REVIEWS

Our night kayaking tour with Giulio was super. He was very knowledgeable in teaching us all about the area and wildlife. He went out of his way to ensure we had a great experience. He was very pleasant to talk with and we really enjoyed hearing his stories. Thanks for a great outing! Daniel & Erin Cleveland Ohio, USA

We loved our kayak tour with Diana, it was absolutely magical to explore the mangroves with such a knowledgeable and experienced guide. Getting to plant a mangrove was a unique touch that we appreciated 🙂 Diana brought a mask that we used to snorkel with in the bioluminescence and it was one of the most magical experiences of my life, I had never experienced bioluminescence from an underwater perspective before and absolutely loved it.

Wundervolle Entdeckung! Sehr professionell und liebevoll gestaltet. Umbedingt weiter zu empfehlen für ein unvergessliches Erlebnis!

Superbe mangrove à découvrir sans hésitation ! Belle expérience !

My family loved kayaking in the mangroves where we learned a great deal about the ecosystem around us. We saw so many beautiful birds! And then enjoyed delicious local fruit on the beach. The bioiluminesence was truly amazing!

A wonderful experience for experienced swimmers . I am less experienced and I found it challenging. For this experience you kayak on sit on top kayaks for a short distance and then get a lesson on snorkeling. From there you swim out into the gulf a good distance to a see a living and growing coral reef. Due to my lack of experience and poor swimming skills, I found the swim challenging. Also, there was a strong current I had to struggle against to stay over the reef. Despite these difficulties, it was an incredibly rewarding experience and I was privileged to see many fish including stingrays and a morel eel. Afterwards, we were treated to a lovely lunch on a secluded beach where we even were able to see a sloth (our guide did inform us that it was extremely unusual to see a sloth in that location). We were given the opportunity to snorkel more, after lunch but I was much to tired to take advantage of that. After a short paddle back to our launch site, we were privileged to see a group of squirrel monkeys making their way through the trees.

a day at the reef My girlfriend and i had a great time with Gabriël (our guide). We visited end of august. The morning started early with coffee before driving to a closeby beach. After a short warming up and some basics about kayaking. We paddled out to the shore near the reef. we ankerd the kayaks and after a short swim me dived to the reef. we've seen al sorts of fish. Stingrays, coral fish, starfish a murene eel. after 1,5 hour on the reef we swam back to were the kayaks were and walk to a mangrove covered beach there we had lunch. Fresh baked bread. when returning to the kayaks after lunch and some interesting stories about the mangroves we saw whales close to the shore. We decided to paddle out and try to spot them. We ended up paddling out with the whales for about 1,5 hour!! an Incredible experiance!!! After paddling with the whales we returned to the starting beach. Had some nice cold drinks and a fresh pineapple. It was an amazing morning!

Magical experience We can just recommend this tour! That's something you still will tell your grandchildren about! Gabriel explained us a lot about the mangroves and taught us the respect this precious ecosystem deserves. He is really fascinated of them and it will overwhelm you too. After the mangroves tour, we went to the beach to eat a delicious snack while waiting for the darkness to see the bioluminescent. The beauty of the bioluminescence is insane and we still can't believe we have experienced that! Also the return to the kayak station was magical: paddling through the golfo with the sparkling water and the glittering stars in the sky! Thank you so much for this magical experience!

Part of Nature Nothing gets your adrenaline going like being in a kayak 500 yards from shore in the pitch black while the water turns lights of blue. We paddled out along the shore for 40 minutes it was nice and relaxing. Settled in on the beach in Gulfo Dulche then we swam with the bioluminescence glowing around us. What a thrilling moment. We then paddled back the tour was about 2:30 minutes. Great time and very informative and my endorphins were pumping.

