This was our first trip to Costa Rica (CR) and Green World Adventure made sure it was as fantastic an experience as it could be. We booked a modified birdwatching... read more tour at relatively late notice (1 month) but GWA was able to come up with a viable proposal within days. There were discussions conducted by email and an itinerary that minimized stopovers in the San Juan area and maximized stays at the areas of interest was soon agreed upon. A final general itinerary was sent to us and a few days before departure a more detailed summary of arrival/pick-up/departure times was also forwarded. When we met our driver at the San Juan airport we received a final printed schedule with the names of the specific providers of activities (transfers, birdwatching forest tours etc).

If anyone reading this will be a first-time visitor to CR understand that while the country is relatively small, (smaller than West Virginia) travel times by road are much longer than one would expect compared to the experience in the US. For example, the road distance between the capital city and La Fortuna, a major tourism hub at the base of the Arenal volcano is only 71 miles but it takes approximately 2:30h to drive. That is because the majority of the roads in our experience are just two-lane (1 lane in each direction) and, in the mountains, very twisty. Interestingly the bridges a single-lane requiring an honor system of taking turns to cross in opposite directions. Sometimes a column of cars crossed, nose-to-tail, clearly not willing to stop and let our van in; our driver kept nosing the vehicle into oncoming traffic until someone on the other side finally stopped. We learned to just go with the flow and enjoy the views.

Do not be discouraged by this and please consider visiting CR. It is a wonderful country, replete with natural wonders. We visited to specifically for that reason and experienced the offerings of coastal Tortuguero (highlight: watching green turtles laying eggs at night), Arenal volcano (highlights: sloths, night forest tour), and Monteverde (highlight: male resplendent quetzal).

There were birds to spot everywhere. Almost all were new sightings (“lifers” in birding lingo) for us but we also spotted a migrant Blackburnian warbler in Arenal and a Yellow warbler in Tortuguero. Hummingbirds just love the purple lantana (but they feed primarily on insects). We feasted our eyes on richly-colored trogons and motmots.

GWA strongly urged me to download WhatsApp as a means of staying in touch and I am glad I did. They gave regular updates when necessary (eg. name of driver, unexpected delays), inquired as to how things were going, and doing their best to help out when things did not quite work out as they should (promptly calling the hotel and tour operator).

GWA offers more than purely nature-oriented experiences. We met a couple from the US who were also traveling on a GWA-arranged itinerary and had enjoyed zip-lining in Monteverde and white-water rafting in Arenal

GWA took great care of us start to finish and I wholeheartedly recommend them.

  The Hanging Bridges tour in Arenal was super amazing. The attention paid to preserving the ecosystem of this country was truly heartening to see.
Green world Adventures enabled us... read more to travel in comfort and stay in very nice hotels.
Our travel agent, Paulina, was patient and answered the numerous questions and accommodated the different changes that we made to our itinerary.
Everything ran smoothly and we were able to enjoy this country in comfort and style.

  What an incredible trip! My adult daughter and I booked a 12-day Costa Rican adventure with Green World Adventures! From our initial contact and throughout the booking process, Alberto responded... read more promptly with helpful information and trip suggestions. He worked with us to create an itinerary that was a perfect balance of fun, active, informative, and relaxing. When we arrived, a GWA representative picked us up at the airport, took time to go over our itinerary, and gave us many helpful suggestions for our travel. During the trip, our hotels, activities, and transport were what we hoped for and so much more! Our guides and drivers were kind, helpful, knowledgeable, and reliable. Each location had its own personality and highlights. Our accommodations were comfortable and the food was delicious.. Whenever we had a question, Green World Adventures was quick to respond so that we had the best experience possible. We are already thinking of our next visit to Costa Rica and look forward to working with GWA again. Thank you, Green World Adventures, for a memorable experience! Pura Vida!

  Where do I begin!? Even with the rocky, mountainous, and long distance driving the entire trip was amazing! Please don't let the drives deter you! It is a great and... read more beautiful way to see this gorgeous country! For the great price you get a rental, breakfast, different hotel in different locations, entry fees and more! Even when it started thundering during our zip line and we had to cut the adventure short, the were willing to allow is to come back and complete the zip line the next day, with no question and free of charge! The waterfall was better than any picture I've seen. Furthermore, every location is equally beautiful and accommodating. The staff everywhere, including the Green World Adventures staff is very responsive! If you're thinking about booking, DO IT!

  I received excellent service from beginning to end with Green World Adventures. Alberto was prompt to reply to questions prior to the trip and everything went as planned. ... read more We had an amazing time and will be booking our next trip through GWA.

  I booked a 9 day trip in Costa Rica for my family which includes a 6 and 4 year old, and had an absolutely fantastic time! The itinerary was well... read more balanced, incorporating a lot of exciting activities without being overwhelming or overscheduled. The hotels were all great and the transfers worked well. Any questions we had during the trip were answered efficiently, and local guides were extremely knowledgeable and friendly - and really brought the wonderful natural setting to life for both my wife and I and the kids. Thoroughly recommended!