text:
Search for Escorted Tours, Independent Packages & Cruises
Virgin Vacations brings you to where passion and beauty are ingrained into the very landscape with tours of Costa Rica. Choose any of our Escorted tours to enjoy the luxurious, relaxed feel of these truly incredible tours. Our Fly and Drive Costa Rica Vacations give you the freedom of a rental car to explore and experience Costa Rica on your own terms, at your own pace.
Costa Rica Tours
Maximize comfort and value, while taking advantage of the camaraderie that comes with traveling as a group. Escorted tours of Costa Rica feature a professional English-speaking tour manager to handle all of your needs. On partially escorted tours, a portion of your vacation may be independent; sightseeing tours are provided by professional English-speaking local guides.
|Air & LandA&L
|Land OnlyLO
7 Day Classic Costa Rica
|2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde
|Jan - Dec '17
9 Day Classic Costa Rica with Guanacaste
|2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 2 Guanacaste
|Jan - Dec '17
10 Day Classic Costa Rica with Manuel Antonio
|2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Manuel Antonio
|Jan - Dec '17
10 Day Classic Costa Rica with Tortuguero
|3 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde
|Jan - Dec '17
11 Day Guatemala & Costa Rica
|3 Guatemala City, 3 Chichicastenango, 2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde
|Jan - Dec '17
11 Day Panama & Costa Rica
|4 Panama City, 2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde
|Jan - Dec '17
14 Day Guatemala & Costa Rica
|3 Guatemala City, 1 Chichicastenango, 2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Manuel Antonio
|Jan - Dec '17
12 Day Classic Costa Rica with Guanacaste & Manuel Antonio
|2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 2 Guanacaste, 3 Central Pacific
|Jan - Dec '17
12 Day Classic Costa Rica with Tortuguero & Guanacaste
|3 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 2 Guanacaste
|Jan - Dec '17
13 Day Classic Costa Rica with Tortuguero & Manuel Antonio
|3 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Manuel Antonio
|Jan - Dec '17
14 Day Panama & Costa Rica with Manuel Antonio
|4 Panama City, 2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Manuel Antonio
|Jan - Dec '17
15 Day Kaleidoscope of Costa Rica with Manuel Antonio
|3 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 2 Guanacaste, 3 Central Pacific
|Jan - Dec '17
7 Day Classic Costa RicaEscorted
2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$959*Land Only:
View Details
9 Day Classic Costa Rica with GuanacasteEscorted
2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 2 Guanacaste
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$1429*Land Only:
View Details
10 Day Classic Costa Rica with Manuel AntonioEscorted
2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Manuel Antonio
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$1329*Land Only:
View Details
10 Day Classic Costa Rica with TortugueroEscorted
3 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$1379*Land Only:
View Details
11 Day Guatemala & Costa RicaEscorted
3 Guatemala City, 3 Chichicastenango, 2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$1379*Land Only:
View Details
11 Day Panama & Costa RicaEscorted
4 Panama City, 2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$1609*Land Only:
View Details
14 Day Guatemala & Costa RicaEscorted
3 Guatemala City, 1 Chichicastenango, 2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Manuel Antonio
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$1939*Land Only:
View Details
12 Day Classic Costa Rica with Guanacaste & Manuel AntonioEscorted
2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 2 Guanacaste, 3 Central Pacific
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$1699*Land Only:
View Details
12 Day Classic Costa Rica with Tortuguero & GuanacasteEscorted
3 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 2 Guanacaste
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$1799*Land Only:
View Details
13 Day Classic Costa Rica with Tortuguero & Manuel AntonioEscorted
3 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Manuel Antonio
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$2009*Land Only:
View Details
14 Day Panama & Costa Rica with Manuel AntonioEscorted
4 Panama City, 2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Manuel Antonio
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$2189*Land Only:
View Details
15 Day Kaleidoscope of Costa Rica with Manuel AntonioEscorted
3 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 2 Guanacaste, 3 Central Pacific
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$2119*Land Only:
View Details
Costa Rica Flight, Hotel & Car Rental Packages
Set your own pace with an independent fly & drive vacation in Costa Rica. Suggested itineraries include the most popular routes with hotel accommodations included.
|Air & LandA&L
|Land OnlyLO
6 Day Costa Rica Pacific Beach All Inclusive Fly & Drive
|Fly Drive
|5 Central Pacific Coast Region
|Jan - Dec '17
7 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive
|Fly Drive
|2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde
|Jan - Dec '17
7 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with Guanacaste
|Fly Drive
|1 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 3 Guanacaste
|Jan - Dec '17
8 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with Manuel Antonio
|Fly Drive
|2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 3 Manuel Antonio
|Jan - Dec '17
9 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with Guanacaste
|Fly Drive
|1 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Guanacaste
|Jan - Dec '17
9 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with Tortuguero
|Fly Drive
|2 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde
|Jan - Dec '17
10 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with Manuel Antonio
|Fly Drive
|2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Manuel Antonio
|Jan - Dec '17
11 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with Tortuguero & Guanacaste
|Fly Drive
|1 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Guanacaste
|Jan - Dec '17
12 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with Tortuguero & Manuel Antonio
|Fly Drive
|2 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Manuel Antonio
|Jan - Dec '17
6 Day Costa Rica Pacific Beach All Inclusive Fly & DriveFly Drive
5 Central Pacific Coast Region
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$699*Land Only:
View Details
7 Day Costa Rica Fly & DriveFly Drive
2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$589*Land Only:
View Details
7 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with GuanacasteFly Drive
1 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 3 Guanacaste
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$899*Land Only:
View Details
8 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with Manuel AntonioFly Drive
2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 3 Manuel Antonio
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$729*Land Only:
View Details
9 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with GuanacasteFly Drive
1 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Guanacaste
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$1079*Land Only:
View Details
9 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with TortugueroFly Drive
2 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$939*Land Only:
View Details
10 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with Manuel AntonioFly Drive
2 San Jose, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Manuel Antonio
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$889*Land Only:
View Details
11 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with Tortuguero & GuanacasteFly Drive
1 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Guanacaste
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$1259*Land Only:
View Details
12 Day Costa Rica Fly & Drive with Tortuguero & Manuel AntonioFly Drive
2 San Jose, 2 Tortuguero, 2 Arenal, 2 Monteverde, 3 Manuel Antonio
Jan - Dec '17Air & Land:
$1199*Land Only:
View Details
This was my first experience with Gate 1 and it exceeded all expectations. We were impressed by the organization and the quality of the hotels and restaurants. Our tour guide, Manfred, was very congenial and made the trip informative and fun. The trip was a great value for the money.Ronald C. Tampa, FL
Once again, we had a great time. Luis, our guide was so knowledgeable of the birds, animals, insects and plants. He made a great trip that much better. Thanks Gate 1!Stephanie D. Carbondale, IL
The trip was wonderful, had a great time! I was very impressed with the Gate 1 company in operations and the guides all were extremely nice and very knowledgeable. I would travel again with Gate 1.Patricia D. Elmont, NY
It was awesome. Rafael was very knowledgeable about so many things about Costa Rica, from history to culture to flora and fauna. We learned so much in that short time. We highly recommend Gate 1 Travel to everyone.Richard L. Albuquerque, NM
Excellent fun trip. Ricardo our guide was knowledgable professional and helpful with everyone's needs. Costa Rica is a beautiful country!Thomas W. Ft Myers Bch, FL
It was really a lot of fun. Ricardo (tour guide) was great! Accommodations were wonderful!!! And the weather was perfect!Rebecca S. Pueblo, CO
Wonderful trip!! Everything exceeded our expectations. Ricardo our guide and Max our driver were great. Hotels, restaurants, locations and excursions were lovely. I am running out of superlatives. We will definitely use Gate 1 again!!Megan S. Lebanon, OH
The trip was great. We really liked Costa Rica. And Gate 1 delivers on their promises. We liked all the arrangements and will recommend Gate 1 to all our friends. We ourselves are frequent vacationers and will be joining you again.Ghazala S. Raleigh, NC
The trip was great. Our guide, Manfred, and coach driver, Randall, were super. Very helpful, knowledgeable, professional and all around enjoyable to travel with. Also, Monica, who we had on the last day was also a super guide. We thoroughly enjoyed experiencing Costa Rica, loved the accommodations, food and in general, everything about the trip. The highlight for me was having the humming birds land on my fingers and hands. We love them and have them in our yard. Not as many as you have but we love ours as well. This is a trip I would recommend and especially promote Gate 1. This is our 5th trip with Gate 1 and they all have been super and look forward to other Gate 1 trips.Paul T. Crofton, MD
We had a wonderful time. Great itinerary . Manfred our guide was outstanding -- knowledgeable, professional and very helpful to everyone. Our bus driver Randall was the best. We were happy with our accommodations in each place. Great trip.Carole T. Bristol, RI
Excellent Hotels, Great Tours and Excursions. Manfred was an outstanding Tour Manager, and the Bus Drivers were exceptional in looking after our safety. Costa Rica is gorgeous and I will return one day. The food was very good, particularly at the Tryp Hotel in San Jose. My favorite excursion was Zipline in the Monte Verde Cloud Forest.Searle H. Las Vegas, NV
The trip was great. It was very well-organized and efficient. Our tour guide, Rafael, did a great job of leading the group, educating us on Costa Rican culture and history, and showing great care and concern for the people on the trip. I am a vegetarian and I appreciated that he was sensitive to my and other travelers' dietary needs. I also appreciated the time he took to explain our daily schedule and what we could expect for different meals and excursions. My friend and I had Monica as our tour guide for a half day as well and she was fantastic and very considerate of everyone's needs. I also enjoyed all of the excursions we went on. I would not have been able to have had the same experience booking them and traveling to them on my own. I believe it would have been much more difficult considering the rough Costa Rican roads/driving conditions and the language barrier I faced not speaking much Spanish. The hotel accommodations were great and I appreciated that Gate 1 specified exactly which hotels we would stay at prior to booking the trip. This is not something that every tour company I looked into was able to do. Overall, the trip far exceeded my expectations.Alyssa K. Berkely, MI
Our trip was great. Costa Rica was so beautiful. Our guide, Jose, was excellent. He kept everything running smoothly and was very knowledgeable and friendly. We are looking forward to our next Gate 1 trip, probably to Iceland.Diana D. San Antonio, TX
Trip was excellent. Exceeded expectations. Ricardo was a wonderful guide. All hotels were great. Excursions were really nice. Had a wonderful time. Looking forward to our next trips in April to Ireland and in June to Africa. Just an overall fantastic experience once again.David W. Windermere, FL
Our trip was awesome! My girlfriend and myself loved Costa Rica! Our guide did an excellent job telling us the history of the country, as well as the animals that live there. He also gave some insight on who he was which built a relationship with our group! Everything went smooth and easy!Roman P. Gustine, CA
Christmas spent in Costa Rica did not disappoint. CR is a beautiful country, very diverse and with so much nature, and the Costa Rican people are lovely. The trip, my 22nd with Gate 1, was brought to life by a superb tour manager, Luis, who handled the group of 41 with ease, was funny, friendly, super organized, and above all a Wikipedia of the natural world, with info delivered in an interesting way that you never tired of. As soon as I met him I knew that I would return home wiser. Complemented by a safe and courteous driver, Max, nice hotels, delicious food and a well paced itinerary, it all added up to another winner. Thanks Gate 1 - see you in 2017 - already have four more trips booked for the New Year!Lorraine P. Stamford, CT
My trip to Costa Rica was wonderful! My tour guide, Luis, did an incredible job. He was very knowledgeable about the plants growing in the country and about the animals, and did an excellent job of describing other things related to Costa Rica. I especially enjoyed how truly excited he was about those things and how much he wanted to share his wealth of knowledge with the tour group. The trip route, hotels, and excursions were very well planned out. We saw a lot in our time in Costa Rica, with ample time to choose things to explore on our own and not with the entire group. Max, the bus driver, also did a great job! I was very impressed by other members of the tour group and did not, during the entire week, hear anyone in the group say something negative about another person who was a part of the group. I appreciated it that there was someone waiting with me from Gate 1 as I picked up my baggage at the San Jose airport upon arrival. It was also very nice that there was an extra person (local guide type person) along with the driver when I was driven from the San Jose airport to the hotel. I also appreciated having an extra person (local guide type person) in the vehicle both on my arrival in Bogota in June and as I went to the airport in Cartagena. This was during my Gate 1 tour of Colombia in June 2016. Costa Rica is an amazing place to visit. The people there have made some very good choices. I was extremely impressed by the organic farming, healthy and tasty food, and by the Costa Ricans excellent use of renewable resources. Their literacy rate is also very impressive. It is excellent that they have channeled funds that used to go towards the military into education. I have visited many other countries and have enjoyed them, but have usually thought that I was now ready to visit another country, and was not particularly interested in returning to the country I'd just visited. Costa Rica is definitely a place I'd like to revisit! Hopefully, this will happen soon. Gate 1 and Luis played a large part in my extremely positive experiences there.Alice T. Palatine, IL
