When we came back, we were picking up a car in San Jose, which took longer than it should have but your guides waited to help us get to the highway. We had been in Hotel Si Como No 10 years ago and it has changed but we still enjoyed our stay there. Manual Antonio is a special place and even though it is more developed, it still is a great location. We have now been all over except the Guanacaste area and will come back for a stay there at the Harmony Hotel. We have already recommended you to our friends, who should be signing up for their trip. Thanks for great trip.
-Louis Walsdorf

Aug. 31, 2009 “The trip was expertly planned and met or exceeded our expectations in every respect.”
We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Costa Rica, and we are so happy that we arranged our trip through Costa Rica Expeditions. The trip was expertly planned and met or exceeded our expectations in every respect. I have a lot to say about the trip, and I appreciate your patience in reading this lengthy letter! There was never a time when I regretted the decision to travel with Costa Rica Expeditions. The company came highly recommended by every travel publication I read. I liked the idea of traveling with a local company, and our travel planner, Luis Cubero, responded to all of my emails and questions in a timely and complete manner.

As a woman traveling alone with a child, I paid particular attention to planning for a safe and child-friendly visit. Through Luis Cubero, and through our travel experience, I came to understand Costa Rica - not as a scary, foreign country - but as a destination full of warm, friendly, educated people, rich culture and history, deep commitment to environmental issues, and twenty-first century ideals.

We felt so fortunate to have Luis Torres as our expedition guide. Luis was professional, knowledgeable, patient and kind. He was able to answer all of our questions about the plants and wildlife of Costa Rica. He also knew a great deal about the history and culture of his country. In addition to me and my 11-year-old son, there were two younger children in our group. Luis expertly engaged the children in wildlife spotting activities, spoke with the children in an age-appropriate (but never condescending) manner, and praised their accomplishments. This man was a jewel; he is the most important reason we had such a spectacular time on our tour.


It is difficult to say which part of the trip was most enjoyable. Every location had so many wonderful and interesting aspects. Monteverde was beautiful. It was there that we saw three quetzals, many howler monkeys, and went to the great bat museum and hummingbird garden. Arenal was dramatic with its imposing volcano and suspended bridges. If I had to choose, however, my favorite would be Tortuguero. The Tortuga Lodge was a great experience in itself, and the riverboat tour was fantastic. Seeing the green sea turtles nest was an unforgettable and humbling experience. If I could say something to someone thinking about traveling to Costa Rica, I would say, "Go! Please go! Travel with Costa Rica Expeditions because they know and love their country, and it shows. Travel to Monteverde, Arenal, and especially to Tortuguero -- if only for the experience of being awakened in the morning by a chorus of howler monkeys! Go, and enjoy!"

My son and I stayed on an extra two days in San Jose after the tour so we could do a zip line at the Aerial Tram and see the Poas Volcano crater. Those day trips were arranged through other tour companies by Costa Rica Expeditions. We absolutely enjoyed the short excursions. The one and only thing I would say fell short of expectations was the decision to move us from the Parque del Lago Hotel to the Gran Hotel Costa Rica. I have attached a few pictures. They are not the highest quality, as I am not a professional photographer, and my camera is a small point-and-shoot. Maybe you will find them useful.
Pura Vida!
-Karen & John Sabo, NV

Aug. 17, 2009 “Spend the money and get more “bang for your buck” by having a trip planner, guide and driver to make the experience more worthwhile. Vacation time is precious – make it count!”
Q. What happened that fascinated, delighted, inspired, amazed or enlightened -- something that might become a lifetime memory?
 We have so many fond memories of our travels that it will be difficult to share them all but I’ll try…Our time spent with William Granados and Carlos tops the list. There were so many funny, enlightening and memorable moments with them. Also, private turtle tour – being treated like royalty during dinner, having a whole Caribbean beach to ourselves to watch the turtle nesting (read my Tortuga Lodge review on TripAdvisor). For the guys, zip lining at Parque Adventura. I loved it too but struggled with it some. That struggle though and the fact that I tried it, made it a very bonding experience for all of us and we are still enjoying the stories about this.

Sitting in our room at Monteverde and looking out as the clouds swept past the treetops. Having a “wildlife crisis” at Monteverde during this one 5 minute period and not knowing which to focus on – a sloth, a hawk or a coatamundi. We were running back and forth delightedly overjoyed by all the wildlife we were discovering. (We did prioritize the sloth last since we figured he wasn’t going anywhere fast…he or she was adorable. We got some great photos.) My husband and guide William Granados spent a lot of time talking about photography and William was invaluable to us in helping us get some prized photos while we were there. Looking back at those photos reminds my husband of how much he learned and shared with William. He has been very inspired to take another step in his photography.

The walk through the Monteverde Cloud Forest was very enlightening and a number of people who did not have a guide were truly envious of our in-depth experience provided by William, who was very knowledgeable. One suggestion I would have is to truly emphasize how much more people get out of a guided expedition as I do not think the people who just “walked through” Monteverde had any idea what they missed. I consider our family time together so precious so I am willing to make the investment for the maximum experience possible. I also believe in lifelong learning and another suggestion I would make is to emphasize how educational and enlightening your tours are.

Our 4-wheel-drive from Monteverde to Lake Arenal. We were making “Jurassic Park” jokes the whole trip and when the two four-wheel-drives arrived, it was just a perfect parallel to the movie. We told our kids that they were riding in the one with the lawyer. (This is only funny if you have seen the movie.)

Being in Arenal when the volcano became visible after days of cloud cover. We know you ordered that just for us! William helped set up and loaning us his tripod so we could get awesome lava flow pictures from the Lost Iguana. The Celebrity Villa at the Lost Iguana. Those outdoor showers were called “epic” by our teenagers. The deck overlooking the rain forest was awesome.

Mountain biking around Arenal Volcano. I did not last the entire bike ride and thought it was perfect that I had no guilt hopping in the van and riding along, stopping with the rest of my family for photos and seeing that beautiful part of the country. I think this is a real strength to any adventure – i.e. when it accommodates the whole family, who may be at different levels of physical ability, to do something together without it being too hard for any one family member and everyone having fun in the process.