This was such a special experience for my husband and I. We adored the experience. We were only in Puerto Jimenez for the day and opted to still do our experience regardless of the pouring rain and poor weather conditions for snorkeling. I'm so glad we did because Gabriel and Guilio were the BEST hosts. They met us early in the morning, drove us to the point of entry with the kayaks, had a little stretch/breathing warm up, then paddled out to the reef to snorkel. While we were paddling out, it was really magical to be out in the quiet ocean in the rain like that. We were the only ones on the water, yet I still felt safe and in good hands because Gabriel really knew what he was doing. He went through with us what we needed to know when snorkeling, different hand signals for when we saw different sea life, and always checked in to see if we were doing well. We ended up seeing sea turtles, eels, starfish, rays, and a myriad of different kinds of fish. I could only imagine how much more magical it would be if we went on a good day for visibility. During lunch, we had some great conversation and he taught us about the local wild life all while being accompanied by some local dogs that we ended up playing with. I really enjoyed this experience and would love to go back just to go on another adventure with them. Thank you for such an awesome time!

I went kayaking in the sunrise and it wasn additional tour just for me . I could understand for the first time of my life why it is really called sunrise and what happens to the moon. After the sunrise we kept going and had a break at a quiet beach . My guide explained me the mangroves until I could understand it properly and I did not just learn about the Golfo dulce that day but also about the important mangrove ecosystem. In addition , my guide was really nice and he supported me as well as told me a lot about the unique Osa island . I would do the tour again and again . Unfortunately ,I could not see a dolphin but like my guide said “ Nature is not a zoo.”

Gabriel, our enthusiastic guide shared inside information about the diversity of the manglar when entering the river Platanares. The sound of all kind of birds like the tropical kingbird, white ibis, great kiskadee, woodpecker, black hawk, etc. made our tour super, because it is a chance to learn more about the species. It gives a special feeling when you are part of the secrets of the manglar. We were very lucky to spot the dolphins when we began our tour at Golfo Dulce. On our way back we stopped near the beach to swim and enjoy a really tasty pineapple.

The 4x1 kayak tour was an amazing experience. Kayaking through the mangroves and learning about their adaptability to the environment was truly enriching. We saw many different bird species and Gabriel, our tour guide, was able to identify them all. After the mangroves, we kayaked in the ocean and waited for nightfall to see the magical bioluminescence that was activated with the touch of our fingers. Highly recommend!

Magical experience We can just recommend this tour! That's something you still will tell your grandchildren about! Gabriel explained us a lot about the mangroves and taught us the respect this precious ecosystem deserves. He is really fascinated of them and it will overwhelm you too. After the mangroves tour, we went to the beach to eat a delicious snack while waiting for the darkness to see the bioluminescent. The beauty of the bioluminescence is insane and we still can't believe we have experienced that! Also the return to the kayak station was magical: paddling through the golfo with the sparkling water and the glittering stars in the sky! Thank you so much for this magical experience!

This tour was really awesome! Our guide Gabriel knows a lot about the nature and the wildlife. He is super nice and friendly! The mangroves were super interesting and my personal highlight: the bioluminescence! We could swim with the lightning plankton! I can totally recommend this tour!

We had the most wonderful afternoon kayak trip through the mangroves in Puerto Jimenez. Gabrielle, an experienced and very knowledgeable guide, was a great teacher who took us through safety, paddling and the trip itself, leaving no stone unturned. He explained everything we wanted to know about mangroves in an interesting way. We finished our trip after dusk in the sea amidst the beautiful bioluminescence. Overall this trip was so very enjoyable, with a few laughs along the way and great value for money.

