Fantastic Tauck Bridges experience!
Got back from this trip on Monday. My wife and I (both 63) thoroughly enjoyed the pace and adventure of this trip. Our guide was Jonas Gonzales, along with Martha and bus driver Juan Carlos. Highlights included a very interesting visit to a chocolate factory, sleeping in bungalows in the jungle at Aninga Lodge (and being awakened at 4:45 am by howler monkeys overhead!), river wildlife trips at Tortuguero National Park to see herons, lizards, monkeys, and crocodiles, a coconut cutting demonstration, whitewater rafting on the Sarapiqui River (you will get soaked!), a private visit to a working pineapple plantation (with pina coladas to boot), zip-lining at Arenal on lines more than 1/2 mile long and speeds greater than 60 MPH (while soaring hundreds of feet over the canopy), relaxing in the incredible hot springs of Tabacon Resort, snorkeling in Papagayo Bay, and enjoying the fact that Tauck handled every detail. The people of Costa Rica are exceedingly friendly, and you don't have to bring special currency or electrical adaptors. The scenery is gorgeous everywhere. Fresh papaya, watermelon, and pineapple at every breakfast. We also stayed an extra night at El Mangroove and hired a tour company to take us to the geothermally active national park near Liberia called Rincon de la Vieja--a worthy add-on for sure, with the chance to see Oropendula Falls also. Direct flights to and from the US made the trip that much less stressful. If you like an active vacation, this is the one for you. We went into the trip with almost no expectations but emerged as huge fans of Costa Rica and its commitment to nature. Pura Vida!