Today has been an enjoyable day! I was picked up at 6 AM to join fellow travelers on a bus heading to Tortuguero. Our group will be staying at various lodges, including Pachira, Evergreen, and Aninga—I'll be at Aninga Lodge. Each lodge has its guide, and on the bus, we were asked about our lodge to assign guides for our Tortuguero stay.
The journey to Tortuguero involved a two-hour drive to Caño Blanco, with a stop at a family-owned restaurant named Ceibu in Guapiles for a delicious breakfast. Upon reaching Caño Blanco, we waited for a boat to take us to Tortuguero, where we were responsible for our luggage. Fortunately, our boat was ready, giving us a few minutes to grab drinks and snacks.
Boat to Tortuguero (Petchie Colina)
During the one-hour boat ride to Tortuguero, everyone wore life vests, and our guide briefed us on the included excursions like the Pachira walking garden tour, Tortuguero Village tour, and morning boat tour in Tortuguero National Park. Wildlife sightings, including birds and crocodiles, added excitement to the journey.
Upon arriving at Aninga Lodge, we were welcomed with refreshing drinks—the best so far in Costa Rica. Some travelers immediately went for the Pachira walking garden tour, but as I was staying only one night, I opted to relax. After lunch, we explored the Tortuguero Village, enjoying the Caribbean shore and exploring local shops. Regrettably, it wasn't the time of year for turtle nesting in the village, so I missed the opportunity to observe, it would have been nice to see one!
Refreshing drink offered by Aninga Lodge (Petchie Colina) Caribbean Beach (Petchie Colina) Tortuguero Town School (Petchie Colina) Tortuguero Village (Petchie Colina)
The next morning, the sounds of howler monkeys woke me up, it was so loud that it felt like they were at my roof but no, they were in the middle of the rainforest. The highlight of the trip was the morning boat tour in Tortuguero National Park. We encountered various wildlife, including white-faced Capuchin monkeys, birds, iguanas, poison frogs, and caiman. Though we missed a jaguar sighting by a day, it would have been awesome to see one in person, nonetheless, the tour was still incredible.
White face monkey in the Evergreen Lodge (Petchie Colina)Caiman (Petchie Colina)Another bird sighting (Petchie Colina)
The tour ended at 8 AM and I was dropped off at the lodge so I could prepare and get on to my next adventure!
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
2 weeks 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.
