…these are real reviews and comments but they are really old because we get dozens every week and just cannot keep up… we’ve switched over to recommending that people review on TripAdvisor so please go there for more recent comments…

After traveling to Costa Rica each of our clients has the opportunity to rate and review our services and we’re delighted to post the results below.

Travel Planning — Did we do a good job understanding your requests and customizing a vacation to match?

Value — We pride ourselves on providing more value for your money than any other company in Costa Rica. How did we do?

Service — How was our overall service – responding to e-mails and phone calls, making changes, keeping you informed etc.?

Logistics — Were you satisfied with our system for payments, guaranteed reservations and vouchers?

100% Recommended — When we ask customers if they will recommend us to friends and family every one that’s answered said yes.

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Traveler’s Comments, Reviews, Photos & Memories

Hi Meghan!

I just wanted to let you know how extremely happy we were with this trip and your company’s services!

The hotels were great (we were particularly fond of the Lost Iguana and Aguila de Osa!) and what just blew us away was the timeliness and courtesy of all of our drivers, whether on the tours or just for transfers here and there.

Everyone was there on time, introduced themselves, and provided comfortable, clean vehicles. Also, the tours were excellent – great guides!

I don’t know if there is somewhere online I can go to post a review for you but, if there is, please let me know and I will happily put up an excellent one. We had a wonderful time. The weather got a bit hot and humid for us down on the Osa but we still had a good time.

Thank you for all your help and please let everyone involved with our trip know how happy we were!

Best memories Attached are a couple of my favorite pictures. The first is from our balcony at Lost Iguana. Beautiful isn’t it! The second is a two-toed sloth we saw on our hike in Manuel Antonio Park. The guide had a wonderful telescope and could take pictures through it with our cameras. As he said: “National Geographic quality!” The last is a beach on the Osa Peninsula, where we started our hike in the Corcovado Park. One of the things I will remember best is the dolphins playing in the wake of our boat as we headed to Cano Island for snorkeling. There was a baby dolphin who was delightful and they were all grand to watch.

Best to you!

P.L. — Lake Oswego Oregon

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I planned my vacation within two weeks of departure and found your staff to be extremely responsive and helpful to my custom needs. I was impressed with the speed of execution and the detailed itinerary. All I had to do was show up.

I was really happy that the staff was easily accessible in Costa Rica for any problems that came up and they solved little glitches quickly and easily. I was also super relieved that they could communicate in English so well. I felt like I had an advocate on my side. I traveled as a team of 3 so the sleeping arrangements were a bit tight at times especially if the biggest beds were doubles. But the trip was a great value overall and we stayed at some really nice places and ate well. Really happy with the amount of activities and the customized itinerary and that we didn’t feel like a we were being herded like cattle from place to place.

Definitely the waterfall rappel which Gretchen recommended highly. So glad we did it. The Desafio adventure company is great. They have a wide variety of activities but we really enjoyed the rappelling and the guides were the best we had. Warm, engaging, funny and informative. They really try to communicate with you. I’d highly recommend them for anyone traveling to the Arenal Springs area.

T.V. — Seattle, Washington

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Hi Meghan,

I wanted to thank you and all of Costa Rica Guide’s employees for a wonderful trip. From the moment we first spoke to you to the time we were dropped off at the San Jose Airport to come home, your travel plans were great. All tour operators showed up on time and were fun and informative. The tours themselves were run very professionally. We would especially like to mention Norma & Henry at Dominical Surf Adventures. They were so friendly and helpful. The kids’ surf lessons were unforgettable. The kids couldn’t stop talking about it and the parents that went with them loved the restaurant where you can fish out your own tilapia to eat. All the kids ate it and liked it too!

Don Lulo’s family was wonderful too! Their horses are amazing and the waterfall was beautiful. The food was delicious and the girls really enjoyed seeing the animals while we were eating. This was their favorite tour.

The sea kayaking Waves & Caves was fun, but more strenuous than we anticipated. Our information said a 1-hour easy paddle, but when we got there, they said it was a 2 1/2 hour paddle. I think it would be best to clear that description up. This is a great tour, though, and the guides were wonderful and they had the best pineapple!

