Discover Costa Rica

Customer Reviews

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  Caroline

  · September 5th, 2024
  Eduardo our guide and Victor our driver were both wonderful, looking after us every step of the way, and always attentive to our requests and enjoyment of the holiday
  

  Exodus Adventure Travels commented on this review

  We are so happy to hear that you had a great time on our Discover Costa Rica tour and we really appreciate you sharing your thoughts and providing us with feedback. We are thrilled that Eduardo and Victor took care of you and we know our local team will... Show more
  Trip date: August 2024
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  marta

  · February 4th, 2020
  The travel arrangements, accommodation, and food were excellent. The driver was excellent and the guide very good. I was with a lovely group of people. Unfortunately we had torrential rain at Arenal and Monteverde which meant that we got soaking wet and didn't see a lot. The other four locations were wonderful, particularly Savegre cloud forest. I would have loved to have stayed there another night and gone straight to the airport from there. I didn't particularly enjoy the farm visit and afterwards found myself covered in flea bites! Altogether though it was a great trip with beautiful birds and wonderful scenery.
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  Trip date: January 2020
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  Judy

  · November 1st, 2019
  Great trip...lots of things to do and the guide was excellent, he was very knowledgeable about the wildlife
  Trip date: April 2019
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  Gillian

  · March 31st, 2018
  Well organized and comprehensive tour. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife, especially the birds. He spotted things which we would never have done and was able to identify them with ease.
  Trip date: March 2018
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  Donald

  · March 21st, 2017
  Great holiday for the environmentally conscious person. A cornucopia of flora and fauna, well presented.....wonderful experience.
  Trip date: March 2017
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  Ani

  · October 30th, 2016
  This was my first group tour and it completely exceeded my expectations. I planned a last minute solo trip to Costa Rica and thought it would be helpful to be with a group and couldn't have been more right. The tour was so well planned and organized, and we were able to do things that would have taken weeks to coordinate. In general we saw a great range in everything Costa Rica had to offer. Our guide was incredibly enthusiastic, knowledgeable, patient and fun. The trip would not have been the same without her.
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  Trip date: October 2016
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  Ian Hay

  · November 9th, 2013
  An interesting and wonderful country. Exodus organisation was impeccable. Not a cheap location and activities/shopping aimed at 'Tourists' charged in USD and often over-priced. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?For us both, seeing baby and adult turtles. For myself seeing the amazing butterfly population, particularly the Morphos.What did you think of your group leader?Good and reliable.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Add a few days at Pacuare Lodge [www.pacuarelodge.com] at the end of your Exodus trip. Arrive and depart by white water raft. Amazing location, service, staff and food. In National Geographic's top 25 Ecolodge list! Our only mistake was not booking for longer!!Take twice as many USD as you think you will need. Contrary to expectation the the visit and walk to Arenal goes nowhere near the summit or crater. Don't bother visiting Selvatura Park, Monteverde - very overpriced, staff indifferent and some frankly rude. Visit the nearby Monteverde Butterfly Gardens 'El Mariposario' instead [not to be mistaken for the understocked butterfly house which is part of Selvatura Park].For snacks in Monteverde go to the Orchid Cafe - wonderful iced coffees and other delights!Is there anything else you would like to add?Suggest Exodus offers the option of Pacuare Lodge as an extension and includes a visit to see at least one volcano crater.
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  Trip date: November 2013
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  Di Rooks

