RAINFOREST & MANUEL ANTONIO NATIONAL PARK: Nature’s Masterpiece

Journey to Arenal, one of Costa Rica’s most spectacular destinations, where the iconic cone-shaped volcano dominates the landscape. This region offers dramatic scenery, abundant wildlife, and the perfect introduction to Costa Rica’s volcanic heritage.

Arenal Volcano National Park: Explore the trails that wind through this magnificent national park, home to the majestic Arenal Volcano. Though currently in a resting phase after decades of activity, the volcano remains an awe-inspiring sight that defines the region’s character.

Hike through diverse terrain where old lava flows have created unique landscapes now being reclaimed by nature. The trails range from easy walks to more challenging hikes, all offering spectacular views of the volcano, Lake Arenal, and the lush Tilaran Mountain Range. The park’s varied ecosystems support an impressive array of wildlife—watch for white-faced capuchin monkeys swinging through the trees, colorful toucans with their distinctive bills, coatis foraging on the forest floor, and countless other species that call this area home.

Your naturalist guide will share fascinating stories about the volcano’s explosive history, including the devastating 1968 eruption that destroyed several villages and created the landscape you see today. The contrast between barren lava fields and vibrant green forest demonstrates nature’s incredible resilience and power.

La Fortuna Waterfall: Prepare for one of Costa Rica’s most breathtaking natural wonders. After descending approximately 500 steps through lush rainforest (a moderately challenging walk that’s well worth the effort), you’ll reach the base of the spectacular La Fortuna Waterfall.

This powerful cascade plunges 70 meters down a sheer rock face into a stunning turquoise pool below. The thunderous roar of falling water, the cool mist on your face, and the surrounding jungle create an almost primordial atmosphere. The pool at the base is deep enough for swimming—brave the chilly, refreshing water and swim beneath the falls for an unforgettable experience. The water is crystal clear and incredibly invigorating, fed directly by the Fortuna River.

The rainforest surrounding the waterfall is teeming with life. Keep your eyes open for toucans, oropendolas, tanagers, and other tropical birds. The walk back up the stairs provides a good workout, but multiple rest platforms allow you to catch your breath while enjoying different views of this magnificent waterfall.

Ascend to the highlands of Monteverde, one of the world’s most famous cloud forest destinations. This mystical region, perpetually shrouded in mist, offers a completely different ecosystem from the lowland rainforests of Arenal. The cooler temperatures, constant moisture, and high elevation create ideal conditions for extraordinary biodiversity.

Selvatura Park – Complete Experience: Discover one of Monteverde’s premier eco-tourism destinations, where you’ll experience two incredible ways to explore the cloud forest:

Hanging Bridges: Walk in the clouds on Selvatura’s system of eight suspension bridges, some reaching heights of up to 150 feet above the forest floor. These engineering marvels allow you to safely explore different levels of the cloud forest canopy, where much of the forest’s biodiversity exists but is rarely seen from the ground.

The approximately 2-mile trail combines sturdy bridges with ground-level paths, creating a comprehensive forest experience. As you cross each bridge, you’ll feel a gentle sway and hear the creak of cables—perfectly safe but adding just enough excitement to make it memorable. The elevated perspective offers unparalleled opportunities for wildlife observation, particularly for spotting the incredible variety of birds that inhabit the canopy, including the resplendent quetzal, three-wattled bellbird, and countless hummingbird species.

The bridges also provide spectacular views of the Arenal Volcano in the distance on clear days, creating perfect photo opportunities. Your guide will point out fascinating details you might otherwise miss—epiphytes growing on tree branches, strangler figs slowly engulfing their host trees, and the intricate relationships between plants, insects, and larger animals that make the cloud forest so complex and fascinating.

Canopy Tour: Experience the ultimate adrenaline rush as you fly through the cloud forest on Selvatura’s world-class zipline system. This thrilling adventure features multiple cables of varying lengths and heights, including some of the longest ziplines in Costa Rica.

Feel the exhilaration as you launch from platforms high in the trees, soaring across canyons and through the mist-shrouded canopy. The longest cable stretches nearly a kilometer, giving you an extended bird’s-eye view of the forest below. Professional guides ensure your safety with top-quality equipment and thorough training, allowing you to fully enjoy the experience.

