juan were great, taking him,staying with him etc after a long day. Gio was very patient and knew how to see birds and wildlife. He took us out some evenings in the bus to great restaurants. He ensured the trip ran according to plan....it was a very professional approach. He shared information on politics, history etc....not just wildlife. We felt very well prepared for the National Museum in San Jose.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take dollars or colones...both accepted everywhere. Take a hairdryer if you like to use one...a few lodges didn’t have them Take warm walking clothes and good rainwear...we only had rain one morning but it was wet! Closed in shoes....walking trainers are necessary .Godd walking sandals are useful. You don’t need walking boots or poles. You need a good camera and binoculars although the leaders have scopes. Swimming stuff...great pools especially the natural stream pool in Esquinas. We also swam in waterfalls and hot springs. Mosquito spray.. Light towels for Manuel Antonio and the waterfall. You don’t need to stay longer to see San Jose...you have enough time to see the few sights.

Wonderful wildlife

We had an excellent opportunity to sample Costa Rica’s varied and unusual wildlife and habitats in a tour led by a knowledgeable and inspiring tour leader. The accommodation was well chosen and the itinerary carefully enabled us to experience the Caribbean and Pacific coasts as well as highlands and intermediate areas. Having such an excellent guide really did make a difference. I don’t think we would have spotted half of the birds we saw without his keen eyes and ears!

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing around 150 different bird species.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our tour was led by a knowledgeable and inspiring tour leader, Andres. He went out of his way to be helpful and provided additional opportunities to enhance our tour by visiting private gardens which were attractive to birds, and also by providing 4WD transport at the second Savegre lodge to save us what would have been a strenuous uphill walk , so that we could enjoy and spend more time on the descent through the cloud forest. He also gave up a couple of hours of his time to go through in detail the 170 or so species of birds we had seen on the tour. I don't think we would have spotted half of the birds we saw without his keen eyes and ears! He were well informed about each step of our tour and our guide was also very clear about options. Andres has great people skills as well and was responsive to the needs of different people in the group, including the organisation of an impromptu birthday celebration for one of our group members.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Good binoculars and a decent camera are a must.

A fabulous trip

This trip was fast paced and full of variety. We stayed in seven different locations during the two weeks which meant we were packing up and moving on every two days. The scenery we saw in between locations was incredibly beautiful and the bus rides were always interesting as our guide made sure we stopped for coffee, lunch or a surprise! …..a sloth and baby in a tree or crocodiles basking in the river!
The lodges were all full of character and of a high quality. Meals were typical Costa Rican with amazing variety and choice. The fruit was outstanding.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were so many magical moments. Quetzel hunting with dozens of other crazy people at 5 30 am. We had almost given up hope when Glenda made the first sighting and we all captured the flash of green tail.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader was called Glenda and she was a marvel, transmitting her love of Costa Rica to all of us through her constant stream of information. As we travelled we learnt about the history, culture and wildlife of this wonderful place. We were amazed at her ability to spot the smallest bird or animal hidden in the undergrowth. Nothing was too much trouble for her and she was brilliantly organised. We felt we were in very capable hands with Glenda and our driver Carlos.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Be prepared for a variety of weather conditions. A warm jumper and trousers were needed in two mountain locations whilst thin clothes were needed in low lying areas. Be prepared to get up early to see wildlife!

Discover Costa Rica

An excellent, varied and active holiday, led by the most inspirational guide I have ever had. Covered most aspects of Costa Rica’s varied terrain and abundant wildlife.

Most Inspirational Moment

Searching the forests for the elusive quetzal at 5am and finally getting sight of this impressive bird.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Glenda Araya is the best tour leader I have had on an Exodus holiday. Her great enthusiasm for her country, it's people and wildlife was infectious. She has an extensive knowledge of the areas visited and the wildlife to be found there. Nothing was too much trouble, she was attentive to the needs of individuals within the group and has a very easy and friendly manner.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Take plenty of warm clothing for the mountain regions, it's very cold first thing in the morning. Perhaps something that could be emphasised a little stronger in the trip notes.

Word of the holiday - wow!

What an amazing Country to visit. Felt I saw it too. So much wildlife. The guide made it. Her enthusiasm and passion for her Country was the energy passed on to us all. It was non-stop and we made the most of every minute. It was a great experience and will treasure the memories.

Most Inspirational Moment

There was not one moment. It was the whole trip. Everyday I said wow on more than one occasion. So much biodiversity. It was like visiting different Countries. I enjoyed the house visit as well as her cooking! I enjoyed the drives and looking at all the difference scenery.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Best group leader I have ever come across. To give perspective, I have travelled 55 countries and experienced many tours. I really do mean she was the best. Her level of care and energy was felt by all. She was superb and so hard working. She really wanted us to see and experience as much wildlife. Always looking to spot something for us and her excitement when she did was infectious. She created a great energy for the group and made the experience all positive. She asked about our comfort in the lodges and considered us at all levels. Very caring. I enjoyed her company.

Advice for Potential Travellers

If you struggle with pain on bumpy roads, this is something to consider. I found the cloud forest very cold, particularly at night, so more than just a jumper was needed for me.

Excellent trip - superb scenery and wildlife

A great trip, 2 nights in each hotel, fairly long drives on the days we moved on. We saw lots of spectacular wildlife and scenery – rainforest, cloud forest, beaches, waterways, countless birds, cute moneys, plus some mammals we’d never heard of, such as olingoes and agoutis.

Come prepared for hot and sticky weather on the coast and cold and wind in the mountains.

Most Inspirational Moment

The waterways in Tortuguero and the magnificent cloud forest.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Our leader, Alex Castro, was great. He spoke excellent English and knew all the birds and animals. he had an excellent telescope to help us see the birds. Alex worked really hard to make sure we were all well looked after.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Come prepared for both hot and cold weather.

Brilliant Holiday

This was our first holiday with Exodus; we weren’t sure what to expect but we can honestly say we can’t fault it. Costa Rica is a fantastic destination and this itinerary was thoughtfully put together to show it at its best. The variety of locations was incredible and in each place the standard of activities and of accommodation was outstanding. Somehow every day seemed to be better than the day before. We enjoyed being part of the Exodus group, and having then spent an additional week on our own we realised that a huge part of the success of the trip was due to having an excellent guide and driver to point out things which otherwise would have passed us by. All in all an unforgettable holiday and highly recommended.

Most Inspirational Moment

So many inspirational moments it's hard to decide, for example seeing a newly-hatched baby turtle scuttling to the sea, getting up at 5 to see the Resplendent Quetzal, boat trips at Tortuguero, falling asleep at Esquinas Lodge to the sounds of the rainforest, walking in the cloudforest, being woken by Howler monkeys at dawn (on my birthday!), spotting sloths, monkeys, iguanas and birds, learning about Costa Rica ..... the list goes on.

Thoughts on Group Leader

We were very pleased to discover that our leader was Johnny Villalobos as we had read about him in earlier reviews. He was absolutely brilliant, from his incredible encyclopaedic knowledge of all wildlife to his boundless enthusiasm. He was really friendly and attentive and had a great sense of humour. He made sure that we all got the most out of the holiday and spent a lot of time explaining every aspect of the country, from history and politics, to agriculture, economy, sustainable tourism and everything else. A great ambassador for Costa Rica and for Exodus. Pura Vida !

Advice for Potential Travellers

Go for it - we have no hesitation in recommending this holiday. On a practical note, be prepared for a range of temperatures ( we really did need fleeces at Savegre). Closed shoes are a must for the rainforest treks, as are waterproofs.