Mystic Waterfalls & Forests Of Costa Rica

Customer Reviews

• NK

  Nancy

  · February 17th, 2025
  For a first timer in CR, this was a great tour...
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  Trip date: February 2025
• TJ

  Terence L O'Rourke

  · February 11th, 2025
  Great opportunities for adventure throughout, with lots of contacts with locals who were so helpful, fun, and informative. Costa Rica is a lovely country, but it's people make it unforgettable.
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  Trip date: February 2025
• ML

  Mark

  · February 3rd, 2025
  It was very good. Only the first stay was unclear and confusing.
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  Trip date: January 2025
• B

  Beth

  · July 26th, 2024
  I was on this tour with my 14-year-old son just last week. I’ll admit that I was a little nervous about booking a tour with so few reviews, but it’s the one he most wanted. In short, we had an amazing time, and the trip exceeded my expectations. Karla at Destination Services was very responsive to my questions and provided a phone number via WhatsApp to use while in the country. We received our detailed itinerary about a week before departure and again from our driver when we were picked up at the airport in Liberia. I appreciated that the itinerary included "what to bring" for the various activities (i.e., insect repellent, towel, change of clothes, binoculars). All the transfers (from hotel to hotel and for the various included tours) were on-time and smooth. The transfers to each subsequent hotel included only my son and me, no other passengers, and the drivers were amendable to stopping en route if needed (for a restroom or snack break). Several of the included activities did include other participants and the "tourismo" vans picked up/dropped off folks at their respective hotels. We loved our first hotel, Hacienda Guachipelín. The room was spacious (including the bathroom). Due to our flight schedule and delay, we arrived at night and then only had one full day there. While the website itinerary suggests a horseback ride to waterfalls, it wasn’t clear to me that it was only a suggestion. The Hacienda offers about a dozen different tours ranging from 2 hours for one activity to a full day for several, and the cost of whichever tour we’d choose would be additional. We booked the One Day Adventure Pass (which includes tubing, zip lining, horseback riding and hot springs), but since there had been thunderstorms all night several of those activities (plus access to the waterfalls) were cancelled due to the heavy rain. Still, we went zip lining and then horseback riding with a group, and then mountain bike riding just the two of us, and it was all so fun (and challenging at times)! The on-site adventure company that facilitates the zip lining strongly suggests leaving behind cell phones to keep them safe (a valid point). We learned that one of the guides takes photos (while zip lining) for those who want to purchase them (something we indulged in to preserve the incredible experience). It would have been nice to have another day here (so pick your flights accordingly). In Monteverde we stayed at Montaña Monteverde, another nice hotel though the rooms are a little dated in comparison to the others. Still, it was very spacious, had a balcony with an amazing view and there’s a huge tub. We had a free afternoon before that evening’s night hike, so we went to Selvatura Park. There’s lot offered there, and we chose the Treetop Walkway – guide not included- and the Sloth Habitat. A free shuttle picked us up from the hotel, which was super convenient. I loved the sloth tour, even though they weren’t outdoors in the natural environment. There are about a dozen sloths that reside at the sanctuary and the tour includes a guide. The restaurant at the park offered tasty food as well. Regarding tipping: I'd asked Karla what the expectations were around this and learned that while tips are optional, they’re already included on restaurant bills. However, I quickly learned that all food bills include an option to include an additional tip. And it seems customary to tip many of the folks involved in the various activities (drivers & tour guides), especially since there are signs and containers advertising as much. One mistake I made was not withdrawing enough money at the airport to use for this purpose. My son wasn’t interested in exploring the various towns, and that meant I didn’t have access to ATM machines. I’d suggest having plenty $1’s and $5’s (or Colones) handy for tipping throughout your trip. Food: Breakfast is included at all the hotels and is buffet. Food ranged from generally good to very good and coffee was delicious. Hacienda Guachipelín has several spots for eating whereas Montaña Monteverde has one. Though you sign your bill at the end of each meal eaten at the hotels, the costs are paid when you check-out. Weather was hot and humid in Rincon de la Vieja (where Hacienda Guachipelín is located) and again in Arenal (hotel Lomas del Volcan) and cool and very windy in Monteverde (so glad I brought a sweatshirt!). It was wet everywhere. We brought and used our rain jackets most days and had plastic ponchos just in case. We also purchased waterproof, clear plastic phone cases (the kind that hang around your neck) to use on adventures. The night walk in Monteverde was fun and we did see animals and insects (toucan, owl, spiders, glass tree frog eggs). For El Tigre Waterfalls tour, we were paired with a family of three and a guide. Some parts of the trail are slippery so sturdy-ish shoes are essential. My son wore Crocs (and slipped once, but maybe that’s because he was looking at his phone and not the trail?) and I wore Keens throughout the tour and those worked well. There are handrails for parts of the trails, but not all of it. Toward the end of the trail, you’ll have an option to ride a zipline *bike* (for an extra cost) or continue to hike toward the end. Then, you’ll either ride horseback or take a 4x4 back to the start point where you’ll be rewarded with a delicious lunch. That afternoon we added an outing to TreeTopia Park for more zip lining (highly recommend!!) This was truly a thrilling experiencing with zip lining great distances and at great heights, all done in the cloud forest. Our final hotel in Arenal was Lomas del Volcan and it was truly amazing. All the rooms are bungalows. The grounds are tropical and beautiful. There are two pools, and the warmer one has a swim-up bar (food can be ordered too). We spent many hours lounging in it and poolside. Plus, volcán Arenal is *right there*. I’d definitely return to this spot. Our tour of Arenal Hanging Bridges and La Fortuna Waterfall hike was just us and our guide. While the website noted it was a two-hour hike, the entire outing lasted about five hours. Lots of folks get in the water at La Fortuna Waterfall, so plan on that. We brought light-weight packable travel towels, and they came in handy. Hotel Lomas del Volcan has an employee who handles tours and booked an afternoon outing of ATV riding for us. My son had intended on driving with me sitting behind him, but there’s a minimum age of 16. It was incredibly exciting and a highlight. The final included activity of the tour is waterfall rappelling with the optional monkey drop. We were in a group of 19 that included kids as young as six and their active granddad. The guides were great, and it was a lot of fun. Expect to get totally soaked!!! (I'm glad I opted *not* to wear my phone in the waterproof case as we received more than waterfall "shower.") Again, you’ll have the option of purchasing photos. We added an extra night to our trip to accommodate our departing flight, so we spent a night in Liberia at Hampton by Hilton. While it’s a nice hotel, it didn’t compare to where we’d been (same goes for the food). Still, it’s essentially across the street from the airport, so super convenient for early morning flights. There is a sweet café next door called Meztli Coffee house that I recommend. Both my teen and I traveled with a backpack and carry-on luggage for the nine day trip. We used our backpacks every day and had water bottles with built-in filters as I didn’t want to pay for bottled water. My teen and I would 100% recommend this trip.
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  Destination Services Costa Rica commented on this review