The trip went very well and was fun thanks to our outstanding guide, Jose. Jose handled every situation professionally and smoothly, attending to the smallest details. We learned a lot about the history of Costa Rica, its way of life and uniqueness. Jose treated each one of us as a personal friend, not just as a tourist. He learned about the preferences, the interests and idiosyncrasies of each one of us and humored all of us. He always looks at you with a warm smile when he talks to you and does his best to meet all expectations and needs. I appreciated his valuable recommendations and advice about what to do during free time and how best to use your time. As a Gate 1 travel guide, Jose is in a class by himself. He is the best guide I have ever had and a great asset to Gate 1 travel.Yonka K. Wichita, KS
Our trip was great! We really enjoyed our tour manager and driver. Our guide was fantastic and very knowledgeable about Costa Rica. He was a biologist who pointed out the many interesting plants and animals in the rain forest. Our fellow travelers were very nice, we all got on well, and I hope to travel with them in the future. This is my second Gate 1 adventure, and I plan on many more!Madeleine S. San Jose, CA
Our trip was wonderful! It exceeded our expectations. This was our first tour and I would do it again with Gate 1 and a different destination. Our trip was interesting, informative, adventurous, and lots of fun rolled into the beauty of Costa Rica. Edgar was a great tour guide which made all this happen with some added humor, patience, kindness, concern and much more. Our bus driver Max was exceptional at driving that huge bus through some precarious roads; we always felt safe and comfortable.Donna Y. Pelham, NH
We had an absolutely terrific time! We caught the very edge of the rainy season which straddled our second day into the third, but when we woke up on the third day the skies were blue and clear, and we were surprised to see Arenal Volcano right before our eyes--what a delight! Ziplining, the hanging bridges walk and the eco-thermal spas are real highlights of the visit. This trip to Costa Rica was different from most other Gate 1 trips we've taken, being that it was more of a "nature" trip than the others which show more "man-made" structures. Both types are wonderful, especially with the professional guides Gate 1 uses!Claudia P. Flagler Beach, FL
Very good! Jose was one of the best tour guides. He really does his reading in order to maintain the most recent information. I learned a lot on this trip!Rivera E. Bridgeton, NJ
Awesome! Adobe Car Rental was very pleasant and helpful. The car was excellent. The hotels were great and we experienced so much of the country and the people.Kelli S. Camp Hill, PA
My trip was great, enjoyed every minute of it. From the city to the forest, it was great. My tour guide Luis, is a walking Wikipedia, because of his knowledge and passion for nature made the trip a learning and great experience. Because of Luis i want to go back to Costa Rica to explore the beautiful country some more. I hope Luis will be my tour guide on my next tour, to soak in his knowledge. The highlight of the tour for me was visiting the children at the school in the remote village. They are so humble and grateful.Jose D. South Gate, CA
OMG..it was awesome,especially due to our guide, Luis.When I return for the Caribbean side, I sure hope to get him as my guide.He's a walking encyclopedia with the eyes of an eagle. Also,there were no worries,everything was perfect!!! Thank you Gate 1.Sandra Melbourne, FL
The trip from the planning stages, all the way to the last day was wonderful! Gate 1 Travel made planning and keeping track of all info very easy. The itinerary was fantastic, we would be hard pressed to say which was our favorite. Visiting the school was the icing on the cake. We would really like to say a special shout out for our tour guides and drivers, they did a remarkable job. Manfred and Mauricio are top notch! They deserve an A+. For the drive back to San Jose we had Ricardo and Jose, we were not with them long, but the time we spent with them was very enjoyable. We would enjoy a trip back to Costa Rica. Thank you for putting together such and well planned and enjoyable trip.Matthew T. Engelwood, OH
Trip was awesome. We had a great time. Some friends who have visited CR warned us that it rains a lot because it is rainy season. Mornings were sunny and it only rained late in the afternoon and in the evening. Zip lining, hanging bridges, boat tours and catamaran tour went without a hitch.Gilbert,our tour guide,did not only take care of us but he taught us a lot about his country. He is incredibly knowledgeable, soft spoken, kind and good sense of humor. I would recommend this trip to my friends.Alita S. Ontario, Canada
Our trip with Gate 1 was wonderfull!!! All the accommodations were great and everyone was very nice. The food was good the tour guides were awesome.Angela R. Lakeland, FL
It was amazing! Giovani, our guide, did everything within his power to make things perfect. He was so informative, knowledgable, and friendly that he totally made the trip one of the best I have ever taken. The accommodations exceeded my expectations. Everything ran on schedule and efficiently.Maureen T. Wichita Falls, TX
The country is beautiful and Gate 1 made it a pleasure. Our tour manager Giovanni was very, very good. His knowledge of the region and his personal perspective gave us insight to the people, the country and it's history. He really did a great job. All of the arrangements came off flawlessly, we enjoyed the hotels and their locations, the excursions (fun and exciting, zipline WHOOOO!!), and meals. A special shoutout to Juan Carlos and Roberto our drivers during the trip. This is our second Gate 1 tour and we are exploring for the next one.Robert K. Georgetown, SC
It was amazing. Highly recommend that season. Zip line/repel tour was just my wife and I and two guides- same with a croc tour we took. Costa Rica is also easily drivable, we probably logged 12 hours just driving all over. I hope more people become aware of that fact because it was the best way to see the country. Beautiful weather with afternoon showers and wonderful people. Thank you.Brandon S. Edgewater, MD
Had a really wonderful time. Edgardo was a perfect guide - informed, personable, and unflappable. Accommodations were clean and suitable for the areas we visited. Was our first Gate 1 trip - will definitely use Gate 1 again in the future.Jeffrey H. La Canada Flt, CA
Fantastic. Our Guide, Luis, was extraordinary. We have only smiles. A great way to spend our 50th anniversary.Ransford B. Phoenix, AZ
The trip was great and Rafael (our tour guide) was amazing. He is knowledgeable and took care of us very well. We are looking forward to use Gate 1 for our future tours.Subramani K. Basking Ridge, NJ
Fabulous! Our tour guide Giovanni and bus driver Roberto took such good care of us and our fellow travelers couldn't have been a nicer group!Beverly T. Saint Paul, MN
Thanks for the welcome message. We had a wonderful time. Our tour director Gilbert was very knowledgeable. We learned a lot about Costa Rica. Again many thanks.Teresita L. Ontario, Canada
It was a great trip. We saw both sides of the country and learned a lot from our excellent guide, Ricardo. He kept us up on history and current things going on in the country. He got along well with everyone. A beautiful place to go, but bring mosquito repellent if you ever go. Food and hotels were all first class also. Thank you Gate 1 for your help!Bonnie S. Huntingtn Bch, CA
The trip was fantastic. We enjoyed the country and the value we received from Gate 1. Our tour team was incredible. Rafael was our guide and our driver was Roberto. We would love to share feedback if there is a forum or survey.Elbert H. Davenport, FL
Our trip was fantastic! We had a great time. Our bus drivers (Juan and Roberto) were awesome. Our travel guide (Giovanni) was a lot of fun and extremely knowledgeable about Costa Rica. He certainly made the trip worth it!! Thank you to Gate 1 for making this a great trip for our family!Deborah L. Middlebury, IN
We love, love Gate 1! We had the most amazing time. Our tour guide, Giovanni, was so educated on anything and everything related to Costa Rica...and beyond! We learned about ecology, topography, social structure, business, culture, education system, political system, new technology and so much more! He did it all with such a warm, friendly and funny attitude. Our driver, Juan, was the best driver I've ever seen and though an adventure on Costa Rica roads, we always felt safe and secure. The bus was cool and comfortable, with lots of water bottles provided. We were taken care of from the time we stepped off the plane, to the time we were dropped back off at the airport. We rarely saw other tour buses at our event locations, which made for a real glimpse into the culture of Costa Rica. We couldn't have done half the things we did, if we went out on our own. Our group was timely, friendly and considerate. Our accommodations were spectacular. Giovanni was great about telling us of all the places to go or things to do, when we had down time. I almost cried leaving the hotel the last day. It was the trip of a lifetime! Pura Vida!Karen R. Higginsville, MO
Our trip was absolutely Wonderful! It was our first bus tour and Edgardo was our superb guide. We told him he was a walking encyclopedia and such an eagle eye for animals. He would have the bus stop to see monkeys along the road, slow to see crocodiles in a river and at restaurants could spot red eyed tree frogs and huge beetles in trees. One restaurant worker told us that he doesn't know how it does it, but he always spots something. The trip was very organized and the resorts were beautiful. We loved the things that were included in the package, but also that we had choices. Besides Arenal and Manuel Antonio National Park, we did the zip line, the hanging bridges walk, a butterfly emporium and the hot springs. It was great the way the rest stops always had artisians, monkeys, wood carvers or something to see. We loved that some nights we ate as a group and got to know people and other nights we had time to ourselves. Costa Rica is a beautiful country. So glad we opted for the bus tour and not driving like our kids did. Roberto was our bus driver and we marveled at how he could turn corners so tightly and handle the Monte Verde mountain curves. We recommend Gate 1 to everyone! Thanks for another great experience, and thank you for all your help.John R. Berne, IN
Trip to Costa Rica was awesome, and all arrangements were efficient and smooth. Perfect trip. Did a lot. Snorkel, hiking, white water rafting, zip line, night tour, visited national parks and waterfalls. People are the friendliest anywhere. Thanks for planning a great trip for us, we will be back in touch!Harold H. Woodstock, VA
It was awesome. My third trip and enjoying just as well. I can not say enough how much our tour guide was so awesome. Zara was great, patient and informative with our group. Love Gate 1Erica M. Pharr, TX
My friend and I enjoyed ourselves in Costa Rica! We purchased an air/hotel/rental vehicle package that afforded the opportunity to explore the the nature, adventure and fun that the coast had to offer. I have traveled with Gate 1 Travel before and was very pleased with the organization from our pick up at the hotel, transportation to rental car company and everyone's kindness and professionalism. Thank you!Remi B. Savannah, GA
Our trip to Costa Rica was absolutely amazing!!! We are very happy with our Gate1 trip, but especially because we had such an extraordinary guide, Ricardo. Ricardo truly went out of his way to make sure we all had a wonderful time. He is very knowledgeable on a variety of topics, and found him to not only be informative, but helpful, interesting, and really humorous as well. Ricardo has a keen ability to spot animals, so not only is our list of sightings too long to detail, but our photos are phenomenal thanks to his ability to direct our attention to the smallest of details all around us. He took the time to find out what we were interested in seeing, and made a few stops along the way so we could see iguanas and macaws that we would have otherwise missed. When we stopped for food on our own, Ricardo's recommendations were always spot on for good meals. And lucky us, he even arranged for the rain to fall at times that didn't interfere with our activities! We cannot give enough praise for Ricardo!!! We were also highly impressed with the driving skills of Roberto, who safely navigated some very steep and narrow climbs despite oncoming traffic of large trucks. Wow, that man has serious skill, and made us feel very safe! The other outstanding aspect of the trip was our school visit. The brief description did not do the experience justice. The children were absolutely adorable! We loved their dance performances and the opportunity to interact with them was so memorable. It was so sweet that the children were excited to try out their English with us and give us personal tours. We are so grateful to have had that experience and be given the chance to contribute to their school supplies. The kids broke out into an impromptu football/soccer game, and we had a blast playing with them…we didn't want to leave! Ricardo related the improvements he has seen over the past few years thanks to the Gate 1 Foundation's relationship with the school, and it made us very happy to have been a part of such a beautiful relationship. It made us even happier that we chose to travel with Gate 1. Keep up the wonderful work!Leslie S. Cherry Hill, NJ
