Review: Tortuguero, La Fortuna and Monteverde

Hi Mauricio, We had a great trip home, although we miss Costa Rica very much. We still dream about it every night! When we came home our stupid provider had changed something with the internet, and we still don't have any connection. Which is why it took so long to make a review. Luckily I can use my account at work! Anyway, we want to thank you for the great trip. Everything was really well organized, nice places to sleep and to eat and we have seen a lot of things in 4 days. In Tortuguero the local guide was very experienced and gave us the opportunity to see many turtles laying eggs, and he was great on the boat trip the next morning. He spotted animals I would never have noticed myself, like tiny bats on a tree and a Caiman in the water. Seeing the turtles lay their eggs is probably one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. The trip to Arenal was great, even though the volcano was too shy to show herself. The hot springs are really a lot of fun. And finally Monteverde was very nice. Great hotel, great ice-cream, very nice canopy-tour and walk along the bridges. We got the impression that Mauricio surely knows his way around Costa Rica and knows many people who are hotel-owners, guides, restaurant-keepers, etc., which makes a trip with him very easy. The Kabata hostel in San Jose which is run by Mauricio and his family is truly a family business, which makes for a great stay. They are currently changing the colour scheme of their new place, which will make even better. At the end of our trip Mauricio gave us a cd with photo's he made during the tour. Since his camera is better than ours we were very happy with the wildlife-pictures he took! Kind regards, Manon & Wouter Holland, The Netherlands

Review: La Fortuna and Monteverde Adventure

Having previously experienced different types of tours and tour companies in many countries, I walked through the doors of Outdoor Adventures with certain expectations. Well, I can honestly say that they not only exceeded my expectations but have now raised the bar. The impeccable attention given to a client´s individual interests, desires, and considerations made for a truly enjoyable and unforgettable trip. The staff were impressively knowledgeable on myriad subjects and quite adept at conveying this knowledge in an interactive and entertaining manner. The entire trip was extremely well organized, and they truly went the extra mile without ever even being asked to do so. I am extremely impressed with Outdoor Adventures, and I would whole-heartedly recommend them to anyone wanting to make sure that they get the most out of their trip to Costa Rica. Brett Best Washington, DC, USA

Review: Adventure Combo

Outdoor Adventures gave me an experience far beyond what I could have ever imagined. Paulo's knowledge of wildlife, plant life, Costa Rican history and the areas we went to was incredible. He consistently went above and beyond the call of duty. I felt uncomfortable calling him a tour guide by the middle of the week because he was just like a friend showing me his country. Mauricio's professionalism and assistance planning the trip to the specifications of myself and the friend I came to Costa Rica with was amazing. Anyone who wants to experience Costa Rica on their own terms with a little help from some friendly people could not go wrong with Outdoor Adventures. John Fischer USA WOW, Oh my god, are you kidding me, unbelievable, best thing ever. These are words I would use to describe my experience with Outdoor Adventures if they were adequate enough. From minute one Maurico and staff have been outstanding. They took care of everything. As for the tour it was stunning. This country contains some of the most beautiful scenery on earth. Our guide Paulo was extremely helpful in all aspects of identifying what exactly that scenery was. More like a friend that l was visiting, Paulo for lack of better words Kicked A#$, the man was spot on for identifying wildlife and plants. He was very attentive to what we needed to make the trek unforgettable. Paulo was a godsend. Anyone I know that is traveling I will recommend Costa Rica, and when coming to Costa Rica there is only one company to deal with. Outdoor Adventures and the Kabata Hostel. ĄPURA VIDA! Tim Begnal USA

Review: Arenal Volcano and Tortuguero

We made our four day trip with Outdoor Adventures after a ten day trip to the pacific coast. It was a totally different experience compared to the trip on our own to the Pacific coast. From now on, everything was organized in detail. Mauricio made dashing through the country becoming an interesting birds and animal watching tour. We started through the coffee plantation areas to La Fortuna and to the Arenal volcano. A mixture of action and nature trip like canyoning, a visit to Cerro Chato, some relax time in the Baldi hot springs and going to the underground in the Venados Caves, fullfilled two breathtaking but highly enjoyable days. Afterwards we had a little relax time at the drive to Tortuguero with some enjoyable traditional meals during the tour, we finally arrived at the national park there. At this spot we watched the riverside with a canoe. The rainy weather didn´t stop us from watching the wakening wildlife. We did a highly recomendable tour with much much information about the people and the nature of Costa Rica which can't be provided by any travel guide. Martin and Johanna Austria

