Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

Carlos was very communicative with us and flexible. He made our itinerary changes whenever we requested them and did his best to accommodate our schedule and interests. He made himself available via text message as soon as we arrived and was very helpful whenever I needed some local advice.

We had an absolutely wonderful time in Costa Rica. All the events and lodging were impeccably planned and were first rate. All of our prearranged transportation was on time and friendly. We could not have had a smoother or more enjoyable vacation and we would use kimkim again in a heartbeat!

The trip was well-planned by KimKim staff, and was very enjoyable. The few snags we ran into were quickly corrected. Randall was very attentive.

We especially enjoyed our time in Monteverde, perhaps because the chilly wind and clouds are what we're accustomed to in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. The day at Selvatura was fabulous - the nature hike, led by Juan, introduced us to many plants and symbiotic systems. Zip-lining was fabulous (team of about a dozen energetic guides). Grace and... read more

The trip was well-planned by KimKim staff, and was very enjoyable. The few snags we ran into were quickly corrected. Randall was very attentive.

We especially enjoyed our time in Monteverde, perhaps because the chilly wind and clouds are what we're accustomed to in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. The day at Selvatura was fabulous - the nature hike, led by Juan, introduced us to many plants and symbiotic systems. Zip-lining was fabulous (team of about a dozen energetic guides). Grace and Renzo were excellent hosts at El Viandante, and gave very helpful advice on getting around the town.

We also enjoyed the hike at Volcan Arenal, led by Esteban. Our driver kindly stopped the van on the drive there so we could see howler monkeys and coati. Jimmy, another driver, was happy to answer our many questions, and he stopped so we could see a sloth up close at a produce stand. The chocolate-making tour and Proyecto Asis were interesting (guides Kyle (?) and Hector, respectively).

At Manuel Antonio we loved seeing all the animals right outside our hotel room. We never tired of watching iguanas and birds. Our tour of the national park, on Christmas Day, was too crowded to properly enjoy it. Our guide, Milo, was very good.

Rancho Corcovado was complicated. Our itinerary did not specify how we were to get from Sierpe to Rancho Corcovado, and our driver did not know where to leave us. When he learned where we would be staying, he knew which of the two boat landings we needed to get to. But we didn't know when our boat would arrive or how to recognize it. Between Randall's help and a call to the hotel, we got there. Boating on the river was pleasant, but getting through the surf was scary and unexpected (it took the driver two tries to make it through the waves). The hotel room had either no hot water, or scalding water. Sometimes no water at all. The food was very good, the trip to P. N. Corcovado was wonderful (Luis was an excellent guide) and the snorkeling was spectacular (excellent guides - Carol and a woman whose name I did not catch). There was an upsetting incident one night when angry people visited our next-door neighbors. All in all, the trip to Corcovado involved very good times and the least pleasant times, as well.

Our drivers were all good - Ricardo, Christian, Andres. The Hotel Don Carlos was a lovely secluded place in San Jose. We found a very good lunch at Cafe Rojo near the hotel, and spent a pleasant morning at Zoologico y Jardin Botanico Nacional.

We had a wonderful experience booking through KimKim and Adriana for our 10-day Honeymoon to Costa Rica! Adriana was professional, responsive and accommodating. We wanted a mix of adventurous yet relaxing, cultural but touristy, romantic but casual, and Adriana planned THE perfect vacation for us. My only hiccup was not receiving our arrival packets 2 days before our departure, as noted, but someone else from the KimKim team stepped up and responded to our message stating that Adriana out of... read more

We had a wonderful experience booking through KimKim and Adriana for our 10-day Honeymoon to Costa Rica! Adriana was professional, responsive and accommodating. We wanted a mix of adventurous yet relaxing, cultural but touristy, romantic but casual, and Adriana planned THE perfect vacation for us. My only hiccup was not receiving our arrival packets 2 days before our departure, as noted, but someone else from the KimKim team stepped up and responded to our message stating that Adriana out of the office. Those thoughts when booking through a website always pop into your head, "What if no one shows to pick us up? What if this is too good to be true?", but we truly felt both safe and taken care of upon arrival - in the shuttles, at the hotels and everywhere in between. We flew into San Jose with an overnight stay, then spent 2 nights in La Fortuna, 2 nights in Monteverde and 3 nights in Manuel Antonio. During our trip we hiked a volcano, swam in a natural hot spring, went ziplining, took a sunset/snorkling catamaran, visited a National Park and somehow still had plenty of time to sit by the pool and ocean to rest. Our activities were perfectly spaced out, allowing us enough time to not feel rushed with travel, check-in or excursions. Our transportation to and from the airport as well as to each city and excursion was timely, professional and labeled with their respective companies. Some of our favorite parts of the trip were simply traveling between cities! Our guides were knowledgeable, fun and even gave us suggestions for local cuisine and hang out spots. Thank you to KimKim & Adriana for helping us create such a memorable trip, we will be booking again in the near future!

We had an amazing adventure trip from start to finish.
Great communication from Rendell who took on board what we wanted to do. It was far better than we expected.
Fez our guide was absolutely fantastic along with our drivers and extra guides especially Martine who guided us on our long hike.
All food, all accommodation was brilliant.
Everyone was so friendly and made our trip truly wonderful. Thank you all at coast to coast.

Always available
Can make things happen for you
Tailored needs
books only with most reliable companies and guides
Overall I would suggest Carlos for my friends and families.

This was an incredible trip all thanks to Adriana! I was able to see so much of Costa Rica and enjoy the unique vistas and wildlife experiences that only this country can offer. I feel like I was able to get off the beaten path a little bit and really experience the country. From relaxing in hot springs in Arenal to gliding through the Monteverde canopy on a zipline, to watching dolphins play behind our catamaran on a sunset cruise in Manuel Antonio, Adriana took care of all of the back stage logistics so that I could focus completely on living Pura Vida.

The trip was terrific and we had a great time. Beautiful country and hospitable people. THe hotels and the activities (ziplining, white water rafting, hikes with guides) were fascinating and run by knowledgeable experts.

This is the second time we have used kimkim and would readily use your services again. Bill

Everything was very well organised from the time we arrived in Costa Rica to the moment we were taken to the airport for our return home. Randall listened to what we wanted and came up with a trip that suited all of us in the timescale that we had. We enjoyed staying in all different types of accommodation from hotels, lodges, a boardinghouse and campsites. Some of the best meals we had were home cooked, using fresh local produce. It was a great way of seeing this amazing country, the... read more

Everything was very well organised from the time we arrived in Costa Rica to the moment we were taken to the airport for our return home. Randall listened to what we wanted and came up with a trip that suited all of us in the timescale that we had. We enjoyed staying in all different types of accommodation from hotels, lodges, a boardinghouse and campsites. Some of the best meals we had were home cooked, using fresh local produce. It was a great way of seeing this amazing country, the activities were far from easy (cycling, hiking and rafting) but we had a real sense of achievement when we reached the end. Fez was an excellent guide, full of knowledge as well as being encouraging and understanding. He made sure we always had everything we needed and was happy to arrange any other activities we wanted to do. He always had time to chat, joined in with card games in the evening and generally made us all feel welcome.
I would thoroughly recommend this holiday to anyone looking for a more active break, I never thought I would be cycling through a banana plantation and crossing bridges and rivers or hiking through a jungle but the scenery is breathtaking and all the animals you see along the way is an added bonus.