This was my first Gate 1 trip and I had a wonderful time! Everything was so very well organized. My ride was waiting for me as soon as I got to the airport. Every transfer and shuttle went perfectly, suitcases were well looked after, activities were very well organized, lots of options to have planned activities, or opt out and choose your own activities. There was enough structure and also flexibility. Our guide Edgardo was excellent. He was very friendly, responsible, knowledgeable. He knew a lot about the culture and food and flora and fauna of Costa Rica, he gave us so much information! He was very well organized. He ensured that all aspects of the trip went smoothly. I also had some dietary requirements (vegan) and he went out of his way to make sure all my meals were taken care of properly. Because he was such an excellent guide I will certainly use Gate1 again. He really is of great benefit to your company, probably the greatest single factor in my choice to use Gate1 for future trips. The activities were a great choice of relaxing and also active adventures. We had a lot of variety. Also, it was a real highlight to visit a school that Gate 1 is assisting.Anne B. Whitehall, PA
I cannot say enough wonderful things about this trip. Costa Rica is a beautiful country and I enjoyed every minute - I don't even think I could pick 1 favorite thing! Our tour guide, Gilbert, was amazing - he knew something about everything and spoke excellent English. The hotels were very unique and in beautiful settings. The time was well organized and each excursion was filled with a new adventure. The food was delicious and Jose, our bus driver, navigated the mountainous roads with incredible skill. Everyday we were amazed at the fun we had and how we could experience so many wonderful things for the price we paid for this trip. Travel is a gift - I wish everyone would embrace it because the reward is better than any tangible item! Costa Rica - amazing beauty, great fun and many new friends! Thanks Gate 1 for this incredible journey!Julee B. Roanoke, VA
Everything was great. The hotels were great, the tours were well planned, the guide and bus driver where fantastic. Another great trip from Gate 1. Thanks for a great vacation.Nicholas Y. Weirton, WV
My trip was amazing! Better than I could've ever expected! Gilbert is so wise, funny, sweet and passionate. He made the experience great. Our bus driver, Jose, was awesome too. He knew exactly what he was doing and made us feel safe.Cory D. San Diego, CA
Very good. Our tour guide Jose was especially knowledgeable and helpful. All three hotels we stayed were beyond our expectation. Thanks.Youngho L. Boxborough, MA
It was a great trip! Not only educational but relaxing and fun. First and for must our guide Luis and driver Melvin are the best . Luis from the beginning to the very end of our trip he took care of us and made us feel comfortable and welcomed in his country of Costa Rica . He is very organized and extremely knowledgeable . Melvin , I must say is a great driver but most importantly a good person . To drive a bus of that size in rural roads takes a special driver . The bus was always clean and ready to go . We always arrived safely and on time . Gate 1 is very lucky to have them on there team. As for Costa Rica " Pura Vida " Great country -good people - beautiful and safe . will return :)Enrique B. Roslindale, MA
The trip was amazing! We had so much fun and saw and did more than we could ever imagine. The tours guides in both countries deserve awards, they are that good. This was our 3rd Gate 1 trip and we can't say enough about the service, organization, and staffSusan R. Boise, ID
Our trip was wonderful. We especially liked Arenal Volcano (for its beauty) and Manuel Antonio (for its wildlife). There was so much wildlife around the pool at Byblos Hotel. In fact we saw more there than in the National Park. Monteverde was okay, but a bit of a shocker because it was quite cool at night and extremely windy. Overall we enjoyed seeing another part of Costa Rica.Patricia D. Nova Scotia, Canada
Thanks for checking on me and my trip was wonderful. Our guide was very friendly, knowledgeable, and thoughtful. I learned a great deal about Costa Rica the people, the history, the different regions, the food, the plants and animals. I would certainly recommend Gate 1 Travel and most definitely would recommend Rafael as a wonder tour guide..Bonita J. Sedona, AZ
It was a wonderful trip! Our guide was very informative and went out of his way to take care of all of our questions /needs. The accommodations were fabulous too! We were not disappointed in any way - once again, Gate 1 Travel has provided a great trip!Teresa H. Yelm, WA
Thanks for checking in with us. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed our trip to Costa Rica, and we are already considering a return trip or another vacation package from Gate 1. I was really impressed by how well the Gate 1 team took care of us during this trip. The trip was completely relaxing and enjoyable because every step of the trip, from airport pickup to drop-off, was capably handled by Gate 1. There is no way that we could have managed this trip on our own. This was an exceptionally good deal, particularly when one factors in the value of the transportation, hotels, meals, activities, and the experienced tour guide. I would particularly like to acknowledge the spectacular service provided by our tour guide, Luis, and Juan, the driver. Luis is very knowledgeable on the history, geography, and culture of Costa Rica, and he went out of his way to answer questions and respond to special requests from the guests. I'm not aware of even one single issue that he didn't completely resolve. He tirelessly managed of all of the guests, all of the luggage, kept us on schedule, and he handled special food requests. The overall success or failure of the trip depended almost entirely on Luis, and we are very pleased that he did such an exceptional job. If you would, please take a moment to forward our sincere appreciation to Luis.Michael S. Gaston, OR
Our trip was fantastic thank you !! Our tour Manager Luis and the bus driver Jose were wonderful. We cannot say enough good about either one of them. The accommodations and the excursions were great.Gary D. Holland, OH
My trip was amazing more than what I expected! I was traveling solo but thats ok because I feel like I made life long friends from my group. Everything was organized to arriving to the hotel already checked in, to no waits when we ate, having an entertaining and knowledged tour manager. Costa Rica is beautiful with its scenery, the people are warm welcoming. I feel like my money was worth every penny well spent, compared to if I had traveled alone without Gate 1 I would of missed out on so much! Stoping at the elementary school was so cute the moment we stepped off the bus each kid grabbed our hand and took us to a seat, they performed little shows and showed us their school. When the bus was leaving they were running and waving good bye. I'm ready for my next Gate 1 trip can't decide from Peru or South Africa and cage dive with the great white sharks.Andrew R. Las Vega, NV
PERFECT! Gate 1 was the best tour I have ever been on. My family had a wonderful time and made lifelong memories. Your help with the planning was just perfect. Our rooms were wonderful. Ricardo was the best guide I have even seen. His knowledge and dedication and obvious love of nature made the trip all that much better.Sheri C. Toms River, NJ
Our trip was wonderful. Gate 1 has come through again with the planning and attention to detail. Our guide Jose' made the tour. His command of English language and knowledge of every facet of Costa Rica was commendable and he was tireless in his desire to make this journey the best we could imagine. Thank you Gate 1David M. Talent, OR
The trip was awesome, amazing, the best I ever had. Our tour guide Manfred and driver Mauricio are the BEST, they made our group like a family, they are very professional and helpful. I'm already looking for where to go next (with Gate 1).Olga C. Gaithersburg, MD
The trip to Costa Rica exceeded our expectations. Primarily due to Giovanni our tour guide. Not only was he knowledgable, but he was passionate in his explanations and made for a wonderful experience.Arlene G. Newtown, PA
The trip was great. We both had a very good time. Our favorite part was to Tortugera. We had been to Costa Rica before with another tour company and they no longer offered the Tortugera portion of the trip and that is the main reason we chose Gate 1 for their tour. We have also taken other Gate 1 tours and have been very happy with Gate 1.James E. Goodyear, AZ
We had a very good trip. Enjoyed the flora and fauna of Costa Rica, the tour was educational and the people were extremely nice. Already beginning to look for the next trip.Ami K. Boynton Beach, FL
Our trip was wonderful. We can't say enough about how well it was organized and the small details really made the difference. We got to experience so much of the country. Our tour guide, Manfred, was the best. He bought us local candies, liquor, and fruit to try along the way. He was there when some of the group needed medical care. Some of us thought that the best part of the trip was going to Tortuguero and the jungle. So I am glad that we picked the tour that we did. The weather along the Atlantic and inland was a little chilly at 65 to 75 degrees while we were there and a little more rainy for that time of year. We were prepared and it didn't stop us from doing everything except for a sailing trip that was cancelled due to high winds. We can only say good things about Gate 1. We will certainly use them again in the future.Karen T. Harleysville, PA
It was very nice. The weather was rainy for the first few days, but the people of Costa Rica were warm and welcoming. I may have gotten tired of beans and rice by the end of our tour, but never of Ricardo our guide. Ricardo was highly knowledgeable he knew his plants and animals. He was never stumped by a question. He was funny and kind and seemed to really like people. ( I hope you know what a treasure he is.) The roads of Costa Rica can be winding and narrow but our driver Roberto always seemed to be in full charge of his bus. My wife and I always felt safe knowing Roberto was behind the wheel. This was our first Gate 1 tour. My wife and I were impressed with the quality of the accommodations, the bus, and the restaurants selected for our group dinners; but mainly of your staff. Everyone who represented Gate 1 were top notch. Hope to take another Gate 1 tour in a few years.Eric B. Park Forest, IL
Wonderful experience. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to Panama and Costa Rica (Pura vida!) . Both Gustavo in Panama and Ricardo in Costa Rica did a super job with our large group. Each tour director had a different style but both were very well organized and personable. The drivers were very skilled too. I would recommend this tour to anyone interested. Oh yes, we really enjoyed both countries and the sites we visited. Thanks for all your help.Earl C. Wake Forest, NC
If I were to score...10PLUS out of 10. The highlights for me being the Partial Transit Panama Canal. You need to be on it to feel it. Viewing from land was also special. Me Zip Lining was the next highlight, never thought I could do it. Nothing to fear, the friendly and experienced staff assisting us were extremely competent and my confidence soared as he pushed me off and said..."Bye Bye". The accomodations in cities were very good, safe, central to shops and restaurants. The mountain hotels were superb. The restaurant choices were excellent as were the bathroom breaks/rest stops on the road. Each had an interest of it's own. Our guide is Panama was very good. In Costa Rica we had Ricardo as our guide and Roberto our driver. Had to be "the very best" Costa Rica had to offer. Ricardo went over and above the role of "tour guide", great humour each day and very knowledgable. Always had that little extra at the right time (when we needed).... ie handful of candies on the bus, choice of biscuits on the boat. Always water for us, very important component. So with all that said you can see I was very pleased once again with Gate 1.Judith S. Toronto, Ontario CA
Thanks for the welcome home. We were very impressed with our Gate 1 Tour of Costa Rica and have no complaints whatsoever. All was perfect, especially Edguardo, our guide, who was excellent, very informative, attentive and caring to all on board and gave his utmost to make our trip special. The hotels chosen were all very good and suitable for each visit, the places of interest chosen for the trip were superb; we felt we saw as much of the country, in a relaxed way, in the time available. We also appreciated the spare time given to us to pursue our own interests. The extras given to choose from were wonderful. Gate 1 Travel did a great job and we thank you all for a fantastic holiday. We will certainly consider Gate 1 Travel again in the future and recommend your organisation to friends.Carolyn M. Farrer, ACT
My trip was excellent. It might be my best Gate 1 trip to date, and this was my 13th Gate 1 trip! Our tour manager, Manfred and bus driver, Max were phenomenal! The hotels were excellent and the food was freshly prepared for each meal, which meant I are too much! Loved all the optional tours, especially the canapy (zip lining) and the hanging bridges. All in all, a perfect vacation.Sandra G. Williamsville, NY
We had a wonderful time! We had never been on a vacation with a tour group before and we were pleasantly surprised on how much we enjoyed it! Our guide, Ricardo, was great! He was very organized and "on top of" everything! He did not miss a beat! Ricardo was very knowledgeable -- and fun. We hope all your tour guides are just as good, because we plan to go on other Gate 1 tours in the future. We also loved our hotels and the great bus! Roberto was a very safe driver! Thanks for giving us a great trip for an affordable price!Rebecca H. Montgomery, TX
It was a great trip and enjoyed it immensely. The tour directors Ricardo and Monica were excellent, knowledgeable and very passionate about their country. We had good hotels and great food.Alan S. Elgin, IL
We experienced one of the best trips of our lives. This was due in great part to our tour guide Ricardo. Ricardo was highly knowledgeable, friendly, well spoken, courteous, and experienced. Our hotels were great, as were the meals, guided tours and activities. We would appreciate it if word could get back to Gate 1 about the excellent services and our comments about Ricardo.Joseph D. Windham, NH
This was a terrific trip. The hotels were good; our tour guide, Rafael, was probably the best our guide I've ever been with. His love of Costa Rica and the environs was evident; his knowledge of the country was great. I would highly recommend this trip to anyone. We were able to see various parts of Costa Rica without much hassle. We also had enough time on our own to explore as we wanted.Eileen S. San Francisco, CA
The trip to Panama and Costa Rica were wonderful! The guides, Roberto and Gilbreth were excellent and full of knowledge and their love of the country was obvious. I would not hesitate to recommend Gate l.Carol K. Port Angeles, WA
Our trip was amazing!! I have no complaints whatsoever. This was actually my second time using Gate 1 - the first time I went to Iceland with a friend who recommended Gate 1 to me. We had a great time and had the best guide, Emil. So I decided to book through Gate 1 for my entire family - my parents, brother and me to Costa Rica.
