The 8 Best Sloth Tours in Costa Rica

1.Monkey, Crocodile, Sloths & Beach Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 110 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $88Our pick

Spend about 3.5 hours with Geriold’s team visiting free-ranging white-faced capuchins, Tarcoles crocodiles, wild sloths, and Jaco Beach. Your guide explains local wildlife, ecology, and Costa Rican life, with transportation, snacks, a traditional lunch, and beach time included. Add the 1-hour-40-minute Tarcoles boat ride for $43.

“We saw lots of monkeys, they would sit on your shoulders it was super neat, there were crocodiles and unique birds, sloth with baby up high in trees. The tour guide was super nice full of info. Lunch was provided and very good. Would recommend.”

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2.Bogarin Trail Sloth Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 110 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $55

Walk the easy Bogarin Trail in La Fortuna with guides such as Alex, Mar, William, or Randall, who use a telescope to find sloths, frogs, birds, bats, and lizards high in the trees. The two-hour outing ends with fresh pineapple and time to relax in rocking chairs. It is close to town, mostly flat, and best for wildlife spotting rather than a strenuous hike.

“We had a wonderful tour with our guide Mar! Her English was great, which was a relief since our Spanish isn’t great. She told us all about the birds, plants, trees, bugs, and sloths!! It was wonderful. She had a tripod and scope and used them to take some great shots with our iPhones.”

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3.Rio Celeste Waterfall Plus Sloths and wildlife Sanctuary

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 110 reviews · 7 to 11 hours (approx.) · from $220

From Tamarindo, you ride in a private air-conditioned car to Rio Celeste and Tenorio National Park. Expect a two to three-hour rainforest walk, a sloth and wildlife visit at Spring Paradise Bijagua Tours, and lunch at Doña Carmen. Guides may include Verny, Hernan, Allan, or Eric, and the pace can be tailored to your group.

“Our guide Hernan S and driver Alan were OUTSTANDING. Our guide Hania at the wildlife preserve was amazing as well. Hernan was very knowledgeable about the history, environment and flora/fauna of the region. Moderate hike. Beautiful waterfall. Wildlife abundant and pictures of a lifetime. Lunch was delicious and the butterfly garden was a lovely surprise and really well done. They will pick you up at your location, which was very helpful. Great day. Highly recommend.”

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4.Sloth Tour in La Fortuna and Tortillas Cooking Class

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 88 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $38Best value

Walk a forest trail with guides such as David, Sergio, Jaime, or Jason while searching for sloths, frogs, birds, bats, and lizards. Use a spotting scope for close views, then press sugarcane and make tortillas with cheese and local toppings. The two-hour tour costs $38, with morning and afternoon departures.

“This was the perfect sloth walk. The group was small and felt personal. Our guide, David, was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and made sure we all got great pictures of the animals we saw. We encountered sloths, many birds, frogs, lizards, and an agouti. There is no way we would have spotted the sloths without David’s expertise! My kids had a blast pressing sugar cane to make juice and learning to make handmade tortillas after the walk. “Best tortillas I ever had” - my 9 year old son. Highly recommend this family run business.”

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5.Sloth Discovery & Swim in Rio Celeste

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 80 reviews · from $127

Leave Playa Hermosa at 7 a.m. for Bijagua de Upala, where a bilingual guide leads you through a private reserve to find sloths, toucans, frogs, and snakes. You’ll also visit butterfly and snake attractions, eat a typical lunch, and swim in Rio Celeste. Guides may include Kevin, Luis, Gabriel, Memo, or David.

“Come prepared to endure a nearly 2hr private bus ride, hike to the rio Celeste, and through the rainforest to see sloths, toucans, frogs, etc. when I say “prepared” I mean it… I wish we would have worn long pants, long sleeves, and more comfRead more”

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6.Coffee & Chocolate Tour+Sloths Park & Llanos de Cortez Waterfall

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 74 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $210

From Tamarindo, this private eight-hour trip visits Spring Paradise Bijagua for rainforest wildlife, a coffee and cacao workshop, Llanos de Cortez Waterfall, and a traditional lunch at El Sabor de Doña Carmen. Guides such as Dayro, Fernando, Dido, and Anthony are praised for wildlife spotting, translation, local insight, and flexible pacing.

“First let me say Our private guide, Fernando, was exceptional! He was very friendly, attentive & informative all day. He even ensured the owner of the restaurant that we had lunch at was aware of my fish allergy so that I could enjoy the delicious lunch that was served with no fear of cross contamination in the kitchen. He also took us to The waterfall first thing in the morning as there were only a handful of other people there. He said if we went at the end of the day it would be so packed that we would not have had the room to move or take any personal…”

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7.Rio Celeste Expedition – Sloths, Waterfalls & Nature’s Magic

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 72 reviews · 5 hours 25 minutes (approx.) · from $188

This 5-hour-25-minute trip from Liberia combines Llanos de Cortés waterfall, a rainforest hike to Rio Celeste in Tenorio Volcano National Park, sloths, coffee, chocolate, and a Costa Rican lunch. Guides such as Caesar, Grey, and Harold bring strong nature knowledge and humor to a small group of up to 15 people.

“Harold was very knowledgeable. He took his time to explain and showed us frogs and snakes. Awesome experience. I will highly recommend it.”

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8.Rio Celeste Waterfall at Tenorio Volcano and Sloth Watching Tour From San Jose

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 60 reviews · 8 hours (approx.) · from $185

Leave San Jose early for Tenorio Volcano National Park and the striking blue Rio Celeste waterfall. The day also includes a guided sloth and wildlife visit, breakfast, lunch, coffee, and hotel pickup. Guides such as Yancy, John, Luis Molina, and Fernando have helped guests spot animals and understand the forest.

“Tour muy completo! Luis y Johan muy buenos guías, nos dieron oportunidad de nadar en el rio (el tour no lo incluye, solo ver la cascada), muy amables todo el tiempo. Es importante tener en cuenta el tiempo de traslado si están en San Jose, es algo largo y mas si hay trafico. El ver a los perezosos y otros animales igual es interesante, se ven desde un telescopio entre la naturaleza con otro guía.”

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