Manuel Antonio Park Wildlife Tour: Private or Group with Guide
Walk rainforest trails with someone who knows where the animals hide
A 2-hour guided nature walk through Manuel Antonio National Park led by an ICT-certified specialist with over 16 years of experience. You choose between a private tour or a group departure, search for sloths, monkeys, toucans, birds and other wildlife on marked trails, and finish at Manuel Antonio Beach with time to swim or rest. The guide photographs your sightings with a Swarovski spotting scope at no extra cost, and all photos and videos go home with you.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Guided wildlife tour and beach visit
- Meet at Manuel Antonio Park entrance
- Explore rainforest trails with guide
- Spot wildlife like sloths and monkeys
- Learn about park’s ecosystem
- Guide takes photos and videos
- Relax and swim at Manuel Antonio Beach
- Exit the park
What’s included
- Two-hour guided walk with an ICT-certified nature specialist.
- all photographs and videos taken with the Swarovski spotting scope.
- access to Manuel Antonio Beach at the end of the tour with time to swim or rest.
- tour instructions sent after booking.
- guide fluent in English or Spanish.
Times
- Every day except Tuesday 07:00 07:30 08:00 10:00 11:00 11:30 12:30 13:00
Before you book
Operated by Costa Rica Wakoo Tours – Jason Solano, Naturalist & Birding Guide
Prices and times updated 10 days ago
Traveler reviews
The experience
The walk starts at the main entrance of Manuel Antonio National Park, where your guide meets you and heads into the rainforest on established trails. For two hours you move through the park's lush terrain in search of the animals that live there: sloths hanging in the canopy, howler monkeys calling from the trees, toucans and colorful birds, iguanas, lizards, crabs and butterflies. The guide carries a top-of-the-line Swarovski spotting scope to help you see details you'd miss with the naked eye, and photographs or films every animal you want to remember. Those images are yours to keep, no charge.
The park spans about 1,000 hectares, but only about 10 percent is open to the public, which means the animals move freely through most of their territory. The guide will search the accessible trails and do their best to find wildlife, but sightings depend on where the animals choose to be on the day you visit. This is not a zoo, and no particular species is guaranteed at any given time. Weather can shift the schedule: if conditions turn bad, the tour reschedules or you receive a refund.
After the walk, you reach Manuel Antonio Beach, one of Costa Rica's best stretches of sand. You have time to swim, wade or simply rest before heading toward the park exit. The guide speaks English or Spanish, and instructions for meeting and logistics arrive after you book. Park admission ($18 for adults, $5 for children) is separate from the tour price, as is any transportation to the entrance. Both are available to arrange.
Is this one for you?Book the private tour if you want the guide's full attention and a flexible pace. Choose the group option if you prefer to share the experience and the cost. Either way, the guide's 16 years of experience in the park is what makes the difference between spotting a few animals and finding the ones most travelers miss. The scope and the photos are just the proof you were there.
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Top questions
What languages is the tour guided in?
Live guide in English and Spanish.
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (under 5).
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 am I most likely to see on the Manuel Antonio Park walk?
Sloths, howler monkeys, toucans and other colorful birds are common sightings, along with iguanas, lizards, crabs and butterflies. The guide uses a Swarovski spotting scope to help you spot details in the canopy and dense vegetation. Since the animals roam freely across the park's 1,000 hectares, sightings vary by day and time: the guide searches the open trails and does their best to find them, but no species is guaranteed.
Can I choose between a private tour and a group tour?
Yes. You select either a private tour or a group departure when you book, depending on the experience you prefer. Both follow the same 2-hour route through the rainforest and end at Manuel Antonio Beach.
What happens if the weather turns bad during the tour?
If conditions become unsafe, the tour reschedules to another time or you receive a refund. The guide will decide based on conditions on the day.
Do I get the photos and videos the guide takes with the spotting scope?
Yes. All photographs and videos the guide captures using the Swarovski spotting scope are included at no extra cost and go home with you as part of the tour.
What do I need to bring, and what's not allowed in the park?
Only water, juices, fruits and pre-prepared sandwiches are permitted inside Manuel Antonio National Park. No other food or drinks are allowed. Wear comfortable walking shoes and bring sun protection. The trails are shaded but the beach is open.
Is park admission included in the tour price?
No. National park admission is separate: $18 for adults and $5 for children. Transportation to the main entrance is also separate but available to arrange.
Manuel Antonio Park Wildlife Tour: Private or Group with Guide
2h · EN · ES
from US$ 30 per person
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