Most Inspirational Moment
La Fortuna Waterfall
Reviews
Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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Reviews
Love Costa Rica
Wonderful experience. This place is in my wish list from such a long time and finally my wish completed. Awesome trip and amazing experience.
Fabulous Coasts and Country
Wonderful, well organised trip full of interest. Great mix of forest, coasts and wildlife everywhere you looked, even sitting outside your room!
Thank you to our fellow travellers who made this a memorable holiday.
Most Inspirational Moment
So many..... seeing a flock of toucans feasting on figs, sitting watching a group of 19 coatis on the beach at Corcovado National Park, being close to hummingbirds, listening to the rain, frogs and howler monkeys in Tortuguero,
Thoughts on Group Leader
Erick was great. Wildlife and bird spotting skill was remarkable. He and our lovely driver Henry had a good rapport and made a good team. Thank you.
Advice for Potential Travellers
I found previous reviews very helpful. Read your trip notes! Do take a poncho, easy to take on and off and covers your back pack, and great on the open boats. Even our lightweight rain jackets were too hot! 12 members of our group took the direct flight from Gatwick to San Jose which avoided changing planes and gave us an extra day in San Jose visiting museums and galleries. San Jose duty free shops are VERY expensive, shop before you get there - try Cheiton Moren on Calle 17 a small not for profit shop and museum run by friendly and knowledgeable volunteers selling works by the indigenous tribes of Costa Rica
Suggestions
The walks were leisurely, stopping frequently to look at birds, reptiles, etc. Only 2 were slightly uneven underfoot. Long drives by air conditioned, comfortable minibus and by boat but the scenery was amazing along the way. We chose this tour as we wanted to visit different eco sysyems and were not disappointed. Tortuguero was a great start, a great cabin in the forest, Cahuita unspoiled and simple with a lovely beach, Savegre, lovely detatched lodge in beautiful gardens, and Drake's Bay, fabulous remote location. Cano island snorkelling was our only slight disappointment as the sea was crowded with different groups and reduced visability due to a storm the day before. Go, you wont be disappointed!
Costa Rica - coastal secrets
The geographical and wildlife diversity of Costa Rica is immense- a real treasure of a country. This trip certainly delivered in giving me an idea of its beautiful scenery and the wildlife therein. It left me wishing to revisit the country to see and experience more.
My travelling companions were are bonus – we all knitted well and shared a great enthusiasm for everything.
The Costa Ricans I met were engaging, helpful and enthusiastic about their country and what it had to offer.
Most Inspirational Moment
The diversity of Costa Rica: mountains, volcanos, beaches, forests, valleys, colour and the wonderfully diverse wildlife. What stuck in my mind most, however was one fact our guide told me: the country's energy is mainly renewably sourced- hydroelectric , geothermal.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Erick was great: organisationally on the ball; knowledgeable about politics, history and economics of his country (setting issues and daily life in context) as well as his knowledge of wildlife and the natural world. And ......... what eye sight! He had a great sense of humour which helped bond the group.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Beware the US dollar to local currency exchange - you will get change in local currency from shops and cafes which do not follow the official exchange rate! Take loads of small denomination dollars. You need to pay for the loo stop at the transfer point at Tortuguero (currently $1.00). The Osa peninsula is not that isolated (sadly) and the snorkelling was rather crowded but I managed to catch a glimpse of a white tipped reef shark - magnificent
Loving Costa Rica
A fabulous tour with a brilliant guide, great scenery and wildlife. Thank you.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing the 3 toed sloth coming down trees and vines very close to us.
Thoughts on Group Leader
He is wonderful.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a good alarm clock to get up at 5am to see the wildlife busy with breakfast.
Suggestions
Highly recommend this trip. Also we flew KLM on the return journey back to Birmingham and the staff were great.
A Good Holiday But Not A Great One!
My husband and I chose this holiday to Costa Rica mainly to be able to snorkel in the Caribbean and Pacific, together with the chance to see such a fantastic array of wildlife. Like mentioned by people in previous reviews, it was once again too rough to snorkel in the Caribbean and our snorkel near Cano Island was cut short because several people felt queasy. We saw a lot of wild life but this trip is mainly geared to bird watchers, which got a little tedious at times. We enjoyed the stay at Tortuguero,l Cahuita and Drakes Bay but the other two stops were rather boring and there was not much to see. We also ended up at a sub standard lodge in Savegre which didn’t help, Everyone felt that there was far too much travelling in cramped mini buses with hardly any leg room and on boats.
Most Inspirational Moment
Probably snorkelling alongside a turtle and hearing the strange jungle sounds late at night and first thing in the morning.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jorge was competent and tried to make the trip as enjoyable as possible. Everything ran like clockwork and he found us a lovely family run restaurant in the mountains to stop for lunch which we all enjoyed.
