Classic 4.5 feefo-stars

Tropical Costa Rica

9 DAYS
From $2,299
$2,199 pp*
Save up to $100
*Rate is per person, land only, double occupancy, tour inclusions and available options may vary based on departure date.
Please select a date below for more details.

About This Tour

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Lush forests and stunning waterfalls… rumbling volcanoes and endless coastlines… Costa Rica is a paradise teeming with exotic plants and incredible animals. Enjoy the tranquil views of Arenal Volcano from your hotel. Explore part of the 20,000-acre nature preserve of Cano Negro on a riverboat adventure. Spend two nights in Monteverde’s lush cloud forest. Experience the forest canopy on your choice of a hanging bridges nature walk or an exhilarating zip lining tour. Luxuriate at a resort for two nights at Playa Carrillo, Guanacaste, known for its breathtaking beauty and fine sandy beaches. You will find a slice of paradise and so much more.

Your Tour Includes
  • 4 Handpicked Accommodations
  • 14 Meals
  • 2 Choice on Tour Options
Included Highlights
  • San Jose
  • Coffee Plantation
  • Arenal Volcano
  • Cano Negro Refuge

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Your Tour at a Glance

Stay

9 Days

8 Nights


Meals

14 Meals

8 Breakfasts

1 Lunches

5 Dinners


Activity

3 - Active

What's This?

Travel Style

Classic

What's This?
Customize Your Tour

Pre Tour Jungle Adventure

$1,105.00 pp

View Pre Tour

Optional Excursions

Starting at $69.00

View Excursions
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* With Insurance Purchased

  • *No Hassle Refunds
  • Travelling Well Safety
  • No booking fee, *no change fees
  • Top Rated Travel Protection

