Palo Verde National Park Safari Cruise with Lunch, Tamarindo

Name: Palo Verde National Park Safari Cruise with Lunch, Tamarindo
Rating: 3.7 (7 reviews)

3.7 (7 reviews)

Motor down the wildlife-rich Tempisque River in Palo Verde National Park at a leisurely pace, followed by an authentic lunch.

Show all photos

Katie H.

Oct 12, 2022
Loved this adventure. The guides were great and helped us spot so many unique animals! The food was good and the pottery is beautiful.

See all reviews

Overview

Discover the natural wonders of Palo Verde National Park on a safari cruise along the Tempisque River. As you navigate the internationally recognized wetlands, white-faced capuchin monkeys swing from the tree branches onshore as caimans and crocodiles patrol the waters. Ideal for nature enthusiasts and birdwatchers, you may also spot the largest bird in Costa Rica, along with iguanas and a myriad other bird species, like the osprey. The adventure concludes with a traditional Costa Rican lunch at a local ranch.

Highlights

Cruise down the Tempisque River, spotting wildlife like monkeys, crocodiles, and vibrant birds
Explore the internationally significant wetlands of Palo Verde National Park, a Ramsar site
Spot wildlife, from caimans and crocodiles to monkeys and herons
Savor an authentic lunch at a local ranch featuring traditional dishes cooked over a wood fire
Visit a local town renowned for traditional pottery and enjoy a live demonstration

Know before you go

Duration
4 hours

Recommended for
All ages

Group
Small group, 15 people or less

Food & Drink
Lunch Included

What you'll do

Your adventure begins with a convenient morning pickup from your hotel in Papagayo Bay or the Tamarindo area. You'll comfortably travel aboard an air-conditioned minivan en route to Palo Verde National Park, a sprawling haven for wildlife enthusiasts and birdwatchers. This protected park, covering over 45,000 acres (18,211 ha) of wetlands and tropical dry forest, is a vital habitat for migratory birds and boasts a rich diversity of plant and animal life. During the trip, your guide will provide insightful commentary about the landscapes you'll pass through, setting the stage for your day's exploration.

Upon arrival at the park, you'll set out on a two-hour boat cruise along the Tempisque River. This leisurely cruise is the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in the vibrant ecosystem of the wetlands. Your guide will share fascinating details about the area's hydrologic characteristics, contributing to its status as a Ramsar site of international importance. Keep your eyes peeled for the array of wildlife that calls this area home. You may spot monkeys swinging through the trees, crocodiles lounging on the riverbanks, and an impressive variety of bird species, including scarlet macaws, tiger herons, and the jabiru, the largest bird in Costa Rica.

Afterward, you'll have the chance to engage with talented resident artists dedicated to preserving the region's renowned pottery and handicraft traditions. You'll watch a captivating demonstration of their creative processes followed by a tasty lunch of traditional Costa Rican fare at a rustic venue, a fitting conclusion to the day before you're transferred back to your accommodation.

Start times

Monday

7:45 am
Tuesday

Not available
Wednesday

7:45 am
Thursday

Not available
Friday

Not available
Saturday

Not available
Sunday

7:45 am

What's included

Round-trip transportation from/to hotel
Naturalist guide
Entrance fee
Bottled water
Lunch (morning departure)

Like what you see?

Chat with our local specialists and let us help you customize your trip with experiences like this.

Get started

See alternatives

Wetlands Boat Ride and Rum Tasting at Hacienda El Viejo

(2)

Small group · 4 hours

Adventure at a family-owned "hacienda" or ranch where you will enjoy a spread of tropical fruits and fresh coffee or tea. From there, you will embark on a private boat safari of the wetlands, where you'll encounter an abundance of tropical birds, reptiles, and monkeys. You'll then return to land for a rum tour and tasting, where you'll learn about the process of creating high-quality rum from pure sugar cane and end with a delicious cocktail and stunning views of exotic birds along the banks of the lagoon.

Please note that transportation is not included, but can be added for an additional cost.

Tamarindo Mangrove & Estuary Boat Tour

(4)

Small group · 3 hours

Embark on a fascinating journey through the Tamarindo Estuary, one of the largest estuaries in Guanacaste Coast and part of Las Baulas National Park. Glide along the river in a comfortable open-air boat, exploring narrow canals and observing diverse wildlife, including birds, fish, monkeys, and iguanas. With an experienced guide, learn about the local flora and fauna, specifically the famous Guanacaste trees, and listen to the sounds of howler monkeys above. Note that departure times vary based on the tide.

Safari Float Tour on Corobicí River

Small group · 6 hours

Embark on a Safari-style tour of the Corobicí River with a naturalist guide. Spend approximately 2 hours floating down the river on a raft boat, admiring the diverse ecosystem and spotting a wide variety of animals and plants. Keep your eyes peeled for crocodiles, the tour's main highlight.

Nighttime Pacific Green Turtle Nesting Experience (Seasonal)

(5)

Small group · 4 hours

Witness hundreds of green sea turtles coming onshore to lay their eggs. First, you'll register at the ranger station before waiting for the turtles to come onshore. Once they do, you'll observe as they dig a hole in the sand and lay between 65 to 90 eggs before covering the nest with sand to protect their offspring.