Advice for Potential Travellers
We thought there would be a lot more walking involved and not as much bird watching. The mini bus seats are far too close together and painful for taller members of the group. We didn't think Costa Rica was expensive as described and returned home with a lot of local currency.
Suggestions
Not really
Excellent
A great trip for those interested in the wildlife of the country, with some walking but also boat trips and viewing in the grounds of the lodges.
Most Inspirational Moment
I'm not sure that I can pick a single moment as every day threw up wonderful sights and interesting animals. However the view of a moving sloth in the wild was special.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Coped with everything that the group presented him with and very proactive in dealing with any problems.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Do check that this is the trip for you. It is not hiking but spending time, sometimes in one place looking for the special view.
Suggestions
No
Costa Rica
Overall very good, plenty of wildlife to see and local people very friendly. Disappointed with dynamics of group as although 16 of us 14 were one group so felt like outsiders, they were also a lot older than us so on occasion with specific options for treks and ability we were out voted. Some of the accommodation was very basic no hot or running water for two days at Cahuita and the food was hit and miss. The breakdown of days at different hotels could have been better, spending one night at Florencia arrived in the dark and departed very early so unable to use the facilities, could have arrived a day earlier or at least earlier in the day so could use facilities but rest of group wanted a later start again we were outvoted.
Most Inspirational Moment
Actually it was the friend I went with, I have terminal bone cancer and she made me feel so special and ensured I enjoyed every day to the fullest, she was inspirational to me
Thoughts on Group Leader
The group leader was very good, although communication could have been better with how the days were going pan out, timings changed quite frequently of start times, where we were going to eat although had to pander for the whole group some of which were very demanding. Knowledge was excellent and came across very passionate, happy to answer any questions and always very friendly towards us considering we felt we were on our own
Advice for Potential Travellers
Be prepared for lots of travel in small coach with many bumpy roads, some of accommodation is very basic. Don't worry about taking local currency as everywhere takes dollas although change is always given in local currency Be prepared to allow an amount of money for tipping which although not compulsory ended up being 220 dollas which hadn't accounted for
Suggestions
When considering travellers, you should advise that age groups may vary, we were on a coach with 14 elderly guests and had we known we could have chosen a different date. Date of birth is taken at time of booking and this does really affect some of the activities chosen on the actual break due to varying abilities within the group
A fabulous trip for wildlife lovers
The tour is well planned with a mix of early mornings and full days, with down time to spend around the pool or strolling. If you like a tour to be more like a holiday than a frenetic series of hotels, then this is perfect. If you are an activity junkie then it is not for you. It covers a huge variety in a couple of weeks, boat trips, walking, sightseeing and snorkelling, and we saw an amazing range of birds, reptiles and mammals with our fantastically knowledgeable and lovely guide. The accommodation was good, ranging from Tortugero where the individual chalets were in a stunning setting, to Cahuita which was rather in need of TLC but in a convenient location behind the beach. The rooms are as described in the details – comfortable rather than luxurious. The beds everywhere were extremely comfortable, I slept incredibly well! The included meals were all good, the hotels were very accommodating catering for a vegan diet.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing a sloth crawling along behind the beach in Cahuita, we stood and watched while he unsteadily clambered up the tree and around the branches. A lovely meal in a restaurant right on the beach that evening made for a fantastic day.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jorge was extremely knowledgeable and amazing at spotting things. His knowledge of birds was incredible. He was always there if we needed anything and provided information constantly about the wildlife, the country and the activities. He was well-planned and organised, everything went like clockwork -if we were meeting a driver, he was always there waiting for us, if we were meeting a boat it was there without us having to wait in the heat. Checking in and out of the hotels was done extremely speedily, and you overall just couldn't fault him as a group leader he was fantastic!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take binoculars, take insect repellent, take a hat, take a torch, pack as light as you can and have a case with wheels as you are often moving your case about yourself to/from rooms and boats. Don't expect that you will be on your own with wildlife. Costa Rica is popular. There are many boats doing the same thing in Tortugero, the walk in Cahuita NP is a family stroll with lots of people around (everyone looking slightly puzzled that we were in walking boots, hiking trousers and rucksacks when they were all going past in bikinis and flip flops), the Osa peninsula is not wilderness any more, there were lots of other small groups doing the walking trails, and several other boat-loads of people snorkelling and having lunch on the beach. But the wildlife is still incredible.
Suggestions
From an ethical viewpoint I have huge questions about the sloth "sanctuary" and I strongly urge exodus to re-consider the visit there. These animals are enchanting close up, but having seen them in the wild, viewing them in wire cages with pretend branches, a tiled floor, no enrichment, and no hope of any other existence was heart rending. Keeping them alive in these conditions is not necessarily the kindest thing to do.