Review: Top 5 Adventure

First things first, the hostel offers clean rooms, free internet, and although the bathroom is shared, it has above average cleanliness. The staff was very knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. We only stayed for two nights, but even while looking for things to be wrong, we couldn't find a thing. They are a 5 minute walk from a great shopping district downtown and in a safe neighborhood. A bonus were the cute cats roaming around. There was some noise at night from them, but nowhere near what any of the previous comments claimed. Definitely not enough to disturb your sleep. Normally this is where the review would end, however this hostel offers more than meets the eye. They also offer customized excursions through their affiliate company, Outdoor Adventures, that meet anybody´s time frame, whether long or short. We only had 5 full days in Costa Rica and were able to see all the major sights claimed to be a "must see". These include Tortuguero, La Fortuna (Arenal Volcano and Tabacon Hot Springs), Monteverde (Canopy Tours), Manuel Antonio (national park and great beaches), and we still saw a bit of San Jose. This was a last minute trip for my girlfriend and I, but the owner Mauricio was able to give us exactly what we asked for at a more than reasonable price. Our guide Paulo might as well have written the book on Costa Rica with how much knowledge he had shared with us about the culture, history, and wildlife of Costa Rica. He was not just a guide, but a friend on our trip. He was funny, enjoyable to hang out with, and conformed to our every need as they came up. Everywhere he recommended us to experience, both sights and culinary, were more than we could´ve found on our own. If we did this trip on our own, we may have found 1 or 2 sights, but nothing close to what he showed us. He gave us a true backdoor experience to this country and we will never forget it. The cost pales in comparison to what we are taking home in memories. We were lucky to stumble upon Kabata Hostel and their excursion company, Outdoor Adventures, as they are not one of the most advertised when you first research Costa Rican hostels and excursions, but they are definitely everything you could ask for in a trip to Costa Rica. Thank you Paulo, Mauricio, and Kattia!!!!! Pura Vida!!!! Sincerely, Ramiel & Nicole Toronto, Canada

Review: La Fortuna and Monteverde

I had an excellent 2 day tour with Outdoor Adventures and made the most of my very short stay in Costa Rica. Mauricio and Kattia took me on a beautiful hike to the Laguna Cerro Chato near La Fortuna. The personalised tour meant that there was plenty of time to enjoy the views and stop to appreciate the stunning gardens and jungle along the way, and I felt a great sense of achievement upon reaching the beautiful lagune. Mauricio enthusiastically shared his knowledge of the area with me along the way. I felt very safe with him as my guide. After the walk it was great to have a leisurely soak in the hot springs outside of La Fortuna. Again, the personalised nature of the Outdoor Adverntures tours meant that we could spend as much time there as we wanted. On my second day I went to Monteverde and did the Canopy Tour. It was SO much fun to glide above the trees and into the clouds. Mauricio´s expertise and hawklike vision meant that we were able to stop and view howler monkeys, a sloth and several birds he spotted during the drive between La Fortuna and Monteverde. I would NEVER have seen these without a guide. I had a fabulous time and thoroughly recommend the Outdoor Adventures tours. Georgia Werner Australia

Review: Corcovado Trekking Expedition

Dear Mauricio, We have just returned from the 5 days trip to Corcovado National Park organized and guided by you. We would like to send our apreciation for this outstanding experience. The organization of the equipment needed for camping, the food and the meals you prepared were great! The depth of knowledge that you have shown about the nature of this special area was amazing. Not to mention your sharp eyes that spotted animals that we would never be able to observe without you... We have learned much about life in the jungle as well about Costa Rican culture and society in general. Taking you as our guide and trip organizer left us free of worries about the "small details" and enabled us to have a pure enjoyable journey. We shall strongly recommend Outdoor Adventures to all travelers! Halpern Eyran, MD Halpern Naama, MD Halpern Ido Ram Maayan ISRAEL

Review: Two Volcanoes Hiking Tour

Outdoor Adventures is perfect for those travelers looking for something different, for something extraordinary, for something totally unique. The one day, one of a kind, dual volcano tour of Irazu and Turrialba Volcano is hard to describe because of how breathtaking it is. After gazing at the surreal and moon like landscape of Irazu's craters, we decided to take the more adventurous route to Turrialba Volcano; a zigzagging dirt track across the mountain side. Remember to buckle up and hold on tight! Leaving our 4x4 at the last house on the road up to Turrialba Volcano we hiked the rest of the way with our packed lunches, a sense of adventure, and two amazingly friendly and knowledgeable guides. The view at the summit of the volcano's three craters is worth every step, only made better by the walk into the steaming and still active crater and to top it all off, a volcano picnic! I couldn't have imagined anything more surreal. For the price, the friendly company, and the experience, Outdoor Adventures tours cannot be beat. And these guys literally take you off the beaten path! It's the only real way to transform yourself from typical tourist to adventure traveler. Maxwell Summerlee Ontario, Canada