Thank you so much kimkim for connecting us with Sylvia. She helped us put together a magical adventure in Costa Rica. It really was the trip of a lifetime with my son and daughter-in-law. With Sylvia's guidance we had a diverse itinerary chock full of adventure that immersed us in the beauty and culture of this most amazing country. Sylvia was very responsive on the kimkim platform and arranged for several phone conferences during our planning stages. She listened to our preferences and... read more

Thank you so much kimkim for connecting us with Sylvia. She helped us put together a magical adventure in Costa Rica. It really was the trip of a lifetime with my son and daughter-in-law. With Sylvia's guidance we had a diverse itinerary chock full of adventure that immersed us in the beauty and culture of this most amazing country. Sylvia was very responsive on the kimkim platform and arranged for several phone conferences during our planning stages. She listened to our preferences and several times we tweaked and fine tuned the itinerary to get the experience we wanted. When we were "in country" she was available to help us with any issues that arose. We enjoyed private transport the entire trip, and the drivers and ALL the guides were friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Pura Vida!!
Gracias kimkim.
Gracias Sylvia.

What an incredible first time ever experience with a travel agency and to luck upon Kimkim and Yenyi in particular was a real dream come true. Yenyi was available 24:7; was incredibly resourceful and pleasant all at the same time. Her ideas and creativity made our excursion to Costa Rica an incredible vacation. It's not easy traveling with almost grown children but Yenyi made suggestions (including separate rooms) and fun activities like rafting into and out of an eco lodge one of the best... read more

What an incredible first time ever experience with a travel agency and to luck upon Kimkim and Yenyi in particular was a real dream come true. Yenyi was available 24:7; was incredibly resourceful and pleasant all at the same time. Her ideas and creativity made our excursion to Costa Rica an incredible vacation. It's not easy traveling with almost grown children but Yenyi made suggestions (including separate rooms) and fun activities like rafting into and out of an eco lodge one of the best family experiences ever. She and Kimkim are the true dream makers. Thank you Yenyi (and Kim Kim) we won't travel anywhere without you!

Our Costa Rica trip was awesome and excellently put together and organized by Randall. Everything went exactly according to plan and the quality of the guides on the various tours and activities were first class.
Everything from our pick up at the airport, to our final drop off was precisely on time and all guides and drivers spoke excellent English which made communication so much easier.
We have absolutely no issues or complaints regarding any aspect of the trip and would absolutely recommend kimkim to anyone seeking a high quality tailor made trip to an exotic destination.

Trip was 12 days (month of March) for a family of four including two teenage girls. We flew in and out of Liberia and spent time in Rio Celeste, La Fortuna/Arenal, Monte Verde, Nosara and then just north of Tamarindo. Yenyi was fantastic in helping to plan the itinerary and activities from the beginning to the very end with a wonderful attention to detail. It was an interactive process and Yenyi's patience, resourcefulness and willing to answer or investigate all o four questions was a... read more

Trip was 12 days (month of March) for a family of four including two teenage girls. We flew in and out of Liberia and spent time in Rio Celeste, La Fortuna/Arenal, Monte Verde, Nosara and then just north of Tamarindo. Yenyi was fantastic in helping to plan the itinerary and activities from the beginning to the very end with a wonderful attention to detail. It was an interactive process and Yenyi's patience, resourcefulness and willing to answer or investigate all o four questions was a wonderful asset. Our family trip was an activity packed adventure by choice that included hiking, swimming, waterfalls, rainforest, volcanoes, zip lining, jet skis, canopy bridges, white water rafting, surfing, fishing and driving Costa Rica's roads the entire way (SUV w/ 4WD required). A truly fantastic and memorable experience with most activities organized by Desafio - a first class company whose guides and staff were wonderful to interact with - highly recommend both Desafio and kimkim for planning your next visit to CR.

Randall and Kim Kim planned the perfect trip for my family of myself, my husband and three grown kids. It was just the right mix of adventure, exercise, nature, discovery and relaxation.

We particularly enjoyed the Mistico hanging bridges tour with Carlos (of Pura Vida Tours) near the Arenal Volcano area, which included seeing monkeys, snakes, tarantulas and so much beautiful scenery.

We also really liked our raft trip in that same area with George "2" as our guide from Canoa... read more

Randall and Kim Kim planned the perfect trip for my family of myself, my husband and three grown kids. It was just the right mix of adventure, exercise, nature, discovery and relaxation.

We particularly enjoyed the Mistico hanging bridges tour with Carlos (of Pura Vida Tours) near the Arenal Volcano area, which included seeing monkeys, snakes, tarantulas and so much beautiful scenery.

We also really liked our raft trip in that same area with George "2" as our guide from Canoa Aventura. He was a pro at spotting all kinds of wildlife including fascinating birds, monkeys and even a crocodile. He was very knowledgeable and accommodating.

One of my favorite places was Tabacon hot springs. I wish we had gotten there earlier in the day so we could see it in the daylight, but even sitting in the hot river and pools at night was wonderful! I wish I had known to bring water shoes here, the bottom is rocky.

We loved our hotel, Montana de Fuego, with lovely pools, spa and individual bungalows overlooking the volcano. The staff there was very helpful and friendly, especially Veronica.

Our two days in the Monteverde Cloud Forest were also fun and fascinating.
One of our favorite activities was the zip line tour at Selvatura park. Even my husband who is afraid of heights felt secure enough to do the zip lines. This is a huge and very well run operation and even with lots of tourists they moved us through quickly and safely. It was amazing "flying" over the forest. We also took the short butterfly walk there which was interesting and the butterflies were incredibly beautiful and even landed on your hand if you were still enough.

We took a night hike with a guide at the Monteverde Wildlife Reserve and got to see a sloth in (slow) motion thanks to the eagle eye and strong flashlight of our guide there.
Our final day was a nature hike with Javier of Monteverde Experts, and he certainly was one. He knew every tree, every bird, every reptile and again helped us spot a sloth high up in the canopy.

And finally, we took several lovely drives with the Coast to Coast driver, Jose, who navigated very bumpy roads and long distances with a happy attitude and willingness to answer all questions and stop whenever we wanted to take photos.
This was really a fantastic Costa Rican advanture.

Except one Hotel, all Hotels we stayed at were below average, I imagine that is because we booked only 6 to 8 weeks before the trip(?).

All adventure trips that were booked were very good.

In some places, reservations were made in local specialist name and the vendors had a tough time looking up the customer's name and only to realize it is in the travel specialist name.

