About the Costa Rica Quest Tour by G Adventures
Have you booked or are you thinking of booking the Costa Rica Quest tour by G Adventures? Here’s a review to help your decision-making and give you additional insights about your trip!
All information valid as of December 2025, unless otherwise indicated, and -no- I was not furnished to write this review.
(Updated with additional information in early January 2026.)
(Prior to reading, please consider reviewing the “My Ethics” page.)
Bottom-Line Up Front
The Costa Rica Quest by G Adventures is well-suited for anyone looking for a destination-balanced, week-long itinerary in Costa Rica which affords the flexibility to choose day tours and activities. Travelers should be aware the add-ons associated with this tour -primarily meals and optional activities- significantly increase the tour’s overall cost. While the Chief Experience Officer, transportation, and included activities are of the high quality you’d expect from G Adventures, their choice of hotels for this itinerary occasionally fell quite short of the advertised “Standard” service level; as such, I cannot endorse this tour for anyone absolutely committed to that quality of accommodation until G Adventures addresses these shortcomings.
Tour Booking Information
Why I Booked the Costa Rica Quest Tour
To be honest, I hadn’t really planned on booking a trip anywhere, nevertheless this trip, until fairly close to the departure date (or at least close by my standards.) The primary draws for me were the great balance of time spent at each destination and the flexibility to book my own day trips. I admittedly didn’t consider any other tour offerings (be it from G Adventures or another vendor) because this specific tour went to the destinations I wanted to visit in the exact Saturday-to-Sunday timeframe I was able to take off.
It is worth noting my expectations for this trip were very high. G Adventures always offers a solid tour product, with great tour leaders (colorfully referred to as CEOs) and excellent logistics. G Adventures has run this exact itinerary since at least 2003 - now that’s some longevity! For the record, the tour back then cost a whopping $578 US - adjusted for inflation, that’s pretty much the same cost as today.
My Booking Experience with G Adventures
As per usual, booking with G Adventures was super simple. When I got a website error during booking, a staff member gladly assisted me on the telephone.
Advanced Booking of Day Tours
Two day tours -the two-part Costa Rica Adrenaline Bundle and the Manuel Antonio Catamaran Tour- were available for pre-purchase, and I pre-booked the latter. The itinerary described multiple optional day excursions, of which I ultimately opted to do two: the Hanging Bridges in Monteverde, and the Kayaking in Quepos. Both were easily booked during the tour itself. My indifference to the other offerings on the website led me to self-book three external tours in advance: a night walk in La Fortuna, a full day tour in La Fortuna (hanging bridges, volcano hike, waterfall, and hot springs), and a birdwatching tour in Monteverde. As it turns out, there were significantly more G Adventures-sponsored day tours on offer (I’ll describe them below), and -had I known about them in advance- I probably would have played my cards a little bit differently.
The Tour
A Day-by-Day Breakdown and Notable Itinerary Differences
I’m not going to rehash the itinerary on the G Adventures website; rather, I will either expand on certain points or point out those areas where the itinerary differed from what was advertised.
(Note: Day One on the website is Day Zero below; I did this so the days below line up with my travelogue.)
Day Zero - Arrival Into San José: The itinerary on the website describes this day well. I booked a transfer from the airport to my hotel, which was totally seamless; while a bit more expensive than a taxi ($10-20 US more, give or take), the convenience was worthwhile, in my opinion.
Day One - Transfer to La Fortuna, Mi Cafecito Tour, Optional Evening Activity: The itinerary on the website varied from my actual experience, although it was accurately described until our arrival in La Fortuna. The optional activities listed on the website were not offered (possibly due to timing issues); however, the group did have the option of going to the hot springs, which was not advertised in advance of the trip. As mentioned, I externally booked a night walk which our modified timeline could, thankfully, accommodate.
Day Two - Sightseeing in La Fortuna: The offerings for this day varied quite significantly from those listed on the G Adventures website; I’ll expand on this below. Otherwise, the day was accurately described save the opportunity to undertake a group dinner.
Day Three - Transfer to Monteverde and Evening Wildlife Walk: The itinerary on this day was described well, although I think in theory you could cram an optional activity into the day prior to the night walk.
Day Four - Sightseeing in Monteverde: There were additional day tour options in Monteverde I’ll expand upon below; otherwise, the itinerary was described well besides the opportunity for a group dinner.
Day Five - Transfer to Quepos, Optional Evening Activities: The itinerary on this day was described well; it was theoretically possible to do a night boat cruise.
