MUC, 3 countries in 2 weeks! 4 and a half stars really. A packed itinerary, you can do visit 3 countries, do wildlife spotting, sightseeing, walks, swimming in the Caribbean, Pacific and lakes, boat trips, and even zip lining, as well as the usual cycling, eating and drinking! 3 countries with contrasts, old and modern parts and a huge mixture of people. The cycling is challenging with some climbs, mainly on road and long hot flat sections which can be done at pace if you want, even in 30c+ however I personally would have preferred a bit more off road terrain.
An excellent trip and I'd recommend Exodus Amazing wildlife. The boat driver at the beginning of the trip (Cecil) did a great job. Chico the bus driver, who was with us for most of the time, was a very good driver, was very efficient dealing with the luggage and he kept the bus immaculate. He was a character. Before travelling to Costa Rica I spent 2 weeks in Panama. It has rubbish piled up everywhere - they don't seem to manage it, don't have a recycling culture and use a lot of polystyrene for the ubiquitous takeaways which just end up in the street. Costa Rica was like a breath of fresh air; no rubbish and a very strong emphasis on conservation. I far prefer independent travel but having researched Costa Rica I realised that going to all the places I wanted to was a challenge too far. Exodus had been highly recommended to me by several friends and they were right. My reservations about an organised trip were dispelled very quickly. It was a small group, everyone bonded and got on very well. I enjoyed everyone's company and never felt the need to 'escape'. There was often a lot of laughter. The trip was planned round my 70th birthday and I had a great group of people to celebrate (? drown my sorrows ?) with!
After braving the ridiculous American vetting of transit passengers[I was lucky came in through Dallas not Houston]things immediately became better.The tour leader and staff were really good.The trip was well organised and the staff were on the ball at all times.The group were really great and mixed well.The three countries were so different and added to the enjoyment of the trip.