Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

We had an amazing trip to Costa Rica and fabulous experience from start to finish with Elena Mora, our local specialist, as well as with the Serendipity team, Nancy and Wilman. Elena customized the perfect trip for our family of 5 (including 3 tweens/teens). She answered all messages in a super timely fashion and was very receptive to adjusting our trip dates early on. We went to La Fortuna/Arenal, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio. The Cloud Forest Lodge in Monteverde and La Mariposo hotel in Manuel Antonio exceeded expectations. All of our transfers and guides were on time and fantastic. We were able to communicate easily via the KimKIm portal and via What's App with the Serendipity team in real time. They were very proactive and receptive in making dining recommendations, answering any questions and offering additional suggestions for activities and assisting with bookings and reservations on the fly. It truly was an unforgettable family vacation. I highly recommend KimKim and Serendipity. We hope to use their services again soon.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

The views are unbeatable. The food is delicious, especially the tres leche dessert. The corner rooms provide a view you won't ever forget. Sunsets in the infinity pool are to die for.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Beautiful piece of property and lodge. The view, trails and wildlife are amazing. My favorite part was sitting on the deck eating a delicous, healthy breakfast watching the hummingbirds, other birds and coatis. We hope to return.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

The staff in the restaurant were particularly friendly and upbeaet.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Catamaran Tour with Meal

Costa Rica

The staff was friendly, upbeat and attentive. The catamaran was very nice. There were about 30-40 people and it did not feel crowded. The scenery was gorgeous. We saw lots of dolphins. The food was really quite delicious. The only negative was the snorkeling - pretty murky, one small rock with some more few that you could see, but it was still fun to get in the water and swim around. The slides and jump deck were fun. Spectacular sunset.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano

Arenal/La Fortuna

I really enjoyed all of these activities but the rest of my family felt a little bit too rushed. It is 3 separate activities and you drive with your guide from one to the next. Lunch was at the end of it all. The hanging bridges were probably my favorite part and the waterfall.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Our guide was fantastic. The park is crowded but definitely worth going to. Plan to wear your bathing suit and swim while there. We saw 5 sloths, white faced monkeys, lizards, lots of birds and much more.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Walk in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

Monteverde

This experience was very good, but it is not actually in the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve but rather the Children's Eternal Forest. Our guide was very knowledgeable. We saw some beautiful birds - Lesson's MotMot, as well as tarantulas, leafcutter ants, frogs and a variety of other flora and fauna.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All Day Adventure at Selvatura, including Zipline, Hanging Bridges, and Fauna Exhibitions

Costa Rica

We loved our day at Selvatura. We had tickets to all of the activities and did them all, although we were a little pressed for time. It takes about 6-8 hours to do everything (zipline, hanging bridges, sit down lunch, exhibits (must go with a tour guide) - sloth, butterflies, amphibians/reptiles. Don't skip the Sloth Sanctuary. We got to see 13 sloths up close, many were eating and moving around.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

The Kimkim planned an amazing and affordable Costa Rican getaway to La Fortuna. Every detail was arranged from outings to transportation and went off without a hitch. Will definitely use Kimkim for future trips.

Our trip to Costa Rica was nothing short of extraordinary, filled with unforgettable wildlife encounters, stunning views, and an incredible team that made every moment special. From the moment we arrived, the natural beauty of the country swept us away, and it felt like we were in another world.

Our hotel, perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, offered some of the most breathtaking views imaginable. Each morning, we woke up to the sound of the ocean waves crashing below, and the sun casting golden hues over the water. It felt like paradise, as we enjoyed meals on the terrace, watching the colors change as the day unfolded. It was truly an oasis that allowed us to feel connected to the land in a way we never have before.

One of the highlights of our adventure was our guide, Diego. It was clear from the start that he was not just a guide, but someone who had a deep, almost spiritual connection to the land. Diego was a walking encyclopedia of knowledge, always pointing out things we would have never noticed on our own – from the smallest hummingbird to hidden sloths high up in the trees. He explained the delicate balance of Costa Rica's ecosystem and the importance of conservation, leaving us with a profound appreciation for the land.

Our driver, Alex, was a joy to travel with. He was not just a driver, but a passionate ambassador for Costa Rica, eager to share his love for his country. As we drove through the lush landscapes, Alex shared stories of the country’s history, culture, and customs. His pride for Costa Rica was contagious, and we felt so fortunate to have someone so personable and knowledgeable guiding us along the way.

We also had the pleasure of traveling with Oscar, our driver for one of the longer rides. Despite the long hours, Oscar kept us entertained and laughing with his witty humor and charming personality. He had a way of making even the most grueling five-hour journey feel like a fun adventure, keeping us in high spirits the entire way.

And then there was Elena, the mastermind behind our entire trip. She was nothing short of amazing. Elena meticulously planned every detail, ensuring that our trip was seamless and stress-free. When I fell ill before our first planned trip and had to postpone, she didn’t hesitate to reschedule everything for us without a second thought. She worked tirelessly to accommodate us, even adjusting our itinerary with Serendipity after we arrived exhausted, so that we could rest and fully enjoy the beauty of Costa Rica. Elena’s attention to detail and unwavering dedication made this trip unforgettable.

Between the wildlife encounters—like seeing monkeys swinging through the trees, iguanas basking in the sun, and the incredible birdlife—and the stunning vistas, this was a trip that will live in our hearts forever. Costa Rica’s beauty, combined with the genuine warmth and hospitality of the team, made it an experience that we will treasure for a lifetime. We left feeling inspired, grateful, and with a newfound love for this beautiful country.

Hotel Reviews

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Gorgeous and surrounded by nature. However, if paying to stay at hotel, I don't think we should have to deal with busses full of day pass people using the facilities we are paying for- the crowds were very disappointing and would not have been a thing if the hotel just focused on its guests rather than allowing bus after bus to bring hundreds of people to use the hot springs that should be for hotel guests only. sadly we only got in the springs once due to the crowds

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Costa Verde

Manuel Antonio

The views were spectacular! Like nothing we have experienced. One worker, Oscar, was the only negative and reason for only 4 stars. He failed to tell us that we needed $300 cash to book the excursion, so we scheduled it but when we went to pay, he said it had to be cash. We had our credit card info stolen in La Fortuna so we had used almost all of our cash and could not pay this in cash. He was incredibly rude to use and wouldn't stop telling us that now the guide would have to pay out of pocket because of us. We paid a fortune for this trip so we obviously have no problem paying for our experiences, but this was not explained to us and sadly our last day, he continued to harass us about this even after we added a day because we did not want to leave this beautiful paradise.

