Tarcoles River Crocodile Tour from San Jose: Private & Guided

Get close to American crocodiles and rainforest wildlife on your own schedule

A private full-day tour from San Jose combines a 90-minute boat tour on Tarcoles River (home to one of the world's largest wild crocodile populations) with a guided nature walk through Carara National Park and lunch at The Croc Skywalk. Your naturalist guide leads the whole day, and hotel pickup is included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Crocodile tour and rainforest exploration

• Pickup from hotel
• Drive 90 minutes to Tarcoles River
• 90-minute crocodile boat tour
• Enjoy typical lunch at Croc Skywalk
• Explore souvenir store
• Drive to Carara National Park
• Explore Carara National Park rainforest

The experience

The Tarcoles River holds one of the world's largest populations of American crocodiles in the wild, and a 90-minute private boat tour puts you on the water to watch them. You'll spot crocodiles of all sizes basking on the banks and in the shallows, along with exotic birds, iguanas, lizards and monkeys. The boat moves through dense mangrove forest canals and opens onto wider river views, so the wildlife changes as the ecosystem shifts from river to mouth.

After the boat tour, lunch happens at The Croc Skywalk, a restaurant and platform overlooking the Tarcoles River where you can watch for the biggest crocodiles from above while you eat. Then a short drive takes you into Carara National Park, where a 90-minute guided walk moves through rainforest in a transition zone between dry and humid ecosystems. That mix creates unusual diversity: over 1,400 plant species grow here, and the wildlife roster includes Scarlet macaws, monkeys, snakes and armadillos. Your professional naturalist guide stays with you the entire day, pointing out what moves in the canopy and explaining how the different zones work.

The full day runs about eight hours from hotel pickup to return, with the drive from San Jose taking 90 minutes each way. You travel in private deluxe transportation, and a bottle of water comes with you.

What’s included

• Private deluxe transportation from your hotel.
• 90-minute private boat tour on Tarcoles River.
• 90-minute guided nature walk in Carara National Park with a professional naturalist.
• buffet lunch at The Croc Skywalk.
• bottle of water.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to18h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (4 to 12 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish and Spanish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessible

Operated by Greenway Nature Day Tours

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want the whole day to yourself and your group: the private guide and vehicle mean you move at your own pace, stop when wildlife appears, and skip the crowds that shared tours bring. It suits families, small groups or anyone who prefers not to share the experience with strangers.

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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 (4 to 12 years); Infant (under 4): free.

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 kinds of crocodiles will I see on the Tarcoles River boat tour?

American crocodiles of all sizes live in the Tarcoles River, one of the world's largest wild populations. The 90-minute boat tour puts you close enough to watch them on the banks and in the water, and from The Croc Skywalk platform afterward, you get another chance to spot the biggest ones.

What wildlife besides crocodiles shows up in Carara National Park?

Carara's rainforest holds Scarlet macaws, monkeys, snakes, armadillos, iguanas and lizards, plus over 1,400 plant species. The park sits in a transition zone between dry and humid ecosystems, so the mix of animals and plants is unusually rich for a single location.

How much time do I spend actually walking and boating on this tour?

You spend 90 minutes on the boat tour along Tarcoles River and 90 minutes on a guided nature walk through Carara National Park. The rest of the eight-hour day covers hotel pickup and return, the 90-minute drive each way from San Jose, and lunch at The Croc Skywalk.

Is the tour accessible if I use a wheelchair?

Yes, all areas and surfaces on this tour are wheelchair accessible. The tour is also suitable for all physical fitness levels.