Kimkim Trip Reviews for Costa Rica

Gustavo and Jessica were both wonderful to work with when planning my trip to Costa Rica. From beginning planning stages all the way to the end of my trip, they were there to help. I had many questions, concerns, changes and last minute requests that were all addressed with great satisfaction. Very pleasant to work with.

I was excited to not plan anything for once and have a trip planned for me. It was super easy to just tell Gustavo what I was generally looking for and him send me back a whole itinerary. I got to do a lot of fun things and see some cool stuff. Transfers, hotels, activities were all planned out.

My only feedback, which is more of a personal preference rather than a comment on the service, is that the trip was very tour and tourist oriented. I suppose I would have liked more suggestions for things to do that weren’t tied to a bigger tour group. Though I’m not sure if that exists in the areas I was in, especially La Fortuna, it did feel as though I was being shuttled from place to place with other crowds of people. I like to experience at least a little bit of the culture and country not tied to tourism but I do feel I missed a lot of that. However that is not something I mentioned before planning, I didn’t know enough to know what I didn’t know.

Overall great experience though

Activity Review

Arenal Hanging Bridges Guided Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Highlight of the trip! I wouldn’t have gone here without a tour guide, he truly made the experience worth the visit. The views of course were beautiful but we got to see a lot of different animals and nature with tons of information surrounding. Highly recommend this

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

From the start to the finish we have had an amazing and very easy experience with Olman as our advisor and trip finalizer. We wanted to see and do as much as possible all within a budget and this was facilitated brilliantly.
All our accommodations were as we asked - safe and not luxury (although to be fair it was more luxury than we are accustomed to so a great surprise). Every thing ran so smoothly, every pick up, every tour, everything! Mawamba lodge in Totrtuguero - boat to get there, experience there all fantastic (not even Olman could have predicted quite how the strom on our first day would be) and our programme shifted to accomodate as much as we could despite lightning curtailing some of this adventure. Food here was lovely and the night turtle watching tour was an add on that was brilliant. Car hire pick up really smooth - great vehicle (although Alamo hired us a car that later was stopped by traffic police for not legal registration - not our fault and not our fine just a few hours wasted - not Olman's fault and KimKim helped in the communication issues around this). Azania Lodge in Port Veijo Talamanca - fantastic with Green and Black poison Dart frogs on the doorstep - literally and also a resident Sloth! Great tour to Cahuita and also Ganduca Manzanilla - we booked our own guide having realised how much we miss in a forest without a guide - would recommend this. Eating out here was our favorite place as the Carribean vibe was awesome, chilled and very low key. On to La Fortuna which seemed a large complex - we try to avoid crowds, BUT our cabin was back left and Giant Crested Currasows, humming birds, frogs, toucans and more graced our balcony view that was uninterrupted. - Here we would recommend Bogarin trail as a brilliant wildlife hike - night hike here was stunning. Monteverde next and an adventure to drive here as the roads deteriorated but great lace and again great zip wires and hanging bridges - up close and personal with snuffling Coati. Manuel Antonio was fab - busy but our pre arranged guide was excellent in the park taking us away from crowds where possible for a good view without tripod war! We also Parascended, took a surf lesson and had a night mangrove tour here - all on our day off - it was a great day off ! Then the amazing Drake Bay Wilderness Resort - car drop off, river boat from Sierpe- and then arrival to this wonderful place we would love to return to - wow great staff, fabulous food and most of all expreiences - a walk in Corcovade Natural Park with Daniel and then also a brilliant day Snorkelling with an incidental Humpback Whale en route to the site. Our return flight to San Jose and all pick ups and transfers were prompt, in really clean vehicles and we just felt so safe at all points. A massive thanks to the team who listened to our requests, answered promptly and allowed us to have a bespoke self drive experience that has certainly filled our memories with sites, smells, sounds and emotions for years to come - especially the sound track of the oceans and Dink frogs. Thankyou so much for everything, we would not hesitate in recommending this brilliant company. We are in the UK and hesitant but a little research showed this company to have good reviews in the US - We are so happy we went with them and not a UK based company doing less for our time and costing more. Thnakyou so much - Pura Vida

Hotel Reviews

Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel

San José

Very good place to be for the first and last night. A walk around the area was OK - the other end of Sabina Park would probably be better as behind this hotel were a lot of garages and opposite a very deserted building with broken glass etc.. The hotel itself lovely, good breakfast just situation could perhaps be better. BUT as we were hardly in San Jose we did not have the chance to get a good feel for the area really.

Authenticity & Character

Good over night, no more really.

Location

As per review - it didn't seem totally great area to walk around at dark - however we were not here for long at all and as such were not able to grasp a real feel for the area.

Staff

Nice and friendly and help ful as they semed to be everywhere.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Nice clean room

Mawamba Lodge

Tortuguero

Fantastic place with great facilities, food, tours on offer and staff. Only thing - if being incredibly picky was the very dark lighting in our room BUT that was a minute thing and really is of no consequence. Very clean, great pick up, as with all places great boat men and the turtle tour and lagoon tours were both really well managed and very much enjoyed. Food delicious and whilst off the same menu each day it was still hard to choose from what we had already eaten or trying a new dish. Location brilliant. Loved it.

Authenticity & Character

The sights and sounds of the wildlife everywhere, a dining room that you saw lots from, rooms with hammocks to swing in as the frogs and birds added to the ambience. Wow.

Location

Caribbean beach on one side, lagoon on the other what else would you ask for ?

Staff

Nothing too much trouble, all bilingual and so super friendly without being in your face.

Cleanliness & Comfort

I am sure some people would find something wrong but we asked for safe and this was safe, clean and we loved it. Fan worked well to lower the temperature, there were so many places to sit, chill, walk, wander, gaze, have a drink or just zone out.

