Costa Rica Coast to Coast Ride

Traveler Reviews

• A

  Michael Hodson

  May 21st, 2013
  4
  From coast to coast and everything in between, this tour will give you a pretty full exploration of Costa Rica. The...
  From coast to coast and everything in between, this tour will give you a pretty full exploration of Costa Rica. The riding is definately moderate skill level, with 2-4 climbs that will certainly test your lungs, but on the whole is very doable, even in the heat of Central America. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? I was simply inspired by my tour guides and my fellow tourists, since we had such a great group of people to hang out with. The guides were knowledgeable and incredibly helpful and made the entire tour for me. As someone without my own biking equipment, it was also reassuring the dedication to quality that they had about keeping the gear in shape (and making some quick repairs right there on the spot, when needed).   What did you think of your group leader? Amazing. The group leader made the entire trip for me. I am 100% positive that my entire experience would not have been what it was without him being there and assisting me, sometimes at every step of the way. He was mature, intelligent, thoughtful and overwhelmingly compassionate and helpful. I couldn't say enough positive things. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Be prepared, obviously. The heat can be a bit overwhelming on the coasts, but it is a lot cooler in the inland areas. One thing to know is that US dollars are taken everywhere in Costa Rica, so there is no need to change money when you arrive (you can pay in US dollars and they will give you change in local currency -- and it is done on a set rate and isn't a scam). Is there anything else you would like to add? I'm a big fan of Exodus and hope this wasn't my last trip with them. They know their stuff and run responsible and interesting tours. I'd look forward to doing one of their hiking tours or discovery tours next in a heartbeat. Highly recommended.Show more
  Traveled in April 2013
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  Kelly McCrory

  April 22nd, 2013
  5
  I did the Cycle Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama trip last year and loved it so much I had to come back. Costa Rica...
  I did the Cycle Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama trip last year and loved it so much I had to come back. Costa Rica is one of my favourite countries with beautiful scenery, amazing beaches, endless wildlife spotting opportunities and excellent riding. This trip has a good split between time spent cycling and time spent exploring the national parks, beaches, botanical gardens and coffee and pineapple plantations. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Getting to see so much wildlife including all four monkey species native to Costa Rica and the Red-Eyed Tree Frog.I loved the trip to Manuel Antonio National Park, we were lucky enough to see countless monkeys, birds, lizards and insects. The beaches in Manuel Antonio were the best we visited. What did you think of your group leader? Both guides were fantastic, full of energy, fun and enthusiasm, nothing was ever too much hassle. Britten is a born leader, very organised and never phased by any drama. He always made sure we knew exactly what the plans were for each day and went out of his way to make sure everyone enjoyed their holiday.I’m a wuss on fast downhill sections and there was one long steep downhill after I had had a small fall and lost some confidence. Britten encouraged me to do the ride and enjoy the spectacular views even though it must’ve been painfully slow for him being stuck with me at the back. His patience was much appreciated!Pol is an excellent mechanic and guide, always around with a smile and a high five at the end of a tough climb. He is an exceptional rider and encourages everyone to challenge themselves during the trip. You leave with a sense of achievement but with the knowledge that you will never, ever, beat him! :) Do you have any advice for potential travellers? The optional trip to the hot springs in La Fortuna is excellent - some well deserved relaxation and the best piña coladas in Costa Rica!The zoo in Alajuela was much bigger than I expected and was a fun way to spend the last morning.When it rains it RAINS. Keep a spare set of clothes on the bus to change into in case you get soaked - also nice to get changed before the longer transfers. Take binoculars so you don’t miss any monkeys or birds.Take quick drying clothes and a washing line. Is there anything else you would like to add? The bikes provided are in excellent condition, they are maintained throughout the trip and come with 2 water bottles and a trip computer. There is a constant supply of water, Gatorade, fresh fruit and snacks on the bus - perfect for the really hot days.Another flawless holiday from Exodus and Kevin and his team. Thanks Guys!Show more
  Traveled in March 2013
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  Deana Murchson