Overall, Costa Rica experience was above average.

We stumbled upon KimKim while looking for ideas for our Costa Rica trip. By the end of the trip, we were completely glad for going ahead with KimKim to plan the trip. KimKim was very prompt in coming up with the itinerary and the costs. Our local specialist, Carlos, was very helpful in answering all our questions in a short time. Carlos was able to adjust the itinerary according to our needs and plans. The hotels that they chose were just perfect for our budget and needs. Our driver/guide in... read more

We stumbled upon KimKim while looking for ideas for our Costa Rica trip. By the end of the trip, we were completely glad for going ahead with KimKim to plan the trip. KimKim was very prompt in coming up with the itinerary and the costs. Our local specialist, Carlos, was very helpful in answering all our questions in a short time. Carlos was able to adjust the itinerary according to our needs and plans. The hotels that they chose were just perfect for our budget and needs. Our driver/guide in Costa Rica, Sergio, was super helpful and very knowledgable about the local stuff - food, culture, local things to do, etc. Sergio went out of his way a couple of times to help us with local shopping. I definitely recommend the KimKim team and Sergio for planning any trips to Costa Rica.

I did some research on the Internet on where to go in Costa Rica, gave Kimkim my preferences and date of arrival/departure. Randall took it over from there and came up with a perfect itinerary for us.

Before we left we received the detailed itinerary from kimkim, airport pick up was on time, as well as the rest of the private transport pickup. Hotels were clean and comfortable, the guides were knowledgeable and friendly. No complaints whatsoever.

Highly recommended.

I couldn't be happier with my experience. Sylvia is great to work with and helped me plan my perfect trip.

I looked at a few of the ready made trips on Kim Kim to get an idea of what I wanted. Then I reached out to Sylvia. We set up a phone call. She offered suggestions and I told her what I was interested in doing. We had a few back and forths before we settled on my ideal itinerary. The whole thing was super easy!

Before we left: We had a flight change and Sylvia was able to make a few... read more

I couldn't be happier with my experience. Sylvia is great to work with and helped me plan my perfect trip.

I looked at a few of the ready made trips on Kim Kim to get an idea of what I wanted. Then I reached out to Sylvia. We set up a phone call. She offered suggestions and I told her what I was interested in doing. We had a few back and forths before we settled on my ideal itinerary. The whole thing was super easy!

Before we left: We had a flight change and Sylvia was able to make a few adjustments to our trip. Again, all seamless on my end. We were also provided a detailed itinerary which included recommended items to bring each event.

Things were great from the moment we arrived in Costa Rica. Someone met us at arrivals and explained our transportation to our hotel. Sylvia, and Horizontes, arranged all of our transportation to each different city. We decided on doing quite a few tours and all we had to do was be at a designated spot at a specific time. We did canyoning, hot springs, hiking, nature walks sky walk and a coffee tour. Everyone was so nice and helpful and all of the guides were extremely knowledgeable. Also, everyone was punctual so we never had to wait and wonder where our ride was. While in country, we had a WhatsApp phone number we could text 24/7 in case we had any questions. This is great because our phone service wasn't reliable all the time. Responses were always very timely.

Horizontes even arranged for our original driver from the airport to be our final driver back to the airport. It was a nice touch.

Things I would do differently - I'll start by saying this trip is EXACTLY what I asked for. This is my first time using a travel agent and I didn't think to ask some questions. So this is more for anyone else who is a first timer. One hike, which I specifically requested, was about 1.5 hours from town so it made for a long day. The hike was beautiful, but we probably wouldn't have done it if we knew we'd be in a vehicle for 3 hours. Next time, I'll ask about time and distance. The only other thing I'd probably request is a range of hotels. Again, we got exactly what we asked for but next time I'll ask to see one in each category.

I would definitely recommend Sylvia to anybody looking to plan their Costa Rica trip.

Monica did a great job organizing all our transport including transfers, flight, and set up with a rental car, making it easy and stress free to get from place to place. Our favorite parts of the trip were staying in Bahia Drake to explore the deserted beaches in our free time and exploring the cloud forests in Monteverde and Santa Elena. The freebie from Kim Kim to Tabacon Hot Springs in Arenal was also much appreciated at the end of the trip :) All the staff at the hotels were friendly and accommodating. It was a great trip!

Working with Adreana was a pleasure. She kept modifying the plan based on my comments to get me the perfect trip.
When we went there everything was organized and on time, all the guides spoke english and were very knowledgeable.
Thank you Adriana and Amazelia for making it a great vacation.

Olman was amazing to work with, he was very responsive and everything he planned for my trip to Costa Rica was exactly what I wanted, from hotels to activities! My trip was filled with activities and fun memories yet relaxing. And the hotel I stayed at had amazing views and service. I wouldn’t be able to plan this trip myself in such short time. I highly recommend Olman!!

Olman was very responsive and incredibly helpful in organising our trip at short notice. Would have appreciated a little more information about the tours that were being booked but they turned out excellently. We had a terrific holiday and really loved all the hotels and tours that were booked for us.

We just finished our amazing honeymoon in Costa Rica! And have to say that Randall was an absolute pleasure to work with - he made the process so easy to book and really worked with us to plan a great honeymoon!

We landed in San Jose and a drive met us at the airport right away to take us to our hotel. Everything was laid out and organized for us which was fantastic! In the morning we were picked up for the drive to La Fortuna. The one thing I would recommend is for future visits to let... read more

We just finished our amazing honeymoon in Costa Rica! And have to say that Randall was an absolute pleasure to work with - he made the process so easy to book and really worked with us to plan a great honeymoon!

We landed in San Jose and a drive met us at the airport right away to take us to our hotel. Everything was laid out and organized for us which was fantastic! In the morning we were picked up for the drive to La Fortuna. The one thing I would recommend is for future visits to let visitors know the length of time for the drives we had no idea and found ourselves on 3-4 hours drives (which we didn’t mind, but would have packed some snacks!). Our accommodations were stunning in
La Fortuna we stayed at the beautiful Tabacon. Our white water rafting trip was amazing and the local farm they took us to for lunch was an amazing highlight. Wave Expeditions are amazing and we highly recommend you book with them if wanting to do a white water tour. Very thorough in safety recommendations, good equipment, great guides and an amazing experience. We also went on the Volcano hike - although really interesting we found that our guide wasn’t that engaged in the hike and didn’t realize we were the last hike of the day so all of the animals were tucked away (I would recommend making sure you get an early tour if you do this hike). We would have loved to do the hanging bridges and ziplining here but unfortunately we didn’t.

