Costa Rica at a Slower Pace: Natural Wonders by Water & Land

This was my first experience of this part of the world and I learned an immense amount. The environment was stunning

This program is diverse in activities and locations to give a broad view of Costa Rica in its natural beauty and agritourism economy.

A very educational and beautiful program.

Wonderful experience, the slower pace made the program very enjoyable. The program leaders were very knowledgeable and always helpful. We had lots of fun and made new friends. Costa Rica is a beautiful country; it is definitely a tropical rainforest area so take their suggestions about rain gear.

A wonderful overview of Costa Rica by 2 fabulous leaders Fabian Salva & David Mora. Our small group got to see the beauty of the country and it's wonderful people. Loved this trip!!

This was a wonderful way to see the wide variety of Costa Rica's natural treasures. Our guides were both very knowledgeable but also so congenial they made every large and small activity a delightful recreational and educational experience.

Excellent trip! The trip rejuvenated my respect for nature and energized my resolve to preserve our fragile environment. Costa Rica is leading the world in ecotourism, and this trip allowed us to share and learn and hopefully be Ambassadors for that movement.

An excellent educational tour of Costa Rica! Loved every minute of it!

Just returned from the Costa Rica at an Easy Pace program and would highly recommend it to others. Our guides, Ivan and Daniel, were excellent - highly knowledgeable and great at managing the program's logistics. We learned so much.

A wonderful, enriching experience - well developed and well supported!

The Costa Rica trip was fantastic, with great group leaders, Lisseth and Edwin, being pleasant, informative, accessible at all times for the entire adventure! This was a trip into nature at an unparalled level, experiencing a wide variety of birds, reptiles, monkeys, and a sloth, as well as seeing an organic pineapple farm, butterfly gardens, a massive array of hummingbirds, and learning about hearts of palm and sugar cane. The experience of being up close to the Arenal Volcano was a major highlight, and visiting five different areas and hotels, and having experts give informative lectures throughout the trip, and meeting wonderful individuals from all over the US and Canada, made for a memorable experience, highly recommended to all!

The group leaders, Lisseth and Edwin, were friendly, knowledgeable, and hospitable. We got to stay in five different hotels in four regions of the country. Some better than others. We saw birds, reptiles, monkeys, and a sloth. I enjoyed seeing the volcano, going to the organic pineapple farm, learning about hearts of palm and sugar cane. Visiting the butterfly garden was wonderful too. Lots of interesting lectures and food demonstrations. Pura Vida!

Superlatives aren't enough...so much learning, exciting experiences in a gorgeous setting, fabulous guides and a group of fellow travelers I now consider friends....I couldn't ask for a better trip. Well done, Road Scholar!

Superb program in Costa Rica-we loved all of it. Program leaders were fantastic, lectures were excellent, trips/demonstrations were fun and informative. Most of the hotels were unique. A great country, and people are very nice. English, in addition to Spanish, is spoken by almost everyone. It is hot and humid-not a surprise. Highly recommend it.

This is a wonderful trip for people who can't do a lot of walking. We saw many different colorful birds and other animals right on the grounds of the hotels and on the river boat excursions. I also enjoyed the farm visits much more than I had expected. And the guides were great.

Our trip to Costa Rica was exceptional for so many reasons: beautiful, fascinating country, wonderful leaders Greivin and Pamela who were knowledgeable, warm, caring and fun, excellent tours and experiences and great fellow travelers. It was fun to get out of our comfort zone with the outrigging adventure in the Pacific as well as many other delightful opportunities to enjoy nature up close and personal.

Costa Rica at a Slower Pace provides an excellent variety of experiences in several regions of this beautiful country. You will see birds, monkeys, crocodiles, lizards, sloths, a volcano and so much more. You will visit a pineapple farm, sugar cane farm, hearts of palm business, a local farm family, and many other businesses. You will take guided short walks in the rainforest and take several river boat trips...and even paddle an outrigger along the Pacific coast. The group leaders and special instructors support and enhance learning about the biodiversity of the rainforest, the geography, culture, economic, education, and social issues of the country. Learn how a country has thrived without an army and has instead invested in education, health care, and social programs for all!

Awesome, amazing, dazzling, fully supported and carefully and intelligently planned. Highly recommend!