The rappelling tour was amazing. We had an 1 1/2 climb up a beautiful mountainside and Phillipe and Melissa from Tree of Life Tours were very fun and knowledgeable about the area. If it wasn’t for their professionalism and making us so comfortable on the hike, I don’t think I would have had the courage to do the rappel. They explained everything and my trust in them was the only thing that made me do it. And boy was I glad I did. The rappel went great and the cave where we ate was spectacular, the views, the food, everything! The ATV tour by Fourtrax was super fun and the waterfall was one of the best. The house we ate at had a spectacular view and the food was delicious. The tour goes at a safe pace and is great for all family members.

Hacidenda Baru was fabulous. Everyone loved the tour of the gardens and the zipline. And our pictures from there are so colorful. Manuel Antonio was rainy for the first half and no animals, but when we got to the beach area, it was sunny and the beach is one of the most beautiful I have ever seen. Our guide Andre was great. He really knows his area of expertise and was able to spot many animals for us after the rain stopped.

Crocodile night tour was very interesting, but no crocs seen since it was high tide. I think this was too far from Dominical for this kind of tour. But the tour company was wonderful and we did see various other wildlife.

Sportfishing with Dolphin Tours was great. We caught 9 fish between two boats and our captains really knew where to go and what lures to use. The lunch was delicious too!

Overall, this was the most memorable and well planned trip we’ve ever had. I would only change the few things I noted, but that did not ruin our trip. It was a pleasure dealing with you and thank you very much for all of your hard work. I’ve attached a few pictures, but if you would like more, just let me know.

Thanks,
L.K. — Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania

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You guys were great.

I loved every second of it. thank you

S.K. — McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey

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Absolutely phenomenal vacation!!!! The tours were amazing! Everything was arranged perfectly. we did not have to worry about a thing!! I would definitely recommend traveling with toucan maps to anyone!!

By far the best company i have ever booked a trip with!!! Keep up the great work!

The rappelling tour was by far the best! The guides made us feel incredibly safe, plus they kept us laughing and having fun the entire time!

T.K. — Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

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Meghan, Gretchen, and everyone else on the Pacific Tradewinds team,

I just wanted to let you know that because of your help and hard work, our recent trip to Costa Rica (Arenal and Puerto Viejo) was a fantastic success. My husband and I both agree that this was by far the best vacation we have ever taken. We will be returning to Costa Rica as soon as we can, and we will definitely be using your services again. I can’t thank you enough.

A couple of memories that stand out for us.

First: When we were snorkeling on the reef by Cahuita, Rudy (our guide) directed us to several large schools of fish and a number of different coral varieties. I never imagined that I would be able to drift with the current and have hundreds of curious fish swirl around me in an explosion of color and motion. But even better was the bat ray that Rudy spotted. I have only seen rays at the San Francisco Aquarium. To see one skimming along in the shadow of the boat and to be able to follow it was quite an experience for both of us.

Second: My guidebook had a short write-up about Echo Books in Puerto Viejo, and I decided that I wanted visit it. We had seen the sign for the store on the way to our hotel, and one hot and dusty afternoon we headed out to find Echo Books. We turned off the main road and started walking down a single lane dirt road that seemed to lead off into the jungle. A few hundred feet down the road, a sign directed us to turn left, so off we went down an even smaller, bumpier road. After a short ways, a sign on this road pointed us off to the left yet again, this time along an even narrower lane. I was beginning to believe that Echo Books was just an illusion when we arrived at a two story house almost hidden in the trees. This was Echo Books, and it was an oasis of cool amid the dust and the drone of the cicadas. The proprietors are gracious, and the selection of books is eclectic. It’s definitely worth the trip.

You folks are the best. This trip, which was my gift to my husband for his birthday, would not have been possible without your expertise and help. Thank you once again.

