Playa Flamingo: Zipline & Dry Forest Wildlife Tour

Nine cables, one family farm, forty minutes from the beach

You ride forty minutes inland to a family-run farm, clip into a harness, and zip across nine cables suspended through dry forest, spotting howler monkeys and coatis below. Transport, bilingual guide, water and fruit are included. The whole experience takes three hours, and you're back near the beach by lunchtime or early evening depending on your start time.

Is this one for you?Right for travelers staying in the Guanacaste beach towns who want to move inland without renting a car. The three-hour window is tight enough to fit between a morning swim and an afternoon meal, but long enough that you're actually in the forest, not rushing through it.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Guanacaste Forest Zipline Adventure

• Travel 40 minutes to farm
• Meet bilingual guides
• Receive safety briefing
• Zipline across 9 cables
• Observe wildlife and forest views
• Enjoy provided fruit and water
• Return from tour after 3 hours

The Experience

The road climbs away from the coast fast. One minute you're thinking about the ocean, the next the trees close in and the air gets quieter — that's when you know you've left the tourist strip behind. The farm sits on land the Arrieta Lopez family has worked since 1930, and it shows in the way the place is kept, the cables strung tight, the platforms solid. Your bilingual guide meets you at the start, runs through the harness check, and then you're clipped in for the first of nine cables that string across the dry forest canopy like a map of the place.

The cables run up to 390 feet high and stretch as far as 1,800 feet between platforms, so you're not zipping over a backyard — you're crossing the forest at the height where the big trees live. As you move from one side to the other, the view opens down to the lowlands, and if you're quiet or lucky, you'll spot howler monkeys in the branches below, white-nose coatis moving through the understory, iguanas sunning on the trunks. The dry forest canopy is different from what most people expect in Costa Rica — it's sparser, the light comes through harder, and the animals are more visible because they're not hidden in the dense green. Your guide points out the birds and the movement in the trees, and the whole thing takes about three hours from start to finish, which is long enough to feel like you've actually been somewhere, not just ticked a box.

Transport from Tamarindo, Playa Grande, Flamingo or Potrero is included, and the drive is about forty minutes each way. You get water and fresh fruit during the tour, so you're not managing your own supplies while you're trying to focus on the cables. The tour runs at 8am, 10am, or 1:30pm, so you can pick the time that fits your day without having to negotiate or wait around. Bring sunblock and bug spray — the forest canopy doesn't cover everything, and the insects are real — and wear closed-toed shoes because the platforms and the ground underneath are not forgiving if you slip.

Top questions

How high are the ziplines?

The cables run up to 390 feet high and stretch as far as 1,800 feet between platforms.

What animals will I see?

Howler monkeys, white-nose coatis, iguanas, birds, and sometimes horses and cattle on the farm itself. Sightings depend on the time of day and season.

How long does the tour take?

Approximately three hours total, including the forty-minute drive from your hotel.

What's included?

Transportation from Tamarindo, Playa Grande, Flamingo or Potrero, bilingual guide, water, and fresh fruit during the tour.

What time does it start?

Tours depart at 8:00am, 10:00am, or 1:30pm.

Do I need to be fit?

The tour is rated easy to moderate. It's not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, pregnant travelers, or those with poor cardiovascular health.

What should I bring?

Sunblock, bug spray, comfortable clothing, and closed-toed shoes. The guide and company provide water and fruit.

How far is the drive?

Approximately forty minutes from Tamarindo, Playa Grande, Flamingo or Potrero.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and return transport from the Tamarindo, Playa Grande, Flamingo or Potrero area, a bilingual guide for the entire zipline course, water and fresh fruit during the tour, and all safety equipment. You'll spend about three hours on the property, with the drive taking forty minutes each way.