They all loved it! Everything was very organized and detail oriented, we didn't have to worry about a thing - just like in Iceland. Also, again we had the best tour guide! Rolando! He was so knowledgeable, caring, funny and organized. He ended up organizing my parents getting a bottle of wine because it was their anniversary - not sure how he knew, I might have said it once in passing but that was extremely nice. All the accommodations and meals were so perfect, everything was nice.
Now my parents and brother also love Gate 1 and we will probably be using in the future. Thanks so much for a wonderful family vacation - and affordable.Melinda Y. Brooklyn, NY
First, Costa Rica was great! Ricardo was phenomenal (an asset to the Gate 1 Tour Guide family)- Monica was wonderful as well but we only met her for a short time. Ricardo was so knowledgeable and humorous! He was also very personable and insightful! A+...I have told so many people that pineapple grow on the ground not trees-everyone seems shocked to hear.
I must not forget the driver either- his name is slipping me at the moment but he was most courteous and enjoyable as well. So many times he tried to teach me Spanish words.
The hotels were all very well selected-beautiful properties and gracious, helpful staff!! Kudos to each one!
Loved the food, especially the fresh cheese I fell in love with when I last went to South America and the plantains for breakfast every morning!
No matter where we went, the locals were kind and tried to speak English whenever possible.
The school visit was a definite highlight for me-also eye opening. I have shared that experience a many times over since I am teacher. The coffee tour was so educational and a must for all. The zip lining was awesome! Pure Vida!Tammy W. Milwaukee, WI
It was great. We all had a wonderful time. Ricard was our tour guide, and he was fantastic. He was one of the very best tour guides we have encountered. He was thorough, very diligent on making sure everything was done correctly including counting all the luggage every morning we moved, very informative, and he was very funny. He made the tour much more enjoyable.
I am glad we took the upgraded hotel package because they were really nice, I think considerably better than the non-upgraded ones. I think it was well worth the price. Most of our family's favorite part of the tour was the zip-line and the hanging bridges tour in the same morning. We got two very different but complementary view of the cloud forest from the top. Everything went smoothly with Gate 1, and it went like clockwork and most of all safely. Thanks for your assistance with it all.David K. San Francisco, CA
Trip was amazing! Our tour leader William was fantastic. Definitely one of the best guides we've ever had. Couldn't fault anything. Looking forward to our Peru trip with Gate 1 starting next week.
Out trip was amazing and life changing. What a wonderful experience. I've been on many guided tours and have to say Luis was the best, most knowledgeable guide I've ever had. In addition to his knowledge of Costa Rica, he showed the patience of a saint with the numerous personalities and demands placed on him. The hotels were wonderful and the people friendly. Food was great.Ellen F. Park Ridge, NJ
Thanks again for helping set up such a superb trip. Costa Rica was awesome and our tour manager Ricardo did an outstanding job, keeping us informed and entertained throughout the trip. Our bus driver Jose was also exemplary and a very nice man. All of the accommodations were excellent and the itinerary certainly kept us on the go. My only suggestion might be to exchange either the time in La Fortuna or Monteverde for additional days in Tamarindo as both of the mountain venues were very similar and one less road trip would have been nice. Otherwise, we will definitely be booking another Gate1 trip in the future.Sean M. Stouffville, ON
Our trip was awesome. Beautiful country. Quite possibly the best trip we have had yet. We received so much valuable and interesting information and were greatly entertained the entire trip. Our guide Luis "Pana" was a wealth of knowledge and a great asset to the success of our trip/vacation to Costa Rica (We couldn't have possibly learned or experienced as much on our own, especially at the price we paid for such an excellent trip). He also was very thoughtful with the group and was very accommodating in helping with any issue that anyone in our group needed (i.e. some people had food allergies, needed a pharmacy or needed medical attention, etc.). He is also a great asset to your company (Gate 1 Travel). Thank you so much Gate 1 for the super time. We look to travel with you again sometime in the future.Christopher T. Aurora, CO
It was terrific, with lots of things to see and do, in a very beautiful country full of friendly people (less so on the Pacific coast, which is somewhat Californicated).
I was delighted to discover that the trip was NOT full up at 40 people, which was what someone else told me at Gate 1 in your absence (I had some last-minute questions). We actually had just 26, which was much more manageable and gave us all more flexibility in choosing seats on the bus.
I was particularly impressed with our guide, Luis Cruz, who knew so much about the land and history and all of its creatures, and could spot a camouflaged critter that the rest of us couldn't detect, even when he put his laser pointer on it. He was the soul of tact and good-natured directness. And our driver, Jose, managed that giant bus over roads and bridges that seemed impossible. In fact, one of those bridges is called the "oh my god" bridge for obvious reasons. I expect he was the only one who crossed it with his eyes open!
The hotels were all good, especially the jungle lodge at Torteguero. The food in general wasn't anything special, the water was mostly ok, though Montezuma finally came to visit about four days from the end of the tour. It rained the first five days but then stayed sunny. The coffee, of course, was fantastic.
The most amazing thing was that I only got ONE insect bite, and I'm usually a mosquito magnet! I could go on, but this gives you the idea. Very impressed with how organized and smooth everything was, and the airline was great. Who knew?Judith S. Dobbs Ferry, NY
The trip was a wonderful balanced learning adventure to a country I knew little about.
The tour guide Gilberth Alvarado, was not only personable but superior in both his knowledge of his country as well as its flora and fauna.
The food was always good and tasty.
The hotel accommodations in San Jose and Arenal were great. Monteverde was adequate. The "Byblos Hotel" in Manuel Antonio was beautiful but rundown. The bar and pool area were very well maintained and the food was delicious. My cabin was very adequate facing the pool bar area. Many other of my fellow travellers had many stairs to climb to get to their lodging - no elevators
I found some of the extra tours were redundant ie The river tour in Tortuguero is similar to the one in Arenal; don't need to do both! The zip lining was exhilarating. The coffee and chocolate tours were great.
I would have preferred a Pacific resort setting for the last couple of days although taking the local bus to the public beach was fun.
All in all my husband and I went with the flow, met terrific people and were very happyIlona S. Montreal, QU
Costa Rica with our wonderful tour Manager/Guide..GILBERT, he was more than just our guide he welcomed each of us and made us feel very much "at HOME" and looked forward to each days tour as we went along the way. Our group was a very easy-to-get-along bunch of people and we were able to get along and enjoy the sights & sounds of Costa Rica. The knowledge Gilbert has and was able to give us the utmost pleasure be it going through the rain forest or an outing along the River there was always something, to see and nature was at our door step.
Most Costa Rican's (people) were most friendly and the Turtle Habitant when they come to lay eggs & care for their young must be a sight to behold. We just missed the tale end and did not see any such turtles, however we saw other species of Turtles. Birds, Sloths (two & three toes) Really, I felt fortunate to have such a guide. Gate 1 you indeed have a good Tour Manager, his people came first, I now pause to tell you about our BUS DRIVER Fabio who was just so tremendous he knows his country inside/out..coast-to-coast, and everyone on the bus felt SAFE with Fabio.
Food, lodging in and out of the hotels worked very well because we were on time and it was always because of: GILBERT (Gate 1...he is your MAN) In the frenzy I forgot to take his email address. But, should you get in touch with him do pass on my very BEST regards.
In closing I WILL USE GATE 1 in the future, I enjoyed my trip....Thank You):)Joseph C. Petit-Rocher, New Brunswick
Our trip was fabulous! We had one of the best groups of people. Everyone was friendly and fun!
Manfred was a very knowledge guide and kept us on schedule! Loved the Zip Line and seeing all the animals!James S. Fort Worth, TX
We had a great time in Panama, the itinerary was great and our guide Ricardo did a wonderful job making us feel welcome.
We have to say though that we had the time of our lives on the Costa Rica portion of the tour. Our guide was Manfred and our driver was Jose. The itinerary was fantastic, but it was Jose and Manfred that made this vacation stand out. Many of the roads were steep, curvy, and potentially dangerous. Jose drove them so well, and always with a smile, that we never felt nervous or uncomfortable. While not driving, Jose was always pleasant and courteous. He held the door for everyone, always had a smile and a friendly greeting, and was by far the best, most professional driver we've ever seen, and we've met many. Manfred definitely made our trip, though. He provided five star service, was always approachable, had a great sense of humour, and was extremely knowledgeable about not only Costa Rica, but the whole itinerary. He provided great tips on where to go during our free time, tips on what to do at the airport going home, answered all questions enthusiastically and thoroughly, and made everyone feel like he was their best friend. He was always checking up on us and asking us how we were enjoying things, without being overbearing or intrusive. His information was intertwined with entertaining stories that made the long bus trips enjoyable.
Thank you for giving us a wonderful and memorable vacation, we will certainly tell all our friends about Gate 1 and recommend your company. Please be sure and recognize Manfred and Jose for their efforts, as they consistently went over and above to ensure everyone had a great vacation. They deserve to be thanked (as we thanked them) by Gate 1 for providing stellar client service.Jane L. Calgary, AL
We had a fantastic time and we already have recommended Gate 1 Travel to friends. The guide Gilbert was incredible... telling us all about the history of Costa Rica which we liked a lot. He also shared anything he knew (and that was a lot) about animals, plants, trees and definitely everything about Costa Rica's agriculture. He is a keeper for you for sure! He was very professional but yet was like a friend. He was always "there". The bus driver was also very nice, kind and did a great job driving the bus through narrow, steep roads and bridges. He too is a keeper! It was a very good group, everyone enjoyed each other and no one was ever late!
