9 Wildlife Trips in Costa Rica to Build a Day Around

1.Skip the Line:Day Ticket-La Paz Waterfall Gardens Nature Park & Wildlife Refuge

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 226 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $63Our pick

Visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens at your own pace with a flexible day pass. Walk through cloud forest trails, see five waterfalls, and explore orchids, butterflies, hummingbirds, toucans, monkeys, snakes, and rescued cats. Allow at least two hours, though four or five gives you time to slow down.

“The hike was spectacular, however there is no benefit to buying the skip the line. There are no lines so you can buy direct and save a few $.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Rio Celeste Waterfall Plus Sloths and wildlife Sanctuary

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

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.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Wildlife Safari Float by Kayak in Peñas Blancas River from Arenal

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 79 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $88

Spend about four hours kayaking the Peñas Blancas River with a naturalist guide such as Christopher, Beto, or David. Watch for monkeys, crocodiles, sloths, toucans, bats, and iguanas, then visit La Cocina de Tita Yolanda for coffee, cacao, sugar cane, and a typical snack.

“The guides were knowledgeable about the animals in the area and kept an eye out for us to stop and take pictures. They were cautious about keeping us safe and they were very fun and kept us laughing. This was one of the highlights of our trip!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Damas Island Mangrove Boat Tour with Wildlife from Manuel Antonio

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 75 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $95

Travel from Manuel Antonio or Quepos to Isla Damas for a quiet two-hour boat ride through one of Central America’s largest mangrove ecosystems. Guides such as Stephanie, Alvin, Raul, Maria, and Danny point out monkeys, birds, bats, and local history. Transport, safety gear, bottled water, and a typical Costa Rican meal are included.

“This tour is a wonderful and relaxing experience. Stephanie and Alvin were absolutely the best guides well informed and on top of everything in order to make this an unforgettable experience!”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Monteverde Wildlife Walk & Hummingbird Encounter

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 52 reviews · from $45Best value

Join George of the Cloud Forest, or guides such as Vinny and Roy, for a 2 to 2.5-hour walk through Monteverde’s misty forest. Look for quetzals, monkeys, bats, plants, and medicinal species with a telescope, then visit the Hummingbird Sanctuary. The small group is capped at 10, and a Costa Rican snack is included.

“This was by far the best experience we had in CR ( and we had awesome experiences in CR)! Our guide, Roy was super knowledgeable and very friendly! we got to see some incredible birds even though it was raining and foggy! The booking Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.PRIVATE Palo Verde Boat Safari: Wildlife + Lunch Included

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 46 reviews · 6 hours (approx.) · from $190

From Tamarindo, you’ll spend about six hours exploring Palo Verde National Park with your own group, a local guide, and a two-hour riverboat safari. Guides such as Eugene, Eliel, and Eduardo focus on crocodiles, monkeys, iguanas, and birds. Lunch at a family-run home or restaurant is included, along with park fees and hotel pickup.

“I would highly recommend this tour! Our guide Eugene was fantastic and so knowledgeable. He made sure we had close up views of monkeys, crocodiles, and many birds. Lunch was also delicious. Thank you Eugene for such a great tour!!!”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Private Nature Adventure Tour in Curu Wildlife Refuge

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 42 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $150

Explore Curu Wildlife Refuge from Santa Teresa or Montezuma with a private naturalist guide such as Douglas, Jose, or Ernesto. Over about four hours, you may spot monkeys, scarlet macaws, deer, crocodiles, iguanas, and tropical birds. Hotel pickup, a telescope, snacks, and a beach stop may be included depending on your customized plan.

“We had a wonderful time with a group of five, led by Ernesto who was an outstanding driver, guide, spotter, and photographer with extensive knowledge of Curu and all of the flora and fauna. In about four hours we saw a mind-bending array of animals including white faced capuchin monkeys - dozens, up close! - a crocodile, deer, iguanas, bats, exotic birds, and many more - plus really detailed descriptions of various trees, insects, and other aspects of the ecosystem. Ernesto spotted these animals for us and used a telescope for close looks and to capture digital photos on our phones for posterity. He was courteous, genuinely passionate about the…”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Day Trip from San Jose to Sloths & other wildlife Rescue Center

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 41 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $150

Travel from San Jose by private, air-conditioned vehicle to the Toucan Rescue Ranch for a two-hour guided visit with sloths, toucans, macaws, owls, parrots, and monkeys. Guides such as Josie, Natasha, and Andrea explain each animal’s rescue story and the center’s rehabilitation work. The ranch visit joins a small group, even though transport is private.

“Must do experience to see Sloths, toucan and ther rescued animals close up and learn about them. Very informative guides.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Peñas Blancas River: Wildlife Safari Experience by Raft

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 34 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $84

Join Calypso Adventures for a gentle wildlife safari on the Peñas Blancas River near La Fortuna. A certified guide leads you by raft or double kayak past forest banks where you may spot howler and capuchin monkeys, sloths, caimans, iguanas, and many birds. Transport, safety gear, water, pineapple, and insurance are included.

“Amazing experience by Calypso Tours- owned and operated by a woman, Bethshive, who went above and beyond to make our experience special and memorable. you were able to see a lot of animals on the river, including a sloth!! We had a great time and highly recommend other families to take this tour!”

Check availability →Read our full review