Getting Prepared

Know Before You Go

Enhance Your Tour

Accommodations

Arrive Earlier

Pre Night: Doubletree Cariari Hotel
From $85 per night

...
Doubletree Cariari Hotel

Night 1

...
Mountain Paradise Hotel

Nights 2-4

...
El Establo

Nights 5-6

...
Nammbu Beachfront Bungalows

Nights 7-8

Stay Longer

Post Night: Nammbu Beachfront Bungalows
From $100 per night

Trip Reviews

Live, Unedited, & Independent Traveler Reviews

Rating

296 reviews
Overall Trip Rating
4.5
Out of 5
feefo-stars
Based on 296 independent reviews
5
194
4
71
3
19
2
7
1
5
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I enjoyed all of the sites we went to see.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I enjoyed the tour and would go on additional tours with Collette. The trip was well organized, fun and interesting.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Costa Rica is a beautiful country with lovely people. Unexpectedly, we had a very large group (approximately 40) and Serigo, our Collette guide, handled things well. He was knowledgeable and informative of all aspects of his country and their regions. All the planned excursions were amazing and really captured the wildlife in their nature habits. The accommodations and the grounds surrounding them each felt like you were in a natural setting with flora and fauna. Because Costa Rica is mountainous and hilly all areas have very challenging landscape. Also, regions of Costa Rica that are visited on the Tropical Costa Rica tour are distances apart which require early mornings and long bus rides. We understood this when we booked but I think it is worth mentioning you might go on a 2-hour boat tour but the time spent on the bus was 9 hours that day. The food was good and mostly authentic to that country. One suggestion would be to put the daily itinerary on the app.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    We saw amazing places on the tour but most travel began before 8:00 am each day. This was difficult for many 70 to 80 year old tourists. We did cover a lot of the country but many days required 5 hours riding on the bus.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    1star
    MEDICAL ISSUE DURING TOUR; SPENT 4 DAYS IN ICU IN SAN JOSE COSTA RICA. WAY TOO MUCH BUS TIME. BUS PASSENGERS DEVELOPED COVID. MEDICAL CLAIMS HAVE BEEN POORLY HANDLED BY INSURERANCE COMPANY, STILL UNRESOLVED. NO MORE COLLETTE FOR US!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    The bus travel was too much! Bus driver was excellent!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Good balance of excursions and free time. Great tour manager/guide and driver. Excellent planning and execution. Smooth transfers before and after tour. Overall Great Choice! Our next tour will be with Collette.
    David Goins
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    2star
    Too much time on bud… poor accommodations and lack of variety of food
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    2star
    Todd terrible and too much bus time
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Tour on a boat around Lake Arenal . That's where we got to so much of the wildlife of the area.
    Mary Gemperle
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The tour Guide, bus driver and excursions were great. The airline reservations made by Collette wete horrible. We were made to fly to Miami (?), why, when we could have flown out of Dallas with the rest of the group. Had a 44 minute layover, which we missed, due to the airline being late. Had to sit in Miami 7 hrs until next flight.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    There was a lot of “bus time”. I realize it takes time to get from point a to point b but filling time with other side excursions only made for a longer day on the bus. I think the sequence of excursions and bus time could be better planned.
    Donna ABBOTT
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The tour and tour manager were great! The airline connections should NOT have been booked the way they were.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    It was interesting but have been on excellent Collette tours. The tour was rated a 3 for activity level I believe it should be rated 4. Lots of hard walking on lots of uneven ground and areas. Was difficult for some people
    Joyce Lieber
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Our tour guide and bus driveer were beyond great!
    Stephen Lang
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    We had a great time and learned
    Patricia Lang
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Everything was fantastic! Guide was super knowledgeable, fun, and helpful. We got lucky with the weather and the wildlife: saw whales while at the Pacific; monkeys and birds galore everywhere; met a lot of nice new people. Just fantastic!
    Philip Syphrit
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The country is beautiful as it’s citizens and our tour guide Juan Carlos was very gracious, fun and well informed!
    Mary Harmon
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Everything was good and the experience was terrific. Good choice of locations to stay. The food could have been better.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I felt safe and had fabulous time. Great
    Elizabeth Hagan
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    Way too much time on the bus! Luncheon arrangements were poor -- one time we drove into a restaurant where ANOTHER Collette bus had just arrived. I was pandemonium. The restaurant was unprepared for the crowd. You should vet your partners more carefully and stagger the bus trips.
    Fred Catapano
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The trip covered different areas of the country of Costa Rica, plus the guide was fabulous.
    Valerie Stutler
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Beautiful country and great guide.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Trip very hard physically, not clearly explained ahead of time. We had a disabled person traveling alone who fell and cracked his pelvis.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Loved every minute. We had a very rainy tour, however, it did not impede our fun at all!
    Julie Kintner
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Our local tour guide for our main tour was extremely knowledgeable, went out of his way to be helpful and include written instructions for each day. Our bus driver was patient and knew his routes well. Except for lack of hot water at our second and third stays for bathing, the motels chosen were accessible and spacious. Easy, walkable trip.
    Lynette Farless
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Excellent trip, really a fun experience.
    Paul Waterstradt
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    I expected to see some beautiful waterfalls and have at least one day of relaxing on a beautiful beach. Maybe too much time on a bus. I and others in our group did not have a great experience settling bill with our Collette contact, Amanda Coleman, at Mill Race Center in Columbus, IN. We were very much overcharged for what we signed up for. I was fortunate to get a $740 credit. I am inclined to not sign up for another Collette trip again through Amanda. I loved my Portugal trip in November, 2022. Your tour guides are the BEST!! Hotels are very high quality also.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Great places to stay and lots of good information
    Lana Bostic
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The tour guide was excellent and gave us a lot of information about Costa Rica. My favorite places were Monteverde and lake Arenal.
    Elizabeth Hayes
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Hotel at the lodge great location worth the trip
    Bernardo Garcia
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Out guide, Sergio, was excellent. He added a lot of value to the trip. And kudos to our bus driver, Dru, for managing some very difficult driving. The hotels were very nice. The included meals saved a lot of hassle of figuring out where to eat.
    Lori Corley
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    We were taking to wonderful places that I couldn’t do myself for the amount of money. It was just beautiful view everywhere.
    Jose Renteria
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The tour was excellent except for American Airlines and their booking of seats. Since our booking in July, '22, our flight numbers changed 3 times. Our seats were reserved, canceled, reserved, canceled again. Then, 2 days before our return, I checked airlines, and we didn't have seats again. I had to call American to make sure that we had return seats. Unacceptable.
    Kenneth Kudrna
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Very knowledgeable guide, because of living in Costs Rica. He was very helpful in getting me to a doctor and pharmacy when I became ill. He always told us interesting facts about the area or country
    Patricia Hossink
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Fun, friendly, and educational with fantastic accommodations in the midst of a most beautiful Central American country.
    Robert Reno
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Tour guide was excellent.
    Mary Roemer
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    Terrible flight. Arrived at hotel late, 10:15 pm, and no food or drink. Way too many buffets, A lot of rice, beans and plantain's. Hotel Collette dinners not impressive and buffet again. Hotels on hill side so step walks even to go to breakfast. Ocean front hotel was 1/2 mile from hotel, down hill, so steep walk to come back to hotel. One hotel did not have air or heating. Too much time on the bus. Way too early start times, get up 6:00am or 6:30 am and leave at 7:00 or 7:30 am. Sad, terrible Fare Well dinner, certainly not up to Collette standards.
