Caravan Tours
Caravan Tours
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San Jose, Costa Rica
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Travelers' Choice
2024
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,140 reviews
Excellent
972
Very good
108
Average
37
Poor
13
Terrible
10
Klaret
2 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
We found the ad for this Caravan tour in a magazine two months ago. It offered all of the wonderful things we had heard about Costa Rica at a very competitive price. We hadn't previously known about Caravan, but quickly found glowing reviews of this venerable company. We immediately signed up, taking the last 2 available slots for a May tour (the end of CR's 'dry' season).
The tour could not have been more perfect. The weather was excellent the whole time, with just a few brief rainy periods and one or two impressive showers, otherwise sunny and hot. The passengers were genial and attentive, and there was so much to pay attention to. Aaron, our wonderful guide, tirelessly shared his in-depth knowledge regarding CR's prolific flora and fauna that we were seeing each day. His enthusiasm, professionalism, and stamina was quite impressive. The itinerary struck just the right balance of bus time, walking tours, and relaxing, in beautiful locations and excellent accommodations.
The driver on this tour, Victor, was also amazing, performing his role with an air of serenity, strength, and best of all, accuracy. Both Aaron and Victor represented their Tico culture admirably, speaking flawless English, and just being the friendliest folks you'd ever want to tour with. We felt lucky to grab those last two seats, and heartily recommend this tour.
The tour could not have been more perfect. The weather was excellent the whole time, with just a few brief rainy periods and one or two impressive showers, otherwise sunny and hot. The passengers were genial and attentive, and there was so much to pay attention to. Aaron, our wonderful guide, tirelessly shared his in-depth knowledge regarding CR's prolific flora and fauna that we were seeing each day. His enthusiasm, professionalism, and stamina was quite impressive. The itinerary struck just the right balance of bus time, walking tours, and relaxing, in beautiful locations and excellent accommodations.
The driver on this tour, Victor, was also amazing, performing his role with an air of serenity, strength, and best of all, accuracy. Both Aaron and Victor represented their Tico culture admirably, speaking flawless English, and just being the friendliest folks you'd ever want to tour with. We felt lucky to grab those last two seats, and heartily recommend this tour.
Written May 14, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Calvin L
2 contributions
Aug 2024 • Family
In the beginning, we were concerned about visiting Costa Rica during its rainy season. And it did rain for most of the days we were there, but the rain usually came in late afternoon when our daily activities were over and at night when we were relaxing in the hotels. So actually every morning we got a refreshing start after the rain ;-)
Apart from the beautiful country, the people we met makes a world of differences for the experience. Our driver Giovanni was not only skillful, driving us for hours per day on narrower (comparing to US) winding roads, but also helpful in making sure our ride was comfortable. He works great with our knowledgeable tour guide, Jose. Who managed the itinerary very well. And keep us amused during the bus portion. Jose even compiled a video with our activities during the tour, it is an excellent finale for the tour.
It would be perfect if we get to see Toucan (an eye-catching picture in the web page of this tour, quite misleading) and Hummingbird Garden (mentioned in the itinerary). Well, we did see a wide variety of wildlife during the tour! I shared the wildlife clips in YouTube channel: clotech, Playlist: Costa Rica.
Well worth the time and money!
Apart from the beautiful country, the people we met makes a world of differences for the experience. Our driver Giovanni was not only skillful, driving us for hours per day on narrower (comparing to US) winding roads, but also helpful in making sure our ride was comfortable. He works great with our knowledgeable tour guide, Jose. Who managed the itinerary very well. And keep us amused during the bus portion. Jose even compiled a video with our activities during the tour, it is an excellent finale for the tour.
It would be perfect if we get to see Toucan (an eye-catching picture in the web page of this tour, quite misleading) and Hummingbird Garden (mentioned in the itinerary). Well, we did see a wide variety of wildlife during the tour! I shared the wildlife clips in YouTube channel: clotech, Playlist: Costa Rica.
Well worth the time and money!
Written August 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FrankF14304
Niagara Falls, NY123 contributions
Feb 2024 • Couples
We have taken Caravan tours previously in Costa Rica and Panama; visiting interesting sites, staying at top hotels with endless amounts of quality food at a very reasonable cost. This year we decided to continue with Caravan on the Guatemala tour and were not disappointed.