Authenticity & Character

unique

Location

breathtaking views

Staff

everyone was wonderful except oscar at front desk, rude as explained above

Cleanliness & Comfort

perfection

Activity Reviews

Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano

Arenal/La Fortuna

Most breathtaking views, guide, Diego was incredible and taught us so much

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Diego was one with nature- he taught us so much.

Transport

Alex is a doll

Catamaran Tour with Meal

Costa Rica

lovely views/fun vibe

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Stephen was incredible

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Beautiful- had hoped to see more wildlife

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

oscar was the best driver! we hated to even say goodbye to him. loved him!

Transport

oscar was the best! we hated to even say goodbye to him. loved him!

The planning was easy to do and adjust as needed and the 2 hotels we stayed at were awesome. We stayed 3 nights at Arenal Manoa near La Fortuna. Our room was spacious, but somewhat dated. But the grounds were gorgeous as was the pool with the swim up bar. There were plenty of thermal pools on the premises, but none of them were really warm. Breakfast was full of plenty of delicious items to eat including an omelette bar.

The second place we stayed at was La Mariposa, which did live up to its fame of the most gorgeous view. The infinity pool was huge and so refreshing. They also had a good breakfast spread. We thought it was strange though that they had no body wash for guests (we ended up buying a large soap) and they were still using little plastic containers for the amenities which does not feel very eco-friendly at all. There was an older gentleman at the front desk when we checked in that was very rude and I have seen other comments about how they were poorly treated upon check in. All the other people who worked there were lovely though.

As far as our time with serendipity adventures, who was the local tour company, the drivers were where they needed to be when we needed them, but unfortunately, they obviously do not take good care of their vehicles because our first car broke down halfway through our ride to La Fortuna. We had to wait over an hour for another driver to show up and finish the way in another car. Then the driver that was going to take us back to the airport in San Jose, shows up with a flat tire. They did make good and found a driver for us about a half hour later and we were fine for our flight but that would be my one criticism. All of the guides we had for rainforest tours were very knowledgeable and friendly. If you do have a guide going through the rainforest, though, make sure they have binoculars or a telephoto lens so you can really get a close up of the animals. Our first guide, unfortunately, had neither nor did he have his laser pointer to actually show us what he was looking at so that made it more difficult but the second guy had what we needed.

I thought I already let you know my thoughts, but I will repeat them here.
While Costa Rica is an amazing country that I have visited four times, this trip had serious problems with transportation. The van that was supposed to be handicapped accessible was totally unsafe and uncomfortable. Even though your company tried to make adjustments, it was still a problem. There was one night when we were all stuck on a narrow, winding road for over 20 minutes. It was dangerous and frightening, as well as jostling. There were other times when the van couldn't make its destination. The first tour we took had several stairs that were not wheel-chair accessible also.
I feel like you should not be calling yourself a company that can serve handicapped (wheel-chair) clients.
In the future you should let people know the limitations and give better advice about where to travel within the country. I know the road conditions are not your fault, but it is your responsibility to let travelers know the situation.
In a positive note, the people and the hotels were wonderful!

Activity Review

Private Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Overall, planning was great with Brian and team. We were trying to stay within a certain budget and with some tweaking we got there. Both hotels were very nice overall with amazing views. More on that later. As for the tours, the Danaus rainforest tour was underwhelming especially after the hanging bridges guided tour that we added on after we got to La Fortuna. Traveling to and from our destinations was a different story. On our way from SJO to La Fortuna, our driver’s car broke down in the middle of nowhere on a dark winding road (dead battery) Fortunately there was a local restaurant that was open not too far up a hill where we could wait for another driver. We waited another 1 1/2 hours which made for a very long trip to our first destination. Then on our final trip from Manuel Antonio back to SJO our driver showed up at the planned departure time of 8am with a flat tire. Again we had to wait over an hour for a new driver/vehicle making for a very stressful drive to catch our flight given the heavy traffic. We understand things happen but would expect greater reliability and better maintenance of the vehicles used to transport guests. Finally, while we did love La Mariposa hotel in Manuel Antonio we would strongly suggest letting guests know that they should bring their own toiletries and towels. We actually had to go and buy our own soap, shampoo, kleenix, etc., since they only provided small sample sizes of shampoo, soap and some lotion which was barely enough for one person per night. In addition for 2 people they give you 2 bath towels and only one hand towel to share? Anything beyond that they charged $5 per towel! We have never seen anything like that anywhere. Not to mention what you have to go through just to get a towel for the pool! For what we paid and given how ecologically conscious the country is we were surprised by all the waste of plastic containers they go through as opposed to other local hotels that use stationary refillable containers.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Amazing views and nice large rooms but amenities are sorely lacking.

Authenticity & Character

The views and setting

Location

Beautiful setting, grounds and view.

Staff

Staff was fine with the exception of one gentleman who was extremely rude!

Cleanliness & Comfort

The room was clean but bring your own toiletries and towels. They provide only sample size soap, shampoo and lotion barely enough for 1 person staying 1 night. They only provide one bath towel per person and 1 hand towel to share? Anything more is $5 per towel!!

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

Great hotel with lots of nice amenities. Rooms were a little dated.

Authenticity & Character

Views and grounds were beautiful and greatly amenities such as pool, hot springs and breakfast which was amazing!!

Location

Staff

Very friendly and accomodating

Cleanliness & Comfort

Only issue was that rooms are a bit dated.

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Manuel Antonio

Beautiful!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Had to hurry through the last part after guide spent a little too much time time in the beginning of the tour

Transport

Ecocentro Danaus Guided Rainforest Walk (without Transportation)

Arenal/La Fortuna

Underwhelming. While pretty it was a very short hike and would recommend other tours instead.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Guides were great! Staff was mixed.

