Reviews

Most Inspirational Moment

Support for the entire team to make it up the hills with horns honking and flags waving! Ometepe Island was a great stop and the Panama Canal was especially enjoyable.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto is an energetic guide and genuinely wants to share highlights of his country to all those on the tour. He is passionate about ensuring everyone has a great time. He is an excellent listener to all requests and delivers above and beyond. The great team ensured that all participants with all skill levels had adequate care and assistance throughout the trip. This meant that members of the team raced ahead with the keen bikers (thanks Paul, Roberto and Gerhart!), while ensuring that adequate stopping points provided the group to reconvene and enjoy fresh fruits (thanks Luis!).

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring a few different biking outfits and the guides indicated laundromats where they could get washed at various destinations during the trip. Bring a great attitude for varied terrain: hills and flat stretches.

Suggestions

Thanks to the team for phenomenal at mitigating plans when Hurricane Otto unexpectedly came across our path. They planned ahead and prioritized safety to re-route us from our Boca de Torres destination to ensure that we were safer on the Pacific Side. Although this created a detour to the schedule, Roberto informed the group promptly and explained the situation/options well to the group. The most amazing part was that the team remained calm and approachable whilst their families were in Costa Rica amidst hurricane uncertainty.

Most Inspirational Moment

There were so many inspirational moments on this trip, it's hard to pick just one. I think everyone should go and pick their own :)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto was simply fantastic. He and his team worked incredibly hard to ensure we were all safe and had a lots of fun. And we did!!! Roberto was very professional and had our safety in my first and always ensured we were enjoying ourselves. He always waited for the last person so everyone could cycle at their own pace. Special thanks to Roberto and his team during the hurricane Otto where they took care of us so diligently!!! Exceptional leader and a wonderful team!!!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Although extensive cycling experience is not required, I would recommend to do some cycling preparation for this trip.

Suggestions

Just enjoy every mile and have fun!!!

Most Inspirational Moment

Seeing the active volcano in Nicaragua and Ometepe Island, jumping in the sea wearing cycle gear at the end of a good day! The best ride was by far the additional one added through the indigenous tribe in Panama, ammmmaaaaazing!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto was fantastic! Great sense of humour and never rushes you despite where you fall in the group! I struggled with hills at the beginning and was going way too fast and burning out. He taught me how to endurance cycle over this trip and on the last day I was good enough to lead the group even though just for a short while! He also rearranged the trip around a Hurricane adding the best extra ride on his day off and even a cheeky shopping trip! Salvo the driver was amazing and a very cheeky sense of humour! Always beeping and waving you along! Paul the mechanic was faultless. A fun, hilarious and cheeky smile added to his absolute professionalism throughout! Always encouraging! Gerhardt, hardcore athlete was put through his paces which surprised even him and he had some awesome stories! Just don't mention bananas!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Don't think, just do it! Trip of a lifetime awaits!

Suggestions

Padded gel seats, padded shorts and chamois cream are a must. Fresh snacks are provided but I used energy gels which were great! The heat is hard but you get used to it after a few days! It gets the heart pounding and muscles warm so alllllll gooooood!

Most Inspirational Moment

Too many to mention! Sunrises and sunsets, the views, the camaraderie ... One to mention was actually completing all the cycling and hill climbs and not having to get off the bike! This is thanks to Steve (one of the leaders/guides) who cycled at the rear of the group. He was great fun, professional, friendly, and incredibly helpful - not being a regular cyclist (I know - why choose a cycling holiday?!!), he helped me with picking the right gears and getting my pacing right so that I was able to complete it all which was a great achievement for me. What a star!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto was the main leader and he was just fantastic - he gave us more detailed trip notes on the first day outlining each days distances, climbs, activities which was very useful. He was always available to answer any questions and did so with a smile! He was extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the trip - wildlife, cycling, countryside, traditions, foods, anything and everything. Great fun and great guy. The other leaders, mechanics and drivers (Steve, Paul, Luis and Ronaldo) were also fabulous and also helped make the trip an unbelievable one!

Advice for Potential Travellers

Yes - book it! You won't regret it!

Most Inspirational Moment

I think for me was accomplishing the cycle on the Queen route in Costa Rica. It was the most difficult of all the routes and I managed at my age to be with the top portion of the cyclists. I also believe how Roberto and the other members of the team motivated all of us to keep going made a difference.

