2004
January 2,
10-day Itinerary
Hi Grettel. Scott and I wanted to thank you and all the people at Aventuras Naturales for a
spectacular 10 Day Adventure Trip in your beautiful country. You and the staff
at Aventuras Naturales really planned all of the details to make the trip a
memorable experience. The tour guides Carlos and Kevin on the
Pacuare
River
were wonderful and they also helped
to make the stay at the Pacuare Lodge an unparalleled experience. We loved the
Whitewater river rafting as well as the Canopy Tour.
The food that Thomas, your chef, prepared was spectacular. We couldn't believe
how romantic the honeymoon suite was even without electricity and hot water.
Our trip to Arenal included both horseback riding which we booked through the
hotel and the bike tour. Alex was our guide on the horseback riding tour and it
was just magnificent seeing the volcano erupt. We were lucky that day since the
weather was clear and we could see the volcano. Although the bike tour was a
challenge in the rain, we enjoyed it nonetheless. Monteverde was just beautiful
and the guided tour to Selvatura Cloud Forest was quite an experience. All of
the drivers were wonderful and the accommodations at the Montana de Fuego and
El Establo were beautiful and cozy. Scott and I both indulged ourselves and got
Siamese massages at the En Gadi Spa at Montana de Fuego which were extremely
luxurious and relaxing after our 3 hour horseback ride around the Arenal
volcano. And of course,
Tamarindo
Beach
and the Hotel Cala Luna were
terrific as well. We enjoyed the boat ride in Tortuguero even thought Scott and
I were not feeling well that day and there was some confusion regarding this
trip but it all worked out in the end thanks to your efforts to make our visit
and our honeymoon an unforgettable and wonderful experience. We recommend your
company to anyone who wants to travel around
Costa Rica
and we are sure to visit your
country again soon. We told our clients in
Costa Rica
about your company and they were
glad to hear we were so pleased. Thanks again for making our honeymoon trip
such a wonderful experience.
Alisa Jaffe
and Scott Strochak
Boca Raton
,
Florida
January 4,
Pacuare 2 days
Another
outstanding adventure! I was consistently impressed with the quality of this
trip! Amazing!
Piera
Damonte
Oakland
,
CA
January 6,
Pacuare 2 days
Everyone
was so great! So much fun with great energy, attitudes &
professionalism. We had an awesome time & would definitely recommend
this tour to friends. Thanks to everyone of the staff
who made our adventure stay so much fun & so delightful.
Marcelo
& Maria Masif
Tucson
,
AZ
January 15,
Pacuare 1 day
I have been
on many river trips all over the world. This was quite likely the best. The
river is of course beautiful and exciting. However, the true excellence of this
trip, and your company, in my opinion, was Mario. Knowledgeable
about the land, animals, plants, history + commerce of
Costa Rica
. Brilliant
technically on the river, confident, witty, a true pleasure to be around. This man is worth his weight in gold to your company. I will be back.
Vince Booth
New Orleans
,
LA
January 21,
10-day itinerary
Hello Ana
Maria,
I know some
time has passed since my trip to
Costa Rica
in December, but I wanted to take
the time and write to you about my wonderful vacation.
I never
imagined seeing and experiencing so many colorful butterflies, birds,
hummingbirds, frogs, flowers, and even a dragonfly. The wildlife and
rainforests were just amazing. The food was wonderful as well, as were the
amenities. Lastly, but equally important, the Costa Rican people were warm and
friendly.
Thank you
for taking the time to customize my trip with such short notice. I realize that
most vacationers plan an international trip, many months or even years in
advance and not weeks, like in my case. Unfortunately, I was scheduled to go
else where with a friend, until they canceled. With the priorities of work and
school, specifically final exams, I lost time, and decided to
Costa Rica
instead.
Your
knowledge of your country has paid off, in the places that I visited and
experienced. Hotel Bosque
del
Cabo was amazingly tranquil, even
with the early morning howler monkeys wake up calls. I particularly enjoyed the
four-wheel drive to get there. Selva Bananito Lodge provided a wonderful
adventure, with the tree climbing and zip lines. The
waterway surrounding at Mawamba Lodge (my last stop) were wonderful, as was the
lodge. Lastly, I finally got to see two sloths in the Tortuguero canals, till
then, I had not spotted any.