I actually should have started out with praising you first as you made us confident in doing the trip. You gave us the trust to go on and you as well are professional but also friendly. I was going to contact you to inform you about our thoughts and impressions. We most likely will do another trip in the future. Several members of the group had done other trips with Gate 1 and some are already booked to take other trips!Adelheid C. Rock Hill, SC
Rick and I were very pleased with the itinerary and the quality of our guide. We did the entire 13 day trip from Tortuguero to Manuel Antonio. We saw many more animals than I thought we would, some even up close and personal. Rick had a birthday in the middle of the trip and he did the zip line that day. He was "over the moon" happy for several days. Thank you Gate 1 for making this possible.Jill M. Indianapolis, IN
This was a great trip. Rafael was an outstanding tour leader and Mauricio was an outstanding driver. Our upgraded hotels were generally very good, but it was somewhat awkard that about 2/3 of the tour were in standard accommodations which we understood to be much less satisfactory. Many of them reported that they were not made aware of the opportunity to upgrade their hotel rooms. We used Gate 1 years ago when we were traveling with family, but have been doing more upscale tours and ocean and river cruises now for many years. I suggested we try Gate 1 again and we were both glad that we did.
Our recent experience with Gate 1 confirmed our previous experience that your local tour directors are far better and more effective than expatriate directors on more upscale tours and cruises. In addition, they are harder working and go way beyond in coordinating and following up in advance to insure that all goes smoothly. We also like the diversity of the membership of your tour groups. When traveling with a more "upscale group" it is almost a certainty that everyone is in the same age group, economic category, and generally less physically prepared. Your diverse groups are far more interesting, stimulating and willing to try new things. I am 74 and my wife is 67 and I can say that we feel more at home with Gate 1 than in the more upscale and much more expensive groups. In addition, we can do 2 or 3 of your tours for the cost of the "upscale" programs. We will be using Gate 1 more frequently in the future and are currently thinking about your Iceland trip.Frank S. Travelers Rst, SC
Our trip was fantastic. All of the arrangements you made for us were perfect. We especially appreciated your willingness to have us return a week later than the tour and to be able to fly from a different city and airport. One of the reasons we enjoy traveling with Gate 1, is the company's willingness to individualize plans for us.
The group of 29 travelers in our group was very compatible. Even with 4 days of torrential rain, there was not a whiner. All were flexible and willing to make the best of all opportunities.
Our guide, Gilbert, was outstanding with a wealth of information at his fingertips, a sensitivity of all situations and a terrific sense of humor to go along with it all.
Our trip started with delayed flights out of Phila Airport. Though the airlines worked hard to get us to San Jose, CR, without much delay, we were concerned no one would be there to meet us with our new flights on a different airline. We called Gate 1 in a bit of a panic. Michael fortunately was available. He understood our dilemma, made arrangements for us to be met in San Jose. Both Michael and our reservation specialist, whom we originally booked the trip with, communicated about the arrangements through phone calls and emails. The fact he was willing to be there for us and your efforts to follow up and be sure all was well, were most reassuring.
We would be happy to travel again with Gate 1 (we also went to Croatia and Slovenia with you) for another trip.
Thank you for your excellent service. We will sing your praises to anyone who will listen.Andrea J. Doylestown, PA
The trip was terrific! Gate 1 sure does a nice job. Our tour guide, Luis, was fabulous. The hotels were lovely, (although some folks weren't happy), and the food was mostly very good. I think luxury in Costa Rica is just a little different than luxury in the States sometimes. Some people have unreasonable expectations. I wish I'd had more time to enjoy the hotels we stayed in...especially the one in Fortuna...it was very cool. Because I added on the extra week, we had a nice combination of structured tour (with a bunch of other people), and unstructured time with friends in Nosara on the Pacific Coast. It was the perfect ying/yang experience. We wouldn't have seen the central part of the country without the tour, because I didn't want to drive (not knowing the language well). I'll travel with Gate 1 again for sure.
Thanks for all your help...and especially for re-working a few things so we could spend the extra time there.
Until next time...Jennifer M. Satellite Beach, FL
This was our first fully guided tour. in the past we have always traveled on our own and with a well managed budget. This trip was so affordable that we knew we could not have done the same on our own. We were apprehensive at first about a fully guided tour, but friends recommended your company and so we got our group of 8 together and booked it. From day one we were made to feel cared for. Any minor delays or inconveniences were readily handled.
Our tour guide Edgardo was superior in every way. He was entertaining, knowledgeable and informative. I know it must be hard to do his job and work away from home and family for so many days at a time. I sincerely hope you pay him very well and that he continues to do such a great job on your companies behalf.
Our driver Fabio was also amazing. For a smaller stature guy, he certainly knew how to handle that big tour bus with ease. We had no fear of the roads and routes between tour stops. We had complete confidence in Fabio. He deserves an equal amount of praise and reward.We were very fortunate to have been able to add on all of the optional tours. Everyone of them was something we would have not wanted to miss. The only regret was that the schedule was such a fast pace that we did feel that we missed out on the relaxing value of a day of downtime at each stop along the tour. We also wish we could have arranged to join this tour at the beginning. The first three days sounded like an experience no to be missed.
Our tour group itself was wonderful. Everyone on the tour were so nice. We were a pretty inclusive group too. Many of us ate together, shopped and spent time together, Near the end of the trip we even made arrangements to share emails and contact information so that we can share photos and videos.The only thing I regret is not asking Edgar and Fabio to join our contact sharing list. Its likely that we have some great photos among us that they might enjoy seeing too.To sum up, we had an amazing trip! We definitely will recommend your company and this tour in particular. Someday, we hope to be able to join another adventure tour hosted through your company.Jo Ann S. West Bend, WI
The Trip to Costa Rica was Fantastic!! I'll definitely return. The accommodations were very nice and the food was exceptional. Our Guide Jose was very professional. His ability to speak English was outstanding, very easy to understand. I was impressed with his expertise on all subjects pertaining to the country. His ability to identify every type of Flora and Fauna was impressive. Be it plants-animals-birds-geologic formations-etc. that we encountered on our Journey.
Every day was a new and enlightening adventure. From Arenal Volcano-Cana Negro boat tour-Monte Verde Cloud Forest (Loved the hanging bridges-Zip Lines) to Manuel Antonio. The beach and the monkeys were pretty cool also!! As I stated before I will return to CR. I also plan to utilize Gate 1 in my future Adventures. The service was exceptional down to the very least detail!! Thank You!! Hope to do it again really soon!!Bruce B. Magna, UT
Our trip was excellent! Gilbert was our tour guide and he made sure we had a wonderful time. We had upgraded our hotel package and loved every place we stayed in. Costa Rica is a beautiful place and we're so glad we had a good tour guide to help us understand the culture.Shruthi S. Kenvil, NJ
Great trip. Perfectly escorted by Gilbert , Sergio and Gate 1 . This was our first trip with Gate 1 and we were quite impressed.Sheila T. Sun City West, AZ
My trip was absolutely wonderful!
Our tour director, Ricardo was very welcoming and made us feel right at home, like family. He was very concerned and always made sure we were having fun. I was very impressed with his professionalism and knowledge of the place, plants, and animals.
It rained a lot, but that did not prevent us from having a good time. The weather was warm despite the rain, so we continued with the activities scheduled for the day.
Arenal was very lush and green. Our rooms, or should I say, small "houses" were a real treat. We had so much privacy and even had a balcony overlooking the dormant volcano. The following day, we took the river cruise where we saw different birds, monkeys, etc. It reminded me of the Disneyland ride which allowed us different animals and reptiles. It was truly an adventure to experience, but with a very knowledgeable tour director who talked about the animals, plants and flowers we passed by. We even took pictures at the border of Nicaragua.
The hot springs was something else. It was amazing that the different pools had different temperatures and sitting under the "waterfalls" felt like being massage. Then the dinner was just fabulous. Simple, but very flavorful.
Monteverde was another different place, still lots of greeneries, but much cooler. The zip line was a very exciting experience. I had a taxi, which means I did not do the zip line alone. There were 13 platforms and the last one was very long and high. I guess that's why it was called the cloud forest. We were up in the clouds. It was so beautiful to look down on the trees and screaming during the first few minutes dissolved my fears and all my stress. Then I was able to relax and enjoy the view. I think this is an experience everyone should try at least once in their lifetime. The guides were very experienced and the cables we were attached to made it a very safe ride.
Then we toured the coffee plantation, sugarcane plantation and chocolate factory. It was very educational because I didn't know how coffee was "graded". I thought the darker ones had more caffeine. On the contrary, the dark roasted has less caffeine.
Then there was a place with different humming birds. It's just amazing to see different types of humming birds all in one place. You just need to put your finger close to the feeders and they would stand on your finger. They were so beautiful with different sizes and colors. Below the feeders were these raccoon like creatures who licked the honey from the floor. He looked so tame, but I had to refrain from trying to touch him because he is still a wild animal.
Then we went to an iguana restaurant for a rest stop on the way to Manuel Antonio. They had lots of iguanas on the trees close to the bridge and a large iguana close to the restaurant posing for pictures with the tourists. I didn't know iguanas came in different colors such as gold, brown and green. They also have different shapes of spiny stuff on their backs. That was very interesting, too.
Manuel Antonio was a warmer place. We hiked along the Manuel Antonio national park. It was interesting with the monkeys, iguanas, sloths, raccoons, etc. At the end of the hike was a fabulous beach with white sand and just perfect temperature water. It was beautiful. It's as close to nature as I would ever get. The white sand beach, perfect beach weather and all the animals co-existing with humans. The animals were not afraid of us, they would get close enough for us to take pictures.
Unfortunately, our vacation had to end.
Aside from having a wonderful tour guide, we also had excellent drivers, Jorge, who always had a smile and extended a helping hand when we get on and off the bus, and Jose.
We were also very lucky that we were traveling with a group of very friendly and considerate tourists like ourselves.
I would highly recommend a visit to Costa Rica. Everyone is very friendly and the place is just fabulous.Maria D. Orangevale, CA
My husband and I just returned from Costa Rica. It was a wonderful trip, perhaps our favorite of the 6 we have taken with you so far. We were looking forward to beautiful scenery and lots of wildlife, and Costa Rica did not disappoint!
From Tortuguero to Manuel Antonio, each place we went had its own microclimate. The accommodations at each stop were wonderful, and the side trips, both included and optional, were great. We also had an exceptional tour group with lots of Gate 1 experience. It was fun to exchange information on trips we'd taken. Based on the recommendations we got, we are considering your trip to Guatemala. Others were considering Peru and Ecuador as several of us had been on those trips and enjoyed them.
But it was our guide who made the trip extra special. Edgardo had an intimate knowledge of Costa Rica including history, geography, and nature. He really made the country come alive for us. He was always concerned with the safety and welfare of all the members of our tour, and had great suggestions for places to visit during our free time. He made sure that people moved within the bus daily so we all had a chance to sit on each side and section of the bus. And hats off to our bus driver, Mauricio! I have no idea how he was able to navigate the roads we took, but he did an excellent job. He was unfailingly polite and helpful. I think Gate 1 is lucky to have both Edgardo and Mauricio working for them.
Thank you, Gate 1, for offering such a great trip. We will be traveling again with you soon!Nancy H. Nazareth, PA
Our trip was great! The best part of our trip was the guide. His name was Ricardo. He made everything very special. He was knowledgeable, funny, caring, and went over and beyond with everyone. I hope you let the owner of Gate 1 Travel know how special Ricardo was. Costa Rica is beautiful, and for sure, we will use Gate 1 again. Thanks so much.Wendy S. Philadelphia, PA
We enjoyed our trip to beautiful Costa Rica so much. Gilbert was a wonderful guide with remarkable knowledge of the country. We can't say enough about the help we got from Gate 1 representatives. I called them the night before with an issue. They helped me with airline changes and transportation to catch up with our group. We had an absolutely fabulous vacation. We are so pleased with Gate 1 Travel. Your help and reassurance is why we will travel again with you and recommend Gate 1 to everyone.Kathleen G. Newington, CT
Trip was wonderful, 3rd trip with Gate 1 and certainly not the last! The tour guide Gilbert was fantastic, he was not only a tour guide but our own in house flora & fauna expert! We appreciate the detailed planning Gate 1 does and the worry free travel it provides. We have traveled with other travel companies and Gate 1 is the best in our opinion.