Our tour director, Virginia, was awesome; tracing the Guatemalan history from the rise and fall of the Mayan civilization through the Spanish colonial period to the present. Our tour included a good mix of museums, archeological sites, villages with Indigenous Mayan descendants, and the Spanish colonial city of Antigua, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Virginia consistently gave comprehensive and detailed descriptions in a clear and often amusing manner that kept our interest at a high level.
Hotels were pleasant with lush gardens and inviting pools. Most meals were buffets with an extensive variety of tasty foods. Between sites, our bus was comfortable with wifi. We will continue to recommend Caravan to our friends and specifically the Guatemala tour.
One caution; the streets in Antigua have been restored to the colonial era with narrow cobblestone pavements and very narrow sidewalks full of obstructions. Use caution when walking on the cobblestones and watch for sidewalk obstructions and traffic. Do not text and walk.
Our tour director, Virginia, was awesome; tracing the Guatemalan history from the rise and fall of the Mayan civilization through the Spanish colonial period to the present. Our tour included a good mix of museums, archeological sites, villages with Indigenous Mayan descendants, and the Spanish colonial city of Antigua, an UNESCO World Heritage Site. Virginia consistently gave comprehensive and detailed descriptions in a clear and often amusing manner that kept our interest at a high level.
Hotels were pleasant with lush gardens and inviting pools. Most meals were buffets with an extensive variety of tasty foods. Between sites, our bus was comfortable with wifi. We will continue to recommend Caravan to our friends and specifically the Guatemala tour.
One caution; the streets in Antigua have been restored to the colonial era with narrow cobblestone pavements and very narrow sidewalks full of obstructions. Use caution when walking on the cobblestones and watch for sidewalk obstructions and traffic. Do not text and walk.
Written March 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
vincentc77
pa17 contributions
Dec 2024 • Couples
I'm going to start this review based on total cost. We spent just under $2200 (without air) for two people to spend almost 8 days in Costa Rica with guide, transportation, accommodations, and all meals - absolutely amazing. Guide, JD, was professional, helpful, knowledgeable, and personable. Driver, Gio, was also professional and personable. Couldn't ask for a better team. First concern was mobility of the group - this was our first Caravan tour and maybe it attracts persons of later age, but we were unaware of this and will keep this in mind going forward. We are in our 50s and are extremely active for our age. Fortunately, JD did his best on recognizing the hurdle and adjusting the best he could do. Just keep this in mind if you're active and want to cover the most ground in the least amount of time - Did a Greece island cruise last year and the optional excursions really kept us on our toes! Next concern was the overall condition/cleanliness of the accommodations - The Barcelo Tambor resort fell far from our expectations - rooms were dirty, dated, with many facilities broken. Food quality was also less than stellar - however, the pizza at the Italian restaurant was very good! It also caters to many locals that have much lower standards - ill just leave it at that. Fortuna, Magic Mountain, was also troubling. Went down to the lobby around midnight to secure some meds only to find that it was not staffed and locked. Found out that others tried to contact the hotel during the evening due to room issues only to come up empty. Costa Rica has wonderful natural beauty with welcoming natives - highly recommend visiting to a glimpse at the Central Americas.
Written January 2, 2025
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary Ellen
1 contribution
May 2024 • Couples
We went on the Mexico Colonial Cities tour for our anniversary trip and we're so impressed with the trip, the cities and sights and particularly the very safe and efficiency of driver, Julio, and knowledgeable, fun tour guide, Lupita. Her passion and pride for Mexico was so contagious and her knowledge of the places we visited and the stories she shared were wonderful to bring back to the U.S. with us.
What memories! The floating gardens and gondola ride, the art and culture, incredible pyramids, (be careful of you have aging knees, there are steps!), the aqueducts, the shopping, etc. etc. It was unforgettable.
And so many great travelling companions too. Everyone was lovely. Thank you so much Lupita and Julio, also Jack, Carlos, and Arturo (am I forgetting one?) for a wonderful trip.
What memories! The floating gardens and gondola ride, the art and culture, incredible pyramids, (be careful of you have aging knees, there are steps!), the aqueducts, the shopping, etc. etc. It was unforgettable.
And so many great travelling companions too. Everyone was lovely. Thank you so much Lupita and Julio, also Jack, Carlos, and Arturo (am I forgetting one?) for a wonderful trip.