Lastly from
the limited correspondence we had, you managed to plan an amazing experience
that I will always remember. Hopefully, sometime in the future, I will be able
to return to Tortuguero and experience ocean turtles laying their eggs.
Regards,
Laura
Kriauciunas
Northbrook
,
IL
January 22,
Pacuare 2 days
This was
the most spectacular highlight of my
Costa Rica
trip. The service was excellent,
and you went over and beyond our expectations for both the rafting excursion as
well as our stay at the Pacuare Lodge. Our guides were very friendly and always
seemed to go out of their way to accommodate us and make us feel welcome and comfortable.
We’ll be coming back soon!
Jennifer Mc
Gregor
Edmonton
,
AB
Canada
February 5,
Pacuare 3 Days
Absolutely
everything was excellent + perfect. I have never enjoyed myself so much &
Kevin our guide was better than excellent. He was quite polite, thoughtful, and
informative. He was there for us in every way. If we could we’d do it over +
over again.
Linda S.
Burnan
Barneveld,
WI
February
17, Pacuare 2 days
It was the
highlight of our trip. The lodge, the food, the guides, just everything was way
beyond my expectations. Thank you very much. Manfred was great.
Hedi Inauen
Rufi
,
Switzerland
February
23, Pacuare 2 days
This was a
genuinely pleasant experience from booking to completion. Everyone involved was
extremely helpful. I will definitely recommend this trip and Aventuras
Naturales to all who inquire about
Costa Rica
. Thank you.
John D.
Vaughan
Crestwood
,
NY
March 3,
Pacuare 2 days
The most
incredible overall experience I have ever had. The honeymoon suite was
wonderful, the canopy tour great!! Everyone was very nice. Don’t ever get
electricity + stay very small. I will be back!!!
Jeanette
Croeneveld
San Diego
,
CA
March 9,
Pacuare 3 days
Once in a
lifetime trip – everyone was so kind & gentle. The Honeymoon Suite was
breathtaking. We feel God’s presence all around us! Our God is an awesome God!
Just check out
Costa Rica
!
Mark Heat
Half
Moon Bay
,
USA
March 11,
Pacuare 2 days
Definitely the highlight of our trip here. The Pacuare Lodge is spectacular. A rare combination of nature & comfort without a hint of
commercialism. The food was fantastic, our guide knowledgeable &
outgoing. The whole staff was wonderful. We had a blast! I wouldn’t change
anything.
Pam Ortiz
Newport Beach
,
CA
March 14,
Pacuare 2 days
It was just
fantastic!!! Even better than what we could imagine. The Pacuare Lodge is a
real heaven! Thanks for the Honeymoon Suite, it was gorgeous. Food was
excellent and the staff so kind. Thanks for all!
Para su información: Vuestra organización esta
considerada como “un golpe de corazón” lo que significa “una referencia” en
Francia.
Laine Theo
& Marie Alix
Paris
,
France
March 16,
Pacuare 3 days
My husband
and I had an excellent time. Our guide was very fluent in English and knew so
much about the Costa Rican flora and fauna. He was very skillful on the river
and an excellent guide. The lodge was clean and attractive. Thomas the chef was
excellent – the quality, freshness and presentation of the food was even better than we anticipated. The people conducting
the Canopy Tour were reassuring and safety conscious. We’d highly recommend you
company.
Susan
Stuard
Katy
,
TX
March 20,
Pacuare 2 days
The trip
and guide (Kevin) were excellent. The food and facilities were top notch. I will recommend this rafting trip to everyone. I was on two rafting
trips before i the
U.S.A.
and this one was by far the best.
Dean
Belisle
Sommerset,
WS
March 26,
Pacuare 1 day
Our river
guide, Alexander, was very personable, and very skilled. My son, wife and I
enjoyed the river trip immensely. Best tour in
Costa Rica
! The river was beautiful, the
rapids challenging, but we felt safe and comfortable the whole trip. We will
definitely recommend this to our friends.
Rich
Rasmussen
Sun Valley
,
CA
April 8,
Pacuare 2 days
This trip
far exceeded my expectations in just about every way. The service was superb,
and our guide, Luis, was fantastic, personable, and a a lot of fun! We also did the canopy tour, which was great. The Pacuare Lodge
was amazing, as were the people who worked there. We could not believe hoe nice
everything was!!