Our trip was extremely educational and fun. The leaders were exceptional and our fellow travelers were great to be with

Costa Rica at a Slower Pace was exactly what my husband and I needed to enjoy this beautiful country together. I'm a hiker and his mobility is more limited, so we were able to slow down and just take in the sights and sounds of the birds, wildlife and wonderful surroundings!

What an amazing trip experiencing the abundant, unusual and eye-popping animal life and plant life in this beautiful country we had never visited before.

What a fantastic experience! I am totally enthralled with the nature and people of Costa Rica. I highly recommend visiting this beautiful and interesting country.

I highly recommend Costa Rica for its biodiversity and recommend Road Scholar as a great way to experience my now favorite country in the world.

Costa Rica at a slower pace by land and water was an incredible adventure into tropical nature. Slower pace meant relaxed time to absorb the environment and newfound knowledge. This tour could not be duplicated by independent travel and the experience truly will be hard to top! It was our first Road Scholar tour and it won't be the last!

It was a fantastic trip! The experiences were educational, fun, and a rewarding times with new friends. I particularly enjoyed the opportunity to meet with local families and small ecotourist and agricultural ventures. Our group leaders were so kind, caring, and knowledgeable. I will definitely return to visit Costa Rica again.

If you want to wake up to howler monkeys at 5 in the morning in the rainforest and sit at the base of a volcano watching coatis, this trip is for you. Well worth it. Debbi

A well run program with significant educational benefits.

This program was full of WOW moments. We saw birds and monkeys in their natural habitat while walking through a rain forest, we paddled an outrigger canoe and ate fruit on a secluded beach, and we relaxed in a thermal pool. Our leaders Reimer and Pamela were excellent and made the entire trip fun.

What a wonderful experience. I have a newfound respect for the country and people of Costa Rica. This trip allowed us to experience various environments gaining a greater appreciation for the diverse ecosystems. Get your binoculars ready!

This program was just right for my husband and me. He has difficulty walking, I love to walk. This was perfect for both of us. The guides were thoughtful, knowledgeable and kind. The sites made memories for a lifetime.

The tour exceeded my expectations. Our guides, Jorge and Alex, were extraordinary—as was our bus driver, Sammy. They took great care of us, always ensuring our safety, as well as being informed, professional, kind, and attentive. The well-planned activities offered a variety of experiences— encounters with nature, local people, culture, and regional foods. I was especially happy to see monkeys, sloths, toucans, macaws—and the Arenal volcano! Fellow participants were awesome—very friendly and inclusive. An overall wonderful and very memorable trip!

Both Jorge and Alex were excellent group leaders with their wealth of information and local knowledge of the area. wonderful. They were patient, kind, and made it known that they were available 24/7 to make us feel safe. Alex the driver was excellent and very considerate of people with physical limitations upon boarding and leaving the bus. He was an extremely safe driver

The trip was great! Our guides (Jose and Pamela) both provided incredible information and were able to consistently locate wildlife for us. We appreciated all aspects of the trip, from the experiences including history, culture and nature. It was incredibly well organized - highly recommend.

I learned so much about Costa Rica and not a minute was wasted in teaching us about the environment.Everyone we spoke to was absolutely passionate about environmental responsibility.Having 2 extremely skilled local naturalists, Reimer and David, made all the difference.They spotted things that I never would and they could identify them all.While on the Sarapiqui river, our one guide was a great mimic with birds and he called back and forth to them.He also got the howler monkeys all upset because he was talking to them.There was a huge uproar when they all got going.Amazing. As much as possible, everything was open air and mosquitos were not a problem at all.In fact, the door in my room in Sarapiqui only had a screen and wooden slats in it to let in the air, so I heard all the wildlife around me outside. We had excellent lectures about Costa Rica ,biodiversity, the rainforest in the evenings. We took a small river boat up the Tarcoles River and David, our guide, pointed out many river birds. We also saw 6 scarlet macaws flying over the river towards the end of the day.They were absolutely beautiful as they came quite close to the boat.They were endangered but have recovered since the 1990’s due to conservation efforts. It is possible! We had one outstanding evening….we drove to the Pacific ocean and had a pina colada( with local pineapple juice) watching the sunset.Then we walked to this Oceanside restaurant and had shrimp right out of the adjacent bay.Amazing. We stopped along the roadside at a fresh fruit stand and tried soursop, tangerine, star apple, cantaloupe, marañon ( cashew),granadilla( passion fruit,)coconut juice directly from the coconut.Just wonderful! Just so many authentic experiences at a very manageable pace. The quality of the guides made this one of the best trips I have ever taken in my many travels over the years.

