Your Words – We tell it like it is! Holiday Reviews by previous Exodus travellers
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330 Reviews
4.8 out of
5
Reviews
Robert Parker
Reviewed March 2018
WUC021418
What a fantastic experience. From beginning to end we cannot fault this brilliant trip, so well organised with a wonderful enthusiastic guide, Jorge and a brilliant driver Alejandro. We took advantage of opting for the direct flight on BA which meant an extra night at the beginning and and end of the trip, all organised by Exodus with pickup and drop-off and extra nights at the wonderful hotel in San Jose, Hotel Presidente. The wildlife had me glued to my binoculars, the knowledge imparted by Jorge and his ability to spot the furthest bird and animal never ceased to amaze us all plus the interesting information he gave us about his beloved Costa Rica.
Most Inspirational Moment
It is difficult to pick a moment as they kept coming with every new location. The varied itinerary meant that we constantly had the wooh moments. Various types of rainforest the difference between the Caribbean coast and the Pacific coast. The wonderful lodges set in mind blowing settings.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jorge was so enthusiastic and his pride and love for his country ran through every moment of the trip. He organised everything so efficiently and ended up as a friend. From every aspect he made sure we got to locations before the crowds and he made sure we used the best restaurants he knew. his knowledge of the fauna and wildlife was exemplary,theanks to him we saw at least 150 species of birds and he often had extra little treats up his sleeve.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Get the direct flight from BA and enjoy the extra days in San Jose, so much to see and do and that extra day at the end allowed us to wind down and take time to reflect on everything we had done and seen plus pick up momentos from the local artisan market.
Judy Bennet
Reviewed March 2018
Costa Rica - Pura Vida
This was a fantastic introduction to Costa Rica, which packed in so much in the space of two short weeks. The itinerary took in both coasts and led us from the steamy heat to the cool of the cloud forest, enabling us to see a huge range of birds and some interesting animals during a range of walks both during the day and at night. Views everywhere are stunning and the Costa Rican people an absolute delight. We stayed two nights in each place we visited, which meant that we weren’t constantly on the move and could have a full day exploring each location. The travel days were also not too onerous, with time on the road 3-5 hours at a time (with pleant of breaks).
All of the accommodation was good, some more basic than others but all of a good standard. All the rooms were large with plenty of space. The food on this trip was fantastic; quite a few meals were included and were delicious. The food generally in Costa Rica is amazing – even if you order a humble burger it will taste lovely and will generally be made from high quality meat!
Some walks/trips were included and some were optional. These were all explained well and if you fancied time to chill out, you could opt out of one or more of these. I missed a jungle walk at Esquinas Rainforest Lodge but when you see the setting for the swimming pool you will see why!
If you want a trip to really whet your appetite to see more, this is it. All in all this was a great trip, not in the least because of our tour guide, Jorge. If you get him you know you are in safe hands. Pura Vida!
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing a sloth moving around - they don't move that much, but when they do they can really go. Swimming in the Pacific at Manuel Antonio before the crowds arrived - warm! Who knew! Seeing crocodiles and alligators at Tortuguero. Ziplining above the forest at Monteverde. And so many more...
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jorge made the trip. Pure and simple. He was inspirational, enthusiastic, funny, passionate and a great storyteller. I thought he judged our group very well and I get the feeling that he tweaks his tours to fit with the people he is guiding to great success. He said enough (but not too much) and led a few walks earlier in the morning to beat the crowds. It takes a lot to get me up for a 5.30am start but his enthusiasm got to me and I did every one. His knowledge of birds is encyclopaedic and he was very patient. Getting up early to Quetzal spot was an experience and we saw not one but two thanks to him. He shared his love for his country and it definitely rubbed off.
Alejandro was a great driver, with a great sense of fun and who kept the bus spotless.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a poncho. You can get away with light walking shoes rather than boots as long as they are waterproof. some walking sandals were also invaluable. I would definitely get some local currency for incidentals (coffee, beer etc). Dollars are widely accepted but your change will be in colones and the rate is not good everywhere. Get a card loaded with Stirling which which will allow you to pay in local currency (widely available now). Easy to use your card in many places.Take a hat and gloves if you go looking for Quetzals in Savegre.
DO get a direct flight to San Jose. We stayed an extra day either end in order to do so and therefore avoided the terrible experience of having to travel via the USA. It was also great to have the extra day both sides. San Jose is a lovely laid back city to spend some time in. Go on the free walking tour which starts outside the National Theatre at 10am. We had a four-hour tour on the first day with Amal which really helped us to get our bearings (you don't have to have that long, we were just keen).
DO go to the bar to the left of the entrance to the Presidente Hotel (bar 303). It is a local's bar where the beer is cheap (especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays) and the welcome is wide.