The Hidalgo Hot Springs was a nice place to relax and we loved the dinner there. Buying machetes for our boys with William’s help. And the Arenal Hanging bridges – we saw a baby eyelash viper and lots of cool things on our hike. We were also in the forest when a troop of monkeys came through which was very exciting.

The penthouse at Tortuga Lodge was amazing. The service at Tortuga Lodge was phenomenal and it was such a nice touch that so many staff members came out to say goodbye when we left! The boat rides through the canals with Norton. We saw so much wildlife and the private boat ride was definitely appreciated!! The food at Tortuga Lodge. Another suggestion – I would have loved to sign up for a cooking class with your head chef while I was there! The hike through the Braulio Carillo area by the tram. We saw an amazing caterpillar (we called it rat-erpillar as it looked like a small mouse or rat.) Bullet ants and other neat things.

Q. What surprised you by going beyond the hopes you had based on our site or what you read and heard before hand? The service was impeccable and the many ways that William and Carlos went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and enjoyed our stay was great. The fact that we stopped at perfectly timed intervals to use the restrooms and William was always in sync with the pace we were comfortable with and really trying to customize the experience to what we were looking for. Again, my husband was very happy with the photography help. We felt very relaxed by the fact that Carlos was always at or near the car watching our photography equipment and such when we stopped to explore. It was also great not to have to worry about navigating through Costa Rican roads and finding the places we wanted to visit.

Q. What fell short of your expectations?
 When we arrived at the airport, we were expecting someone to meet us with a “sticker to facilitate clearing customs” as per our instructions on our itinerary. We looked around and my family was a little concerned when we didn’t find anyone. We proceeded through customs and found a CRE representative outside, who directed us to our driver. I know that “going with the flow” is important but I do think that first impression is really crucial to someone entering a foreign country and wondering if the people they hired will actually show up. If our instructions had said, “proceed through immigration and customs and we’ll be waiting outside to meet you,” there would have been no cause for concern. On a scale of 1-10 with 1 being “didn’t bother us” to “10” being that it really bothered us, this was about a “4” so it wasn’t really a big deal but just a suggestion for perhaps re-wording the itinerary.

In our tour of Tortuguero, I would have liked to visit the school and talk to the students. I had seen that on your website I believe (photos of a family visiting the classroom) and we arrived there just as school was getting out so I was disappointed. I had brought postcards for the students of Oregon and was hoping we could have a discussion with them about various things. Both our boys speak Spanish and have enjoyed similar interactions with students visiting our area. It would have been an excellent learning opportunity. I am not sure if this is “workable” or not but perhaps having more cultural activities such as interacting with locals or hands-on learning of a local craft, cooking lessons, dance lessons, volunteer opportunities (becoming quite the hot travel item in some areas…). In Australia and Turkey, we enjoyed some of these immersion activities and they were very memorable.

I’m not sure I would do Punta Uva again, although we do have some great memories there. It was just “inconsistent” with the rest of our trip. It was exactly what we asked for though, which was 3 days to relax at the beach. The snorkeling was not good right off the beach as it was way too rough and that was our primary goal so that was disappointing but we made the most of our time there and found other fun things to do.

Q. Did the trip change your feelings about those you traveled with?
 We are a very close family and it did help to further that bond.

Q. What issue beforehand almost decided you to not travel with us?
 The cost as compared to putting it together ourselves – it seemed expensive, but I did a lot of research on your company and felt that we would get the higher level of services and amenities that we wanted by using CRE. I do think that more could be said on your website about the value of services of the guides and drivers. I wouldn’t have even hesitated if I had known more about that up front. I was concerned about your financial stability. I am a business/financial analyst and so I was very concerned about giving you $7,000 to hold for almost a year (and then another $7,000 a month prior to our arrival) and hoping you would deliver the services and goods when the time came. There have been many travel companies that have failed in this economy and left their clients in a lurch.

Q. What were the few most important things that decided you to go with us? Specialized service, well-trained guides and more intimate experiences.

Q. What Costa Rica Expeditions people exceeded or fell short of your expectations, and in what ways? Wow, this list is very long. Luis Cubero was great to work with, very prompt at answering my emails and questions and just very sweet; William and Carlos are now considered adopted family; Julian went above and beyond to make us feel welcome at Tortuga Lodge; Hava was very good to us at Monteverde Lodge; Norton was funny and great at spotting wildlife in Tortuguero; Fernando was amazingly knowledgeable about the turtles; the dining staff at both Monteverde Lodge and Tortuga Lodge were excellent – everyone smiled and said hello to us. We did not encounter anyone from a CRE establishment that was not service-oriented, helpful and friendly.

Q.
 What would you say to a friend if you wanted to persuade them to choose us when they come to Costa Rica? Spend the money and get more “bang for your buck” by having a trip planner, guide and driver to make the experience more worthwhile. Vacation time is precious – make it count!
-Cyndi Thompson

Apr. 10, 2009 “The two nights we had at Tortuguero were absolutely fascinating.”
Dear Nadya: We have just returned from our holiday and I wanted to tell you that our week in Costa Rica couldn't have gone better. I did fill in the questionnaire but then promptly lost it in the packing! Everyone who collected us, drove us and guided us were so nice and informative. They were always on time and couldn't have done more for us.

The two nights we had at Tortuguero were absolutely fascinating and we loved the drive up there as we could see so much of the country and "Con 1," the guide, was full of information. Then the boat trips were so exciting. Tortuga Lodge was perfect. Lapa Rios was excellent - a real opposite to Tortuguero and equally as fascinating - very good to do both areas. Also the flights were interesting as we could see what the country looked like from the air. What a wonderful country you live in and everyone was so friendly - we couldn't have enjoyed it more. Thank you so much for organising it so well.
-Rozzie Buxton, UK

Dec. 20, 2008 “Costa Rica Expeditions is a first class operation.”
Michael & Natalie: Our experience with Costa Rica Expeditions was wonderful. Marcos was very patient and helpful when my friend and I were deciding on where we wanted to stay in Tortuguero and with which organization we wanted to connect with (the rest of the trip was done on our own). The staff at the Lodge was incredible as was the food and service. The "guides in training" and the guide who picked us up at our hotel in San Jose were great and fun! We were happy to note that the staff is treated well, which obviously translates to the service they provide their customers. I've already told folks about your organization and will continue to refer people, as Costa Rica Expeditions is a first class operation. Thanks for helping to make our stay in Costa Rica memorable!
-Nanette Grimm

Jul. 28, 2008 “Our family had an unforgettable experience at Tortuga Lodge.”
Thank you Michael and Natalie: Our family had an unforgettable experience at Tortuga Lodge. We were extremely impressed with the quality and the service but most of all, with how friendly and personable your staff is. Our children told us that of the four places we went in Costa Rica, they liked Tortuga Lodge the best and they want to go back to visit their "friends." I can assure you that we will recommend your wonderful accommodation to anyone traveling to Costa Rica. Once we have time to review our photos, we will e-mail the ones from Tortuga Lodge. Thank you again and we hope to return for a visit again someday.