Written May 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Cheryl W
1 contribution
Jul 2024 • Friends
My husband and I took the Caravan tour to Costa Rica with another couple, friends of our. We really had a fantastic time! The Caravan tour was very efficiently organized, and we got to see a whole lot of Costa Rica in just one week. There are so many interesting and beautiful things to see in Costa Rica! Also, the trip was always very comfortable and we felt very safe the whole time. The tour guide, Aaron Salazar Guido was great, extremely knowledgeable, friendly and engaging, and entertaining. We really enjoyed getting to know him! Our bus driver, Chega, who is the best bus driver, took us all over Costa Rica, in the city and in the country, and took the bus into some places I would never imagined we could go. But we were safe the whole time in his hands. I recommend this tour if you want to see Costa Rica, but would like to have all the travel logistics arranged for you.
Written July 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tsp72023
5 contributions
Mar 2024 • Family
We took the Copper Canyon tour in March. Our tour director Carlos was fantastic and our driver Ivan was very safe on the roads. The hotels in Mexico were all fantastic although we did have a morning without water at the hotel at the rim of the canyon. They refilled the water soon and Carlos reshuffled to accommodate the late start. The Posada del Hidalgo in El Fuerte was a highlight as were the views from the Copper Canyon hotel. Not much to do in San Carlos. The train ride was the perfect length and the views from the train car were beautiful. The food choices in the dining car left a lot to be desired, especially the burger lunch some of our party ordered, but there wasn't much other choice. Breakfasts were buffet style and they ran out of some items our first morning in Phoenix and we had to wait for eggs and other items, but otherwise fine. Lunches and dinners were also satisfactory for a guided tour. Would have loved to have an extra day in the Copper Canyon so we could have done some hiking but we will have to revisit for that. The Tarahumara are a fascinating people. Read up on them before you go if possible. There was a lot of time spent in the bus driving but we knew this going in and Carlos kept us entertained with his encompassing knowledge of Mexican history, great sense of humor and some pertinent videos. The bus was comfortable and we had enough bathroom stops. Carlos explained the schedule well in advance and repeated directions as necessary. We've been on a few guided tours and Carlos is the best director we have had by far. He bent over backwards to accommodate any requests and made sure to double check any dietary needs.
Written April 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James P
Williston6 contributions
May 2024 • Couples
This Caravan tour of Ancient Civilizations, guided by Gerardo Moreno, began in Mexico City and finished in Cancun. The Hubz is fascinated with the Maya, so this enhanced his information cache about them as well as added info about the Aztec, Toltec and Olmec. So many photo opps occurred on and off the bus. Gerardo was a font of information, not only about the peoples but about Mexican history and Mexican life in general. In addition, he was most patient with those of us who needed a little more time to get on/off the bus, up/down various structures we toured etc. (Our driver Adrian made us feel more than safe with his expert handling of our state-of-the-art bus.) Our accommodations and meals provided (most are) were delightful with some being a little fancier than others, which seems to be typical of Caravan, depending on the location of our tours. (We've toured the Canadian Maritimes, Guatemala and Costa Rica with Caravan.) Do remember your wash rags because not every hotel supplies them. And Caravan is good about accommodating various dietary restrictions.
Finally, several days after our return home, Gerardo sent everyone a wonderful video of our exciting travel adventures. We're hoping to book the Copper Canyon trip next!
Finally, several days after our return home, Gerardo sent everyone a wonderful video of our exciting travel adventures. We're hoping to book the Copper Canyon trip next!
Written June 9, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Chris
8 contributions
Dec 2024 • Friends
We had such a great experience with our tour of Costa Rica. Our tour director, Aaron, was clearly the reason why everything went so well. He was organized, educational and a lot of fun.
The caravan experience makes everything so easy. You really get to experience different parts of the country in a way that would be almost impossible to do on your own. Even though you are in a bus to get around everywhere, it was very comfortable and allowed us to see so much of the countryside that would be impossible if we were driving on our own.
Our driver, Mario, expertly and safely navigated the narrow and curvy mountain roads. We were able to relax, talk and take photos of so much.
The single best part is that your only job is to arrive on time and get up each morning. The entire day is planned, including every meal. There is enough free time at the end of the day to spend however you like.
If you are headed somewhere and would prefer someone take care of all your meals, your lodging, your transportation and sight seeing tours....then this is for you.
Highly recommend!
The caravan experience makes everything so easy. You really get to experience different parts of the country in a way that would be almost impossible to do on your own. Even though you are in a bus to get around everywhere, it was very comfortable and allowed us to see so much of the countryside that would be impossible if we were driving on our own.
Our driver, Mario, expertly and safely navigated the narrow and curvy mountain roads. We were able to relax, talk and take photos of so much.
