Top Costa Rica Nature Walks in 2026

The Curi-Cancha Wildlife Reserve, protecting parts of the cloud forest in the Cordillera de Tilarán near Juntas, is home to hummingbirds, toucans, and quetzals, making it a bird-watcher's dream. On this small-group tour, start with an early-morning breakfast at a local bakery. Then, explore the reserve with a naturalist guide who takes you to the best places to spot the birds. Upgrade for a private tour.

This half day tour will walk you through nature, and over six hanging suspension bridges, where your guide will tell you all about the flora and fauna of the canopy of the forest. Look out for monkeys, sloths, snakes, birds, and all kinds of insects on this walk. The course is about 1.9mi (3km) long, so wear some comfy shoes.

Explore the tropical forest surrounding Arenal Volcano on a self-guided visit with three trails ranging from easy to challenging. Choose a route that matches your preferred level of activity while taking in panoramic views and volcanic landscapes shaped by past eruptions. With opportunities to learn about the local environment and take breaks along the way, this is a flexible option for experiencing Arenal at your own pace.

Experience Costa Rica’s wild and beautiful rain forest the historic way on a scenic horseback ride to the La Fortuna Waterfall. Travel on private, forested trails away from any roads, at a pace that allows for close observation of jungle life. Dismount for a moderate hike to the famous waterfall, where you can cool off with an optional swim and enjoy more time in nature.

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.

Stopping at Curi Cancha Reserva, this guided birding tour will show you the diversity and multitude of species in each one. For half a day, try to find the most birds you can. This is a small-group tour and your guide and driver will arrange all the logistics. Upgrade to a private tour for more flexibility and a more personalized experience.

When staying in Manuel Antonio, take time to visit the private nature reserve of Rainmaker Conservation Park. Get different perspectives on the tropical rainforest and its wonderful wildlife as you cross long hanging bridges through the forest canopy. You will also be able to cool off with a swim in natural waterfall pools. Choose from a few different departure times of this handy half-day tour.

Exchange the sun and surf for a high-flying adventure in the misty Monteverde Cloud Forest on this full-day combo tour. Fly through the forest canopy on a 15-cable zipline course with an optional Tarzan swing, and slow down for a closer look at Monteverde's rich biodiversity while walking through the treetops along hanging bridges. In between adventures, refuel with a typical Costa Rican lunch (select tours only).

This excursion is an excellent opportunity to observe a large amount of biodiversity since 87 percent of the fauna is active at night, confident in the poor visibility that darkness offers them. In a normal visit there is the possibility of observing; two-toed sloths, nine-banded armadillo, owls, rain frogs and on some occasions we can observe a kinkajou or a green palm viper in addition to a large number of very interesting insects such as, for example, a stick insect, leaf insect; Sometimes we can find scorpions, tarantulas and much more. Throughout the tour you will be accompanied by a naturalist guide ready to share with visitors many of the secrets of the forest.

The Costa Rican jungle is home to a number of unique species, many of which come out at night. This nighttime jungle tour visits the forests of La Fortuna for a guided walk. Learn about various jungle species from your naturalist guide and get tips for photographing the nocturnal creatures. Animals you may see include frogs, sloths, bats, and reptiles. Note that gratuities are not included.

The Biodiversity of the Forests of the high areas of Costa Rica are unique with the specialty that most are endemic to these highlands of Central America. In this magical place you have the opportunity to observe the incredible Resplendent Quetzal in natural habitat as well as a great variety of Hummingbirds and native orchids that have epiphytic lives. We offer the possibility of taking the tour in a special electric cart for people with walking problems, with an extra cost of $60 that you can pay on the day of the tour in cash or card.

Bijagua is a unique town in a privileged location. We have access for this tour limited to a certain number of people per day so as not to affect the natural habitat of the animals. The tour is personalized to each group depending on the time you have. Each guide on this tour is trained to offer you the most accurate information about the biodiversity of Spring Paradise Bijagua. You decide what time to leave: 8:00 am, 10:00 am, 12:30 pm or 2:00 pm

We offer an unique experience to learn about the nature ecosystem and its habitat, we want to share with you the passion for Nature. Our naturalist tour guides are certified by ICT, and we lead authentic activities in order to work with local communities.