Kindest Regards,

R.E. — San Diego Califonia

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Our vacation was fantastic! You did a tremendous job planning for us – all of our needs were met. The one recommendation we would have is to reconsider using El Establo Mountain Resort. The hotel is a bit down on its heels (but it was post season) – but the staff attitude was not up to the hospitable level of the other hotels you booked. They seemed to want a small amount of money for anything they considered extra – access to the internet – additional coffee packets – etc. This was not the case with other hotels who bent over backwards to make sure we had everything we could need.

Excllent. We have recommended your services to many other travelers.

We had so many adventures it is difficult to pick a favorite – while water rafting, zip lining, horseback riding and more. I think the 2 memories I will carry with me are the views from our rooms in Monteverde and in Manuel Antonio – both were breath taking.

S.C. — Oak Grove, Missouri

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The trip of a lifetime! We really wouldn’t change a thing. Transportation was always on time and the drivers were so friendly! Tours were given by enthusiastic and knowledgable guides who love what they do.

Absolutely fabulous. It was a leap of faith for us to book our vacation essentially online and we were SO happy. We were surpised and pleased that a customized vacation could be so reasonable. Gretchen was amazing planning our trip and answering our questions. She also cheerfully helped us find our first driver after our flights were delayed. The best comment I could make is that she was truly excited about our trip and willing to go out of her way to make it great. We planned a busy trip and moved around every couple days and still felt like everything was seemless. I would happily talk with anyone who had any doubts booking with you.

Waking up with the Arenal Volcano out our window, rapelling down waterfalls, gorgeous countryside and feeling genuinely welcomed by Costa Ricans.

P.W. — Elora Ontario, Canada

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Awesome time, everything was great. Can’t wait to come back… SOON! :)

Rappelling down waterfalls and hiking through the rain forest!!! Amazing!

P.N. — Chicago, Illinois

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Sample of countless treasured memories as requested:–

The excitement of being whisked along blue sky canals towards Tortugero.

Sitting silently in a boat at night, on the same canals,surrounded by rain forest and stars so bright you could touch them.

Eating fresh cut pinapple amid mangroves on the coral strewn beach of Cahuita.

Strolling low-tide Samara beach at sunset ,glass of wine in hand,watching waves,a football game, and happy people.
Listening to torrential tropical rain from our balcony below Arenal.

Sensing the young enthusiasm of Costa Rican children singing and dancing in their traditional costume.

Pura Vida. Thanks again

R.M. — Sheffield, England

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This was an exception vacation!! The services provided by Meghan were amazing, the tour companies were very knowlegable and friendly, and overall the experience was terrific! :)

I was the group leader for myself and 6 friends who went on this vacation, normally in such a role it would be very stressful to organize the details but the vouchers and itineraries were worked out to the smallest detail and really made everything super easy!

WOW, that’s hard as there were soo many! I think my favorite memories include the visit to the Doka coffee plantation, white water rafting, and the visit to the Monteverde cloud forest where we saw a quetzal!!

M.D. — Brookline, Massachusetts

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You did an outstanding job rebooking our snowed out vacation in February. You were able to move the entire itinerary one month forward intact. We really appreciated the great service!

Enjoyed eating local food at family owned roadside stands,the butterfly farm, and cloud forest zip line adventure.

K.H. — Freehold, New Jersey

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Your company was absolutely great to work with. Your knowledge helped us so much in our planning. You took in consideration my traveling with my elderly father, and everything was perfect for us. Thanks for accommodating all our changes we made–you made everything so simple.

We actually had quite a few hours traveling from one spot to another, but we were completely enthralled with the beauty of the country. Of course, watching monkeys and beautiful birds outside our rooms was pretty memorable too!

This was a very memorable trip to beautiful Costa Rica. The activities planned were great, transportation very reliable & friendly. We would have given the accommodations a 10, but thought the Arenal Lodge was an 8, but the Mango Moon a 10. We highly recommend adding Mango Moon to your Manual Antonio list of hotels.