Perry
Dickay
Hollis
,
NH
April 20,
Pacuare 2 days
Your guides
are fantastic, professional, informative, and very much fun. The day at the
lodge was much more fun than we had expected. The jungle hike was an adventure
itself. The guides are experts in the local flora and fauna and that makes the
lodge experience much richer. Keep the focus on environmental conservation,
sustainable tourism and everything that you are already doing. Don’t change a
thing!
Justin
Gravatt
New York
,
NY
April 24,
Pacuare 2 days
The tour
was great! The staff was very friendly & knowledgeable! The honeymoon
bungalow was awesome! We enjoyed the food $ the staff. The river & canopy
trip were a lot of fun!! Thanks a lot!! We had a really nice time! Thanks for
being so nice & helpful!!
Jerry + Joe
Lemanski
Raleigh
,
NC
April 28,
Pacuare 2 days
It was one
of the best experiences I have ever had! The food was great! The lodge was
great! The guides were great! I will definitely return for another trip. I will
tell my friends to come here! The honeymoon suite is the room I request the
next time. I can’t wait to come back. Thank you!
Bob Dolven
Phoenix
,
AZ
May 6,
Pacuare 2 days
Hello,
I cannot
thank you enough for the vacation of a lifetime! I'm still speechless about the
two day
Pacuare
River
experience! Everything was perfect!
The adventurous guides are top notch in every way possible!!
I want to
tell you Estephan (I may have misspelled) is a GREAT guide. I'm serious, of all
my guides during my ten day trip to
Costa Rica
, he was one of the best. Very nice
guy, who could have probably guided us along the river with his eyes closed. I
felt very safe with him. Also at the Pacuare Lodge he was very nice and fun to
talk with. You have a good guide who loves his job, so treat him well.
Tell him
that Wesley and his dad said "hello from the United States, and that we
had a great time white water rafting...oh and I'm moving to Costa Rica after
college"! If he doesn't remember my name off hand, tell him we were the
ones at the Lodge with GiGi. I appreciate it if he gets this message.
I
recommended this company to everyone! THANKS THANKS THANKS!!!!
Wesley
Breaux
USA
May 16,
Pacuare 2 days
Esdras
rocks! Every memory in
Costa Rica
is outshined by the wonderful
service, food and adventure experienced with your team. Thank you
Tracey
Copeland
Los Angeles
,
CA
May 16,
Pacuare 2 days
Esdras
delivered the third best experience of my life, behind my wedding &
engagement to my lovely wife, Tracey.
Brad Copeland
Los Angeles, CA
May 26, Pacuare 2 days
Dear Ana Maria,
I just
wanted to write to tell you just how much we enjoyed rafting on the Pacuare river during our trip to
Costa Rica
over the last two weeks.
I did not
have enough time to really write as much as I wanted to on the evaluation form,
and was hoping to convey a few more thoughts to you by email, and trust they
will be relayed to the proper people who would normally be reading the
feedback.
I cannot
say enough about our guide, Louis Achoy. We enjoyed his company immensely, and
he was not only an amazing raft guide, but was great on the canopy tour, trails
through the woods, etc. He was funny, personable, and very knowledgeable. Just
to give you one of several possible examples: he realized that the people in
the group he was guiding (there were 5 of us) had a high interest in nature and
wildlife (there were two naturalists in the group). He took every opportunity
to point out various wildlife forms we would encounter, and surprised us by
guiding our raft to shore, disappearing in the woods for a moment, only to
return with a red frog that he captured for us to see. He seemed to do things
like that because he truly enjoyed it, not because it was "just his
job". Likewise, he was an amazing waiter at the Pacuare Lodge and during
lunch on the river. If anything, my wife and I were a little taken back by the
high level of service we received. We felt like we were being treated like
royalty, and we are such simple people, it was almost a little uncomfortable
for us. We would actually have preferred to eat with Louis and the other people
working at the lodge, rather than us being treated in a special fashion. I
don't really mean those comments as criticism, just that we are not the kind of
people that are used to being waited on like that, and prefer that all people
be treated equally. Anyway, we just wanted to make sure that Louis got the
recognition we feel he deserved, he was exceptional in every aspect of his
interaction with us. We always felt safe (rafting and canopy tour), and
thoroughly enjoyed his company, humor, and companionship.
