I just wanted to say thank you from all of us for such a wonderful trip. Everything went so smoothly and every location was amazing. The guides were all so knowledgeable and passionate about their fields. The staff at every location were so friendly and welcoming. Every driver was wonderful spotting things we hadn't seen yet and explaining things along the routes. The transportation seemed so personal too, usually just the four of us. It truly exceeded every expectation I had. I could not have been any happier with costa rica expeditions! They were exceptional in every way!
This was the first time we used a travel company to plan our vacation and after doing a lot of research we decided it was best to use CRE since this was our first time to Costa Rica. From completing the survey 8 months ago and working with Elena through every step of our family vacation I knew this was going to be a special vacation for all of us.
Elena covered every detail, from the tours to transportation to all of the logistics in between and always was attentive, courteous and helpful. Once we got there, we were greeted at the airport with a smiling face and a big sign with our name on it, whisked away in an air conditioned shuttle to our first stop at Arenal. We stayed at Arenal Manoa, which was a perfect choice for our family. Our tours included Danaus Eco-center (one of our favorites), hiking Rio Celeste, doing the hike and sky tram at Sky Park and a beautiful sunset cruise around Arenal volcano.
Our next stop was Manuel Antonio and although it was a long trip, our driver stopped twice along the way to make sure we could get a snack, and use the bathrooms. The Hotel Parador was paradise. Again, another great choice for our family. Here, our tours included a night hike through the jungle and horseback riding with Don Gilberto and his daughter. We loved them both.
Every guide throughout the trip was on time, welcoming and extremely well educated about the history, bio diversity, plant and wildlife and surrounding area. They all gave us great tips and make us feel pampered. I got email updates every day about the next day's tours, what to bring, what to wear and when to meet. We also got paper copies of the itineraries at our hotel room each day.
A huge thank you to Elena, and the entire CRE team for providing us with an unforgettable family vacation filled with great memories. Costa Rica is a very special place and we are so glad we got to experience the beauty of the country. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to book with them again or refer them to a friend.
We discovered Costa Rica Expeditions in 2015 and stayed at both Tortuga Lodge and Monteverde Lodge before striking out on our own. This year we decided to explore more of the country and asked CRE to plan an itinerary for us to the Osa Peninsula and Manuel Antonio. When I emailed the company, I received a quick response from the same person we dealt with last time - Luz Alpizar! She welcomed us back and set about tailoring a trip to meet our needs, desires and budgets. All of her recommendations were spot on. Luna Lodge and La Paloma were both outstanding. All transportation worked perfectly, from Sansa Airlines to all of our drivers, especially Denis from Puerto Jimenez!! Along the way we received updates about our next steps and check-ins to make sure that everything was going well. I cannot say enough about the outstanding service that CRE provides. I would recommend them to anyone planning a vacation in Costa Rica.
We'd never been to Costa Rica before and do not speak Spanish. So we knew we needed assistance booking our trip. According to our go-to source, TripAdvisor, Costa Rica Expeditions was our best bet. Every single Costa Rica Expeditions employee gave us five star GOLD service.
On CRE's website is a questionnaire so that they can make a vacation for you that serves every need/desire you have for an excellent trip. I filled out all the blanks and sent it off. Within hours, I was contacted by a CRE planner.
I told him how long I wanted to stay, what I wanted to see, and what I was willing to spend. He made an itinerary reflecting exactly what I'd asked for. He explained about the 1/2 deposit when booking and the other 1/2 30 days out from the trip. From the very beginning, I was impressed with the individual care and concern about making our trip great.
Our vacation planner was always a step ahead of us in sending confirmations and information. We were confident that we would be cared for as if we were VIPs. My husband, who worries about every detail, was confident that we were in excellent hands. From sign-up to after the vacation, we had detailed information about what was next.
Our hotels were excellent... we were immersed in the Pura Vida of Costa Rica. The food was superb. Connection times were exactly as planned. We never once doubted that we were important to CRE.
Our drivers and guides were exceptional. Andrew Newcomb stayed with us for 5 days, escorting us from San Jose to Torteguero to San Jose to Punta Islita. His interaction and care for us was far, far beyond expectations. He was personable, bilingual, and knew much about everything we were interested in. About 7am as we were on the move from one side of the country to the next, Andrew told us that there had been a minor accident with the driver that had been originally assigned to us. The accident was NOT his fault and he was hale/hearty, but he couldn't make the connection to pick us up.
Costa Rica Expeditions had contacted Alex, another of their wonderful drivers, to take the original person's place. Alex was exactly on time for the connection and stayed with us for the next several days. His driving and care for the job was exemplary. Although he did not speak English, there was no doubt in our minds that both Alex and Andrew truly wanted us to have the vacation of our dreams.
If you are going to Costa Rica, by all means, use the services of Costa Rica Expeditions. Tell them what you want your experience to be. They will grant your every wish. Every employee we came in touch with was exceptional.
Costa Rica Expeditions exceeded all expectations from start to finish. Luz helped organize our trip with patience and attention to detail. Pri was an amazing travel companion. Carol, Leonardo, and Donald expert guides. Had a wonderful time with the students in San Francisco. Beyond impressed with this company. Looking forward to another trip with them in the future.