    Gilbert Martinez
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    Too much time on the bus ride every day
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    1star
    Way way way too much time on a bus, other than zip lines I would never do the other events again. Compared Collette to other tour operators, this is way below what I expected for the cost, and I have done several. Collette not on list to do again.
    Eddie Stewart
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    "Wifi issues with hotels"
    Raul Ruiz
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Tour needs more time at beach and at the end of the tour.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Extremely organized and well prepared. Glitches happen, but when one did occur, it was handled professionally and quickly.
    Laurie Plowman
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The bus driver and tour manager were excellent--I learn so much about Costa Rica, loved the variety of places we visited
    Donna Heinzen
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    The administration of this company is sadly lacking. We did not get the seats we requested on our application - which they said they would take care of if I wrote out the specifics. (Premium seating with the extra leg room) They did not do that, did not tell us till about a month before the trip, had to do it myself for an extra $940 for the 2 of us. I talked to the company rep as did our travel agent. No help from them. Also did not notify us that they could not read the credit card number on the applications that the travel agent faxed to them till about a month before the trip. So our booking was put in late. Air connections were terrible. 7 hour layover plus the time the plane was delayed in Houston. No food on the flights. Poor service with United. Will never use Collette or United again. However, the tour manager and the driver were excellent. It is the people in the field that are keeping this company going.
    Judith Sullivan
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    I enjoyed the beautiful places we visited, however, there was a lot of bus time. I took a couple of afternoons off from activities to enjoy the hotel grounds, they were lovely. Hot and dry with a beautiful beach on the Pacific side, warm and tropical on the east side. Im not a fan of the mountains, cool, windy and rainy. I traveled solo and the people on the tour were very pleasant and inclusive.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Both my husband and I as well as another couple traveling from our area thought the long bus trips were too much. Other than that the trip was good. At least one later morning would have been appreciated by myself.
    Linda Hunter
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    600 miles on bus was a little too much
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Reliable, professional, our tour manager was amazing!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The country was beautiful and we saw a variety of sights. Our tour manager was personable and knowledgable. The accomodations were beautiful and the food was good. it was a great trip!
    Debra Weit
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    I had a good time with the group I traveled with. I felt that the tour was overpriced for the value we received overall. Although personally I liked our tour guide, there was a lack of details in communication that caused confusion. In addition, there was a lack of concern about consumer needs such as dietary restrictions, and considerations of age and mobility. Our 82 year old fellow traveler was consistently placed in a second level room, at the furtherest block of rooms. When it came to the tours themselves, it appeared there was a disconnect…almost as if a local guide didn’t show up and our tour guide had to do the hike instead. This seems like a cheat not only to the tour guide but to us as well as we did not get the full experience possible that day. Spa appointments were not prearranged for those of us who pre paid. Nor was I told if I should make the appointment myself and if I was to do that…..when were we returning that day so I knew when to schedule. Also we were promised and paid for a2 hour spa experience for 2 people. We were given a 60 minute treatment from clothes off to clothes on…..all for $320+tip/2 people…yikes! So again, overpaid and undervalue. There were several more instances but I’ll leave it there. To end it all…at the conclusion of our trip…at the farewell dinner the tour director did not mingle tables nor give any parting words to the group. My personal feeling is this was unprofessional. Our bus driver, Julio, was the quintessential professional and deserves kudos. Not only for his driving skills, but also for his manners and the silent way he accomplished his tasks each day. I appreciated all of his efforts and feel he should be recognized. Would I recommend Collette or this tour to Costa Rica? I would recommend a trip to Costa Rica, definitely. With Collette, I would have trepidation for the above mentioned reasons.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    Due to weather, we were unable to travel on the intended day, causing us to miss 5 days of the trip. I feel Collette could have worked harder to help us reschedule to make up the time.
    Libby Odom
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Even though we lost 4 days of our 9 day trip because of an ice storm which did not allow us to leave on the day scheduled our tour guide did all possible to allow us to do and see as much of the things we missed during our delay. All accommodations were outstanding and all transfers from location were on time. All food was exceptional, as was our tour guide.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I think my favorite experience was the time spent in Guanacaste and the town of Samara. The sunsets were fantastic, and it was nice to have some time where you could walk around town, go to the beach, or just kick back by the pool and relax.
    Donald Miller
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Ricardo and Andres were the nicest people and the best tour guide and bus driver. The whole week was so fun and interesting, my favorite memory was going zip lining. I’m so glad that we were so welcomed by them and the group and felt safe at all times.
    Adrienne Rojas
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The zip lines were very fun. Also Chris did a great job on the forest tours. He is extremely knowledgeable and explanations are very easy to understand.
    David Hoad
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    What an awesome experience
    Irving Kaplan
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Yes the service and all the staff were excellant
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Excellent tour director, Lake Arenal was most favorite area to visit
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The tour manager and driver were excellent. My husband has a physical disability, and they were very helpful and understanding. The tour manager gave us suggestions for things we may enjoy doing. We were unable to do the zip lining and a few things but what we did was very enjoyable.
    Linda Matta
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Ricardo, the tour director was very knowledgeable and was the best!!!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The tour diretor was great
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    our tour director, Rocardo, was the best!!!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Tour director Ricardo was THE best.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    I felt the tour manager could have done a better job.
    Debra Schmelzle
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Hanging Bridges excursion.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Everything was well planned! I had a really great time and the the guide was excellent! My favorite part was the mountains I love the views. The beach was nice but not a fan. I liked giving back to the community, when we planted the tree.
    Carol Hutson
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Overall great tour. Saw a lot of Costa Rica
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    excellent tour guide. He knew the animals, plants, personally did a cooking demonstration, knew the history,
    Dick Jensen
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The tour was beautiful and Mynor was a great guide. We had the extended tour and that was a little odd. We were picked up and packed into a bus with so many people. Once the tour was over we were taken into a bus and kept picking up and dropping off locals along the way
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Very safe and informative. The lodging was great as was the dining. Outstanding local guide.
    Richard Kotila
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Very well organized , a bit hectic but then it included many sightseeing places
    Demitra Afton
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Tour was very good, our tour Manager Ricardo excellant. Ricardo is top of the line. I would have liked to see this tour in reverse, leaving beach stop toward the end. In Arenal area a hotel that offers the hot springs would have been nice, thats one of the reasons to go into that area. The beach hotel was very nice, views were spectacular. A little out of the way, maybe choosing a hotel at another beach with better access to beach. Overall I enjoyed returning to Costa Rica and the people that were with me enjoyed themselves very much. Can't wait to return.
    Catana Bologna
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Well timed and planned….Wonderfully guided, yet flexible, accommodating, hospitable, educational, joyable.