We then went to Monteverde which was amazing! Wow is all we can say when thinking about Monteverde Lodge and Gardens. The lodge itself was amazing, the gardens spectacular and we had a great corner balcony room. It is also amazing that they have a butterfly garden in the hotel! The staff was amazing and surprised us with a dinner in the butterfly garden for our honeymoon. We also did the Cloud forest hike with Monteverde Experts - amazing tour guide. He was so passionate and really took his time to show us everything - if you do this excursion make sure to use this company. We also did horse back riding which we weren’t too crazy about - it was again the last tour of the day we found our horses to be tired and barely moving and again not much to see. Our guides also didnt explain much to us - in hindsight we would have omitted this although we did request for it to be booked and would have rathered book the hanging bridges etc.

We then made the trip to Manuel Antonio - which was an incredibly long drive 7 hours when it was supposed to be nor more than 4. Although this was a slight setback we fell in love with Manuel Antonio right away. We stayed at Makanda which is an amazing resort with amazing staff- we were treated like royalty and would highly recommend staying here. We visited a local beach recommended by one of the staff members at Makanda and loved it and also visited Ronny’s Place (amazing dinner venue with incredible sunset view), Emilo’s Cafe (amazing seafood) and The Wagon (amazing pizza). We had a tour organized for Sea kayaking and snorkelling - although we enjoyed this (physically challenging) our tour guide wasn’t the greatest he indicated he was feeling under the weather and stayed in his kayak while pointing at a rock we should swim towards to see fish, we would have liked to have someone in the water to tell us what we were looking at. He also told us we need to be back in the kayaks in 20 minutes and then proceeded to paddle back. We had thought this would be an entire morning event as indicated on our itinerary but ended up having our kayak, snorkel and lunch all by 11:30 am...in hindsight we would have either booked through a different company, done a different excursion or discovered more of Manuel Antonio on our own. Despite this we still loved the snorkelling but would recommend that they get new life jackets and clean their snorkels.

Randall was amazing to work with and we thoroughly enjoyed booking through KimKim they made the process so easy for us and would absolutely use them again if booking another trip to Costa Rica. Thanks Randall for all of your hard work and being so helpful with organizing our honeymoon!

Yenyi was patient as we went through multiple iterations of the itinerary to settle on one that included something for everyone in the family.

Costa rica as a country is a must visit.

Pros: very friendly people , the food is a gastronomic delight , attractions are breathtaking, the place is squeaky clean and yes you can drink tap water !

Cons: Knowing spanish is a huge plus, It's about 30-40% more expensive than neighbours(Mexico, Cuba etc) but well worth it.

The easiest experience ever! First time using kim kim and would definitely use it again! Adriana was my specialist/travel agent. She was a pro and knew exactly what i wanted to do. The hotels books were very nice and the activities were everything we expected. My favorite part was the white water rafting! Over all happy and easy experience.

We had a great trip despite the driver being 20 minutes late to pick us up at the airport. The Holiday Day Inn in San Jose wasn't anywhere near a 4-5 star hotel but was fine.

Rafting with Wave Company in La Fortuna was a great. The Baldi Hotel/Springs was nice but they had constructions going on the entire time we were there which was loud.

Ziplining (forget the company) in Fortuna was aweseome, small outfitter with great guides.

The Hanging Bridges at Mystic was great but could do... read more

We had a great trip despite the driver being 20 minutes late to pick us up at the airport. The Holiday Day Inn in San Jose wasn't anywhere near a 4-5 star hotel but was fine.

Rafting with Wave Company in La Fortuna was a great. The Baldi Hotel/Springs was nice but they had constructions going on the entire time we were there which was loud.

Ziplining (forget the company) in Fortuna was aweseome, small outfitter with great guides.

The Hanging Bridges at Mystic was great but could do without the walk down to the waterfall as the crowds were a real turn off.

Biking with Arenal Bike Company was nice.

Monteverde Lodge and Garden was really nice, very quiet and the grounds were impressive and the proximity to town was ideal for walking to restaurants.

We opted for another zipline which we booked through the hotel, Sky Adventure would have been fine but nobody mentioned how cold it would at that high location.

The horseback riding was one of our favorite tours, we had a private guide which made a huge difference.

Si Como No was a huge hit with my daughter. The only tour we had was to the Manual Antonio Park was fine but could didn't care for the crowds.

Randall did a great job but would have appreciated a bit more information on what to expect on each tour and how long each tour would last. Aside from that, he did a great job.

Everything was well planned out for us which made the trip so easy. We had a few challenges with the EcoLodge in LaFortuna - while breakfasts were excellent , the lunch we had there was BAD, fish was old and made our stomach upset. Also the hair dryer burst into flames while in use. The receptionist had the hair dryer replaced but we were nervous about the electrical outlet being hazardous and were unwilling to use any others nor would we use the replacement hair dryer - there were NO... read more

Everything was well planned out for us which made the trip so easy. We had a few challenges with the EcoLodge in LaFortuna - while breakfasts were excellent , the lunch we had there was BAD, fish was old and made our stomach upset. Also the hair dryer burst into flames while in use. The receptionist had the hair dryer replaced but we were nervous about the electrical outlet being hazardous and were unwilling to use any others nor would we use the replacement hair dryer - there were NO compensation offered for this. All other hotels had no issues and were very nice. All excursions were enjoyed ( rafting, zip-lining, nature tour, boat tour/snorkeling, turtle watch). The nature walk in Monteverde was nice - however the tour was regarding plants, insects, and birds and we'd asked to see wildlife (sloths, monkeys, tucans, mackaws) so that was a let down - park informed us we should have been signed up for a night tour to see that. I'm glad Monica really encouraged us to get the hot spot Wi-Fi and the GPS - they were extremely beneficial!

My daughter and I very much enjoyed the trip planned for us by Sylvia which met our interests and our budget. All of the tours were great (cacao farm, waterfall, hanging bridges) and the guides and drivers were excellent. Despite a bit of traffic noise, we also appreciated the lovely views at each of our accommodations. At our first resort near La Fortuna, we had a direct view of the Arenal Volcano, lush vegetation and colourful birds from the patio of our cabina. At our second resort in... read more

My daughter and I very much enjoyed the trip planned for us by Sylvia which met our interests and our budget. All of the tours were great (cacao farm, waterfall, hanging bridges) and the guides and drivers were excellent. Despite a bit of traffic noise, we also appreciated the lovely views at each of our accommodations. At our first resort near La Fortuna, we had a direct view of the Arenal Volcano, lush vegetation and colourful birds from the patio of our cabina. At our second resort in Tamarindo, we had a beautiful view of palm trees, the beach and the Pacific Ocean from the balcony of our low rise hotel. The staff we met at each resort were terrific and we spent many enjoyable moments chatting with them.

Great trip but missing voucher so did not know the plans for the big birthday day. Had to make other plans.

We were very pleased by the places and lodging chosen for us by John. We particularly loved the remoteness of Mawumba Lodge and then later the accessibility of Shahwamda Lodge to to the Jaguar Rescue Center, where we were able to see baby sloths, and eat the best swordfish ever at Pura Gula restaurant. Our guide Umberto was professional and knowledgeable, and our drivers--Ronnie, Patricia, and Jose--were wonderful ambassadors of their country.