Day Six - Sightseeing in Quepos, Morning Tour of Manuel Antonio National Park, Optional Afternoon Activities: On our tour, this was the afternoon we did the catamaran tour. For the life of me, I cannot fathom why they’d describe it occurring the following morning, so -G Adventures- I recommend you clarify this better so expectations are clear.
Day Seven - Return to San José: As mentioned, there was no option for the catamaran in the morning; otherwise, the itinerary was accurately described.
Day Eight - Departure Day: The itinerary was accurately described.
Optional Activities
Simply put, the list of optional activities described on the G Adventures website does not accurately describe what is actually on offer. I’ll do my best to clarify here location-by-location, but know your actual tour offerings may vary from what I’m about to describe! Also know that there were four sources of information about group tours: the G Adventures website, our welcome packet, the day tour booking office in La Fortuna, and those added ad-hoc during the tour.
Here’s how this is going to work - I’ll go destination-by-destination, clarifying the options listed on the G Adventures website first; then I’ll list out other non-advertised tours next. Clear as mud? Great!
La Fortuna
Options on the G Adventures website:
Stand Up Paddle (Lesson and Tour): Only offered on the full day in La Fortuna.
Gravity Falls Waterfall Jumping: Only offered on the full day in La Fortuna.
Whitewater Rafting: Only offered on the full day in La Fortuna.
Lost Canyon Adventures Canyoning: Only offered on the full day in La Fortuna.
Hanging Bridges: Only offered on the full day in La Fortuna.
Hot Springs Soak: Conducted as a group activity upon arrival in La Fortuna; I expect the offer was available on the full day in La Fortuna.
La Fortuna Waterfall Swim: Not possible on our tour due to waterfall closure, but only offered on the full day in La Fortuna.
Additional options provided in the welcome packet during our welcome meeting:
Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge: A trip to the Costa Rica-Nicaragua border featuring a 2.5 wildlife float on the Rio Frio; $91.53; 0700 departure; 8 hours in length; only offered on the full day in La Fortuna. (Believe it or not, the 2003 tour page listed this option!)
Safari Float: Ride a small inflatable rafting boat in Class I rapids looking for wildlife; $71.19; 0800 departure; 4 hours; only offered on the full day in La Fortuna.
Finally, a whole menu of offerings were provided to us in La Fortuna - why these aren’t advertised in advance I cannot possibly imagine:
(Full-resolution image can be found here.)
Monteverde
If memory serves, all options on the G Adventures website were on offer except perhaps the Santa Elena Cloud Forest Guided Tour; however, I want to say it was theoretically possible to do one at least one activity (horseback riding?) the day before, right before the night walk.
Additional options offered ad hoc by our CEO included:
Bungee Jumping: The highest bungee in Latin America; $96; 0730, 1030, or 1330; only offered on the full day in Monteverde.
Birdwatching: Feedback I got from tour participants was that this was more of a general wildlife tour which occasionally did some birdwatching - I did encounter this group in Curi Cancha Reserve, so they at least went there; $66; 0700; only offered on the full day in Monteverde.
Quepos
If memory serves, all options on the G Adventures website were on offer except Sailing, which I never heard mentioned as an option.
I will clarify some information for the following activities:
Manuel Antonio Catamaran Tour: Only offered on the full day in Quepos, and -due to the timing of the visit to Manuel Antonio National Park- only realistically available at 1400.
Kayaking: This activity must correspond with high tide; however, I think it is possible to do it either on the day of arrival into Quepos or the full day in Quepos.
One optional activity was described in our welcome packet:
Night Boat: $75 cash; 1700; this was only offered to my knowledge on the evening of our arrival into Quepos.
Hotels
We stayed at four hotels during the Costa Rica Quest tour - three were as advertised on the G Adventures itinerary page, and one (Wide Mouth Frog in Quepos) was not. Unfortunately, some of the hotel selections for this trip really fell short of expectations and was -in my opinion- the most negative part of the tour.
I am basing my judgements here on two factors:
The trip was advertised as having a “Standard” service class, which G Adventures defines as, “Comfortable tourist-class accommodations with character,” and,
That the single cost of a single supplement ($599) implies that each hotel should be “worth” $74 per night.
I will try and focus my criticisms on variables within G Adventures’ ability to control (proximity to restaurants, for example), or sub-par or even unacceptable conditions within the hotels themselves. Naturally, I will try and point out those areas where hotels excelled.
Hotel Soluxe El Sesteo, San José
Hotel Soluxe El Sesteo (listed as Hotel El Sesteo in G Adventures tour listing) serves as your arrival and departure hotel in San José. Unfortunately -by a long mile- this hotel is the weakness of the entire Costa Rica Quest tour and this hotel makes for an absolutely abysmal first impression of not only Costa Rica, but of G Adventures itself for first-time travelers.