    David Pearce
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    It was very interesting, The price was very good
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    We learned so much about about the country and loved our whole experience!
    Deborah Page
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Organization, selection of locations visited, communication from manager, expertise of manager & coach driver on points of interest Lodgings and meals— all were very good .
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I liked many things but especially enjoyed the rainforest adventures in Tortuguerro.
    Robert Stein
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Great tour will contact Collette again
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    No complaints at all! Loved our tour manager
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    1star
    WHY ARE YOU BOTHERING ME AGAIN? I ALREADY SENT A NEGATIVE FEEDBACK TO YOU. PLEASE REPLY TO Y COMMENTS IN THE EARLIER FEEDBACK.
    William Yoder
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The tour manager was very well informed and intelligent of the areas we visited but he also had an attitude. Asked questions that never were answered. If there was an issue at a hotel, he was no where to be found.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Difficulty reaching someone at the Collette offices prior to the trip related to Covid requirements.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Our experience was outstanding.
    Michael Peterson
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    An amazing tour of various areas of the country from the pacific coast to the mountains and rain forest.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Tour Manager, guides, a and bus driver were fantastic.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Fabulous experience - our tour manager Ricardo was exceptional, the itinerary, food, accommodations all excellent (and I have traveled a good deal). Weather was great (I know, not guaranteed, but we were lucky). Monkeys, sloths, birds galore, dolphins, volcano, beaches, cloud forest, river trip — what’s not to love?!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Well run. Great tour guide and bus driver. Informative.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    We spent far too many hours on the bus. It was close to 4 out of 8 days spent on the bus. One one day in particular we spent over 2 hours on the bus traveling to a riverboat tour. The tour last 2 hours (we only went about a 3/4 of a mile up the river and then turned around) and then we were back on the bus. It took us 3 hours to get back to the motel due to traffic. One of our accommodations was poor. My room smelled of mildew. Luckily they moved me to another room. Our local tour coordinator (not Collette's tour manager JP, he was great; but rather the local woman who hosted this trip) was awful. She was unprepared, uninformed, and rude.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Excellent trip schedules on time, luggage movement great, great guides with good knowledge of CR’s history
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The tour was just wonderful. Once in a lifetime for us.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    good accommodation good tours good people
    Karen Pohl
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    Advertised excursions were not included.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The trip provided a good overview of the country. Our guide was especially informative and gave little details of information about the culture that was especially interesting.
    Patricia Dietrich
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    We spent too much time traveling on the bus.
    Gwendolyn Santiago
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Perfect in every way! Don’t forget to rate the food - DELICIOUS! Plenty for a vegetarian. Loved everything about it!
    Diane Rivo
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Costa Rica has been on our wish list for many years but we were reluctant to explore it on our own. The Collette tour was perfect for us. Seeing the Arenal Volcano up close on a clear day was definitely the high point of our trip. Fabian was a total professional and very knowledgeable about his beautiful country. We experienced no problems whatsoever and the tour exceeded our expectations.
    John Graves
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Great leader (Carlos), great planning and taking care of guests.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Our guide Guillermo Ayub was excellent. He provided us with lots of information and his English is so good we never had any trouble understanding him. The places we visited were very interesting. You might tell the Dolphin Excursion boat guide that he should have a ladder that can be dropped down into the water so people can climb back into the boat when they are snorkeling. A lot of us had to be pulled back up when just a ladder dropped down into the water would have made it so much less awkward. I have one issue regarding the extension. We did not realize that the extension would not be provided by Collette and that other non-Collette people would be picked up along the way. In the time of 'Covid', this was disconcerting. The extension guide was good, but for part of the trip, he switched back and forth so much between Spanish and English that it was difficult to follow the information that he was providing.
    J Kotila
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    When minor took the flower apart put it in his mouth and had second pair of lips and sent a pic to everyone.
    Vincent Cominski
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    We had an awesome rate for a beautiful country. The accommodations were great for Costa Rica. The food was fine-- not great but fine. Our tour manager was great. My only negative is that our tour manager did not continue with our large group for our extension. That made it a little difficult and not as smooth as it should have been.
    Barbara Le Chaix
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I loved the wonderful views
    Janet K.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Well organized. Excellent driver and tour guides. Very interesting sites.
    Jeffrey Searer
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Our first tour guide Guillermo was amazing! He told us so much about the country, the culture, the animals, etc. He picked amazing places for us to visit and cared that we had a great time.
    Debbie Roberts Sorg
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    ……………………………………………………………..
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Our tour guide was excellent and we learned so much about the country, the people and its culture.
    Paula House
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    To much bus time. Loved ziplining
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Everything was handled perfectly. Can't think of one thing we were unhappy with. Loved the trip.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Tour guide was great- able to keep everyone’s attention and give in-depth information from history to economics to anything anyone asked!
    Herman Carstens
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I had a fantastic time! Went with a friend and we were happy to find that ALL our rooms had two big beds. Plenty of food choices so we did not have to worry about our allergies/food preferences. Our guide was knowledgeable about nature and spoke English well. I really felt safe with him. He cared about everyone. The scenery is breathtaking and the price was reasonable. Everyone should go!
    Linda Chatterjee
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Our tour guide was amazing. He was a walking encyclopedia.
    Zaida Carstens
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    My memorable experience was during the ZIPLining, there was an option to do the Tarzan swing, I stepped out of my box and did it. Also, on the river cruise, being able to see as many animals that we did.
    Michele Mcdaniel
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Tour Manager was superb. Nature hikes and zip lining were excellent. Hanging bridges and coffee plantation tour were also highlights.
    Brian Warnert
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Get to see Costa Rica countryside.
    Roger Theis
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I loved and learned everyday of our tour. Each hotel was unique for the areas we visited. Each morning we received detailed information on where we were going and what we might see. When we were on our bus for many hours we stopped along the way at fascinating places. Our your director lectured us about the country, the people, the government, the education and medical situation. There wasn’t any question he couldn’t answer.
    Linda Schugg
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The zip lining was absolutely stunning and a memory of a life time moment. The hotels were lovely, but very isolated. The food was ok, but nothing special. Still, I will book with Collette again. The trip was as promised:a beautiful tour of tropical Costa Rico!!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Beachfront hotel was beautiful
    Lezlie Morrese
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    They always come through on each tour I have taken with them. This one I came with no expectations of seeing many of the creatures native to Costa Rica. Thanks to Ricardo, and our bus driver, saw creatures I never thought to see in their own environments. On the extention, Oliver and the boat driver also did their very best to show us creatures I thought I’d not encounter in the wild