J.W. — San Antonio, Texas

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Meghan – thanks for the suggestions below – we took you up on many including Don Ruffino and Dos Pinos in La Fortuna; Pizzeria Johnny’s and The Treehouse in Monteverde; & Angels, El Avion & Ronny’s Place in Manuel Antonio. We were also pleased to find Playa Biezenza (sp.?) in MA which you mentioned on an earlier itinerary. We particularly liked finding places a little off the tourist grid like Angels and the beach in MA you suggested.

All hotels were great (although the family sized room at the falls was in a bad location on the highway – they allowed us to move to a smaller, much nicer room inside the property facing the lovely gardens) and the excursions were wonderful. I’ve posted a couple of comments on Trip Advisor which will hopefully stick.

Many favorite memories including waking up in the middle of the night at Fonda Vela and looking out the gigantic window at the black sky filled with stars. Getting up early in the morning with a cup of coffee in Manuel Antonio and listening to the many different sounds of the forest. Seeing my kids faces after running the first rapid of the Rio Balsa and seeing their initial fear morph into delight at the fun we were having. Driving through the beautiful country in our rental car and seeing the landscape change from lush cloud forest vegetation to palm and coconut trees as we got to the coast.

Thanks again for your last minute assistance with this trip. Pura vida!
V.R. and family — Laguna Niguel California

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The vacation was amazing! Both places we stayed were gorgeous! Everything went perfectly!

Everything went so smoothly. The tour companies were awesome and friendly.

Going on the zipline and tarzan swing and the tabacon hot springs were by far the greatest!

 

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Our travels were so smooth, and allowed us to have a completely stress-free vacation. Our drivers were great and we felt they added a lot to our trip too! Arenal Springs Resort completely surpassed our expectations.

We loved having the customized travel, so we always felt we were doing activities we wanted to do rather than obligated to do what other people were doing. The price really can’t be beat — we got such a great deal for this great vacation.

I loved first arriving at our bungalow at Arenal Springs resort — it was complete paradise and I just felt like I was on another planet. I also loved getting to play with monkeys after our zipline tour!

D.G. — Seattle, Washington

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We had the most outstanding time on our vacation to Costa Rica. Every aspect of the trip met or exceeded our expectations.

Megan was very helpful with planning our vacation. She answered all questions quickly and dealt with any and all changes and concerns we had leading up to our trip. We would definetely contact her again for our next CR vacation.

The boat ride through the canals of Tortugeurro, experiencing the remotness and beauty of the rainforests along the banks. Spending a morning kayaking with our guide in the pouring rain is a memory we will never forget. We also loved the thrill of zip-lining through the canopy of the Cloud Forest in Monteverde.

D.B. — Edmonton Alberta, Canada

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Meghan,

I can never thank you enough — the trip was perfect, and I don’t use that word very often!

Everything, the hotels, the drivers and tour guides, the zip lining , snorkeling and rafting, the food, the wedding, the flowers, the photos… everything exceeded my expectations. I know you worked hard to make sure every detail was taken care of and we all appreciate it soooo much!

Again, you are the best!
I will recommend you to everyone!

A.S. & Family — La Crosse Wisconsin

All Arrangements for the Wedding on Playa Hermosa and Honeymoon for the Whole Family

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Both reorts that we stayed were Awsome!! The facility, the personel everything was perfect. Transportation was always on time, friendly, & informative.

I will definately return. Everything was made so easy by use of the vouchers.

Horse back riding up Arenal Volcano! Arenal Springs Resort was Fantastic! I love the fact that this small country is so eco-friendly it is very impressive for a 3rd world country. This was my 2nd time in CR & I will definately be back!! PURA VIDA!!!

T.F. — West Palm Beach, Florida

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Great choice of tours and transportation. Always felt safe, and were often surprised by how much better than we even expected they turned out to be.

Map was great! All the timings went smoothly. Never felt like we were rushed or late. Very dependable.

Looking out over the Arenal Volcano and lush rainforest from our balcony at the Nayara hotel.

R.D. — St. Louis, Missouri

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Everything worked out amazingly well. Shuttles were always on time. There were only a couple adjustments I would make knowing more about the area, but we were very happy with the trip.

