Drake Bay night tour: Nocturnal rainforest with expert guides

Bats, bugs and creatures that only move after sunset

This nocturnal rainforest tour in Drake Bay pairs you with a biologist and mammal expert for a two-and-a-half-hour trek through the forest after dark, searching for bats, insects and other night-active wildlife. The tour departs from Jinetes de Osa Inn and requires you to be staying within a 20-minute walk of that location. No car access or parking is available at the meeting point. Minimum age is 8 years old, and you'll need tennis shoes or hiking boots.

Step-by-step itinerary

Night rainforest exploration

• Meet near Jinetes de Osa Inn
• Walk to nature trail
• Explore trail for nocturnal creatures
• Learn about bugs, bats, and wildlife

The experience

The Swarovski spotting scope with iPad attachment and the Echo Meter Touch 2 Pro bat detector are what set this apart from a casual night walk. Tracie and Gianfranco use both tools to reveal what most visitors miss: the actual behavior of nocturnal creatures in their habitat, not just a glimpse of movement in the dark. The scope lets the whole group see detail at once, and the bat detector translates echolocation into sound so you hear what the bats are doing as they hunt.

The trek follows a nature trail through the rainforest canopy and understory, moving slowly enough to spot roosting birds, hunting spiders, frogs calling from the leaf litter, and the mammals that emerge only after sunset. Tracie specializes in insects and arachnids. Gianfranco co-authored the field guide to Costa Rican mammals. Between them, they field questions about everything from why certain creatures are active at night to how they navigate without daylight. This is Drake Bay's longest-running nocturnal tour, over 20 years in operation, so the guides know which trails and which hours yield the most activity.

The tour runs between two and a half and three hours total. You'll need to walk on uneven terrain in the dark with a headlamp or flashlight, so moderate fitness and solid hiking skills matter. The guides do not recommend this for travelers with knee problems, balance issues, vision impairment, or poor cardiovascular health. A minimum of two guests must confirm the tour, and children as young as 8 can join. Because the meeting point sits a 20-minute walk from Jinetes de Osa Inn with no vehicle access, you must be staying in Agujitas within that walking radius. The tour is not offered from hotels in Ganadito, Caletas, San Josecito or Rincón.

What’s included

Professional guides (a biologist and mammal expert) equipped with a Swarovski spotting scope with iPad attachment for group viewing and an Echo Meter Touch 2 Pro bat detector to locate and identify bats by their echolocation.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 19:25

Book up to1d before

AgesAdult (19 to 65 years) · Child (8 to 18 years) · Under 8: can't be booked

GroupUp to 6 · max 4 per booking

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 5 days ago

Good to know

Moderate physical effortNot recommended during pregnancyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by The Night Tour with Tracie The Bug Lady

Is this one for you?The two-and-a-half-hour window means you can fit this tour into a morning or afternoon and still have the rest of your day free, but only if you're staying in Agujitas within walking distance of the meeting point: no transfers are offered, so proximity to Jinetes de Osa Inn is the deciding factor.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (8 to 18 years). Children under 8 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What animals will I actually see on a night tour in Drake Bay?

Nocturnal creatures active in the rainforest after dark (bats, insects, spiders, frogs, and mammals like kinkajous and opossums), though sightings depend on the night and the season. The guides use a bat detector to locate bats by their echolocation and a Swarovski scope so the whole group can observe detail together.

Do I need special shoes, or will the tour provide boots?

You must bring tennis shoes or hiking boots. The tour does not provide them. The terrain is uneven and you'll be walking in darkness, so sturdy footwear with good grip is essential.

How far is the walk from my hotel to the meeting point?

The meeting point at Jinetes de Osa Inn is a 20-minute walk from your accommodation. You must be staying in Agujitas within that walking distance. The tour is not offered from hotels in Ganadito, Caletas, San Josecito or Rincón, and there is no parking or car access at the trailhead.

What makes this different from a daytime rainforest walk?

The nocturnal tour reveals an entirely different set of creatures and behaviors: bats, night-hunting spiders, frogs, and mammals that rest during the day. The guides use specialized equipment (a bat detector and high-powered scope) to show you details you would not see on your own, and the forest itself is quieter and more focused on sound and movement than on sight.

How physically demanding is the two-and-a-half-hour trek?

The tour requires at least moderate fitness and solid hiking skills. You'll walk on uneven rainforest terrain in darkness with a headlamp, so balance, knee strength and good cardiovascular health matter. The guides do not recommend this tour for travelers with knee problems, balance issues, vision impairment, or poor hiking ability.