Actuar
4.5
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Whether you are looking for relaxation or alternative vacations, or travel alone or with friends – ACTUAR will help you travel in a different way: in contact with nature, local people, and the beauty of rural life. Discover Costa Rica through her people, sharing traditions and customs far from the conventional tourist routes. Travel at a healthy and relaxed pace, so you can savor the true essence of Costa Rica cultural discovery.
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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.
4.5
19 reviews
Excellent
14
Very good
3
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
2
Catherine G
Washington DC, DC25 contributions
May 2015 • Solo
Great mission, great people, great places to visit -- what more could you want? ACTUAR did a fantastic job. I absolutely loved staying with the rural and indigenous families, all of whom were very warm and welcoming. The families and communities benefit from this type of tourism and share meals, the natural beauty of the surroundings, and local culture. I stayed in rustic cabins that were always very clean, with indoor bathrooms. Accordingly, this type of trip works perfectly for those who like the outdoors, are flexible, friendly, and speak at least a little bit of Spanish. (There's probably no problem for English-only speakers - there's always someone who speaks English - but it would be harder to take full advantage of the richness of the cultural exchange/conversation.) I will definitely use ACTUAR again.
Written May 28, 2015
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.
ndeychak
Brighton, MI2 contributions
Apr 2014 • Family
ACTUAR was wonderful to work with on my family's vacation to Costa Rica right from the start. Because none of the standard packages fit our timeframe, ACTUAR representative Madelyn Castro was really good at thinking through, presenting options, and being flexible. This resulted in a 6-day trip to Arenal, Monteverde, and Jaco which suited our needs. Furthermore, I could consult with her at any time and I was given a cell number to use during the trip should I need it. And I did, because the rental car I had broke down. Madelyn helped ensure that the rental company responded promptly; and even after the trip, helped favorably resolve an unfortunate attempt by the rental company to charge me extra for a different class of replacement vehicle. We also appreciated being in places that were environmentally conscious and being offered tours that explained sustainable development and ecological sensitivity to my children. I highly, highly recommend this company.
Written May 3, 2014
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.
David S
Indianapolis, IN214 contributions
Jun 2013 • Couples
In June 2013 we traveled to one of ACTUAR's sites for the second year in a row. in 2012 we went to Yorkin by dugout canoe to visit this BriBri village. It was very rewarding, so for this year's trip to Costa Rica, I reviewed information about the sites they manage and found one the seemed to be exactly the kind of place I like to go - El Copal Reserve. In this .7 square mile reserve and on the approach roads, it is possible to see nearly half as many birds as can be seen in North America above the Mexican border!!
In February, I contacted them for the purpose of getting a reservation at this location. Alejandro Cordero Madrigal responded quickly, and worked with us to get all of the arrangements made for 2 nights lodging, 5 meals, and a bilingual bird guide.
Communication was done in a professional manner and emailed questions answered quickly. Because my wife has allergies to chiles and peppers, they passed this information on to the managers of this site.
El Copal Reserve is located Southeast of Paraiso, normally about 2-hours drive from San Jose, but we got held up at the airport getting our rental car, and consequently had to drive through San Jose's rush hour. Then, the main road to the area was blocked by a mudslide and we arrived in the area very late and long after dark.
Signs pointing to this remote location were not adequate (this has since been corrected), and we ended up being unable to find the location. Our minimal Spanish did not help when asking police and local residents for detailed directions. Consequently, we did not find this site in the dark, and the next morning, ran into the same problems and finally gave up.
We were very tired and checked into a hotel in Cartago to rest for our next day's trip to San Gerardo de Dota. We had received an email the previous night from Kyra Cruz, the Executive Director at ACTUAR, trying to make sure we were alright. We explained what happened, and she worked with us to rearrange the last 2 days of our trip to stay at El Copal. The money we had already paid to ACTUAR for these services was applied to these 2 days, but we did have to pay again for the independent bird guide (excellent) who had shown up ready to provide his services.
We found this amazing location the second time and will always be so glad that we rearranged to spend our last 2 days. We learned more Spanish from the patient people at El Copal than we'd learned the previous 15 days of our trip. And we saw and got photographs of lots of beautiful birds, some of which are very hard to see in other locations.
ACTUAR is a great organization that provides a wide variety of support to community based tourism activities throughout Costa Rica - about 40 of them. This includes providing exposure on their website, reservations, arranging tours through several of their sites, and even obtaining grants from worldwide organizations to fund things like solar power and telecommunications in very remote areas. Visits to these locations ensure that money spent visiting these locations stays to benefit the local community.
We hope to visit Costa Rica again, and if we are able to, we plan to use ACTUAR's services again. In addition to enjoying the beauty of the landscape and nature, we have been enriched personally by our contact with the wonderful people at both Yorkin and El Copal. We left both of these places feeling like we were leaving friends.