Absolutely wonderful in every way! Costa Rica is a splendid country to visit, with its great variety of ecosystems, from ocean to mountain. The values of Conservation and Education and Pura Vida are inspiring and uplifting. The places and accommodations were excellent, helping us feel that we were in fact deeply sharing the spirit of the place. The guides were experts, very knowledgeable and very helpful, clear, friendly, interested in us as people, welcoming, kind, responsive to us. Also, the other travelers were a joy to be with. The specialist talks on indigenous peoples and on the Arenal Volcano were fascinating. The Gold Museum was a real treat. Paddling an outrigger canoe and swimming in the Pacific Ocean were a fantastic highlight! Wonderful boat rides, birding sites, everything was excellent!!

Great program and very friendly and well informed leaders.

Costa Rica at a Slower Pace is a great program. We were introduced to a variety of climates and at every location saw amazing birds and other wildlife. The group leaders, the educational content, and all the experiences were excellent.

I'm a photographer who had never been to a tropical country before. "Costa Rica at a Slower Pace" gave me countless opportunities to see, experience, and photograph something new. I'll remember our wonderful guides José and Pamela forever, and my fellow travelers greatly enriched the experience. Road Scholar plans every detail beautifully.

this was a wonderful program and experience. The country itself is fascinating, the biodiversity is amazing and having a chance to be in the diverse areas was excellent.

Excellent and instructive trip. Wonderful people.

Costa Rica at an Easy Pace is an excellent program to experience the beauty of the country and the wonderful people.

Group Leaders Erick Miranda & Angie Rocha excellent, knowledgeable altho young, attentive to time management & open to questions, quick stops to view hard-to-find wildlife. Both & bus driver able to work in a couple of surprise stops. Let us use their telescopes. Enjoyed home visit/lunch in greater San Jose. Days structured but adequate free time. Classroom time nearly all in the eves., when we were less likely to be missing going out & viewing flora/fauna. Minimal bus riding, longer rides only when leaving one area of country to get to another area. Having knowledgeable group leaders with in depth info about flora & fauna, stops to observe hard to find animals like sloths (e.g. for photo ops) RS should provide more information about tipping bellhop/doorman/baggage handler/hotel housekeeper. Although trip materials had weather information (hot, rain chances) & clothing suggestions, could have included more about high humidity &/or include what temperature “feels like,” since first hotel in rainforest didn’t have AC, making even clothes still in suitcase slightly damp, & harder to dry clothes more difficult than in the hotels with AC (was non-rainy season, too). The transfer time on last day from Wyndham San Jose Herradura hotel to S.J. airport was twice as long as described/estimated in handout in RS folder (although we did leave in plenty of time to get to airport on time). Very comfortable (not fancy, but comfortable) lodging selections were good for an older group of participants like ours. Materials could suggest participants use Mobile Passport Control (MPC) for airport entry to U.S. Lax in having life jackets close by each traveler in river boat for nature ride on Sarapiqui river (more noticeable after a boat with young English tourists passed our boat and everyone on that boat was wearing a life jacket) The RS office/agency only open 3 days a wk, & hard to get a human on phone. The flight information/confirm. # was never is available on the website.

What a fabulous itinerary led by two expert guides!

Wonderful tour with fantastic leaders. We had enriching and memorable experiences. I highly recommend this tour.

A++++ What an amazing trip! Our guides, Eric and Angie, were amazing! The trip was just perfect. We saw Howler monkeys, Capuchin monkeys, Coatis, 8 sloths (2 had babies with them), iguanas, and so many beautiful birds! Costa Rica is such a beautiful place and the people that we met along the way were so welcoming and warm. I would go just to see Dave and Dave's Nature Park - the hummingbird feeders were magical with more than 50 hummingbirds drinking nectar from local flowers at the same time! The Dave's have taken a cleared agricultural field and regrown native plants and trees to provide a natural landscape to bring in the wildlife and it gives me hope that their are people like them trying to restore our forests! The food was amazing and I will never be able to drink juice in the states because we had fresh juice at every meal ! So delicious! This was a perfect trip to see Costa Rica and I wouldn't change a thing! Just go!