  Good Day Dear Beth Thanks for your amazing review, we are super glad to know you and your son have an incredible time in Costa Rica. We hope you can have the opportunity to come back some day to discover more great places of the country. Regards,... Show more
  Trip date: July 2024
• CH

  Christine

  · May 8th, 2024
  Please read. Helpful info and tips included....
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  Destination Services Costa Rica commented on this review

  Hi Christine Thank you so much for taking the time of leaving us your great comments, we really appreciate. This kind information helps us a lot to keep improving in our services. We are glad to know you have a great experience in your trip.... Show more
  
  Trip date: February 2024
• 

  Jason

  · April 25th, 2024
  Great excursions with a balance of leisurely...
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  Destination Services Costa Rica commented on this review

  Hi Jason It was a true honor to be able to assist you during your trip, we really appreciate your comments. We hope you have enjoyed Costa Rica and please don't hesitate to comeback someday and contact us to help you. Regards, Karla Alpízar... Show more
  Trip date: March 2024
• 

  Jordan

  · October 23rd, 2023
  tour was excellent - all events, activities,...
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  Destination Services Costa Rica commented on this review

  Thank you for your very positive feedback. Your comments are very important for us to improve our services and I am glad you had a lovely experience with us and we met your travelling expectations. We hope to be your choice for your future holiday... Show more
  Trip date: October 2023
• CC

  Chris

  · April 13th, 2023
  It was a fun tour put together. The name of...
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  Destination Services Costa Rica commented on this review

  Thanks so much for your feedback! we really appreciate the time you took to write such a review! Hope soon you come back to Costa Rica
  Trip date: April 2023
• JK

  Jose

  · June 9th, 2022
  Overall well thought out and experiences were...
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  Destination Services Costa Rica commented on this review

  Thank you very much for your feedback! We take note of your comments to improve in the future. We hope soon your return to Costa Rica and provide an excellent experience!
  Trip date: May 2022