Azania Bungalows

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Our favorite place - well in the top 2- the situation, the vibe of the area, the wild life on site - Poison Dart Frogs, 3 Toed Sloth, Green Macaws, Agouti.... Despite heavy warnings of security for the area, it is clear that if you do not go out as a rich tourist, you do not court unwanted attention. Lovely cocktails changed daily for happy hour, fantastic tours of 2ereserves close by. In a way a shame it was so close to the start of out tour as we loved the area and the feel of this place.

Authenticity & Character

We just loved it all - the grounds, the room, the mezanine for 1 daughter, the animals....we loved it.

Location

400m from the surf....5 minutes drive from a very chilled and relaxed town with lots of food options - Chill and Cheese a great low key place.

Staff

Really helpful in all aspects.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautifully clean and really comfortable. Even the pool was spotless.

Arenal Paraíso Resort, Spa & Hot Springs

La Fortuna

This was a much bigger complex than we would have chosen complete with wrist band! BUT our cabin was in a great position and really enhanced our experience here - we had a lovely view from the back that had no cabins in....had we been in another area this would not have been the case. BUT we all gained a little digestive issue - so rather than finding a SODA in La Fortuna we ate in and the food was very nice and just what those who ate needed. Good hot tube - shame some people don't have the social skills to not have loud speakers in the pools but that is the fault of the tourist and not the venue. great position for a view of the volcano and also to get to the tour site.

Authenticity & Character

Our cabin was in a great situation and as such we had a great time and when in our cabin had great views from the back . Not sure how we would have felt not in the back row though.

Location

Good views of the volcano, 10 minute drive from La Fortuna, 15 minute drive from the Arenal Volcano park and hike.

Staff

Not really anything to improve, all good but no extra special feel.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and comfortable.

Hotel Cipreses

Monteverde

Was a simple room and fine for what we needed. Nothing flash and on the ground floor a lot of noise in the morning BUT that was the tour group also staying there and not the fault of the property. Suit cases wheeled by the window at 6am seemed a little loud!

Authenticity & Character

It was a safe clean stop over - all we need for this. Very efficinet laundry service at this point needed in our holiday.

Location

Good for trip to the cloud forest etc.. as it was first drop off etc at the end. 10 minute walk to town and a little longer back due to the hill. But all good.

Staff

Lovely and friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

No improvement but nothing special, safe, clean and fine.

Hotel Costa Verde

Manuel Antonio

Our room was fantastic with pacific views. Great AC. This was certainly more upmarket than we are used to. Phoning for a lift to a restaurant is not what we are accustomed to! Or to getting food delivered from the restaurant to our room after a late night tour. In a good location 10 minutes chilled walk from the beach. More monkeys than people was a logo and a truth, lots of wildlife in the area around our cabin - we had a fabulous time here. While the area is touristy - more so than anywhere else we had been, the hotel is great because all cabins are spread out.

Authenticity & Character

Lovely place to chill, watch the see and enjoy the wildlife - as long as it is not your shoes the capuchins throw off the balcony!

Location

Great views, great surrounding trees and the wildlife living in it. A drive to the local town - all good and the town is not that lovely anyway.

Staff

Very friendly and really great help in liaising and using phones to help an issue with our hire car.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Very clean and very comfortable.

Drake Bay Wilderness Resort

Drake

Wow what a jewel, in our top 2 - BUT the top one for the all round package. We left the best to last. Great cabins - very clean, super views across Drakes Bay. Tours exceptional lead by brilliant staff - even the bar staff looked for wild life to show us in the evenings - Green frog snake eating a frog was a highlight of the in site non formal sitings. BUT Daniel and Mauricio were great on tours to Corvovado and Isle de Cano. Boat drivers were excellent in choppy conditions and also very respectful when we met Humpbacked whales. All food and drink was stunning and we could not have asked for anything more. Every thin is thought of without being upmarket if that makes sense. Even on our departure a boat to our taxi had a wet landing so they had a bottle to rinse our feet and a towel to dry them off before getting in the taxi. We would love to go back...

Authenticity & Character

This place was full of happiness, smiles, staff who were casual and really helpful and friendly, even down to taking some photos and then whatsapping them to us. It says basic lodges on the shore and this is it - but why do you need more than basic when the experience you get is fabulous.

Location

Amazing for views, for tours to Corcovado, for tour to Isle de Cano, for feeling chilled and away from the main groups of tourists....we loved it.

Staff

So helpful, so informative, so engaging and most of all super super friendly.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything from start to finish was brilliant. All kit was clearly cleaned and cared for so snorkelling kit was washed pre use, rooms cleaned daily, we truely loved this place.

Activity Reviews

San Jose - Tortuguero

Costa Rica

Good coach pick up and excelent transfer to boat and boat trip to Mawamba Lodge. Breakfast en route also lovely. All good

Quality of Experience

All smooth and boat transfer was really good with added wildlife spots on the way,.

Food

A first lovely breakfast.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent drivers of all sorts and the staff wild life spotting en route excellent.

Transport

All great, clean and safe.

Enjoy the Beauty of Tortuguero National Park

Tortuguero

Really loved this place. Great night tour to see turtles - saw 6 which was really special - 1 was awesome. This was an exciting night of moving through bush and beach fast, following red lights and seeing an incredible event all in highly regulated circumstances.

Quality of Experience

Simply awesome

Food

the hotel had great food - the turtle tour had none.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Great guide - we just need to learn a little more Spanish but that is our fault.

Transport

More great boatmanship

Guided Hike in Cahuita National Park

Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

Great guide and we saw so much and realised how much you need a guide to maximise what you see. Sloth, various snake species, many reptiles, primates all seen and explained really well by our guide. Great walk, lovely cool of in the sea half way around. Really good experience.

Quality of Experience

Lots of great sightings and not over busy.

Food

We had a pineapple - as always seems to be the case but this was eaten rather like tequila and as such was sprinkled with salt and lime juice - lovely.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very good guide - not in a rush and had an amazing eye for spotting both the great and the small.

