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We are looking at taking a tour of Costa Rica in Nov and would like to make the 1st time a tour of a number of areas in the country. We have looked at George Lundquist’s tour but that did see more limited than we had hoped for. We did want to know if anyone had any experience with or know anything about Caravan Tours as they seem to give a broader over view of the counry?
Thank you for you assistance.
it is tough to fit everything into a wurwind trip.
I’ve been back many times and still don’t have enough time to see everything
never heard of Caravan tours, but what i will tell you is that most os the orginised i tours i’ve been on in costa rica are over rated and expensive.
However just having someone to do all the driving might make it worth it.You’re best bet get a bunch of guide books figure out where you wnt to go and maybe there will be a way to organize it yourself or find a similar trip
good luck,
pura vidadave
rfmark: What exactly is the reason for your visit to Costa Rica? Are you coming for a vacation and want to experience all the Costa Rica has to offer or are you trying to experience every region of the country to decide if you want to live here and which area would best suit you? What ever your reason you have to come to best place to get the answers to your questions. This site WLCR has many VIP members that will guide you to the most cost effective and enjoyable way to adchieve your goals. Scott Oliver himself has a great deal of knowledge along with people like GringoTico who will try their best to make your trip and experience safe fun and fufilling. I think you need to be a little more open about what you are looking for and how much time you have to spend so you can get insight and recomendations. You can also email Scott directly for some refferals. I can attest that everyone I have been introduced to through WLCR have been quick to respond english speaking and willing to meet my requirements. Thus I recommend this site and the refferals from here highly. I also suggest to you and everyone it is best to ask the questions before you do anything so you can get guideance rather than coming here afterwards to complain about a bad experience and get hindsight into what you should have done. Good luck with planning your trip I promise you this if you ask the questions here you will get the answers as to what is the best way to meet your goals.
I have personlly met George and I will have to say he has the best program that you will find.
Many of the tours that you will find will not take you to places that George takes his clients. He also will show you things that most wont such as the medical system or farmacias.
If you are looking to retire to Costa Rica you will want to know more than just where to buy a home and George fills that gap! He also introduces you to individuals that are making a go at in Costa Rica so that you can personally ask them what it is like to live and retire in Costa Rica. This gives more creidt than just some one flaping their gums about it!
If you want a broader over view of the country you need to come and visit more than once or twice you need to come and spend a couple of months traveling around the country. Rent for a little while before you buy and then you will feel more comfortible about your choice of where you want to live.
Since you mention George’s tour, I’ll presume you’re interested in a potential retirement to CR. Do you like living in heat and humidty? If the answer is no, then George’s tour is terrific, and likely broad enough for you – you visit a number of different communities and areas in the Central Valley, all which have lower heat and humidity than the coastal regions. You will not find a better more comprehensive tour at twice the price. If the answer is yes, then George’s tour is probably not for you (although he has begun a South Pacific region tour, which I am not familiar with), and you should be looking for a comprehensive coastal tour. I’m a less heat and humidity guy, so I found George’s tour ideal for me.
Buena suerte,
JimI second (or is it third?) George’s tour. My husband & I felt we wanted to move to CR…..after George’s tour it was a definite. The guides we have had on vacations were good, but fairly expensive. What we didn’t realize is that we did not learn anything about the people! To us, you need to know the people. You need to know what is in a grocery store and how much does it cost: where is the pharmacy and how do you get what you are asking for…just everyday kind of things! While we have enjoyed every vacation, George’s tour is much more comprhensive and informative.
Thank you all for the feedback. We are looking at a move in about 5 to 7 years and want to take the time to research and get 1st hand experince before any decision. Living in Fla now I’m fine with weather in the mid 70 – mid 80’s range. After following the board for sometime we do know that the different regions offer different things and that is the reason for wanting to find and over view guided tour to get that 1st overview to build on. I am convince that George does sound like a tour to take once we start to narrow areas if he offers a tour in that area.