Transport

Our transportation broke down upon arrival and departure

Highlight of our trip this year was the Osa Peninsula. The Drake Bay Wilderness Lodge was a wonderful place where we stayed for 5 days/4 nights.
The food was excellent: a culinary and aesthetic delight. Cudos to the chef cook!
The heart of the whole place is "Henry" the waiter. He is a natural talent and his welcoming and friendly and kind attitude makes the stay at the Lodge special.
For the 3rd Tour we didn't want the Cano Island and were given the advice to go to see an⁶ Animal Farm including a Nightwalk."
What it turned out to be was the so-called "Tapir Trail", a great trail, but definetly in the category of strenuous with a lot of exposure. A small trail , steep, partly slippery ending up at a waterfall. We didn't put on the rubber boots which we were offered - without explanation- at the Entrance but the guide assured us that we could keep on our (Keen) hiking shoes.
Glad that we did that, since it gave us a better footage on the trail versus oversized rubber boots..Again, a great hike, but it would be very advisable if the Manager at the Lodge would give his customers ( also considering the age group and the temperature of the day)detailed information about this hike ( and not naming it an Animal Farm Tour).
After return , in the evening, we had to remove some tics from our body!
We signed up for 3 tours: the Corcovado NP and the Mangrove Tour were each excellent Vincent was a great naturalist guide and the captain was superb.

Overall: a wonderful place to stay.
Sure, if the manager or the person in charge there, would have an attitude like Henry the place would even be better.

Overall Transportation from one place to another was always on time, with friendly drivers and very good vans! Big plus!

Alex, the captain , who brought us to Sierpe for the transfer to Manual Antonio, was a real professional and seasoned captain.

Manual Antonio: Ariel was a very good guide in the National Rainforest there.

Karake Hotel: good location. We were there in 2024.

Drive to La Fortuna: Oskar was an excellent driver on these windy roads.

Hanging Bridges Tour a must and great experience. Guide David was very good.

Ecotermales: great place. Have been there in 2024.
The issue with the wrong time on the clock of the piscinas was discussed with Greg
and resolved.

Again: all together a wonderful trip for us.
A big Thanks!
A big Thanks also to Greg ( and Gustavo) who helped us getting the trip together on short notice. Greg was in touch with us along the trip and made sure that everything was happening smoothly what it did indead! Great customer service!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lavas Tacotal

Fortuna, San Carlos

A nice place outside of La Fortuna. More in the country side. We enjoyed that is was not in the center of Fortuna and more quiet. It is a rather big place, but the individual Bungalows are well placed and provide privacy. Nice landscaping with native plants and trees. Had the Deluxe Garden Bungalow which was huge and something smaller would have been good enough for us. Nice swimming pool. Restaurant: since it is basically a very big place, we had to decide about a time slot for breakfast ( every 15 minutes). So it is a very busy and a rather crowded breakfast situation. Not for a relaxed breakfast. We were in La Fortuna in 2024 and stayed at the Campos Hotel. We learned that kimkim is not working anymore with this place. We loved it! Spacious room had a very special character, unlike seen anywhere else. Great swimming pool a little separate from the building. Good location. Good breakfast. Breakfast room not crowded. 10 minute walk to town with panderias on the way. There was a bridge beeing repaired, so cars had to take a detour. Maybe that is why it was taken off the list. I highly recommend adding it again. We would have loved to stay there this year also.

Authenticity & Character

Location of Bungalows and landscaping

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Breakfast situation not ideal. Outside of La Fortuna for people like us who want to avoid the huzzle and buzzle of the city and be more in nature. Free laundry when you stay 3 nights.

Delta Hotels by Marriott San José Aurola

San José

A good place to stay. Downtown. But be aware of robbery on the streets, as we have heard from fellow guests. Restaurant: good. But we had to wait a very long time before being served because a group was there ( came even after us). I talked to the manager after ~ 2 hours waiting ( not even water was served) and he apologized and reimbursed our dinner. Lesson learned: go in restaurant when no group is there.

Authenticity & Character

Restaurant waiting time

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Ariel was a great guide. Park was happily less crowded then last year. Had afternoon tour. Overall it is certainly advisable to go as early as possible to have the chance to see more animals.

Quality of Experience

How intuitively Ariel discovered animals!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

On time, friendly driver

Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Hanging bridges Tour is a must. Would have liked to learn how they were built. Maybe showing a video of the construction process, since it it so unbelievable! David was a great guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Were there in 2024. This year we choose the morning spot and could enjoy the surrounding nature. At the evening spot it is dark outside! Different pools with different temperatures . Bring your own watch to observe the time since the official watch gave the wrong time .

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Planning and booking our trip to Costa Rica was very easy, as planning always is on kimkim. Olman was fantastic but upon traveling, we were passed to someone else who wasn't as responsive. We had a few questions/issues and needed a quick response and waited a bit for those.

Our trip was really great except we were quite disappointed in one of our hotels. (In Monteverde.) The hotel overall was old and outdated, it overall felt outdated and we weren't even comfortable showering there. The staff was quite unwelcoming and parking was horrible at that hotel. It made our time in Monteverde frustrating.

We had a few kinks in our trip that we just didn't catch until we were already traveling (we had a 4 hour national park tour on the day we were also set to drive 4 hours to San Jose and late checkout wasn't set up) but overall it was an amazing trip and we will continue to use kimkim for future trips.

Hotel Reviews

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Nice hotel in a good location. The only issue we had is that we were given a beachfront room but it's not at all beachfront. It's a walk to beach and no view of the beach, which was a bit disappointing. Breakfast was also a bit disappointing with exactly the same thing served daily. The room was very spacious and comfortable enough and was cleaned daily. Staff was friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Dreams Lodge Monteverde

Santa Elena

We really didn't enjoy this hotel. The room was very small, as was the bathroom. It also felt very old and like it needed a good deep clean and maintenance. The bathroom was very, very small and didn't feel clean. It was a "don't walk barefoot on the floor" kind of a hotel. The staff wasn't friendly or welcoming at all and parking was terrible. We disliked this hotel so much that within 2 hours of arriving, we were looking for other accommodations to pay for outside of our package. We ended up staying because the other hotels were sold out.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

This hotel was INCREDIBLE! The staff was so friendly and welcoming and made us all feel like we were VIP guests. The location is just amazing and the view from our room was stunning. The grounds of the property are lush and beautiful and the pool was also lovely. Breakfast with a view every morning was a huge plus and it was quite delicious. Our room and bathroom were really spacious and we could spread out and were quite comfortable. The patio was spacious and we never, ever felt cramped or crowded. We had an absolutely wonderful time at this hotel and actually wished our whole trip was focused here because of this hotel. We would recommend this hotel to anyone staying near La Fortuna.

Authenticity & Character

We loved everything about this hotel. It's very well maintained while being true to the natural setting.

Location

If you love nature, animals, tropical vegetation and a volcano view...then this is the location for you! Going into town was 5-10 min and an easy, easy drive.