Wonderful kayaking experience. Although, we didn’t do the bioluminescent tour because it was pouring and I didn’t want to be stuck on the water in the rain. The mangrove tour was awesome and super educational. It was very hot in the sun before getting into the mangrove so make sure to wear long sleeves, a hat and sunscreen, I got super sunburnt. Gabriel was our guide and he was wonderful. Krishiann Airbnb Guest

My girlfriend and I went on the bio-luminescent tour and had a great time. Our tour guide Gabriel had a really great understanding of the mangroves and the marine life, he thought us a lot. The price is more than fair for such a great experience, make sure you’re fit enough to kayak for four hours Edward

This trip is a can’t miss, must do, bucket list joy ride. Absolute highlight of our trip and Gabriel, our guide, was just so terrific. Made it fun and fascinating. Incredible info on the mangrove followed by a phenomenal words-can’t-describe experience with bioluminescence. And a fantastic meal at Giulio’s restaurant as well. Great people, great experience, book it now. David Airbnb Guest

The bioluminescence ocean night tour through kayaking was incredibly magical and unforgettable. I had never experienced anything like that. I felt like being in the movie of Avatar or Life of Pi. We kayaked, swam, and snorkeled in the water full of sparkling lights. Our tour guide Gabriel is very knowledgable and patient. I strongly recommend this tour to everyone! You will regret if you miss it.

The tour was amazing! We started by kayaking through the mangrove forests, which are amazing to learn about. Truly a wonder of nature. We were able to hear all the sounds off the forest on the kayaks as the birds became even more active as the sun started to go down. And the way back we stopped at a beach, where we were able to see the bioluminescence first hand- truly a magical experience. Our guide was very knowledgeable and answered any questions we had as well as took the time to find additional wildlife (like small caimans). Highly recommended and great value.

In 10 months of travel, this was one of my favorite experiences! It was a bit stormy in the afternoon, so I was concerned that we wouldn't be safe going out. My guide kept an eye on the weather and in communication with me, luckily it cleared up and we were able to go out. You leave right from the meetup place and then paddle along the coast. We were able to go deep into the mangroves, which was a fantastic experience at night. My guide was super knowledgeable about the trees and animals, stopping to show me how each type of mangrove tree handled the environment. He was chatty and friendly the whole time. One the way back we were able to see the bio-luminescence, which was a magical experience. All safety gear was there and the equipment was in excellent condition. I highly recommend this tour!

Epic Kayak Tour TripAdvisor review: Kayaking a Quiet River in the Most Bio-Diverse Area of Costa Rica Gabriel took my girlfriend and I on a very peaceful kayak tour through a remote mangrove ecosystem that bordered the village of Puerto Jimenez. He really emphasized the importance of safety as we had the chance to encounter all types of wildlife. We saw a saltwater crocodile, spider monkeys, many types of native plant and bird species and could not ask for a better time. To top off the excursion Gabriel took us to view the bioluminecense that could be viewed as the moon comes out at dusk at a secret intercostal waterway on the way back to the start.

Kayak in Mangrove and Bioluminiscent bay.... spectacular!!! TripAdvisor review: WILD TRAILS ADVENTURE Really amazing experience. Gabriel, the tour guide was exceptional, he taught us a lot as my couple and I went on this wonderful tour. Would recommend to everyone!

Magical and unforgettable TripAdvisor review: WILD TRAILS ADVENTURE The bioluminescence ocean night tour through kayaking was incredibly magical and unforgettable. I had never experienced anything like that. I felt like being in the movie of Avatar or Life of Pi. We kayaked, swam, and snorkeled in the water full of sparkling lights. Our tour guide Gabriel is very knowledgable and patient. I strongly recommend this tour to everyone! You will regret if you miss it.

A day packed full of unforgettable moments! TripAdvisor review: WILD TRAILS ADVENTURE Hola amigos! This was by far one of the most amazing trips my girlfriend and I ever did! We were able to combine some trips into a day full of activities. Starting off from a beautiful little beach with kayaking out into the ocean. There we went snorkeling and Gabriel, our competent guide, lead us to see some beautiful corals, stingrays, colourful starfish and fish. In the afternoon we kayaked into a mangrove forest close to the shore and saw a lot of wildlife while Gabriel shared some of his knowledge about this otherworldly place. As the sun went down we paddled back to a remote beach and went snorkeling in the darkness to experience the biolumenescence of the plankton all around us. It was fascinating! Paddling back to the harbour under a perfect starlit sky and the fireworks of the biolumenescence below and around us, we felt like travelling between worlds. And as if things weren't great enough already, a group of dolphins started to appear around our kayaks and joined us for some time on our way back. This trip was truly unforgettable. And at all times we felt safe and well guided by Gabriel, who had so much interesting things to share and provided us with fresh snacks. One thing is 100% sure...the moment we are back in Costa Rica, we will be booking a tour here again! Thank you for everything. Pura Vida Melanie and James

