Top Costa Rica Eco Tours

Like much of the rainforest in central Costa Rica, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is home to special plants and wild animals—if you’re able to find them. With this small-group tour, explore the reserve with a guide who knows intimately where to find the best flora and fauna, and carries a professional spotting scope to help you see them. The entrance ticket to the reserve is included, increasing your ease of access.

If you're keen to explore the tropical trails of the Cahuita National Park but don't know where to get started, this small-group hiking tour is an excellent option. Spend a couple of hours with a local guide as you explore a route that ends at the beach. You might even spot a sloth or monkeys. When you're done, head back to your starting point accompanied by your guide, or stay to relax by the water (then return on your own).

Get closer to nature while still experiencing thrills during a fun-filled day in the jungle at the Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica Atlantic eco-reserve. Your multi-pass gives you access to six different activities, so you can ride an aerial tram, encounter native critters at a butterfly and frog garden, cross a hanging bridge, and explore the jungle on a nature hike at your own pace. Get your adrenaline pumping as you soar through the treetops on ziplines, including one of the longest and fastest in the country.

Experience one of Costa Rica’s most remarkable wildlife encounters on a guided nighttime expedition to observe sea turtles nesting along the beach. Explore the nesting area in a small group, using red-light technology to minimize disturbance to the turtles and their natural environment. With a strong focus on conservation and responsible wildlife viewing, this is a rare opportunity to witness an important part of the sea turtles’ life cycle in the wild.

This experience is perfect for nature lovers and animals. We will have the opportunity to observe an incredible diversity of fauna, including monkeys, snakes and a wide variety of birds, highlighting the majestic scarlet macaw, which has found its home in this place. In addition to the rich wildlife, we will witness a fascinating natural phenomenon: the transition between dry tropical forest and wet tropical forest, a unique display of the ecological diversity of the region.

Experience all the best of what Costa Rica's Caribbean side has to offer during this 6-in-1 tour from Puerto Limón. Part history, part wildlife, part city, part nature, you'll have a chance to delve into the Afro-Caribbean culture that defines the region and enjoy the tropical landscape in which it's set.

Spend a day exploring Costa Rica's rich wildlife on this tour to a coffee plantation, waterfall, and volcanic lagoon from San Jose. After learning how coffee is harvested and roasted on a coffee farm tour, head to Poas Volcano National Park and La Paz Waterfall Gardens for a chance to see animals like birds, butterflies, and monkeys in their beautiful natural habitats.

Chocolate lovers flock to this incredible tour from La Fortuna that includes the sweetest rainforest experience and unearths the hidden secretes of local chocolate production. Visit a farm where cocoa is grown, processed and produced. This hands-on experience lets travelers eat as much chocolate as they want while learning about history, culture and traditions of this popular Costa Rican sweet.

Design your own perfect day in La Fortuna on a customizable combo tour. Cross the rainforest canopy on hanging bridges, swim beneath La Fortuna Waterfall, hike in Arenal Volcano National Park, and soak in geothermal hot springs. Take your pick of activities or do them all for a full day of fun and relaxation. Optional lunch add-ons provide a taste of authentic Costa Rican cuisine. Hotel pickup and drop-off are also included from added convenience.

On this Jaco off-road ATV tour, it’s all about the journey—and the destinations. Take a thrilling ride through rugged mountain terrain en route to a vista point and two waterfalls, one of which has a 15-foot (4.5-meter) jump to try (if you dare). Be sure to bring a swimsuit to refresh yourself in the natural pool either way.

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.

The Arenal 1968 Trail Park affords spectacular views of Arenal Volcano and Lake Arenal with a choice of two scenic hikes. With this admission ticket, make your own way to the park and set out on a self-guided trek, following the marked trails along ancient lava flows and through lush rainforest to reach the viewpoints.

This day trip from San Jose provides the perfect combination: Soak in the soothing waters of Baldi Hot Springs—with options for massages and spa treatments—after hiking around the Arenal Volcano area. This tour also includes lunch and dinner and a stop in Sarchi to check out the arts and crafts and one of the world’s largest ox carts.

