The 15 Best Guided Tours in Costa Rica

1.La Leona Waterfall Guided Tour+Transportation

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 124 reviews · 7 hours (approx.) · from $140Our pick

Travel from Tamarindo to La Leona Waterfall with a guide such as Verny, Alberto, Nacho, or Mariana. Expect a two-hour hike through caves, river crossings, rocky canyons, swimming, rope-assisted climbs, and a refreshing waterfall pool. Transport is included, but lunch in Liberia costs extra.

“This was our second “chance of a lifetime” excellent excursion with Verny and On the Road Costa Rica. This company takes care of every detail from pick up to drop off. “No worries, Mommy, Verny will take care of that.” My kids said that more than once. And as a single mom traveling abroad, what more could you ask for. We felt safe to explore which makes the experience even more exciting!! We felt accomplished and proud, United helping one another experience the best waterfall adventure I’ve ever done. Verny embodies the meaning of Pura Vida showing such grace and gratitude for all living beings. Cheers to the best mango…”

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2.Monteverde Night Tour with a Certified Tour Guide (6 PM or 8 PM)

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 112 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $54

Walk Monteverde’s El Refugio after dark with a certified local guide, choosing a 6 PM or 8 PM start. The two-hour, small-group outing may reveal frogs, tarantulas, walking sticks, leafcutter ants, sleeping birds, opossums, porcupines, olingos, snakes, and more. Flashlights, entry fees, and taxes are included.

“Dio and his son were great. We saw lots of animals and critters and the walk was super cool. Highly recommend!”

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3.Bogarin Trail Sloth Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 110 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $55

Walk the easy, mostly flat Bogarin Trail with guides such as Alex, Mar, William, Randall, or Jason. They use a telescope to locate sloths high in the trees and help you take close-up phone photos. Expect birds, frogs, lizards, bats, and a fresh pineapple snack during this relaxed two-hour visit near central La Fortuna.

“If you don’t hire a tour guide, you will not see the animals. The tour guides have an eye to see the animals way up in a tree. They use a monocular lens and will take pictures with your phone for you. We got to see sloths, poison dart frog, owl, baby sloth with mother, leaf cutter ants, iguana, termite nest, and several kinds of birds. If you want to see animals, I would highly recommend this tour.”

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4.Corcovado and Drake Bay 2-Day Small-Group Safari Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 102 reviews · 2 days (approx.) · from $460

Leave Drake Bay by boat for two full days around Sirena Ranger Station in Corcovado National Park. Guides such as Jorge, Erick, Brayner, Richie, and Andre lead small groups of up to eight on wildlife walks, forest trails, and a swim in the Río Claro. Meals, bunk bedding, and mosquito nets are included.

“Malheureusement, il a plu sans interruption. Le trajet en bateau a été très inconfortable en raison d'une tempête. Nous sommes arrivés complètement trempés, y compris nos sacs et les vêtements de rechange qui étaient à l'intérieur. Aucune possibilité de se sécher à la station Sirena, ce qui a rendu l'expérience assez pénible. Par contre notre guide, Richie était fantastique, beaucoup de connaissances de la faune et de la flore, très pro, très enthousiaste et convivial malgré les conditions très difficiles. Nous avons énormément apprécié être avec lui.”

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5.Guided Butterfly Conservatory Tour in Costa Rica

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 85 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $29

At the Butterfly Conservatory in Upper El Castillo, you’ll learn how butterflies, frogs, insects, and rainforest plants are raised and protected around Arenal. Volunteer docents explain metamorphosis before you explore the butterfly houses and choose a short or longer jungle walk. Allow two to three hours.

“A really enjoyable family experience at a good price with knowledgeable staff. I would really recommend taking the jungle river walk at the end of the butterfly tour as it’s so pretty.”

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6.Arenal Hanging Bridges, Guided Walk, Hot Springs Optional

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 80 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $87

Explore a 600-acre rainforest reserve near La Fortuna with a local guide such as Andreas or Gustavo. Walk 3 kilometers across 10 fixed and 6 hanging bridges, watch for frogs and snakes, and learn how the forest changes from ground level to canopy. Hotel pickup, drinks, entrance fees, and family-friendly access are included.

“Andreas was a great tour guide! Very knowledgeable about the local flora and fauna. Didn’t hesitate to stop the group to look for animals. We saw lots of snakes and frogs!”

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7.The Discovery Adventures ATV Guided Experience in La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 71 reviews · 3 hours (approx.)

Join Outback Quad and Hire and Tour for a three-hour ATV ride near La Fortuna. You’ll receive a safety briefing, drive automatic 4x4 quads through forest trails, pause by the Arenal River, and look for monkeys, sloths, and volcano views. Guide Nelson is known for keeping rainy rides cheerful and fun.

“What an experience! It was so much fun! and trails were challenging enough to keep things exciting but still felt safe. Perfect mix of adventure and enjoyment.”

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8.Guided Walking Street Art & Graffiti Tour in Jaco Costa Rica

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 68 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $39

Walk Jacó with guide Josué as you view large murals, graffiti, and public art near Central Park, the beach, and downtown. The 2 to 3-hour tour connects Costa Rican culture, Indigenous traditions, and Jacó’s growth. Groups are limited to 10, and the walk ends at Green Room Cafe Bar.

