Rainmaker Park night jungle tour: bats, frogs & dinner

Walk the rainforest at night when the animals are active

A night jungle tour of Rainmaker Park in Costa Rica led by a certified naturalist guide, lasting about two to two and a half hours. You walk the forest after dark to see nocturnal wildlife—bats, frogs, spiders, owls and snakes—then return for dinner. Hotel pickup and an air-conditioned vehicle are included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Night tour in Rainmaker Park

• Meet at Rainmaker Park Rancho
• Join guided night walk
• Observe bats, lizards, frogs, and insects

The Experience

Rainmaker Park is one of Costa Rica's most significant rainforest ecosystems, known to herpetologists worldwide as the site where the harlequin frog, nearly extinct, was rediscovered. The night walk starts at the Rainmaker Park Rancho and follows a route through the forest when nocturnal animals are most active. Your guide is a certified professional trained to spot and identify the creatures that emerge after sunset—the bats, tree frogs in varieties most people never see, Jesus Christ lizards, spiders and owls that define a tropical night.

The walk takes about two to two and a half hours. An air-conditioned vehicle picks you up from your hotel and brings you to the park; after the night expedition, you return to the Rancho for dinner before heading back. The guide narrates in English or Spanish, pointing out animals and explaining their behavior and ecology as you move through the forest. The pace is manageable for all fitness levels, and the guide's expertise means you see far more than you would walking alone.

What’s included

• Naturalist guide in English or Spanish.
• the night walk through Rainmaker Park.
• dinner at the Rancho.
• hotel pickup and air-conditioned vehicle transport.
• all fees and taxes.

Good to know

Easy physical level

Operated by Costa Rica Jade Tours

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English or Spanish, so choose the language you're comfortable following in the dark—the expertise is the same either way, and the two-hour pace works for anyone who can walk forest trails without strain.

Traveler reviews

4.86★★★★★★★★★★

1,266 verified traveler reviews

5 ★1,150

4 ★76

3 ★18

2 ★17

1 ★5

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What animals am I likely to see on the Rainmaker Park night walk?

The rainforest at night brings out bats, high varieties of frogs, spiders, owls, Jesus Christ lizards, snakes and many insects. Rainmaker Park is particularly known to researchers for its frog populations, including the harlequin frog, which was rediscovered here after being thought nearly extinct.

How long does the night jungle tour last?

The walk itself takes about two to two and a half hours. With hotel pickup, the drive to Rainmaker Park, dinner after the walk and the return journey, plan for roughly three hours total from the time you're collected.

Is the night walk difficult, or can anyone do it?

The tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. The pace is set by the guide and the group, and you're walking forest trails at night with a professional who knows the terrain and the animals.

What language does the guide speak?

The naturalist guide leads the tour in English or Spanish, so you can choose the language that works for you when you book.

Is dinner included, and when do we eat?

Yes, dinner is included in the tour price. You eat after the night walk, back at the Rainmaker Park Rancho, before the drive back to your hotel.

How do I get to Rainmaker Park?

Hotel pickup is included. An air-conditioned vehicle collects you from your accommodation and drives you to the park, then returns you after dinner.