Finally, remember that you are going to lovely places which also attract other tourists. If you are looking for a tour which is remote and where you won't have to rub shoulders with other people this is not for you. We did have to share some hotels with other tour groups but this did not impact on the experience and was managed very well, resulting in the fact that it never felt crowded or detracted from the experience.
Helen Homewood
Reviewed February 2018
Discovering Costa Rica (with a Bird watching guide)
As my personal interests are more history/culture/architecture I knew that by choosing a basically wildlife/scenery holiday I was slightly pushing myself out of my comfort zone but I had heard so much about Costa Rica I decided to give it.a go. As I was travelling with two chums one of whom is quite a keen bird watcher we picked a date where there would be a bird watching guide but when I booked and from the brochure it looked as if the tour would be as normal. I found this far from the case and this was as very much a bird watching trip. I must be honest and say there were moments I was bored to death! However, when I look back on the whole trip I did enjoy it and with the exception of one day it was well paced and very varied. The day in question (Monteverde – Manuel Antonio) where the journey time was shown as 4.5hours but due to frequent stops for bird watching it actually took over 8 hours and we effectively missed half a day at Manuel Antonio, a stop I had been particularly looking forward to.
Most Inspirational Moment
The two days at Esquina Lodge deep in the Equatorial Forest with the deafening noise of the cicadas.
Zip lining at Monteverde
Thoughts on Group Leader
Johnny Villalobos was a delightful leader and very efficient and pleasant. He is extremely knowledgable and enthusiastic about the birds of Costa Rica and was, understandably very keen that we should all see as much as possible. We had two very enthusiastic birders in the trip and possibly because they were so keen they seemed at times to rather dictate the pace for the rest of the group. After the extended day's travel to Manuel Antonio I think Johnny realised that he had perhaps misjudged things and in the second week he placed more emphasis on some of the non birding options available and from that point I enjoyed things a lot more. To be fair, I think he misjudged one day out of fourteen and that's not a bad average. He was approachable, friendly and fun.
I would also like to make mention of Carlos our driver who was exceptional. On road conditions that were far from easy he did his very best to make it a smooth, safe ride and he was also good at spotting birds. He and Johnny clearly often work together.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Yes, while you do not need any previous birding knowledge or experience if you pick one of the special bird watching dates you need to be aware that the emphasis will be on birding and that will impact on other activities on the holiday. If you are not really interested in spending considerable periods of time peering through binoculars, pick another date. If you do fancy a go at bird watching buy or borrow the best binoculars you can afford.
Karen Collins
Reviewed February 2018
Holiday of a Lifetime
Have just returned from Discover Costa Rico Tour. The whole trip was amazing from the moment I arrived until with a heavy heart I left this beautiful country.The itinerary was perfect in every way.
We visited many different areas and saw the wonderful wild life and were lucky e ought to see the Quezal which was beautiful and well worth the 5 30am start .All the accommodation was lovely and each had unique features ,food was great as well.
The holiday was made extra special by Alex our guide who was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable and caring and funny and just great.Our driver Mal was wonderful as well driving to perfection in sometimes difficult bumpy areas but he always had a smile on his face.
All in all the best trip I’ve ever been on and can’t wait to go back to explore more .
Most Inspirational Moment
To many moments to mention really but loved the sloth just lying around on a fence by the road,loved the canal trip ,loved the Cloud forest rope bridges ,loved meeting the people,loved the birds and loved Alex knowing every birds name and where to spot them.All in all loved every second.
Thoughts on Group Leader
What did I think .Well he was amazing ,knowledgable,kind,professional,patient,funny,organised,caring,
He was our hero and our friend and our inspiration to find out more about this beautiful country that he loves so dearly.
Each evening we were briefed for the next day of action.Suggested what best to wear clothing footwear what we needed etc,in fact could do with him here as never know what to wear !
He went out of his way to ensure everyone was fine.We went on numerous extra walks etc and enjoyed every second.He is a true professional and Exodus are so lucky to have him on there team .Well done Alex
Advice for Potential Travellers
Only advice is maybe go a day early to get over the long journey.We arrived at 23 hrs having been up 27hrs then 5 30 am start. I didn’t really think of this problem but in future will do.This is not a complaint just a thought as to be honest I felt terrible on the first day .
Anthony Hirst
Reviewed February 2018
Discover Costa Rica
Very varied trip with good range of experiences despite poor weather at the start. Great accommodation though the breakfast at Arenal Montechairi was poor.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing a sloth and baby at very close quarters at Tortuguero National park.
The visit to Esquinas Rain Forest lodge and learing about the conservation work.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent local guide who dealt with an injured friend with sympathy and efficiency. Excellent first aid knowledge. He was very enthusiastic about his job and the wildlife,
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take capes or ponchos to Tortuguero. We had 5 days of heavy rain.