    Constance Mudd
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Same as I just told you **
    Robert Jennings
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Hanging bridges terrific!!! Loved plants and animals!!!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Highlight of the trip was the zip line and hanging bridges in the Tropical Cloud Forest
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    I had too high of expectations of plant and animal life. I expected a "jungle" outside San Jose. I expected more wild animals along the highway. I thought the boat ride on the Lake was hardly with the time. The zip slide was fun. The resort on the ocean was also a lot of fun.
    James Gorman
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The experiences and info our tour manager gave us. Had a fun time
    Nancy Baer
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Everyone loved this tour. The country is beautiful and the people so nice. The hotels were very nice although not easily accessible, on hills. But the area was beautiful. The Cloud Forrest and Zip line were outstanding.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The extension to Tortuguero National Park was the best part
    William Perkett
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Zip lining was the best experience. I must say learning about the country and how they want to protect the environment is something I will not forget.
    Karen Wilson
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Our tour guide was phenomenal! I learned so much about his country from his talks, He was very passionate,engaging,entertaining, I loved our walks thru the rainforest & jungle riverboat ride pointing out wildlife & flora & he found me a few sloths which was part of my mission! He was always available & accomadating.Ricardo is one exceptional employee that you should hang onto!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The tour covered the diverse regions of Costa Rica visiting both coasts. And zip lining was my favorite memory.
    Nancy Snyder
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    We where very pleased with the verity of of locations, sights ,and accommodations. We covered it all from beautiful Pacific Beaches to the mountains.
    Lee Snyder
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Wonderful relaxing experience that I will never forget
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Wonderful Tour, excellent experience.
    Melinda Cornell
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    I really wished we could have seen a sloth. Either at a park or farm. Our last hotel was not very good at all. Would have liked to have the hot springs as part of the tour and never did have a guitarist serenade us as the brochure said.
    Connie Hodel
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The presentations of everything we did. Explanation of finding the animals and birds. The walks we all went on together.
    Joelann Sygo
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Great accommodations, restaurants & itinerary, especially the Monteverde Cloud Forest & Cano ***** guided riverboat trip.
    Naomi Potes
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    It was a lovely country and a lovely tour, but the travel time and large group made it more of a hit-the-highlights trip than one of exploring and experiencing Costa Rica.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Beautiful country and amazing animals
    Teresa Reynolds-Bates
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Costa Rica is a beautiful country. We experienced a good variety of locations and learned much about the culture. I particularly enjoyed the river cruises and the wildlife we viewed during them. Enjoyed the monkeys in the trees at the Evergreen Lodge which was our accommodation for the extension.
    Joan Corum
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    See above
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    You need to vet your clients so that those who cannot walk unassisted should not be allowed on trips with lots of walking and climbing. It isn't fair to those who are able-bodied to be slowed down by those who shouldn't be on a medium active or active tour.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Our memorable day trip was to the cloud forest.
    Laura Lowenstein
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    2star
    Cloud Forest...such an experience traveling was a *****
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    1star
    The hotels were horrible and poorly located for senior citizens with disabilities
    Lynn D Ovidio
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    the rainforest!!!! it was all I thought it would be. the accommodations were very good,but the doubletree restaurant was outrageously expensive. as we got in late after dinner, not impressed with them shutting down dining room at ten. they need to remember that people travelling that far may be subject to time change. just f.y.i. Food was very good overall. I am still eating beans and rice lol.
    Sandra Lindsey
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    See earlier comment
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Agaiin -- This trip to Costa Rica was our first non-business international travel. Because it was such a great experience we are planning on many more tours with Collette now that we are retired. The locations visited, hotel accommodations and services, and pacing of the tour activities were all excellent. But really stellar was the knowledge of the tour managers and bus drivers, and the passion and love they have for their country. It was a life-changing experience.
    Dana Edward
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    very nice people to tour with and the intriguing history lessons
    Robert Brooks
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The jungle safari boat tours.
    George Edward
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable about everything. He made every dat so interesting and exciting.
    Jane Wayne
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    The passion Juan Pablo shared prior to each excursion kept me interested and anxiously awaiting each and every stop. However on the down side, it is very difficult to get information from Collette prior to the tour, specific questions answered etc. As a senior and traveling abroad, it would have been nice to have communication prior to the trip.
    Jane Whelton
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Beautiful country!!
    Christine Hipsh
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The hanging bridges was my very favorite part.
    Teresa Savell
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    My favorite aspect of this tour was the terrain and plant life of the country. We were here a few years ago wanted the experience again. The tour of the coffee factory was a nice addition. Quite educational, as was the river trip.
    Robert Minnis
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The tour was amazing as we saw a lot of the country and my favorite part was planting a tree to help connect the cloud forest to the rain forest. As an abroist it brought great join to me and I can't wait to come back in a few years and check on the tree!
    Andrew Sileo
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    All travel within Costa Rica was memorable as I saw the pacific ocean for the first time ever in Puerto Carillo
    Dana Hickey
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Lots of time spent on the bus.
    Teresa M
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The tour of the river boat ride was great and the coffee plantation
    Jose Tijerina
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    All travel & hotel arrangements very good, activities and tour site results wonderful. Montrealer Verte outstanding.
    Thomas Joyce
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Good teamwork and both Director and Driver were very professional and helpful. Director had great knowledge of all the wildlife and the Country itself.
    Tatiana Green
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Great selections of sites to visit and the right length of time at each
    Alan Green
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Itinerary provided a variety of experiences (coffee plantation, beach and relaxation day, trip to Cloud Forest, shopping, boat trips, top shelf accommodations in all locations). Zip line Canopy Adventure Tour at Monteverde Cloud Forest was, by far, the most memorable experience of the trip.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    The tour guide was very knowledgeable on the history of Costa Rica and shared it with us. All of the accommodations were very nice and clean. Best part of the tour was the hanging Bridges and zip lining over the canopies of the rainforest. Also enjoyed visiting the butterfly house learning about the unique butterflies in the area and visiting the hummingbird area, having the hummingbirds land on your hands at the feeders. What I didn't like was too much time on the bus getting from one location to the next.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    The zip line, humming birds and butterfly house where the highlites of the trip.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Beautiful country. Loved nature. Everything went very smoothly.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Difficult choice. I enjoyed seeing the wildlife.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    We were encouraged by our tour guide to do the zip lining. Well worth the experience!
    Norman Black
