Libro de Visitas

We did a combination tour in Arenal Volcano area. it was definitely a highlight in our life. Amazing tour and guide.

hola.....we are back to our ordinary life and job...but we left our heart there...
we want say thanks for make the trip fantastic to us... Miguel you are the best guide and kind person.
Please replay to me when you get this ...i lost your e mail....
Me and Nontas spent one more day in san jose because iberia airline cut off our seats because of overbooking...
i will sent photos when i will get your email..
see you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear teams from travel-to nature and mapache tours,

Last October we had the pleasure of joining your costa-rica for families tour. We want to give you a short summary and evaluation. When we arrived in San Jose we were immediately picked up and well taken care for. All luggage was stored by your – or better our - guides Alberto and Jonathan. Already on the trip to the hotel in san jose we got a lot of useful information and got an impression of the warm and friendly nature of our two guides. The hotel was nice, the rooms were good and the food as well. On the following trips through Carthago, Poas, and up to La Fortuna we felt pampered. Both Jonathan and Alberto were not only incredibly friendly, they had a good sense of humor and soon picked up the open and friendly mood between all of us. We, that were a family with 2 kids, 13 and 11 and a family with 4 kids, ranging from 5 to 15, one of them with a handicap.

I must admit, I was somewhat sceptical, whether this wide range of ages and abilities would workout, but it happened to be just the opposite ! The mixture was a blessed learning experience for all of us. Alberto and Jonathan were so playful, considerate and fun to be with, all the children soon developed a great bond and “friendship” with them and so did we. Whether we all played soccer in a local park, went swimming, played cards or built sand-dolphins, it was as having an extended family, just without the usual quarrels. On all trips, both guides made sure that no one was driven beyond their limits, but had a challenge. They took care of the little one, if necessary, like on the canopy tour, and where never bothered by extra demands like a midnight trip with Alberto to the volcano for extra photos, or that Jonathan got up at 5 and went on an extra hike with my wife, and she still enjoys the memory of that early morning hike!. Alberto soon went into a German-Spanish language learning program with the kids and some of us and made an extra stop on the way to the airport to show us an animal project with jaguars, pumas etc.

As to the information on the trip, Jonathan proved to be a never ending source of information about the local animals and plants, both on the rainforest as well as in every other part of the country. The visited projects were carefully selected and well worth the visit. The tips for restaurants were excellent, giving that 6 kids were always present, close to amazing that there were no complaints. We learned so much about ecology from Jonathan that we actually believe to know more about the Cost Rica situation than the German one. Maybe we should book such a tour here as well.

The hotels were all very good. The best one was the one in La Fortuna. We had the cabins with direct view on to the Arenal, the pool was great and used from 6 in the morning and the personnel was very friendly showing us the hotel-specialities, like Tonto the crocodile or the sloth – those in the trees, not on the cabins. The food was again excellent and the owner was very friendly and even let us use his personal email. The Mapacheteam in La Fortuna also proved very helpful and supportive. The information before the trip was very good and the extra questions on the telephone were answered very family-oriented and competent.

All the other hotels and cabins were also nice, the one in Playa Hermosa gave good tips for a boat trip, and we enjoyed the totally unreal feeling of being in hot volcano pools in the middle of the forest in Quesada. The only suggestion for improvement in all the hotels and cabins would be, to install devices to hang your wet clothes over to get them somewhat dry in the cabins. It was the rainy season, so the cabins were decorated every evening with wet clothes all over the lamps, climate control and such. Some stands for that would help.

In short, the trip was absolutely marvellous and we have not stopped telling friends and colleagues about it. We also will go on another one in a year or two. One of the best assets of the trip were Alberto and his bus and Jonathan and his knowledge. We want to congratulate the organizers for choosing such wonderful personnel on top of such a memorable journey. Back in the usual hectic and hassles at work and school, the Costa Rica Trip is a refuge for us, to feed of the wonderful memories, although 3 months have already passed again.

Thanks and see you again.

All the best for the coming years