Serendipity and Costa Rica - Caribbean side
Costa Rica | Feb 13 - Feb 22, 2026

David
David R.
United Kingdom | Reviewed on Feb 24, 2026

Serendipity did a fantastic job organising our trip in Costa Rica- plenty of planning discussion on the hotels, schedule and wildlife experiences.. Elena and Nancy were extremely helpful and had lots of useful suggestions to make sure we had plenty of bird watching, nature tours, and visits to Guayabo monument and Turrialba volcano. The trip was amazing and we had great fun managing to dodge between the rain showers even in Tortuguera which provided excellent photographic opportunities on the boats to get close to wildlife, including sloths! Adrian was on hand via the WhatsApp link and was extremely helpful in suggesting additional trips and making sure our pick-ups went to plan. All accommodation was spot on - clean, spacious with great restaurants - lots of rice and beans! All our guides were really knowledgeable and highly motivated. All in all a wonderful holiday, thank you KimKim and Serendipity!

Hotel Reviews
Hampton by Hilton San José Airport
Alajuela

Close to airport and welcoming, frequent shuttle. Special Valentine's breakfast!

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Le Cameleon Boutique Hotel
Puerto Viejo

Fabulous jungle setting, restaurant and beach across the road but very easy access.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Easy to get access to Cahuita and Manzanillo parks. Try Nenas restaurant close by for rice and beans!
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Rancho Naturalista
Cartago

A wonderful place for bird watching and knowledgeable guides ! Meals at set times on shared tables, so plenty of opportunity to talk with other guests

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Tortuga Lodge & Gardens
Tortuguero

Superb room overlooking the river, excellent food and great guides (Manuel and Bernardo). Fantastic boat trips getting close to wildlife.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Casa Turire
Turrialba

Wonderful hotel full of character and with fabulous gardens. Huge room and great service.

Authenticity & Character
Location
Staff
Cleanliness & Comfort
Activity Reviews
Guided Boat Excursion Through the Tortuguero Canals
Guided Boat Excursion Through the Tortuguero Canals
Tortuguero

Boat trips allowed you to get close to wildlife and great opportunities for photography

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Cahuita National Park Excursion + Group Snorkeling
Private Cahuita National Park Excursion + Group Snorkeling
Puerto Viejo de Talamanca

The Park was good and the guide excellent - saw 10 sloths and 2 snakes but relatively few birds, great path by the sea. Part of the track was closed due to wet weather. Our snorkeling was cancelled due to poor visibility following turbulent sea.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Private Hike Turrialba Volcano
Private Hike Turrialba Volcano
Costa Rica

Once the cloud cleared (luckily) great views and an interesting hike around the side of the volcano seeing the dead forest and new agriculture.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Transport
Archaeological Tour of Guayabo National Monument
Archaeological Tour of Guayabo National Monument
Turrialba

Interesting - you do need a guide to understand the history and what remains of the structures.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Our guide Roseta was especially enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the archaeology and birds. Sergio was a great and safe driver and took us to an authentic Soda cafe for lunch.
Transport
Private Birding at Rancho Naturalista
Private Birding at Rancho Naturalista
Turrialba

Thoroughly enjoyed the bird watching- from the early morning feeding of the birds in the garden to the walk around the estate.

Quality of Experience
Guides, Drivers and Staff
Fabian was an excellent guide - spotted lots of birds we would have missed.
Transport
Local specialist: Elena Mora
Elena
Elena Mora
Local specialist in Cartago, Turrialba | Replied on Feb 24, 2026
Hola David, Thank you very much for your beautiful and detailed review. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We sincerely appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. It is extremely rewarding to know that the planning process, hotel selections, wildlife experiences, and specialized visits, including Guayabo Monument and Turrialba Volcano, met your expectations and contributed to a memorable journey.
We are especially pleased to hear that even the changing weather in Tortuguero became part of the adventure... Read more

Hola David,

Thank you very much for your beautiful and detailed review. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
We sincerely appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. It is extremely rewarding to know that the planning process, hotel selections, wildlife experiences, and specialized visits, including Guayabo Monument and Turrialba Volcano, met your expectations and contributed to a memorable journey.

We are especially pleased to hear that even the changing weather in Tortuguero became part of the adventure and enhanced your wildlife photography opportunities. Costa Rica’s biodiversity never fails to impress.

Your kind words about myself, Nancy, and Adrian mean a great deal to our entire team. We are committed to providing attentive service, seamless coordination, and meaningful travel experiences, and it is gratifying to know that this was reflected throughout your trip.

On behalf of everyone at Serendipity Adventures, thank you for your trust and for allowing us to be part of your Costa Rica holiday. It was truly a privilege to assist you.

We hope to welcome you again in the future.
Thank you so much for this opportunity, Pura Vida!

Elena Mora
Serendipity Adventures 🌿