Before I get into the many failings of the hotel itself, I need to talk about the hotel’s location. This hotel is on the south side of San José, which is the opposite side of the city from the international airport. Normally this wouldn’t matter to me, but -considering this hotel is used exclusively as an arrival and departure point- I would think there’d be a more convenient neighborhood to choose. During my airport transfer, we dropped off clients for other G Adventures tours whose hotels were on the north side of the city (such as the Radisson), so I know -as a company- they have established contacts in these neighborhoods.
As for the hotel itself - where to start?
The staff of the hotel (which doubles as a Chinese restaurant) live in some of the rooms and make an incredible amount of noise until all hours of the night.
The security guard -an essential member of the team considering the generally unsafe nature of San José- tucked himself into a camera blind spot and watched videos on his phone with earphones on during the night.
The smoke detectors were removed from both rooms I stayed in, and at least one had no doubt been smoked in at one point.
Co-travelers reported their rooms not cleaned prior to arrival.
Co-travelers reported the front-of-house giving keys to already-occupied rooms, probably the most unsafe thing a hotel can do.
Again, using G Adventures’ definition as a barometer, I can see an argument that the rooms were “comfortable” but they were certainly quite worn out.
Since I’m trying to be a better person, I’ll say that the only upside of the hotel is the nice patio area, although you are unlikely to have any time to use it.
Although it wasn’t necessary during my trip, it is worth noting the rooms do not have air conditioning. This does increase the overall noise in the rooms since you must sleep with the windows open.
Having been on many group tours at varying comfort and service levels, I feel qualified to say this hotel does not meet the standard of an “18-to-Thirtysomething” tour, never-the-less a Standard service tour.
Yes, I realize G Adventures has used this hotel since at least 2016 and are likely hesitant to change … but, if anything, that makes all of these shortcomings even more unforgivable.
In summary: If hotel comfort and safety are paramount for you, I cannot recommend the Costa Rica Quest tour for you so long as G Adventures continues to use this hotel.
Hotel Eco Arenal, La Fortuna
The location of Hotel Eco Arenal is both a blessing and a curse - while it is nice to be sequestered in a quiet part of town, it is only within walking distance of one restaurant and no shops. Certainly getting a taxi into the city center is easy (otherwise it is a 20-minute walk), but you may find the isolation a bit suffocating. The gardens on the property are incredibly nice, and -if like me- you enjoy birdwatching, this is a good spot for you. The birds even show up for breakfast:
The lodges here are incredibly spacious and generally fairly clean, and feature air conditioning.
The one concern here is the roofing on the lodges themselves (strange, I know): the shingles are not well-maintained and -in some cases- in desperate need of replacement. My room had black mold on the ceiling of the bathroom (on the other side of which was growing a small patch of grass), while a co-traveler pair had a roof leak during a downpour, which is -obviously- quite unacceptable.
I’ll say that if you have a serious mold allergy, I cannot recommend this hotel for you. G Adventures: I would encourage you to specifically ask about mold allergies on the pre-travel questionnaire for this itinerary to avoid placing a customer into a room which could endanger their health.
(Apologies, I forgot to take photographs of the room during my stay!)
Hotel Historias Lodge, Monteverde
This hotel has an acceptably convenient location. There is an incredibly convenient grocery store nearby, as well as a coffee and pastry cafe within a couple-minutes’ walk.
The rear courtyard is also super nice!
The rooms themselves are fine enough and -I thought- very clean. My room did have a weird shared wall between a toilet and a headboard, but -thankfully- I had the room to myself.
The primary complaint from myself and my co-travelers is that the walls here are incredibly thin and you hear literally any bump or creak in the adjoining rooms. One co-traveler reported hearing the television in the reception area from their room. I could hear conversations from a room across the exterior walkway, probably a good 8 to 10 meters away.
One co-traveler reported that their room did not have a shower head; hopefully the management rectifies this situation.
There is no air conditioning at this hotel; however, given the location along the Continental Divide, it is not necessary.
Overall, based on the “Standard” accommodation definition, I’d say this one gets a pass. Just bring earplugs….
Wide Mouth Frog, Quepos
This hotel was the stand-out hotel of the trip, in my opinion, although it is worth noting this was the one not listed on the pre-departure tour notes. The hotel features an outstanding central courtyard and pool area, as well as an upper patio area with a hammock. It is a lovely place to relax overall.
The rooms were generally spacious (my bathroom was a bit cramped, perhaps), clean, and featured air conditioning.
This one gets a pass from me, and 100% met the “Standard” service level rating. G Adventures: please consider continued use of this hotel.
