Respected Leader for Costa Rica Adventure & Nature Vacations Since 1991
All other countries: +506 4001-3860
Serendipity: Your Independent Costa Rica Vacation Organizer
When you travel Serendipity style
even the frogs
look up to greet you
Zip lines are a blast
We have secure options you can reach on your own
Private rafting on the Pacuare
A part of your independent Serendipity itinerary
Responsive Service, Competitive Price, and Serendipity Security.
Serendipity: Specialists for Independent Travel in Costa Rica
With dozens of hot springs with various advantages, Serendipity will make sure your selection matches your vision
Organize Your Whole Itinerary, with Your Priorities, with Serendipity
Eliminate conflicts and hours of driving or standing in line. Plan all of your hotels, activities, and transportation through Serendipity. You select the accommodations and experiences most important to you, and we'll design around your priorities using our knowledge of roads, driving times, and interesting places en route.
Serendipity Independent Travelers can include our unique private adventures (ballooning, rafting, duckies, horseback, tree climbing, private waterfalls, frog farm, ATV's).
How to Decide? Look at the Design Checklist to get an idea of what you want to do while in Costa Rica, and style of accommodations and transportation.
Surprisingly, your cost will be pretty much the same as making the plans with other agencies or directly online, but with the backup and security of traveling with Serendipity.
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Serendipity prefers sending you to beaches where you 'll believe that you are the owner of the whole ocean
How easy is it to contact your travel provider once in Costa Rica?
Serendipity's 24 hour a day toll free emergency phone number belongs only to our guests, connecting immediately to the person who will resolve a problem. When you need to know the nearest pharmacy, doctor, mechanic, police station, towing service, or embassy information, you need someone to act as your interpreter and find solutions in your immediate vicinity -- and you need it now.
Serendipity is well qualified for resolving travel problems.
Serendipity operates Costa Rica's only balloons. Serendipity Independent Travelers can book a flight with us -- named by Forbes Magazine as one of the top ten balloon experiences of the world.
How long has your travel agency been in business?
Costa Rica has no equivalent of the Better Business Bureau, nor is there any government oversight of booking agencies or any license required to start selling online services. TripAdvisor only ranks hotels and day tours (TripAdvisor itself is the sales organization). Google ranking is everyone's mystery, often assigned by how many web pages exist and how actively a website employs specialists in increasing page rank (SEO).
Serendipity proudly received the very first tour operator license from the Costa Rica Tourism Board (ICT) in 1993 and held that license until the license requirement was discontinued by the ICT in 2005.
As a traveler, your only source of comfort is reputation, longevity in Costa Rica travel, and how responsive your contact person is to your requirements.
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Many of Costa Rica's real treasures are both inside and outside churches. Serendipity knows some of the most interesting churches that may be close to your route, to add a quick stop or even stay for prayers or mass
Is your travel agent in Costa Rica?
Serendipity knows Costa Rica. Our principal trip designers live here, and every single one of us have been exploring Costa Rica for more than 25 years. We know the best side routes and great off-the-beaten-path destinations. We know which roads are closed and when holidays in Costa Rica interfere with driving.
Serendipity designs your itinerary to balance access to interesting places, uncrowded activities and reduced travel time and stress.
Some places you don't need Serendipity's guide and vehicle. But Serendipity can still make all the arrangements for you - getting you there, reserving the activities you want, and using Serendipity's credentials to assure you receive the best rooms, best services. You'd be surprised by the smaller, more intimate hotels we offer for our guests
How About Cost?
Surprisingly, costs for Serendipity independent travel are pretty much in line with agencies offering only cookie-cutter travel options. We're more expensive than booking through giant international hotel and day tour reservation services ((Booking.com, Tripadvisor etc.), but we're a great deal better informed on what makes sense for your travel priorities, and we'll happily tell you why.
We hope you will compare Serendipity costs, especially what's included/omitted, to reputable companies offering travel arrangements in Costa Rica:
Disney 6 nights/7 day fixed date group departures, max. 24 people. Includes 4-star hotels, meals, private bus transfers, activities.
Abercrombie & Kent 6 nights/7 days fixed date group departures, max. 24 people. Includes 4-star hotels and a 5-star hotel, meals, private bus transfers, activities.
Backroads 5 nights/6 day fixed date group departures, max. 24 people. Includes 4-star hotels, meals, private bus transfers, activities.
Costa Rica Experts Flexible dates, pre-designed itineraries. Packages include hotels and bus transfers. Extra Costs: Tours/activities and meals at each location.
Jacada Travel Flexible dates, pre-designed itinerary: 10 nights, 11 day. Includes 4 star hotels, private van transfers between hotels. Extra Costs: Tours/activities and meals at each location.
Costa Rica Expeditions (This website has no sample tours or pricing)
Serendipity makes sure you have a reliable vehicle appropriate for your group, from small 4x4 to luxury 7 passenger 4x4 to a van, with or without a driver.
Does your travel organizer have bank references in the USA you can check? Can you pay by check or wire transfer instead of credit card? Can you pay your travel organizer with U.S. or Euro funds?
You are prepaying your travel arrangements. It is good to know you have a real company receiving your funds. Serendipity has offices in Ann Arbor, Michigan and Costa Rica. Serendipity has banked in the same banks in Costa Rica and in Ann Arbor since 1991 and has a long history and sterling banking references. Ask us for details on contacts within PNC Bank to verify Serendipity's financial standing.
Serendipity offers our own adventures, but we also know operators with reliable equipment and guides when your itinerary needs those services.
Will your travel organizer provide you with contact details of references for people who have traveled with them recently?
Serendipity will, with pleasure! Let us know what kind of traveler you'd like to speak with — family with young kids, team building guests, horseback experts, mountain bikers, honeymooners... we have a long and happy list to share with you.
What we won't do is compromise on elements that create an unacceptable risk.
While we're at it, let's talk about Risk. It's one of the most important aspects of any adventure. We're proud of our record, and our commitment to setting the standard in Costa Rica for minimizing risk.
It's time to call us.
We had a fabulous vacation. Our family had fun, learned a lot, shared laughs and grew closer through the experience. Every detail was taken care of by Serendipity and our vacation was carefully designed and operated. Our guide, Catalina, is a rare treasure. Smart, strong, funny and knowledgeable. She became a dear member of our family in our days together. We made a wonderful friend in Costa Rica!
I had high expectations for this trip and my expectations were exceeded.
—Kathleen M., Greenwood Village, CO, Mar., 2010