Transport

Good comfortable pick up on time and clean.

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

What a walk, what views and a great guide. "Mummy Nature is amazing" was the mantra of franklin. This was a great walk through the volcanic area where we were taught about the geology - pictures drawn on the floor by Franklin that the photos of will be used in our lessons in the UK. Great botanical knowledge and we smelt so many leaves and fruits and heard what they were for. Really was a great and well informed walk.

Quality of Experience

All round a great walk, great guide, great area and great experience.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Franklin the guide was like a favorite uncle! Really informative, fun and full of knowledge about the area. Also great for the right place to take the right photo. Smelling natural citrionella among a myriad of plant aromats was great and Franklin made this walk really very much more than just a walk.

Transport

Good, clean and safe.

Nature Walk at Ecological Park & Butterfly Garden Danaus

Arenal/La Fortuna

The butterfly garden was really good as were sightings of frog - our first ones. BUT this garden seemed a little over managed really - compared to others, water features etc.. are not natural.. We had a good guide but it certainly was not a 3 hour trip - well it was when we re walked it on our own. Possibly the least impressive of all our activities.

Quality of Experience

It was really not the best of experiences, great frog sitings and butterfly garden good but it did feel more managed than natural.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Good guide- very infromative.

Transport

Self driven

Night Excursion at the Wildlife Refuge in Monteverde

Monteverde

Really god tour - heart sank as loads of people were waiting but all sorted into small groups and as luck would have it ours was just the 4 of us. Great guide and despite similarities of species seen we heard now things about them. Also saw fire flies, a snail eating snake and a kinkajou which caused much excitement as it raced across the canopy. What was great was our guide also took us to a dark area, we switched off all lights and then witnesses phosphorescent fungi on tree roots. Guides worked together to share sightings, side striped viper, sloth all hidden high up but all shared and seen.

Quality of Experience

Great and much enjoyed.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Very good guide, went a little off the beaten track for quieter sightings where he had experienced animals the previous day as well.

Transport

Loved our hire car

Selvatura Park Self-Guided Hanging Bridges & Zip Lining

Monteverde

Whilst a real honey pot, this activity was so smooth and well run. All instructors at all points super efficient and friendly. Experience through the canopy was brilliant and we all loved it. Tarzan Swing fab, tandem zip lines great and then our daughters loved the superman. All in a fantastic location. Followed by a more serene but much enjoyed hanging bridge tour. With a guide we may have seen more but we had a magical Coati encounter on a path and actually it was great taking in the views we saw having been guided quite a lot already.

Quality of Experience

Just so well organised and run with no wasted waiting time

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Happy, fun, enthusiastic and super efficient / safe

Transport

Clean, safe and punctual.

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Really busy compared to all other sites we were on. The guide we had was great and despite the numbers of groups managed to evade much of the tripod wars going on for best sightings. Saw a number of new species, enjoyed lovely views and had a quick cool off in the sea half way around. Certainly a huge amount of people here compared to else where made this feel a little over crowded having enjoyed much quieter tours in the Caribbean area.

Quality of Experience

Good guide who acknowledged busy nature of area and tried to move out of this when we could.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

great knowledge and ability to spot even the smallest of creatures where others walked past.

Transport

Clean, safe and punctual.

Hike to San Pedrillo Station

Costa Rica

When you see an anteater while drying your feet from getting off the transport it is a good omen! This was a great walk and we were actually taken to Sirena station deeper into the park which was fantastic. So much to see and hear. Daniel our guide was excellent and seeing Tapir was excellent near the end of our walk. All aspects were really enjoyed and standing and listenning to the sound of frogs mingling with howler monkey was magical. Peccaries foraging, primates, reptiles, birds all added to a day not to be forgotten. Even Humpback whales on the way and on the return.

Quality of Experience

Brilliant - from start to finish.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Excellent in all aspects

Transport

Boat transfers stunning.

Isla del Caño Snorkeling Tour

Costa Rica

As with all aspects of Drake Bay Wilderness resort, this was a brilliant trip - well guided and stunning in our experience of turtle and a fabulous Humpback Whale siting - 10 minutes of mother and calf. The fish were mesmerising and very varied. Despite a big storm we were able to enjoy this experience a lot and visibility was good. Daniel, Mauricio and team were really helpful through out and all equipment super clean.

Quality of Experience

Just great from start to finish.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Really good and Daniel and Mauricio were supportive of all and really looked for the best sightings whilst seemingly having infinite lung capacity.

Transport

Great boatman in what was choppy at times. Always felt safe and boat was clean, comfortable and cheerful.

I love this service. I’ve always planned my own trips in the past, but this one just felt right for outsourcing as I didn’t know the country that well and didn’t feel like doing all the research. Gustavo was my guide and now having completed my trip, I must say I’m glad I gave myself this gift. He was able to book each of my requested activities - my favorite being the farm experience in La Fortuna, Costa Rica (I made my own chocolate truffle from scratch and made freshly-pressed sugar cane juice!) I liked this service so much that I booked my next trip while on this trip!

