Top Central & South America Kid-Friendly Tours - page 3

Visit the herpetarium in Monteverde’s Selvatura Park, and get a personal introduction to Costa Rica’s snakes, amphibians, and lizards on a guided, one-hour tour. Start times are available throughout the day, and your guide will share fun facts about Costa Rican wildlife, ecology, and history, as well as the unique characteristics of each creature you see.

Take home frame-worthy photos of Costa Rica’s sublime rain forest and its inhabitants with a photography tour at Arenal Natura Ecological Park in La Fortuna. Bring your camera and snap away among the unspoiled natural setting of this private reserve, where a naturalist guide will lead you along jungle trails and though diverse wildlife habitats. Capture all the details of incredible animals like crocodiles, red-eyed tree frogs, snakes, and butterflies, plus delicate orchids and other tropical flora.

Get out of the city and experience Costa Rica’s rich wildlife heritage with this half day private tour to the Toucan Rescue Ranch. What started out as a rescue facility for toucans has expanded to include other charismatic species such as sloths, monkeys, parrots, and owls. Learn all about them from the dedicated staff committed to their care.

Make the most of limited time in Costa Rica with a guided half-day nature walk through Manuel Antonio National Park. Don’t waste time wondering what to see next; instead, head straight to the park’s highlights in the company of a naturalist guide and benefit from their animal spotting expertise and spotting scope to see creatures you might otherwise have missed.

One of the most popular activities in La Fortuna, a guided hanging bridges tour is a fool-proof way to spot wildlife and learn more about the Costa Rican rain forest. This nighttime hanging bridges tour in Mistico Park puts a twist on the classic excursion by introducing you to the forest's nocturnal residents, such as honey bears, barn owls, and over 4,500 species of nocturnal butterflies (twice the number of daytime butterflies!). This tour includes pickup and drop-off from some centrally located La Fortuna hotels.

The Bird Park of Iguaçu is a sanctuary and shelter for birds of the Atlantic Forest and is a must-visit for bird lovers. Join a small group and take a guided tour of the park where you can see 140 species of birds flying through the “vivarium” of the park. You also see other jungle animals like snakes, lizards, and butterflies that are native to the region.

See how La Fortuna transforms after sunset with this guided walking tour. Your guide will take you and your party into a natural area, where you'll learn about local crepuscular and nocturnal creatures and maybe see some yourself, such as owls, snakes, and colorful frogs—if you’re lucky, you may even spot a red-eyed tree frog.

Get up close to Patagonia’s incredible wildlife on this full-day tour of the famous Punta Tombo Penguin Colony from Puerto Madryn, including hotel pick up. Stand in awe before South America’s largest colony of Magellan's penguins, and see playful Overas Toninas dolphins and an array of seabirds in their natural environment.

Take a tranquil journey through Costa Rica's amazingly biodiverse rain forest on this half-day safari float down the Peñas Blancas River near La Fortuna. Paddle through the calm waters without a motor so you can appreciate the many sounds of the jungle and observe wildlife like sloths, turtles, birds, and monkeys without disturbing them. Travel with a professional guide, who will point out passing plant and animal species and enhance your appreciation of the incredible ecosystem.

Explore the jungle in a protected area just outside of Quepos at night—when the temperatures drop and nocturnal animals come alive. Follow your guide along hiking trails through the dense jungle for about two hours, searching for tree frogs, insects, snakes, various nocturnal mammals, and other wildlife. Use flashlights and a spotting scope to get a closer look.

You don’t need to venture deep into the rain forest to see Costa Rica’s spectacular wildlife on this guided nature walk in a La Fortuna nature center. On this tour, a guide accompanies you on an easy, kid-friendly walk through the forest, pointing out wildlife like sloths, birds, and tree frogs along the way.

Experience the best of Costa Rica's biodiversity on a hike that increases your chances of seeing sloths, toucans, and monkeys in the wild. This private excursion from Guanacaste lets you set the pace—so you can stop to admire tropical scenery and ask questions for as long or as little as you like. Plus, round-trip transport saves you the hassle of hiring a car and lets you soak up the scenery during the drive.