  · October 26th, 2013
  A truly amazing trip which surpassed my high expectations. Everything was perfect, the accommodation, the food, the guide, Giovanni, the local guides, the itinerary which included close contact with lots of amazing wildlife and chance to become familiar with some of the culture of Costa Rica with a visit to a coffee plantation, a school and an appetising lunch with a lady who makes delicious cheese. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Difficult to choose one there were so many but my first view of a sloth was amazing, I had always wanted to see one, also getting so close to iguanas who posed beautifully for photographs. Gliding peacefully along the canals at Tortuguero was like a dream. And I loved the feeling of being so close to nature at Esquinas lodge, listening to the evening frog chorus. What did you think of your group leader?Giovanni was all you could ask for in a guide. His knowledge about wildlife was extensive and he never tired of answering our endless questions.  He was obviously proud of his country and was keen for us to learn something about his people. He was able to recommend some good eating places. He was sensitive to all our needs and had a good sense of humour. He made sure dietery requirements were met and went out of his way to make sure we saw all the wildlife we could, He had amazing spotting ability, we wondered how he managed to spot some things, and would stop the bus so we could take photographs and get a closer look through his telescope. He made sure we saw the resplendant quetzal at Savegre. We were lucky enough to see male, female and juvenile.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Book now it is an amazing trip. A poncho is really useful as it covers your rucksack when it rains. I took my own wellies for the muddy walks but others managed in trainers. I found my walking stick useful on really muddy tracks as it helped maintain balance when it was slippery. The walking is not difficult many of the trails are on stony tracks. I didn't need the separate holdall for the trip to Tortuguero as there was enough room for luggage even on a full boat. Check you have enough time for connecting flights in Madrid if you choose that route.A super absorbent travel towel was useful on the waterfall walk to dry off after a swim.Take plenty of insect repellent. We had to go through security again in Madrid on the return journey even my bottle of water bought airside of security in San Jose was confiscated so this might affect what you buy at duty free in San Jose.Is there anything else you would like to add?I must mention the driver. I felt really safe the whole time he was such a skillful driver on some very steep and windy roads. We were only eight in our group so we had plenty of space to spread out in the minibus. All the accommodation was clean and comfortable and all the staff were friendly and looked after us well, nothing was too much trouble. This really is a trip of a lifetime. It was my first trip with Exodus but it won't be the last I was very impresssed with their organisation before and during the trip. I can wholeheartedly recommend this trip, just book it you won't be disappointed.
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  Trip date: October 2013
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  Charlotte Carvell

  · January 23rd, 2012
  A really good insight into Costa Rica and the varied landscapes and wildlife.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?The best moments for me were when walking on our own on a trail at Manual Antonio NP where we got to watch a troop of Capuchin monkeys crossing the path in the trees and then were rewarded for climbing further with a group of Squirrel monkeys very close to us as well. The NP here was very beautiful but each place was different and inspirational in it's own right.What did you think of your group leader?Gustavo was great! He had a good sense of humour and good knowledge of the wildlife, history and diverse ecosystems of Costa Rica.Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Take a good camera with good zoom lens for wildlife shots.Is there anything else you would like to add?This is a good choice of trip to get a feel for Costa Rica and experience the different areas of the country.
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  Trip date: January 2012
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  Paul Marwood

  · November 14th, 2011
  Great trip for bird watching. The lodges give a real rain/cloud forest experience.What was the most inspirational moment of your trip?Watching the otters hunting and feeding from out boat in the back canals at Tortuguero.  No mention of otters on the Trip Notes (in fact our guide said they were the first he'd seen).Seeing squirrel monkeys in Juan Antonio NP.Humming bird wonderland! What did you think of your group leader?Marco was very good.  On a trip were there were lots of options he managed (with a little difficulty) to keep tabs on the group.  He didn't over-regiment the group.  He also went beyond his remit to help me shop for my 40th wedding anniversary present for my wife!His one black mark was our final group meal (see below). Do you have any advice for potential travellers?Read the Trip Notes carefully.  These are the best notes I can remember from Exodus.  They are very accurate in that there is a lot of travelling; the wet season in rain and cloud forests is wet. Don't say you weren't warned!Is there anything else you would like to add?Last night group dinner. We were taken half way round San Jose and back when some of the group had very early flights next morning.  The restaurants (we walked out of the first one), were poor.On the last day we went to a restaurant 200m from the Villa Tournon hotel where we had lunch.  It would have been ideal for dinner; good atmosphere, menu and service.  Can't remember the name, but turn right out of V. Tournon, cross road, first left 50m down on right, attached to an open hotel.
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  Trip date: November 2011