Adventures in Costa Rica Vacation: Live Volcano, Zip Line & Rafting Tour

Overall experience was decent.  Driver is always on time.  Wish more explanation on the tour package, it sounds very similar throughout all locations with various activities.   If certain package or activities can be combined, it will be nice.  Certain iconic location should be with more explaiantion.  For example, we were proposed with two waterfall options one in Arenal area and other one on the way to Manuel San Antonio, but the one over Arenal was the iconic waterfall.  We didn’t know and we missed it.

First, let me be clear that we had a wonderful time on our trip.  The itinerary from San Jose to Arenal to Monteverde to Manuel Antonio kept us active and engaged the entire time.  Any comments I make about specific excursions or itinerary are strictly to give feedback and did not in any large way detract from what was a memorable vacation in a beautiful country.  My son and I would go back tomorrow if we could. 

The transportation was arranged beautifully.  Each time we were supposed to be picked up, we were picked up on time, by a clean van or bus and taken to our destination.  I won't get into my dislike of all the tailgating and passing on narrow roads that the Costa Ricans seem to enjoy, but we got to all of our locations safe and sound.  The drivers were very friendly, and concerned for our comfort.  Some of these transports were 3+ hours and the smiles really never left their faces, despite the long drives over less than stellar mountain roads.  2 thumbs up.

The itinerary overall was well thought out and arranged.  I made it clear that we didn't want to spend all day in the van transporting from one location to another and our agent worked with me to find interesting tours on our way to break things up.  The Crocodile tour on the Tarcoles River was one such trip and should not be missed.  On this particular excursion, we were sitting down to a fabulous lunch when two large tour buses pulled in.  As my son and I made our way to our private boat for the tour, we remarked how happy we were to be on our own and not tied down to a busload of 60 people. 

If we are able to return to Costa Rica some day, I would not hesitate to work with this company again.

I enjoyed the accommodations in Manuel Antonio, and Arenal - beautiful hotels with incredible views. The activities were quite enjoyable as well - particularly the "canyoneering" and boat tour. The first hotel I stayed at was very stylish - I wish I could have been in San Jose longer to explore the city.

My travel company was very responsive and available to requests. I was quite impressed that the agent I had communicated with met me personally at the airport and walked me through the itinerary before dropping me off. At one point, an activity they planned was quite disappointing, so I left an email essentially suggesting that they make alternate arrangements for future guests. The next business day, they had arranged another excursion in the next city to compensate - which was more than I was expecting.

I cannot say enough good things about the team at Zicasso’s travel partner. It's not just that they arranged an amazing Costa Rican adventure for me and my family, but it's the service they provided that really made everything so seamless.

The amazing service began during the planning stages, when the team worked with us to build a travel itinerary that fit our timing and budget (not easy, given it was the Christmas holiday season and we got a late start in planning). Based on our interests, they provided a menu of options in each region of the country. When we had questions about excursions, they were quick to respond and happy to provide recommendations based on their intimate knowledge of the activities and providers. In the week leading up to the trip, they provided a detailed itinerary, as well as instructions on what to expect when we landed in San Jose.

The incredible service continued once we were on the ground in Costa Rica. Our travel agent and his daughter met us at the airport with a welcome gift of local chocolates. He introduced our driver and went over the itinerary with us. We exchanged WhatsApp information and he encouraged me to text/call at any time with any questions, issues, or feedback.

From the airport, we made our way to Manuel Antonio, with a stop for lunch and fresh fruit. We checked into the hotel and a lovely room with panoramic views of the ocean and a magnificent sunset. It was my birthday, and the travel team arranged for a lovely fresh fruit tray to be sent to the room, as well as restaurant reservations that evening.

After three days in Manuel Antonio, we were driven to La Fortuna/Arenal (a long drive) and checked into a large resort with excellent facilities and incredibly responsive service (we called to ask for a roll-away bed, and within two minutes three people showed up with the bed and sheets). While we were in Arenal, we messaged the travel team with questions about potential changes to the itinerary (including changing the time of a couple of activities, as well as adding an activity), and they responded within minutes, making all the changes!

After three days in La Fortuna/Arenal, we headed to Monteverde for a couple of days at a resort, a lovely property in a great location. We enjoyed a couple of days in Monteverde before heading back to San Jose for our flight back to the States. On the drive back, our travel agent called to thank us for entrusting our trip to them, but I had to stop him, as it was really us who needed to thank him for making the trip so enjoyable (and so seamless)!

On the advice of a friend, I decided to enlist the services of a local travel company to assist in the planning of our “once in a lifetime” trip to Costa Rica. I contacted three companies outlining our vision of the perfect holiday. This agent was the first to respond. Another company responded within two days and the third company responded after about a week with the name of the consultant but I never heard from her again.

Throughout the initial process of determining our favourite itinerary, our agent was always prompt in his replies, always did his utmost to accommodate our wishes and offered excellent advice on the specific details of our trip. It was an easy decision to entrust our vacation to this company. With only a few days left to our departure, our agent was able to make a change to our accommodation due entirely to my own failure to pay attention to the details of the itinerary.

Upon our arrival at the airport in San Jose we were greeted by our agent and our driver. They provided us with a copy of our daily itinerary, 24 hour contact information, as well as vouchers for all the pre-paid activities for the next two weeks. Included was a gift bag containing a bottle of wine, an assortment of Costa Rican candies and a bag of peanuts, all of which we enjoyed over the course of the next two weeks.

Our driver drove us from San Jose to Arenal, a drive that lasted three hours and all during that time, he provided a running commentary on the sights and offered insights into the Costa Rican culture. He was entertaining, sociable, and a joy to spend time with.

Our entire trip proceeded without a hitch. All our drivers were prompt and courteous. Most of the pre-paid excursions were beyond expectations and our accommodations were perfect. Well, except for the no electricity at one location but we were aware of that before we booked it. If you want to save the environment, you have to put up with some inconveniences and the location certainly made up for the annoyance of dealing with head of uncontrollable frizz.

The day before our departure for Pacuare, our agent made arrangements with our hotel to accommodate all our luggage. There is a baggage restriction for those who choose to arrive by river raft – we were not quite so adventurous and chose to arrive by land. He was always available, no matter the time of day and always most eager to address any concerns that we had.

Upon our return to San Jose, we were booked into a downtown hotel which was close to all amenities and within walking distance of all the local points of interest. Sadly for us, although the hotel was certainly convenient, it was not the type of hotel that we had come to expect. I am not one to complain but since we were spending three nights in San Jose, we did not want the last few days of our trip to be a disappointment and we would be spending more time there than just resting our heads at the end of the day. I contacted our agent and within the half hour, he made arrangements for us to be checked out, picked up and escorted to another hotel – a beautiful, upscale, Victorian boutique hotel – at no extra cost to us. Not only that but while we were having dinner, he dropped by to ensure that we were happy with the arrangements.

Due in large part to this company, our vacation was stress-free. Service and friendliness couldn’t be beat, not only by this company but also by the staff at the hotels and, in particular, the drivers and guides on our local tours and excursions who made us feel special. I have no hesitation in recommending this travel agency and my experience with them has confirmed my resolve to always consult a local travel specialist for any future trips. This was the trip of a lifetime! Thank you!