Thanks for the wonderful memories.Robert N. Willits, CA
Great trip! My first time to Costa Rica and having a superb guide like Rolando made for a memorable trip. He taught me much about the geography and wildlife indigenous to Costa Rica. He was a treasure trove of useful and interesting information!Thomas O. Gainesville, FL
Loved my trip! Rolando couldn't have been a better tour guide - very funny, knowledgeable & nice. I would do a tour with him again in a heartbeat! Everyone also really appreciated our driver Alex - who kept us safe even when we wondered whether that was possible! I've traveled with Gate 1 before and choose this tour because I trust your company - it did not disappoint! My experience was so good (both in Greece and now in Costa Rica) that I plan to take another trip with Gate 1 next year. Can't wait!Liz R. Scottsdale, AZ
The trip exceeded all my expectations! We were lucky to have great weather
everyday and Gate 1 did a great job in ALL respects. Our tour guide William was
so friendly and professional and we all learned so much from him. Our driver
Hector amazed us all with his skill at safely maneuvering that big bus on those
little roads. Costa Rica is a gem of a little country and Gate 1 did a great job
of showing us so much of what it has to offer. Gate 1 has earned my respect and
my future guided travel business.
Pura Vida!!
Our trip was wonderful. We had never done the Tortuguero leg of Gate 1's Costa Rica offering and it was an enjoyable experience (we are not guided tour people but the partial guided tour was enjoyable). The customer service throughout the trip was excellent. The only bad thing that happened was that I got sunburned twice - I'm not made for the equator. However, we got to kayak with Caymen, zip line in Monteverde, see Dolphins in the Pacific (and snorkel). Arenal Manoa upgraded their offering with a hot springs pool - much better than a regular pool. While we would love to visit other countries, we have a hard time passing up Gate 1's Costa Rica offerings.Dorothy F. Indianapolis, IN
It was wonderful, our tour guide, Jenny was awesome! We learned so much from her about her home country! Her knowledge was endless and she kept us moving at a steady pace yet allowed us time to relax too! I would highly recommend Gate 1 travel if Jenny is any indication of your tour guides!! Thank you for the great experience! And thank you Jenny!Shannon M. Fresno, CA
We had the most wonderful trip to Costa Rica, we can't say enough great things about our Gate 1 experience. Our tour manager Gilbert made such a difference- we learned so much about his country, the flora and fauna, culture, education, government, etc. The 29 travelers in our group were so compatible. I won't be surprised if we form lasting friendships with some of the people we met.
At our hotel in Manuel Antonio there was a bottle of wine in an ice bucket in our room, and the beds were decorated with fresh flowers- because we were on our honeymoon. All of our hotels [we were on Plan B] were superb. In Arenal everyone felt we had far superior lodgings to those on Plan A. Our cabins were so attractive, the wood work exceptional, as were the views. Fantastic.
Also, the optional activities we purchased were very exciting and worth every penny. I was scared to death while zip lining but it was so exhilarating!Margaret D. Allentown, PA
We had a great time. Thanks to Gate 1 travel for a great itinerary and the hotels were good and roomy. We were surprised how big the rooms were in San Juan. Our family of 4 actually just used one room because it had 2 bedrooms and a kitchenette. Our rooms by the beach in Playa Carrillo were also huge and the hotel had a great view. The car was great and roomy as well and we just loved the vacation. We look forward to keeping an eye out for more Gate 1 Deals!Jocelyn R. Leawood, KS
We were very pleased with our trip to Costa Rica. Our tour guide Diana, and
the driver Fabio worked very hard for all of us. There were three of us
celebrating birthdays and Diana and Fabio made sure we had birthday cakes and
gift complements of Gate 1.
We were also very impressed with Gate 1's support of the public schools in Costa Rica. We have a large network of friends and family who will/have already heard about Gate 1 and the wonderful vacation we had. As for us, we are already planning our next vacation with Gate 1. Thank you for the amazing trip!
Our honeymoon in Costa Rica was phenomenal. The package was well planned-
just the right mix and variety of locations, options, and time spent on our own.
We have been recommending this to our friends.
What stood out most was our guide, William. He was exceptional and did much to make our trip that much more of a positively memorable experience - with his local knowledge, enthusiasm, and hospitality. He really went out of his way to make this an enjoyable trip for us.
We had a wonderful trip! Thank you Gate 1 for taking care of all the details so we could go and enjoy! The logistics on a daily basis were handled very well. Nice bus for transportation, good and knowledgeable tour guide, Edwardo and outstanding driver. Our tour guide did a great job checking and coordinating everything. No lost or misplaced luggage!
Every day was filled with new adventures. The naturalist William with us in Tortuguero was a wonderful resource, professional and very interesting. Our tour guide for the 10 additional days was good also. Nice to have the daily information about the areas we visited, it's people and crops, etc. Loved the beauty of the country, the graciousness of its people and the wonderful animals and scenery. We had a great experience with Gate 1 personnel and our 13 days of travel. We look forward to booking future trips with Gate 1.Judy E. Cottonwood, CA
Our trip was wonderful! It was our first bus trip and our first Gate 1
experience. Costa Rica is simply beautiful and our guides William and Eduardo
were very knowledgeable and fun. We are so glad Gate 1 offered the Tortuguero
leg of the trip, we would not have wanted to tour the country without seeing
this amazing area! We were lucky enough to see all 4 species of Monkeys on our
trip! Our meals, accommodations and tours met all expectations and more.
Thank you Gate 1 for a memorable experience!
As expected, the trip was great! Gate 1 does a fabulous job. Our tour director, Diego, was superb. He handled every detail, including making real-time changes to our itinerary when traffic accidents blocked our intended route and adjusting our schedule when a short-notice strike by local taxi operators threatened to derail an afternoon of sightseeing in San Jose. His tireless efforts made the trip even more relaxing and enjoyable.
Charles W. Reston, VA
You can bet we will travel with Gate 1 again.
We had a wonderful trip. All the hotels exceeded our expectations. Our bus driver Mauricio expertly navigated some difficult roads and kept the bus spotless. The included meals for the most part were very good. The pace of the tour was just about perfect with enough time on our own. What really made our trip were our tour guides Monica and Ricardo. Both of them have encyclopedia knowledge of every aspect of Costa Rica and perform their jobs with great enthusiasm. They were always available to take care of every possible detail. Two very warm and wonderful people. We were also quite fortunate in having fun and easygoing fellow travelers on our group. I would not hesitate in recommending this tour to anyone and will almost certainly travel with Gate 1 again.Peter D. Ottawa, ON
The trip was wonderful. We really enjoyed all the staff that made it possible in Costa Rica, both our bus driver, and our fabulous guide Alex and all other staff, including the local tour operators made us feel so at ease and made the vacation care-free. We had a really nice trip that exceeded our expectations. We are planning a similar trip in 5 years, this time to South Africa, and Gate 1 will for sure be the first tour operator we check for possible itineraries.Ole S. Culver City, CA
I cannot even begin to express my love for Costa Rica after my trip. Everything went smoothly during the trip. From the airport pickup to hotels and excursions, awesome job!
I would be totally remiss if I didn't mention the two most important people on this trip though.
Alex, our driver was wonderful! He knew the people and the roads and got us everywhere safely and with extreme professionalism. He was kind and curtious and is definitely a huge asset to Gate 1 Travel.
That brings me to Ricardo, our tour guide. This man is nothing short of amazing!! He was welcoming and professional and available to us at all times. He told us about the culture of his country and was willing and did share all his knowledge with us. He knew everything there was to know about the plantations and farms, the plantlife, the people of Costa Rica and all of the wildlife. He kept us on schedule and I never had to think about a thing, he took care of everything. We could not have asked for a better tour guide. He is a perfect example of a professional and it shows in everything he does that he loves his country and his job! So refreshing to see! Again, a huge asset to the Gate 1 Travel Team!
Thank you for a wonderful first Gate 1 experience, I cannot wait to travel with Gate 1 again!Amanda L. Southbridge, MA
What a great adventure and I will definitely be back. The rain forest is stocked with insects, butterflies, birds, iguanas and its the third time I saw a double rainbow in my life. I will return to the rain forest and to the pacific side, that is where you want to be. Hotels were great and Ricardo was one of the best guides I ever had with Gate 1. Thirty nine people touring and I felt like I was traveling in business class they way he had everything organized!
The zip lining was great--18 platforms way over the top of the rain forest and these guys knew what they were doing with your safety--you just needed a little coaxing (and maybe a little push) to step off the first platform, from there, every platform was more exciting than the last. When I finished I said: I want to do it again! The beaches on the west coast are beautiful and rather tame.
The excursions were also great. I would say the 10 day tour I took was just great and I hate to repeat myself but I will be back to see it all again and more I hope. Thank you Gate 1 for all your help and Ricardo for carrying out all the activities and putting up with 39 people not related to him but always having a great smile and attitude that accompanied him. PS, seems the bus driver never gets any kudos but in the mountain roads this guide steered us around, he needs to either have more money in his paycheck or a pat on the back, Alex was great!Ray D. Sunrise, FL
We had a blast! Fantastic time for our first (guided) tour. Didn't have to think about much. Our guides Rollo, Edguardo, Eddie and Monica were fantastic. For us, the tour was perfect. There was one Sunday in Arenal that we decided not to do the Cano Negro trip. We opted for another tour through the hotel that we had researched. The guides were not near the quality of Gate 1. We missed out on the trip to the border of Nicaragua by not taking Cano Negro.
Monteverde: Everybody on the trip did the Zip line solo. My wife opted out of
the Tarzan rope but a 75 yr. old couple had a great time on it! As did I! Wife
had a great time on Zip lines as well. We took the options for hiking to keep
us in shape which were perfect.
We picked plan B of the trip which was perfect for us. The options of pre tour and post tour extension were fabulous. Tortugero was phenomenal. We were blessed by great weather and (according to the tour guides) unusual amounts of animals. I believed them (Eddy)! One stop we saw Sloth, Toucan, Iguana…and a bonus Boa, all in one site. Tours of San Jose were great. We enjoyed the time off to walk around and see Teatro Cultural.
There were many Gate 1 veterans on the trip and we learned a lot from
them. They thought this was one of the better trips as well. Again, my respect
for all the tour guides, they treated us so well and were so
It was great! William our guide was wonderful. I was very impressed by Gate 1's charity to the schools in Costa Rica. Always enjoyed your tours but now I know that you are more than just a travel agency but philanthropists too.Shari B. Pasadena, CA
The trip was amazing! It was incredible to see so much of the country in such
a short amount of time. The great thing is we still had a lot of down time and
were able to relax. Ricardo was an excellent tour guide and went out of his way
to ensure that everyone in the group got the most out of their experience which
is no easy feat in a group of 30+. Max our driver navigated the roads like a
pro. Everyone commented on how pleasant the drives were.
