Ellie, March 2024

We had a great time on our multi-generational trip to La Fortuna, Sarapiqui, and Cahuita. Our guide, Kevin, was excellent, and we really appreciated having him help us choose activities along with his extensive knowledge of birds, wildlife, vegetation, food, and the local areas. On our trip from the airport, Kevin introduced us to Costa Rican cuisine, including casado, patacones, limonada with hierbabuena, and coffee as he pointed out coffee plantations and stopped along the way to see a waterfall. It was a pleasure spending time with Kevin, getting to see where he lived and meeting his family, and I liked that my teenager happily went along with the planned activities because we had definite plans for the day with set pickup times.

Kevin arranged visits to Mistico Hanging Bridges, the sky tram, La Fortuna waterfall, a great pineapple tour with lunch, a chocolate tour, and a boat trip along the Sarapiqui. All of these visits were enhanced by Kevin pointing out various types of birds, wildlife, and vegetation, such as the broad-billed motmot, the Montezuma Orependola, toucans, sloths, bats camouflaging themselves on trees, green and black and blue jean dart frogs, eyelash pit vipers (from a good distance), and howler and spider monkeys.

Our first hotel was great and had a small farm where we milked cows and saw a day-old lamb. We enjoyed bird watching here and at our next hotel during breakfasts. We also liked seeing a mother and baby sloth at our hotel in Cahuita and petting the hotel cat.

Kevin also encouraged us to speak Spanish since we wanted to work on it a bit even though his English was excellent. Kevin gave us a great recommendation of the Jaguar Rescue Center in Puerto Viejo in Limón. That was one of my child’s highlights so you may want to consider including it in the recommended activities. I also enjoyed talking to our driver on the way back from Cahuita and got to speak Spanish on our way back to San Jose.

Thanks!