The unique perspective from the ziplines—flying past treetops, over valleys, and through the clouds—creates an unforgettable sense of freedom. Some cables even feature “Superman-style” positions where you fly horizontally, adding an extra dimension to the adventure. The combination of speed, height, and stunning natural beauty makes this one of Costa Rica’s most popular activities.

Descend from the mountains to Costa Rica’s stunning Pacific coast, where you’ll spend your final nights at Punta Leona, a beautiful resort area that serves as the perfect base for exploring Manuel Antonio National Park and the Central Pacific region. This area offers pristine beaches, lush tropical forests, and some of the country’s best wildlife viewing.

Manuel Antonio National Park – Full Day Tour: Experience one of the crown jewels of Costa Rica’s national park system on this comprehensive full-day excursion. Manuel Antonio is consistently ranked among the world’s most beautiful parks, and for good reason—it combines pristine white-sand beaches with lush rainforest, all packed into a relatively small but incredibly biodiverse area.

Your expert naturalist guide will lead you along the park’s well-maintained trails, using a high-powered telescope to spot wildlife that would be invisible to the untrained eye. Manuel Antonio is famous for its abundant and easily observable wildlife. You’re virtually guaranteed to see three species of monkeys: white-faced capuchins (often feeding near the beach), howler monkeys (whose roars echo through the forest), and the endangered Central American squirrel monkey found only in this region of Costa Rica.

Sloths are another common sighting—both two-toed and three-toed varieties live in the park, and your guide’s trained eye will spot them lounging in the trees. Watch for raccoons, coatis, agoutis, iguanas basking in the sun, and an incredible variety of birds including toucans, scarlet macaws, pelicans, and frigate birds soaring overhead.

The park features several stunning beaches, each with its own character. Manuel Antonio Beach, the park’s main beach, offers calm, clear waters protected by rocky points—perfect for swimming and snorkeling. The white sand and gentle waves make it ideal for relaxation after your jungle hike. Espadilla Sur beach is longer and quieter, while the scenic overlook trail leads to stunning viewpoints where the rainforest meets the Pacific.

The park’s unique geography—a tombolo connecting a former island to the mainland—creates diverse ecosystems within a small area. You’ll hike through both primary and secondary rainforest, along rocky coastlines, and across pristine beaches, experiencing the full range of Central Pacific biodiversity.

Tárcoles River Crocodile Tour: Experience one of Costa Rica’s most famous wildlife spectacles with a boat tour on the Tárcoles River, home to one of the world’s highest concentrations of American crocodiles. This river, which flows from the Central Valley to the Pacific Ocean, creates a unique ecosystem where freshwater meets saltwater, supporting an incredible diversity of life.

As your boat glides along the river, you’ll see massive crocodiles—some exceeding 15 feet in length—basking on the muddy banks or floating in the water. The Tárcoles River population is renowned for having some of the largest crocodiles in the Americas. It’s both thrilling and humbling to observe these prehistoric predators in their natural habitat, so close you can see every scale and tooth.

But crocodiles aren’t the only attraction. The riverbanks and mangrove forests teem with birdlife, making this an excellent birdwatching destination. Watch for roseate spoonbills with their distinctive pink plumage, jabiru storks (Central America’s largest flying bird), boat-billed herons, anhingas drying their wings in the sun, and numerous species of egrets and herons. Scarlet macaws often fly overhead in pairs, their brilliant red plumage contrasting beautifully with the blue sky.

The mangrove ecosystem itself is fascinating—your guide will explain how these unique trees have adapted to live in saltwater and the crucial role they play in coastal ecology. You might also spot iguanas, basilisk lizards (the famous “Jesus Christ lizards” that run across water), and various species of turtles.

The tour provides excellent photographic opportunities and a thrilling wildlife experience that complements the more serene beauty of Manuel Antonio. It’s a perfect demonstration of Costa Rica’s incredible biodiversity—from tiny birds to massive reptiles, all coexisting in this rich estuarine environment.