“Josue was my tour guide. Very knowledgeable. Great explanations. He took his time to make sure I saw as much as possible”

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9.Private Guided Walking Tour in Hacienda Baru TICKET NOT included

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 68 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $88

Walk Hacienda Baru near Quepos with a bilingual guide such as Freddy or Pedro, searching for monkeys, sloths, toucans, birds, agoutis, and peccaries. Your guide carries an HD telescope that attaches to your phone for close wildlife photos. The private walk lasts about three hours, with a 7:30 a.m. start and a $17 entrance ticket paid separately.

“Freddy is incredibly knowledgeable about the flora and fauna of the Baru reserve. He knows about the ecosystem and each of the animals that inhabit it. It was well worth the cost for the private tour as we saw many more animals than the folks who did not book a tour!”

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10.Monteverde Cloud Forest Guided Night Walk

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 67 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $65

Walk Monteverde’s forest after sunset with a local guide such as Justin, Kendall, Denis, or Christian. Over two to three hours, you may spot frogs, tarantulas, scorpions, sleeping birds, sloths, armadillos, coatis, and more. Hotel pickup, lights, entry, and a professional guide are included. Expect small hills, cool weather, rain, and wildlife that never follows a schedule.

“We had a wonderful night walk with our guide Justin. He was an amazing guide — very knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and genuinely passionate about the animals and the forest. We got to see many fascinating animals, including a tarantula, an armadillo, several frog species, a sleeping howler monkey, a scorpion and even a porcupine. Justin shared a lot of interesting facts and made the whole experience engaging and memorable. Highly recommended!”

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11.El Tigre Waterfalls Hiking Tour with Lunch and Nature Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 49 reviews · 4 to 5 hours (approx.) · from $140

Start at 7 a.m. with a certified local guide such as Jean Carlo, Steven Rojas, or Melvin. Walk about 5 km through misty cloud forest past four main waterfalls, smaller cascades, hanging bridges, and birds. Then ride horseback or by 4x4 for the final 3 km, followed by lunch. An optional bike zip line costs extra.

“We loved our hike through the cloud forest. Jean Carlo was a great guide with information about many different tree, shrubs, flowering plants, birds and the cloud forest. The hike was about three miles through all terrains and the hanging bridges were so much fun and the waterfalls were spectacular. We finished the day with a delicious lunch in the main building. We highly recommend this hike and Jean Carlo as your guide.”

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12.PRIVATE Guided Walk to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 49 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $68

Spend about three hours walking Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve with a private certified naturalist guide. Guides such as Jason, Loandry, José, Rodiber, and Marvin help you spot quetzals, tarantulas, vipers, monkeys, hummingbirds, and forest birds, often using a telescope to capture clear phone photos. Transportation and the reserve entrance fee are separate.

“We saw the Quetzal ! Thanks to our knowledgeable guide, Rodiger! We had a great day ! The cloud forest was incredible !”

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13.Manuel Antonio National Park guided tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 49 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $28Best value

Walk Manuel Antonio National Park with an official English- or Spanish-speaking guide from Diego Nature Tours. In about two hours, you may spot sloths, monkeys, toucans, frogs, lizards, and iguanas through a powerful telescope. The guide can help you capture close-up phone photos, and you may stay in the park afterward.

“Our guide, Gustavo was a good spotting animals and had a good telescope to see the animals very well. He allowed everybody to have time to take a good look at animals and take photos with own phones. You basically have to join a tour to fully enjoy animals in Manuel Antonio. It's very hard to spot with untrained eyes and without a good telescope. The entry tickets to the park online were sold out. It seems only tour agencies have entry tickets unless you booked in a well advance. I usually prefer not to join a tour but I am glad we did. We learned a lot and spotted…”

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14.Sunset And Night Walk Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 41 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $50

Start at 5:30 pm with coffee or tea, then follow a marked trail through Monteverde as daylight fades. A professional guide leads your group of up to 10 with flashlights and a telescope, helping you find owls, frogs, snakes, insects, sloths, monkeys, and sleeping birds. The walk ends back at the meeting point.

“The private walk enabled us to go at our own pace. Be advised that part of this walk is a steep incline. We are in our 70s, so our guide, Donald, made sure the pace was gentle. Donald was an exceptional nature guide. He is a teacher of ecology in a high school and his passion for the flora and fauna of Monteverde is apparent. And what an eye he has! He found a black sleeping monkey against the black sky. Found a sloth slowly creeping on a branch as well as insects and frogs. Nice tour. Informative. The tea and cookies before we began the tour was a nice…”

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15.Hanging Bridges of Arenal – Guided Nature Walk with Nature

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 40 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $85

Spend about three hours walking two miles through primary jungle near La Fortuna, crossing six suspension bridges and ten rigid bridges. A bilingual naturalist guide such as Alex, Kevin, Samuel, or Joshua helps you spot birds, monkeys, reptiles, insects, and plants. Transportation and admission are included, with groups limited to 15 people.

“We had a very disappointing experience with our tour guide, Anderson. From the beginning, his attitude was arrogant and dismissive. When we asked a simple question about where we might observe monkeys, he responded with, “This is not a zoo,” in a rude and unprofessional tone.”

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