Mystic Waterfalls & Forests Of Costa Rica

Customer Reviews

• B

  Beth

  · July 26th, 2024
  I was on this tour with my 14-year-old son just last week. I’ll admit that I was a little nervous about booking a tour with so few reviews, but it’s the one he most wanted. In short, we had an amazing time, and the trip exceeded my expectations. Karla at Destination Services was very responsive to my questions and provided a phone number via WhatsApp to use while in the country. We received our detailed itinerary about a week before departure and again from our driver when we were picked up at the airport in Liberia. I appreciated that the itinerary included "what to bring" for the various activities (i.e., insect repellent, towel, change of clothes, binoculars). All the transfers (from hotel to hotel and for the various included tours) were on-time and smooth. The transfers to each subsequent hotel included only my son and me, no other passengers, and the drivers were amendable to stopping en route if needed (for a restroom or snack break). Several of the included activities did include other participants and the "tourismo" vans picked up/dropped off folks at their respective hotels. We loved our first hotel, Hacienda Guachipelín. The room was spacious (including the bathroom). Due to our flight schedule and delay, we arrived at night and then only had one full day there. While the website itinerary suggests a horseback ride to waterfalls, it wasn’t clear to me that it was only a suggestion. The Hacienda offers about a dozen different tours ranging from 2 hours for one activity to a full day for several, and the cost of whichever tour we’d choose would be additional. We booked the One Day Adventure Pass (which includes tubing, zip lining, horseback riding and hot springs), but since there had been thunderstorms all night several of those activities (plus access to the waterfalls) were cancelled due to the heavy rain. Still, we went zip lining and then horseback riding with a group, and then mountain bike riding just the two of us, and it was all so fun (and challenging at times)! The on-site adventure company that facilitates the zip lining strongly suggests leaving behind cell phones to keep them safe (a valid point). We learned that one of the guides takes photos (while zip lining) for those who want to purchase them (something we indulged in to preserve the incredible experience). It would have been nice to have another day here (so pick your flights accordingly). In Monteverde we stayed at Montaña Monteverde, another nice hotel though the rooms are a little dated in comparison to the others. Still, it was very spacious, had a balcony with an amazing view and there’s a huge tub. We had a free afternoon before that evening’s night hike, so we went to Selvatura Park. There’s lot offered there, and we chose the Treetop Walkway – guide not included- and the Sloth Habitat. A free shuttle picked us up from the hotel, which was super convenient. I loved the sloth tour, even though they weren’t outdoors in the natural environment. There are about a dozen sloths that reside at the sanctuary and the tour includes a guide. The restaurant at the park offered tasty food as well. Regarding tipping: I'd asked Karla what the expectations were around this and learned that while tips are optional, they’re already included on restaurant bills. However, I quickly learned that all food bills include an option to include an additional tip. And it seems customary to tip many of the folks involved in the various activities (drivers & tour guides), especially since there are signs and containers advertising as much. One mistake I made was not withdrawing enough money at the airport to use for this purpose. My son wasn’t interested in exploring the various towns, and that meant I didn’t have access to ATM machines. I’d suggest having plenty $1’s and $5’s (or Colones) handy for tipping throughout your trip. Food: Breakfast is included at all the hotels and is buffet. Food ranged from generally good to very good and coffee was delicious. Hacienda Guachipelín has several spots for eating whereas Montaña Monteverde has one. Though you sign your bill at the end of each meal eaten at the hotels, the costs are paid when you check-out. Weather was hot and humid in Rincon de la Vieja (where Hacienda Guachipelín is located) and again in Arenal (hotel Lomas del Volcan) and cool and very windy in Monteverde (so glad I brought a sweatshirt!). It was wet everywhere. We brought and used our rain jackets most days and had plastic ponchos just in case. We also purchased waterproof, clear plastic phone cases (the kind that hang around your neck) to use on adventures. The night walk in Monteverde was fun and we did see animals and insects (toucan, owl, spiders, glass tree frog eggs). For El Tigre Waterfalls tour, we were paired with a family of three and a guide. Some parts of the trail are slippery so sturdy-ish shoes are essential. My son wore Crocs (and slipped once, but maybe that’s because he was looking at his phone and not the trail?) and I wore Keens throughout the tour and those worked well. There are handrails for parts of the trails, but not all of it. Toward the end of the trail, you’ll have an option to ride a zipline *bike* (for an extra cost) or continue to hike toward the end. Then, you’ll either ride horseback or take a 4x4 back to the start point where you’ll be rewarded with a delicious lunch. That afternoon we added an outing to TreeTopia Park for more zip lining (highly recommend!!) This was truly a thrilling experiencing with zip lining great distances and at great heights, all done in the cloud forest. Our final hotel in Arenal was Lomas del Volcan and it was truly amazing. All the rooms are bungalows. The grounds are tropical and beautiful. There are two pools, and the warmer one has a swim-up bar (food can be ordered too). We spent many hours lounging in it and poolside. Plus, volcán Arenal is *right there*. I’d definitely return to this spot. Our tour of Arenal Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall hike was just us and our guide. While the website noted it was a two-hour hike, the entire outing lasted about five hours. Lots of folks get in the water at La Fortuna Waterfall, so plan on that. We brought light-weight packable travel towels, and they came in handy. Hotel Lomas del Volcan has an employee who handles tours and booked an afternoon outing of ATV riding for us. My son had intended on driving with me sitting behind him, but there’s a minimum age of 16. It was incredibly exciting and a highlight. The final included activity of the tour is waterfall rappelling with the optional monkey drop. We were in a group of 19 that included kids as young as six and their active granddad. The guides were great, and it was a lot of fun. Expect to get totally soaked!!! (I'm glad I opted *not* to wear my phone in the waterproof case as we received more than waterfall "shower.") Again, you’ll have the option of purchasing photos. We added an extra night to our trip to accommodate our departing flight, so we spent a night in Liberia at Hampton by Hilton. While it’s a nice hotel, it didn’t compare to where we’d been (same goes for the food). Still, it’s essentially across the street from the airport, so super convenient for early morning flights. There is a sweet café next door called Meztli Coffee house that I recommend. Both my teen and I traveled with a backpack and carry-on luggage for the nine day trip. We used our backpacks every day and had water bottles with built-in filters as I didn’t want to pay for bottled water. My teen and I would 100% recommend this trip.
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  Destination Services Costa Rica commented on this review