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Country Inn

La Fortuna

Consider the location before booking. I like that fact that it’s outside of town, so it’s relatively quiet except for the loud diesel trucks that roar down the road. On the downside, I was without a car and had to walk into town (20 min each way) to find lunch and dinner (the inn only serves breakfast). The room was good. Hot rain shower, everything was clean, breakfast was good, and towels were changed daily. I didn’t care for the $16 charge for laundry (even though I only had 2 items),

Authenticity & Character

It’s very much an inn

Location

It’s a bit far from town to walk

Staff

Staff was nice

Cleanliness & Comfort

Villas Lirio

Manuel Antonio

Lirio is like at the midpoint between Manuel Antonio National Park and Quepos. Quepos is the town next to the boat harbor and feels like a legit Costa Rican town. The restaurants and inns towards Manuel Antonio all feel like overpriced tourist traps. As for the hotel itself, I thought the “towel card” was strange. It’s a laminated card that says if you lose the card, you’ll be charged $20. I never used the pool, but it did look nice. The room was very clean, and the housekeeping came daily. The bed felt old and was made of springs. I appreciated that they had a restaurant since I arrived late in the evening, I was able to eat dinner and stroll back to my room. The wifi doesn’t cover all rooms. I was in room 303, and I had to sit next to the window with my iPhone in order to get signal. Forget about cellular; even with full bars, you don’t get squat. I like that they let me park my locally-rented moped in the garage for free.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Review

Los Campesinos Farm Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

The family that owns this farm is so sweet and hospitable. I would absolutely book this farm experience again just to make another piece of homemade chocolate and freshly-pressed sugar cane juice.

Quality of Experience

Food

I was served a home cooked lunch, which was one of the best meals I had in Costa Rica.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our 8-Day visit to the tropical paradise of Costa Rica made us realize that life is good, it is very, very good.About the size of the American State of West Virginia, Costa Rica is a legend for its natural beauty, biodiversity and of course, its people.
It's our first time to use KimKim as a travel planner app when planning this trip. It matched us with a Costa Rican travel outfit, Serendipity Adventures. From the initial planning stage to the final execution, our local contact, Bryan Leon, tailored our 8 day visit ( as per our request and budget) to include a good introduction to the country. He did this by letting us sample the unbelievable landscapes of Arenal, Monteverde, and Manuel Antonio along with fun activities like trekking, zip lining, night walk in a cloud forest, guided nature hike ,and swimming in the ocean. Bryan was a complete pro in responding to our queries and a valuable local resource we truly relied on.In addition, Nancy and Charlotte from the main office in San Jose also made sure everything was seamless.
We had local guides who made sure that this trip was for the ages. Alex Quieros picked us up at our fantastic hotel in San Jose and drove us to Arenal where we experienced the rain forest and its wildlife. Alex was an awesome guide and driver. He conducted himself with professionalism, kindness, and charm. We felt very comfortable and safe with him. His driving skills were impeccable and he was a delight to talk to. Our second guide, Marianus ,took us on a volcanic hike and later a visit to the La Fortuna waterfall. He was engaging, immensely knowledgeable, and so much fun to be with. Our third guide, Andreas, was skillful at spotting wildlife with a tripod telescope. As both a certified guide and a researcher, he wowed us with his expertise in local flora and fauna.
In addition to the wonderful guides, Serendipity Adventures, made sure that we stayed at top-notched accommodations. Each of the places we stayed made thoughtful little gestures ( we were marking our wedding anniversary and we had bottles of wine waiting for us to enhance the celebratory mood).We were also impressed with the level of attention.
Overall, this short but immensely satisfying visit happened because of the expertise and professionalism of the crew at Serendipity Adventures. We can't wait to come back and we are already telling our friends and neighbors about our fantastic trip to beautiful Costa Rica. Pura Vida!

Of the places we went Tortuguero was the most off the grid, amazing and full of wildlife.
The Manatus hotel that included breakfast, lunch and dinner, and beautiful grounds, and great staff + boat tours, was a winner.
We enjoyed all the places we went in Costa Rica and all the places we stayed, and all of the tours and transfers from different places, everything was arranged and carried out to plan.
The El Tigre Waterfalls exploration, hike and horseback ride, was one of our favorite tours.
We really appreciate the KimKim team and the other related tour providers for making our trip a success.

Hotel Reviews

Senda Monteverde Hotel

Monteverde

Beautiful hotel was great restaurant, right at the edge of a nature preserve.

Authenticity & Character

A local dance group from the high school came to perform due to a special holiday.

Location

Because of nature preserve nearby, wild animals were walking and flying through the grounds.

Staff

Everyone was great, and special classes were provided like cocktail making and yoga.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Maids would come to your room twice a day

Hotel Presidente

San José

Nice downtown hotel with rooftop restaurant and bar.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Manatus Hotel

Tortuguero

Great hotel, all-inclusive food, nice rooms and boat tours for wildlife viewing are included.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Very large complex, somewhat crowded not a boutique hotel. Having the restaurant and the vast hot tubs area was convenient though.

Authenticity & Character

One of the older hotels, historic had a butterfly garden and vast hot tub area, plus ponds with fish & iguanas.

Location

Closer to town

Staff

They should’ve offered to help with our luggage and take us to our room.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

Hotel right at the edge of the national park, nice to have pool downstairs where you could order food and we enjoyed the restaurant at the top of the hotel with the great view.

Authenticity & Character

Being by the national Park you could see monkeys in the trees at the hotel.

Location

Staff

When we asked for someone to come up and work on our hot water problem, they did.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Guided Boat Excursion Through the Tortuguero Canals

Tortuguero

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nighttime Turtle Nesting Tour

Tortuguero

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Ecocentro Danaus Nighttime Rainforest Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Private: Hanging Bridges, La Fortuna Waterfall, and Arenal Volcano Visit

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Nature Safari Float and Tortilla Making

Arenal/La Fortuna

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve Guided Hike

Monteverde

El Tigre Waterfalls Exploration

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Canopy Zipline Tour

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Manuel Antonio

Ocean Kayaking & Snorkeling Adventure

Manuel Antonio

Thank you for an amazing holiday and for your responsiveness. Every tour and hotel was planned to perfection and provided us with a rich experience of this beautiful country Costa Rica. The waterfalls in La Paz waterfall gardens Were a treat for the eyes, waking up to the sounds of hummingbirds and the thermal springs at Tabacon in Arenal heart warming. Trips to the cloud forest made extra special by the tour guides, taking interest in explaining to us about the biodiversity and sustainability. The cherry on the top was culminating in the end at the Arenal DeMas in Manuel Antonio-polite, welcoming staff, delectable dishes, the Pacific Ocean soothing for the eyes in the soul, and the tree hugging sloths all made for joyous end to this beautiful holiday .