This program was excellent on all aspects! The leaders were tremendously good, from the information they provided continuously--about both practical matters to help us know what to expect, what to take that day, etc., to so much about Costa Rica, what we saw and what we didn't. Bus driver made us feel quite confident that we were safe and the leader informed us as we traveled so it all went well. The leaders always had their telescopes and eager to show us what we couldn't see with our eyes--and then using our cell phone cameras to take pictures for us to keep. Their caring and attentivenesss for participants was excellent. All instructors were excellent and the experiences with locals at their sites were wonderful. And the other participants became friends--so compatible and interesting that we shared contact info and our leader established a Photo Circle via app so we can share photos. Everything exceeded my expectations!

Great adventure for someone who wants activity and still enjoy some downtime. Costa Rico should by on everyone's "to do" list. Road Scholar and their well informed and helpful guides make this trip both an excellent trip and great memory.

The level of activity was exactly what I was looking for. It allowed me to see that I can do more

Another great program from Road Scholar. The group leaders were great, the field trips were interesting, and the accommodations were nice. We learned a lot about Costa Rica and saw lots of exotic (to us, anyway) animals and birds. The pace was about right for us septuagenarians. Highly recommended.

Highly recommend this program! The leaders were outstanding as guides and very attentive to our needs. The educational experiences and activities were impressive. Very informative and enjoyable. As a country, Costa Rica is an inspiration. A model of of ecological hope for the world.

While members of our family have experienced Costa Rica, we did that and more. We learned about Costa Rica.

A great learning experience in culture, wildlife and ethnic foods.

Lots to see and experience even though the pace is slower. A wonderful, memorable adventure!

Costa Rica at an Easy Pace more than met my expectations. Our group leaders were fantastic -- not only knowledgeable, but enthusiastic about sharing their knowledge and always helpful. Every lecture was top-notch and the program was beautifully paced. I was half dreading heat, humidity and bugs but everything is so interesting that I never thought about them again once I was there. Also, it was nice to visit a country where the people were happy to have us there!

Costa Rica on a Slower Pace was a wonderful first experience with Road Scholar. There may not have been as much hiking or biking as other trips but the full immersion cultural/educational experience was definitely full and active! Judy W

Overall great learning experience.

Words cannot fully explain the beauty and majesty of Costa Rica as was shown to me over the past ten days on this amazing Road Scholar trip. Our guides were phenomenal with an astonishing amount of knowledge about the history of Costa Rica and its people as well as answering every question we had. They knew about conservation, flora, trees, animals, insects, climate, volcanos, food truly amazing.

Best trip ever! Guides, Reimer and Gilbert, best I have had on a RS journey. Group was wonderful, lots of bonding and fun. Costa Rica is indescribably beautiful. Our guides were certain to assure we knew all we could about their lovely country. Program was full of learning. And, I felt taken care of. Go ASAP!

This was a wonderful trip. The group coalesced and enjoyed each other. Our leaders were fantastic!

We are very happy to have taken this slower pace program to several beautiful and interesting locations of Costa Rica. Our local guides led us on exciting walks and were extremely informative. Would do it again

this trip was beyond what we expected and the great leaders added to that please thank them!!

This was our first tour with Road Scholar and it was fantastic. My only regret: why didn't we find out about them before now?! The itinerary was amazing. Our guides, Jorge and Alex were beyond amazing! The transportation, the accommodations and the food was amazing. If you are considering a trip with them, pick up the phone NOW! Don't waste another moment having the best travel experience of your life!

This was a remarkable introduction to the culture, history and people of Costa Rica. It ranged from seeing flowers, trees, making tortillas, to seeing a crocodile up close, and paddling in an outrigger on the ocean. I highly recommend.

Absolutely wonderful, exceeding our expectations. Our guides, Pedro and Esteban, were first-rate: intelligent, kind, and thoroughly delightful. Highlights included: Arenal volcano observatory ... the pineapple farm ... the outrigger experience ... witnessing nature in all its beauty. The native birds and flora were truly extraordinary. Thank you, Road Scholar, for providing us with the opportunity to explore a beautiful and welcoming Costa Rica.

I loved my recent Road Scholar trip to Costa Rica. The guides were excellent, the lodging and food were good and we enjoyed the company of our fellow travelers.