  Good Day Dear Beth Thanks for your amazing review, we are super glad to know you and your son have an incredible time in Costa Rica. We hope you can have the opportunity to come back some day to discover more great places of the country. Regards,... Show more
  Trip date: July 2024
• CH

  Christine

  · May 8th, 2024
  Please read. Helpful info and tips included. Great trip!! The communication was excellent throughout, including while we were on the trip (I had a question and Karla replied immediately) *This was a mother / daughter trip. Upon arrival we also got a full print out of the itinerary (attached) which was well outlined and helpful so we didn’t have to rely on our phones for quick reference. What we really appreciated about this booking was that all transfers, hotels, activities and guides were booked through the booking itself. Everything was well organized and the hotel choices were great. My mom and I would 100% recommend this trip and we'd do it again. The only “hitches” were; 1. We were late getting to our hotel on Montverde so we didn’t make in time for the night walk that was booked but the women at the front desk immediately called the company and they got us in for the next night which we were fine with. Pretty sure we were late because we had to pick up other passengers that we weren’t originally scheduled to. And 2. Our hotel (which we arrived late to) on Montverde didn’t book us in for 2 separate beds. There was a misunderstanding about the language of a “double room” or something like that. Since the hotel was fully booked they couldn’t correct it but offered to switch us the next night. Again, my mom and I aren’t too fussy so it was fine with us. My only complaint is that we paid to add an extra night onto our trip (made more sense for flights) and instead of booking us in at any number of local places we were set up right beside the airport at the Hampton by Hilton. The hotel was nice and they do have a decent pool and bar area and the airport is literally 2 mins drive but I would have much preferred a local spot. Being here we were beholden to the food and prices. There’s literally nothing else around for food and drinks. The shuttle from this hotel runs something like every 15-20mins so you don’t even need to “book” it. Just be in the lobby when its time to go. Things of note or that I’d recommend: Bring a (small) backpack for day adventures and a water bottle is a good idea too. We each brought carry-on luggage and a backpack only which was nice because of the moving from hotel to hotel a few times. Bring either local currency or USD, in smaller & larger bills. It was nice not having to use a credit card for everything. Breakfasts were included at all hotels but additional meals, snacks and beverages were an additional cost. All pricing was offered in Colóns and USD. I’ll admit that pricing did shock us a bit. It was all equivalent to pricing back home. We thought it would be somewhat cheaper. Due to scheduling and all the activities we did we weren’t able to wander the towns so much so we were beholden to the hotel restaurants which again are extra $$ for everything (excluding breakfasts). On average an alcoholic drink was $10 USD (no tip) and dinner per person with drinks and tip was $50 USD. There were GF, vegetarian and I believe vegan options at all hotels but some had more variety available. *If booking something like this on your own I would recommend a guide on ALL TOURS. You don’t have to but we were very grateful we had them and were organized ahead with the booking which I didn't realize initially. We saw so much more wildlife this way. They can spot things you’d never in a million years see. They also carry a telescope so you can see too and then take your phone and hold it to the telescope to take pictures and video for you. So worth the extra cost. I would 100% recommend water shoes (or “teva like” sandles) for all water stuff like swimming, hot springs, ect. Running shoes are good for all hikes and tours but if you’re bringing hiking shoes you’ll want those for El Tigre waterfalls for sure. We wore runners and were fine though – FYI - they will get muddy. Now onto the ALL the positives. Totally 100% recommend Hacienda Guachipelin (pronounced Waa-Chi-Pa-Leen). You could easily spend the whole week here. The