San Jose Active and outdoor Trips

Amazing tour made perfect by a fabulously knowledgeable and attentive tour guide (Miguel Vasquez). Great itinerary and even tho we did the ‘reverse’ think it was the best way round. Antigua at the end was the icing on the cake. Great mixture of adventure, nature, history and local culture. Food and drink good too. Accommodation is good some exceeded my expectations but not enough to warrant ‘excellent’. ..

This was to be a trip of a lifetime and it truly delivered. With the first part into the national park to stay in the edge of the jungle this trip truly was very special. The itinerary was great with such a variety of things to do and see. The cycling took us through great landscapes showing Costa Rica at its best. Our Guides Carlos and Mos very informative and very attentive. On a personal note I asked them to come up with a special place that I could propose to my girlfriend, they more than delivered with a perfect setting with a perfect volcano as a back drop. Accommodation was mostly good with a couple of stays a little under par. Great country great people highly recommend.

This really was the trip of a lifetime and even better than what we expected after reading the brochure. Our guide Luis was excellent as he was super efficient and knowledgeable about his country nature and wildlife. Our driver Gus was great too and of course our group of 11. A perfect size where everyone was lovely. The accommodation was varied with some being truly amazing. I would definitely recommend this if you are looking for a wildlife adventure holiday.

Miguel was an excellent tour guide during our full-on five country tour of Central America. It’s not a tour for everyone as there is little free time but I loved it. Volcanoes, wildlife, Mayan ruins, local culture and yet more volcanoes - what’s not to like! We did the Costa Rica to Guatemala route and felt this flowed better than the alternative would have - particularly finishing up in a lovely hotel in Antigua.

Carlos was incredible right from the very first day of the trip. None of us knew him yet, and I didn’t know what to expect, but he immediately stood out to me as someone who was extremely professional, organized, and thorough. Every evening, he gave me and the rest of the group all the details we needed — the route, the roads, the timing, the breakfasts and dinners, the weather, the excursions, the challenges, the highlights. He told us what to wear, when to use sunscreen, what to expect from the climbs, when the rain might come, when to prepare for heat — every little detail was covered. Because of that, I felt comfortable, confident, and fully aware of what was coming the next day. There were no surprises, and that was because of Carlos. And once he finished going through all the serious information, he would sometimes throw in a little joke. Just a quick comment or a funny line to lighten the mood. I didn’t expect that from him at the beginning, but those moments always made me smile, and they helped me relax. It showed me that underneath the professional guide was a warm, funny, genuinely special person. As the days went on, I got to see how much Carlos truly loves to ride. He lives for cycling. He rides long distances, he races all the time, and he never seems to get tired. His passion for biking isn’t something he hides — you can feel it in everything he does. And that passion made the trip even better for me. It made me trust him, and it made me enjoy the rides more. I’ve been on a few guided trips before, and I can say honestly: Carlos is the best guide I have ever had. Professional, caring, sharp, humble, funny, and unbelievably dedicated — he made this entire trip better for me in every way. Carlos is truly one of a kind

The 3 Central America countries cycling trip could be a logistic nightmare, but Mike managed with aplomb, and the changing of bikes, crossing of borders etc. become part of the fun. Mike was truly excellent and we would thoroughly recommend the trip, despite some wet weather. The contrast between the countries was interesting and Mike was a mine of information. This was our 6th Explore cycling trip, and though they have all been great, this was near the top.