Excellent program in Costa Rica. So much to see & do for even for those with mobility issues. So much diverse wildlife and so many different regions to visit. The people are warm and welcoming. Our Guides Reimer & Alex were fabulous!

TEST YOUR BRAIN WITH CHALLENGES OF TRAVELING “True scholarship consists in knowing not what things exist, but what they mean; it is not memory but judgment.” James Russell Lowell Early to bed, early to rise, nutritious Costa Rican meals and new friendships equal a great recipe for PURA VIDA. This marketing theme for the country lived up to its reputation for a good life. We had few worries about the weather or mosquitos. Never bored with constant activities, time was available to freely explore the gardens, walks and pools around the lodges.My previous thinking was that the anticipation of a trip is greater than the realization. In this marvelous experience provided by the Road Scholar program, the realization was so much greater than the expectation. With that judgment our crew of Scholars wholeheartedly agree...and so does my healthy well-exercised brain! Owen R. Houghton, Ed.D; lives in Jaffrey and is an aging wellness educator and retired geriatric care manager. He is an advocate for long term care planning. Readers may contact him at nohoughton@myfairpoint.netAPRIL2023

Amazing trip highlighting the rain forests of Costa Rica. The group leaders had many insights into the culture, history, flora and fauna of the areas we visited (Sarapiqui, Arenal and Carara). The cultural and gastronomic benefits of the program were greatly appreciated.

Fantastic program, educational holiday with all the trimmings!

What a wonderful experience! I enjoyed spending time with the other participants. I have great respect for Deynor and Fabi. They were funny, knowledgeable and organized. All the events that centered around the water (the outrigger canoe trip in the Pacific, the 2 river trips and the down time at the thermal springs) were delightful!

I encourage anyone who wants to travel and learn, but don’t have a travel partner to look into the Road Scholar programs. You are never alone.

Just the right pace. Lenin and Alex were sensitive to the specific needs of others and our safety and comfort were always in their minds. They wanted us to have the best experience we possibly could.

Amazing! Highly recommend this tour.

This well-planned program was one of the best trips I've ever been on. The group leaders Ivan and Pedro were informed, patient and made the trip exceptionally fun. The birding was wonderful-the food, flora, fauna, the people-everything was great. Learned a ton and will read more about Costa Rica. Beautiful country with friendly people and so colorful. If you haven't been to Costa Rica, go on this trip.

This trip was interesting and enjoyable with two great leaders. The pace of the program accommodated the variety of physical abilities. Other participants were very interesting and congenial.

A great trip with excellent leaders and a good itinerary. Highly recommended.

This was our first trip with Road Scholar. Their brochure was spot on with describing the activities as well as the activity level. The guides were exceptional, knowledgeable and kind. We will be sure to go on another trip with Road Scholar.

We had an excellent experience with all of Costa Rica and I want to do it again!! Lenin and Alex were the best ever. The tropical rain forests were amazing and full of all kinds of wildlife including sloths, toucans, scarlet macaws, holler monkeys, other colorful birds and lots of learning opportunities!

This is one of the best Road Scholar trips ever! I learned so much about Costa Rica. Superior tour guide! Kathleen

Just use the overall summary sentence I wrote on the evaluation. I always share my Road Scholar experiences with friends and family. Sue Bennett

Costa Rica has many interesting sights, especially the birds. The guides were magnificent ! And the bus driver was excellent.

This was my first experience with Road Scholar. I was blown away by how well organized the program was. The guides were attentive to detail and caring; I felt like family. I will be participating in more programs.

This is a great trip for nature lovers and those who like to visit a country longer in fewer places. You get to see how people live outside the tourist world and how welcoming the country is.

Costa Rica is a remarkable country. This tour does an amazing job of introducing participants to onformation regarding the flora and fauna and the strides the country is making in ecology and sustainable development.

Costa Rica's beauty and culture of welcome have soothed my soul. I want to go back.