Head out into the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the world's highest concentration of big cats, with this river tubing experience. You'll start with an educational hike to learn about the local plants and animals, followed by a river tubing experience that will take you to a waterfall area that's great for swimming!

Get to know the Peñas Blancas River ecosystem with a naturalist boat captain. Glide through the tranquil forest and spot arboreal and aquatic animals like monkeys, sloths, iguanas, turtles, and alligators, along with birds such as herons, cormorants, American darters, and passerines. Keep an eye out for the basilisk lizard, known for walking on water. Drift beneath ficus, luehea, and kapok trees, where dense foliage creates shaded tunnels rich with lianas and epiphytes.

Observe sloths in their natural habitat on this guided tour in La Fortuna. Naturalist guides will help you identify spots where sloths hang out and will provide scope equipment to help you take up-close photos. You’ll also get the chance to see different species of birds, snakes, spiders, and frogs such as the red-eyed tree frog and the blue-jeans frog, which looks like it’s wearing a pair of pants.

Venture near the Nicaraguan border and cruise through the extraordinary wetlands of the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge on this full-day tour from La Fortuna. As you float down the Río Frío with a guide, observe migratory birds like herons and cormorants, and keep an eye out for monkeys and sloths lurking in the trees and caimans lounging on the riverbanks. Chat about your wildlife sightings with fellow travelers over a delicious lunch on the way back to your hotel.

Home to over 100 species of animals, five waterfalls, and a cloud forest the Wildlife Refuge La Paz Waterfall Gardens is bursting with biodiversity. Visit, explore, learn, and even hike among the sloths, monkeys, tropical birds, pumas, ocelots, and more who call Costa Rica’s most visited private ecological reserve home. Take in the incredible plant life like wild orchids on this full-day tour from San Jose with lunch included.

This well-rounded tour is the perfect way for nature lovers to experience the best of Costa Rica's outdoor beauty. Enjoy a scenic boated on the Rio Frio with departure near the border of Nicaragua. Cruise through the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge and see the incredible biodiversity that makes this nation to unique. You'll have up close encounters with birds, snakes, herons and other animals, as well as various species of monkeys and sloths.

This small group tour takes you on a peaceful float down the Penas Blancas River where you’ll end up reaching the impressive La Fortuna Waterfall Reserve. The tour starts with a convenient hotel pickup (from selected hotels), then you’ll float, paddle, take an optional hike, and enjoy an included lunch, all organized by your guide, so you can just enjoy the day out.

Discover the rich biodiversity of Costa Rica on this tour that is ideal for herping enthusiasts, wildlife lovers, and eco-conscious travelers. In a small group of no more than six guests, explore the surroundings of Manuel Antonio National Park and Quepos in search of every local species of reptile and amphibian, including viper snakes, colorful tree frogs, and more.

Get a closer look at Costa Rica’s weird, wild, and wonderful creatures on a tour of the Arenal Natura Ecological Park near La Fortuna. Trek along rain forest trails with a naturalist guide to explore different habitats, from the country’s largest frog garden to a crocodile lake and turtle pond where prehistoric-looking reptiles lurk below the surface. You can also admire more eye-catching species like colorful butterflies and delicate orchids on this eco-tour that’s perfect for all ages.

Check out the beautiful turtles on one of Costa Rica’s most gorgeous beaches on this private, nocturnal turtle watching tour in Guanacaste. Your guide provides hotel pickup and drives you to the beach. Use your provided flashlight to observe turtle life at night.

Experience popular Costa Rican activities on this combination adventure tour. First, hop on an off-road buggy and hit the area's rugged terrain, riding through rivers and over mountain trails. You’ll head to a sloth rescue refuge, which rehabilitates injured, orphaned, or confiscated wildlife. The habitats are designed to provide a natural setting for the animals and allows visitors to experience up-close, safe viewing of sloths, monkeys, jaguars, toucans, pumas, and more. The tour ends with a stop at different area beaches.

Get an early start for a full-day tour from Playa Langosta that visits the wildlife refuge at Finca Verde Lodge and a waterfall in the rain forest. Your guide leads an educational walk that showcases the birds, sloths, frogs, snakes, insects, and tropical plants of Finca Verde. Then have lunch and stop for a dip in the natural pool at the base of Llanos del Cortez Waterfall.