Food and Drink
Upon taking a look at the itinerary for the tour, you’ll notice only one meal is included, which is lunch at Mi Cafecito. Breakfasts are not included at any of the hotels we stayed at, nor is coffee! Aside from this one meal, you will have to pay for everything you eat. It is worth noting some tours include a meal (my kayaking excursion in Quepos, for example, included dinner.)
A quick run-down, day-by-day (as best I can remember it):
Day Zero: Welcome dinner at La Parrillita de Pepe, a Colombia restaurant a short distance from the hotel; plan $10-20 US per person.
Day One: Breakfast at Freddo Fresas, featuring pancakes and really good coffee; plan $6-12 US per person. Lunch included at Mi Cafecito. Dinner option was offered at the hot springs (cost unknown); otherwise, Mary’s BBQ is the only option within walking distance of the hotel; plan $15-30 US per person.
Day Two: Breakfast is offered at the hotel; $10 US per person. Lunch is at your discretion (I paid about $10 US for my lunch in La Fortuna). Group dinner at Mary’s BBQ; plan $15-30 US per person.
Day Three: Breakfast is offered at the hotel; $10 US per person. Lunch was en route to Monteverde; I only had a small bite to eat, but plan on $3-10 US per person. Group dinner was at Restaurante Thomas & Thiago; plan $20-40 US per person.
Day Four: Breakfast is offered at the hotel; $10 US per person. Lunch is at your discretion (I paid $6 for a coffee and croissant at the nearby Cerro Plano cafe). Group dinner was at Bar Amigos; plan on $10-20 US per person.
Day Five: Breakfast is offered at the hotel; $10 US per person. Lunch is at your discretion (I just had a cup of coffee). My dinner was included in my kayaking tour.
Day Six: Breakfast is at your leisure (I paid $16 US for breakfast and coffee at Restaurante Soda Sánchez.) Lunch is at your discretion (I opted for a smoothie at Manuel Antonio instead.) Dinner for me was included on the catamaran; however, I did grab an appetizer and a beer later at El Gran Escape Bar and Restaurant, which cost me $11 US.
Day Seven: Breakfast is at your leisure (it is offered at the hotel, but I am unsure the cost). Lunch is at your leisure (I just grabbed a baguette and drink nearby the hotel in Quepos, $5 US). Farewell dinner was at Las Mañanitas, a Mexican restaurant; plan $20-40 US.
Day Eight: Meals at your leisure.
It is worth noting there are many other comfort stops while on the road where you can get coffee, smoothies, snacks, and even small meals, so -for planning purposes- add $20-60 US on top of these estimates for that.
Traditionally when looking at food costs as part of an overall trip evaluation, I consider it a non-factor since, well, you were going to eat whether you were on vacation or not. But -holy smokes!- is Costa Rica unexpectedly expensive! Honestly, the majority of the meals cost about the same as they would in my large East Coast metropolitan area in the United States. Since so few meals are included as part of the tour, just know your food costs are going to significantly balloon the overall cost of this trip.
Transportation
There is a fair amount of driving on this tour, but it is not insufferably bad all things considered. The driving distances and times were as advertised in the pre-travel itinerary, and you definitely stop every 90 minutes or so for a comfort break. The quality of the buses was exceptionally high, and -one short period notwithstanding- there was no need to use the fold-down middle seats in the van, even though our tour was fully booked.
One thing to note: there is a fair amount of driving on windy mountain roads, so if you are prone to carsickness, definitely bring dimenhydrinate.
Moving between cities, your luggage will either go at the back of the bus or -as was the case with us between Monteverde and Quepos- on the roof. The best thing you can do to help your fifteen new friends out is to keep your suitcase as small as possible! The larger the bags, the less room in the luggage compartment, and the more likely the luggage has to go up top.
The other forms of transport during the trip (the boat en route between La Fortuna and Monteverde, and the public bus in Quepos) were totally adequate.
The Drivers
All of our drivers were exceptional throughout the program and were extremely careful both in the cities and on the mountain roads. They were also incredibly helpful in loading the luggage into (and onto) the vans, and -as far as I know- nobody’s personal objects sustained any damage.
The Chief Experience Officer
César was an excellent CEO clearly passionate about his job and showing off his beautiful country. His enthusiasm was greatly appreciated. He also was of tremendous help overcoming a logistical issue for a member of our tour group. He upholds the high standard for tour guides I expect from G Adventures.