I am glad to hear the reviews of George’s tour. I just put a deposit for May and very excited about taking his tour. I have been checking his website for over two years now and realized that he is a man with much knowledge. But what really shook up the other day was that I saw his interview here on this site and it started thinking me that maybe I wouldn’t working 3-1/2 years more from the great things George had to say in the interview. I am so excited about coming to Costa Rica in May and I think I am making a good choice starting off my stay with George’s tour. Next year, I plan to work the two-day seminar at Casa Canada into my schedule.
Later,
Tom in PortlandMy wife and I just returned from Costa Rica. We took
the Caravan tour, and it was great. The tour is ten days,
and we covered a large part of the country. We went from
Tortugero to Manual Antonio, and from San Ramon to Cano Negro.
We also spent three nights in San Jose at the Barcelo Palacio. Two of the hotels were all inclusive. The Barcelo, and the Amapola in Jaco.
Our tour guide was a young Tica named Jenny, and she was the best, as was our driver Juan Carlos.
The other folks on the tour were very friendly.
Some people had been on as many as thirty five tours
around the world. They rated this Caravan tour as el major!
This was our first visit to Pura Vida land, and we
loved the tour. We had never done a tour before. I’ve
always made my own arrangements, because I travel a lot.
My wife and I were very impressed with Caravan. I
suggest that this would be the best way to visit Costa Rica for the first time.
I’ll be glad to answer any questions.Okay, here’s a question . . .
Tell us, please, a little more about the emphasis of the Caravan tour. Was it primarily a sightseeing tour, or did the itinerary lean more toward familiarizing you with life and living in Costa Rica?
I’m a veteran of George Lundquist’s tour which I highly recommend for anyone who is thinking of relocating here because George has a planned agenda that shows you a variety of types of location and climate and because he shows and orients you to a wide variety of the amenities that make live liveable anywhere. After George’s tour, I still hadn’t seen a macaw or a howler monkey, but I’d seen a couple of supermarkets, the MultiPlaza, building sites at various elevations and orientations, a ferreteria and farmacia, etc, etc, etc. Those were things we needed to know about to make a decision about relocating here in Costa Rica (and also where in Costa Rica).
None of this is to knock sightseeing, which we haven’t done very much of, but to clarify just what the purpose of the Caravan tour was.
Okay, here’s your answer.
Caravan was a bit of both. The Tica tour guide gave
us a true intro to the ups and down of living in CR.
As a Tica with a home in a San Jose suburb, she could never leave her home unattented. The Tico owned casa would be stripped bare in twenty four hours. The air pollution in San Jose is horrific, because there are zero monitoring, and Ticos burn the lowest grade of fuel.
This young lady has a degree from the public university
in CR, and she is a biologist.
I know George, I’ve spoken to him. He is a former
Texan who spent his career in the Rio Grande Valley.
He is also a builder. His tour is more expensive than the Caravan tour, and he focuses his tour on those folks who have decided to live in CR, or invest there.
We are comparing two different fruits. Caravan was an ideal first visit, along with four nights in Escazu, and
more touring, we got a pretty good feel for CR.
Costa Rica is a very beautiful place, with a delightful climate in the Meseta Central.
The negatives are the armed guards everywhere, the poor roads, the poverty, the corrupt system and abogados, a weak Policia and court etc.
I speak Spanish, and the Ticos love it when an Americano speaks to them. I really liked the climate, and the people I met, but, I’m not ready.Hi
I new to the forum so I hope I am not repeating previous posts. I am trying to plan a trip to CR this fall. I have checked out the Caravan tour and while the price is certainly right, I do not wish to travel with 30-40 people. I am currently looking at a Elderhostel trip and one with General Tours. There are so many things to do and so many places that I want to see that I am overwelmed!!!! Does any one have a recommedation for a tour company and/or must see stops on a first time visit?
Thanks for your help.
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