Thoughts on Group Leader

I think I have already indicated how Roberto functioned as the group leader. He brief us every evening about the next route and in the morning before we cycled he showed what we had already accomplished and then indicated what was the next route. He also warned about the difficulty of the specific route and the safety precautions we need to consider. He always made sure that everyone was alright, was willing to answer our questions and suggested places to eat, tours to take and where to obtain money.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Make sure you are fit to do this type of trip especially in dealing with the heat and humidity. The heat and humidity makes the cycling more difficult. I have cycled three times in India and the heat and humidity in Central America was worse that in India.

Suggestions

Roberto took many photos of our trip which is being shared with all the clients. This is an added bonus.

Most Inspirational Moment

Roberto took us to a remote school in Panama, where he told us that because the children did not watch TV they were completely innocent, and very rarely saw people from other countries. For me, this was one of the highlights, especially seeing how Roberto talked to the children, and how he got all of us to introduce ourselves to the children in Spanish!

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto is a top leader in every way. He is very passionate about his country (Costa Rica) and gave us all sorts of information about each of the countries as we travelled through. He was always concerned for our safety when cycling and gave us clear instructions at the beginning of each ride so that we stayed safe

Advice for Potential Travellers

I would travel a day early to get over the jet lag when you arrive. Make sure you have high factor sun cream, especially for your arms (The cycle leaders put sleeves on their arms for the long rides)

Suggestions

Try to be as fit as you can before you go, you will enjoy it better.

Most Inspirational Moment

Looking into the active volcano at night. I was a bit cynical at first about the school visit but it is the real thing , Roberto truly loved those children and made a meaningful interface between us and the children so that they and us gained without patronising the children.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto and Steve who took over on last days were both great and went beyond anything expected.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Do some hill training before you arrive as there are some steep climbs.I had only prepared on the flat . No sure I ever will hear the word "undulation " again without wincing

Most Inspirational Moment

Getting up those hill climbs in Costa Rica! Admittedly, I'm not the fittest person, and my lack of cycling experience was not a great contributing factor. But I had so many positive vibes from everyone, and really enjoyed overcoming the challenging climbs (even if I did take a few moments to get off the bike and push it up the hill!)

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto was absolutely fantastic. He is like a duck on water. He makes everything run so smoothly for not only the group, but for his tour team and the hotel staff. Yet it is evident that he is managing a thousand different things behind the scenes! He is very dedicated and passionate and became a really good mate. Also need to mention that the support crew (driver and mechanics) were amazing too. There were never issues with the bus, they helped with getting bikes up and down from the bus, and ensured our equipment was well maintained. They all possessed a great deal of patience, and I loved listening to them have a few good hearty laughs at he front of the bus on some of the long bus legs.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Bring gloves! And a sweat band for your head would be a good idea too. There are a lot of rides where you are exposed to the blaring sun. Having sweat mixed with sunscreen drip into your eyes is not a pleasant experience! Don't worry if you are not cycle fit. There are some intimidatingly good cyclists in the group, but the support and encouragement you get from everyone will not make you feel inadequate! Also I'd highly recommend zip lining in Fortuna.

Suggestions

I am now committed to buying my own bike at home and training up to combat the Costa Rica Coast to Coast! I don't know when that will be, maybe in ten years time (have to manage my young kids and career in the meantime). So I hope that Roberto is still leading that tour in the future! We look forward to our next Exodus adventure :-)

Most Inspirational Moment

Too many to choose from but the school visit has to be near the top of the list.

Thoughts on Group Leader

Roberto and his team were true professionals and really made the trip run smoothly.

Advice for Potential Travellers

Just be aware of the heat especially whilst cycling. Coming from a UK winter was quite a contrast.

Suggestions

Nothing just go for it!!

Most Inspirational Moment

I enjoyed so many parts of this trip. The visit to the school in Panama was an amazing and emotional experience. The cycling was brilliant in all three countries (particularly in Costa Rica and Panama). Having so many birds & animals in the trees around us was magic, with the boat trip being a fantastic opportunity to get close to plenty of wildlife. The visit to the Panama Canal was very interesting.

Thoughts on Group Leader

From the moment we first met Roberto at the hotel, we all knew that we were in safe hands. A professional, friendly, funny and hard working tour guide from start to finish. He provided us with plenty of information about the history and culture covering all of the three countries that we visited. He was very personable and nothing was too much trouble. Our group had so much fun and much of this was down to Roberto and his team. Simply brilliant!

Advice for Potential Travellers

US Dollars accepted in all three countries (with local currency being given back 'as change' - sometimes in Nicargua and Costa Rica). Take some low value US Dollar notes (as some places prefer this to using 50 US Dollar notes). Two laundry stops on route (so no need to take too many clothes). Diarolyte sachets a good idea (although I had no problems throughout the trip).

Suggestions

Book this trip - you will not be disappointed!!