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We were concerned when we read another post about people having their luggage stolen out of their car, but decided to give it a look anyway. We parked in the parking lot right in front of the shack where two employees were posted, and I am happy to say our vehicle wasn’t broken into. We heard that there can be problems near the alligator bridge (near the park.) At the gate we were greeted by a man named Maurice (Mauricio) who offered to be our guide in the park (for a fee.) We had heard good reviews about him so we hired him. It turned out to be the BEST decision we made during our trip! We had only one day to hike Carara. Our adult biologist daughter was intent on seeing certain “target” birds. Even though she is quite an advanced “birder,” (having worked with Cornell University) we still wouldn’t have found half the birds she wanted had it not been for Maurice! Maurice knows where to find the birds, the bats, the poison dart frogs, the parrots, the butterflies, and all the other gems the park has to offer. We even saw Spider monkeys! Thanks to Maurice, our biologist daughter was able to see birds that she admits we probably would have never found on our own. Our guide went above and beyond for us. He even showed us a great place to grab a meal by the beach, and we saw a sloth. Our guide really made our day.…
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Date of experience: December 2020
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I wouldn't waste time visiting Carara. We saw more wildlife just out and about in Costa Rica than we did here. Our guide rushed us through the tour and didn't stop long enough for everyone to see what he was pointing out.
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Date of experience: February 2020
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+1
We are SO happy that we chose Maurice as our guide for the park. There is no way that we could have enjoyed the park as much as we did without his knowledge and expertise. He met us at the front entrance and offered his services but, in no way was he pushy or aggressive (I have read these things in other reviews). He has extensive knowledge of the animals and plants and the area. Our teenage girls loved the tour and they are hard to impress. We chased monkeys as they ran through the tops of the trees and found tarantulas under rocks. Maurice really made it a fun trip and I would recommend him to ANYONE. We tried to book him for our next tour down in Manuel Antonio also, but due to weather it didn't work out. I'm really happy that we made the decision to check this park out but even happier that we chose to hire a guide.…
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Date of experience: December 2020
1 Helpful vote
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This was our last stop in Costa Rica and was absolutely incredible. First, we had read reviews discussing car break-ins and were concerned. However, there is only one way in and one way out with security and staff present near the parking lot. Now, upon arrival we were greeted by the guides. They make a hard sell, and I was prepared to pass. However, after reading reviews about our guide, Maurice, we decided to pay the $50. It was the best money spent! He was fantastic. Not only did he find us over 40 species of birds, we saw poison dart frogs, monkeys, and other wildlife. We were after birds specifically, and he knew where to go to find some very obscure and interesting birds. Following the 3-hour tour, we loaded up into our car, Maurice as well, and we drove to a spot where Macaws nested. We stood by a dead palm tree and Maurice let out a squawk and on-cue, a Macaw stuck its head out of the tree. We ended up having a meal with Maurice before heading to San José. He is truly a hidden gem in Costa Rica. Graciás Maurice!…
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Date of experience: December 2020
1 Helpful vote
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+1
Go with Mo !!! Maurice was a fantastic tour guide, his knowledge of the forest is incredible as well as his photo taking skills. Our 3 hour jungle adventure would have been boring without him and his keen eye for the wild life.
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Date of experience: December 2020
1 Helpful vote
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