Everything was great! Incredible experience! Thank you!

From start to finish, this trip was everything I could have asked for in a holiday. Charlotte and Nancy provided exemplary support throughout the trip and were available whenever I needed them. In my experience, there is no such thing as a trip that doesn't have some minor mishap here and there - Charlotte and Nancy were able to provide solutions to any small issues that arose quickly, such as rearranging tours so I could still do all I wanted if things were running late. They were tremendously helpful in making sure I was taken care of overall, communicating my dietary needs to the hotels and tours well in advance and also making suggestions while I was there if I fancied trying another activity. In the initial planning stages, Fiorella and Nancy designed a perfect trip tailored to everything I asked for on the KimKim survey and adapted it for me as we went along before Charlotte and Nancy took the helm seamlessly. I couldn't have done this myself - their expertise and rapport with their colleagues in the industry was invaluable in making sure everything went well.

I thoroughly enjoyed all the activities and hotels that were arranged for me through Serendipity Adventures and KimKim Travel. I stayed in San Jose for one night, Tortuguero for two nights, Arenal for three, Monte Verde for two and Celeste for another three nights. It was the perfect amount of time to spend in Costa Rica.

Special thanks as well to Marianus at Serendipity - he guided myself and a small group on a hike around the Arenal Volcano - his focus on explaining the history of the volcano, trees and wildlife provided me with a rich understanding of the region that complimented the hike perfectly.

I would highly recommend Serendipity Adventures in Costa Rica as your travel advisors and trip planners while you are there and further, KimKim Travel to anyone who wants to take the pressure and ease off planning a trip anywhere - I will be using their services again!

Hotel Reviews

Hilton Garden Inn, La Sabana

San José

IMPORTANT: if you are going to stay at this hotel, make sure you have all their contact information and the ability to call them from the airport if you are a little bit late arriving in case your driver decides to leave. When I arrived at the airport, the driver was not there - this was not Serendipity's fault (they reimbursed me for my taxi), it was the hotel's - my flight was delayed by forty-five minutes so I arrived according to that - not very late. Besides, their responsibility is to check flight times or wait! It was late, I was tired, I had all my luggage and limited Spanish. Thankfully I found someone who could speak English and they were very helpful - I managed to arrive. No real explanation as to why the driver wasn't there - he had actually been there and just left, apparently. This could have been an absolute nightmare. The hotel itself was a very nice, mid-range standard city center hotel.

Staff

The front staff was very apologetic about my no-show airport pickup and in following up as to what happened.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Manatus Hotel

Tortuguero

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa

Fortuna

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Belmar

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rio Celeste Hideaway Resort

Bijagua

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Night Walk: Children's Eternal Forest

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Rio Celeste & Tenorio Volcano Guided Rainforest Hike

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Tortuguero Village Visit

Tortuguero

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Boat Excursion Through the Tortuguero Canals

Tortuguero

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Guided Hike in Arenal Volcano Park 1968

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall Guided Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Monteverde Cloud Forest Guided Hike

Monteverde

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Before starting the planning of this trip I knew the destinations we wanted to cover. I was able to provide kimkim the general itinerary and booked them to help with the logistics and transportation. Parts of the booking went very smoothly and parts were somewhat bumpy. In more than one case I was told that they couldn’t do what I was asking (although I was able to do it on my own). I was very happy with, and very much enjoyed, the excursions that I booked through kimkim. Most of the drivers we had throughout our trip were excellent. I would particularly like to praise Leo, our driver from Amanzillo Travel. He was extremely knowledgeable, professional, & personable. Our biggest fiasco during our trip was when a driver (I can’t recall his name or company) left us at the ferry, “went to park,” and didn’t return. (I’m still not certain that we were refunded all we were due as a result of this.) Yuliana and kimkim were definitely helpful in planning this trip but I think that next time I will try doing it on my own.

The rafting and waterfall repelling was amazing and Alex and Andre were fantastic. We had a bit of an issue with our one hotel but Charlotte worked hard to rectify the situation. I would definitely use Kim Kim again in the future.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Los Lagos Spa & Resort

La Fortuna

Resort pools were great and staff was very friendly and helpful.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Presidente

San José

Great hotel and staff!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Los Altos Resort

Manuel Antonio

The room was great and loved the recreation room for the kids. The breakfast was very yummy and staff was super friendly. I took one star away because the gym had several pieces of equipment that were broken and need to be repaired.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Pacuare River Lodge

Bajo Tigre

Great kitchen/hang out area. The rooms were much better than camping. Kids loved the trail to the waterfall.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Overnight Rafting on Río Pacuare: Day 1

Costa Rica

Great family trip guides were excellent

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Canyoning Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Was a blast and my first time zip lining into a pool of water. Highly recommend this excursion.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sky Tram, Ziplines & Sky Walk Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

Zip lines are high and fast, staff is friendly. The hike and bridges was ok but would not do again.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Manuel Antonio

Monkeys sloths, and beaches what is not to love

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Transfer from San Jose to Pacuare River to enjoy Whitewater Rafting on the Pacuare River

Costa Rica

Stops at waterfalls were great guides take great care of you. This was our favorite excursion.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our trip was smooth as planned and all the places we stayed was good, activities we did was memorable, and driver and guide were very helpful.

Hotel Reviews

Mawamba Lodge

Tortuguero

Staff were very friendly and helpful. All the facilities were kept clean and garden were beautiful. You have a chance to see many wildlife on the property. Meals were very tasty and has good options.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Has beach access, walkable to town yet secluded

Staff

Helpful, friendly and guides are knowledgeable.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Arco Iris Lodge

Santa Elena

This lodge is located close to center of town yet set back and quit place. The facility is very clean, functional and cute. The staff is friendly. The breakfast has nice selection of tasty buffets.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Best location - quiet and private feeling yet very close to town.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

The facility was very clean and very comfortable to stay inside and outside.