Discover the beauty and biodiversity of the Monteverde Cloud Forest with this guided walking tour of the reserve. Follow your naturalist guide along the reserve’s trails and learn about what makes this microclimate unique and spot the local birdlife. Places on this walking tour are limited to 15 people. Entrance to the reserve is not included.

Wake up bright and early to catch a sighting of Costa Rica’s magnificent avian species during this morning guided bird watching tour on Drake Bay. Your experience will start before the sun rises as you head out onto the water and view these creatures from sea level. See terns, tanagers, and other birds land on Agujitas Beach. Hike through the forest and shoreline to find other species frequenting the Osa Peninsula.

Calypso Adventures has a firm and unwavering commitment to sustainability, local community support, and personalized service. As the only female-owned watersports tour operator in the region and the only provider with a female guide for water activities, we offer a unique and empowering experience. Our founder, Bethshiva Lester, brings over a decade of expertise and innovation, ensuring every tour is both safe and memorable. We tailor our diverse array of tours and activities to meet each customer’s unique needs, showcasing Costa Rica’s breathtaking flora and fauna while promoting eco-friendly practices. With top-notch customer service, personalized packages, and a dedication to natural conservation, Calypso Adventures provides an authentic and unforgettable journey into the heart of Costa Rica.

Explore Costa Rica's renowned ecological park, EcoGarden Arenal, in search of sloths. This guided tour is a great opportunity to spot the charming creatures in their natural habitat, as well as alligators, turtles, and many more species. As you explore, your naturalist guide will tell you everything about the animals and birds you see.

Manuel Antonio may best known for its beautiful beaches, but another world comes alive in its jungles at night. Get an up-close look at nocturnal creatures like spiders, frogs, snakes, and bats on a private night hike through a nature reserve. A certified naturalist guide knows just where to find these creepy crawlers and ensures the safety of your group on this educational adventure.

Swim beneath a jungle waterfall and hike into Arenal Volcano National Park on a 7-hour, 2-in-1 combo tour that takes in the best of the region’s natural beauty and wildlife. Spot monkeys and bright tropical birds as you walk through the rainforest surrounding La Fortuna waterfall, then enjoy a leisurely Costa Rican lunch with locally grown coffee. Follow your guide along jagged lava flows and mountainside trails as you explore Arenal, learn the history of this iconic volcano, and earn stunning views of Arenal lake.

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.

A specialized tour for bird lovers. A walk to the birding hot spots in Monteverde, one of the best places for this activity. The biodiversity found in this area allow us to spot quetzals, toucans, umbrellabirds, and many other species.

Bird watching in La Fortuna gives you the chance to see a rich diversity of birds from tropical woodpeckers to rare umbrellabirds, and this bird watching tour is a great choice for making the most of your outing. A guide helps you spot birds that you might miss on your own—plus takes you to all the best spots that locals know for catching sight of favorites—and even provides a spotting scope to better see the birds you came to find.

Combine two outdoor activities on this all-day guided tour from La Fortuna. First, fly above the treetops with a ziplining canopy tour through the rainforest. Following that, go on a whitewater rafting trip, navigating Class 3 and 4 rapids. Your guides will choose from several different river runs, depending on the conditions. The tour also includes lunch at an organic farm.

El Rey is located 28 km away from Manuel Antonio national park area, this place it has a combination of several habitats Tropical Transitional forest and marshes, which makes the perfect place to spot kingfishers, seedeater, flycatchers, hummingbirds, woodpeckers and many others. Our Team would help to locate, identify and share with your different facts about birds like behaviors, diets, mating rituals and much more. You don’t have to worry about keeping a list of the species seen. We want you to spend your time identifying, taking photographs and having a perfect sighting of all different birds in the area, at the end of the activity, your tour guide will send you a full detail list of species seen during the tour which makes identifying and put a name to those photographs and sightings a whole lot easier! During the trip would be snacks and water will be provided during the birding experience It would be our pleasure to share our passion for birding. Book with us.