This was a fantastic trip! There was so much variety and a PERFECT balance between educational and recreational activities. We experienced three different habitats -- tropical rainforest, Volcano region, and Pacific coast beaches. We saw exotic flora and fauna, including howler monkeys, white-faced monkeys, sloths, iguanas, crocodiles, and beautiful birds of many kinds. There were tours of pineapple plantations, sugar cane, and hearts of palm, exposure to organic agriculture and a Butterfly Garden and Botanical garden, as well as a couple of museums. We also had cooking lessons for Queso Blanco and flour tortillas. Lectures from local experts about history, geography, and environmental protection were great too. I really enjoyed the local foods (especially the yummy fruits and fruit juices), the folk dancing, two boat cruises, and the sea canoeing on 'outrigger' vessels. The accommodations were sometimes rustic or simple, but other times upscale similar to resorts. Best of all, the program was well paced and organized. Our two group leaders, Ivan Castillo and Jenny Orviedo, are both very knowledgable and clearly passionate about Costa Rica -- they communicated well with us, were able and willing to solve any problem, and generally were able to take a group of strangers with varying personalities and attitudes and lead us to feel safe and comfortable, so that by the end of our stay we were like a family with a special, shared experience. I highly recommend this Road Scholar excursion!

My wife and I are in our eighties and managed this trip quite well.

I thoroughly enjoyed this trip - the days were filled with fun and educational activities but didn't feel rushed.

If you are considering visiting a country or region of a country, but are not sure which part, Road Scholar provides a great way to get an overall feel of the place, its people, and its culture.

This program was a fantastic learning experience. Our guides, Ivan and Alex were very helpful finding things we never would have seen. I had a great time visiting this beautiful country.

Where else can I paddle an outrigger, stare at a giant volcano, howl with the monkeys, watch a mother & baby sloth in a tree, make arepas over an open fire, hear excellent experts on history & nature, see magnificent birds overhead, swim in a thermal pool, and make so many new friends? Thank you Iván, Alex and Oscar for an incredible trip in Costa Rica! You 3 are absolutely The Best and Road Scholar gets A+ for organization!

I would highly recommend this trip. The local guides, William Suarez and Alex Rameriez, were excellent in both relevant knowledge and people skills. The Costa Rican people were welcoming and eager to share their beautiful country with visitors (especially after the losses due to the pandemic). We saw it all: birds galore, monkeys, sloths, coatimundis, frogs, crocodiles, and well-loved pets. Interesting and companionable fellow travelers also added greatly to the trip.

Join a well-led tour of a fascinating, rich, tropical culture unique in Latin America in a mountainous country with two coast lines.

Excellent trip. Our Tico guides Tomas and Fabi were so knowledgeable and helpful. Home visits were interesting & fun with hands on activities. This is a great program for photographers, not only because of all the wildlife (especially birds) and scenery, but also because the "slower pace" category allows time to stop & set up shots. And there's free time built into the program too.

Pedro, the tour guide, and Oscar, the driver, were very patient and informative. They were a great team and did a great job. We enjoyed their company immensely.

This is a good introduction to the Pura Vida of Costa Rica. Tour guide Pedro Bosques and drive Oscar were beyond wonderful, caring, and knowledgable. THIS IS A SLOWER PACE, but you also get to visit several farms and local entrepreneurs who are contributing to the economic fabric of the country. I knew very little about Costa Rica before visiting but feel as though I have a good understanding of the basics of the country now. Thank you, Pedro and Oscar. You were an awesome team and great ambassadors for your country.

This tour program is for the curious, engaged traveler who wants to see and enjoy a beautiful country in an unhurried yet complete way.

I loved this trip, although it was cut short due to the corona virus, and we had to return home after the sixth day. Costa Rica is beautiful, and we were able to see a variety of beautiful animals, birds, and plants. Our leaders were knowledgeable and friendly, and each one had a great sense of humor. I loved the boat ride on the Sarapiqui River, the hike at the Arenal Volcano, and the visit to the macaw rescue farm. I had considered one of the more strenuous trips, but since this is a warm and humid country, I thought the activity level was about right.

A really great trip, well described and in a terrific place to visit. It's also a way to meet and talk with active, interesting seniors.

This trip surpassed my expectations in every category. The most important factor in my enjoyment was the guides, whose expertise, patience, helpfulness and kindness were exemplary. The sights awe saw were generally spectacular or interesting or both. Coffee was great, too.

The Road Scholar tour of Costa Rico for folks wanting an easy going experience was fabulous. Our guides did everything they could to make our experience wonderful. We toured in an air-conditioned bus and most of our accommodations were likewise air-conditioned. This IS important because of the very high temperatures and humidity. I highly recommend this tour...