In February, I contacted them for the purpose of getting a reservation at this location. Alejandro Cordero Madrigal responded quickly, and worked with us to get all of the arrangements made for 2 nights lodging, 5 meals, and a bilingual bird guide.
Communication was done in a professional manner and emailed questions answered quickly. Because my wife has allergies to chiles and peppers, they passed this information on to the managers of this site.
El Copal Reserve is located Southeast of Paraiso, normally about 2-hours drive from San Jose, but we got held up at the airport getting our rental car, and consequently had to drive through San Jose's rush hour. Then, the main road to the area was blocked by a mudslide and we arrived in the area very late and long after dark.
Signs pointing to this remote location were not adequate (this has since been corrected), and we ended up being unable to find the location. Our minimal Spanish did not help when asking police and local residents for detailed directions. Consequently, we did not find this site in the dark, and the next morning, ran into the same problems and finally gave up.
We were very tired and checked into a hotel in Cartago to rest for our next day's trip to San Gerardo de Dota. We had received an email the previous night from Kyra Cruz, the Executive Director at ACTUAR, trying to make sure we were alright. We explained what happened, and she worked with us to rearrange the last 2 days of our trip to stay at El Copal. The money we had already paid to ACTUAR for these services was applied to these 2 days, but we did have to pay again for the independent bird guide (excellent) who had shown up ready to provide his services.
We found this amazing location the second time and will always be so glad that we rearranged to spend our last 2 days. We learned more Spanish from the patient people at El Copal than we'd learned the previous 15 days of our trip. And we saw and got photographs of lots of beautiful birds, some of which are very hard to see in other locations.
ACTUAR is a great organization that provides a wide variety of support to community based tourism activities throughout Costa Rica - about 40 of them. This includes providing exposure on their website, reservations, arranging tours through several of their sites, and even obtaining grants from worldwide organizations to fund things like solar power and telecommunications in very remote areas. Visits to these locations ensure that money spent visiting these locations stays to benefit the local community.
We hope to visit Costa Rica again, and if we are able to, we plan to use ACTUAR's services again. In addition to enjoying the beauty of the landscape and nature, we have been enriched personally by our contact with the wonderful people at both Yorkin and El Copal. We left both of these places feeling like we were leaving friends.
Written June 30, 2013
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.
Rob V
San Francisco, CA1 contribution
Jul 2018 • Family
Actuar took our money - family of 4, 2-week tour - and then "ghosted" us. They stopped replying to emails or answering phone calls. They disconnected the emergency cell phone number and their general "info" email inbox is full (accepting no new emails). Two days before our flight to CR, we received a phone call from someone in Costa Rica who claimed to work with indiginous groups there, and he told me Actuar has stopped paying its partners for the tour services they provide. At first I thought it might be some sort of scam, but he didn't ask for money or any information. He just apologized for our trouble. Of course we looked into it, and it seems he was telling the truth. They went out of business shorty after taking thousands of dollars from us. And they never contacted us to say the tour was cancelled or to offer a refund. Apparently, they're willing to let a family with two children arrive in a foreign country with no money and nowhere to stay. According to the Costa Rica tourism board, they used to be a legitimate company. But no longer. Don't trust the 15+ years of good testimonials you'll find on Trip Advisor and elsewhere online. They are now thieves. DO NOT BOOK A TOUR WITH ACTUAR!
Written July 13, 2018
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.
Foley-Maddy
Strasbourg, France1 contribution
Jun 2018 • Friends
We booked a 2 days tour at Actuar last June. When we were at the meeting point, we've been waiting for 2 hours, no one showed up! Since then, we tried to get back our money but they did not o anything. Today their phone number no longer exist and they do not answer to emails anymore. I heard from someone I know who lived in San Jose that their office in San Jose is empty.
Written August 2, 2018
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.
Eric G
Victoria, Canada1 contribution
May 2013 • Friends
I travelled with a friend for two weeks in May, going from San Jose down to the Ossa peninsula with several stops along the way. Our main interest was wilderness and wildlife viewing, and we also had a volcano hike, a day of whitewater rafting, and a visit to an indigenous community. Our driver was excellent, and the places we stayed were varied and interesting. I recommend ACTUAR to any travellers wanting an experience a little off the beaten track that also benefits the local communities.
Written May 13, 2013
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.
Marilyn M
Palmerston North, New Zealand3 contributions
Jan 2018 • Family
We stumbled across Actuar while planning a quick visit to Costa Rica from the comfort of our home in New Zealand. We had a superb experience. We were picked up at the airport, delivered to our hotel then in the morning our guide arrived to take us to the Carribean coast. We truly enjoyed every aspect of our stay and would recommend this organisation for anyone who wants an authentic experience without the trouble of organising it yourself. Exceptional care was taken in every way including well timed transfers to the airport for our departure.
Written February 10, 2018
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.
Dear Marilyn
It was a pleasure to serve you and show you our Costa Rica from nature and culture. Costa Rica authenticates.
