La Fortuna: Sloth Walk & Tortilla Cooking with Sugarcane Juice

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/19

Duration2h

LanguagesEN · ES

Mobile ticketAccepted

Sloth spotting in lush La Fortuna plus hands-on tortilla class

You’ll wander through La Fortuna’s lush trails searching for sloths with a local guide, then pause for fresh sugarcane juice before learning to make tortillas by hand with Doña Elith. Expect laughter, muddy shoes, and real Costa Rican flavors—a day where nature and culture blend quietly together.

Step-by-step itinerary

Sloth walk and tortilla class

Walk 1.5km trail observing wildlife
See two- and three-toed sloths
Learn about native trees and animals
Enjoy freshly squeezed sugarcane juice
Take traditional tortilla-making class
Visit medicinal plant garden
Savor tortilla with arracache hash and fried cheese
Drink seasonal juice

The Experience

“Look up—see that fuzzy ball?” That’s how our guide, Carlos, started the whole thing. I squinted into the green tangle above us, honestly not expecting to spot anything but leaves. But there it was: a sloth, just hanging there like it had nowhere better to be. The trail through La Fortuna is only about 1.5 km, but every few meters Carlos would pause and point out something—tiny frogs under broad leaves, bees humming so close you could almost feel the vibration, even bats curled up in the shade. The air smelled faintly sweet and earthy after a morning rain, which I didn’t mind at all.

I didn’t realize how much patience it takes to actually see wildlife until this walk. We moved slow, sometimes just standing still while Carlos whispered facts about two- and three-toed sloths (I never knew they’re so different). He explained how they’d spent years reforesting this land—he sounded proud when he talked about it. There were flashes of bright flowers everywhere and once I heard a bird call that sounded like laughter. My shoes got muddy but nobody cared.

The last part surprised me: we ended up at Doña Elith’s house for the tortilla cooking class. She greeted us with this huge smile and showed us her little garden of medicinal plants—she let me smell one leaf that reminded me of mint but stronger. Making tortillas was messier than I thought (my circle looked more like an odd cloud), but she just laughed and showed me again. We drank fresh sugarcane juice—icy cold—and ate our tortillas with fried cheese and something called arracache hash. It was simple food but tasted perfect after the walk. I still think about that first bite.

What’s included

Your day covers all entry fees and taxes along with a traditional Costa Rican snack: handmade tortillas cooked with Doña Elith served alongside arracache hash and fried cheese plus your choice of natural juice or coffee before you head back out into La Fortuna’s green calm.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Las Mariolas Trail