Scuba Diving at the Catalina Islands

Small group · 5 hours

Explore an underwater world on this diving tour off the Catalina Islands! From a local dive shop in Playa Flamingo, you'll embark on a 40-minute ride to a group of volcanic islands and rock formations that rise above the ocean's surface in front of Flamingo Bay. If you're a beginner, your lesson begins now—find out how to breathe underwater, make communication signals, and more—before attempting two open-water dives. Certified divers can jump right in! Dive below the surface of the indigo waters (to a maximum depth of about 60 feet or 18 meters) to discover a menagerie of exotic wildlife congregating around colorful coral reefs. You'll see quickly why this is a world-famous diving location! You might spot white tip reef sharks, giant manta rays, stingrays, eagle rays, jewel and green morays, butterfly fish, and schools of damsels, jacks, and grunts. In the right season, you can even sometimes hear humpback whales singing.

Catamaran Sailing Adventure

(5)

Group tour · 4 hours

Soak up the sun and enjoy a sailing adventure on the Pacific Ocean! On this excursion, you'll depart from a landing dock in one of three locations: Playa Tamarindo, Playa Flamingo, or Playas del Coco. Board a catamaran and begin silently gliding along the Gold Coast past pristine bays, white sand beaches, and tropical jungles. You may spot dolphins, sea turtles, flying fish, and breaching whales. The crew will serve delicious tropical drinks as you make your way to a tranquil bay where you can swim or snorkel. A barbecue lunch with Costa Rican dishes will be served onboard before you head back to the starting point.

Snorkeling at the Catalina Islands

(13)

Small group · 5 hours

Discover an underwater world on this half-day snorkeling tour off the Catalina Islands! From a local dive shop in Playa Flamingo, you'll take off on a diving boat for a 40-minute ride to a group of volcanic islands and rock formations that rise above the ocean's surface in front of Flamingo Bay. Plunge below the surface of the indigo waters to find an undersea menagerie of exotic wildlife congregating around colorful coral reefs. You'll see quickly why this is a world-famous diving location! You might spot giant manta and devil rays, sea turtles, parrotfish, moray eels, and much more. In the right season, you can even sometimes hear humpback whales singing.

Self-Guided visit to Playa Conchal - The White Shell Beach

(1)

Self guided · 4 hours

Immerse yourself in the beauty of Playa Conchal, renowned for its unique seashell beach and turquoise waters. This beach, which is made up of crushed shells instead of sand, is consistently voted as one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Rica! Start your day early or visit during the shoulder season for a crowd-free experience.

Private Surf Lessons at Tamarindo Beach

(10)

Private · 2 hours

Learn to catch a wave in Tamarindo, one of Costa Rica's prime surfing spots. Enjoy a private two-hour surf lesson at Playa Tamarindo and learn the basics of surfing outside of a large group setting. With the supervision of experienced guides, surfing at Tamarindo is safe and fun! At the end of your surf lesson today, even beginners will likely be able to stand up on their surfboards and ride their first waves. You can take the rest of the day to practice riding the waves or enjoy some well-deserved relaxation on the beach.

Traveler reviews

7 total ratings, 7 with reviews

3.7

Feature ratings

Quality of Experience
4.0

Food
4.5

Guides, Drivers and Staff
4.3

Transport
3.7

elisabeth c.

Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Feb 08, 2025

This is remote--we enjoyed seeing the countryside, but it was a long time in the car. The boat tour itself was excellent, and the captain was very skilled at spotting wildlife and maneuvering the boat in close for a good look. It was in our favor that it was low tide and there was a breeze. The lunch and stops at a community center with a craft stand run by single moms as well as a stop to see traditional pottery were both quite interesting and a nice change from many of the souvenir shops... Read more

SUSAN G.

Ashburn, VA | Reviewed on Jan 11, 2025

This tour included lunch which was authentic and amazing. The boat tour was okay. We saw birds, bats and crocodiles. For the last 1/2 hour or so, the guides were chatting with themselves instead of us so not sure if they missed pointing things out to us or not. We were on the water for maybe 1.5 hours? Unfortunately it was nothing special. Read more

Victoria E.

Lewiston Orchards, ID | Reviewed on Dec 12, 2023

We weren't sure what to expect for this tour but it turned out to be a fun adventure! The boat tour itself was lovely. Lots of birds and wildlife to see. Our guide, Mauricio, was fabulous! We spent quite a bit of the day on the bus travelling to the boat and also picking up other guests, but he did his best to help us see wildlife from the bus along the way and tell us about the areas we were driving through. The included lunch was so cool. We stopped at a local ranch to enjoy a traditional... Read more

Jason C.

San Carlos, CA | Reviewed on Sep 23, 2023

Pretty good tour, and we definitely saw lots of wildlife such as monkeys and the most amazing thing was the bats hanging on the tree trunk that looked like pieces of bark. The guide was very knowledgable, and was able to spot the animals that even with his direction we had to really search for to see. However, the boat part of the trip was pretty short, probably an hour. And the rest of the tour was the restaurant, pottery etc. Which is not really our cup of tea. Read more

Mark P.

Nicetown-Tioga, PA | Reviewed on Apr 09, 2023

This was highly recommended, but we were underwhelmed, mostly because the trip there was 2.5 hours and we had to take two buses (and we also stopped at a ceramic workshop on the way back, which was fine but lengthened the trip back). That was a lot of travel for my five-year-old. The boat tour itself was fine but you are rarely out of view of the dock and it would have been nice to go deeper into the park, or perhaps get out of the boat at some point. But we did see lots of wildlife. I... Read more

Katie H.

Nashville, TN | Reviewed on Oct 12, 2022

Loved this adventure. The guides were great and helped us spot so many unique animals! The food was good and the pottery is beautiful. Read more

Félix C.

Santa Clara, CA | Reviewed on Sep 07, 2022

We saw several cool animals, but in the end we missed several 'poster animals' (although I might have had my hopes a little too high). The second part with the artisanal village was a lot more interesting than I expected. Read more