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A holiday in paradise pcaked with wildlife.
From the palm trees and white sandy beaches of the Caribbean and Pacifice coast, to the cool misteriousness of the the cloudforest, to the heat, verdant vegetation and sounds of the tropical rainforest. A holiday of contrasts with amazingly beautiful birds, frogs, reptiles and unusual mammals.
Staying at Esquinas rainforest lodge - listening to the sounds of the jungle , cooling off and swimming in the river fed pool amongst the verdant vegetaion.and eating in the beautiful traditionally built lodge.
Gio was very professional in every way.
A long journey but worth it for the tranquility. Came home totally relaxed.
I loved waking up in stunning locations to enjoy the beauty of nature without a care in the world! It was my first trip to Central America so I didn’t know what to expect but I was certainly not disappointed. For all the reasons below I cannot commend this trip highly enough. It is definitely one of my all time favourites.
Without doubt, to visit a country which is so wholeheartedly committed to conservation, environmental responsibility and sustainability. Experiencing the rich wildlife, from sloth to golden orb spider and from quetzal to iguana, there was a surprise around every corner. Staying at the beautiful Esquinas Rainforest Lodge and being looked after by the people from the village of La Gamba. Meeting the delightful children at La Trinidad School followed by a delicious lunch prepared by a local lady Aurora, who was so welcoming and friendly to us all.
We were lucky enough to enjoy the expertise and professionalism of Gio (Giovanni). His passion was wildlife, in particular birds, and you couldn't help but be swept along by it. I would describe Gio as quite shy, patient, kind hearted and genuine. He was very concerned for our safety and was also helpful and attentive. I was particulary impressed by Gio's support and enthusiasm for the local community, such as the school we visited and the local lady who we had lunch with.
Take an extra pair of closed walking shoes as they are essential. There are extra optional trips such as the Mangrove tour at the Bay of Golfito so save some dollars! Consider travel sickness pills if you are likely to suffer. Our guide suggested some excellent restaurants to eat when food was not included. It is well worth taking his advice. If flying United Airlines eat at the airports as food is a bit scarce when in flight!
I’m no birdwatcher or particular wildlife enthusiast but I loved this trip. To see red macaws giving a wonderful display backwards and forwards across the road was amazing.
Staying at the Esquinas Lodge and learning so much about the ecological methods used there. Swimming in the river fed pool was fantastic.
Jonny was the best group leader you could ever imagine. He was knowledgable, caring, considerate of everyone's needs and amusing with it. No dry facts were thrown at us. He imparted his wealth of experience and knowledge in such a way it made you care about this wonderful country and it's people. I learnt so much.
Don't overpack. Our driver, Orlando, was wonderful but I felt sorry for him having to lift my case at every stop. There is a very quick laundry after 5 days and the hotels can generally have your washing returned the next day.
A wonderful experience. The guide was very knowledgeable and passionate about his country, the wildlife and conservation. Staying in eco lodges brought you closer to nature. The locals were very friendly and went out of their way to make you feel welcome.
Getting up at 5am and glimpsing not 1, but 5 resplendant Quetzals, Also, seeing Capuchin monkeys at Manuel Antonio National Park. Made the holiday for me.
Fantastic, fantastic, fantastic
Book now. It's very humid and clothes tend to get damp in your kit bag. Bring plenty of spares
This was one of the "birding" departure dates, with the emphasis obviously on seeing many of the 800-odd resident and migrant species found in Costa Rica. There were plenty of opportunities for birding but other wildlife was not ignored so don’t let this put you off these dates if (like me) you aren’t a serious bird watcher.
Seeing baby turtles scrambling out of their nests and scuttling down the beach at Tortuguero to reach the sea - truly unforgettable and really set the standard for the rest of the trip.Watching and photographing a three-toed sloth for half an hour in Manuel Antonio NP as it slowly clambered about in a nearby tree.Seeing hummingbirds for the first time, then seeing yet more and even more after that!! Getting some shots of these beautiful birds in flight as they darted from flower to flower or hovered near the feeders.