Our trip to Costa Rica was amazing thanks to kimkim. We had no idea what to expect and from the moment we were picked up in the airport, we new we made the right choice. A representative greeted us and introduced us to our driver & from that moment on it was a carefree and memorable vacation. Our trip guide helped us plan it from beginning to end! Customizing it to our liking every step of the way. (If you will be visiting, make sure to check out La Fortuna waterfall...it is absolutely... read more

Our trip to Costa Rica was amazing thanks to kimkim. We had no idea what to expect and from the moment we were picked up in the airport, we new we made the right choice. A representative greeted us and introduced us to our driver & from that moment on it was a carefree and memorable vacation. Our trip guide helped us plan it from beginning to end! Customizing it to our liking every step of the way. (If you will be visiting, make sure to check out La Fortuna waterfall...it is absolutely breathtaking!) This was our first time using kimkim, but after the service they provided...it won't be our last! I already started spreading the word to my family and friends about kimkim!!

The entire experience of working with Kim Kim was terrific. I was able to customize a plan that included all of the activities my family wanted to do in Costa Rica. In country, every single driver, guide, etc was very punctual. We never had to wait for anything and all of the activities we planned were excellent. We loved stand up paddle boarding in Lake Arenal, zip lining in the cloud forest, and playing at the beach in Manual Antonio. The company Desafio was especially fun for our... read more

The entire experience of working with Kim Kim was terrific. I was able to customize a plan that included all of the activities my family wanted to do in Costa Rica. In country, every single driver, guide, etc was very punctual. We never had to wait for anything and all of the activities we planned were excellent. We loved stand up paddle boarding in Lake Arenal, zip lining in the cloud forest, and playing at the beach in Manual Antonio. The company Desafio was especially fun for our excursions in Arenal. Two out of the three hotels were great- clean, convenient, and comfortable. The third hotel was not exactly up to the standards we were hoping for so we were disappointed there. But overall, the trip was so memorable and I would recommend the use of Kim Kim to anyone wanting to plan a trip to Costa Rica.

The booking process was easy; Randall was very responsive and able to fulfill all our requests. All activities were well organized and transfers ran smoothly. Costa Rica's beauty takes your breath away! Our Tortuguero guide Rolando from the Laguna Lodge hotel was one of the best ones we've ever had. We even saw a giant sea turtle lay eggs - such a wonderful experience. Thank you!

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Costa Rica. I was looking for a nice blend of nature, adventure, beaches, nightlife and relaxation ... and this trip offered exactly what I was looking for. I booked with relatively short notice and didn't really have the time to research in advance. Fortunately, the local specialist Randall asked what I was looking for and customised an awesome trip. From the moment I arrived to the moment I left, everything was planned and scheduled (including pick-ups,... read more

I thoroughly enjoyed my trip to Costa Rica. I was looking for a nice blend of nature, adventure, beaches, nightlife and relaxation ... and this trip offered exactly what I was looking for. I booked with relatively short notice and didn't really have the time to research in advance. Fortunately, the local specialist Randall asked what I was looking for and customised an awesome trip. From the moment I arrived to the moment I left, everything was planned and scheduled (including pick-ups, drop offs, hotels, trips, meals etc). I was also given a detailed trip plan upon arrival meaning that I knew exactly where I had to be and when. In the end, I experienced many of the things Costa Rica had to offer and had a fantastic time. I would very much recommend kimkim.

Sofia was the person in charge of organising our 2 week trip to Costa Rica. She met all of our requirements excellently and all the hotels, guides and tours she had recommended were exceptionally good. She was caring throughout the whole trip and worried about us and solved any issues we could have - which were close to none.
Thank you for an amazing trip! We will most certainly take into account your travel agency for future holidays!!

Marina & Margarita.

Trip to Costa Rica - 7/17/18 - 8/2/18 for 7 people, 4 adults and 3 children (ages 10, 12 & 14)

This was our first trip using the KimKim service, which I found through online research. Overall the tools were easy to use and the communication worked great and without problems. I would recommend it and will use it again.
Our trip in country was planned by Sylvia and she did an outstanding job. We stayed 1 night in San Jose, then due to some Caribbean storms, she did a quick switch for us... read more

Trip to Costa Rica - 7/17/18 - 8/2/18 for 7 people, 4 adults and 3 children (ages 10, 12 & 14)

This was our first trip using the KimKim service, which I found through online research. Overall the tools were easy to use and the communication worked great and without problems. I would recommend it and will use it again.
Our trip in country was planned by Sylvia and she did an outstanding job. We stayed 1 night in San Jose, then due to some Caribbean storms, she did a quick switch for us from Tortugero to Rancho Humo on the Nicoya Peninsula. We stayed there 2 nights and then went to Arenal for 3 nights, Monteverde for 3 nights and then 6 nights at the Westin n Playa Conchal. We did not want to be part of a large tour group, so Sylvia arranged for us to have our own transportation, drivers and tour guides for every part of the trip including 8 or 9 excursions which she did a great job with the planning. Every part of it went flawlessly and she even arranged to have a birthday cake delivered in Monteverde for our nephew who was turning 12! Every hotel met our expectations (Rancho Humo, Arena Manoa, La FondaVela, and the Westin) and we all felt that all the excursions were worth it and helped us learn more about Costa Rica. I would highly recommend Sylvia.

Sylvia is amazing! She is pleasant and easy to work with. We missed our flight and Sylvia rearranged pick-up and transfers from the airport with no fuss. She surprised us with a last minutes city tour of San Jose and dinner at Tiquicia Restaurant. The view of central valley from Tiquicia Restaurant was spectacular! It is truly a million-dollar view. The food was delicious and the traditional dance was fantastic.

Tabacon Resort , all I can I say is " Wow, wow, and wow... read more

Sylvia is amazing! She is pleasant and easy to work with. We missed our flight and Sylvia rearranged pick-up and transfers from the airport with no fuss. She surprised us with a last minutes city tour of San Jose and dinner at Tiquicia Restaurant. The view of central valley from Tiquicia Restaurant was spectacular! It is truly a million-dollar view. The food was delicious and the traditional dance was fantastic.

Tabacon Resort , all I can I say is " Wow, wow, and wow " It is a thermal paradise! All of the staffs at the resort were wonderful. Do not miss this place.

Monteverde Cloud Forest - what an incredible place. I felt like I was in the movie Avatar. I saw so many wildlife - incredible experience. The sky walk, sky tram , and the zip lining was unbelievable. We had so much fun!

Manuel Antonio Nation Park - stunning park with amazing beaches. I'm so happy we did a guided tour of the park; otherwise, we would have missed out on the beautiful wildlife like the Sloth, rainbow grasshopper, and the colorful birds.

My daughter and I had an amazing time in Costa Rica. Thank you Sylvia .