This was our third Road Scholar trip and we had high expectations. All of them were met. Costa Rica is a beautiful country with wonderful people. We learned so much about the flora, fauna and the history of Costa Rica as well. Our guides, Stephanie and Jorge were exceptional teachers and people. Our group grew from strangers into a special family. The trip was good for both our brain, hearts and souls.

This program was excellent! It suited my needs for learning and relaxation in a lovely country. The guides did a superb job.

A wonderful thorough introduction to the history, culture and ecology of Costa Rica, a country remarkable for its deep commitment to sustainabiity and friendliness. Inspiring, relaxing, and safe.

Our trip to Costa Rica was excellent! So much thanks to our tour guides and the knowledge they shared as well as just being wonderful people.

Well organized, great leaders. It was a wonderful adventure and i saw a sloth.

Excellent overall program if you are new to Road Scholar and unsure whether you will enjoy the experience. Great way to get an overview of Costa Rica.

This trip provided an outstanding educational as well as wildlife experience. The pace was just right and our guides were exceptional. I highly recommend this trip to anyone who is interested in Costa Rica.

This program is excellent. Our guides were outstanding, knowledgeable, genial, enthusiastic about their country and supportive of individual needs. It is rich in activities to see wildlife - two river boat trips, a morning bird walk (where we saw a sloth and howler monkeys), two sites to see birds. It was full of great activities but also had down time to relax. The food was excellent - particularly the abundant and varied fruit.

Road Scholar was an affordable and interesting learning experience with fantastic guides, small group size with curious and friendly participants. Would do other trips with Road Scholar

This is a wonderful trip with a variety of exposure of the country, history, animals, plant life, volcanos, ocean and bays. Highly recommended.

I really loved this trip. While my husband was concerned that it might not include enough physical activity, I was concerned I could no longer walk 3 to 5 miles a day as we've done in other RS trips. This trip more than satisfied both of us. We joked about the fear that it might be too "leisurely." No worries! The walking wasn't overwhelming, but the activities were varied and wonderful and kept us on our toes (if not always on the soles of our feet.) Saw and learned so much about beautiful Costa Rica, enjoyed having 3 night stays at several places and the opportunities for longer or shorter walks, and loved being immersed in biodiversity!

If you like birds, monkeys or coati-mundies - you will enjoy this vacation. The Arenal volcano and surrounding area are beautiful.

If you want to learn more about the world you live in, and do it in an orderly and comfortable atmosphere, consider traveling with Road Scholars.

This program was wonderful even if it was at a "slower pace". We saw so much, especially viewing the birds and other wildlife upfront and personal. The Toucans were viewed from about 10 feet away and it was just beautiful. If Costa Rica is on your bucket list then this might be for you!

While Costa Rica is the size of West Virginia, it has as much to see and teach us as any other country.

A balanced, interesting program that provides a real insight into a fascinating country.

My wife, Sandy, and I enjoyed this trip tremendously. All of the excursions to the different parts of Costa Rica were awesome and a delight to see. We had never visited a rainforest or a cloud forest before and were amazed by how often it rains and how heavy the rain is. The hotels we stayed in and the amenities available were great, but we wished that there would have been ceiling fans in all the rooms for better air circulation. Also the various restaurants and the food served was tremendous. One other criticism is that the two river trips could have been combined into one trip because pretty much the same wildlife was seen on both trips. One last thing: the two guides, Reimer Palma and Erick Miranda, are awesome guides. Reimer and Erick are very knowledgeable of their country, are very congenial and helpful with older people, and my wife and I will recommend that our friends who want to visit Costa Rica request that Reimer and Erick be the guides on there particular tour. Finally we enjoyed meeting and getting to know new friends. Thank you Road Scholar.

A visit to a beautiful country and learn about the efforts to keep it the special place it is

Website is fine, very usable. Thank you for a great program.

The Costa Rica at a Slower Pace: Natural Wonders by Water and Land lived up to its title perfectly! Our cameras and memories are full of gorgeous flora and fauna, fascinating experiences, gratitude for superb group leaders; humor, personal warmth and patience shared with them and group participants. My husband and I (at age 80) recommend it highly.

Best tour that we have EVER been on. Excellent content, great tour sites, wonderful food and friendly tour mates.