We had never had a planned trip before but not knowing much about CR it was nice to have our arrangements made for us.very convenient to be able to use email, and to receive the vouchers that way.

the trip down the Cano Negro, also seeing quetzals in Monteverde, and just walking around the cloud forest.

J.C. — Seattle, Washington

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We made it back in one piece!!! Had a wonderful vacation! It was an adventure with memories that will last a lifetime.

The tours were all prompt and well run. I especially liked the Hanging Bridges Tour. We had a terrific guide, Indida (not sure how to spell her name). She made the tour educational and a great learning experience on all aspects of a rainforest. We did get to see the volcano erupt…minus my sons…it was 5:30 a.m. Beautiful sight.

All the transfer drivers were very courteous and professional. Couldn’t say enough good things about all of them! Please let their boss know they were all terrific. I am so thankful we didn’t rent a car. Those hair pin turns and no traffic signs would have done us in. Like I told the drivers, the driving in Costa Rica is like the Wild West..anything goes!

Our hotels were fine. My older son left some clothing items at the Marriott in San Jose. They did promise to mail them back to us which I think they will. Arenal Springs was comfortable. Rooms were okay, but the views were great! Club del Mar gave us an ocean front room after I complained a bit. Huge condo….perfect for us! We did ride horses in Jaco which was great fun! We didn’t go through the hotel and saved ourselves $160.00. I’d rather give my money to the locals than the hotel anyways.

All in all, we had a wonderful vacation. We all found the Ticos exceptionally nice, not like in the states. Thank you again for all your assistance and guidance.

If I know anyone that plans to go to CR and needs assistance, I will highly recommend you.

Thanks again,
L.S.K. — Asbury, New Jersey

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We had a wonderful time and were able to see everything that we had set out to see. Thanks to Gretchen and Meghan for working with us to design the itinerary while staying in our budget. While we were in Costa Rica many people recommended visiting the Pacific side, so another trip is in order and we’ll definitely be using your services agin.

The vacation was wonderful. Everything went smoothly from the transportation to the hotels and the tours. Villa Florencia was a wonderful hotel to stay at. The staff there was very friendly and helpful. And the food there was fantastic. Without previous warning they were able to accomodate my vegetarian diet. The only minor compliant was that our room was noisy. It was located right beside the lobby and we were able to hear the phone ringing and conversations.Turtle Beach Lodge was as expected. We were not expecting a luxury hotel, and it’s not. But the area is beautiful and the wildlife spottings were fantastic.

My husband and I loved the canopy/canyoneering tour. It was so much fun. The other highlight was kayaking along the canal in Tortuguero. It was just us and the guide. We were able to stop and watch the spider monkeys playing in the trees.

A. & J. L. — Floranceville New Brunswick, Canada

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Pacific Trade Winds S.A. made our trip worry free. We had a wonderful trip and all we had to do was show up. Thanks!

Every part! What an amazing trip.

S.V.H. — Stephenville Newfoundland, Canada

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It was a great trip and I found the team at Toucan/PTW to be extremely helpful. I would absolutely reccomend your services to anyone planning a trip to CR. There was a slight mix up on our last night, but it was rectified fairly easily. If anyone reads this, I was supposed to submit the cost of my taxi transfer to the correct hotel – it was $17. A refund would be appreciated.

The whole trip was great.

J.S. — Chicago, Illinois

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Number 1 the people of Costa Rica are our fondest memory – they were so kind, friendly and welcoming. Tied for Number 2 – waking up to Arenal volcano spouting lava and watching from our front row seat on our balcony of Lost Iguana or experiencing a 6+ earthquake in our tree house in Monteverde. We blamed the shaking house on the kids rough housing!

We were glad not to do the driving in La Fortuna and Monteverde but would have liked to have a car for the few days we were at the beach.

M.T. — Sewickley, Pennsylvania

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The beautiful greenery everywhere and cleanliness; loved their food too.

RECCA Group — New York

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Everyone was extremely helpful with planning assistance and were quick to reply to phone calls and emails. I was disappointed that I was unable to get the travel vouchers sent to me early. And once they did arrive there were several mistakes with the itinerary. All those issues were quickly resolved and quickly forgotten once we were on our way.