We wanted to visit Costa Rica with grown children and limited time (1 week). I researched and decided I would let Costa Rica Expeditions make our arrangements. From the initial survey, filled out while we were together at Thanksgiving, I knew I had chosen well. Elena, our agent, was able to rework our itinerary until we we found the right balance between different experiences and maximizing relaxation time by flying between locations. When I say EVERY DETAIL was thought of, and every request met, I mean it. Every vehicle had a cooler for water (as requested), every hotel was aware of food sensitivities (Tortuga Lodge made gluten free bread just for us, and Punta Islita's menus were marked GF, vegan, and vegetarian, and GF pasta was available!) Our transfer and tour guides were helpful in addition to being knowledgeable. It was great that we had the same guide (Ligia), in and around San Jose on 2 separate days. She also called ahead to Tortuga Lodge and made sure we were well taken care of there. We enjoyed getting to know her. She even arranged for us to stop at a grocery store before flying to our final destination so that we could stock up on drinks and snacks for our amazing villa at Punta Islita. All of the drivers, guides, pilots and hotels they lined up provided top-notch customer service. All 4 of us had an amazing time!
Costa Rica Expeditions set up a fabulous bird watching tour for me and my mother. All travel, hotels, meals were planned down to the last detail by the wonderful staff. I didn't have to do a thing. We went with a wonderful naturalist guide, Charlie, who knew every last bird call in the forest. It really was a trip of a life time. I would book with Costa Rica Expedition again in a heartbeat.
We went on the tour with Costa Rica Expedition and it was EXCEPTIONAL!
Gustavo, our guide, was absolutely fantastic. He treated everyone as if they were the most important person on the tour and made sure we saw everything, got everything we needed and wanted - was unbelievable!
Everything was amazing...the hotels -even had orchids in the bathroom, the drivers -Marcos could spot an animal in the tree while driving and pull over so we could see it, the food - too much and the quality and showmanship was extraordinary, the activities-the zip line staff was so professional and fun (it must be the most professional zip line facility ever, even the animals appeared on schedule. We kept asking Gustavo how he arranged all these animals to appear at exactly the right time. And somehow I even got to the point that I was sure they were controlling the weather to suit our time schedule. They were that good! Gustavo constantly checked to make sure we were seeing everything, we had enough pictures taken, the food was perfect, change things around a little to make sure it worked just for use.
Everything was perfect! Highly recommend Costa Rica Expeditions, Gustavo and Marcos!!!!
Recently my husband and I visited Costa Rica. We're in our mid 60's and do not speak Spanish. Have travelled far and wide but had never used services of a tour company until now. So happy that we chose Costa Rica Expeditions! Our itinerary included the Monteverde Cloud Forest and the Arenal Volcano. Priscilla, my travel planner at Costa Rica Expeditions was absolutely wonderful in understanding my needs.
Every detail was so well executed. Starting from being met at the airport by a welcoming guide and a driver to right at the end our trip by being dropped off at the airport ensuring we returned home well. Stephanie, our guide from San Jose to Monteverde has left an indelible fond memory. So personable & knowledgeable. Young but so wise. Lot of the tips from her came in very handy. Manuel, the driver with her was incredible at spotting wildlife. Our language barrier with him totally disappeared when we shared the same sense of humor.
Loved visiting the 'Sodas' for taste of local food. Enjoyed the fabulous food and the fresh juices, especially the passion fruit.
Every guide & driver was wonderful in the true spirit of ;Pura Vida'! Thank you to the team at Costa Rica Expeditions.
Our recent trip to Costa Rica with Costa Rica Expeditions was our best vacation ever. Normally we don't use a travel service, but Costa Rica expeditions provided us with all of the adventure requested but more relaxation, VIP service, and ease of travel than we ever expected. From the moment we began communications, they learned what we wanted and worked within our price point. If we wanted to modify something, this was no problem. We booked almost a year in advance since we would be traveling during peak season, and they endure communication and updates on what we should be doing throughout the months leading up to the trip. We had staff waiting for us at the airport to transport us to our first destination -and I highly recommend you request Carlos Ramirez as your tour guide/driver for any transits during your stay. We had several hours of driving after our arrival in San Jose (headed to Arenal) and he made the trip very enjoyable answering all of our questions, pointing out sites along the way, and even taking us to a local Soda where he helped us order one of most authentic and enjoyable meals of the entire trip-because it was shared with someone we came to call a friend. Arenal was wonderful and lush with some amazing tours with some exceptional guides (Walter (a commonly used name) had been giving tours for about 20 years and really introduced us well to the volcano destroyed reforested area while we saw lots of monkeys, birds, and snakes on the old forest canopy tour). The only suggestions I would have is to not book 2 tours in one day and to investigate the night hike before choosing it to ensure it will meet your expectations. White water rafting was very enjoyable and I think we were fortunate to have the most fun-loving guide (Sivi). Again, we got a wonderful authentic meal. The last half of our trip was spent in Punta Islita, and I honestly don't have words for the service and beauty. The staff was incredible-often seeing the same restaurant staff again helped build that feeling of welcome and family. Randy from the hotel was so friendly and patiently spoke exclusively in Spanish to my oldest daughter so that she could practice her Spanish...he would also find us on the beach and ensure that we had everything we needed even if the family had split up and called all of us by name. The rooms were spectacular with macaus, parakeets, and howler monkeys greeting us every morning with a rare guest appearance by a baby howler monkey estimates as just a few days old. The beach was spectacular and we experienced a peace that have convinced us that we will return to Costa Rica many more time. Thank you Costa Rica Expeditions for the memories that will be with us forever.
I can't say enough positive about Costa Rican Expeditions. All the hotels they picked for us were wonderful. All the drivers they contracted with were reliable, friendly and punctual. The excursions they planned were awesome. I have already recommended Costa Rica Expeditions to several friends.
The tour guides that they arranged for us were all fabulous, as was the staff at their property, Tortuga Lodge. They were warm, friendly and seemed to really enjoy their job. They went beyond expectations to be helpful. The guides were all extremely knowledgeable. I felt like they became friends.