P.S. Lily Ulate, who looked after the booking of our trip, was exceptional and very patient with all of my questions and requests. Please thank her for us.
-Joe Ladouceur

Mar. 4, 2008 “Costa Rica Expeditions did a fine job with our trip to Tortuguero.”
We had a lovely time in Costa Rica and certainly Costa Rica Expeditions did a fine job with our trip to Tortuguero. Guides were great, accommodations very comfortable, transport arranged perfectly and on time. We haven't had time to put our photos on our computer but if we have any fabulous ones, we'll be glad to send them along.
-Peter Purdy

Feb. 25, 2008 “The entire staff at Tortuga Lodge was outstanding.”
Our trip to Costa Rica was wonderful. My daughter and I were celebrating our birthdays and wanted to do something memorable. To start, the planning with your travel expert was easy and flexible. We were greeted at the airport and felt well taken care of. Our first afternoon/night was in San Jose... honestly, it was worth skipping. The hotel was lovely bit we had nothing to do all afternoon and actually did feel a little abandoned. The restaurant was beautiful and the wait staff very kind. The hotel staff was okay, no rave reviews!

In the morning we were picked up by CR Expeditions and had a great journey to the boat to Tortuguero. Our guide and driver of the boat, Gerardo Aguilar, aka "Cola," was THE BEST! He really made the trip that much more pleasant, loved his picnic lunch. He was also our guide at Tortuga Lodge and we can't say enough good things about him... he even arranged with the staff to bring me a birthday cake! The entire staff at Tortuga Lodge was outstanding. I would recommend the lodge to anyone visiting CR we just loved it!! Okay, charter flight back to San Jose - exciting and fun and really beautiful.

Long drive to Arenal but certainly interesting. However, again, when we arrived at the hotel we felt "abandoned." The hotel staff was not too warm, just minimum. We felt the same about the restaurant there as well. Eventually we made our own plans and got to hike and see the volcano up close. The next day had been planned by CR Expeditions and was great. Hanging bridges was awesome, enjoyed the tour. The evening ended at the Hidalgo Hot Springs, a great way to end our trip. Wonderful place and yummy dinner. Thanks for everything. Hope my summary is informative. I will send some pictures in the next couple of emails.
-Cathy Meshumar

Nov. 30, 2007 “Our family is already planning our next trip to Costa Rica.”
I just wanted to let you know how much we all enjoyed our trip with your organization. We went with two of our kids, son-in-law, and my husband's parents. This is the second trip with you for Gary and me. Everything went so smoothly, and we had such a wonderful time together. The other members of our group were also comfortable and fun to be with. Luis is a great guide. He is knowledgeable, organized, patient, and kind. He wanted to make sure that we saw and learned as much as was possible. He always had his scope and binoculars ready, got up extra early two mornings so we could see baby turtles, made extra stops with the van and boat, and took us out one night to look for frogs, besides spending the days and evenings with us. He never seemed to get tired. Ricardo and our drivers were very nice also. Our family is already planning our next trip to Costa Rica.
-Gary & Lynne Caletti

Nov. 29, 2007 “Everything was spectacular, including the guides.”
My family and I did the Tortuguero Jungle Odyssey November 18-20. We had a wonderful time. Everything was spectacular, including the guides. I was wondering if Diego Blanco has an email address to email him directly?
-John Trimble

Sep. 20, 2007 “We appreciated spending time with one of your employees, Luis.”
We are writing to say how much we appreciated spending time with one of your employees, Luis . He rode with us from Tortuguero to San Jose (the delightful Priscilla was the driver). We had thought this part of the trip, on our last day would be a 3-hour slog, as our son gets bored during long car rides. It ended up be a major highlight of our trip - even for our son!

Luis' amazing knowledge, his enthusiasm, and his generosity in addressing all of the questions we'd been socking away during our trip had us wishing the ride would go on another couple of hours. Though we grilled him mainly about plants, medicinal and otherwise, he was also fascinating to talk to about Costa Rica's people and history, and its creatures. A brilliant and lovely person.
-Melissa Hoffs & Stuart Swezey

Feb. 12, 2007 Costa Rica Connoisseur: “What a wonderful week we all had.”
Dear Michael: We came back from your beautiful country last night to cold and snow in the Chicago area. Aren't you lucky! I had joined the Costa Rica Connoisseur trip with three other couples and I just wanted to let you know what a wonderful week we all had.

Everybody just loved Tortuguero. That is a dream destination. Tortuga Lodge is superb in its simplicity and friendliness. This is my third stay at Tortuga and you are really keeping up the standard of excellence. The boat rides were wonderful and well led by Miguel.

I think we all would have loved to stay there another night but off we went to Arenal. That was also a great experience. We arrived and the Volcano was hiding behind clouds and Andres was expressing his hopes that we would see it the next day. But first we refreshed ourselves in the Hidalgo Family Hot Springs. That was a fun experience and it was followed by a lovely dinner there. The next day we did the morning hike in the rain forest with the hanging bridges. That is a unique experience. We had a sunny day and the clouds disappeared from the top of Arenal.

Dinner at the hotel was fun and we watched with fascination viewing the volcanic activity which included explosions and lava flows just as you describe in the itinerary. It was like having dinner with fireworks except they were real.

Next day off to Monteverde. Your lodge there is so beautiful and everybody was exclaiming over the charming rooms with the sitting areas at the corner windows. And we did get to see the resplendent quetzal (male and female) and that made the day! Again, I think I could have easily stayed another night and enjoy the lovely lodge. We all loved the elegant farewell dinner in San Jose.