The accommodations were excellent for the most part. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed both the Arenal Nayara and Oxygen Villa hotels. We also stayed at the Falls Resort in Manuel Antonio which unfortunately did not meet our expectations. During our stay the power was out each night for a minimum of 90 minutes, the provided breakfast was uninspiring. However, I realize that in order to fit our trip within our budget certain luxuries had to be cut. It was my choice to go with a lower end hotel. Next trip I will spend a little more money and upgrade.

It’s hard to chose but laying in the hammock on the back porch of our room at Arenal Nayara hotel watching (and hearing) the volcano erupt was very special. Also, seeing a troop of squirrel monkeys run through the trees above our heads while eating lunch was something I’ll never forget.

E.M. — Roanoke, Virginia

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everything went great!

no complaints. we were very satisfied with our vacation.

canyoneering

C.J.

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Travel planning was excellent – especially considering this was a last minute trip. Gretchen really hustled to organized our tours and was very patient explaining the different tours.

Accomodations were great – better than what I expected. The 5-star Riu Resort was probably exactly what we requested (all-inclusive resort), but in reality, not what I wanted. After staying at Arenal Resort and Cloud Forest in Monte Verde – the Riu was a let down. It did not feel like Costa Rica and was a Mega Corporate Hotel. We ended up renting a car and staying two nights in Playa Grande. The airport pickup shuttle was functional – very uncomfortable. The driver was very nice and accomodating, but did not speak any english. The shuttle to the land water excursion from Arenal to MonteVerde was the worst – not sure who was in charge, did not receive a greeting or an overview of where we were going, the driver was very abrupt. The land water shuttle was jammed packed and did not have the minimum safety gear on board. The van that drove us from the boat to Monte Verde was quite uncomfortable. All of the transportation vehicles arrived on time (thank you). The Shuttle for Zipline were very efficient and the tours were great. I enjoyed all of the tours. The shuttle from Monte Verde to Riu was very clean and comfortable – the driver did not speak english, but was as helpful and accomodating as he could be.

All of the Eco Tours were conducted by young, professional, Certified Eco Tour Guides. I was really impressed with their passion and depth of knowledge.

S.H. — Honolulu, Hawaii

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First of all,thanks Gretchen!! You helped us select right places/activities. She even arranged extra acitivties around Arenal during our stay there. Then there is Gabriel, a driver that shuttled us around. He was amazing. He suggested right stops, helped us experience local fruit, food. Guys, you rock! I highly recommend your company!

Gretchen is amazing. She listened to our ideas and then sugested right activities that were appropriate for us.

Sleeping in the cave, rain forrest, private beach, Arenal….we love it all!

I.S. — Glenburn, Maine

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This was the best organized trip I have ever taken, wonderful accommodations, and great guides. Usually I have to do all the planning and you made it so easy!

Tours-All tours were excellent, fun and safe. Meghan, you know about our experience on the Rio Balsa. Even though it was quite scary, without the expert and well trained guides of Desafio, the outcome would have been very different. We still would not recommend any children doing the rafting on Rio Balsa during the green season.

N. & D. M. — Port Orchard, Washington

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Had a wonderful vacation. We wish we could have stayed in Costa Rica.

It is top notch. Tours and transportation was excellent.

How happy and nice the people are.

C.C. — Port Charlotte, Florida

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We both had a fantastic time!

A.W. — Milton Keynes, England

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We were very happy with the trip. It was affordable and the service was excellent. The transportation was good to have in a country we weren’t familiar with and the hotels were great!

All of it, it was amazing!!

W.K. — Madison, Wisconsin

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EXCELLANT ON ALL POINTS

Thanks for your efforts and everything was spot on!

Being with my family and having NO schedule hassels. The country is beautiful and people friendly

C.H. — Katy, Texas

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Outstanding

Outstanding

Manuel Antonio

X.D. — Houston, Texas

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Everthing was organized very well went according to plan. There were minor delays on transportation but nothing serious. The transportation companies did call the hotels and said they would be a little late so there was nothing to worry about.All were very courteous and very freindly.Tour Guides were excellent. Food was delicious.The weather cooperated.Venture Crew 0442 would like to return to your beautiful country. Your staff did a marvelous job for us and we thank them. We will recommend your tour company to every one we encounter.