Staff

Every member of the staff we encountered was so friendly and accommodating.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room/bathroom was very spacious. The room was clean and beds were comfortable. AC worked wonderfully and the whole cabin was very clean. There were many spots for bugs/spiders to be if the cabin wasn't maintained and we saw none.

Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel

San José

Staff was friendly, beds were comfortable. Room felt very small and was quite noisy.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Seemed to be in the middle of the city with a lot around it.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

We loved this tour! We saw plenty of animals and enjoyed our time immensely. There are some things we wish we would have known prior to going.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide Lisandro was AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!1

Transport

Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde

Monteverde

Wonderful experience and saw a lot of really fun animals and plants. The walk was easy enough and we had no issues. The guide was really wonderful and very patient with our group. (We were paired with a couple that had a 3 and 5 year old.)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Visit Pura Vida Thermal River Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

We chose to skip this experience and simply rest.

Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rehabilitation Center - Volunteer Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

We loved this experience and had a great time! Our guide was very informative and patient.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

El Silencio Hike & Visit to Ecotermales Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was good experience but it was different than we expected. It was listed as a 0.6 mile hike but it absolutely felt longer and was solid uphill. When we looked the trail up online, it said it was an easy hike but it felt a little harder than easy. If we did this trip again, we would skip the hike and do just the hot springs. We didn't like the food on the buffet, at all.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food just wasn't good. It was poor quality, not hot and wasn't a good selection.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our pickup transport was great and so friendly. We weren't aware we would have a different driver after the springs and that driver wasn't friendly at all. His car was tiny and we actually weren't sure he was really our driver at first.

Sloth Trail Watching Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Fantastic tour! We were able to see/observe several sloths. I believe we encounter 8 on this tour. Our guide was very, very patient with us and made sure that our 9 year old had a chance to observe everything as well. This meant he had to constantly lower the telescope for her and he was so patient and accommodating. He spent time explaining details about all of the animals we saw, answering questions we had and pointing out all sorts of other animals to us. This was a wonderful tour and one we will not soon forget.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rainforest Chocolate Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Nice tour, very informative. Was able to taste chocolate and guides were very friendly and helpful. We saw several animals on the tour and had a great time!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From San José, we went to Tortuguero, Pachira Lodge and Fernando as our guide, it was not a small groupe (49 pax) but it was well organised.
We had rented a mini van and it was great, even if the roads are not so good. We had fun. We drove to Arenal at the Lavas Tacotel with an amazing view of the volcano, We watch the birds early in the morning with Ronald, it was spectacular.
We drove to Monteverde and discovered the coffee, cacao and cane sugar. We spent a wonderfull day in Salvatura parc with ziplines, bridges and annimals. We drove to Manuel Antonio, and enjoyed the beach and the national park, which was fantastic.
People were kind, activities were great, accomodations were good.
We enjoyed our trip a lot.

Kimkim planned a wonderful vacation for us and worked through a local company Serendipity that was great. They were friendly and responsive throughout the planning process. During our vacation I felt they went above and beyond multiple times to make sure we had a great vacation. For example, we got the time for one of our tours wrong and missed our pickup. Serendipity contacted us to let us know and communicated with the tour company to make sure we could still make it to our sunset sailing tour (which we did). They made traveling to a country we had never been to before feel easy with minimal effort on our part. The selection of tours and accommodations was really great. Overall we had a really good vacation that enabled us to relax and not worry about things going wrong or choosing less good experiences.

Hotel Reviews

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Hotel room smelled very musty the entire time, was missing basics like a coffee machine/tea and phone, and no outlets by the bed. The breakfast was good quality though minimal compared to some other stays. The overall best feature was location beach side, and the private beach seating with shade cover - this part was 5/5 in addition to very nice and accommodating staff.

Monteverde Country Lodge

Monteverde

Good breakfast and nice touch to have welcome beverages. Cleaning staff were a little pushy. Clean and comfortable. Missing outlets near the bed. Portable air conditioner required regular emptying (roughly every 8hr) to be used.

Authenticity & Character

Very beautiful landscaping

Location

Very close by to town and there is a sidewalk if wanted to walk though distance to main centre a bit far for that.

Staff

Cleaning staff attempted to come in to clean while we were about ti shower and were rather pushy about it. They didn't return later in day though that might have been a misunderstanding due to language barrier.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness was great, but we were missing outlets near the bed, had to frequently empty the portable air conditioner, and also had a table right outside our shower where people could be listening/watching (there was a bit of a cover for the window but can see someone's outline of their head if it is dark out with lights on inside and they are tall.

Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Great breakfast. Fun having individual bungalows. Amazing heated pool!! Helpful staff. Great to have outlets near the bed on both sides.

Authenticity & Character

Location

A bit far away for walking into town but meant it was great view. And with a car not a big deal.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hampton by Hilton San José Airport

Alajuela

Excellent option to be nearby the airport. The 24/7 shuttle was super convenient as was the option to pick up and drop off the car rental.

Authenticity & Character

Pretty standard hotel

Location

Good for early/late airport transfers

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Useful to have snack/fast grocery in hotel and outlets near bed

Activity Reviews

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Ended up with private tour! Our guide was truly excellent in terms of knowledge, having a great monocular, and taking super pictures on our phones through it. Also by far the experience with most wildlife seen which was very cool.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sunset Sailing Cruise on the Brisa Elegante

Costa Rica

Fun experience, cool ship, really awesome to get to swim in the amazing water, sunset views were amazing, food was excellent, crew was very nice. On the whole it was great! Only downside was not enough seating in shade.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

We ended up having a private guided tour which was awesome. Our guide Chris was super knowledgeable especially about birds and plants which was great! We got to see some neat wildlife and plants. It was an odd time because there were no clouds but that couldn't be helped!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

When we arrived we needed to pay extra for parking and it took a while for the staff to find our reservation.

Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Farm Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our experience and guide was excellent! Cesar was funny and very knowledgeable. We had a great time learning about the coffee, sugar and chocolate production process and tasting along the way. Clever set up with stations throughout the property.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

EcoTermales Hot Springs & Meal

Costa Rica

Overall very nice and relaxing pools with excellent food. Had a good experience on the whole. There was a different expectation issue where we were told we could enter at any time after 5pm by the tour company but when we arrived at 530 we were told we had to wait until 6, at which point we had to first eat dinner then could go to the pools.

Quality of Experience

Food

Arenal Volcano & 1968 Reserve Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a nice walk where we got to see great views of the Volcano and learn a bit about its history inclduing past eruption. Took a lot less time than allotted and appreciated the bit of fresh fruit at the end.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guides English could have been better but overall learned the important points.