rooms, food and staff were excellent. Only down side no beach. They do have a pool and TONS of activities like lots of hiking trails, waterfalls (lots of them) where you can swim as well, hot springs (our favourite spot). And there’s a ton of activities on site for potentially an extra fee depending on what package or how long you book for (horseback riding, ziplining, water rafting, etc.) This place had the most GF, vegetarian and vegan options of any place we stayed at. Something like 95% of their menu is allergen/veg friendly. We truly felt spoiled here since we’re both GF. After leaving here we did feel disappointed with the available options at the other hotels but given where in the world you are its understandable. They do have a shuttle to take you from activity spot to activity spot. Remember it’s a massive Hacienda so walking from (most) spot to spot isn’t ideal (map included). If you drive here then you can move around at your leisure and not have to wait. Towels for activities provided. Its less then an hour drive from Liberia airport or close to 4hrs drive from San Jose. Next, we were off to Montverde Country Lodge. Again, nice room, food was good and the staff very helpful. Keep in mind you’re literally at the top of the mountain so its colder and windy here. I was so glad to have leggings, a sweater and a long sleeve cotton shirt. These saved me up here. A light windbreaker might be nice too but we didn’t bring anything like that to save on luggage space. Here we did the El Tigre waterfalls and then the night walk. Both very cool and recommended. The hike was so wonderful, not recommended if you have any leg, knee or balance issues. Also, there’s really only one waterfall for swimming and its really rocky to get in and out. No bathing suit or towel needed unless you really want to have a quick swim at the one spot. Only one man from our small group went in. On Montverde you can also pay for a taxi and go into town if you want. Walk around and eat at any restaurant which I imagine would be cheaper but given our lateness upon arrival and night walk on the second night we didn’t have the time. There’s not too much to do at this hotel so most people did go into town. Restaurant here was ok and the food good. Next morning was off to Arenal, Lomas del Volcan Hotel. On the way there we took the ferry which we didn’t know about but so fun. There’s 2 ways to get to Arenal, ferry or drive around. This place was SOOOO nice. “Nicest” place of all of them. AMAZING view of the volcano!! Pool area was excellent. When we were there they had 2 pools and one was heated which was amazing to lounge in and had a swim up bar. The other pool as really cold and so nice to cool off in. We were told this cold pool was closing soon for a redesign so I’m curious what it will look like. In Arenal area we did the Hanging bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall hike and because our guide Miguel was so awesome we added the Sloth park with him that same day. He was fantastic!! Excellent guide and so knowledgeable. No bathing suit needed for Hanging bridges but you will want one and a towel for La Fortuna Waterfall. There’s a changing area here. Next day we did the Pure trek 4x4, rappel and Canyon. This sounds like a bunch of things but really wasn’t. It was a great adventure but there isn’t actually 4x4ing. They take you up the mountain in an open truck and the canyons are where you rappel. Super fun but I thought the title was misleading. You’ll want a bathing suit under some (quick dry type of) clothing and water shoes (or “teva” like sandles)!! They provide towels and changing rooms with lockers so bring a dry set of clothes for after. They also provide a lunch which was very good and included in the cost. The rest of the afternoon and evening are “free time” so we hung around the hotel which was nice because we wanted to take advantage of the awesome pool area. Next day we were off to the Hampton hotel. Here we just sun tanned and chilled all day and evening. Next day was leaving day. We had the morning to eat breakfast and chill before heading to the airport. Thanks for reading this and I really hope you find some it helpful!! Cheers,
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  Destination Services Costa Rica commented on this review

