I was a participant on the January 9-19, 2013 "Rim to Shore" trip to Costa Rica. Experiencing the biodiversity of this beautiful country in the company of compatible fellow adventurers, under the outstanding leadership of our guide, Luis Vargas made for a fabulous trip, which far exceeded my expectations! This was my first Road Scholar trip and I'm looking forward to doing more. As a single person, I felt most welcomed by the eight couples who made up the rest of our group. Everyone felt that "moderately challenging" accurately described the activity level of this program. Although, there was a wide range of ages in this group, the "elders" in the group felt that they had accurately judged their own physical health and abilities to match the program description.

The Rim to Shore adventure was just that...an adventure of the highest order. The guide,Luis, was amazing. The participants and the activities could not have been better. The trip of a lifetime.

I recently returned from the Rim to Shore Costa Rica tour and was absolutely thrilled with my experience. The trip was well organized and well paced. The accomodations at the two lodges were an exceptional experience of feeling that you were living right out in the rain forest. Our leader was so passionate about the beauty of the natural world in his country and I loved hearing him share his abundant knowledge. I have been hearing about Costa Rica for many years and even so, I was awed by the beauty of the birds and the flowers and by watching spider monkeys make their way through the forest with their young. I would highly recommend this trip!

This was our first Road Scholar program; any others we choose will have a ways to go to beat this one. Costa Rica was beautiful, our Group Leader, Luis, was fantastic and we met lots of wonderful folks we'd love to travel with again.

This was my first trip with Road Scholar and it was better than I could have imagined! Great actiivties, leader was super, learned so much while having a ball!

Beautiful country -- this trip was a great way of getting a taste of several areas of the country and of experiencing a sampling of the outdoor activities available to visitors. Accommodations were adequate or better and were suitable to the locations. Meals had a variety of healthy options -- though I must say that there was a bit too much reliance on buffet lines. Guide Luis was one of the best I've had on my many RS trips and kept the logistics moving seamlessly. My caution for those considering this trip is that it's a great intro to Costa Rica with much in depth info about its nature and environment. It is NOT however an active trip in the sense of most RS moderately challenging programs. There were several nature walks, none of which reached the level of "hiking". The river kayaking was a just mile out and a mile back with many, many stops to observe and discuss birds and other wildlife. The ocean outrigger canoeing consisted of no more than twenty minutes of actual paddling. This is a good program for nature lovers but not one for those who expect regular physical activity and challenge. Also, it rains a lot in the RAIN forest so take only quick dry clothing and good rain gear. Many of us left behind some wet, moldy smelling shoes and other items. As usual, fellow RS participants were wonderful and were the best part of the trip.

Without a doubt an exceptional experience. Our group was extremely cohesive. Luis was truly a first rate guide. His knowledge and ability to share turned everyday into an educational experience. The activities were well balanced between active and educational. Luis shared his love for his country and we all left with an appreciation of Costa Rica and it's people. It's impossible to choose one activity as a favorite as they were all fun and well coordinated. The "rainy" season had no impact on our enjoyment of this trip. It rarely rained on an activity. This trip is very active and every activity was well coordinated, as was the entire trip. It's impossible to pick a highlight. Although the howler monkeys right outside our window probably is the most unforgettable treat!

A good guide can make all the difference in an active trip, and Luis made that difference. His wealth of knowledge meant that we could stop to view birds and animals that we would never have noticed on our own, and he supplied all sorts of understanding about the effects of climate change and people's encroachment on the different habitats. We also greatly enjoyed his sense of humor, and his interactions with our excellent, affable driver. The activities were fun and just challenging enough; the food was fresh and delicious. Do not consider this trip if you have never been camping without toilets that cannot work with toilet paper, but if you are flexible and you enjoy being outdoors, this is a great adventure.

This trip was great. Had a wonderful time. Learned so much. Carlos was a fantastic group leader.

Karen from California Number of programs attended: >20 Date attended: 2/20 to 3/01/12 It was really great seeing three different environments in CR--highland plantations and mountains, rain forest and dry forest. I loved all the water sports. My favorite was sea kayaking. The animals invading our breakfasts were fun. Ive had my fill of rice and beans, but miss the pineapple and melons. Thanks, Luis and RS, for the great tour!

The visible wildlife, including birds, was a fantastic experience that I think anyone with an interest in natural history would enjoy very much. The walks, kayaking and white water rafting were icing on the cake!

We had a wonderful time. Costa Rica is a place with varied environments, magnificent wild life, friendly people, and a lot to do. The trip was well planned and efficiently managed. The accommodations were comfortable and clean. The choices of food worked well for my husband who is mostly a vegetarian. The transportation was clean and comfortable. The guide Luis was fantastic! I have never seen anyone set up a telescope so fast. The birds he showed us were nearly unbelievable in beauty. The bus driver Henry took such good care of us. We saw him literally cleaning the bus with a toothbrush--honest! We experienced a wonderful variety of activities. The catalog description is very accurate.

We loved Costa Rica and this program. Our leader, Eric, was great. We had many enjoyable activities, enjoyed our fellow participants, and saw lots of this beautiful country including lovely birds and animals.