But the best thing was the tour guide you provided, Andres (Andrew) Newcomb. His knowledge of birds, plants, history of CR is excellent and he is able to present everything in an interesting way. He was patient and very attentive with everybody in the group and never lost his cool. He was there at 6AM every morning for those who wanted to look for birds and was as enthusiastic and thrilled as we were when a good one presented itself to us. He was always prompt and explained what we were going to do and see in a clear way. He joined us for all meals and was a great addition to the table. I cannot recommend him highly enough and hope to have him again, should we join another of your great tours in the future.
-Mary Sproul, Four Corners Travel Ltd., Evanston, IL

Sep. 11, 2006 Tortuga Lodge: ''The food was the best I had in Costa Rica.''
Finally getting around to answering your email. We had a wonderful time at the Tortuga Lodge. I can't say enough good about the service and facility we visited. The whole experience was excellent -- right down to the wild, stormy July nights we spent there. I loved it and look forward to coming back. Your staff was friendly, efficient, helpful. The food was the best I had in Costa Rica. The presentation of your food was lovely -- thank you to your chef. The waiters/waitresses were so pleasant and patient with us. We all enjoyed your housekeeping staff -- they very patiently tried to help us with our faltering Spanish and allowed us to practice on them.

The boat tour of the canals with Nardo (Gerardo Aguilar) was so very interesting and he obviously has a great knowledge and love of your wildlife. I recommend Costa Rica Expeditions to everyone I can when I recount our wonderful trip this past July. All of us had a super day rafting -- but my kids, in particular, enjoyed it, as they hadn't been rafting before. Alejandro Carazo, the rafting guide, was excellent and I really appreciated how generously he shared his wealth of knowledge.
-Laura Preheim

Sep. 10, 2006 “Costa Rica Expeditions is truly a world-class company who has raised the bar of expectations for service.”
Michael & Natalie: We will be providing a response to the two questions you posed before we went on the study group tour soon. However, we felt compelled first to write about the stark contrast between the great service of your staff and that of Air Canada when Tove's bag went missing on the way to San Jose. Air Canada squandered every opportunity to make up for their mishandling, while everyone from CRE went well beyond the call of duty to assist us.

It began at the airport where the AC agent was not sympathetic to her plight: no clothes, toiletries, or essential medicine. No idea of how they would deal with us leaving San Jose for Tortuga Lodge before the bag would arrive on their next flight. Not even a 'care package' so Tove could brush her teeth! Then we came out of customs to a most patient CRE transfer guide (Alejandra I believe - sorry for the spelling) who immediately gave Tove a package with essentials plus a T-shirt. And she told us how CRE would take over the effort to get Tove's bag and get it to us.

My last contact with Air Canada was to let them know CRE would be acting for us. They were not very communicative then. And from what I can tell, not any more so when your staff contacted them. Come Monday, we were informed by your staff at Tortuga Lodge that the bag had not arrived on the Air Canada flight. In fact, Air Canada did not know where the bag was. When there was no more information by Tuesday, your team sprang into action.

First they organized for your doctor to write prescriptions for Tove's heart medicine and for those drugs to be flown to Tortuga Lodge. Then they prepared a package for Tove that included essentials like underwear, more T-shirts, and a pair of Capri pants along with the meds. Herrol Mora, our travel planner, included a nice note apologizing for our inconvenience (even though it was not your fault). The medicine was becoming essential, but the rest was both unexpected and deeply appreciated. And finally the bag arrived and your staff brought it to us on the bus that picked us up for our return to San Jose.

We want to mention specifically the effforts of Herrol, Sofia Cordero our guide, the manager of Tortuga Lodge (Jonathon?), and Alejandra who were the folks who helped us directly. At the same time, we realize there were others behind the scenes who also helped us. We deeply appreciate the concern and efforts of all who were a part of helping us out. These efforts certainly went well beyond what could have been expected by any company not responsible for the problem in the first place. Everybody took every opportunity to turn this into an event where we would come away saying: Wow, that was great!

This simply confirmed our feelings that Costa Rica Expeditions is truly a world-class company who has raised the bar of expectations for service. We believe this is something organic that can only come from enlightened leadership, such as you have obviously provided (v Robert Milton of Air Canada). And is manifest in the way your staff go about their work with a smile on their face, a concern for the guests, and a commitment to do what it takes to make our time in Costa Rica truly memorable. We can assure you of two things: we will be returning again to Costa Rica perhaps many times, each time we will be with CRE, and we never miss an opportunity to spread the word about such a remarkable company and its tours. Please let everybody know how much we appreciate their efforts.
-John Reece

Aug. 8, 2006 “I had an excellent experience with Costa Rica Expeditions.”
I apologize for my delay in replying to your email. Once again I have had an excellent experience with Costa Rica Expeditions. Sofia was a wonderful guide (full of information) and I must also give credit to Don Fernando who operated the canal boat and who was our turtle guide during our nighttime visit to the nesting sites.

As always all the activities flowed together very nicely even when it was necessary to make adjustments due to the weather or when is was more appropriate to modify the schedule to a more suitable time. I do have a problem with sitting off and relaxing (I am working on this) however, I will say that Sofia ensured that there was always something for us to participate in if we wished to do so.

I hope to be back in Costa Rica in January or February 2007, during which I hope to catch at least one of the Costa Rican festivals…It was a pleasure to meet you (Michael) at the Parque Del Lago Hotel In San Jose and once again Costa Rica Expeditions has put together a most enjoyable trip to Tortuguero.
-Rick Spurling

Jul. 4, 2006 ''EVERYONE was extremely kind and made our experience one we'll never forget.
A Great Experience! As soon as we arrived, we were warmly greeted by the staff. After breakfast we went to our room and our bags were already there. We saw more wildlife than expected. In June, nesting turtles are a hit or miss. Even though other turtle tours we passed on the beach didn't see a nesting turtle, our guide Fernando worked extra hard to make sure we saw a nesting turtle - unbelievable! The food, the tours and the overall experience were just fantastic.