Costa Rica Coastal secrets
2 weeks in Paradise – wildlife bliss in a beautiful country with a great group and the best guide imaginable ( Jorge )
Most Inspirational Moment
Too many to list , but include watching a mother humpback whale nurse her baby at Drake bay, being surrounded by a huge pod of dolphins chasing a large shoal of flying fish , seeing a magnificant resplendent quetzal glowing in the sunshine at the top of a tree in sagrevre cloud forest , watching a sloth move slowly along a branch with a baby clinging onto her and waking up to the sounds of the howler monkeys and birds in the forested areas
Thoughts on Group Leader
Having Jorge our guide was actually one of the biggest highlights of our trip . His incredible knowlegde and passion for wildlife and his country was infectious. He was cheerful ,patient and good humoured at all times , and went out of his way to accomodate everyones interests . He worked very hard to ensure we all saw as much wildlife as possible , and could spot birds and animals we would never have seen , and get his scope focused on a rare bird in seconds so we all could see it clearly . We all thoroughly enjoyed his company and sense of humour and he was very generous with his time adding in extra nature walks if we wished. We were all very sad to bid him goodbye at the end of the trip - thank you so much Jorge !
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take plenty of deet and also some local currency ( Colons ) despite what Exodus advises . It just makes buying coffees , drinks and snacks easier as each bar will convert colons to dollars , but the rate of exchange will vary widly from place to place . Most of the group had an extra 24 hrs in San Jose at the end so we could fly on the only direct flight to Gatwick . At the end of the trip it was strange being back in a city after such being immersed in such variety of nature for 2 weeks. If you wanted and had time to visit a nearby volcano, plan this beforehand as its too late to do once you return to San Jose . We visited the National Museum , which was well presented in an old fort very interesting and covered the history of Costa Rica in an intersting way - it really summed up all Jorge had told us about its history .
Amazing holiday
Costa Rica really is an amazing place. Not a rich place as thought by Columbus but not third world either. I think they call it ‘an emerging economy’. Very much worth visiting if you’ve never been before and this is an excellent trip. I can only comment on the 2nd half of January when it’s relatively (but not completely) dry and only really, really hot on the Pacific coast. In theory, you could create this trip more cheaply yourself but do you really want the hassle of having to organise all the hotels and transfers to some pretty remote places (Tortuguero, Savagre and Drake Bay)? 3 days is enough at any of the stops so you’ll want to get yourself around the country during a two week stay. Plus you would need to arrange a quality guide to learn all about Costa Rica and point out incredible wildlife you would otherwise inevitably miss. The age group on our tour was exclusively in the ‘retired’ category apart from us two who were a generation younger. 9 Brits, 7 US. No problem at all as we all got on famously. It’s not the most active of tours – a lot of time is spent on coaches and minibuses but that can’t really be helped due to the geography and ‘evolving’ road network of Costa Rica but you do feel a bit lethargic sometimes, especially after the long flight to get there. There were a couple of ‘challenging’ walks to waterfalls which almost everyone made but if you struggle with tricky surfaces and awkward walkways then it’s no problem to stop and wait for the others to return. The change in climate is quite incredible as you journey around. San Jose is relatively high up for a capital city so a lovely temperature for wandering round. The wind generally comes from the east and the Atlantic coast gets a lot more rain than the Pacific. This means the Atlantic coast is slightly cooler but wetter. Up in the mountains, it’s still warm during the day but down to single figures first thing in the morning. I have to say we were incredibly lucky with the weather even though it did rain heavily a few times but not for long. There are many early starts to contend with which is fine for those from the UK thanks to the time difference. This is so you can either catch the wildlife at their most active or get on the road early to avoid the traffic and travel to the next place as soon as possible. Talking of wildlife, Costa Rica is all about birdlife. We must have seen dozens of exotic species – far too many to mention here. The place is absolutely alive with creatures of all shapes, sizes and colours which is a great testament to the way Costa Rica has created a large number of magical National Parks. I must admit, personally, we were more interested in tropical fish than birds and thought we would be snorkelling on both coasts. Sadly the seas were a bit rough for the Cahuita reef but Cano Island more than made up for this with two excellently organised snorkels off the back of a boat. The fins and mask supplied by the resort were of a high standard so no need to bring your own gear. It’s probably not the best location to try snorkelling for the first time or if you’re not too confident but there are two snorkel guides from the resort in the water with you at all times so you’re in very safe hands. Not a problem if snorkelling isn’t your thing as the others went for a nature walk in the pristine forests of the island.
