Costa Rica Kayak School and trips — Attraction in Turrialba

I found Mario (Costa Rica Kayak School) by accident in America when I was planning by calling a number I found online and then this other person gave me Marios number. I wish I knew about how rare of a tour it was because I would've booked two days in Turrialba through his company. It was my girlfriend, Mario, Saba (The shuttle driver), and me. It was the best experience because of how real people they were, classy personalities, humbled, knowledgeable, and made us feel safe. They knew everyone in the town and on the way to the river and after the river it was just an epic variety of everything else plus the kayaking that made the trip amazing. They teach you about the culture, agriculture, education, lifestyle, food, nature, volcanoes, waterfalls, education, and history. They knew everyone in town and it was just so funny . They deserve their own documentary episode on Discovery Channel or Netflix, because the world is missing out. I'm telling you there is no other better Kayak tour in the world. It's not about the number of 5 star reviews on Google, Mario's company is the best and they will give you an experience I promise that will set the bar extremely high for your next tour. Mario is the best tour guide and kayaker you can ever find if you want a personal experience. We went on other tours in different parts of the country other days and told other tourists about our experience with Costa Rica Kayak School and most of the other tour guides knew Mario and that he taught them how to Kayak!! From that point on we learned that Mario was sort of a legend, along with Saba, who is this older legendary kayaker who taught Mario the ways. I wish I could leave Saba a review too because he was just so wise and smart and all the above. He is like the Anthony Bourdain of world kayaking. After we talked to other tourists, they said they wish they knew about Mario's tour because they were looking for an authentic cultural experience unlike other bigger companies that are more about quantity than quality. I definitely am going back to kayak with Mario the next time I go...

Myself, my boyfriend and his parents were in Costa Rica over the Easter holiday. We knew we wanted to whitewater kayak and so we contacted Costa Rica Kayak School run by Mario in Turrialba. We had an incredible time!! Over the course of 4 days we paddled three rivers guided by Mario and his paddling pals who came along as support and to take pictures of us. On the way to the river each day Mario taught us about Turrialbas flora, fauna, local economy and so much more, making stops along the way to show us sugar cane, coffee, the local fruits and more!! A highlight of our time with Mario was paddling to Pacuare River Lodge to stay riverside for a night. Mario and Jorge guided us down the Lower Pacuare and arranged everything for our stay there, including cooking us delicious, well-balanced meals. On our last day when driving out from the Lodge, Mario included a stop at his friends (also named Mario) Eco Center where he teaches people how to grow trees from seeds and plant them in areas that need reforestation. We also got to enjoy his butterfly garden. As you can probably tell, I can't stop raving about our time spent with Mario. We felt so cared for and like he designed our itinerary based on our needs and desires. It is also very clear how much Mario cares for his community, the incredible environment in Turrialba and the river. We couldn't have asked for a more positive and uplifting experience in nature. Don't hesitate to contact Mario for your upcoming adventures in...

Professional service delivered with care - the epitome of the Costa Ricans' quality tourism & pura vida spirit

I had two days of lesson with Mario and would have done more if I had had the time. He is a passionate instructor that cares about you learning well and doing well. I really appreciated the details he went into with both the theories and practice. I had not experienced such thorough teaching in anything else I had learnt. I told him about my style of learning and he immediately adapted the teaching to suit me. More than the techniques, he also reminded me to relax and enjoy nature, he even gave me shoulder and head massages to show how much better I could row once I relaxed!

As a service provider, he went over and beyond to make sure that I had a good time. He helped answer my questions about arrival, accommodation before I got there and dropped me off at the station on my last day. During our drives, he shared local knowledge, pointing out things of interest on the way. There was plenty of fruits for morning snacks and both lunches were plentiful and delicious. The equipment was all good, I felt completely save and there was never a rush - Mario made sure that there was enough time for me to not just learn but also enjoy the days. And such effort he put in to ensure I had some...