  Hi Christine Thank you so much for taking the time of leaving us your great comments, we really appreciate. This kind information helps us a lot to keep improving in our services. We are glad to know you have a great experience in your trip.... Show more
  
  Trip date: February 2024
• JS

  Jason

  · April 25th, 2024
  Great excursions with a balance of leisurely tours and tours requiring more effort. Also a good variety of places we stayed varying between more authentic Costa Rican to resort style.
  

  Destination Services Costa Rica commented on this review

  Hi Jason It was a true honor to be able to assist you during your trip, we really appreciate your comments. We hope you have enjoyed Costa Rica and please don't hesitate to comeback someday and contact us to help you. Regards, Karla Alpízar... Show more
  Trip date: March 2024
• 

  Jordan

  · October 23rd, 2023
  tour was excellent - all events, activities, transpiration, etc went perfectly. We just had to show up in the right place at the right time.
  

  Destination Services Costa Rica commented on this review

  Thank you for your very positive feedback. Your comments are very important for us to improve our services and I am glad you had a lovely experience with us and we met your travelling expectations. We hope to be your choice for your future holiday... Show more
  Trip date: October 2023
• CC

  Chris

  · April 13th, 2023
  It was a fun tour put together. The name of this tour pretty much is what says, in which you see many different waterfalls and forest areas around the Ricon de la Vieja National Park, Monteverde, and Arenal volcano near La Fortuna. Many activities were arranged to which you see these waterfalls and forest environments such as horseback riding, nightwalk to see various animals insects and reptiles at night, hikes, and rappelling. When these activities were done usually by noon, you have the rest of the day to yourself to explore around other sites or to just relax at your hotel. I enjoyed the week I had in Costa Rica doing this tour, and I would recommend anyone who wants a bit of adventure and relaxation to go on this tour.
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  Destination Services Costa Rica commented on this review

  Thanks so much for your feedback! we really appreciate the time you took to write such a review! Hope soon you come back to Costa Rica
  Trip date: April 2023
• JK

  Jose

  · June 9th, 2022
  Overall well thought out and experiences were awesome! We encountered a problem where the transportation operator just didn't show up when we were leaving our first resort. I messaged Victoria, our tour contact, and she responded right away and got us a different transportation company to pick us up but it was 2-2.5 hours later than we originally had planned. It was inconvenient, we woke up early and ate breakfast early so we could check out and we missed out on some Monteverde exploring. Other than that everything went well. Be advised
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  Destination Services Costa Rica commented on this review

  Thank you very much for your feedback! We take note of your comments to improve in the future. We hope soon your return to Costa Rica and provide an excellent experience!
  Trip date: May 2022