The trip to Costa Rica for my husband and myself (for our 40th) was a dream of a lifetime. The educational experiences, both field trips and short information lectures by local experts, were invaluable. This country is a global treasure of diversity. Our guide leaders worked collaboratively and were so open to questions, welcoming, caring, and extremely knowledgable. Logistics and transportation were flawless! A perfect trip.

If you are baby boomer with an aging parent that still likes to travel , this program is an excellent way to spend time with them!

My wife, Polly, and I were participants in this Costa Rican program in March of 2019. It was our 9th program with Road Scholar and it was a gem. Katherine and Stephanie were outstanding and knowledgeable guides. We were also fortunate to have Nicasio for our bus driver. Visiting four different regions of Costa Rica made for some very educational experiences. Paulo Valerio started us off with a great lecture. Other highlights included touring an organic pineapple plantation, hearing a talk on pre-Columbian history, visiting a sugar cane farm and seeing the birds at David and David’s Place. Visiting a children’s school and taking an outrigger canoe ride with Kayak Jaco proved to be quite memorable. And, along the way we had lunch at great local places. Our accommodations were quite nice, especially the Sarapiquis Rainforest Lodge and the Hotel Arenal Manoa. And, like on all Road Scholar trips, we met some wonderful fellow travelers. If you want to experience a special culture and meet some wonderful people – people who value literacy and the environment, put this trip on your list. Pura vida!

I have seen and experienced many amazing things on this journey we call life and this tour has been by far the best I have ever experienced. Thank you Road Scholar for your excellent planning and staff.

Nature, nature, and more nature, Beautiful country. Bring binoculars or miss most of the trip. Age is accommodated. Bus rides enhanced value of the trip or you can sleep. Leaders were non intrusive. Lots of choices to rest or join the activity.Wonderful.

Costa Rica is a beautiful place that I need to return to. There are many things I didn't see on this visit. The most wonderful thing about Costa Rica is the kind people and their love of the environment and education. Very inspiring.

My program with R Scholars to Costa Rica was great. It met my expectations and more. It was very well organized, our guides could not have been better. They were knowledgable, perceptive, kind and most pleasant to interact with. They showed passion for what they do and caring about their country.

Our guides, Roger and Alex, were wonderful and made this trip an experience of a lifetime. Just the right amount of activity and free to. I was fortunate to be in a group of interesting and congenial people, which enhanced the experience. Do it, you will never regret it!

This tour exceeded our expectations! Very educational and what we learned and saw was so exciting!

This was a great program! Considering the higher temp and humidity of a tropical climate, the limited walking was perfect amount. And the boat rides to see birds and animals along the rivers were great!

This trip provided me with the knowledge of Costa Rican history, culture, plant and animal life in detail, crops grown for export, native foods, the beauty of rivers, jungles and the Pacific Ocean. I met citizens in Central America and saw the pride they have in their home Costa Rica. It was a joyful and memorable trip, very well run and just like advertised and then some! I am looking at my next Road Scholar Trip. One is not enough.

A great overview of the variety of natural and cultural experiences that Costa Rica offers, at a pace that allows full enjoyment of each activity. Highly recommended!

The program is designed specifically for seniors. However it should be noted that to enjoy the program and most activities it does require a certain amount of stamina.

I had a wonderful time on the Costa Rica program. I traveled solo and felt safe and supported. The guides were wonderful -- knowledgeable, flexible, pleasant and easy to work with. I learned so much about Costa Rica and its people. This trip was definitely worth it! I will take another Road Scholar tour soon.

I was studying my Spanish using Duolingo before my trip. I should have made more chances to practice while I was in Costa Rica.

An enjoyable tour with lots of nature sightings!

This program was delightful in every way. The country is beautiful and exciting. This is well worth your time.

I was thoroughly delighted with the Costa Rica at a Slower Pace program - it exceeded my expectations. Having such a small group (15) was wonderful, and Katherine and Alex were fantastic guides. I took this trip to celebrate my 72nd birthday and I got more than my money's worth.

This program exceeded my expectations. The wide range of activities was impressive and the daily itinerary allowed for relaxation and time to get to know the other participants. This was an extraordinary experience.

Know that if you choose Road Scholar you will be amazed at the knowledge and the experiences you will come away with. The Slow Paced program allows everyone to have a remarkable trip that will go beyond your expectations!! The group leaders and instructors they choose are extremely accomodating, courteous, respectful, knowledgeable and all have a keen sense of environmental consciousness!