Amazing Bioluminescence Kajak Tour TripAdvisor review: WILD TRAILS ADVENTURE I can highly recommend the sunset Kajak tour offered my Gabriel! Is was a unique experience that I will never forget. Gabriel offered a combination of Mangroves tour in the sunset with a bio-luminescent night tour in Puerto Jimenez, Costa Rica. We started the tour with paddling through the secondary and primary Mangrove forest and Gabriel explained us everything very knowledgeable about the different Mangrove trees and bird species that we saw. After that we went to the beach and waited for the bio-luminescence and went swimming with masks where we could see how the water stated to glow. When we paddled back in the dark night the bio-luminescence was magical and everything around the kajak was glowing. It was a highlight of my Costa Rica trip and I can only recommend you to do the tour!! Anne

Kayak Mangroves & Bioluminescence Photoplankton TripAdvisor review: WILD TRAILS ADVENTURE This is a must do experience! If you’re in Puerto Jimenez or nearby for Corcovado, add this to your list! Gabriel, my tour guide, met me at the restaurant where his booth is set up the night before and helped me set up my Corcovado hike last minute. We hit it off while talking and he decided to join me for the hike into the park! We met back up to go kayak the mangroves. Gabriel is everything you’re looking for in a tour guide. Great energy, highly knowledgeable, very accommodating to how you want to experience your day. The kayaks were fun and a great workout. We saw many birds, monkeys, Jesus walking lizards and then the photoplankton at night was the perfect ending. Thanks for a great experience! -James

Bioluminescent Photoplankton Kayak Tour TripAdvisor review: WILD TRAILS ADVENTURE We booked an afternoon Kayak trip that takes you on a nice easy tour of the coast. The highlight is the glowing Photoplankton once it is completely dark (there was no moon this night). We were the only two on this tour and our guide (sorry I don't remember his name) was brilliant. He took us to the mangrove forest first, which is not normally part of the tour. He showed us many plants and animals before taking us to the beach. Our guide was very passionate about nature and knew a lot about the local wildlife. It was a fantastic tour and I would recommend these guys to anyone in the area. They are new but they are very good at the tours they have.

GREAT! We went on a kajak trip through the Mangroves and over the Gulf to see the shining Plancton with Gabriel. It was a fantastic trip and he was very engaged to explain all the specific things about the flora & fauna. We highly recommend to go on an adventure with this agency.

During a recent vacation on The Osa, I had the good fortune to experience two kayak tours with the assistance of Gabriel, who guided us up the Rio Plantanaris through an impressive Mangrove Forest and then out on the open waters of the beautiful Golfo Dulce. Gabriel's knowledge of the intricacies of the local ecosystem and his genuine enthusiasm to share that knowledge with us contributed greatly to what was a wonderful and unique experience. Not only was the paddle itself worthy of high praise, but the rental equipment was sound, clean and well maintained, as well. As a paddling enthusiast, I would highly recommend that visitors to the area take advantage of this opportunity to explore this beautiful part of the world on the water, with Gabriel as your leader. I'm confident you will find the whole package a great value - one that is well worth your time and effort. For me and my fellow paddlers, it was a very memorable and special experience. Thank you so much, Gabriel.