The Pacuare
Lodge was an amazing place to stay as well. All of the people we met were just
so wonderful, and seemed to be experts in everything they did (and they all
wore many hats, doing many different jobs). The honeymoon bungalow was
especially nice, and it was just an incredible place to stay while there.
Again, I
hope you don't mind these extra comments, and can pass them along to whomever should see them. I honestly can't think of a single
thing that I would like to have been different during those two days, and your
company should be commended for its excellent service.
Best
regards,
Perry
Dickau
Hollis
,
NH
May 30,
Pacuare 2 days
You made me
feel so comfortable + safe the entire trip. I thought your service, food, equipment
(river+van) were extremely good + much better than I thought it might be. I
would highly recommend this trip to everyone. Thank you for a wonderful time. I
am leaving with memories that will be with me a lifetime. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Diane Lewis
Rochester
,
NY
May 31,
Pacuare 1 day
Professional
staff, good lunch (especially the crackers), the instructions at the beginning
were very helpful. I enjoyed floating in the water under the foot bridge. The
guides were very knowledgeable about the plants and animals along the road and
river. Since this is our only tour in
Costa Rica
I appreciated learning so much in
one day. The bilingual staff was also a plus. Thanks for the trip! We had fun.
Rochelle
Smith
Woburn
,
MA
June 13,
7-day itinerary
Dear
Grettel,
We have
been home over one week now and it is hard to believe what an incredible
country you have. I realize that we only saw a small part of it and an
incredibly exclusive part, but, it was such an amazing visit. I only regret
that it was so short a visit; at least we will have an excuse to return. the Osa peninsula was so breathtakingly beautiful and
unspoiled. Having the dolphins swim with our boat to
Caño
Island
, snorkeling with schools of fish in
warm clear turquoise water,
and hiking through parts of the rain forest in
Corcovado
was overwhelmingly beautiful. Our
insect tour at Aguila de Osa at night was not to be
forgotten.
We all had
a fantastic time and it was in no small part thanks to your assistance with the
arrangements. even when we went to the wrong airport
on the Osa peninsula, the lady was able to have the plane pick us up at the
other location. It would not happen in this country in a million years. Our
pilot for the flight from north to south was experienced and calm and got us
there safely. We were picked up on time and with courtesy throughout. It was a
very special trip and we thank you for helping us plan it.
Word of
mouth is the best reference. So, please know that as the opportunity arises, we
will refer people to you. Thank you again for making our trip so pleasant.
Gary Angel
& and family
San Francisco
,
CA
June 14,
6-day itinerary
Grettel,
Andy and I just wanted to thank you for planning such a memorable vacation for
us! We thoroughly enjoyed everything from river rafting and the canopy tour, to
the bike ride and the
hot springs
. All of our accommodations were
full of personality, and all of the tour guides and drivers were knowledgeable,
friendly and professional. We truly think this was our best vacation ever! Thanks
again for all of your help.
Best
regards,
Cheryl
Halpern
Dallas
,
TX
June 20,
Pacuare 2 days
Your
Company is supremely well-organized from booking the trip, the pick-up, to the
guides; everything seems to fall right into place but it must take a lot of
coordination behind the scenes to make it so seamlessly easy for your guests.
Our guide, Luis, was incredibly skilled, knowledgeable about the natural
wonders, and friendly. A FIRST class experience from start to
finish.
Kara Block
Jamaica Plain
,
MA
June 21,
Pacuare 2 days
This trip
was very intense, it was an amazing experience. If I ever come back to
Costa Rica
I will be sure to do this trip
again. I will recommend it to everyone. Thomas made an incredible dinner and we
loved the chocolate mousse. Thank you for an adventure I will never forget.
Stephanie
Reames
Loxahatchee
,
FL
June 22,
Pacuare 2 days
Phenomenal!
Danielle
Linden
Deerfield
Bch
,
FL
July 3,
Pacuare 2 days
The trip
was an awesome adventure. It was an “adventure of a lifetime!” The guides were
wonderful, fun and confident. I felt very safe at all times. The lodge was
incredible, very natural. Food was great and huts were very clean. Everyone
went over + above to make sure our family enjoyed our stay. Well worth the
money.