Hotel Kokoro Mineral Hot Springs

La Fortuna

The staff is very welcoming and helpful. The hot spring is very unique to this hotel.

Authenticity & Character

The place got a character- the hot spring, the small house, and trail in the property.

Location

If is away from the center of the town this quiet and able to see and hear animals.

Staff

They were very helpful to each of our questions and requests.

Cleanliness & Comfort

All were kept clean and comfortable. The lights in the room can be little brighter, but we loved our lodge.

The Falls at Manuel Antonio

Manuel Antonio

No view of beach but the garden were beautiful and wonderful- many wildlife visits every day. Pool was very clean and enjoyable. Options for breakfast was good, the service was great but it was slow.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was clean and spacious

Activity Reviews

Tortuguero Village Visit

Tortuguero

We enjoyed the visits, the guid provided good information but went off bit too long for kids. Afterwards, shopping at the Villegas and walk back to hotel was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Night Turtle Tour (Seasonal)

Tortuguero

It was amazing. It is a once in a lifetime experience.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Motor Boat Tour Along the Tortuguero Canals

Tortuguero

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth & Bird Hike

Arenal/La Fortuna

Guide was fun to talk to and knowledgeable of the nature and plants. We saw many animals and plants. The drinks and snack were provided after the walk and at the farm, which was nice surprise.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Horseback Ride to La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Children's Eternal Rainforest Night Walk

Monteverde

The night walk was fun and it was really amazing that the guide keep spotting so many creatures.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Treetopia Zip Lines

Monteverde

It was extremely fun and adventurous being in a cloud and zipping through the above the canopy.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Manuel Antonio National Park Nature Hike

Manuel Antonio

It’s a small national park yet has so much to offer to see. The guide was knowledgeable and searched for many creatures that we wished for encountering.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Damas Island Kayaking

Manuel Antonio

It was nice to learn and see the mangroves.

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

A

My daughter discovered KimKim. Initially I was very nervous and skeptical using KimKim an unfamiliar online service. I wanted to stick with the big box travel service that I always used in the past. However, my daughter convinced me to use KimKim. I did have several discussions to convey what I wanted out of this vacation and I can unequivocally say this was the best vacation I have ever had! All seven of my family members said the same thing, BEST VACATION EVER! The authentic experiences we enjoyed would not have happened with a big box travel company. The entire experience was unforgettable and amazing. Olman our KimKim travel agent found great local vendors, hotels and private drivers for every city that we visited. I requested luxurious accommodations after our hiking, horseback riding, zip lining and white water rafting and we stayed in absolutely breathtaking accommodations in Monte Verde, La Fortuna and Tamarindo! Cala Luna Boutique Hotel was the perfect place to end a glorious vacation, relaxing doing morning yoga, swimming in our private pool and having complimentary cocktails served at sunset on the private beach. Fantastic job Olman —listening and deliver on all our must haves for a vacation of a lifetime!

Hotel Reviews

Cala Luna Boutique Hotel & Villas

Guanacaste

This hotel is spectacular! The setting is beautiful and amazing. The aroma therapy, the sound therapy the staff, the classes, the food — are all absolutely amazing! I look forward to returning.

Authenticity & Character

Everything about this hotel is special and spectacular! Upon arriving on a very hot day we were greeted by staff with cold hand towels with refreshing lemon grass aromas coming from the towels. The calm, beautiful sounds playing in the exquisite open air lobby made us feel like we had been transported to some magical carefree world! Everyone instantly, instinctively relaxed. Our family stay was exquisite in a 3 bedroom Villa that was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. It was appointed with everything we needed to relax and enjoy the most amazing family time. We got to see lots and lots of monkeys in the trees including baby monkeys being carried by their mothers. We got to hear alpha male monkeys loudly roaring claiming their territory from an opposing alpha male. This was sooooo cool and interesting for our 10 year old as well as for the rest of the family. We enjoyed a family game night in the beautiful family room. The entire villa had high vaulted wood beamed ceilings that added to the beauty and charm of our Villa. We did not want to leave at the end of our stay. Everyone was so relaxed and renewed by the ambiance of the Cala Luna Hotel. The bedroom rooms had superior quality bedding and you felt like you were sleeping on a rainforest cloud! I’m not easily impressed and I love and appreciate excellence. The Cala Luna did not disappoint or fall short in any area.

Location

This hotel’s location was perfect for us. It has a beautiful private beach away from the crowds where you get to enjoy delicious nightly complimentary cocktails at sunset. Cala Luna is a short walk from the beautiful public beach if you want to catch bigger waves or get surf lessons. You can walk to an amazing family owned restaurant 4 minutes away, Fish and Cheeses! Yummmmm!!! or enjoy a 15 minute walk and you’ll find lots of shops and tons of restaurants. I loved the quiet location of the Cala Luna away from the crowded strip yet easy access to the popular tourist areas.

Staff

Everyone on the staff, from the front desk to the yoga and fitness instructors to the room cleaners to the restaurant staff were gracious and wonderful! They all displayed such lovely kindness and a desire to make our stay extraordinary. I have not experienced this level of customer service in years. Kudos to the owner of this amazing hotel for assembling such an amazing team of employees.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything detail about this hotel exceeded my expectations! It was indeed amazing, no exaggeration.

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

We loved this hotel, it was beautiful. We had great nights sleep on comfortable beds and a delicious breakfast every morning. The staff was friendly, kind and helpful. I would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

The view of the volcano, mountains and landscape made the character of this hotel very special.

Location

The view of the volcano was breathtaking!

Staff

All our staff interactions were wonderful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The cleanliness was excellent but our mattress was not that comfortable, it sank in the center. We wanted to remain next to our family members rooms so we didn’t ask to change rooms. The cleanliness gets an excellent rating though.