Transport

Night Excursion in Rainforest and Wild Frog Sanctuary

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was so great, one of the highlights of our trip. Our guide was super knowledgeable of the local floral and fauna. He also asked if there was anything we wanted to see explicitly and he found them for us! Namely a sloth (saw two!). He also took pictures for us and shared them afterwards. The guides were very collaborative so found more things for us to see throughout the walk.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Big Arenal Mundo Aventura Zipline

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very fun! Felt very safe as well, which was a concern for one of our party :)

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Holden, from Serendipity, was extremely helpful in planning our trip to Costa Rica. He had many good suggestions where to go and arranging guides to take us on amazing hikes. Holden was very good about answering all our questions very promptly. His attention to detail was outstanding.

Wilman, our local contact for Serendipity, was amazing. We contacted him several times during our trip, and he was very responsive, usually within minutes! We were impressed with his service.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Presidente

San José

Hotel Presidente in San José was a nice stay overall. The staff were great, and the hotel was clean and well-situated. However, we experienced significant noise from the water pipes in our guest room throughout the night, which disrupted our sleep. It's an older hotel, so I understand these things can happen, but it affected our comfort during the stay. Had it not been for the noise, it would have been a perfect stay.

Rio Celeste Hideaway Resort

Bijagua

Staying at the Rio Celeste Hideaway Resort was a fabulous experience. Everything about this place was great - from the accommodations to the staff, I felt well taken care of. It was a wonderful end to our trip, and I would highly recommend anyone visiting Bijagua/Rio Celeste to stay here.

Cloud Forest Lodge

Monteverde

Our stay at the Cloud Forest Lodge in Monteverde was amazing. The highlight was the restaurant - every single meal from appetizers to dessert was incredible. The food was fresh, light, beautifully presented, and absolutely delicious. Even though we typically eat light while traveling, we couldn't resist indulging here. The quality of the meals would make me want to return to Monteverde just for the food. The hotel itself was also fantastic, truly a great experience.

Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge

The Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge was outstanding. The location was perfect, right in the middle of nature, making the experience truly unforgettable. The staff were wonderful and immediately made us feel welcome. The accommodations were just as we hoped they would be: clean, comfortable, and beautifully integrated with the surroundings. I have absolutely no complaints.

Activity Reviews

Tapir Valley Nature Reserve Night Walk

Bijagua / Rio Celeste

This night tour was a great way to see tapirs. It also allowed us to see other animals that we hadn't seen elsewhere on our trip to Costa Rica, such as the red-eyed green tree frog, and a night owl. It was nice to see the wildlife up close. This was a unique experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jess was a great guide.

Transport

Alex is the best driver!

Rio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Private Hike

Bijagua / Rio Celeste

The Rio Celeste river, Blue Lagoon and Waterfall were gorgeous. The blue color of the water was amazing, unlike anything else we have ever seen. Our guide, Mariano, was great! He was very knowledgeable and made this a very enjoyable hike.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Mariano was an outstanding guide.

Transport

Corcovado National Park Hike from San Pedrillo Ranger Station

Drake Bay

Our guide, Maria, was amazing. She made this a great hike. She is very knowledgeable. She could find animals high in the trees that we never would have seen on our own. We saw spider monkeys, a lot of colorful Macaws. a lot of other birds, and on our way back to our lodge, she found a puma!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sirena Park Station Private Tour

Drake Bay

We had a great hike around the Sirena Park Station. Our guide, Maria, was outstanding. If she wasn't with us, we would not have seen any wildlife. It was amazing how she could spot all the animals high in the trees! Using her monocular allowed us to see the animals in detail. We saw a tapir, anteater, sloth, squirrel monkeys, and many birds.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

I cannot recommend Yuliana enough! From the very first email exchange to the final details of our trip, she was an absolute pleasure to work with. She took the time to understand exactly what my partner and I were looking for—a perfect balance of adventure, cultural exploration, and a relaxing beach day—and she delivered beyond our expectations.

Yuliana was incredibly responsive, always quick to answer our questions and provide thoughtful suggestions. She crafted an itinerary that suited our budget without sacrificing quality, and every hotel she recommended was fantastic. Thanks to her expertise, our trip to Costa Rica was seamless, stress-free, and absolutely unforgettable.

Every moment felt perfectly curated, from thrilling activities to immersive cultural experiences, and just the right amount of downtime. I truly loved every minute of it! If you're looking for a travel agent who listens, personalizes, and ensures an amazing experience, Yuliana is the one. I will absolutely be reaching out to her for future trips! 🌟🌎✈️

Activity Reviews

Catamaran Adventure with Snorkeling

Manuel Antonio

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Zip Lining & Self-Guided Visit to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee, Chocolate & Sugar Cane Farm Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Fun times in Costa Rica. We covered a lot of ground in a eeek and everything was well laid out.
Everyday was a new adventure. Costa Rica is beautiful and the people are extremely friendly

This was the most wonderful trip! I can't rave about it enough! The hotels were fabulous and transport was always on time. We enjoyed the excursions too! The views from our hotel rooms were breathtaking! Olman did a fabulous job putting our trip together! I just could not believe how seamless everything was.

Activity Reviews

El Silencio Volcano Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Great hike!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Catamaran Adventure with Snorkeling

Manuel Antonio

The snorkeling was lacking. We swam to basically some rocks that were underwater and Sawa few types of fish. It was really murky. I could have really enjoyed it but they rushed us. It was maybe 15 minutes. Very disappointed. The drinks were terrible.

Quality of Experience

More time snorkeling

Food

The drinks were terrible. Watery. The food was good.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

EcoTermales Hot Springs Experience with Meal

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was nice. Just a lot of people there

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge Boat Safari

Arenal/La Fortuna

This was a great experience. We saw lots of cool wildlife!

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

TreeTram, Hanging Bridges & Zipline Adventure

Monteverde

Exhilarating and.fun!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Trail Watching Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Absolutely amazing! Totally recommend it.

Quality of Experience

Sloths!!! And our guide

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Quick and on time

I have just returned from the most amazing trip to Costa Rica.
I did not have much time to plan the trip but when I reached out to kim kim, everything was planned for me. The trip was exactly what I wanted and took all of my preferences and wishes into account.
I visited incredible rain forests and cloud forests and had such fun and knowledgeable guides for each one. I love nature and wanted to see the interesting wild life and birds of the country and that is precisely what I did. There was not a single national park or tour that I did not enjoy. I am really lucky to have had this experience and it was unforgettable.
The peaceful walks through different forests, the views of waterfalls and volcanoes, the flora and fauna that I had previously only heard about in documentaries – the trip of a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

The hotel is situated with a beautiful beach that you can access by walking down the path. I spent many hours just walking on the sand listening to the waves. The lady at reception was also extremely helpful, making many calls for me when I made a mistake and missed my transport.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Direct access to a beautiful beach.