Michelene
Wittmer
Fremont
,
CA
July 3,
Pacuare 2 days
The trip
was overall an awesome experience. It was the most beautiful place I’ve ever
been in the world.
Eric
Wittmer
Fremont
,
CA
July 4,
Pacuare 2 days
Hello
Grettel - we have returned from our trip to
Costa Rica
and I wanted to share with you how
amazing
our rafting experience was. This was a cornerstone for
our trip
and more than we could have imagined. Both
Andres and
Luis were incredible guides and hosts. The
Lodge was a
paradise unlike any we had ever seen.
We will
definitely be returning to
Costa Rica
and the
Paquare in the future. Thanks for all of your
assistance in making this vacation more than memorable.
Regards,
Don Frisbie
San Francisco
,
CA
July 5,
Pacuare 2 days
Me ha parecido una experiencia inolvidable tanto por
la belleza del paisaje como por el trato recibido por parte de los guias.
Espero que nunca pierdan esa atención tan excelente que ustedes tienen hacia
los turistas.
Atentamente,
Ana Belén Bettrán
L’Alcora (Castellon), España
July 7, 18-day
itinerary
HI
everyone. We have been hawing quite an adventure here. Monkeys stealing bananas from the locals at
Manuel
Antonio
National Park
. Pristine beaches
with warm water. Josh learned to swim! We saw Olive Ridley turtles nest
and we got to hold the eggs. Saw them drop in the sand 80 to 110 at a time. It
was a lightening filled night with no moon so it was very exciting. We have
seen Arenal Volcano erupt during a lighting storm while we dined by candles at
an open air type restaurant. We saw all kinds of frogs red blue poisonous! We
went horse back riding up the volcano and to the waterfalls in La Fortuna.
Thank you Grettel for your wonderful assistance in making our trip a adventure of a lifetime.
Love, Clara
and the boys
Clara
D’Agostino
Los Angeles
,
CA
July 7,
Pacuare 2 days
This was
one of the best trips we’ve ever had. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. From the
canopy tour to the hike up to the waterfall, everything was an awesome
adventure. Kevin, our guide, went over and above to make this trip an
incredible one. The lodge grounds were absolutely beautiful, and the food
incredible. Everyone was very friendly. I highly recommend the Pacuare Lodge
for your
Costa Rica
adventure.
Gina
Constantino-Wilson
Lacombe
,
LA
July 16,
Pacuare 2 days
I thought
the entire trip from start to finish was amazing! Esteban was a wonderful guide
– guided us through beautiful hikes to the waterfalls & was excellent on
the river. All of the guides were very helpful and friendly. I had just a great
time – everything was perfect – from all of the meals, to the river to the
excellent guides. I will definitely recommend your company to friends &
family.
Liz Gorey
Seattle
,
WA
July 19, 6
day itinerary
Hi Grettel,
Just wanted to thank you and let you know we had a great time in Costa
Rica. You
have a beautiful country and provided us with reliable and very
professional service. We were able to see and do a lot in the short time
that we
were there. Thanks again and I look forward to my next visit.
Take Care,
Melissa Garcia
Miami
,
FL
July 19,
7-day itinerary
Dear
Grettel: Although you communicated most frequently with my friend Melissa, I
truly wanted to thank you for the wonderful travel itinerary you provided for my
five-day stay in your country. Only two words can sum up my experience:
PURA VIDA!
I have highly recommended your company to many friends and
will share my pictures with my new classes of high school juniors. I hope the
pictures could
capture the unique and beautiful landscapes protected in your country.
Many
thanks,
Gladys
Rodriguez
Miami
,
FL
July 26,
Pacuare 2 days
This tour
was as great as the description said it would be. The guides were knowledgeable
and friendly and the accommodations at the Pacuare Lodge were superb. We
enjoyed the cabins and especially our night stay in the honeymoon suite. The
food was the best we have eaten here in
Costa Rica
. Tommy was an excellent chef.
