Last Updated on July 29, 2018 by PowersToTravel
My recommendation for Costa Rica Expeditions is wholeheartedly positive, however due to circumstances which were entirely within my control, I feel we over-paid for our adventure.
We had just moved from Massachusetts to Rhode Island, and were soon to travel to the Galapagos Islands when I discovered that it was getting very late in the season to plan our Christmas travel. It was late July and I had thought that I had all the time in the world before Christmas. I had investigated a little about Costa Rica, and had contacted an agent at Costa Rica Expeditions. When she learned that we wanted to hike in Corcovado National Park, and didn’t want to stay in a tent, but rather preferred a nice en-suite room, she informed us that the providers in the Drake Bay area were almost fully booked. Knowing we were interested most in the national parks, and did not want to ride with other people, she quickly designed an itinerary. I was surprised at the high price, but thought that Costa Rica may be an expensive place. The itinerary we received was very detailed, but the quote was not. It included just the bottom line cost. We were heading off in one week to Galapagos, so I signed on the dotted line.
While we were on the Costa Rica trip we learned that she had interpreted our desire to travel in private vehicles as a desire for luxury. Our desire for private vehicles is not derived from a taste for luxury but necessity. I get car-sick easily and usually I make sure to sit in the front passenger seat or if in the back, in a center seat allowing forward viewing. Additionally, Greg always seems to need to pee at the most unexpected moments. This had not been a problem on safari in Tanzania. I frequently popped my head out the top of the vehicle to get my own fresh air, and glimpsing men peeing at the rear of the vehicle was not a unexpected event. I was even expected to watch for lions while they were otherwise occupied. I made sure I didn’t look that particular direction as I got my own fresh air. It’s not as if there are rest rooms waiting throughout the Serengeti.
So, in Costa Rica we simply desired to have private transfers and private drives around the countryside, instead of in a shared, and possibly cramped, van.
Instead, we found ourselves on a luxurious private vacation. Our trip on the Crocodile River was even arranged on board a private launch. As boats passed us carrying forty passengers easily, I dashed from side to side on our private launch, capturing the wildlife in my lens. My husband says that passengers on the other boats were taking pictures of us, believing that we were celebrities!
Jonathan Ramirez, our naturalist guide, was such a pleasure to travel with. He accompanied us from St Jose, up to the Monteverde Cloud Forest, and then down to Jaco. He was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna and was a very engaging person.
At one of our lodges we happened to meet the owner of the company, Michael Kaye, who was traveling around with his wife, visiting his resorts. He was down-to-earth and interested in all of our opinions and probed us for any areas he could improve.
I definitely recommend Costa Rica Expeditions, and feel we really did get value for our money. But should we do it again, I would spend more time researching on my own, and more time probing the agent for exact prices for each item, to be sure that the agent fully understood our desires. ATR, for Africa, had given us a detailed cost list, so that we could make the appropriate decisions for value.
Pros
Every connection, every resort, every employee was superior. It was an excellent experience.
Cons
It was expensive.