Staff

The lady at reception really went out of her way to help me, making many calls on my behalf despite it not being her responsibility to do so. I am so grateful to her for her help and kindness.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

The hotel is designed in such a way that it feels like it is not busy and full of other people. There are little gardens around corners and even a long walking path through a forest to enjoy

Authenticity & Character

The hotel felt peaceful and I enjoyed the gardens and the walking trail

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Eco Arenal

Fortuna

The rooms are set in a garden with trees and plants that attract birds and even a basilisk. I sat on my patio and watched a hummingbird feeding from the flowers of the tree in front of me.

Authenticity & Character

The gardens that allowed you to wander around the hotel and enjoy the setting

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Private Cloud Forest Night Walk

Monteverde

Seeing the forest at night gives a different perspective to the day walks. We were lucky to see two different types of frog as well as some very well camouflaged insects, such as the leaf insect (which looked so much like a dead leaf that my guide, Chris, had to point it out four times before I actually realised what I was looking at) and a stick insect. I think that the highlight was probably seeing a spectral bat which flew past us - it was a really huge bat with a wide wingspan - very impressive.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio Park has 5 different types of ecosystems in one park, so you get the opportunity to see many different creatures. My guide Ariel made me feel like one of the family and we were so lucky with the animals and birds we spotted. This was an excellent place to see both 2 toed and 3 toed sloths, as well as playful squirrel monkeys. Perhaps the highlight of the hike was seeing the potoo - This bird was sitting next to a stick and holds its head upwards in such a way that it too, looks just like the stick. Wow!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was able to take some amazing pictures through his scope using my phone. Perfect memories

Transport

Private Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Hike

Monteverde

The cloud forest is such a unique ecosystem. My guide, Greivin, was very good at spotting beautiful birds... as well as impressive tarantulas!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Children's Eternal Rainforest Guided Hike

Monteverde

I love the intimate setting of walking through the rain forest. My guide, Danny, was very knowledgeable and made the experience fun and interesting. He was excellent at spotting creatures and showing them to me through his scope. We counted the different bird species we spotted and he even sent me the list at the end, to keep as a memory.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Everyone was pleasant and friendly and helpful.

Transport

Easy and on time. A calm and pleasant drive

Cloud Forest Hike in Juan Castro Blanco National Park

Arenal/La Fortuna

The hike was through some amazing cloud forest. There were incredible views and we stopped at the various refreshing waterfalls. I loved our guide, who was very passionate about his forest and the flora and fauna that you find there. He was patient and even helped me cross the stream (Read here that I held onto his shoulder as I didn't want to slip on the rocks and I don't know how he even managed to move with me holding on like that!) It was a peaceful and quiet walk surrounded by the trees and forest plants.

Quality of Experience

Food

We ordered the food before the hike and it was ready for us when we got back. The lunch was very good and it was service with a smile!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The passion for the cloud forest and the interesting details and history made it a wonderful experience for me.

Transport

Private Arenal Hanging Bridges Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

The setting is beautiful and you get some really striking views from the hanging bridges.

Quality of Experience

The experience was excellent, however, as noted, there were many crowds of tourists.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was interesting and knew the right areas to stop to look for specific birds and frogs.

Transport

Private Isla Damas Kayaking Adventure

Manuel Antonio

This is such a unique and special way to experience the mangroves. The water is calm and the roots of the trees on either shore make such intricate patterns. My guides, DK and Roberto, were so patient with me and so interesting. I was also really fortunate as they spotted a silky anteater in the tree - the smallest anteater species in the world.

Quality of Experience

It gave a really unique view of the mangroves

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They put me at ease and calmed me immediately and made the whole experience fun and interesting

Transport

Easy and timely. I was also told about the customs and the places we were driving past on the way to mangrove.

Adam and Greg did an excellent job responding to our questions and providing top-notch service for our incredible trip to Costa Rica! We will certainly book through Kim Kim next time!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Heliconia

Monteverde

Hotel Heliconia in Monteverde was a gem! The lack of water features was something we knew after arriving, but the hotel made up for it with its incredible views and beautiful grounds. Our room, with three walls of windows, offered breathtaking views of Monteverde. We enjoyed a nature walk on the premises and loved the locally grown coffee served exclusively at the hotel. The design of the restaurant was not as unique as expected, but the helpfulness of the front desk staff and the overall magical setting made our stay really memorable.

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

Our stay at the Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience was quite an unexpected one. The atmosphere was intended to be relaxing with its spa-like thermal pools. However, there was a bar in the center playing loud music which disrupted the tranquility we sought. The pool water wasn't clean, which was very disappointing. Despite the initial plan to stay for three nights, and despite exploring alternatives like Baldi Hot Springs, which seemed even busier, we ended up finding a better fit at another place. While the staff was responsive and eventually moved us, the initial experience at Volcano Lodge was not what we had anticipated.

Activity Reviews

Hanging Bridges Adventure

Monteverde

The Treetopia Hanging Bridges experience in the Monteverde Cloud Forest was absolutely incredible. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, taking the time to dive deep into the fascinating details about the flora and fauna. Walking on the bridges during the day and exploring the diverse ecosystem with stunning views was an unforgettable highlight of our trip. This tour exceeded our expectations in every way.

Monteverde Cloud Forest Night Walk

Monteverde

The Monteverde Cloud Forest Night Walk was not our favorite part of the trip. Although it's heavily promoted when you arrive in Monteverde, the experience felt intrusive. Walking in a group with flashlights and disturbing the nocturnal creatures was uncomfortable and not what we hoped for. We didn't see many nocturnal animals, possibly as they were avoiding our lights. It felt like we were disrupting nature rather than being a part of it.

Logistics were seamless. Very good suggestions on alternatives when the price was too high for my budget. Quick responses on questions and no hiccups along the way with arrangements - everything was clear.