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Logistical Considerations
What to Pack, Including Camera Equipment
I think the packing list provided by G Adventures was generally accurate, and I don’t recall any large omissions. I’ve mentioned previously that if you are prone to getting car sick to bring medicine. Don’t sleep on bringing earplugs along (pun intended) as the noise at night at some of the hotels is unbearable. Also, don’t yada-yada over bringing a pack towel.
There were several opportunities to do laundry during the trip. From memory, I recall the hotel in La Fortuna offering a send-away service, while there was a laundromat with drop-off service in Quepos.
Again, I will stress that it is best to bring the smallest suitcase or duffel bag you think you will need for this trip due to space constraints on the bus.
For photographers, I highly encourage you to bring a true macro (1:1) lens for the night walk. I also recommend having a dry lens wipe on hand as your lenses will be prone to fogging over.
Breakdown of Additional Costs
As mentioned, between food and optional day excursions, this tour has a healthy amount of additional costs associated with it. Obviously, these additional costs are up to you, but can certainly balloon the overall cost of this trip, especially if you are accustomed to more inclusive vacations. Beyond this, I don’t recall any exorbitant additional costs at any point.
Credit Cards or Cash
Credit cards were accepted damn near everywhere and you can rely on a Visa or Mastercard to get you by. I will say that cash does come in handy in four circumstances:
The tipping kitty for your drivers and tour guides, as well as the tipping kitty for the CEO,
Those really specific tours which require cash payment,
Those restaurants or tours which give a discount paying in cash, and,
Taxi cabs, which sometimes don’t take cash.
You’ll also need some pocket change for the bus in Quepos.
U.S. dollars are accepted fairly ubiquitously, but Costa Rican colones are preferred. If you bring dollars for use, ensure they are newer (2017 and up) and in good condition with no tears or significant folds.
My Opinions
The Best Parts of This Tour
There was quite a bit I greatly enjoyed about this tour, particularly the flexibility to “choose my own adventure.” Of the day tour options I booked through G Adventures, the kayaking in Quepos truly stood out to me and I will recommend that for anyone willing and able to do it. The catamaran was also quite a lot of fun, and certainly worthwhile!
I very much enjoyed the included activities, as well: I thought the tour at Mi Cafecito was exceptionally well done, and the Monteverde night walk offering was a great addition.
I think it is very telling of the wide-range of high-quality options on this tour that so many group members had differing opinions as to their favorite part of the trip.
What G Adventures Should Improve About This Tour
If you’ve read this far, you already know there are two things at the top of G Adventures’ list of things to improve: the hotels, and transparency about the optional activities.
Concerning the hotels: G Adventures needs to stop using the Soluxe El Sesteo immediately - that hotel is a noisy, inconveniently-located, health-safety-and-welfare nightmare. Also, I would also strongly encourage G Adventures to reach out to Hotel Eco Arenal to discuss the roofing and mold situation in their rooms, and -in the meantime- clarify the presence of mold up-front to those booking this tour.
I’m going to foot-stomp this so there’s no confusion: sub-standard hotels not only endanger your guests, but does irreparable harm to your brand image. I am incredibly reluctant to recommend this tour to anyone expecting a “standard” service level as you have defined it.
Concerning transparency about the optional activities, I think this should be an easy fix. I’m honestly not sure why G Adventures wouldn’t want to be transparent about these - perhaps there is someone specifically looking for an itinerary that goes to Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge whose business you are needlessly going to lose? At any rate, I hope this page helps pull the veil back a bit.
Thoughts About the Itinerary
I think the pace of this itinerary is absolutely perfect for such a short trip. The only thing I’d request is that G Adventures update their website to more accurately reflect the true itinerary, since there were so many errors in their listing.
Why You’d Want to Book the Costa Rica Quest Tour
You’d want to book this if you like fast-paced travel experiences, like being able to pick the activities you do, and are flexible vis-a-vis the quality of accommodations. This would also work great if you are the type of person who enjoys the framework of a group tour, but doesn’t feel the need to spend every waking moment with your group members. Lastly, if you only have a week to spend in Costa Rica and want to hit all the highlights, this is a great choice!
Why You Would Not Want to Book the Costa Rica Quest Tour
At the risk of over-repeating myself: if having a standard quality of accommodation is absolutely important to you, this is not an option you’d want to book. I’ll also add if you want an all-inclusive holiday experience -porters, included morning coffee and breakfast, airport transfers, etc.- this is not the tour for you. If spending lots of time at the beach is for you, this isn’t a great option, either.
I’ll certainly update this page if I think of anything else to add, but that’s about it for now. If you have any specific questions, or if you have been on the Costa Rica Quest tour with G Adventures and have more feedback, please reach out to us at hdhuntphoto@gmail.com or drop a comment below!
