Hi all,

This board is so helpful in planning our trip -- I'm getting addicted to it!

Okay, I read from Suzie2 about her recommended guide, Orlando. I also learned of Oscar from Percy. If anyone else has a private guide recommendation, please let me (and other interested readers) know. This is looking to me like to way to go.

Of course, I have more questions about these guides, and any other recommended guides.

1. How far in advance should we contact them to book their services? Our trip is in August.

2. Do we give them any kind of deposit to hold our "reservation"?

3. Do they generally operate in one or two general areas of the country, or all over CR?

4. What are the conditions/capacity of their vehicles? (in Orlando's case, I think he has a 15-passenger van).

5. Are they safe drivers? (as safe as they can be under the CR road conditions that I read so much about!)

6. Any other pertinent information that would apply?

Thanks so much for the continued help!
Linda

Hi Linda
I can only speak about Oscar, although Orlando and I have exchanged e mails.
1. how far in advance.. I booked Oscar 2-3 weeks in advance in late October /early November.
But then I was staying at Vista del Valle and I told the lady ,Elisa,at the front desk to book Oscar for all my time there.
So there was just Oscar , my wife and myself.

I would contact him now via e-mail and/or phone call.

2.No deposited was required with Oscar. I told him what time my plane was coming in to San Jose and ..there he was. !!

3. Oscar will go where ever you want and he does stay over night in perhaps another hotel/motel near where you will be staying.
I took mainly full day trip from Alajuela, so we were always back by late nightfall.

4. Oscar has 2-3 different vehicle ( all new) depending on how many people there are.
His vehicle was always clean, it was never dusty,I am sure he cleaned it every day.

5. Not only is Oscar a safe driving but he knows every short cut there is and all those extra little sights along the way, that we tourist who rent a car , would otherwise have just driven past.
Never once did I think he was driving too fast,or too slow , or too careless.
After all I am paying him, I have him for the full day, he has a brand new vehicle ..so why would he want to wreck his own vehicle and endanger the passengers.!!

Many times we toured the full day..it gets dark at 5:45 sharp.!! There is no twilight here.
At times we just began heading back at 6Pm after a full day.. I never worried. Oscar knew the best and shortest way back.

He takes you to wherever you want to go and he waits for you, his favourite saying to me was always, "Take your time, I will be here waiting."...he always was.
I am sure that Orlando is excellent also.

Percy

We were there about a week ago and had a guide/driver - Adrian Ramirez. He was fantastic! He has been guiding for 15 years. He has a large mini-van that fit our 7 people very easily. I think he would take you anywhere you wanted to go. Contact him at www.costaricaselecto.com
I would use him for a second trip without blinking.

TTT

Thanks Neta

You always look after everyone so well.

Percy

ttt

I will second Percy. We used Oscar for a week while we were there. At that time he was through Viste del Valle, but I think he as expanded.

Percy is the one who knows best since he keeps in touch with him.

Percy, how can I get in touch with Oscar?