The single best part is that your only job is to arrive on time and get up each morning. The entire day is planned, including every meal. There is enough free time at the end of the day to spend however you like.
If you are headed somewhere and would prefer someone take care of all your meals, your lodging, your transportation and sight seeing tours....then this is for you.
Highly recommend!
Written December 23, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Edward T
Stony Brook, NY24 contributions
Jan 2024 • Family
My wife and I took the seven-day Caravan tour to Guatemala. The itinerary included Guatemala City, Lake Atitlan, Antigua and several points in between. Our guide, Virginia, is a national treasure. Her love and enthusiasm for the country are boundless, as is her knowledge of its history and culture. She was extremely attentive to the needs of everyone on the trip and was always pleasant to deal with from beginning to end. The accommodations were excellent, especially at Lake Atitlan. The same goes for the food. The pace is easy, nothing strenuous. The trip provides a good view of the cities and countryside, historical sites and natural beauty of Guatemala, with exposure to art, artifacts and music. We would highly recommend the tour, especially with Virginia as your tour guide.
Written March 20, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I am extremely terrified of riding on mountain roads. I know that the Costa Rica tour has many qualified drivers, but it freaks me out. How many hours would you say are on these type of roads?
Thank you
Written February 21, 2024
They do not drive any longer than a two hour time frame at a time. There are stops made to see different things, and not all the roads are high and curvy. If you're on a little stretch of narrow curvy road, you can look straight ahead in the large coach, and not out the window near you.
Written February 22, 2024
chuck z
High Ridge, Missouri
How much walking is involved in the 8 day Caravan Mt. Rushmore and Yellowstone tour?
Written March 5, 2022
What kind of roads does the motor coach travel on the 9-day Costa Rica trip? Little nervous for narrow mountain roads.
Written March 8, 2020
The roads were not bad at all. More importantly the driver (and I think I can say all drivers working for Caravan Tours) are really good. They manage to negotiate the narrow streets very very well. I was worried about this as well, but it was not an issue at all. Hope this helps.
Written March 9, 2020
Joann C
Medford, New York
I am going to costa rica march second 2020 with caravan tours i see on day five
Its hanging bridges i can't stand hights
Can i still go on the tour that day and just wait till every body else is finished hanging and continue with the day
Written February 20, 2020
You will have the option of 3 hikes, long medium and mini (one bridge) or you can just relax at the site. The bridges are quite steady, especially those with you respect your concerns and don't try to bounce them! Enjoy your tour!
Written March 8, 2020
I am looking at the caravan tour for August with my two kids ages 8 and 11. How is the caravan tour for children?
Written February 16, 2020
I would expect the long times on the bus and the bags out by 6 a.m. days might not be easy for them! I wouldn't see it as created for young people unless your two are really quiet content laid back children. There are far more exciting bus excursions in Costa Rica.
Written March 8, 2020
Lorraine M
Ormond Beach, Florida
Has anyone every taken the Costa Rica 9-day tour, which is as tour of Volcanoes, Rainforests and Beaches?
Written February 6, 2020
Loved it. Don't expect much regarding volcanoes but the rest is amazing! My husband found time on the bus long, I found it as relaxing and a great time to learn endless information about the country from our amazing quide Ana! Great way to see the country for the first time ...then I can see going back on my own to hit the highlights again.
Written March 8, 2020
What are the guidelines for tipping guides and drivers?
Written January 12, 2020
At the end if the tour, our tour director made an announcement that if wanted to tip our bus driver and her, we can give it to them at that time. It was recommended that 5.00 a day for the bus driver and up to 8.00 a day for the tour director. The only other time we tipped was a few local river boat tours or the like, a dollar or 2. Everything else was covered.
Written January 12, 2020
Hello!
This tour has come highly recommended to me. I am thinking of booking in December.
Questions:
1. Will I be able to get off the bus to take pictures?
2. I'm pretty shy and get anxious easily...will the bus be totally full? I know the website said that four seats are always left open...
Plus, I've never toured with a group before.
Thanks.
Written September 30, 2019
Our bus was half empty with lots of room to spread out. They assign seats but you are allowed to move to the back. The bus stops for pictures and also has huge CLEAN windows.
Written September 30, 2019
We were there in August, 2019. This is there low season. No crowds. They said high season is Dec. Jan. Many “Snow Birds “ from the North come here to warm up.
Written September 30, 2019
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.