Nocturnal Frog Excursion & Traditional Costa Rican Dinner, Arenal/La Fortuna
Meet with a traditional Costa Rican family who lives off the land and supports the natural regeneration of wildlife and the earth
Overview
This evening tour offers a combination of nature and Costa Rican cuisine. Armed with flashlights, you'll follow your guide along a short trail, looking for nocturnal wildlife, including frogs, insects, bats, and more. One highlight along the walk is a visit to a frog sanctuary, where your guide will point out dart frogs and bullfrogs. You're also likely to see red-eyed tree frogs and little glass tree frogs. After the hike, you'll sit down for a traditional Costa Rican dinner prepared on a wood-burning stove.
Highlights
- Hike through the woods at night with an expert guide
- Spot nocturnal frogs, birds, mammals, insects, and bats in their natural habitats
- Meet a local Costa Rican family and learn about their culture
- Enjoy a delicious Costa Rican meal cooked on a traditional wood-burning stove
Know before you go
4 hours
All ages
Small group
Dinner Included. Enjoy a traditional Costa Rican meal. Vegetarian options are available with advance notice.
What you'll do
On the first part of the 1.5-hour walk, you'll follow a 0.5-mile (800-meter) trail through a regenerating forest. With the aid of flashlights and special mirrored devices installed in the area, you'll be able to spot nocturnal birds, mammals, amphibians, and insects.
The trail leads the group to the frog sanctuary, which fosters frog reproduction. Your guide will point out the dart frog and the bull frog, the smallest and largest species in Costa Rica, and various other frog species.
Following the wildlife viewing portion of the evening, you'll sit down for an authentic Costa Rican meal prepared by the host family on a wood-burning stove and paired with fresh-squeezed fruit juice. As the family serves dinner and tells you more about the farm's history, enjoy views over the valley and plains below, illuminated by lights. The meal lasts around one hour. Then return to La Fortuna, where the tour concludes.
Start times
-
Daily5:00 pm
What's included
- Transportation from your hotel in comfortable air-conditioned minivans with WiFi
- Bilingual naturalist guide
- Sanctuary entrance fee
- Lanterns and flashlights
- Bottled mineral water
- Traditional Costa Rican dinner
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Get startedSee alternatives
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Explore the thrilling Arenal Hanging Bridges on this popular excursion. The trail system, located inside a rainforest reserve, features suspension bridges that take you high above the treetops before treating you to a once-in-a-lifetime view of Arenal Volcano. Venturing along these spectacular elevated walkways, up to 180 feet (55 meters) above the rainforest floor, you'll have a chance to appreciate this area's incredible biodiversity, including some of the 350 avian species that live here.
Sloth Observation - Day or Night Walk
See sloths in their natural habitat on this family-friendly excursion! During this two-hour tour in a private nature reserve just outside La Fortuna, you'll not only have the opportunity to view these slow-moving creatures hanging out in the trees, but you'll also learn all about the sloth's lifestyle, the history of the species, and the importance of sloth protection. Your expert guide will point out two- and three-toed sloths and bring your attention to other noteworthy flora and fauna as you walk along a 1-mile (1.5-km) trail. If you're lucky, you might even spot a mother sloth with her baby.
Guided Nature Walk at Ecological Park & Butterfly Garden Danaus
A bilingual guide will lead you on a nature walk through the Ecological Park & Butterfly Garden Danaus on this half-day tour. You'll have the chance to spot tree frogs, caimans, monkeys, sloths, and a wide variety of birds as you follow your guide on a nature trail. Stop at botanical gardens, a butterfly garden, and a wetlands area that serves as a bird nesting site. Finish the tour with a visit to a Maleku cultural center to learn about Indigenous traditions and environmental practices.
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Ecocentro Danaus Nighttime Rainforest Walk
Experience the rainforest after dark on this unique guided excursion to Ecocentro Danaus, a private ecological reserve near La Fortuna. As the sun goes down, you'll venture into the jungle, exploring this haven for plants, insects, reptiles, and other nocturnal animals. Highlights your guide will point out along the way include bats, spiders, sloths, snakes, and some of the reserve's many native frog species, including the brightly-colored poison dart frog, one of the planet's most poisonous frogs. Since the reserve is closed to most groups by night, this is an exclusive opportunity to see how the rainforest transforms after dark.
Río Balsa Whitewater Rafting Adventure
Embark on an adrenaline-pumping whitewater rafting adventure down the Río Balsa. You'll transfer from La Fortuna to the put-in spot on the river, where your guide will give you safety instructions and outfit you with a helmet and life vest. Then, push off into the current and start paddling through rolling Class II and III rapids with names like Morning Coffee and Rock around the Croc. Enjoy wildlife spotting along the way—you'll even have a chance to swim while passing through calmer stretches of the river.
Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Visit
Visit Proyecto Asis, a wildlife rehabilitation and rescue center. A naturalist guide will lead you on a tour, introducing you to the resident animals and sharing their stories. You'll likely see anteaters, monkeys, snakes, parrots, sloths, and more.
(Because the center's goal is to release as many animals back into the wild as possible, the wildlife present at the center is subject to change.) During your visit, you'll also learn about conservation and sustainability.
Proyecto Asis Wildlife Rehabilitation Center - Volunteer Experience
Visit Proyecto Asis, a wildlife rehabilitation and rescue center. A naturalist guide will lead you on a tour, introducing you to the resident animals and sharing their stories. You'll likely see anteaters, monkeys, snakes, parrots, sloths, and more. (Because the center's goal is to release as many animals back into the wild as possible, the wildlife present at the center is subject to change.) During your visit, you'll learn about conservation and sustainability. As part of the volunteer tour, you will also have hands-on opportunities with the animals. Learn how to prepare and serve food to the animals, interact with them (following the guide's instructions), help clean cages or craft animal toys, and more. You will go home with unforgettable memories!
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Get an "early bird" start for this popular bird-watching excursion to Arenal Mundo Aventura Park. There's a good reason for the early wake-up time: the park is home to a stunning variety of birdlife, and most species are at their most active in the morning. Follow a naturalist guide through the park's different ecosystems, including a new tree-planting zone, open pastures, regenerating forests, and small streams. The mix of terrain allows for optimal bird viewing. You'll likely spot the great kiskadee, tropical kingbird flycatchers, black-cheeked woodpecker, and possibly the red-billed pigeon. An included breakfast follows the birding hike.
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