Walter the bartender worked late and helped me with my Spanish, the cook gave me a copy of her Pinto Gallo recipe (which I tried today July 4. Mine was not as good as hers) and as we waited for our plane to leave, the gardner helped my find wildlife in the garden - he pointed out an iguana & toucans, he put a giant grasshopper in my hands, looked for a snake he saw a few minutes earlier. EVERYONE was extremely kind and hospitable and made our experience one we'll never forget. Thanks and hope to see you again soon!
-Jeff & June Sano

Apr. 15, 2006 “All of your employees were happy and being around them was a joy.”
We have just returned to our home and I am very excited to look at our pictures of beautiful Costa Rica. Thank you for everything. All of your employees were happy and being around them was a joy. We laughed a lot!

I especially enjoyed laughing with Don, a large black man who took us on a boat tour at Tortuguero. I was the last to board the boat, and he said, watch your hat! I thought that maybe he was going to start the boat very quickly so I sat down quickly and pressed my hat onto my head. Just then my legs began to burn on the seat and I jumped up screaming Yahoo! Everyone laughed and my husband said, "he said to watch! It's HOT! We still are laughing at that.

Your packing list was extremely helpful. As was the advice about separating our luggage into a 25 pound max. for our return to San Jose from Tortuguero on a small plane. Some of the other travelers did not get the message or didn't understand it and had to repack at the last minute. Our plane was pressurized, although your info said it would not be. I have a few suggestions:

It would be so wonderful if your employees had name tags. We met so many wonderful people and remembering all of the new names was difficult. Also at Tortuguero, the signs in the bathrooms about conserving energy and reusing towels were incorrect. I know what you wanted to say, but it actually says the opposite! Also the laminated books in the reception/game area have a few language problems! It says: "our highly experimental guides" instead of experienced! Thanks for the giggles.

I would suggest that there be dancing after dinner every night or at least on Friday and Sat nights, if only for an hour. It gets very quiet at night in both Tortuguero and Monteverde. I asked Riccardo if we could turn up the radio or recorded music and dance on our last night and he looked concerned but said yes. Then the guide Sonia and Jonathon helped to arrange for 3 local musicians to come. We danced and got everyone to have a wonderful time. The teens and children were so happy! What a great memory! Even if they just laughed at their parents! My many thanks to Sonia for her gifts of teaching, laughter, comraderie and warmth. She is a true asset to your clients!

I would also suggest that there be someone on staff who can help the children to join together in playing games in the pool or playing relay races or doing some silly games after dinner. I started doing this and enjoyed it for a while, then the children began asking me all the time as though it was my job! They just need a little guidance, a few suggestions and very little equipment. We played a few games in the pool, with the round seed pods we gathered at the beach. Perhaps you could have a book available for a staff member or parent to refer to get things started. The games must be short, simple, few rules, easy to play with different ages. Some parents aren't very creative or have no energy after the day trips. Some of the children, especially the teenagers, want to play but feel embarrassed or too cool. Thank you to you and all the friendly people at Costa Rica Expeditions!
-Kevan Rupp Lunney

Apr. 1, 2006 “…the BEST family trip they had ever had.”
Hello Marco: I want to tell you and your ENTIRE team what a fabulous trip the Crockard family had. Both Mr as well as Mrs Crockard called to tell me it was the BEST family trip they had ever had.

The trip far exceeded their expectations. The people were so NICE. They felt the equipment was safe, up to date and reliable. All the people they came in contact with were knowledgeable, spoke good English, were friendly - especially with the children. They appreciated the fact that you hired an excellent boat for fishing with a skipper who knew where to catch the fish. They caught 8 huge sailfish. The fishing was really important. They had friends who where also in the area, who went out fishing for the day, and did not even have a strike!

They especially liked the daily faxes to help keep them on track and know what to expect.

What can I say? They are spreading the word about Costa Rica Expeditions, as well as Gaia. We had to take your word and rely on all your suggestions, and it worked beautifully. Their children and grandchildren just came up to them during the trip, and thanked them so much for the special family time and experiences. You made me look good, and your company looks GREAT.
-Debby Denson, Brownell Travel

Mar. 1, 2006 "Tortuga Lodge was beautiful and the food delicious."
We indeed had a wonderful time in Costa Rica. My family's glowing reports to friends seems to have inspired them to investigate a trip to Costa Rica for themselves. Your agency's services were outstanding. Everything happened exactly as it had been explained to us - all pick ups, transfers and hotels and tours. Our guide to Tortuguero was excellent - well informed, eager to relate information to share and friendly. The Tortuga Lodge was beautiful and the food delicious. Our plane ride back to San Jose was fun and exciting. And the taxi driver who met us at the airport was prompt and friendly. Again, everyone we met in Costa Rica was friendly and helpful. The country is beautiful and the outdoor opportunities are endless. Our experience in Costa Rica could well be remembered as our family's best vacation ever!
-Allison Taylor

Feb. 28, 2006 ''You never missed a pick-up, drop off, meeting the plane, etc.''
We had a wonderful vacation in Costa Rica, and it was all we had hoped for, and more. Truly wonderful. The exotic birds, animals and extraordinary flora were worth the trip. We did not expect the terrific lodges, and other accomodations, nor the delicious cuisine (I was steeled for rice and refried beans, daily - had it once, at the folklore dinner, and it was fine, once).

I must mention the superb service that Costa Rica Expeditions afforded us. You people never missed a pick-up, drop off, meeting the plane etc. taking our excess baggage over 25 lbs. when we flew the little "puddle jumpers," and returning it on the next pick-up, was a special bonus. Very courteous service by your staff. Extra special, tho' was the planning of your staff worker, Nadya Shaw, who answered very patiently ALL my numerous questions, with courtesy and knowledge, and she was the reason our trip was so perfect (she deserves a raise!). Her planning of our itinerary was exact with all my numerous requirements. My only regret was that the tel. no. was not an 800 one...