Gio was really great - first and foremost truly brilliant at spotting and identifying birds, but his depth of knowledge, enthusiasm and love for his country, the birds and animals as well as the culture really shine through.Gio was also very good at organising and tailoring walks and tours to suit the group or individuals, and was flexible enough to change the itinerary where necessary.
Costa Rica is a truly beautiful country, and the people are welcoming and charming. If you are considering this trip then go, the wildlife alone makes it worth it, then you have the forests, volcanoes and beaches and people. As a keen photographer I lugged my big heavy 70-400mm zoom around with me most of the time, and it was well worth the effort, as a 300mm zoom wouldn't have had enough reach for some of the bird sightings. Having said that, on a few of the late afternoon birding walks I left the camera behind as the light levels drop after 4pm or so, and it was great just to forget about photography and enjoy watching the birds through binoculars or the guide's very good telescope.At Santa Elena Cloud Forest I opted out of the afternoon canopy walk and spent a brilliant couple of hours photographing hummingbirds at the feeding station to get the best of the available daylight, so there can be a bit of flexibility in the itinerary if you want to get the most from photographing the wildlife. Be prepared to up the ISO to 1600 or 3200 to capture fast movement or freeze birds hiding in trees and shadows. So many shots were deleted because shutter speeds were too low.I took a small netbook with me to back up and review my photos each day - really great to see what you've shot on a bigger screen, and maybe learn from mistakes for the next day. I also took a couple of 32GB/95 MB/sec cards as I was shooting in RAW, sometimes in 7fps bursts.
This trip ticked every box I’d thought of, and then added a few more. For anybody interested in wildlife and the environment it will be an incredible journey.
I don't think there was an inspirational moment, as such. The whole trip was an inspiration and gave me a appreciation of a country which is at ease with itself, despite its problems, and is attempting to create a society and environment which will benefit future generations. The Costa Ricans have a saying "Pura vida" which sums up their approach to life and this holiday.
Our group leader, Gio Madrigal, was fantastic! His enthusiasm and commitment made the trip very special. He was not only an expert in flora and fauna, as would be expected, but his knowledge of his country's history and society added another layer to the experience. I cannot commend him highly enough.
Be prepared to pace yourself for a climate which can be very hot and humid. Always carry a water bottle, and use it.Dawn comes early so don't lay around in bed or you'll waste the best part of the day. Take a sink plug with you as most rooms don't have them. Costa Ricans are very friendly and welcoming people; go and meet them. It is very easy to strike up a conversation.
Costa Rica is a fantastic country. The places we visited, the people we met and the wildlfe we saw was all just perfect. We stayed in each hotel for 2 nights and this was quite relaxing. All the places we stayed in were amazing. The weather was fantastic – not too much rain!!!
We saw baby Green Turtles just hatched and coming out of the sand starting their new lifes running down the beach and getting swept by the waves into the Sea. A very emotional experience. And one of my favourite moments was watching 2 Toucans sitting in the tree right outside my lodge in Monteverde Cloud Forest eating berries and chatting to each other. We also saw the rare Quetzel too which was fabulous.
Gio was a fabulous leader. He was so knowledgable about everything and looked after us all so well. Gerardo the driver was brilliant too.
Book this trip!!!!
Beautiful lush country teeming with wildlife!
All the wildlife spotting was great but I particularly love monkeys, lizards & sloths, of which there were plenty to see. Seeing capuchins so up close & personal at Manuel Antonio was fab!Zipwiring at Monteverde was fantastic - so much fun & great to be high up in the canopy close to the howler monkeys.Savegre was beautiful, peaceful, relaxing & refreshing - great place to end the trip!
Jose was friendly, helpful & kept everything running smoothly. Jeffrey, our driver, was great - I felt really safe despite the rough roads & lousy weather .
Invest in a decent poncho - when it rains it really rains & a raincoat just isn't enough! Despite what trip notes may say, you are able to take all your luggage to Tortuguero, so no need to worry.Definitely make use of the wellies provided at Esquinas Lodge - the trails are very wet, muddy & you have to walk thru some streams. US dollars are universally accepted & there were ATM's in most places we went to. Be prepared for things to be expensive (food especially).
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.
For us both, seeing baby and adult turtles. For myself seeing the amazing butterfly population, particularly the Morphos.
Good and reliable.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.