Reviews

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.

Superb Cycling Adventure and more

What a trip! We cycled from Saigon to Hue in warm sunny weather with a fantastic Vietnamese Crew headed up by ‘Chi’ who not only looked after us but also imparted a wealth of information on his country along the way. Then via train and bus to Hanoi and Halong Bay. Hotels were excellent, roads were generally good, most of the riding was flat or gently undulating, with two days of more serious climbing and excellent descents. The food was tasty, plentiful and generally inexpensive and the fruit at roadside rest stops was varied and truly gorgeous. But the highlight was the lovely and friendly Vietnamese people who shout ‘Hello’ at you about 100 times a day as you cycle past (mainly children of course). Things to be aware of are the number of scooters – sometimes with families of 4 or even 5 riding together, the apparent lack of any road rules or enforcement, the number of horns being used (generally as a friendly warning it should be said) and finally the amount of general waste on the roadsides (and floating at Halong Bay). But to the Vietnamese who have suffered decades of strife and wars agains western colonial powers, this is seen as a temporary and low priority issue as they try to rebuild their country and improve the standard of living. Vietnam is a communist country but unlike Cuba commerce is encouraged and major investment is visible for all to see. This is a great trip – do it.

Breathtaking

Yes the High Inca Trail is truly breathtaking in more than one way, from the stunning routes, and landscape to the hard climbs and how altitude affects your body.

Challenging but very rewarding at the same time, this is the best experience in my life.

Wonderful wilderness week

My friends suggested this trip to me and although it sounded amazing I was a little cautious but went for it and I am so glad I did!
The whole trip is just one fantastic experience after another. The weather was incdredible especially the -32 that warmed up to only -7!
The scenery is stunning without exception and thats just the start.
Ignore the neigh sayers about the accomodation and food. The chalets are lovely, cosy, comfortable and very warm. It’s so serene in the morning its wonderful, I woke up to that amazing woodland view, peace and quiet and the occasional squirrel coming for food.
The food is great and plentiful and filling just with a big grpup like ours (32 people) you sometimes have to queue to get it. Try not to be too British expecting a hot cup of tea each morning. I took my own kettle and onlu used it twice.
The kit is great and does the job perfectly and the room floor dries things out very well.

A Wonderful Experience

This was a varied and interesting trip. We had various wildlife encounters. We had an excellent group with a magical guide. I loved it. It was great to enjoy some lovely weather and stunning scenery in January!

Fantastic trip

This was a lovely trip showing Kerala at its best. Our guide was simply outstanding which left us with a lasting memory of the beautiful part of India. Very easy cycling with no climbs at all, until a couple of small ones on the optional last day cycling.

An amazing trip!

This was an outstanding and memorable trip which taught us so much about the history, culture and geography of Vietnam. Travelling from north to south, the itinerary was exceedingly well planned and varied – from the variety of accommodation and modes of transport to the experience of both city and rural life.
As members of the generation which remembers the Vietnam War on the TV screeens for a decade, it was a profound experience to visit those places where momentous events took place, heightening our awareness of both the suffering, resilience and achievements of the Vietnamese people.

Fantastic experience

What a wonderful way to experience the wonders and beauty of Sri Lanka. Days spent visiting cultural sites, wildlife safaris were we got up close to elephant, sadly we didn’t see the elusive leopard. Visits to isolated villages were we enjoyed local food cooked and eaten in the Sri Lankan way Cycling through the countryside seeing the local way of life. So many experiences that made sure you never had a dull moment. Plus a guide, Nalaka, who gave us such wonderful insight into the cultural past and the present way of life in Sri Lanka. If you want to enjoy the beauty of the island then this is the trip for you.

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.

Fascinating country

We really enjoyed the chance to see so much of this great country in 2 weeks. The itinerary was excellent with visits to three very different regions. A good mix of walking and lots of wildlife and scenery to enjoy. The hotels we stayed in were all of a high standard and our guide gave good recommendations on places to eat in all locations.