Excellent.

People, Flora, Funda and Food

R.A.R. — Horseheads, New York

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I don’t have a basis to judge value as I’ve never used a service before. We made a few changes, and I found you to be accomodating and felt you tryed hard to please. The flights vs tour payments made me a little nervous. If you can’t make air, it would be helpful to hold the hotel for 12 hours to let us make sure flights could be booked.

Overall most things were good. the second hotel was a little isolated. The hotel itself was very nice. Of the tours, the snorkling was the only one that did not live to expectations. It was a scuba tour that took us and was centered on the scuba. The boat stayed near the scuba location and we were given a guide that could speak no english. when asked what things were, he did not know, or I suspect just did not want to engage due to language. I would not use them again if I were there. The dive captain was very engaging – if it were a scuba tour, it would have been fine. all other tours were good and tour guides from good to excellent. The car service was prompt and ended up showing us more animals than the jungle tour.

Overall an excellent vacation. it was a good choice with older (college) kids allowing us all to enjoy what we did and each other.

B.P. — Cary, North Carolina

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I LOVED the Arenal Springs resort and have recommended it to everyone I’ve spoken to about the trip! The food was DELICIOUS, the spa was heavenly, and the entire staff was so fun and helpful! The Flamingo Beach resort was less amazing than its website portrayed it to be, and it was slightly too Americanized for my liking. The all-inclusive food was not very good and the room smelled terrible… However, I still had a blast there – the pool, beach, and staff were all wonderful!

Gretchen and Maria were both incredible and so helpful! The vouchers made everything so easy. I have already recommended you to other friends interested in traveling!

It’s hard to choose! The entire trip was amazing and I made many new friends, both Costa Rican and American. I can’t wait to go back again!

B.B. — Brooklyn, New York

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Hotels were amazing, our tours were great except for SCUBA and, I think, that was as a result of the recent hurricane. The transfers from hotel to hotel were okay, but very cramped considering I’m 6 foot 3 and my wife is 5 foot 11.

Sitting in the pool at Arenas del Mar and seeing the monkeys play in the trees right in front of us.

W.B. — Blacksburg, Virginia

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wonderful

megan and the team was amazing thank u so much

A.W. — Aurora, Colorado

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Excellent service and Gretchen was such a pleasure to deal with! Will definitely be using you all again in the future!!! Can’t wait to take the kids next time as this was our honeymoon.

The different tours: Zip Lining through the Rain Forest; ATV adventure (our guide was excellent!; White Water Rafting!!! Also the hotels were BEAUTIFUL: Nayara and The Hidden Canopy Treehouse

M.M.

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Everything was coordinated perfectly. We were amazed at how well all the pieces came together. We had no worries and were so glad we decided to use your services instead of planning the trip on our own. The only small item was that we didn’t have complete details for our tours, so we didn’t take the right things along (e.g. swim suits, took large camera on canopy tour). All possible details on tours, their length, what to bring and what not to bring, when to expect to be back, etc. included in the final itinerary would really be helpful.

All the wildlife – monkeys, sloths, macaws, toucans, quetzals…..It’s hard to choose, but we really liked the pristine Osa Peninsula and Corcovado park. Monteverde Forest Reserve was fabulous too – wish we had more time there. We’ll just have to go back!

We loved almost everything about our trip! It was even better than expected. The only tour we didn’t love was the rafting trip down the Rio Balsa. The section of the river wasn’t very scenic and we floated right through a gravel operation, which made the river muddy. It also didn’t have many rapids at all (more like class I & II instead of II & III). Everything else was great!

L.S. — Gibsonia, Pennsylvania

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I will definitely use your services again. Now that Now that I have visited Costa Rica once, I can better select itineraries and locations to visit next time. Also, next trip, I will not hesitate to rent a vehicle, even though the transportation you provided was excellent.