Gabriel with Corcovado Ring Adventure was an incredible tour guide! He was extremely knowledgeable about the different species of flora & fauna in the area. We set out on a night tour to experience bioluminescence, but Gabriel decided that we were good enough paddlers to take a tour of the mangroves before we set out for the open water. We learned all about the mangroves and many of the birds, then paddled out to the edge of the bay where there was very little light pollution. We were able to see the bioluminescence in the water, along with an incredible view of the stars above. He supplied a snack of fresh watermelon, and continued to educate us about the area. We then paddled back in complete darkness. It was a very cool experience, at a very reasonable price. We will definitely call on Gabriel again if we return to Puerto Jiménez. - Peter & Candice

These guys know their stuff! As a guide myself I when the local knowledge is authentic or people are bluffing........ after joining the kayak tour with them I realized the care and sense of property that they have of the mangrove and the gulf....... Gabriel was our guide and his previous experience guiding in the amazon was outstanding........ Definitely one of the highlights of my guests!

They were punctual, organized and very helpful. We had such an amazing experience in a one day tour. Definitely recomended for those who want authentic experiences.

Excelente atención y Tours a precios accesibles y muy exclusivos para conocer más de las bellezas naturales de la Península de Osa. (Translated by Google) Excellent service and Tours at affordable prices and very exclusive to learn more about the natural beauty of the Osa Peninsula.

Un viaje muy bonito, el guía fue muy amable, muy buen equipo de Kayaks y a precios muy eccesibles. Super recomendado sin van por la zona de Puerto Jiménez!

The most enjoyable experience I have ever had in a kayak - and I paddle regularly. The kayaks were very comfortable and the route delightful, passing dolphins and mangroves. The bioluminescence was out of this world. The guide was fun and knowledgable. Would highly recommend to anyone!

Amazing mangrove evening kayak tour! TripAdvisor review: WILD TRAILS ADVENTURE Doing the mangrove evening kayak tour with Gabriel was a highlight of our incredible Costa Rica trip. He was knowledgeable and engaging. with our group. We learned so much about mangroves and how special they are. Gabriel introduced us to the water's bioluminescence, a magical experience.

Fantastic bioluminescence and coral reef snorkeling tours in kayak We did both the bio-luminescence tour in the evening an the snorkeling tour in the morning, the day after. Both experiences were wonderful. First, we have been warmly welcomed by Giulio in his restaurant Il Giardino which is the rendez vous point for the kayak expeditions. Gabriel was our guide for the two tours and he was excellent. Gabriel was very kind and we felt very secure with him. He provided us with a lot of interesting information about the fauna and flora and did bring us to hidden paradisiac places that he spotted by himself. The bio-luminescence was just magic and enchanting, it was an incredible experience to observe the water glowing as we were paddling and swimming. In addition we had a beautiful sky full of stars and could savour a delicious pineapple on the beach. The snorkeling tour in the coral reef was really amazing with fantastic landscapes all along the way. While we were snorkeling, a whole group of dolphins just passed by a few meters from us, a wonderful and unforgettable experience. In the coral reef we could observe rays, moray eels and a variety of colorful tropical fish. The coral there is very diverse and well alive. All in all, this was a wonderful experience with an excellent guide ! I would recommend without any hesitation.

Mangrove, bioluminescence and snorkel tours Gabriel was very knowledgeable, personable and kind. I saw a ray and a moray eel white snorkeling, and he taught me how to improve my snorkeling. He explained in detail about the mangroves’ survival strategy - fascinating! I felt safe and confident with Gabriel the whole time, even kayaking at night for the fantastic bioluminescence experience.

Night kayaking in the mangroves was very beautiful as well as the snorkel in the ocean to see the bioluminescent algae. The food at the restaurant is very good - my vegan guests loved the vegetarian pizza (without cheese) and gnocchi. Giulio also organized our boat ride over from pavones and our room at his hotel (in the back of the restaurant) on short notice which we appreciated. He was very accommodating! Grazie!

