Green World Adventures — Local services in Oriental

Wow. This company hit the ball out of the park. My boyfriend and I had an amazing time, many thanks to Green World Adventures’ professionalism, attention to detail, genuine care for their clients, and ability to anticipate needs and what the travelers will want. We did an adventure tour that included transportation, lodging, activities, and most meals. Almost every day was a new adventure in a new place- it kept the trip so exciting. It was so helpful and calming to know we didn’t need to figure out transportation or drive on roads we may not have been comfortable with driving on (probably mostly me! Haha).

The initial booking of the tour and communication with Dennis was very professional, which put us at ease. I was the main trip detail planner, so I was the one doing most of the communication prior to our trip. Dennis was AWESOME and very prompt and responsive. I knew we were in good hands! He also ensured me that once in Costa Rica, we would have 24/7 communication with GWA through WhatsApp, which really came in handy! We had a video chat prior to our arrival which helped clear up any questions or concerns and dot all the i’a and cross the t’s. It helps so much before leaving on a big international trip to know there’s a team on the other side who genuinely care and are passionate about making their clients trips amazing and memorable!

We were met upon arrival with a nice welcome gift and printed out itinerary for our next week of adventure. We had created notes in our phone with digital copies of the itinerary, but honestly the print out was what I used every day!

There were no issues with shuttles- they were always right on time. Accommodations were enjoyable and I felt safe in every location!

I think our favorite excursions were white water rafting on the Pacuare River and the Superman zip line in Monteverde! So exhilarating. But honestly every day was a blessing and fun and relaxing or super adventurous! Seeing a great view of Arenal on our hike was a sweet birthday gift! 😊

We extended our trip prior to our arrival and already knew we would want to stay an extra week and continued on to Guanacaste. Even though the tour had commenced, Dennis and Johnny and Juvel were still responsive and checking in via WhatsApp and helped with some last minute shuttle bookings once we decided to say no thanks to getting a rental car. I was 100% confident trusting the team to help out with our future transfers, and it was all great. They worked probably more and longer than they should have to ensure our enjoyment in their beautiful country- but that is just some Pura Vida love right there!

I’ve already told multiple people during travels about this company and several friends upon our return.

Definitely will be trusting them with any future travel plans we have in Costa Rica in the future and recommending them to anyone who wants a well planned trip to Costa Rica and feel like they’re truly cared for!

Thank you GWA team!...

Diego was amazing! We told him who we were (old but not dead) and what we wanted (more forest than beach) and he listened. His plan was a 21-day drive and stay adventure that was perfect for us. Going on a great adventure means (safely) getting out of your comfort zone – anxiety without harm. Some of the roads were narrow, steep, and twisty, but traveled without incident and minimal held breaths. The fifteen-minute walk alone through the dark forest to our Treehouse was full of noises and imagination but also the satisfaction of finding some of the critters we had been shown on our guided night walk. Sure, the provided google map route took us on a 3k “short cut” on a one-lane stone road through a dairy herd, but it came out at the right place and when was the last time you had cow breath in your window. The trip was not all adventure, there was a lot of learning. We went on tours and saw frogs, snakes, butterflies, frogs, monkeys, sloths, frogs, dolphins, cacao plants, frogs, iguanas, coffee plants, frogs, spiders, one giant crocodile and heard the stories of each. Having a guide is a must. We could have traveled the same paths and we would not have seen a thing. The guides Diego found were terrific at explaining the fauna and flora and being patient while we took five minutes to see what they were pointing at. Sloths were really hard to see. I would find it, take my eyes off it, and never find it again. Maybe the guides have some secret power to “show” us what we want to see, even if it is not there. But then they take a picture of it – and send us the picture. Superb! Finally, there were the accommodations that ranged from a “primitive” (not) treehouse with a king-size bed and full bath to truly luxurious room with a private hot tub. Of all the places we stayed my best memories were the showers. One shower had glass walls looking out into the forest canopy, one had two showers, one inside and one in an outside garden, and another shower had a glass wall viewing the forest and Avenal volcano. Throughout our visit we were impressed with the sanitation measures in place at businesses and in the parks regarding COVID. Always someone at the entrance to make sure everyone has a face covering, and they wash their hands - at businesses both large and small. Diego put all of that together for us and took the time to check in with us throughout the journey to make sure all was well. This adventure went off without a single glitch. Amazing, I cannot orchestrate my breakfast at home for twenty-one days without something...

While most of the reviews for GWA have been a perfect 5 star, this review comes after some thought and careful consideration at the end of our 10 day trip to Costa Rica. First off, the positives:

A big shout out to the operations team who are very very prompt to answer to your questions while on the trip. Their WhatsApp number is a blessing especially when you’re looking for help or clarifications in your transit or planned activities.

Most of the accommodations that the team put together were decent and matched one’s budget and priorities of the traveller. A big kudos to selecting Mawamba Lodge (at Tortuguero) and Playa Espadilla (at Manuel Antonio) as both of them were highlights of our trip

Dennis and the sales team were easy to work with and very responsive to the questions and clarifications that I had during the initial reservation process (we used KimKim).

They gifted us with travel water bottles on our first day which we felt was a really nice gesture and felt welcomed!

Now to the areas of improvement that cost them the remaining two stars

One of the biggest value that we look for in a tour operator especially abroad, is in their ability to provide options for things to see and do at various places. We felt that this was lacking with the team. Again this was in hindsight after landing at various locations. As a foreign traveler, one wouldn’t know of the options available out there and that’s where a tour operator needs to step in and let us know what’s out there. Specifically we felt that our La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio trips were very loosely planned. We had to find out and then ask for additional activities to be added after we landed. While this was alright in some locations, we missed the bus at other locations in terms of availability since we were traveling in the high season.

While I’ve shared this feedback with the team directly, my review here is only to say to the other travellers to engage in more conversations with the GWA team in advance before finalizing their itinerary.

Having said that, we leave Costa Rica with a smile on our face. We just wished we left with a much larger grin! Good job GWA and hope to see others benefit from some of the suggested...