Hotel Reviews

Drake Bay Wilderness Resort

Drake

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Auténtico Hotel

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Isla del Caño Snorkeling Tour

Costa Rica

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

San Pedrillo Ranger Station Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Holden did an amazing job putting together an initial plan, and making changes according to our feedback. Also giving honest input into lodging choices. Nancy provided comprehensive information about what to expect on our arrival and through our trip. Wilman was very responsive during our trip, answering questions and making last minute changes. What a great team!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel La Mariposa

Manuel Antonio

Beautiful hotel! Room well appointed. Wonderful view. Comfortable beds. Pool and patio area was great. Saw many birds during our stay. Staff was attentive. We only had breakfast here, but the restaurant was busy for dinner, suggesting that it was a good place to dine. Breakfast was good. Good tea selection which we appreciated. Location of hotel was central to many shops, restaurants, etc.

Authenticity & Character

Location

beautiful view, central location, yet off the busy road.

Staff

very friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds very comfortable

Volcano Lodge, Hotel & Thermal Experience

San Carlos, Alajuela

The thermal pools were fabulous. The grounds were gorgeous with beautiful foliage and great bird watching. We liked the location and appreciated the responsiveness of the staff. The rooms were adequate but a bit dated and often felt a little damp. Meals were fine but not standout.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

With all the rain, the room often felt damp.

Activity Reviews

Sunset Sailing Cruise on the Brisa Elegante

Costa Rica

Crew worked hard, friendly and entertaining. Ship was very cool. Liked how they stopped to allow people to swim/float. Food prepared was okay. Could be better. Drinks great.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

Bernie Sanchez was great! He was very patient and knowledgeable. Saw so many species. We wanted to spend time on the beach after. He lead us to a less busy beach, instructed us how to get back to the entrance, and set up our transportation back to our hotel. Went above and beyond.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Above and beyond.

Kayaking on Lake Arenal

Arenal/La Fortuna

Cloudy and a bit rainy. However did not do more than sprinkle a couple times. This was supposed to be 3 hrs, but only needed up being 2 hours. Guide was knowledgeable, he was young. It was only the 2 of us on the tour, so maybe this impacted it only lasting 2 hrs.

Ecocentro Danaus Guided Rainforest Walk (without Transportation)

Arenal/La Fortuna

Small area, yet amazed at the number of wildlife we saw.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Diago was great!

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very nice experience. Weather was not the best, rained often, but cannot control the weather. It mostly impacted the view from the bridges.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

We really enjoyed our trip to Costa Rica - the folks at Serendipity were so helpful in both planning, and then altering a few things for us once we were in-country.

Lost Iguana (Arenal) and Senda Resort (Monteverde) were both lovely. Standout activities were the Northfield Coffee Tour, Maquique rappelling adventure, La Fortuna waterfall, Aguti Reserve, and Treetopia Park. But we didn't have a bad day of vacation overall.

Activity Reviews

Treetopia: Tram, Zip Lines & Hanging Bridges

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Coffee, Chocolate and Sugar Cane Farm Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Canyoning in Arenal

Arenal/La Fortuna

One of our best days of vacation - breathtaking - and wonderful staff.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

I will start this review by saying this was one of the best trips overall that we have experienced. We had never worked with Kim Kim before so let's just say we were a little nervous. Everything was well planned and organized starting with Gustavo all the way through the planning process but you never know how things will go until that very first interaction at the airport. Well let's just say our flights were delayed on both ends and that's certainly no fault of Kim Kim. We obviously let the driver service in San Jose know that we would be late and once we landed in San Jose we were already in communication with each other so very comforting. From the moment of that first transport at the airport to all of the other transport throughout our 8 days, we were very pleased with the promptness, cleanliness, professionalism and bilingual abilities of all of our drivers. Our hotels(Hotel Presidente in San Jose, Arenal Kioro and Parador in Manuel Antonio were all great with the latter two having exceptional views. Hotel Presidente is in an urban area in close proximity to a lot of nearby activities so of course we didn't care about the views. All hotels were very clean and had great breakfast buffets. We only ate two other meals at the hotels during our trip. One dinner at Arenal Kioro was a seafood medley for two that probably could have satisfied a family of four. Our other meal was a quick grab at Parador which was just fine before our next tour time. All hotel staffs were courteous and bilingual so easy to communicate with during our stays. The three hotels were all very different with Hotel Presidente being in an urban setting close to major attractions which is what we wanted there. Arenal Kioro was on beautiful grounds more in a rain forest setting with sweeping views of the volcano. Parador took advantage of beautiful ocean views and definitely had more of a resort feel. There were many families there and maybe someday we'll come back with our own extended family as it seemed like a great place for both adults and children. All hotels were safe with appropriate security at all gates.
Before I review our activities, I just want to make a comment about Greg and others that we worked with in planning this trip. They were all excellent about keeping us informed as we did have a couple of cancellation issues. Greg either found us a beyond expectations alternative or promptly refunded us money, One of our concerns going into this trip was that we would largely be on our own once we got to Costa Rica. Let's just say that to the contrary, we felt Kim Kim was there every step of our trip.
Starting with the two activities we did not get to experience through no fault of Kim Kim. The second day of our trip we were supposed to go on a Costa Rican Culture and Cuisine Walk in San Jose. Greg let us know well ahead that the operator cancelled but in doing so refunded our our money and also arranged for a phenomenal alternative beyond our expectations. The only other activity that cancelled on our trip was on our very last day. Regarding Kids Saving the Rainforest Wildlife Sanctuary-Our transport never showed and we called the organization several times that morning. Our hotel staff even tried on our behalf and they never answered the telephone. Being that this was our last day, there was nothing we could do about an alternative but our money was promptly refunded . We still don't know what happened but it is what it is or Pura Vida.
Review of Activities-
Self-guided activities(Kim Kim did not schedule for us)-Nature walk in Ecological Park and Butterfly Park Danaus-This park was a pleasant enough walk but would not recommend it without a guide. Fortunately, the park staff realized after we returned from a fairly short walk that we probably did not take full advantage of the activity. A staff member was kind enough to take us back out to see sloths, caimans, and toucans although not a formal tour so our trip there would be more memorable. The second self guided trip we did was to the La Fortuna Waterfall. Doing this self-guided was just fine as it was basically a walk down 500 steps to the falls and then a swim. There are lockers near the entry, to store dry clothes so assuming someone can make the 500 step walk, it was fairly easy to do on our own and worth the trip. The third self-guided piece of our tour was to visit Manuel Antonio Beaches after the guided Manuel Antonio Nature walk. We basically stayed a couple of hours in the National Park to enjoy the beautiful beach. We found a quieter side of the beach after our tour and it was well worth spending that time there.