San Jose – Presidente Hotel – recently renovated, comfortable, very central location – right on the pedestrianised Central Avenue.
Tortuguero – Evergreen Lodge – a proper eco-lodge – metal mosquito mesh for windows – no AC, only a fan – very damp but don’t be surprised by this as it’s in the middle of a rain forest. Excellent swimming pool and lovely food.
Cahuita – Cuidad Perdida (not the Atlantida – worth checking with your Exodus rep which hotel you are booked into) – some people reported issues with showers lacking hot water but this was fixed during our stay. A 5 minute walk from the very easy-going Cahuita village with lots of Jamaican style restaurants and bars to choose from.
Turrialba – Villa Florencia – best room of the whole trip – huge, modern, well equipped. Beautiful, peaceful location.
Savegre – Savegre Hotel, Nature Reserve & Spa – Stunning location at the bottom of a steep valley, still 2,200m up so relatively cold first thing in the morning. Best food.
Drake Bay – Wilderness Resort – rooms really could do with an update but all had AC and plenty of hot water for showering. Amazing location, on the beach, overlooking Drake Bay. The highlight of the trip.
Most Inspirational Moment
I think the Costa Rican nation are the most inspirational thing about the trip. Considering it’s a relatively young country, surrounded by pretty unstable neighbours with an economy seemingly based on bananas, coffee and sugar cane, they’re doing just nicely. They’re a very friendly bunch and have run the place just about as sensibly as could possibly be expected. Thanks to very far-sighted government policies around nature conservation and energy supply, they are now reaping the rewards through well developed eco-tourism. As long as the whole world doesn’t descend at once on Costa Rica, they’ll do just fine.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Mayer did a fantastic job of coordinating us all – not an easy job by any means. Plus he’s a really nice guy who kept us all entertained and informed throughout. Mayer is a one man Costa Rican version of Google. What this chap doesn’t know about Costa Rican wildlife you can ignore. How he kept managing to spot tiny, camouflaged creatures hundreds of meters away through his incredible scope, I’ve no idea. For lugging this unwieldy scope and tripod through some of the world’s most hot and humid rain forests, he deserves a medal. You will learn all about the fascinating wildlife, history, politics and sociology which is why you need a decent guide for this sort of tour. He’s also very keen to answer any questions you might have.
Advice for Potential Travellers
So, what to take with you? Don’t go overboard with stuff because you’ll be doing a lot of packing and unpacking as you move between locations. I wasn’t sure whether to take a wheelie suitcase or a large holdall. In the end we went with holdalls but it didn’t really matter either way. As for currency, we didn’t bother with dollars and used a combination of Colon notes and credit card to pay for things. Most meals and almost all excursions are included so you shouldn’t need a huge amount of cash – just the odd lunch/dinner/drinks and tips. The remote places miles from an ATM are Tortuguero, Turriabla, Savegre and Drake Bay. Make sure you’ve got enough cash in your pocket before you get to these places. Medicines – upset stomachs and sickness were unfortunately not uncommon but soon passed after a day or two – best pack some tablets to be on the safe side. Insect repellent – you will get bitten even in the dry season, through clothes and despite DEET – hydrocortisone cream is fantastic to stop itching though which means the bites heal quicker. As mentioned, it will rain at times. Heavily. Poncho needed. Footwear – Approach/trail shoes or hiking boots are ideal for the walks – as long as they are comfortable and have plenty of grip you’ll be fine. Water shoes / Crocs are also worth packing for when you get in and out of boats as they reverse up to the shallows of beaches during the trips from Drake Bay. Technical (polyester) t-shirts, thin shorts and walking trousers are ideal for walking in the jungles as they’ll keep you cooler. Don’t forget a warm fleece / light jacket for Savegre. We were advised to take a beach towel but in the end didn’t need it. Most resorts lend you a beach towel free of charge so not an issue. For some strange reason, only the San Jose hotel had a sink plug. Get yourself a travel sing plug if you want water to stay in the basin whilst you’re having a wash. Camera is a must. Ideally a decent one with a good zoom otherwise you’ll come home to a load of photos with a small dot in the middle which could be anything from a sloth to a pelican. Don’t be afraid to ask your assigned Exodus rep and questions about the tour you might have before you go – they are really helpful and usually get back to you within a day or two. Laundry – Drakes Bay resort do have a free, same-day laundry service but this is near the end of your stay. I tried washing some clothes at Savegre but getting them to dry was hard work – this country is humid, even in the mountains but especially on the coasts – you have been warned. Flights from/to the UK – get the direct BA flights from Gatwick if possible. The food is plentiful if not gourmet. You’ll need an extra night in San Jose at the end but Exodus will sort all this out for you along with the airport transfers.