El Establo Mountain Hotel

Monteverde

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Parque del Lago Boutique Hotel

San José

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

San José - Arenal - Visit to La Paz Waterfall & Gardens

Costa Rica

Quality of Experience

Coffee & Chocolate Tour

Arenal/La Fortuna

This is my first time experience with KimKim and my 8-day trip with Randall was incredible. From start to finish, everything ran smoothly thanks to his exceptional organization and expertise. The hotels were good, with the one in La Fortuna exceeding my expectations. Randall struck the perfect balance between travel, activities, and relaxation, allowing me to fully experience Costa Rica's stunning destinations like La Fortuna and Volcán Arenal, Manuel Antonio, and San José. His prompt responses to my questions were invaluable and demonstrated his commitment to ensuring a seamless and enjoyable trip. I wholeheartedly recommend Randall for an unforgettable Costa Rican adventure. Thank you, Randall!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Lomas del Volcán

Fortuna

Hotel Lomas del Volcán exceeded my expectations in every way. The bungalow was cozy and comfortable, the location was perfect, and the staff was incredibly attentive and friendly. A truly remarkable experience!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Karahé Beach Hotel

Manuel Antonio

Great location and a comfortable room! However, I experienced some issues with the wifi, which was a bit slow and problematic. The staff was okay. In any case, I had an enjoyable stay due to the hotel's prime beachfront setting and location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Crowne Plaza San José La Sabana

San José

Clean and exceptionally comfortable rooms. The staff was friendly and attentive, ensuring a pleasant experience. I

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Coffee & Chocolate Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & Baldi Hot Springs & Dinner

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Arenal Volcano - Mistico Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall with lunch

Arenal/La Fortuna

Quality of Experience

Food

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

All the guides were great, so glad had private tours and transfers, learned so much more and experienced local places.
Loved the mombo combo in la fortuna.
The Springs is the most amazing resort I have ever been too!
The cave exploring was nothing like i have dine before.
All the guides were so nice, friendly and sensitive to the needs of my children.

I went into this without any knowledge of KimKim or using a service to plan our trip to Costa Rica. I'm more excited to use it again now that I understand the process and what to expect. We were routed to Serendipity Adventures to plan our trip and Bryan Leon was the organizer for the trip. He was very patient with me as I wasn't sure what our family wanted to do. He offered many suggestions, even events I hadn't considered that ended up being some of our favorite parts of the trip. First of all, all of our transportation was either on time or early. They were all very knowledgeable and friendly. There was not one hiccup in our itinerary. It all went smoothly and if anything needed to be amended, they made sure it was taken care of.

The Guided hikes, zip line adventure, waterfall and cultural experiences were fantastic. We visited a farm owned by the granddaughter of the original owner. Her and her husband were so gracious. They showed us around their farm, our teenage kids participated by pulling Yuka to make chips, mango for our salad, they milled sugar cane for juice and we picked a pineapple that we took back to our hotel. We ate a wonderfully home cooked meal, listened to Eli play and sing, we sang and danced with them and it felt like we were spending time with family. Our kids spoke Spanish and that was very helpful and made the experience that much better.

Our surfing lessons by Glen were fantastic. We felt very well taken care of by him and his staff. We even went back later in the week and really enjoyed our time on the beach. I highly recommend working with Bryan and the others from Serendipity to plan an educational, adventurous and well organized trip in Costa Rica. We felt safe and the locals really love and care about their beautiful country.

Hotel Reviews

Arenal Manoa & Hot Springs

Fortuna

The staff was so friendly and so helpful. The room was clean and very comfortable. The best part was the breakfast. It was THE best included breakfast I've ever had at a hotel or resort before. It had everything you could think of and it was fresh and they took a lot of pride in the presentation and service. It was impressive. We also loved the spa services. We had a perfect view of the volcano.

Authenticity & Character

Location

It's a little further from LaFortuna, but never a problem.

Staff

The staff was so helpful and friendly. I would talk with the staff about some of the adventures we went on and if they weren't aware of it, they wanted to know how it went later. They were polite and kind.

Cleanliness & Comfort

La Mariposa Hotel

Manuel Antonio

It was at the top of a hill and we needed to walk up many steps and hills. Not an issue for us, we liked it, but for others that have an issue ask for a room in the main hotel area. The view from the hotel was spectacular. The breakfast wasn't our favorite, but it was fine as they provided a number of options. The staff was very accommodating and friendly. We loved that the hotel itself had a lot of wildlife. We saw a sloth, two macaws, toucans, spider monkeys and a white-faced monkey right there at the hotel. That was exciting.

Activity Reviews

Lookout Tram, Ziplines, & Hanging Bridges Combination Adventure

Arenal/La Fortuna

The guide for our hike was so knowledgeable and really eager to point out and tell us about the jungle and the animals. You could tell he loved what he was doing. The zip line was so much fun. Well worth it.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Cultural Experience

Arenal/La Fortuna

We cannot say enough about our time at the Farm. Eli and Esteban were so wonderful. They both, along with their friend who helped cook the meal and the dancers that performed, made the experience unforgettable. It really helped that our two teenage kids could speak Spanish. It allowed them to practice and to communicate with Esteban in a way that my husband and I could not. It's always fun to see wildlife, zipline, hike, and be adventurous, yet, taking the time to learn and experience the culture of Costa Rica from the food, the land, the music, the dancing, the singing to just being with a Costa Rican family and connecting was so magical. We loved every minute of it.

Quality of Experience

Food

The food was cooked by Eli and her friend and it was made on an outdoor grill box. The food came from their farm and it was all so delicious. We loved that my son pulled a Yuka plant from the ground and she used it to make chips for the homemade guacamole. They accommodated for the two vegetarians in our family and everything was so yummy. Best meal of our trip.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Esteban picked us up from our hotel and took us home. He stopped to buy fruit along the road that we had never seen before, he even cleaned a bathroom before we used it. He went above and beyond to make us comfortable.