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The tour was excellent , except for the bus ride and the boat ride to the island. The life jackets were not the best/milled due.
    Peggy Simeroth
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Selected because of the diversity of environs offered on this tour - from city to beach to mountains, forests, lakes & rivers - all expectations fully met. Felt like I saw the diversity of what CR has to offer & very pleasantly surprised by the incredible beauty & uniqueness of the natural environs & the country’s success in reforestation to support native & migratory species.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Wonderful experience! Great tour guide, as usual with Colette!
    Mary Allan
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    a couple of the hotels were our favorites
    Doris Canton
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The trip on the river was the best! That's where we saw a bunch of the wildlife from this trip. Loved it!
    Rebecca Glinka
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Seeing a variety of landscapes. Seeing a sloth and quetzal. The accommodations.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Costa Rica is beautiful and so are the people. We visited Beaches and Jungles and were well aware of the pride taken in the country and its people. The air is clear and the forests full of life. The tour guide was especially expressive of the forest environment and the protection it deserves.
    Robert Viadella
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    we got to see all the different levels of the country from the cloud forest to the jungle
    Cheryl Turgeon
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Favorite part of the trip was the Zip Line, it was great!!
    Joan Oswood
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Best guided trip ever with being at Arenal Volcano & beautiful hotel nearby with the invigorating hot springs!
    Linda Buttron
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    Enjoyed the Beach, Zip line and walking the bridges. the plantation and National Theatre are worth seeing. The Volcano and river cruise were nice to see. I just felt rushed from start to finish and that' my thoughts.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    I was hoping to see more wild life, we saw a quetzal, and a few monkeys...a JAYCO beach we did not visit and I saw pictures of white faced monkeys there from someone else on the plane back home
    Harriet Garner
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I believe that we had the best accommodations, food, tours and schedule. Everyone was kind and understanding with a nice sense of humor, too. We saw and did so many new and interesting things that easily all became favorites.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Fabian our tour guide was awesome. Felt well prepared and safe. Made sure we had a good experience.
    Heidi Birrell
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    The bus driver Raul is a wonderful person and was the greatest bus driver on the planet I've ever witnessed. Outstanding skill. Amazing.😌❤❤
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    More strenuous than expected
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    There are too many great memories to single one our as the best. The nature walk with Ricardo, when he spotted quetzels and zoomed in on them with his telescope, was fantastic. So were the ziplining and hanging bridges hike. So were Ricardo's interesting commentary on the history, culture and economy of Costa Rica. So were the amazing accommodations. So were the boat rides on Lake Arenal and the Arenal River, with visits by troops of monkeys, iguanas and even a caiman.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Tour guide spoke fast and we needed to ask her to repeat herself. She was not clear on some of the small details like time and location to meet.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Arenal Resort and Spa was just beautiful
    Arthur Trujillo
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    2star
    Missed the first two days - what can I say about that - my blood pressure is still high just remembering the experience.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    We saw a lot of the country.
    Ruth Goergen
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    What was included in the tour and the excellent guide we had. Also the expert bus driver.
    Jeannene Koprowski
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    my only complaint, and its not so bad but, the food could have been a lot better. I would call it ordinary at best. when you pay several thousand dollars for a trip you expect the food to be better than what was offered. it was filling but not that great.
    George Callahan
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I explained above. See above narrative.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    For us it was one of the most perfect vacations
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    For me, the bus rides could have been a bit shorter, the pace could have been a bit quicker
    Richard Hale
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    We loved the "Hanging Bridge" walk, which was included in the cost.
    Randee Pieper
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Saw a lot of animals and birds
    Daphne Montague
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    There were several highlights on the trip. The cruise on the river, the topiary gardens, the jungle trip was amazing.
    Doris Frandsen
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Guide very knowledgeable I learned so much once we got the first day over and could go to bed early.
    Ann Lyons
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Good hotels, excellent guide. Cano ***** riverboat trip was a highlight. Only negative was after a long day and late night arrival to start the trip, we were up early and on the road for a long day of travelling to get to Tamarindo. You need to add a day at the start in the lovely property in SAN José to enjoy the pool, and possibly some down time on the pedestrian street to get rested up for the trip.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    There are so many memorable experiences but I have to say zip lining was just breath taking!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    All of the aminals and palm trees.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Our tour manager, Guillermo Ayub, and our driver, Manrique, were fantastic guides. A memorable experience was their stopping the bus at a roadside fruit stand to purchase some local fruit for all of us to try - an unexpected and memorable delight!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    It was a most enjoyable experience! Highly recommend the cloud Forrest zip line!
    Linda Lockwood
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    One of the most organized, informative & effective tour directors we ever had made this a memorable trip. Lots of information provided, and every day was on track. Exactly what I expected of a planned tour. Only issue was amount of driving time required to cover the country. However, we had an excellent driver that I thought went above and beyond what was expected.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    It is impossible to choose one experience. Every day was amazing and I would go to bed thinking," This was the best day ever!"
    Lyndon Nishimura
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    This was a Good tour. We spent too much time on the bus and too many very early ( 4 am / 5 am and 6 am ) starts resulting in packing up bags, moving hotels and very little down time. I think this tour needs to either cover less territory or be made longer. I enjoyed seeing so much of an interesting country and really enjoyed our tour guide Ricardo. He made the trip so educational and I nteresting for all of us because of his wholistic knowledge of the country. Colette is lucky to have him working with you.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    2star
    Too many long bus rides. Did not see many animals up close. Our tour guide to Ricardo was excellent and provided good commentary on our long bus ride. This tour was overpriced for what we saw and did.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Ricardo is very fair-minded. He instituted a rotational practice where everyone had a chance at different seating and vantage points on the bus. It would have been helpful if a rotational policy could be established when a group eats together at the meal times Collette includes in the trip plan. This "inclusivity" would mean that no one on the trip is excluded from dining tables because they have been "saved" by a group of certain people. This happened many times on our trip, so people could not get to know everyone.
    Marilyn Marks
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Tortuguero Jungle Adventure. A few of us ventured out in the dark to view the night sky. Also an early morning nature walk was a delight. I'll never forget the Monteverde Cloud Forest experience walking the hanging bridges tour
    Ruth Oneill
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    I already wrote my concern in the previous "Tell us what you thought of their service". However, I was particularly pleased and proud of how I felt when we were at Monteverde Cloud Forest and especially when we were in the Children's Forest. For it was in that forest I was taken beck to my Art classes that I taught in the 1980's and when the students and I raised money, donating it through the WWF to help save acres of the Cloud and Rain Forest in Costa Rica. It was a wonderful connection! Barry Marks
    Barry Marks
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Paid for hanging bridges which should have been included. Rec'd refund AFTER my return home