We took too many US dollars. There was good availability of ATM's.
Richard Salewski
Reviewed January 2018
Discover Costa Rica
Fabulous holiday – due in no small part to our guide Katia, she went over and above what could have been expected. It included early morning and late evening walks to watch wildlife that weren’t included in the tour.
Also travelling with a great bunch of people absolutely made the holiday. Can’t wait for my next Exodus trip.
Richard
Most Inspirational Moment
Tortuguero was brilliant and Esquenas Lodge
Thoughts on Group Leader
Couldn’t have done more to make for a great holiday
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a poncho
Sarah Humphreys
Reviewed January 2018
Discover Costa Rica
Holiday exceeded expectations – due in no small part to our excellent guide, Antonio, who went out of his way to ensure that everyone had a great time and their individual interests were catered for.
Most Inspirational Moment
Probably the first close up sight of wildlife, iguanas in the trees beside the restaurant in Laguna Lodge
Thoughts on Group Leader
Can not speak too highly of Antonio; professional, knowledgeable, excellent communicator and a wicked sense of humour!
Advice for Potential Travellers
No need for any smart clothes for evening wear - casual and sportish fine
Steve Ingleby
Reviewed December 2017
Discover Costa Rica
An excellent introduction to Costa Rica, and in particular its wildlife.
Most Inspirational Moment
There were many, although we particularly enjoyed the night walks that were available at the lodges. The forests come alive at night and provide opportunities to see wildlife that doesn't normally appear during the day.
Thoughts on Group Leader
Excellent - Antonio was a superb ambassador for Costa Rica. He organised additional walks to ensure the team got the most out of their visit. He is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of Costa Rica, and is particularly good at identifying the many different birds we saw and heard on our travels.
Mention should also be made of our driver, Alex. Despite limited English he was always friendly & enthusiastic, kept the coach spotless both inside and out, and must know the width of the coach to the nearest millimetre!
Advice for Potential Travellers
Take a universal sink plug - few hotels and lodges have them.
Ponchos (and perhaps over-trousers) are more flexible than a conventional cagoule as it covers cameras & rucksack also.
For people enthusiastic about photography, take a flash (if not fitted on camera) and a tripod. There is little light under the canopy even at midday and so shutter speeds are slow. For taking photos of specific species (e.g. amphibians) you may find that use of flash is not permitted (sometimes for all species on night walks) and so a tripod is the only way to get good photos.
Make sure you protect your camera from moisture ingress. Rain is exceptional at times and a couple of our party had camera damage as a result.
Laura Jones
Reviewed December 2017
Captivating Costa Rica
This trip was varied so provided something for everyone. It was an easy trip – there is excellent infrastructure in Costa Rica, the standard of accommodation was good and the walking was not difficult.
Most Inspirational Moment
Wildlife viewing by boat in Tortuguero
Zip lining in Monteverde
Thoughts on Group Leader
Antonio was extremely knowledgeable, enthusiastic and organised. He provided an amazing amount of information about the flora and fauna of Costa Rica and his love of the country really shone through. He went above and beyond the call of duty by accompanying us on walks during free time and by always being on hand to answer questions. Antonio's english was exceptional.
Advice for Potential Travellers
When it rains it really rains so take a poncho - that way it covers you and your rucksack. It is difficult to dry things out once they get wet so consider taking some 'proper' trekking clothes that are quick dry material.
Deborah Terry
Reviewed December 2017
Fabulous Costa Rica
A great trip with a group of 16 which gelled really well and an inspirational guide and excellent driver. The itinerary was well-planned and we saw some varied parts of the country without endless bus journeys. All the lodges and hotels were good, and some very good, as was the food and of course the coffee. There was an occasional lack of hot water indoors, and too much rain and mud outdoors, but that’s the rainy season for you. We saw a simply extraordinary variety of bird, animal and reptile life, often spotted by Chico as he drove the bus. Jorge’s knowledge of birds and pride in his country were constantly evident. He arranged far more walks than the itinerary suggested so that we saw as much as possible. Overall a really excellent trip.
Most Inspirational Moment
Seeing baby turtles hatch and make their way across the beach into the sea at Tortuguera. Sloths ran them a close second. And then there were the quetzals....
Thoughts on Group Leader
Jorge loves his country deeply and made a great job of showing it to us and telling us about it. Among other topics, I came back very well-informed on the education system in Costa Rica! And his knowledge of birds was wonderful.
Advice for Potential Travellers
Two of the hotels are at quite high altitude and in late November it was wet and cold. Take warm clothes and bedsocks. A walking pole was useful on muddy walks, and decent boots are essential.