I would highly recommend this trip to anyone and this tour company as well. We're already looking into booking our next tour!Lupe S. Davis, CA
I had a wonderful time. Words can not express how impressed I was with our tour guide, Gilbert. Alex our driver was phenomenal . I never felt safer driving on those mountain tops. Even though we were in the raining season we got lucky every time and was sunny and bright for us. Very happy with my experience using Gate1 again. I highly recommended this company to all my friends.Rebecca L. Fresh Meadows, NY
Best trip ever! It was wonderful. The upgraded hotels were well worth it. Our tour guide was phenomenal and the place itself was beautiful. Many of the other vacationers on our trip have used Gate 1 many times and had no complaints so we will definitely be using your services from now on! Thank you so much. Our honeymoon was unforgettable.Josette W. Woodstrock, MD
We had a great time! We Really enjoyed the zip line. Weather was very cooperative, and we had a terrific tour guide (Patricia).Dolores K. Lancaster, PA
It was absolutely wonderful! Moving to the rain forest! We have been to 65 countries and our tour guide and driver, Ginni and Fabio, were the very best in Costa Rica.Gail S. Chino Hills, CA
The country was beautiful and the tour could not have gone better! Our guide, Rolando, is a huge asset to Gate 1 and the best Tour Guide in all of Costa Rica. I will definitely recommend Gate 1's Costa Rica adventure to all my friends and family, and hope they get Rolando as a Tour Guide. A GREAT TRIP!!!
Dale W. Oak Hill, VA
Our trip to Costa Rica was amazing. Everything went smoothly and Gustavo was a great tour manager. It was exactly what I have come to expect from Gate 1, wonderful.Amanda W. Hampstead, NC
My husband and I took the trip to Costa Rica and it was wonderful. The car rental, the hotels and the ziplining tour, they were all great. It worked out really well. We were quite surprised that all 4 of our hotels were wonderful. No complaints at all!! Great properties all of them.
Thanks you so much for your help.Gilah S. Cherry Hill, NJ
Our trip was great! We saw all the plants, insects, and animals that
we went to see plus more! Our tour manager, Patricia was great as was our
driver, Fabio. The Don Juan Coffee Tour was a pleasant surprise. And it was
really nice to have a relaxing lunch there before our tour.
The Ecotermales hot springs dinner and swimming was very enjoyable, especially since it was in the middle of the rain forest. What a great setting! We liked the group lunch and dinners a lot. It is nice to not have to deal with where to go to eat and how much it's going to cost.
The motor coach was perfect! I noticed that the windows were huge and always sparkling clean, which is great because I really like looking out the window when on tour. We will definitely recommend it to any of our friends and family who want to visit Costa Rica.
We would like to convey our special thanks to Patricia who has been an excellent tour manager and a very nice person. She has helped us and all other tour members to make the Costa Rica vacation a memorable experience. Costa Rica is a very nice country, and the arrangements of Gate 1 has been also excellent. The tour was very comfortable and the efforts of Patricia to ensure the comfort of all the tour members is really appreciable. She went extra miles to ensure the safety and convenience of our family.
Fabio is also a very helpful and nice person. His driving capabilities are great, specially in the winding roads on the way to Montevarde in the middle of heavy rain with very limited visibility and has always ensured smooth ride between all the places.
This is our second Gate1 vacation in 5 months, the previous one being Peru in March-April 2013 that was also a great experience with tour manager Ronald. We look forward for another memorable vacation with Gate1.Soumya C. Monroe TWP, NJ
What an ADVENTURE!! Fabulous trip and we all loved our guide, Gilbert! This was our first tour and it was so nice not having to worry about a THING. From moving our luggage from place to place to where we were going to eat. Almost everything was decided and didn't leave any thing for us to think about. Pure pleasure!!! Thanks so much!!Andrea L. Sterling, VA
It was great! The tour guide, Patricia, was very knowledgeable and sweet. The driver, Jorge, was very friendly and drove professionally. Every time we get off the bus, Jorge would be there to help us get down the stairs. The whole trip was very well organized and the food was delicious. I will definitely use Gate 1 again for my future travel and I will recommend you to all my friends and families.Angela N. Miami Beach, FL
We had a most amazing time! Everything went without a hitch. We were so impressed with our tour guide, Ricardo. He got up early in the morning to take those of us interested bird watching, and he was so good at keeping the group cohesive and in good humor -just a very fine person. We felt like we were friends with everyone in the group by the end.
The accommodations were fine and we certainly saw everything we had hoped to see. I would recommend this tour to anyone in a heartbeat.Dee S. Tucson, AZ
We had a great time in Costa Rica. This was our first time in that country. The locations and excursions were spectacular. Our tour guide Ricardo was a highlight of the trip. His organizational skills, extensive knowledge of Costa Rica and sense of humor, were impressive. I was also impressed by Gate 1's commitment to helping the local communities. We stopped briefly at a small school that receives support from Gate 1 to drop off some items and meet the school children. I hope that you continue to give such support. I am inclined to use Gate 1 again the next time we take such a trip.Tom R. Redlands, CA
Our trip was wonderful. Gate1 did wonderful job in arranging everything every step of the way. This is our 11th Gate1 trip in two years, but our very first in driving in a foreign country, which we were not sure about before arriving in Costa Rica. However, the rental car was delivered just as promised and with GPS and the emergency number to contact in case we had troubles, we felt so comfortable!
The trip was very well designed as it started with three days of an escorted tour of Tortuguero before the independent vacation portion started. Local guides during the Tortuguero were knowledgeable and extremely helpful, which really helped us to navigate the country on our own. Resorts were beautiful - Eco friendly and a lot of local flavors.
Even though mid June is considered the rainy season, most days we had nice and clear mornings where we were able to hike to Arenal volcano mountain, do the canopy tour in Monteverde, snorkel, swim, surf and watch the sunsets on beautiful beaches in the Guanacaste, and a hike to Blue Lake (along the way we saw bubbling mud pools!). We got to see a 150kg Green Turtle making nest for laying her eggs in Tortuguero- we were so impressed with protections the experts provide to these turtles! We also enjoyed seeing all the beautiful birds, sloths, monkey, crocodiles and numerous animal and plant species. Thanks again for making this family vacation so special.Hiemi H. Castle Rock, CO
The trip was spectacular. We had the best tour guide and bus driver in all the world. I cannot say enough about Gilbert: his history, knowledge of the country and sense of humor were beyond compare. There's no way to describe the beauty of the flora and wild life we experienced. We definitely would travel again with Gate1 Travel tours. All in all we give the entire experience an A+.Mary D. Silver Spring, MD
The trip was fantastic and our guide, Gustavo, was the best guide I've ever had in my life!! Truly. He was so informative, caring and considerate for each of the attendees. He was also attentive to the smallest little details, friendly, patient, great personality and overall, great! I was totally amazed. He was very involved with the travelers to make sure everyone had a great enjoyable time. He knew a lot about the biological and marine animals, history about the country, interesting trivial about the places we visited, and gave his honest opinion and recommendations on places to visit.
Also, the driver, Alex... wow! He was great driving us safely across those narrow, crazy, curvy mountain roads. He drove the bus right up to where the cement sidewalk started, when we went to the hummingbird exhibit to make sure we didn't have to step on the muddy path nor puddles. We loved the trip to the school as well. The kids sang, danced and showed us around their school. It was great to interact with such friendly, genuine and curious children.
The trip itself was a great experience and we had the opportunity to try everything Costa Rica had to offer. I will highly recommend this trip to everyone I know.Jin L. New York, NY
This was a wonderful trip! Everything that you lined up for us on this fly and drive worked like clockwork. The accommodations (Volcano Lodge and Si Como No) were impeccable. I cannot overstate the great value, coordination and accommodations that you lined up for us on this fly and drive. It was simply an awesome experience in both the Arenal area, as well as, the Manuel Antonio area. We hope to return and thanks again for this great trip.Don P. Southport, NC
While this was a quick trip, we did cover a lot of the country. Getting to Monteverde in and of itself is another experience. There are lush mountain views and deep valleys along the way, and let me not forget to mention the heart thumping drive along the winding mountain roads. One of the most memorable highlights was the Hanging Bridges at the Selvatura Park in Monteverde. This is a great way to get a top line view of life at the forest canopy and also a nice hike. Plus I got to see a "Bell Bird" up close (binoculars). A boat trip on the River Negro exposed us to many sightings of birds, animals and locals who live along this river, and the Eco Termales Hot Springs in Arenal was awesome.
I would love to return to the Hotel Lomas del Volcán located at the foot of the Arenal Volcano. The cottages are wonderfully outfitted and there are such beautiful views of the Volcano by day and by night fall, falling asleep to the sounds of the forest. Our guide, Gilbert, was warm and friendly. He was just the best and there was nothing he did not know. Honestly whether it was historical or scientific, he was spot on. Hats off to Fabio, our driver. He navigated the roads of Monteverde like the pro he is through thick fog and blinding rain. Thank you Gilbert, Fabi and of course Gate 1 for another great trip.Angela P. Brooklyn, NY
We had a great trip. We did the canopy and swinging bridge optional tours!! That was pretty exciting. We saw monkeys, sloths and lots of different birds and crocodiles. It was also nice visiting the school sponsored by Gate 1. We met nice people on the trip and took lots of pictures. Thanks for a great time!Sharon G. Woodbury, MN
We enjoyed the trip immensely! Every moment was delightful. Our tour guide, Jenny, was amazing in her knowledge of the area, it's flora and fauna. He went well and beyond to ensure everyone was comfortable, safe, informed and having a good time. Fabio's driving was excellent and he negotiated the back roads with ease, taking great care at the tricky portions of the winding back roads.
Our hotels, meals and excursions were all excellent and well organized. Everything started on time and as scheduled. Will definitely use Gate 1 again!Don W. Ontario, Canada
We loved the trip - no complaints at all. As usual, the person met us at airport, we thought the hotels were great, the guides were nice, and the bus driver, Alex, was excellent. He was very very safe and I give him more credit than the guide. The roads are unpaved and no guard rails.
The hanging bridges/zip lining was a trip - what an adventure. I cannot say enough about the 4 young men who handled our group on the zip lining - very very polite, professional safety first and they wanted you to enjoy. Looking forward to our next trip coming up!
Christine K. Dunnellon, FL
My recent trip to Costa Rica was amazing. I loved every second of it! The guide, Ricardo, was the best tour manager I have ever encountered. His story telling way of imparting the history, culture, and love for his country was captivating and inspiring; leaving me with a deep respect for each place we visited. His in-depth knowledge of the land and man's place in it, as well as detailed observations of birds, animals, and plants and their vulnerability to changes in the environment, captured my attention and gave importance to an ordinary moment which may have been overlooked.
Thank you, Gate 1 Travel, for your support of Union School. The pride of the students and families, and the graciousness they imparted was a poignant moment for me. This trip, more than any other I've taken, has open my eyes.Marianne S. Napa, CA
Our trip was fantastic. Our tour guide, Ana Maria, was a fantastic and knowledgeable guide with the history of the region, flora and fauna, boat tour and all the walks around the resort and village. In San Jose we met Gilbert, and he too was an entertaining guide with another boat tour, Arenal Volcano hike and Monteverde Cloud Forest hanging bridge walk. Our hotels and the surrounding grounds were beautiful and made our trip that much more enjoyable. The meals were good and the bus was very comfortable on all those mountainous curves and gravel roads. We highly recommend Gate 1 Travel and are planning on taking another trip with you in the near future. Thanks for all your help in setting up this wonderful vacation for us. It was truly memorable.Alan F. Flagstaff, AZ
It was great trip to Costa Rica with Gate 1. The tour guide, Patricia, was great and we love her! She was very friendly, caring, and helpful to us. We did Zip line, horse back riding, a boat tour ...all incredible ...It was nice that Patricia gave us bottles of water every day so we would not get dehydrated. We ate a lot of food as well! I love Gate 1. This was my 6th trip with them and I got my friends and family to join Gate 1, to travel with me.The V. Sacramento, CA
I want to tell you that the tour from Gate 1 MORE than met our expectations. We were very pleasantly surprised! What especially impressed us was the selection of locations, especially the "sampling" of Costa Rica environments, and the quality of accommodations. It is very clever to begin the tour with Tortuguero and progress to Flamingo Playa. The travel time of around 4 hours of driving time was perfect and allowed us to see lots of scenery without stress. Everything was reserved and waiting for us with no glitches.Laura N. Lansing, MI
The trip to Costa Rica was the best vacation ever! Gilberth was so well informed on every subject from geology to bird calls! And Alec (driver) kept us safe and on time. Hotels were great...as was the food and tours chosen for this trip. Awesome!!!!!Linda G. Albion, NY
Our trip was great! It was so much more than I expected! Our tour guide, Ricardo, was amazing...one of the best tour guides we've had. He was so accommodating to everyone's requests and made himself available 24/7. He truly showed us the "Pura Vida" lifestyle in Costa Rica. We really felt like Gate 1 tried to make the most of our time with all the excursions, additional tours and included dinners. It was an effortless trip on our part. All we had to do was show up! We'll definitely consider taking another Gate 1 tour in the future.Monica P. Los Angeles, CA
Honestly, my wife and I had the best time of our lives in Costa Rica. The
only bad part was that we eventually had to leave.