This was a once in a lifetime experience. Gabriel our guide was really knowledgeable and organised. Kayaking through the mangroves was very cool but the best thing was the bioluminiscent algae. The conditions were perfect as it was really dark - we couldn't believe how much light came out of under our kayaks and playing with it in the water was magical. The tour didn't feel rushed at all, we got some really good pictures and the pineapple we bad at the beach was the best fruit I've ever had! We would definitely recommend this tour to anyone.

It was a great experience, learning so much about the different ecosystems and the kayaking was so much fun 🙂 Even though we booked on a day when the moon was very bright, we were lucky, as it was cloudy and we could still see the bioluminescence!

This was such a special experience for my husband and I. We adored the experience. We were only in Puerto Jimenez for the day and opted to still do our experience regardless of the pouring rain and poor weather conditions for snorkeling. I'm so glad we did because Gabriel and Guilio were the BEST hosts. They met us early in the morning, drove us to the point of entry with the kayaks, had a little stretch/breathing warm up, then paddled out to the reef to snorkel. While we were paddling out, it was really magical to be out in the quiet ocean in the rain like that. We were the only ones on the water, yet I still felt safe and in good hands because Gabriel really knew what he was doing. He went through with us what we needed to know when snorkeling, different hand signals for when we saw different sea life, and always checked in to see if we were doing well. We ended up seeing sea turtles, eels, starfish, rays, and a myriad of different kinds of fish. I could only imagine how much more magical it would be if we went on a good day for visibility. During lunch, we had some great conversation and he taught us about the local wild life all while being accompanied by some local dogs that we ended up playing with. I really enjoyed this experience and would love to go back just to go on another adventure with them. Thank you for such an awesome time!

Tolle Erfahrung! Wir haben zwar keine Delphine gesehen, aber das Schwimmen im Plankton war wunderbar und die Mangroven beeindruckend. Gabriel war nett, erfahren und umsichtig.

My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this experience. Our guide, Gabriel, was knowledgable and enthusiastic about sharing the beauty of the mangrove ecosystem. We both learned a lot and loved witnessing the diverse wildlife on our tour.

A great experience finished off with a great sunset. Saw various birds and wildlife with a beach stop off with fresh tropical fruit.

We would definetely reccomend this tour for everyone who is visiting Costa Rica. It was super interesting and magical to see the mangroves and the bioluminescence. Our guide, Gabriel was really nice and tought us a lot about the ecosystems...

We did the kayaking as part of our stay in Puerto Jiminez and really enjoyed the trip with our guide Gabriel. He knows a lot about the area and does a great job in sharing his knowledge and information. We were a small group of 6 people of whom our party made 4. We enjoyed a beautiful sunset and were lucky that some clouds darkened the half moon so we were able to swim and play with the phytoplankton - what a beautiful experience. We were able to kayak back trough the Mangroves and enjoyed the experience 100%!

Oh yeah! This was great! I really enjoyed the easy paddle across the bay and through the mangroves. Gabriel, our guide was super knowledgeable and friendly. I felt like we were in good hands. After the mangroves we paddled to an area where we could swim with the bioluminescent plankton. Wow! It was like swimming in a universe full of stars. Highly recommend!

very cool andventure a must when you stay in puerto Jiménez!! the guide has a lot o knowledge and the mangroves are sooo amazing!!

Giulio and Gabriel were a good team that planned and executed a wonderful 6-hour tour for my family of four. We paddled from an estuary to Rio Rincon and all the way to Golfo Dolce, with beautiful sceneries along the way, sightings of many birds, cattle along the river bank staring at us, and most amazingly unsaddled ponies following us with perhaps the same amount of curiosity. The four of us capsized our kayaks a total of seven times, but we got back paddled on. Gabriel was with us all the time, patient, encouraging, and explaining. He also made sure the potential dangers, such as wires across the river, strong currents, and swirls wouldn’t cause harm. It was an exhausting tour but we had lots of fun, exercise, and appreciation for the beautiful nature around the Orsa peninsula.