Your lodge at Tortuguero was wonderful. Because of our constraints in time, we had a canal tour (a must), at 2:00 p.m., during which the heat of the mid-day was overpowering, and the birds knew better (nothing much was flying). Starting at 3:30 would have been better. We saw more birdlife at 5:30 in front of the lodge than the entire day. A very small flaw in a very, very good trip. I would and will certainly give your outfit the highest recommendation, whenever I can! My fond regards to Nadya, that patient angel.
-June Goldberg

Feb. 21, 2006 "In the top 3 trips of my life."
Thanks for all of your wonderful services. We are already trying to find a time to get back and do some different parts of the country. It was in the top 3 trips of my life. I have some pics up at: http://lklein.smugmug.com. Click travels in vacations and cost rica. The beginning is from Tortuguero. I have many more on my laptop but edited the amount for a decent album size. Feel free to use any pics. There are some very nice ones.
-Lisa Klein

Jan. 26, 2006 ''Your slogan, 'Legendary service, unforgettable memories,' is earned in every way.''
May I take this opportunity to thank you all for organizing our trip; the whole experience was wonderful. I cannot praise Charlie (Carlos) and Nimo enough for all the hard work they put in on our behalf; it was faultless in every way. Special thanks are due to Charlie and to your staff, who managed to extract our lost cases from Delta Airlines and to fly it out to us at Tortuga Lodge. This was above the call of duty, many thanks to you all.

Tortuga Lodge was superb in every respect, from the manager, who made us so welcome when we arrived, to Norton our boatman during our stay, who were so courteous and who made our stay so enjoyable.

Special thanks are due to your chef at Tortuga, whose meals were almost the highlight of our stay; the presentation and taste were outstanding. This in no way decries from the rest of the hotels and ranches that we stayed at during our trip, the service and quality were all of a very high standard, and we enjoyed every minute of it. Your slogan, “Legendary service, unforgettable memories,” is earned in every way. Once again may I thank you all for all your hard work in making this trip so memorable.
-Dick & Gloria Harding, UK

Nov. 9, 2005 "I would highly recommend your company to anyone looking to go to costa rica."
I had a great time in costa rica. it was my third time. second time using your services. I filled out the form at tortuga lodge in detail, but i'll repeat some of it here. Your company does a great job. I felt very well taken care of and all the employees are very enthusiastic. When i was at the lodge there were hardly any guests, and since i speak spanish, i spoke with some of the employees. everyone seems thrilled to be working in tourism and for your company and everyone made a huge effort to keep us few guests happy. at one point after an outing, i offered to buy the guide a coca cola. While we were at the bar, he described in great detail the entire nesting cycle of the green turtle to the bartender and waiters who asked a thousand questions and couldn't get enough. that was just terrific. I would highly recommend your company to anyone looking to go to costa rica.

With that in mind i'll make 2 very minor suggestions. at tortuga lodge (not sure if this applies to your other hotels) the food is terrific. but it's almost too good. they are trying very hard to put together sophisticated multi-course meals. i think simplicity might be ok here. simple grilled fish, that sort of thing. i'm a carnivore and had some excellent rare filet mignon. but it just sort of struck me as incongruous to the setting.

Also, i assume you are not in control of the departure of the plane from tortuguero at 7am. i arrived at the int'l airport at 8:15 am for a 1:45 pm flight to miami. your guide was kind enough to point out a nearby shopping center, but i'm not a shopper. if he'd suggested a visit to a museum or some such thing - for a fee of course - i probably would have taken him up on it. Keep up the good work. i'm sure i'll see you again soon.
-Linda Sittenfeld

Aug. 16, 2005 "You provided incredible service and great assistance."
I have been meaning to send you an email of THANKS for the incredible service you provided. We had some bad luck in San Jose, robbed of my wallet that included cash, license etc. Your company provided me with great assistance. Nadya hand delivered my new credit card to me at the hotel and was able to arrange transportation throughout the whole country for the balance of my trip. All the drivers were courteous and on time! There were a few other people in the office on the weekend that also offered great assistance, Herrol was one. Also, the people at Tortuga lodge were extremely helpful with contacting your office in San Jose. We loved all of the lodges, guides, meals, and transportation. I was very glad that I had chosen your company for our travel needs. Again, Muchas GRACIAS, for all that help and to all of those who did a great job!
-JoAnne, James and Christina Felchner

Aug. 10, 2005 ''It was a true vacation...no stress.''
Dear Michael, We had a great trip! Everyone we met was professional, knowledgeable and most importantly, very friendly! We loved the Tortuga Lodge. Rebecca (Becky) and Jeraldo where very on top of things and made it a great trip for everyone (that includes all of the people staying at the lodge while we were there!). They even waved good-bye as our plane took off! We felt like we were leaving family.

We flew over to Tambor and stayed at the Hotel Flor Blanca. A perfect second half of the trip. I can't imagine how our trip to Costa Rica would have turned out without CRE! It was a true vacation, meaning there was no stress! All transfers and transportation were smooth and on time. Starting with having someone meet us at the airport and ending with being dropped off at the correct spot as we prepared to depart took away all worries. We are looking forward to our next visit to Costa Rica! Still relaxed in New Jersey...
-Susan Demmerly, NJ

Feb. 28, 2005 "Thank you for planning such a great trip for us."
Dear Nadya: Greetings from snowy Michigan. I want to thank you for planning such a great trip for us. It was all that I had hoped for, and more. The three of us enjoyed the entire time: rain, mud and even no fish. None of that mattered, it was a fantastic trip. We expected rain and were well prepared. We saw fantastic birds, Phyllis and I added new birds to our lists, we saw lots of old favorites, enjoyed the company of the guides, and feel that we have a new friend in Carlos. He was terrific and really made the trip special for us. Our ride to Moin with Carlos and Oswaldo was most interesting and it was a real plus to have Oswaldo with us. We saw some good birds on the road out of Rancho thanks to Carlos and Oswaldo.

The boat ride to Tortuga was so much better than I imagined. I guess I had no idea what that was going to be like, but we had a great time and Miguel made our stay there so enjoyable. The fishing wasn't good, but when you fish, you take that into account. We enjoyed being with Eddy Brown and saw some good birds while fishing. Villa Rosa Blanca was terrific. The area was beautiful, we added good new birds (crested guan for one) and I had the first massage of my 65 years. The rooms were beautiful and the staff was great. Their birding guide, Warner, went out of his way to see that we saw good birds and we loved it.

This is a very brief summary, but I wanted you to know how much we appreciated all of your help. You did a wonderful job. l am just sorry that we didn't get to meet you. Maybe next time, we will be back. Thank you so much, Nadya, it was a wonderful trip!
-Nancy

Jul. 26, 2004 "Thank you for the most amazing trip ever."
Dear Michael: I want to thank you for the most amazing trip ever-I know that my 10 year old and I will never forget it-and it was by far the most meaningful and special time we have ever had together. And I want to mention that Nadya did a wonderful and perfect job planning for us and it was a wonderful surprise to meet her in Tortuguero where she happened to be spending a few days with her family. Our driver Pricilla went so above and beyond it was amazing - she was fabulous.