Transport

Arenal Volcano Hike & La Fortuna Waterfall

Arenal/La Fortuna

Our guide Mariano was a pro from start to finish. He was our personal guide for many hours that day and ended with a nice lunch at a really great restaurant in La Fortuna. He was very knowledgeable and taught us about the fauna and flora in the park. We walked about 2 1/2 miles while he explained all that we were seeing and hearing. After a very hot and humid hike, we went to the waterfall. It was so beautiful and so refreshing. We LOVED it. Mariano was patient, he helped connect us with others to book additional adventures, he was a terrific guide.

This was the most organized trip I've ever taken. The team was very communicative and responsive. They were also able to modify changes we requested for different with times. All the drivers were professional and on time at each point. The hotels were all great and waiting for us, no issues with check in. The activities are all great top notch tour guides. If anything we had a lot of similar activities, but that was more our doing than theirs. Safari Float(Diego & Mariano) and Volcano Hike(Mariano) were amazing. It's impressive to have a 10 day trip without a single hiccup. Great job by Bryan, Charlotte and the whole team. I would gladly recommend this team for a Costa Rica Tour.

Hotel Reviews

The Royal Corin Thermal Water Spa & Resort - Adults Only

Fortuna

Amazing. Everything was great from check in to check out. Jose at the pool bar, everyone at the restaurant. Everyone at reception. Rooms were comfortably with amazing shower. I would be happy stay here again. Pools are fed by hot springs so they are warm. We were a group of adults. Not really a kid property more relaxing adult. You can not really walk to town or restaurants but taxi's are always readily available and its a short drive. Views from room are great, not one complaint.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel & Spa Poco a Poco

Monteverde

Clean, nice pool area covered. Rooms worked, nothing amazing. Friends enjoyed spa. Great location.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa

Manuel Antonio

Great location for park and beach. Rooms are a bit worn, but functional. Pool Bar was great, the whole staff was amazing at both bars had great bartenders, I believe Estrella was one gal and Josue upstairs.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Studio Hotel

San José

Very clean and good location 20 minutes from airport. Only issue is hotel restaurant was blah and very pricey, outside of that it was great.

Authenticity & Character

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Río Peñas Blancas Safari Float

Arenal/La Fortuna

Very relaxing, saw lots of wild life. Mariano and Diego were great. A surprise snack was lovely. Would recommend especially if you don't want to do rapids but want to be on the water.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Volcano Hike and Hot Springs

Arenal/La Fortuna

Mariano was amazing, slow paced walked but did have some tough parts. Great guide.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Sloth Observation - Day or Night Walk

Arenal/La Fortuna

We saw about 12 sloths, but far away. If you want to be close look for conservatory. Also seeing sloths could be a miss. But the end of trip coffee and snack was nice.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Children's Eternal Rainforest Night Walk

Monteverde

Guide was very knowledge able and although we saw about 15 animals its hit or miss and most need to be seen through a telescope.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Canopy Zip Lining Tour, bridges, and Fauna Exihibitions at Selvatura

Monteverde

Amazing, would do it again, best zip line activity, give yourself time to do the bridges and sloth exhibit. Best place to get close to sloths.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Private Manuel Antonio National Park Guided Hike

Costa Rica

Great experience saw lots of animals but far away. Tour guide was a little snotty and rude to other people.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Thanks to Bryan and Nancy and the entire team who helped make our Cost Rica Bird Watching journey truly memorable! We are amateur birders who saw 100 new species. KimKim matched us with expert, patient and friendly guides who answered our many questions. All the transportation was on time, professional and safe. The accommodations were wonderful. Many many thx!

The planning experience with Serendipity Adventures through KimKim was excellent and everything went very smoothly. We only had one issue before the travel regarding an accommodations booking mistake, but they worked hard to find a solution and I was satisfied by their resolution. The in-country support was also good - we had communications many days to answer questions and make adjustments, and Charlotte was responsive even throughout the weekend. Our tourguides through Exploradores (Andrés and Alex) and Maquique Adventures (William and Kenneth) made the experiences so special and personal, and I especially enjoyed talking with our Serendipity transport driver Alex as he drove us across the country. Would absolutely use these companies again and recommend!

Wilie from Serendipity was wonderful. He went way over and above wonderful to accommodate and help each one of us in the group. Our group was diverse but with more seniors then young people he actually assisted us and particularly me on and off the bus. Beside his help he is a very smart, well informed guide with spot on answers of facts and information. His knowledge of Costa Rica history and Central American politics is amazing. Our driver was great and I liked the fact that they ate their meals with us. We were a family group and they became part of the family. Our trip was a little different because we primarily were there for my grand daughter's Bat Mitzvah. The day went off better then we even planned and the services and celebratory dinner will be memorable to all of us. The sites were well planned and either every tourist gets to see Sloths, Anguti, coatimundi, Tuocans, monkeys wild pigs, whales or we were the luckiest tourists to visit Costa Rica. The hotel accommodations were wonderful, the food, the amenities and the people were so helpful and friendly except for the driver on the return trip from horseback riding (not everyone is entitled to a bad day)when you work with the public.
The trip will remain memorable to all of us and Pura Vida to our new Tico friends.

Great hotels! First hike in Puerto Viejo wasn’t the greatest. There was a lack of communication with how much time it would take. We were under the impression that it would be 3 hours, ended up being closer to 7 hours.
-sky adventures was amazing! So structured and well planned out.
-Olman did a great job changing our itinerary after we had to shorten our trip due to flight cancellations. I do feel that we ended up paying more for less. Originally we were going for 7 days. Ended up going for 5 and paid more, 1 less activity, no airport transfer between cities, and we paid more.