XOXO
Seng

To be honest, I’d never heard of Kimkim, coast to coast adventures, or Randall. This made me a little bit wary of sending over a few thousand pounds and just assuming it would all be ok. Randall seemed very nice over email and we were keen to support local business in the country were visiting rather than some massive tour company, so we took the plunge.

I really didn’t need to worry at all.

We’ve had a stunning time in Costa Rica - truly the trip of a lifetime. Whatever words or photos... read more

To be honest, I’d never heard of Kimkim, coast to coast adventures, or Randall. This made me a little bit wary of sending over a few thousand pounds and just assuming it would all be ok. Randall seemed very nice over email and we were keen to support local business in the country were visiting rather than some massive tour company, so we took the plunge.

I really didn’t need to worry at all.

We’ve had a stunning time in Costa Rica - truly the trip of a lifetime. Whatever words or photos just don’t do it justice so I won’t even try. What can be said for definite is that I’d totally trust Kimkim again and, above all Randall is a total legend who sorted everything out to perfection. All the cogs and wheels that needed to turn at the same time did like clockwork and it’s all gone without a hitch. We were met at the chaotic airport after a gruelling 10 hr flight with 2 tired kids, by a lovely friendly guy who got us to our hotel. The next day we started the 3 day tour of a lifetime to Tortuguero National Park, just as Randall had recommended, it was one of those life moments to never be forgotten - the moment lasted 3 days though.

Everywhere Randall has booked for us was expecting us and we just had to get ourselves to the agreed place to find everything ready, and taken care of for us. We found ourselves on the best trips with the best guides while others struggled in the heat.

It’s hard to know what else to say, other than Randall totally made this holiday, I can’t recommend him highly enough and if we come back, and we’d very much like to, I know who to get in touch with.

We had a truly amazing time in Costa Rica. Sylvia organised everything so well. It's hard to know what the highlights were as there was so much which was just fantastic, but here are some that stick most in our memory:

• The first very rainy boat trip through the rainforest to Laguna Lodge, with Clarence taking good care of us throughout.
• The butterfly garden at the back of the Selva Tropical restaurant
• Witnessing a giant turtle laying her eggs (so many of them)
• Mauricio the driver... read more

We had a truly amazing time in Costa Rica. Sylvia organised everything so well. It's hard to know what the highlights were as there was so much which was just fantastic, but here are some that stick most in our memory:

• The first very rainy boat trip through the rainforest to Laguna Lodge, with Clarence taking good care of us throughout.
• The butterfly garden at the back of the Selva Tropical restaurant
• Witnessing a giant turtle laying her eggs (so many of them)
• Mauricio the driver stopping the car to show us a toucan on a tree beside the road
• The sunset view of Arenal, with rainbow, from the amazing Tabacon Springs where we also enjoyed a very good supper
• Swimming in the river at the bottom of the waterfall at Arenal
• The hilarious chocolate-making lesson
• Everything about Monteverde - the night walk and Sky Trek/zip-lining day particularly. It's a very special place. We had a nice meal at the popular Tree House in Santa Elena if you need a recommendation for anyone else (although some other tourists spoke highly of Morpho which has just opened up a new restaurant slightly out of the centre).
• Stopping to see the crocodiles under the bridge on the way to Manuel Antonio
• The Costa Verde hotel at Manuel Antonio which was fantastic in every way. What a view for breakfast! Their restaurants across the road were great too.
• Iguana Tours were brilliant at Manuel Antonio. They seem to really enjoy what they do. Andrey was our guide in Manuel Antonio National Park and JJ led the rafting expedition. We also went on a boat trip with Iguana.They own their own smallish catamaran and looked after us really well. Good food. Live banjo music. And we even saw whales.

Sylvia worked with us to create a perfect trip that met our specific requests and budget. She was very responsive and checked in with us before the trip and a couple of times during it. Our flight in was delayed by 14 hours and Sylvia rearranged pick-up and transfers from the airport with no fuss.

We had a wonderful 18 day vacation thanks to John and his great organization of our trip. This was our first visit to Costa Rica and we experienced a bit of everything - diving, visiting rainforest parks, zipline, white water rafting, horse back riding. Communication with John was very fast and efficient--both when planning the trip as well as throughout our itinerary. He booked for us places that matched very well our travelling & vacation style. I would highly recommend using the services of his company when planning Costa Rica vacation.

We had a wonderful trip, my son LOVED the zip line and the horseback riding. We also booked a chocolate tour in La Fortuna, and a naturalist-led tour of the rainforest in Manuel Antonio. All of the hotels were great, in perfect locations. I was a single mom traveling with my 9 year old son, and I felt safe the entire time. Thank you for setting everything up for us, it will be a trip we never forget :)

Amazing trip ! Everything was perfect!
Good hotels selection .
Thanks a lot

Gaelle

Everything made by Sylvia was perfect there is nothing to say, perfect Is the word
I strongly recommend Sylvia for anything you want to plan in Costa Rica
thank you
Bernard

My girlfriend and I booked a week's vacation in Costa Rica through Sylvia. It was super easy and Sylvia customized a great trip for us! We flew into San Jose from Toronto on April 14 and spent time in 3 spots - San Jose, Arenal and Manuel Antonio. It was an amazing experience and I felt like we had 3 vacations in one! Everything including the transfers, hotels and excursions was organized and we just had to turn up! Our guides were all fun, knowledgeable and gave us an exciting and authentic... read more

My girlfriend and I booked a week's vacation in Costa Rica through Sylvia. It was super easy and Sylvia customized a great trip for us! We flew into San Jose from Toronto on April 14 and spent time in 3 spots - San Jose, Arenal and Manuel Antonio. It was an amazing experience and I felt like we had 3 vacations in one! Everything including the transfers, hotels and excursions was organized and we just had to turn up! Our guides were all fun, knowledgeable and gave us an exciting and authentic experience. Our transfers were generally private so trips were relaxing and we got a lot of history enroute.

The cultural city tour with Abelardo was fascinating. We really enjoyed the National Museum and National Theatre. Arenal was gorgeous and our juniors suite has an incredible view of the volcano (thanks Sylvia). We had a little hiccup with the ziplining/hanging bridges excursion, and missed our transfer. Sylvia and Kimkim stepped up and covered the taxi to get us there and we had an awesome day. The intense hike trekking through the rainforest down the crater of an extinct volcano was incredible. The crater was heavily forested and had 3 lagoons in it. I swam in 2 of them and was the only person in the water! It felt like we had the whole place to ourselves! This was finished off with a traditional lunch at a Costa Rican family's home with spectacular views of the rainforest. Our guide Andreas was amazing and pointed out wildlife as we went along.

Manuel Antonio was another incredible place with beautiful beaches and a national park teeming with wildlife. The tour we had in the park was truly amazing. We saw so much wildlife. We stayed in a hotel called Si Como No - a beautiful property was many rooms set in the hillside. Our balcony had an ocean and rainforest view (thanks again for this booking Sylvia!)