Every member of Costa Rica Expeditions that we worked with and every accommodation spot was better than the next but without a doubt the highlight of our trip was our guide Elston Valentine. He was absolutely the most professional, kindest, patient and knowledgeable individual we could have shared our vacation with - he simply made the trip for us. He is incredibly kind and humorous and we learned so much from him about Costa Rica and my son cannot stop talking about him. I promise to send photos and a personal letter to Elston as soon as I catch up on my work from being away but please feel free to share these comments within CR Expeditions and of course with Nadya, Elston, Priscilla and all of the members of your team. And of course if you ever decide you need an on-staff attorney-I'm there :).
-Michele C. Campbell

Feb. 7, 2004 "The whole tour was professionally conducted with our every need attended to."
We recently returned from our trip to Costa Rica. We booked with International Expeditions but spent the time with Costa Rica Expeditions. We are very pleased and wanted to let you know.

The trip exceeded expectations (and we had high expectations). The whole tour was professionally conducted with our every need attended to. The food was not only tasty but more than abundant. Having the option to order from a menu was an unexpected pleasure. The accommodations were very clean and comfortable. Our only wish would be for screens in the rooms at Montana de Fuego and Villa Caletas so that we could let in the wonderful fresh air without the bugs.

Villas Caletas was the perfect ending with it's breathtaking views, beautiful grounds, gorgeous rooms, gourmet food and impeccable service. Although we had no problems is might be wise to warn guests earlier about all those steps!

We cannot give high enough praise for the guides and drivers. From the moment we arrived we were well taken care of. Favio met us at the airport. He and Favio (the driver) saw us safely to our hotel and made sure we had everything we needed. Mainor Gonzalez (Mongo) was our driver for the majority of the trip. Mainor is a most careful driver and we felt very comfortable with his driving. He is very efficient and friendly. Franklin (Eagle Eye) was our boat driver in Tortuguera. He did a wonderful job and was a joy to be with. How he spots all those animals and drives too is beyond me.

Saving the best for last, Elston Valentin. We give Elston our highest praise. He is extremely knowledgeable, helpful and attentive. His enjoyment of his job and pride in his country is infectious. It was wonderful to see the country through his eyes! I decided to keep a list of the birds I saw on this trip and at the end my list has 129 different birds! Needless to say, we are very pleased with your company and will recommend it to everyone.
-John & Estelle Evans

Jan. 25, 2004 "Tortuguero Jungle Odyssey was definitely the highlight of our entire trip."
Hello from Canada! We had a great time on your Tortuguero Jungle Odyssey - it was definitely the highlight of our entire trip to Costa Rica. I guess we learned our lesson - book everything with you from now on!! We will highly recommend Costa Rica Expeditions to our friends.

We want to especially say that Federico Alban was an EXCELLENT guide on our bus trip out to Tortuga Lodge. He was extremely knowledgeable and very friendly and helpful. Once we were on the boat portion, we had Franklin as our guide. He is amazing, and we were really pleased to have him as our guide during the boat tours (we took two because they were so much fun). He really knows about the wildlife and his sense of humor made it a lot of fun. Tortuga Lodge was great, too! We even had live entertainment one night!! Oswald made certain we all had a good time.

Thanks again for offering such professional and accommodating staff and lodgings. You are building a great reputation based on friendly, outstanding service!
-Russ & Terry Unilowsky

Aug. 20, 2003 “I would come back tomorrow if I could.”
Selena: We could not have been more pleased with the arrangements that you made for us. Everything was just as it was supposed to be. Everyone was waiting for us and the guides were wonderful. We loved Tortuguero because it was so remote. We didn't get to see the turtles because of a big thunderstorm with lightning on the beach so we will just have to go back.

We even enjoyed the long ride in there through the Caribbean lowlands and the banana plantation. We were greeted by the wonderful staff at Tortuga Lodge with fresh tropical drinks and very much enjoyed our stay. The charter airlines are the only way to go, as we did not have to waste any time waiting around. We enjoyed Monteverde but I would skip the twilight tour. It was way too crowded but the guide was excellent. We had a good tour through the Cloud Forest and enjoyed that.

Lapa Ríos Ecoresort was everything that it was supposed to be and more. We loved it. We saw wonderful wildlife right out our cabana deck and we loved surfing the beach there.

Hotel Flor Blanca was also a wonderful find. The accommodations and the staff are unbelievable and the food was some of the best anywhere. The beaches were remote and beautiful and lastly the Hotel Grano de Oro was a great little hotel especially the family suite we had on the last night. I will give you and Costa Rica Expeditions the highest recommendation possible. Thank you so much for making this a most enjoyable, relaxing and worry-free family vacation.

I have to admit I was a little nervous sending so much money with only email traffic to evidence our trip and you were most kind to offer your cell phone number, which of course we didn't need. As soon as we were greeted the first time I knew we had nothing to worry about and everything would be just as arranged and it was.

We will definitely be coming back to Costa Rica let us know if the airlines, Lapa Rios or Flor Blanca ever have any special prices. I would come back tomorrow if I could. I have given your name to a bunch of people and will continue to do so. You are fabulous.
-Sue Bennett

Nov. 18, 2002 “The level of professionalism exhibited by your office staff, drivers and guides far surpassed our expectations.”
Greetings from Canada: My wife and I would like to thank everyone in your company for making our trip both memorable and enjoyable. The level of professionalism exhibited by your office staff, drivers and guides far surpassed our expectations. I would like to give special praise to Miguel Marin, our guide for the drive from San Jose on the first half of our Tortuguero trip. Mr. Marin went above and beyond his duties, sharing many of his own personal viewpoints about conservation, politics, and other relevant issues, while taking a genuine interest in my wife and me. This allowed us to get a real feel for the country. He is very knowledgeable and speaks English very well. His interaction with us made us feel like we were spending time with a friend, not just a guide. Our only regret was that we could not spend more time with him.