  April 21st, 2013
  5
  This was an excellent trip. Although it was hot and humid, which was expected, the riding was great. Some days...
  This was an excellent trip. Although it was hot and humid, which was expected, the riding was great. Some days longer distances would have been nice, but understandably not possible due to bus transfers and lack of roads to cycle on. The accommodations were fine and I believe all had AirCon so that was nice. Not sure it was worth the time to go to Tortuguero but the lodge was nice. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Not sure it could be classified as inspriational but in addition to the rides, all of the non-ride adventures were great.  The river trips viewing birds, the trip to Manual Antonio to view birds, monkeys, and the optional kayak trip on the rest day were just great.  And the side trip to Crazy Robert's was quite entertaining. It is truly amazing the number of birds, monkeys, crocs, etc that one can see in Costa Rica. What did you think of your group leader? Brittan was a great leader.  He was always accommodating, knowledgeable in so many aspects of Costa Rica, and just fun to be around.  He always kept us advised of what was happening, what to expect and what to do to have fun.  And Paul, what can one say about Paul....  He is an awsome mechanic, a great rider, and has a playful sense of humor. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take the trip.  Be prepared for some hill climbs in hot weather.  Make sure you like Rice and Beans.  Clothes dry faster in a room with the AirCon on than they do outside:)  Make sure when you pay your $29 departure fee at the airport in CR that you do it with cash not a credit card.  The airport runs it through as a cash advance, not a charge and we and others had to pay an extra 10% but didn't know it until it hit our cards..   Have fun!! Bring a MP3 player or something else to distract you on the long bus rides....... Is there anything else you would like to add? Getting ready to do our third trip with Exodus and looking forward to it as the last two trips with Exodus have been great.  Thanks for a great adventure. Show more
  Traveled in March 2013
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  Penelope Kenward

  April 13th, 2013
  5
  Because the country is small our bikes enabled us to see a variety of scenery, far more than a walking trek, and...
  Because the country is small our bikes enabled us to see a variety of scenery, far more than a walking trek, and gave us time to visit National Parks, Botanical gardens, coffee and pineapple plantations.We also saw a huge number of birds, all beautiful, and ate the most delicious fruit I've ever had. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? When we first arrived at the Pacific coast my husband and I did a short exploratory walk down a backroad and came across a small area of water teeming with tiny fish, and expectant and exotic birds. Sitting next to us on an overhanging branch was an exquisit American Pygmy Kingfisher. The most wonderful way to start our holiday What did you think of your group leader? We had a great and very fit leader who, as a 25yr. old Amertcan dealing with a variety nationalities other than his own, coped brilliantly. Our group ranged from people in their 30's to us in our 60's but at no time was he intimidated by people senior in years to him. He remained curteous and considerate to all and made decisions easily  without any fuss. He also provided us with a very detailed day to day itinery so that we always knew what to expect. Definately a born leader! Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Anyone contemplating this trip ought to have a keen interest in wildlife; and with so many wonderful birds to see I would suggest going armed with 'The birds of Costa Rica' by Richard Garrigues and Robert Dean. We bought a second hand copy cheaply and in excellent condition from a bookseller in Chicargo.Its important to take a range of clothes as we encountered tempretures of 36C on the pacific coast, followed by very cool tempretures in the mountains where I needed to use my drinking bottle as a hot water bottle one night.  On the Carribean coast it continued to pour with rain and although warm we needed very effective waterproofs; however, these were unusual conditions for the time of year we were there, early March. We took a travelling washing line which we used all the time sometimes resorting to the room fans to dry clothes in damp conditions. It saved us a lot of money as laundry bills  were rather high.In order to get fit for this trip we used a turbo bike trainer which worked very well as we were unable to train on our very snowy/muddy/icy lanes in January and Febuary.Which reminds me:+ the roads in Costa Rica are not of the single track variety but much wider and some were often busy with trucks.   Is there anything else you would like to add? This is a great trip for anyone of any age who rides a bike!Show more
  Traveled in March 2013
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  Bruce Mills

  January 16th, 2013
  5
  This was my first group holiday normally prefereing to travel independently however, I got to the last day and would...
  This was my first group holiday normally prefereing to travel independently however, I got to the last day and would have liked to have done it again straight away! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? The cycling, the views, the wildlife (although it did like to hide when we had tropical down pours) and the locals where fantastic but most of all we had a really excellent group to travel with. Many sites enjoyed together and the odd beer had together while musing on the days cycling and excursions.  What did you think of your group leader? Kevin was excellent in his job of leading the trip dealing with most of the curve balls thrown at him in such trip by the weather, travel options (boats) and the normal characters challengnes that araise from brining together 16 individuals. His team - Luis, Paul and Alfonso supported him fantastically keeping us safe, fit and well.  Do you have any advice for potential travellers? If you are used to cycling relatively tough 10 mile streches this will be a great trip as even on the 30 mile plus days we had good rest breaks with pineapple and snacks to replenish our energies (and always rice and beans for the main meals). However, there are some really tough sections but there is no pressure to do section you do not feel up to. Also, there are some busy sections of road and we encountered a few due to diverted traffic issues elsewhere in the country but if you are a confident road cyclist you should deal with these.  The long bus transfer sections never proved a problem as there was always plenty to see or someone to set the word to rights with.  Bring spare cycling shorts and t-shirts you will needs them.   Is there anything else you would like to add? The bikes where brand new for our trip, the team had punctures and mechanical problems fixed or patched on the fly quickly so nobody missed any miles on the bikes.The choice of hotels was great, and would advise anyone thinking of booking independent hotels not to bother! Food provided and restaurants recommeded by Kevin always came up to scratch.The Turrialtico lodge for the food, views and generally excellent evening we had even if it was a bit wet. The humming birds at the cafe stop on the Cerro de la Muerte, the beach day off at Puerto Jimenez. The views, sunset from the swimming pool and my favourite meal at the Hotel Villas Gaia all after a great long ride. The best ride from Las Cruces to Paso Real across the rolling hills and views. Finally, the private spa at La Fortuna that Kevin sorted out for us, with cocktails in the hot springs, fantastic! Show more
  Traveled in December 2012
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  James Mortimer