The vacation was capped off with a private tour of a coffee plantation - yet another highlight! There's lots more to tell, but you're gonna have to discover Costa Rica yourself.

This was one of the best vacations I've ever had, and I've travelled extensively. I would recommend both Costa Rica and Kimkim! Special thanks to Sylvia for arranging this fabulous vacation!

Great trip! Thanks for the change in transportation to Tamarindo as the ride was awesome with the forst half hour on the beach and the most of the rest on backroads thru the countryside. On reflection i would have stayed an extra day at Flor Blanca versus goign to Tamarindo which was too touristy for me but great for my 16 year old. Thanks for your help!

Sylvia was very patient and help us a lot with the tour. We had a great time and will use the service again in the future.

We have recently returned from two weeks in Costa Rica and we loved it!
From day one the communication with Randall was amazing. He got back to all of my messages within hours. His speed and kind way were really helpful. We booked the trip a few months ahead and Randall kept in touch with us leading up to it, a nice touch. 

When we arrived in Costa Rica, again everything was very well organised and Randall always kept us up to date with those couple of minor changes in flights or pick up... read more

We have recently returned from two weeks in Costa Rica and we loved it!
From day one the communication with Randall was amazing. He got back to all of my messages within hours. His speed and kind way were really helpful. We booked the trip a few months ahead and Randall kept in touch with us leading up to it, a nice touch. 

When we arrived in Costa Rica, again everything was very well organised and Randall always kept us up to date with those couple of minor changes in flights or pick up times we encountered. Nothing ever seemed an inconvenience for him and it was great to know I could message him if needed.

In terms of the holiday itself, the places we visited were beautiful. Cloud forest, jungle, Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Lots of animals and activities everywhere plus time to relax. The holiday really ticked all the boxes.

Costa Rica is a stunning country and the way of life there is something I have taken home with me.. Pura Vida!!

I would wholeheartedly recommend kim kim and particularly Sylvia Durado.
My flight over to Costa Rica was delayed due to adverse weather conditions. Sylvia was a lifesaver, altering my booking accordingly. No stress, no hassle.
When i finally got to Costa Rica, everything was seamless!
I had an amazing trip and I cant wait to return!!

A great time was had in a wonderful country. We travelled from San Jose to Tortuguero national park where all arranged tour were perfect. The lodge we stayed in was great with good food. From there we were transferred to Arenal where the accommodation was wonderful and all tours again were perfect. From there we went to Monteverde with swinging bridge and night walk tours and again it went perfectly. We then went to Playa Hermosa for our final 5 nights and had a lovely time relaxing in... read more

A great time was had in a wonderful country. We travelled from San Jose to Tortuguero national park where all arranged tour were perfect. The lodge we stayed in was great with good food. From there we were transferred to Arenal where the accommodation was wonderful and all tours again were perfect. From there we went to Monteverde with swinging bridge and night walk tours and again it went perfectly. We then went to Playa Hermosa for our final 5 nights and had a lovely time relaxing in our hotel which was right on the beach. Couldn’t fault the wonderful job Sylvia did organising this trip everything ran extremely smoothly. Would highly recommend.

Costa Rica is a beautiful country with extremely welcoming and genuinely nice people. Overall we had a nice vacation in Costa Rica but mostly because we were able to roll with the things we found disappointing. We found that all the tours/adventures booked for us by Randall were excellent. The tour guides were extremely knowledgeable and the tours/adventures themselves were well executed. The guides were always on time and went out of their way to be welcoming.

The accommodations were from... read more

Costa Rica is a beautiful country with extremely welcoming and genuinely nice people. Overall we had a nice vacation in Costa Rica but mostly because we were able to roll with the things we found disappointing. We found that all the tours/adventures booked for us by Randall were excellent. The tour guides were extremely knowledgeable and the tours/adventures themselves were well executed. The guides were always on time and went out of their way to be welcoming.

The accommodations were from OK to terrible. The Country Inn in San Jose was fine. There was no real restaurant to have dinner at night. The casino next door that did have dinner, was not an appropriate place to have my young son visit.

The hotel in La Fortuna, was serviceable. We did not enjoy the bunkhouse feel of the room. Although the grounds were nice, the hotel room was just ok. Again, there was no restaurant for dinner and we had to walk to town in the dark when we arrived, not knowing where we were going.

Finally, the hotel in Puerto Viejo, the Cariblue, was terrible. Even though we switched rooms, the second room had roaches, had a shower that didn't drain well, curtains that didn't provide privacy and was generally built with old shoddy materials. It was really depressing. And although it had views of the ocean, they were across a busy road with loud motorcycles, construction trucks and other vehicles. It was very loud all night. We did call Coast to Coast about our disappointment, but nothing was done. We felt trapped and frustrated.

I have to say that in my dealings with Randall prior to our trip, I felt he tried very hard to meet our expectations for our trip. However, we obviously were not on the same page (with him or Kim Kim) regarding what I wanted for our vacation in terms of accommodations and beach feel. We expected to stay at much higher quality hotels, like at the Tabacon where we enjoyed the hot springs. And, the Caribbean side was not what I was looking for during the "beach" portion of our vacation. We found the Caribbean much more suited to the "surfer" crowd and was not appropriate for the family vacation we wanted. It was a real party scene and not the tranquil wide open beaches we were hoping to relax on. Most of our tour guides told us that that would be found on the Pacific side. We were really upset that we spent most of our time on the Caribbean. Also we also did not realize that we would be in a van for over 12 hours (at least 4 hours through a congested commercial area that was not very attractive) getting from one location to another. I wished that had been made clear.

In terms of our dealings with Coast to Coast in Costa Rica, I have mixed reviews. Our driver, Jose, was always on time, was very knowledgeable and stopped at restaurants he knew along the way for lunch/snacks. We really appreciated that. However, we did not enjoy being in his older, loud van for 8 hours. We also found him to be an aggressive driver and he seemed upset when we told him to be more careful. We also found him moody, especially after the trip back to San Jose, after we had complained about our hotel to Randall. This made for an unpleasant ride back.

I put the blame on Kim Kim, Coast to Coast and myself for not discerning or appropriately communicating what we were getting/asking for. You should let your customers know that you provide middle of the road accommodations for a middle market. I will not recommend any of your companies to my friends.

Debra Hernandez

Randall has been very responsible in tailoring our tour according to my request, with many back and forth. It’s been a great pleasure to work with him on putting the tour together.

