On the day we were to raft the wild "Florida" section of theh Reventazon river, we met another Tico (Costa Rican) who was quite an interesting and fun character - our river guide, "Ricky".
On the ride to the river, Ricky told us what life was like growing up in Costa Rica. This from a dude who was obviously very intelligent and street smart, but who never made it beyond elementary school because he and his older brother worked the coffee bean fields to put their little brother through school.
"We got paid $1 or $2 per basket of ripe coffee beans. I would bring my lunch and keep it in my basket so I could keep working through lunch. Sometimes, the other kids would spill some beans out of their basket and leave them. I picked these up because that meant I did more baskets per day".
It's hard not to admire the work ethic of these Ticos.
When we got to the river, Ricky - whose English was very good - would exclaim "Oh my God!" looking at the river in mock horror. This was just him trying to make us all a little nervous, but it was also pretty funny. At one point in the orientation, he held up a little toy raft and said "I want to make sure you all know we have to fit into this little raft." (see picture).
Well, what can I say about the rafting trip - we launched directly into some class III rapids right away and had a wild ride for the next couple of hours, interrupted by a *terrific* fresh lunch on a little peninsula in the river. It was just our 3 rafts and a big wide, roaring river. Sublime. Our sister raft even saw a sloth by a tree along the river.
I was so happy looking at the faces on my kids because I knew that this was probably their most exciting and fun day so far. They were smiling so much it probably hurt.
And people like our guide "Ricky" made it that much more memorable.
Adventure Life took care of everything! All we had to do was show up when we were supposed to, which made our first trip to Costa Rica largely stress-free and incredibly fun. Our trip reps, Hannah and Mariethony, were helpful and responsive, getting back to us by email usually within a few hours. Our accommodations were all great, and we got incredibly blessed with some absolutely stellar guides and drivers.
Our Jungle & Beach trip was an excellent balance of adventure and rest. We got to try out a lot of different activities, including snorkeling, hiking, white water rafting and kayaking, while also partaking of some rest around the pool or by the ocean. We enjoyed seeing and exploring the beautiful Caribbean side of the country.
Joy Knowles
1 week ago
The company made our adventure trip hassle-free, and a lot of fun! I will definitely be using them again
Carolena F
1 month ago
For our first trip to Costa Rica, Adventure Life designed a tour that meets the interests, ecological and adventure, of our party; but also takes into account our physical limitations sine we are all septuagenarian. We are looking forward to the trip.
John Zent
1 month ago
COSTA RICA a trip of a life time travelling round this beautiful country. All went like clockwork even when the weather was against us and all transfers seemed to be part of the holiday not a chore. Would definitely use Adventure Life again having previously used them 20 years ago!!
Cynthia Calton
1 month ago
Our Costa Rica trip was amazing! Kassandra planned everything and the excursions, hotels, overall organization were outstanding. Everything worked out smoothly, the excursions guides were knowledgeable allowing us to see so much of the fauna and flora of the country. The hotels were great as well, all in fantastic locations and with beautiful views.