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    For me, it would be watching the driver Manrique maneuver that BIG bus thru some awful tight spots without a scratch! Would like to see more opportunities for local cuisine.
    Jack Lehman
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The tour was well organized. There was a variety of activities and experiences to suit the interest of most travellers. My favourite memories revolved around any activities that promoted wildlife spotting and the natural environment. I loved watching and listening to exotic birds. My only experience with a toucan has been on a cereal box. Colette travel changed this mindset for me. Walking on the top of the canopy of the rainforest was an incredible memory.
    Audrey Jackson
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Zip Line, strenuous, but do able. River Tour, seeing the monkeys & lizards, Coffee Plantation, Beautiful flowers, views, everything.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Lots of fun. Well organized and what a beautiful country.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I loved Arenal Volcano area.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The only downside is there were some group members who should have looked closer at this being rated a #3 for the activity level. Because they were not in as good of shape as some of the others, they did slow the pace down of the walking and hiking that was included. That was frustrating for those of us who did want to go at a snail's pace.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    fabulous , great job kksokowdqooowsq
    Mark Bilodeau
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Costa Rica: The beauty and biodiversity is stunning, the people are extremely friendly and well-educated, and the government abolished its military so we could support all of this. What’s not to love!
    Steven Tyroler
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Very good value.for the tour.
    Hideko Hamamoto
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Monteverde Rain Forest on the zip line and walking the hanging bridges. This is a bit strenuous, a lot of walking/hiking, but truly worth the effort and experience.
    Joanna Ikeda
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    the group was fun and accommodations were clean
    Julia Knutson
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Everything at Selvatura Adventure Park was incredible...the Hanging Bridges, Zipling, the Butterfly Garden...well worth the additional expense to experience everything.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Excellent Tour Director, Very nicely paced tour.
    Shamim Lila
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    The tour guide was very good. Some of the hotels used were poorly located
    Renee Capell
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The birds and wildlife, Pacific ocean, Hanging bridges and zipline, hot springs and seeing Arenal volcano
    Linda
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    We were not impressed with the three day extension to Tortuguero. It was very rough. The rooms only have screens on the windows - no glass. We didn’t see any more wildlife than what we saw in Arsenal. The guides here are very laid back. No written schedule. The food was very good though. It rained for a solid 24 hours, so no pool and not able to do much walking through the rain forest.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The hanging bridges and the Zipline were amazing! The Cano ***** river and the Arenal Lake boat rides were filled with wildlife.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Overall excellence of the tour manager and driver.
    Beert Polstra
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    also, I lost my phone and when I got home I discovered my camera was broken and I had no photos after Guanacosta. One of the members of the tour has volunteered to load her photos onto a flash drive I am going to send her. Great group of people - lots of fun.
    Wendy Kirchofer
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Wonderfully diverse set of experiences--beac, forests, volcanoes. Very knowledgeable and helpful tour manager
    Raimund Goerler
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    2star
    Number in party and time in coach. While accommodations were good some were not within walking distance to anything
    James Reed
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Walking on the hanging bridges in the cloud forest and planting a tree on behalf of Collette conservation program in Costa Rica.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Hanging Bridges were exciting and safe. Tamarindo was wonderful.
    Maria Sugranes
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The tour was very true to the promotional and marketing data. See above for most enjoyable sites.
    David Turner
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Zip-line and Arenal resort.
    L Hempelmann
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Cloud forest and zip lining was amazing.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    We received a discount (booked late) so price was comparable to other travel companies; favorite was the river cruise when we saw the two-toed sloth with her baby. And our guide, ******* was amazing in finding wildlife and helping us to spot it also - and we saw a lot.
    Florence Broeckling
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    3star
    It didn.t meet my expectations. There was too much bus travel time spent. Too sedate for my taste. Expected to see more animals. The way it was advertised, I expected to see more animals in the wild. Did enjoy the hanging bridges and boat trips.
    Fina Vanderveen
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Seeing the tropical animals in their natural habitat. Hummingbirds were exceptional and they even perched on a stretched out finger to feed.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    We traveled throughout the country of Costa Rica from the Pacific to the Caribbean Sea. There was a diverse ecosystem with a variety of flora and fauna. The most memorable experience was zip-lining above the cloud forest.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    This was truly an exciting trip for us to a new location. We appreciated the variety and especially enjoyed the extension offered for the river trip to a jungle eco-lodge.
    Philip Evans
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Private balcony with panoramic view of the Pacific/view of an active volcano/relaxing in the thermal pools/serenaded by Howler monkeys/making friends with people from all over the world!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Zip lining above the canopy of the rain forest was an incredible experience.
    Linda Pensinger
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I did two optional things on the door, zip lines and a spa treatment both work the best . I purchased quite a few souvenirs and all will be beautiful and at a reasonable cost.
    Rita Ranieri
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    1star
    I made my own memorable experience by going on a private tour to a national park and I learnt more in 4 hours with this guide than I did in 7 days with the Collette guide.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The cloud forest was the best experience.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The cloud forest and rain forest were spectacular. The zip line was pretty fun too.
    Virginia Brunton
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Zip lining was a kick. Loved the river cruise. Bus rides were fun and we learned alot. Great trip!!!!!
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The view of the Volacno Arenal
    Shirley Thompson
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Lovely country, fast paced trip but we saw everything we wanted and more.
    Margaret Fitzgerald Stacy
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    The hanging bridges and zip line were the best. Would like a map of that experience. Bus rides were long but saw a lot.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    My favorite was the river cruise,saw animals and birds and retiles in there wild habitat.
    Lisbeth Russell
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    All wonderful I can't wait for The time I can go on another one It was Great from the start, to the day I day I had to leave
    Roberta Feldman
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Fantastic tour… Love the many places we visited and stopped to view
    Maraba Miller
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Knowledge of the tour guide Guerremo
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Cloud forest, rain forest, boat ride.
    Arabinda Guha
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The boat tour at Cano ***** was fantastic. The hotel at Arenal and the grounds were gorgeous.
    Robert Welch
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Nature hikes, hike over suspension bridges, coffee plantation tour and stop at botanical garden were my favorites. Most memorable is the kindness and compassion shown by our tour manager to a couple of folks who got ill, most esp. to the little girl who threw up on the bus. Tour manager had the bus driver safely stop the bus so the mom could get clean clothes for her daughter!
    Susan Rasmussen
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Birdwatching and Cano ***** boat tour.
    Francine Beaser
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Everything was absolutely top-drawer. Great care was taken to ensre we had the best of everything.
    Lesly Braun