As the trip progressed it became more and more apparent that we had made a great choice going with Gate 1, as all of the accommodations were great and everywhere we went they shared in our honeymoon celebration; the Lomas del Volcan Hotel in La Fortuna near Arenal even greeted us at our room with a bottle of champagne on ice beside the customary bed decorated with swans (made of towels) and tropical flowers.
We also enjoyed being able to see a lot of the country and stay different places, which was easily allowed by Gate 1's flexible packages and the car rental.
Again, many thanks for your wonderful service - you contributed greatly to an unforgettable honeymoon!
We had a great time. We are loyal customers of Gate 1. We can always trust Gate 1 for well planned trips, all we need is to pack our bags, and you all will take care of all the details. Thanks again for making our trips the most relaxed and enjoyable ones.Miranda P. Houston, TX
Thank you, my trip was a lot of fun. My fiance and I enjoyed every minute of it, when it was sunny and when it was pouring down rain. Costa Rica is an amazing place to visit, our tour guide Ricardo made it much more pleasant as well. He was very knowledgable and made us feel like his closest friends. Thank you for providing me with such an incredible experience.Aaron D. Colton, CA
I traveled with my sister to Costa Rica with Gate1. Everything was excellent. Our tour manager and driver were the best. The accomodations, itinerary and sights were also excellent. This was our first trip with Gate1 but I am looking forward to joining you on another trip. I am also spreading the word about Gate1 for superb quality and value, Thank you very much for all your help in arranging our trip.Lorenzo F. San Francisco, CA
Thank you for a great trip!
Great choice of hotels and rental car service you selected. Everything went off smoothly during the trip.
We will be using your travel service for future trips including another one to Costa Rica.
Happy customer here!
LOVED IT! Had a great time and no problems at all with reservations.
Thanks so much. Found other 2 couples that had book through Gate 1 too
Will be using your services in the future for our trip to Italy!
Thanks so much!
Our trip was wonderful. We had a blast. It rained but, after all it's the rain forest. We did the canopy (zip line) and Tarzan swing, swinging in the jungle through the trees, awesome. The food was delicious the accommodations great and we all fell in love with our tour guide, Juan Carlos, he was so knowledgeable about his country and I learned so very much from him. We were treated with respect. The people were so attentative, gracious, helpful and just terrific. Trudy and I just fell in love with the village people. When we were in Tortuguero I needed my hair done and ask if there was someone in the village that could do my hair, they hooked me up with the village beautician, she was from Spain and had visited Costa Rica several years ago and fell in love with the country ,met her know husband there and has been there for five years, she was really nice and did a great job with mine and Trudy's hair. We took the boat to the village with the employees of the lodge, that was neat. Her wash basin was quiet primitive, carved out of wood in one piece chair and wash basin. Unique. The animals we got to see were many and beautiful, the colorful birds,the Tucon and many others. The Blue Jean Frog was neat and very colorful as poisonous as the little thing was. The Howling monkeys woke us up every morning while we were in the Park in Tortuguero. Arenal and the hike to the volcano was very interesting, Sarchi and the Ox-carts beautiful, I had three shipped back home...I could go on and on. Wonderful vacation, Thank you so very much..Loved this trip...Can't wait until my next one.Jeanette D. Speedwell, TN
The trip was amazing!!!!!!!!! I never traveled with Gate1 before and I can honestly say this will not be my last tour with Gate1. The tour guide was very informative about the country and most importantly very professional!! Seriously, I want to go back next year and visit the other side of the country. I wish I can have the same tour guide (Juan Carlos) he was amazing!!Arelis D. Paterson, NJ
Next time it's my turn and I've been looking at upcoming trips!
We had a wonderful time, the service was great we enjoyed every moment of our trip. Thank you so, so much for all your assistance. Can't wait for our next vacation.Alma M. Santa Fe, CA
Our trip was EXCELLENT. Everything you set up for us was perfect.
Thanks so much for all of your help to make our first trip to Costa Rica a
great one!
Our trip was really nice. The first hotel's staff was very nice and the
rooms were nice and clean. We enjoyed a great dinner at the sushi restaurant,
and the morning buffet was great. The Arenal Manoa hotel was incredible, and I
wish I could live there! There wasn't a single negative thing about it. The
room had an incredible view of the volcano and perfect grounds. We had our
there and they did everything to make it beautiful. The Establo was nice, but a little too large. They did have some activities like zip lining and waterfall rappelling that were good. All in all it was a wonderful trip. No complaints about anything. Thank you for all your help with planning our trip.
We had a wonderful vacation. Gate 1 has been amazing in coordinating the
trip and every detail was perfect. Thank you so much for your efforts to make
our vacation memorable and we will definitely be using Gate 1 in the
Absolutely fabulous. Everywhere we went they automatically upgraded us. All the accommodations were so nice that we hated to leave, especially in Arenal. All the people were wonderful. The 4 wheel drive car was great for the dirt road into Monteverde. The people in the hotels are all big fans of Gate 1 like we are. There are no street signs in Costa Rica which makes things interesting. We chose not to take the GPS and did fine. Thanks for the great trip.Carol M. Oklahoma City, OK
The hotels were superb. They were like luxurious resorts with fantastic breakfasts. We loved the Tilajari Resort. It was great having breakfast with the iguanas and birds right there. We went to waterfalls and then on a tour of the volcanoes. We ate at a great restaurant downtown and enjoyed a swim in the pool. Everybody was very friendly. The hotel Montana Monteverde had beautiful views. A real treat was reserving their hot tub which was in a separate round building. We had it all to ourselves including a sauna with windows where you had a great view. We also went on a coffee and cheese tour which we thoroughly enjoyed.
The drive to Monteverde wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Great views! On the way we saw terrific falls (actually 5 falls), this was a real find. To get there we had to drive on a very rough road but it was so worth it. Nobody else was there and the guys swam in the water.
We went on suspension bridges which gave us a real look at the rain forest. They were a lot of fun and not scary at all. We headed back to San Jose and somehow the GPS took us near the ocean. We swam in the waves and I was excited to see white-faced monkeys.
Thank-you for a dream vacation. I appreciate all of the help from the people at Gate 1. I will always treasure the memories of this fantastic trip to Costa Rica with my sons. Thanks for making it possible.
Since we live in Florida with ample coastline to enjoy, we chose to
concentrate on the interior of Costa Rica. Thankfully, our travel agent
wisely chose Gate 1. The entire trip went flawlessly; all that was
promised was delivered and delivered with style. Timely pick-ups,
well-maintained minibus, excellent driver; hotels were clean, beautifully
situated and provided excellent service with generous breakfasts; all excursions
were safe, informative and fun. The tour guide, Diego, could not have
been any better; socially at ease with English,
well-educated regarding the agronomy, botany, geography and weather
sciences. He was always patient, accommodating and upbeat. We
highly recommend this tour and send kudos to our driver and our guide.
Thank you for providing such a good tour!
We had an amazing time! It must have been the best time to go to Costa
Rica! The weather was perfect and we pretty much had all of our
accommodations to ourselves!
We started in San Jose at the Hotel Balmoral. I definitely recommend a GPS for anyone driving. It could have been crazy trying to find our way through those unmarked streets without one! The hotel must have been the nicest in the area, with a great restaurant and great staff. Actually, the staff at every hotel was most kind and outgoing, and were full of tips!
Arenal was spectacular. The Talajari Resort was beautiful. Iguanas everywhere! We even had a crocodile across the river! Monteverde was a beautiful and fun drive! The zip lining tour was off the
hook! A definite recommendation up there! Manuel Antonio was the most amazing! I wish we had another night there! The Espadilla hotel was a block from the beach and a block from the entrance
to the national park! One thing that shocked me was that the national park did not have any maps of their trails for you to take with you. If I had known I would have printed one in advance. They only had one posted at the entrance. We also took a horseback riding tour through the hotel and ended up being the only two! It was like having private tours everywhere!
You guys really put a great package together! The hotels were all absolutely great! The car rental company was excellent. (I do recommend that anyone who would like to rent a cell phone to do it in advance, as they did run out.) Your team did such a fine job! Thank you from all of us!
The trip was wonderful. The accommodations and service were more than we expected and the people were very friendly. We enjoyed the freedom of driving ourselves around and exploring places at our leisure. Driving the "friendly" roads of Costa Rica certainly added to the sense of adventure, perhaps you could convince the government to do a little road improvement.
We met a number of other tourists that were travelling the same Gate 1
itinerary so we got to compare notes at each hotel as we met up and everyone was
having a great time. I would not hesitate to highly recommend your
services. You were more than accommodating when we needed to "tweak" our
itinerary. Thank you so much.
We had a great time. The hotels on this trip were great. Top notch! I would not change a thing when it comes to the hotels. The only bad part about the trip was the driving. The roads can be pretty rough in Costa Rica and of course they don't follow the same (any) rules of driving like we do. So that made it a challenge. But we saw some great stuff and had an outstanding adventure. We love gate1travel!!!! See you on our next vacation.
We had a wonderful trip but choose to bypass the San Jose hotel on both sides
of the trip. In fact, it was quite simple to spend the final night in Jaco on
the beach and we were still able to get to the airport in plenty of time to
fly the same day.
The Adobe rental car was fine and the Hotel Montana was great. Villas Eco Arenal was a great budget hotel close to the city for those who value the local feel and flavor vs. the Americanized resorts out of town. Great for us.
Everything went absolutely smoothly on our trip - airline bookings, hotel reservations, car rental, - we did not experience any issues at all. Our stay at Balmoral Hotel and Tilajari Resort Hotel was excellent and Sky Trek at Arenal Volcano and the hot mineral tabs we enjoyed to a fullest degree. I'd like to offer only one suggestion: instead of Monteverde Rain Forest it'd be better to offer a stay at Pacific: right before leaving to Monteverde we met a family who just came from Monteverde and they told us that it was awfully rainy and windy there, so we changed our itinerary and went to Jaco skipping Monteverde completely. This was entirely our decision and we did not regret it: we enjoyed wonderful weather, the road was absolutely picturesque, we took a surfing class with Roberto at Jaco, and we went to Manuel Antonio National Park and enjoyed the sunset at Villa Coletas Anfiteatro. Again, thanks a lot for your service and I'm looking forward to book our next trip at Gate 1 Travel!Alexey A. Staten Island, NY
We had a great time in beautiful Costa Rica. Other than the 4 hour delay getting there (after midnight to arrive at the Balmoral Hotel) things went well. The road to Monteverde is in terrible shape; rocks and boulders.Edwin A. Colorado Springs, CO
Costa Rica was wonderful. The weather, tourist volume, people and sites were great. The road was a little rough going to Monte Verde, however, I'm used to driving on 4wheel drive roads. I would recommend not going into San Jose the first day, but rather stay on the out skirts or head north. Also, I would recommend returning to the Belmoral the evening before departure, having the rental car company pick up the car and take the taxi to the airport. We had a great time and will be returning to Costa Rica someday. Thanks again for your help.Stephanie J. Arvada, CO
455 Maryland Drive Suite #102 Ft. Washington, PA 19034 USA. CST# 2017407-20