  January 14th, 2013
  5
  An excellent bike trip taking in the highlights of Costa Rica its wildlife and cultures. However, in places I would...
  An excellent bike trip taking in the highlights of Costa Rica its wildlife and cultures. However, in places I would say this trip verges on moderate to strenuous rather than purely moderate. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Being hosed down, quite literally, after a wet muddy day.Screaming downhill after many of the hard climbsEnjoying a nice swim and a cold beer after many of the hot days.  What did you think of your group leader? Kevin was an amazing group leader. He made sure the group was looked after be it in the saddle or should any minor issue arise during the trip. He was supported by excellent guides (Paul and Alfonso) plus a very good and conscientious driver (Luis).  Do you have any advice for potential travellers? A few notes about what Exodus recommend that differ from the actuallity 1) water bottles were supplied so we didn't need ours 2) the bikes came with cycle computers 3) if you use cleats or toe clips and do not mind not having your own pedals they may be able to supply them (ask in advance) 4) get used to rice and beans!! Is there anything else you would like to add? This is our second organised bike tour and the first with Exodus. The tour was amazing with a good level of riding, great scenery, tours and most of all, a great group. The hotels were all really nice with pools, cold beers and cocktails on-tap. A highly recommended tour.Show more
  Traveled in December 2012
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  Neil Clayton

  January 3rd, 2013
  4
  Excellent destination, however trip notes said moderate but as a club cyclist I thought that some days were very...
  Excellent destination, however trip notes said moderate but as a club cyclist I thought that some days were very hard. As Costa Rica is a wonderful and exotic country, cycling at mountain bike pace was really good. Everywhere was colourful, even the locals. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Estuary river cruise was really good with an excellent and well informed guide.   Lunch with Richard Beatham was very interesting as was the sight of our first Scarlet Macaw. What did you think of your group leader? Some problems here, as I felt organisation on first few days was  lacking.  1st day tour bus left everyone and waited for us at lunch stop.  I waited for a few of the backmarkers, which left my wife cycling on her own.  Group leader always blamed someone/something for any problems and took no responsibility at first.  He got better as trip went on. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? A good level of fitness is required, ability to cycle some steep hills and to cope with heat and humidity.  Not easy if you live in UK.Show more
  Traveled in December 2012
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  Joanna Browning

  December 23rd, 2012
  5
  A great introduction to Costa Rica. Cycling is a great way to explore this laid back, friendly, inspirational...
  A great introduction to Costa Rica. Cycling is a great way to explore this laid back, friendly, inspirational country. Despite its size, it has a huge amount to offer - friendly, hospitable, helpful people, beautiful beaches, spectacular views, lush rainforests, waterways, volcanoes and masses of wildlife! What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? To be woken by the birds and monkeys at 5.30 every morning!  At a time when much of the western world is paying the price for greed and overspending, it was humbling (and inspirational) to see a nation making different choices to secure a sustainable future. What did you think of your group leader? Francesco was fabulous.  He worked hard to make the trip the best it could be.  He was sociable, organised, relaxed and helpful.  Nothing was too much trouble and he went out of his way to make sure everyone was happy and having a good time.  Do you have any advice for potential travellers? Take your binoculars - there is plenty to see in the national parks and on the river trips.Show more
  Traveled in November 2012
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  Marcus Nicholson

  July 4th, 2012
  5
  What a great country Costa Rica is! Really accessible for all, great wildlife everywhere, fantastic culure and to...
  What a great country Costa Rica is! Really accessible for all, great wildlife everywhere, fantastic culure and to top it all off really suited to cycling. What was the most inspirational moment of your trip? Cycling along with one of the leaders who eagle eyes spot 4 white faced capuchin monkeys messing about in a tree beside the road. Cycling through the mountainous regions in the middle of the itinerary. Great views and brand new tarmac; so perfect for cycling. What did you think of your group leader? All staff were fantastic. Do you have any advice for potential travellers? If travelling in UK springtime, be aware that it is difficult to get properly bike fit during the UK winter. The heat does get tough on the first few days so keep the water levels up. The first hotel is very nice so I would recommend flying out a day early to relax before the cycling starts. Is there anything else you would like to add? The hotels are all very good. Really vary is style and location but all have their own charms. Swimming pools at the end of each day are extremely welcome.Show more
  Traveled in June 2012