Accomodation at Montechiari was very nice and the people were friendly with one exception. Management handled the exception very well.
The hike into the Hule Lagoon was great, Andre was an excellent guide.
He did at times seem to be in a bit of a rush. It was scheduled to be a four hour hike and we completed in just over three hours.
The pace was manageable but not leisurely. It was just the two of us, great.
The host family at the farm were wonderful and the food was awesome.
The mountain... read more

Accomodation at Montechiari was very nice and the people were friendly with one exception. Management handled the exception very well.
The hike into the Hule Lagoon was great, Andre was an excellent guide.
He did at times seem to be in a bit of a rush. It was scheduled to be a four hour hike and we completed in just over three hours.
The pace was manageable but not leisurely. It was just the two of us, great.
The host family at the farm were wonderful and the food was awesome.
The mountain biking was fun but we didn't get to see much and was not at the Volcano as expected. We rode out 16Km and stopped at the lake and were offered to ride back over the same route. We declined. Home by 10:20. It was a private tour with just the two of us, nice.
The guides were very nice , especially Brian who was in training.
The Tabacon Hotsprings was nice. The meal was buffet style but the food was excellent.
The guided tour at Manuel Antonio was a great experience overall and the guide was very knowledgeable. He also managed to get us out for lunch (I am diabetic) and back infor a swim on the same ticket .This was a large group of around 16 people so a bit unwieldy.
We had a private tour of Quepos and the Kids Saving the Rainforest with our guide William.
William was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable. Overall Iguana tours was excellent.
The accomodation at Tabulia Tree Hotel was quite nice and we were treated well.
The kayaking and snorkling was fun with an excellent guide and nice lunch afterward.
Monteverde was beautiful and the Fonda Vella Hotel was excellent. I believe we received a room upgrade as it was a very nice separate cabin.
The hanging bridges tour was very pretty views with a knowledgeable naturalist guide and some interesting sightings.
The coffee, cacao and sugar tour was enjoyable and informative.
Bosque del Mar at Playa Hermosa was very relaxing and the staff were very friendly and helpful.
A relaxing and enjoyable wind down.
The evening cruise was fun with a nice group of people. The snorkelling was a disappointment as we saw very little.
The trip was on a sailboat (OK but a catamaran was advertised.

Kimkim organised a 16 day self drive tour of Costa Rica for my family (my, my partner, our kids 5yrs, 8yrs, 11yrs and my mum). They were extremely prompt, very responsive and personal throughout the planning. They showed great attention to detail regarding our car seats, wifi and GPS. Fabulous accommodation everywhere. We had a wonderful time. It was great to have that extra flexibility a package tour cant provide.
Marco and the team are Evergreen Lodge in Tortuguero were an absolute... read more

Kimkim organised a 16 day self drive tour of Costa Rica for my family (my, my partner, our kids 5yrs, 8yrs, 11yrs and my mum). They were extremely prompt, very responsive and personal throughout the planning. They showed great attention to detail regarding our car seats, wifi and GPS. Fabulous accommodation everywhere. We had a wonderful time. It was great to have that extra flexibility a package tour cant provide.
Marco and the team are Evergreen Lodge in Tortuguero were an absolute highlight. We loved the whole immersive experience of living on the rivers and in the jungle.
I was really glad we drove down the Carribean Coast. El Encanto Inn was great. Dinner at Sonja's home restaurant was gorgeous. We walked to a great Calypso night from the hotel and El Encanto organised all our tours. Luis escorted us to a Medicinal and Chocolate Farm in the Bri Bri reservation which was wonderful. The Jaguar Rescue Centre was also fabulous, thanks to our guide Carlotta. Puerto Viejo was a wonderful swimming beach and we narrowly missed a world surf comp. Playa Negro was sadly quite polluted but it was a great community to walk amongst. We saw several sloths up close from the road.
The drive to Sarapiqui was a big one. The Rain Forest Lodge was a bit of a let down with its Museum closed and Gallery never opened. It seemed to cater for large bus groups and wasnt quite our style. KimKim were right that we needed to stop somewhere closer than Arenal that night though so we were glad of somewhere to sleep.
Arenal Springs was luxurious. Their hot pools were a huge hit with the whole family. I wouldnt book a tour through the hotel though as they add a hefty surcharge.The local laundromat gave fabulous local advice and we had our own car. The road to El Castillo wasnt nearly as bad as the guide book says and we really enjoyed our visit to the Eco Zoo, meeting Victor and our guide Andrew. Victor's wildlife photography is stunning.
The Pacific Coast was much more commercial than I had hoped for but we were excited to see Turtles nesting there (we were out of season in Tortuguero). Pasa Tiempo was a great lodge with a fantastic shared living, dining, entertaining area. We were treated to love music and enjoyed the pool, reading and playing cards amongst others.
Monteverde and Manuel Antonio were both spectacular. It was really worth saving our ziplining for the cloud forest. 60km per hour through a cloud was truly exhilarating. The guides at Selvatura were fantastic with our family.
If you have already been to Tortuguero you dont need a guide at Manuel Antontio. I was pleased we did it independently to allow the kids to travel at their own pace. Gorgeous beach. I'd never seen a raccoon before so that was exciting! Plaza Yara was gorgeous and Roger was a fabulous host who even gave us a wee gift on departure.
Trapp Family Country Lodge was a fabulous airport oasis. Definitely recommend over a chain hotel.
Thanks for everything Kim Kim we will definitely use you again.

We had a fabulous trip. I had asked for an active, adventurous itinerary, and that's exactly what we got. I'd have to say the highlight was river rafting, and camping on the river. It was gorgeous and fun and our guide Maurice was absolutely fabulous. He was a great guide on the river and fun companion, sharing lots of interesting things about the river, animals and Costa Rica. The food was excellent and the camp was comfortable, the rafting was exciting but we felt safe throughout.

The... read more

We had a fabulous trip. I had asked for an active, adventurous itinerary, and that's exactly what we got. I'd have to say the highlight was river rafting, and camping on the river. It was gorgeous and fun and our guide Maurice was absolutely fabulous. He was a great guide on the river and fun companion, sharing lots of interesting things about the river, animals and Costa Rica. The food was excellent and the camp was comfortable, the rafting was exciting but we felt safe throughout.

The trip to La Fortuna was easy, and our guide Roy for the hanging bridges and waterfall was great. We really appreciated that he wasn't in a rush and that we could take our time through the woods and enjoy. He had interesting information to share about all the animals we saw.

The ziplining was fun and enjoyed by all. It was great to have the woods all to ourselves, and was a good experience even in the rain.

The only glitch in our trip was the trip from Arenal to Quepos. Initially a vehicle that was too small for our group was sent, so we had to wait about 45 minutes for a 2nd vehicle. We all fit in the 2nd vehicle, but not by much - it was very cramped, and the driver was not smooth.

Our time on the coast was lovely - snorkeling was fun, and it was good to have a day on our own. We organized a night hike for ourselves which was also fun.

We reached out to Randall partway through the trip to change our hotel in San Jose for the return. The KC hotel was not in a neighborhood where we could easily walk to restaurants, and we got hassled a bit when we were out even though it was not late. He was very accomodating, booked us in the Sleep Inn which was perfect. We were able to walk to a nice restaurant for our final dinner in San Jose. I also appreciate that he was able to hold a spot on the tour for my husband, as he wasn't sure he'd be able to join us til just a couple of weeks before the trip. Overall he was very helpful and a pleasure to work with.