We had the good fortune of running into Mr. Marin at the end of our trip at Villa Caletas so we were able to thank him for everything again. When we make a return trip, we would request his service for the entire trip. In addition, the lodge at Tortuga was wonderful. We enjoyed the food and found the manager, (Sergio) to be very accommodating and pleasant. The local guides in the village were also very friendly and courteous.

In Monteverde, we used the services of Kiko (Jorge), the guide that your lodge felt was the best. He also displayed an amazing amount of knowledge and professionalism. We were able to spot a quetzal in the reserve and came away with an amazing level of satisfaction. Many people we met along the way told us that the guide we used would make a big difference in the level of enjoyment and once again, our expectations were surpassed. Kudos to both of them.

Regarding the transportation services, all the drivers you assigned us were either on time or early which helped alleviate any mishaps. We were able to keep the exact schedule that I planned. We also appreciated the reminder phone calls from your office and were quite satisfied that the office can be contacted past business hours in the event of any problems or concerns.

To summarize, the success of a vacation clearly depends on the degree of service received from the local vendors. Costa Rica Expeditions lives up to its slogan, understanding that vacation time is precious. It is refreshing to find such great service in a country where the local standards are not always what North Americans are used to. We would recommend your company to anybody and would utilize your services again on our next trip. As a part time freelance writer, I hope to publish and article about our trip in a local travel section. I would certainly include CRE as the best choice for all of the traveler's needs.

Finally, I would like to add a bit about the conservation efforts that your company is making in Tortuguero. Setting aside funds to help the locals as well as the wildlife sets your company apart from others. Costa Rica appears to be appears to be a country in transition, one with a real symbiotic relationship between the wildlife and the people. It is clear that conservation efforts must continue to preserve the wonderful natural beauty and wildlife for future generations. But speaking as a North American, there also needs to be a fine line. While tourism is an obviously an integral part of the country's economic future, we shouldn't lose sight of those average citizens who can benefit very little (or even suffer) as a result of increased tourism.

Educating the next generation of Costa Ricans will play a vital role in how the future plays out. While I am happy to see American and Canadian funds flow into the country to help supplement the government's efforts, the country needs to balance prosperity with conservation. For instance, the government really needs to understand some of the negative consequences increased prosperity.

The lack of emission controls comes to mind as both my wife and I had trouble breathing in the Central Valley. We hope to see future generations maintain the beauty of the country for its own citizens, not just the tourists. Companies like CRE can help this process and we are very happy to see you guys give back so much to the country. Thank you once again for a wonderful vacation. Feel free to include any of this email as a testimonial on your website.
-Rob & Diane, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Feb. 27, 2002 Tortuguero: “One of the most magical places I have been to.”
I would like to thank your staff for being so great and helpful. Only one part of our trip was with Costa Rica Expeditions but we all agreed that it was too bad that we did not have more time with you. We flew to Tortuguero on the 17 of Feb. and back again the next day. We were taken to the airport by Aaron, who was so great. At the airport they weighed us, our bags were not over the limit but my husband and son were. I expected a real problem and a big crisis and perhaps to have to spend extra money. What happened was the exact opposite your people made no fuss but simply called another pilot and another plane to fly us all out there.

Once there, we were met, escorted to our rooms at Tortuga Lodge, fed and then put on a boat to tour one of the most magical places I have been to. Fernando Estrada was our guide, he was terrific. He made sure that we saw everything there was to see. Lots of birds, river otters, caymans, and lots of plants. We got back for lunch were there was another great meal waiting for us. A little rest then back in the boat for more touring. A lovely evening meal and time to lay in the hammocks.

The next morning a nice breakfast and we were flown back to San Jose. None of us wanted to leave. We were then to catch a plane to Manuel Antonio. We had to wait in the airport for a couple of hours to make the connecting flight. (Not arranged thru Costa Rica Expeditions.) It happened that Aaron was at the airport meeting some people coming in on a delayed flight. He sat with us and told us more about Costa Rica and generally kept us company and reassured until his people and our flight came.

We were not his job any more, but he went out of his way to help us and make us feel comfortable. We really appreciate his kindness. We all commented about how the Costa Rica Expeditions people treated you like their "new best friend" or as my sons put it, "They really take care of you. It seems like they would take a bullet for you!"
-Karren Gratt

Feb. 12, 2002 “Thank you for providing the best itinerary, personnel, and food and lodgings.”
I recently completed a 10-day tour with the International Expeditions group. I had a really great time, and thank you all for providing the best itinerary, personnel, and food and lodgings for me and the rest of my group. My only criticism is that 17 people is too many for a group with one guide. The guide was Marcos Solo - he was so exceptional in every way that he must be your best guide. So I lucked out in being in one of his groups. Carlos, our driver, was a great spotter, and has what I figured out is the wonderful Costa Rican laugh - "hee, hee!" Miguel was very informative on the ride from the airport to the Villa the first night, and Manuel Salos drove fine.

Norton Sinclair Tucker, our boatman in Tortuguera, was a treat. He spotted lots of wildlife along the waterways, and saved us from being swept into the Caribbean when our outboard motors went bad time after time. Norton knows more English than he lets on, I think, and he seemed to enjoy the humorous remarks of our group. I appreciated also Fabio (and driver Bernardo) picking me up at the hotel on the 11th for the trip to the airport, and his taking me into the airport to be sure I got everything filled out right and didn't get lost. I was impressed that you guys took such good care of me at the end, when I had to stay over to make the right connections home. You all gave me an exceptional experience, and I'll appreciate it forever.
-James (Emmett) King

Aug. 17, 2001 “The whole family enjoyed Tortuguero and especially staying at the Lodge.”
To Rodolfo Vargas, General Manager, Tortuga Lodge: I wanted to thank you again for the wonderful time we had while guests at the Tortuga Lodge last week. The whole family enjoyed Tortuguero and especially staying at the Lodge. Everyone was so friendly, helpful and accommodating. Our daughter, Sophia, is still raving about the special virgin strawberry drinks that were made especially for her! And our son, Nate, so enjoyed all of the wonderful iguanas, lizards, poison dart frogs - and more!!! - that he had the pleasure of seeing around the beautiful property. And of course, we can't say enough about how wonderful Franklin is as a guide/naturalist.
-The Bernitz Family, MA