Pweter
Gebhard
Oak Harbor
,
WA
July 29,
Pacuare 2 days
The lodge
is incredible. It is nature at its maximum expression. I hope it stays like
that. Usually, hotels try to sell comfort and facilities rather than nature
itself. I think Pacuare Lodge has been able to mix nature and the ecology with
nice & comfortable facilities without harming the environment and it surroundings.
I will definitely recommend this to my friends. I’ll see you next time!
Pedro
Garcia
Guaynabo
, PR
August 3,
Pacuare 2 days
This tour
was very well organized and the guides were so excellent! Everyone was friendly
and respectful. The location of the lodge was beautiful and the meals were
delicious. The canopy adventure was so amazing + exciting. The staff of the
tour really made this experience so memorable. Congratulations on having an
amazing program!
Anne Marie
Girard
La
Cañada
,
CA
August 3,
Pacuare 2 days
At first I
had no idea what to think. Then the beauty of the river and jungle had me at
awe! This place is so awesome! From start to the finish we were treated like
Kings and
Queens
from the staff!
Eric J.
Worden
San Antonio
,
TX
August 6,
9-day itinerary
Dear Ana
Maria, I want to take this opportunity to thank you and Aventuras Naturales for
a spectacular Costa Rican vacation back in August. Everything you arranged for
us was top-quality -- the person who met us at the airport, the tour guides,
the drivers, the adventures, the hotels and the lodges. The level of safety
incorporated into the outdoor challenges was wonderful, and on-the-road your
van drivers were very responsible and friendly. We were especially impressed by
the group of people associated with the Pacuare Lodge accommodations and its
rafting, and zipline activities. Great personalities running
a great operation.
Raul &
Maureen Matamoros
Connecuticut,
U.S.A
August 10,
Pacuare 2 days
This has
been an awesome experience. The guides, the lodge staff, the scenery, the food
and the overall service have been entirely enjoyable. Laura & Chamo were
amazing on the river and made the trip exciting and fun. Jorge was always
extremely helpful, pleasant, and enjoyable to be around. Thanks for such a great
trip!! We hope to be back again. Many thanks!
Jenny Bacon
& Mike
Oakland
,
CA
August 10,
Pacuare 2 days
Hi Ana,
I thought
you might be interested in my clients comments after
their return from
Costa Rica
:
The rafting
trip and honeymoon bungalow were perfect and the best highlight of the trip! We
were thoroughly challenged with the rafting and felt as one with nature when we
stayed in the secluded cabin in the jungle. We had our on bridge to the
treetops from our bungalow. A gourmet chef cooked for us during the stay at the
lodge, and he was one of the best chefs that has ever
prepared meals for us!
As you can
read, they were very pleased. Thank you for all your help.
Janet
JAN'S
TRAVEL
Janet
Robertson Travel Consultant
Associate With Incentive Connection Travel, Inc.
Phone 225
356-6816
Email jantravler@i-55.com
August 18,
Pacuare 2 days
The 2-day
Pacuare River Tour was amazing. The lodge is beautiful and relaxing. The staff
is so friendly and helpful. Jorge was a fabulous guide. It was wonderful
spending time in the lodge playing back gammon, or going on hikes in the forest
surrounding the lodge. It exceeded my expectations in every way. Thank you
Liz Donahue
Richmond, VA
Agosto 21, Pacuare 2 días
Kurt no pudo ser mejor guía. El es una enciclopedia
andante. No solamente goze las riquezas en rafting que ofrece este país pero
también aprendí mucho de la vegetación, la fauna y especies, gracias a Kurt. Me
encanto el viaje y espero volver muy pronto y repetir este viaje. Gracias!
Liliana
Gabriel
Fairfax
,
VA
August 29,
Pacuare 2 days
I can’t
really think of any thing that you could possibly do to make it better. Thanks.
Michael
Connors
Harbor City
,
CA
September
4, Pacuare 2 days
This tour
was fabulous! I would definitely return and use this agency again. The guides,
Jose-Luis & Andrés were knowledgeable and excellent guides. I saw another
lodge on the river, but the Pacuare Lodge is much better! I am really glad I
choose the 2-day trip. I am just sad it is over.
Erica Ortiz
Falls Church
,
VA
September
7, Pacuare 3 days
Dear
Grettel, Mark and I just returned home and we had to let you know that
our rafting trip and stay at the lodge was the highlight of our trip. The
honeymoon suite, food and