Thank you very much for your words and you will always be welcome. Our country is small in territory but big in heart.
with love Cinthya Quiros
Executive director
Written February 12, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Helena2018Stockholm
Stockholm, Sweden3 contributions
Jan 2018 • Family
We have just finished ”The Route from Sukia to Savegre” arranged by ACTUAR. We did an extended version where we first spent a couple of days at Casa Parra in Santa Maria de Dota (which I can firmly recommend). Rafael Parra and his family are the most welcoming hosts that you can imagine. Their home is warm-hearted, rooms very nice and the home-cooked food just amazing! We are vegetarians and they took great care of adjusting their meals to this (even Christmas dinner!). Santa Maria de Dota is just a paradise, set among the cloud forest and high-altitude coffee plantations. Rafael knows all there is to know about the local environment and arranged several nice outings for us during our stay. The hike from Sukia to Savegre is amazing and we feel so gracious to have experienced this! The hike is tough even for semi-experienced and pretty fit hikers but well worth every step of the way! Both the over-night stay at Las Orquideas and the final destination Los Campesinos are great and very exclusive destinations - not exclusive as in luxurious but unique places that you will remember for the rest of your lives! Thank you ACTUAR, Thank you Rafael Parra with your fantastic family, Thank you Victor and Felipe for arranging this amazing experience for me and my family! Recommended for all with an open heart and love of nature!
Written January 6, 2018
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.
Thank you Helena for having traveled with ACT! we are happy to know that your trip will remain as a life experience.
For us, the most important thing is that your family enjoyed the Sukia Route and we hope to have you again in ACTUAR.
We wish you many successes for your family this 2018 and that the adventures and experiences continue in your memorie.
Best regards Cinthya
Written January 8, 2018
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jane L G
44 contributions
May 2017 • Friends
My sister and I used ACTUAR to arrange a trip the end of March and beginning of April. It was a truly great experience! We traveled by car which ACTUAR rented for us. If you want to see authentic Costa Rica, meet local people and travel sustainably, then ACTUAR is the perfect answer. We have lovely memories of chatting with the locals who own & operate the various ecolodges, seeing an incredible variety of flora and fauna as well as hitting so many of the main attractions offered throughout the country such as beautiful national parks, hot springs, waterfalls, volcanoes, and a very memorable trip in a dugout canoe along the Yorkin River to a BriBri village. Good, basic accommodations were provided throughout, the meals provided were delicious and we were able to learn so much about the people and culture of Costa Rica. And, the price of the trip was reasonable. It does help to be able to speak enough Spanish to get around and talk to all the different people you'll meet, although English is often spoken in some of the more populated tourist areas. We hope to be able to take another trip to Costa Rica and we will certainly use ACTUAR again!
Written May 30, 2017
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.
Thank you very much Jane, for ACTUAR our clients are the priority and we wish you to return to your homes happy and eager to return.
Costa Rica and ACTUAR await you with open arms.
Cinthya Quiros
Executive director
Written November 2, 2017
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
janet r
Corral de Tierra, CA5 contributions
May 2013 • Friends
This past May we enjoyed a great experience in the Guanacaste region of beautiful Costa Rica on a trip organized by Actuar. They made the arrangements for a fairly large group of us and everything went off wonderfully. From the initial planning/reservations to our arrival a day late due to a missed connection. As frustrating as that experience was, our contact at Actuar, Alejandro, as always was immediately responsive and rearranged our pick-up schedule to be right there for us the next day. Our hotel, Capitan Suizo on Tamarindo beach was superb. Great accomodations, food and excellent staff. Our trip included zip-lining as well as boating out to a beautiful remote beach another for snorkeling and a to-die-for lunch prepared right on the beach by the crew. Actuar handled all our transportation and activity arrangements so that we could relax and truely enjoy the experience that exceeded expectation. We highly recommend the friendly and quickly responsive staff at Actuar.
Written June 10, 2013
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.
Hi Actuar! How can we get back the money you stole when you abruptly shuttered your business with no warning? Also, how do you plan to pay your tour partners, vendors, drivers, etc? And why WHY do you still have a page on Trip Advisor? You’re no longer in business, having scammed at least 5 families out of thousands of dollars before absconding. If anyone is looking for their money, former director Cinthya Quiros is on Facebook and LinkedIn...
Written October 17, 2018
Well, Rob, let me tell you what I know. I now know that TripAdvisor is run by a bunch of algorithms, with no real people looking at anything, even complaints! In fact, when I tried to post my concern about the fraud company Actuar, they sent my own question back to me. Ha! So Rob, don't do business with Actuar. And definitely don't trust TripAdvisor! I hope this helps.
Written October 18, 2018
KarinadeAvila
San Jose, Costa Rica
Hola, quiero información sobre estos paquetes, pues la página web no funciona muy bien. Ojalá puedan ayudarme. Me interesa el Volunturismo. Gracias. Saludos.
Written February 25, 2015
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