Costa Rica Cultural, religious historic sites Trips

This was the experience of a lifetime for me and definitely the highlight of my month-long trip to Central and South America. I joined this one the day I finished my Yucatan Peninsula cycling trip with Explore, my first with the company. The recommendations and reviews I'd received beforehand were justified. I was the only Australian on both trips. It didn't matter, as there was great camaraderie within the group and the leader, Allan, was top-notch. Our driver, Ronald, was also professional as well as being obviously very big-hearted and concerned about our comfort, welfare and safety. When a trip relies on being at the right place and time, the driver and vehicle are the most important elements of the trip. Allan's knowledge and passion for Costa Rica and its natural environment are obvious and he was very effective in helping us learn and love it as well. The detail and frequency of his communication was ideal and his attention to detail excellent. We were very fortunate to have both Allan and Ronald look after us, as well as the bonus of having Issy, an Explore senior exec, along for most of the trip, doing QC and checking out hotel options. Good to see the company checking its services! The accommodation was very good and matched the expectations Explore provided in its pre-trip information. As always, some places are better than others. When a place had some minor deficiency it was offset by being in a great location. My favourites were in the rainforest and mountains. The itinerary is right for a 2-week wildlife tour, plenty of time for varied photography, physical activity options and unstructured time for R&R and doing your own thing. Whitewater rafting, ziplining, sea kayaking and of course walking are all easily able to be included. Allan and some of the group are excellent wildlife spotters and photographers. I learnt so much and am keen to improve my own skills. I am so happy I chose to go on this trip and have been recommending it often since it concluded.

A top trip for the nature and photography enthusiast. Excellent locations with some stunning nature in its natural setting. Well organised and expertly led by Explores team of driver and lead who’s sharp observation and intuition where to find what never ceased to amaze.

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.