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Very educational. I loved the river tour with the birds and animals.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Excellence price and service.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about all things Costa Rica. Can not pick a highlight. Every day was wonderful.
    Kathy Williams
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    I did this at the end of the tour!
    Meredith Hashey
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Zip-line was the highlite. Our tour guide told us we had to try it. So glad we did. Quite an experience.
    Marian Hecker
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Zip lining over the cloud forest
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    My mother enjoyed the butterfly garden and hummingbirds more than many other parts of the trip.
    Minnie Macloud
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The river tour was my favorite because we saw more birds and wildlife there.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Our tour manager and bus driver were absolutely amazing. The sites and living arrangements were beautiful with amazing views. My favorite has to be the sunset at Arenal springs overlooking Arenal Volcano.
    Drew Landgrave
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    We really enjoyed seeing Arenal Volcano, the zip line through rain forest, and the numerous nature walks and hikes.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Great tour, the bus Driver and bus was great and so was the tour director. The hotels were also 5 star.
    Doran Hand
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Our tour manager did a great job telling us about the region and culture. Bus driver Luis was great too.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Everything was as promised and the hotels were excellent. The tour manager made the tour interesting and took care of all the details.
    Kurt
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    My wife and I had a great time experiencing the cloud canopy and jungle at Cana Blanco, especially the food, lodging and zip line.
    James Moody
Reviewed on
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    I enjoyed all the points of interest chosen for this tour , however, my least favourite was probably the Riu resort. I've stayed at Riu resorts before and there is nothing wrong with them but I didn't feel that there was anything particularly Costa Rican about the experience.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    This tour was a very good intro to Costa Rica. The hotels were very good, our guide was very knowledgeable and helpful. The group was fun and small enough to get to know everyone. Our hotel near Lake Arenal and the volcano was particularly excellent and the view from our room was spectacular. We managed to see and do a lot including the well known zip line course. It is a bit more strenuous than I thought especially for a first timer but the views were spectacular and the staff were more than willing to offer assistance. My only regret there was not having enough time at the end to view the films /pictures (proof that I survived the ride! So I have no pictures . The only other suggestion I would have is to let people know about the Guanacaste all inclusive resort, its remote location and inability to really see some "real Costa Rica". Although it was a very nice resort, It was like most other all inclusives - I would have preferred another park area or hiking adventure to see more of what was unique to Costa Rica . Perhaps this is because I live in Florida and have easy access to beaches. Otherwise it was a great vacation and intro to the country.
    Mary
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    we enjoyed the whole experience we would have skipped the RUI resort and spent more time at the Arenal Volcano lodge and in the area
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    Seeing a flock of Toucsns at Tortuguera reserve. My biggest disappointment was the scarcity of exotic bird sittings. Even a stop which had some in captivity or stuffed would have been nice.
    John
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Zip Lining, Rainforest, beautiful chueches and the National Theatre
    Norma
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Most memorable was the Zip line tour with optional Tarzan Swing. Overall tour was great but that was made possible by our Tour Manager - Guillermo. Can't say enough good things about him and would highly recommend this tour with him if at all possible. The Coffee Plant tour, Coffee Lab tour, nature walk, river cruise, lake cruise, Hanging Bridges, Hummingbirds, Butterfly Garden, view of Arenal Volcano, visiting several towns.... all in all exceeded my expectations. The item that I did not consider completely was the length of time you are on the bus. Great bus - professional in all but the driving on switchback roads, gravel roads, up/down back/forth - bring dramamine if you are slightly susceptible to motion sickness. I generally am not but the extent of this you need to be aware of. The other issue was booking a side trip at our first stop in Guanacaste. The booking companies all leave at 3;00 and we did not arrive at the resort until 5:00 - so no chance to book in advance and the optional tours I would have liked to take all left early the next morning with no chance to get in on them.
    Greg
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The country was beautiful and so much was packed into the few days that I felt I had a good tour of the north and the central regions. The walking in the cloud forest and the volcano were my favourite experiences. I also liked going to the small towns on our way back to San Jose. It was nice to see some areas which were not so full of tourists What can I say about the coffee... Fabulous! In other words, I liked the entire tour. Staying at an all inclusive is not my thing but it was nice. We met some people there that are related to us and are from our home territory. That was sire a coincidence.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The canopy tour and the visit to the Arenal volcano were fantastic.
    Arn
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The tour included everything I was hoping for. The most memorable was waking up the first day, opening the drapes, & seeing monkeys swinging from tree to tree !
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    two coffee bean producers, Arenal volcano region, Monteverde cloud forest, water-powered oxcart factory, Selvatura adventure park
    Arthur
Reviewed on
Reviewed on
Reviewed on
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    All aspects of this tour was memorable.
    Karen
Reviewed on
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    2star
    We went during the typical dry season, but El Niño affected our trip - this clearly is not Collette's fault. You need to take clothing to cover all possibilities, which we did. However, there was way too much time on the bus, and the bus was always cold! We went to escape the cold, not endure it. The bus driver was excellent and worked with what he had. Improvements need to be made to the bus. We expected much more time out and about walking and touring and seeing the wildlife. This was not the case. We think the layout to the trip needs to be modified. Avoid San Hose, fly right to Liberia and have 1 or 2 center points to travel out from for the tours. 3 of the 4 hotels were very nice, 1 was horrible (in San Jose). 2 of the 4 did not have heat, by design. We also ate too many Buffet type meals! The trip was not all bad, but not what we had experienced prior with Collette. Granted, the prior ones were to historical European locations, and this was tropical. Hence, why we expected more hiking and foot travel instead of predominantly the bus! Prior trips started out with meet and great the 1st evening, not on this trip. All trips should start with the group getting together to meet each other. Wildlife was limited and we never got to see the Arenal Volcano. Monteverde was an exciting trip up via bus, just rainy and cold (not Collette's fault). Not sure we would ever go back.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    The guides, bus & boat drivers were excellent. All made sure we got the best experience possible. I especially enjoyed the river rides with all the wildlife. A meet your fellow travelers get together would have been beneficial at the beginning of the trip.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    A little too much bus time-but then we wouldn't have been able to see as much as we did! Many unique hotels and good local experiences-cooking school, plant a tree. Went to many different regions-dry forest, cloud forest, rain forest, central valley, etc.
Reviewed on
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Had a great time! Tour manager Christian was knowledgeable and helpful. Weather was perfect. Best time of year to travel to Costa Rica. Will travel with Collette again, in the near future.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Tour was planned wonderfully - and that our awesome guide provided tacos - impressive and liked that Collette contributes to the forest by planting trees. The final day on the river exceptional.
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    4star
    There was a lot of time spent on the bus. We were blessed with good weather, good travelers and a great Tour Manager. Costa Rica is a beautiful country.
    Ralph
Reviewed on
  • Trip Rating:
    5star
    Guide was excepional. Best xperience was River and hummingbirds but all was great. I am 6' 4" and the seats on the bus was very uncomfortable. Would be nice to have wi if on the bus if you can. I will recommend it and Collette to friends.
    Dale

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