Canyoning in La Fortuna – the Desafio staff were top notch. For anyone who enjoys that sort of thing, I recommend it highly!

D.C. — Dyersburg, Tennessee

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Everything was smooth and went off well. We had a great time and the drivers, guides and hotel staff were friendly and helpful. Thanks

Wow that is a hard one because there were many. I really enjoyed the rafting and the canopy and the Claro de Luna lodge in Monte Verde was beautiful.

J.A. — Chicago, Illinois

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It was the most amazing vacation I have ever had – would do it again in a minute and have recommended it to everyone who I have spoken too about it!!!

Excellent – the staff were extremely knowledgable about Costa Rica, very helpful.

There are too many to note – I loved the whole 11 days – White Water Rafting was amazing, Ziplining was great – then spending 6 days at the beach with the highest waves in the warmest water – unbelievable!!!

P.M. — Dartmouth Nova Scotia, Canada

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You did a great job planning our trip on very short notice. Thanks!

All of the guides were very knowledgeable, friendly and spoke excellent English.

A. I. — Honolulu, Hawaii

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I really love that you answer your phone promptly! The email service is great, too.

1 confusion with the shuttle to the Tree OF Life. It was not clear that we were to meet them at their location. We waited at our location. But when he was contacted he came right over!

This is very difficult. What first comes to mind is sitting in the waterfalls. But I think it is the humble people and the landscapes.

B.J.H. — Harwinton, Connecticut

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Gretchen and Meghan are wonderful and a huge help to us.

Its really all about being with my family, but Arenal Nayara was beyond expectations, and the canyoneering adventure was my favorite tour.

S.A. — Dallas, Texas

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The adventures you scheduled were just what we wanted. Our only complaint was that the rappeling adventure was enough for one day and took all day. We were exhausted afterwards. It overlapped with the hike of the cloud forest you scheduled for later in the afternoon, followed by the Hot Springs. Too much for one day. DesaFio was a great tour company. Our compliments to them. Every contact we had with them was professional and fun.

We were thrilled with the Arenal Springs Hotel and the Falls Resort but dissatisfied with the Trapp Family Inn.

The Canopy Zip Line in Monteverde was unbelievable! We loved everything about it. The hotel staff at The Falls Resort in Manuel Antonio was very good and helpful. I actually got sick while there and they assisted me with getting to a medical clinic.
J.M. — Claremore, Oklahoma

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Your services were outstanding and Gretchen was a rock star! I cannot believe that after submitting a little information, she had put together such a perfect itinterary. She was always incredibly helpful, friendly, and resourceful and when we had to make a change while in Costa Rica, she made it happen immediately. Excellent service overall and I will recommend you to everyone I know. Thanks Gretchen!!

All the tours were fantastic and the guides were excellent! Hotel Royal Corin in Arenal was outstanding and the Hilton Papagayo was also nice, although was definitely not a 5 star hotel. The only negative was our experience with the Car rental folks who tried to upsell us pretty hard when we picked up our car and were downright rude when we returned the car. We had extended our rental by another day through your company and when we showed up to drop off the car, they tried to make us pay for unexplained extra charges. Ultimately we paid extra money for charges I’m still not sure what they are about. Given how great everything else was, I would recommend you don’t do business with Mapache Car Rental.

Everything. It’s a beautiful country with amazing people. If I had to pick, I would say my favorite activity was white water rafting. But really, it would be hard to find a day where we didn’t have a blast!

F.A. — Chicago, Illinois

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It was wonderful! From the tour guides to the drivers we were so impressed by how timely everyone was, very friendly, professional, caring, attention to every detail. Thank You! Thank You!

You all were very helpful also in keeping in constant contact with road closings or time changes. The drivers connecting on the way home were MOST impressive as we passed miles of cars parked and waiting to meet or driver on the other side with hardly a moments wait ~ they were our hero’s! Felt like we were in the movie “Jewel of the Nile”!!!

Beautiful, lush, friendly, fantastic family adventure!

B.H.

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