Wildlife Rescue Center Tour-San Jose-We found this to be a very relaxing introduction to the wildlife we would see throughout the rest of our trip. We would recommend this as it was not only enjoyable with our guide but also gave us an opportunity to see a caring organization rehab and take care of wildlife that will never be able to be reintroduced into the wild. Well worth it to see and a wonderful cause.
Nocturnal Frog Excursion and Traditional Costa Rican Dinner-La Fortuna. The night walk was easy to navigate and the guide was enthusiastic but we did not see much in the way of wildlife. We do realize that this is not a zoo so every night-wildlife observation will be different. The Costa Rican Dinner was excellent and the family was very hard-working and hospitable. Even though if the walk itself was not that great, the dinner more than made up for it and made the trip out here well worth it.
Arenal Volcano and 1968 Reserve Guided Hike-La Fortuna This was a great hike with a wonderful guide that stopped and spoke with us a number of times. Half the trail was easy to walk and navigate. The other half as we ascended through more of lava flow-rocky areas was a little more challenging. We certainly enjoyed but those with younger children or seniors with mobility challenges may find the second half of this walk difficult. I will also say that our guide took the extra step not only to provide us with fruit in the end but lay it out on a table and table cloth that was above and beyond our expectations.

Rio Penas Blancas Safari Float-La Fortuna
This was a very relaxing float down the river in a six person raft perfect after our hike in the am. The guide was great and there was really not any work to do other than the occasional paddle. The current really did the work. Although the wildlife that day wasn't particularly abundant, we did see sloths, monkeys, and a number of birds. Enjoyed the scenery and nature and would recommend this for a relaxing afternoon.

Sky Tram, Ziplines, and Skywalk Adventure-La Fortuna
We had a great trip with a lot of enjoyable activities but this was our favorite excursion. My wife was a little hesitant about the zipline. We have done them a few times in the past but it had been several years since our last one. Let's just say we both loved this activity as it was extremely safe and well organized. The staff also was sensitive to taking care of the younger ones in our group and would either assist them across or have them go together. The guided walk through the rainforest and over hanging bridges was extraordinary as well. It was an easy enough walk and a great way to get us out of the rainforest.
Coffee, Chocolate, and Sugar Cane Tour-La Fortuna
This was exactly we we expected and what we wanted on this afternoon. An educational and easy walk through sugar cane, cacao and coffee fields along with tastings along the way. The coffee and chocolate tastings were well done as they showed those important products to Costa Rica in their various processing stages.
Manuel Antonio Jungle Night Walk-This was probably the one activity during the whole trip that I'm not sure we could recommend. We realize that every night could be different in terms of wildlife you could see. The setting was a little strange as it was literally outside of a busy restaurant parking lot. With that said, certainly every portion of rainforest could be fascinating. As we walked through the forest, we mostly saw insects and spiders and although we all had flashlights to help spot, I'm not sure that our guide was all that excited to be on our tour. The walk was simple enough to navigate but we left the forest without seeing much at all. I guess we had higher expectations after our volcano walk of the fruit served at end but even that seemed like a less organized and not well-thought out presentation.
Manuel Antonio Nature Walk-We didn't realize how busy this park was but we had a guide that really made this tour special. He was enthusiastic, willing to take the time with us to take excellent pictures and he was an excellent spotter. He also was extremely personable not only with us but with other guides who clearly were keeping each other informed about wildlife sitings. This was also an A+ experience and highly recommended.
Catamaran Adventure with Barbecue-This was the largest group activity that we did the whole trip and as such could have been really chaotic. It was everything but chaotic and very well organized from start to finish. It was the only time that rain interfered at all with our trip but was not that big of a deal since there was more than adequate covered space on the boat. The only downside was that the boat parked a fairly long way from the snorkeling opportunity. We have snorkeled in the past so were looking forward to it but once we got there, it didn't quite seem worth the swim on a rainy choppy sea day. With that said, we know this wasn't a snorkeling trip and certainly enjoyed everything else about it. There was no skimping on drinks and food was great and served in a very organized way and we were truly amazed at how quickly that all the people on the boat got served. Add to that we saw a whale and dolphins and you have a very enjoyable trip and highly recommended.
The last activity review is not one that was recommended by Kim Kim and I appreciated your staff professionally telling me they did not have a recommendation for this activity. We were originally wanting to do a Las Dumas Mangrove boat tour but because of the tides and our schedule it could not be accommodated. I booked a Night Mangrove Safari Tour through trip advisor/Costa Rica Jade Tours not knowing what to expect. They picked us up promptly and took us to a boat dock where we had a private tour. There were other boats on the mangrove (Las Dumas) river that night with more passengers but we were by ourselves. Let's just say this trip was truly fascinating and an adventure at the same time. The driver and guide were able to spot some incredible snakes, birds, insects and small mammals. While we thoroughly enjoyed this excursion, it was a little on the rougher side and none-the-less could potentially be seen as less professional than everything else Kim Kim recommended to us. We also had dinner as part of this excursion and had a quick stop at a cute little restaurant with our guide in Quepos. Personally, I would highly recommend this tour but leave that up to your expert trip planners.
Thanks for the opportunity to provide you with our tour insights. We truly enjoyed working with you.

Our other day two activity in San Jose was the Wildlife Rescue Center.This was a truly relaxing and enjoyable experience and a great introduction into the wildlife we would be experiencing throughout the remainder of our trip. This is also a caring organization that is focused on the wonderful cause of rehabbing animals and taking care of those animals that could not be released in the wild. Definitely worth a visit.

Day 3-We did two self-guided trips in the morning and afternoon so Kim Kim did not arrange. The first was a self-guided walk through Ecological Park and Butterfly Garden Danaus. This was a pleasant and easy trail walk but I would definitely do a guided tour here because otherwise you will miss much of it. We finished after a short time on the trail and I think the staff realized that we missed much of the experience. A staff member kindly took us back out to see caimans, sloths and toucans that we would have otherwise missed. We really appreciated their kindness towards us. We also did a self-guided tour of the La Fortuna Waterfall. Assuming that you can do the 500 steps, this was certainly worth it. They have lockers to store dry clothes if you want to swim at the base of the falls. This is something you can do self-guided.
Nocturnal Frog Excursion and Traditional Costa Rican Dinner-The frog excursion itself was little disappointing since we only saw two frogs on the hike. However, we know that this is not a zoo so some nights, I'm sure you would see more wildlife than others. The dinner afterward however was fantastic and the hosts were great so that in itself made this a worthwhile time investment.