Skip crowded ground trails and experience the Monteverde Cloud Forest from multiple levels on this guided hanging bridges tour at Selvatura Adventure Park. Walk high above the forest floor as you cross eight suspended bridges—among the longest and strongest in Costa Rica—while your guide points out wildlife and explains the cloud forest ecosystem.

See a different side of Costa Rica’s nature-rich ecosystem on a night walk of the Monteverde Wildlife Refuge. You’ll hike at a relaxed pace to increase your chance of spotting nocturnal creatures such as tarantulas, sloths, scorpions, snakes, armadillos, and more—none of which you’d be likely to see if exploring in the daylight.

Spend the day in the shadow of the massive Arenal Volcano on this full-day, guided tour that includes trekking over the jungle canopy on suspension bridges and a soak in the volcano’s natural hot springs. Witness lava flowing (nighttime only) and see vegetation from the canopy the Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park before settling in for a soak in the thermal hot spring waters.

When your cruise ship docks in Limon, spend the day exploring highlights of Costa Rica's Caribbean side on this combo shore excursion. Taste farm-fresh tropical fruit and learn about the region's sweetest export and see a banana plantation. You'll also get an up-close look at Costa Rican wildlife like birds, monkeys, and frogs on a rainforest boat safari tour down the biodiverse Tortuguero Canals. Swim or sun at a local beach and take a tour of the bustling port city of Limon before getting back on your ship.

Explore and swim under the Rio Celeste and Llanos de Cortés waterfalls, without the pressure of getting there on your own, with this group activity package. Enjoy a seamless experience that covers your itinerary, optional transportation, park fees, and lunch, meaning you can relax and immerse yourself in the day's activities. Along with the waterfalls, hike through Tenorio Volcano National Park and visit a sloth sanctuary.

There’s a good reason why Tamarindo is known as a top surf destination for beginners. In just one lesson, you can pop up on your board and ride a wave when you take a private or group lesson. Or, even upgrade to a 3-day mini-surf camp—the choice is yours when you book. No matter what you choose, hang easy knowing that all equipment and a qualified instructor are included with all packages.

See what life is like outside of the city on this horseback riding tour through the countryside. Alongside a guide, ride a well-trained horse through small towns and forested land en route to a tucked-away waterfall, followed by a typical Costa Rican lunch.

Cruise through a tropical rain forest on a 7-hour excursion to the Tempisque River along Costa Rica’s Palo Verde National Park. Explore an ecosystem teeming with wildlife as a guide with extensive knowledge about the area points out flora and fauna while navigating the river on an intimate motor boat.

Snorkeling stops, sunshine, and unobstructed views of Costa Rica's shoreline make this sunset catamaran cruise the ideal way to end your day—and the open bar doesn't hurt. Join a friendly crew (as well as dolphins, turtles, and flying fish) to make the most of the day's last rays on this perfectly timed tour, which ends just as the sun sinks below the horizon. Hotel pickup is included for added convenience.

Navigate the trails of Manuel Antonio National Park without having to constantly refer to a map on this hiking tour from Jacó. Well-suited for novice hikers, let your guide lead the way on flat paths. Enjoy taking in a wide variety of environments including coastline and rainforests, with the opportunity to refresh in the sea during a swim stop.

Discover one of La Fortuna’s most complete adventure combos with zipline, a volcano hike, hanging bridges, and a natural thermal river all in one day. A full day of adventure, nature, and relaxation awaits in La Fortuna with this exciting combo tour. Soar through the treetops on a zipline adventure featuring 9 cables and 10 platforms, with stunning views of Arenal Volcano and Cerro Chato. Continue with a moderate 3 km hike at Parque Ecológico Volcán Arenal, where you’ll explore scenic volcanic landscapes with a guide. Then discover the beauty of Mistico Hanging Bridges Park on a guided walk of approximately 2.5 hours through the rainforest. End the day relaxing in a natural thermal river, where you can soak in warm waters and enjoy a volcanic mud mask. This full-day experience includes transportation, lunch, and expert guides throughout the tour.