Crocodile Jungle River Safari & Puntarenas Cultural Highlights
Description
This experience is specially designed for cruise travelers who want to see the very best of Costa Rica in just one day. From close encounters with playful white-faced monkeys to tasting tropical fruits straight from local farmers, every stop offers something authentic and memorable. Glide along the Tarcoles River to spot giant crocodiles and colorful birds, then enjoy a delicious traditional lunch at a coastal restaurant. Shop for handicrafts, local products, and world-famous Costa Rican coffee before ending with a Puntarenas city tour.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Visit a private area where the famous white-faced monkeys arrive every day. An up-close experience with wildlife in its purest form.
Try the sweetest tropical fruits in the region, straight from the hands of local farmers who are proud to share their harvests.
The Highlight of the day, a boat ride in the Tarcoles River, this boat ride take on hour, a great place for nature! You will have chances to see Crocodiles, birds, and more!
Enjoy lunch at one of the best local restaurants on the coast, featuring fresh meats, vegetables, and fruits.
Enjoy a stop at one of Costa Rica’s top-quality souvenir shops, where you’ll find a wide selection of handicrafts, local products, and gifts to take home. You can also sample some of the country’s best coffee.
The final stop will be a city tour, where you’ll visit the local fish market, the town’s oldest church, and the famous Puntarenas ferry before returning to your cruise.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Your tour begins at the main gate of the pier, where our guides will be waiting for you with a sign displaying your name. Look for our red shirts for easy identification. Timing: Tours are scheduled 30 minutes after your ship docks, and the earliest tour starts at 8:00 AM. As the best local tour operator, we guarantee your return to the cruise ship.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- At time of booking, Cruise ship passengers must provide the following information at time of booking: ship name, docking time, disembarkation time and re-boarding time
- Minimum of 2 passengers apply. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund
- Comfortable clothes are recommended
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Tours departing from San José do not include stops at the Monkey House or a city tour in Puntarenas
Reviews(19)
Rich and Roberto were wonderful. We went to some very interesting places
Thank you for your kind words! We’re delighted to hear that Rich and Roberto made your experience enjoyable and that you had the opportunity to visit some interesting places along the way. They are both passionate about what they do, and it’s always great to see that reflected in our guests’ experiences. We truly appreciate you choosing us and hope to welcome you again on another adventure in Costa Rica.
If I could give 10 stars I would. Katherine was fun, knowledgable, and organized. We fit so many stops and activities in to one day, it was awesome!
Thank you so much for this incredible feedback! A “10-star” experience is exactly what we aim for, and we’re thrilled to hear Katherine delivered just that. Her energy, knowledge, and organization truly make a difference, especially when packing in multiple stops and activities into one unforgettable day. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with her—it will mean a lot. We really appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back again soon for another amazing adventure!
This was the best experience! Kathryn and Hubert were the best tour guides. We had no plans for the day in Puntrenas. Kathryn was waiting outside the ship with a sign. Best 40$ spent
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We’re thrilled to hear this was the highlight of your day in Puntarenas. It’s great to know that Kathryn and Hubert took such good care of you from the moment you arrived, and that everything—from the pickup at the ship to the overall experience—felt smooth and worthwhile. Your comment about it being the “best $40 spent” truly means a lot to our team. We’re glad we could turn a day with no plans into a memorable adventure. We appreciate you choosing us and hope to welcome you again on your next visit!
Excellent well structured day. Our guide Rishelyn was very attentive, competent, professional. Lunch restaurant very delicious and clean. Very long day more than 7 hours but very beautiful.
Merci beaucoup pour votre excellent commentaire ! Nous sommes ravis d’apprendre que vous avez passé une journée aussi bien organisée et agréable. Rishelyn sera très heureuse de savoir que son attention, son professionnalisme et ses connaissances ont contribué à rendre votre expérience spéciale. Nous sommes également contents que le restaurant du déjeuner ait été à la hauteur de vos attentes. Même si la journée était longue, c’est un plaisir de savoir qu’elle en valait la peine. Au plaisir de vous accueillir à nouveau pour une prochaine aventure au Costa Rica !
Great well structured excursion! We have seen and fed Capuchin monkeys in nature, a very good market with butterfly garden, coffee and chocolate fruit tastings, boat ride on Taroles River to see many crocodiles and several species of birds. Our guide Rishelyn edt exceptional and very attentive, she brought us to an excellent restaurant very clean. She is a high-quality human. I recommend 100%!
Merci infiniment pour votre superbe retour ! Nous sommes ravis d’apprendre que vous avez autant apprécié cette excursion bien structurée et riche en expériences — observer et nourrir les singes capucins, découvrir le marché avec le jardin de papillons, profiter des dégustations de fruits, café et chocolat, ainsi que la balade en bateau sur le Río Tárcoles pour voir les crocodiles et les oiseaux. Un merci tout particulier pour vos mots à propos de Rishelyn. Nous sommes très fiers de l’avoir dans notre équipe, et votre reconnaissance de son attention et de sa qualité humaine lui fera énormément plaisir. Nous apprécions sincèrement votre recommandation et espérons avoir le plaisir de vous accueillir à nouveau pour une prochaine aventure au Costa Rica !
The guide was very informative and kind. We had a good time on the tour. We fed the monkeys and they jumped all over us. They were friendly and fun. We saw lots of crocs on the boat tour as well.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed the tour and that your guide was informative and kind throughout the experience. Seeing wildlife up close, including monkeys and crocodiles during the boat tour, is certainly a memorable part of visiting Costa Rica, and we are glad these moments made your day enjoyable. Your comments are greatly appreciated and will be shared with the guide and team. Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you again on another tour in the future.
Excellent guide. Very knowledgeable. Saw lots of wildlife. Guide continued on the boat your. Strongly recommend.
Thank you for your wonderful feedback! We’re glad to hear that you had an excellent experience and that your guide’s knowledge and dedication made the tour even more enjoyable. It’s great to know you were able to see plenty of wildlife and that the boat portion of the tour was a highlight as well. We truly appreciate your strong recommendation and hope to welcome you back on another adventure soon.
We had an excellent excursion with Aaron Fernandez Melendez in Costa Rica. He took us to visit the white faced monkey's, safari with the gators & also a visit to the Toucan's The gators & lot's of birds were all visible on the safari. Aaron provided great commentary on the history & culture of Costa Rica. He was able to answer all of our questions & spoke exceptional English - cause of Spanish is not so great!
Dear Guest, Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience. We’re delighted to hear that you had an excellent excursion with Aaron Fernandez Meléndez. It’s wonderful to know that you enjoyed the visit to the white-faced monkeys, the safari with the crocodiles, and the stop to see the toucans and other wildlife. We’re especially pleased that Aaron’s commentary, knowledge of Costa Rican history and culture, and excellent English made the day even more enjoyable for you. He truly strives to provide memorable and informative experiences for all our guests. We appreciate your kind words and hope to welcome you back to Costa Rica in the future for another adventure! Warm regards, SYL Travel
This was a great tour to see much of what Costa Rica has to offer. Lots of monkeys, crocodiles, toucans and colorful macaws. Well informed and entertaining tour guide. Well worth it.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! We’re delighted to hear you enjoyed the tour and got to see so much amazing wildlife — monkeys, crocodiles, toucans, and macaws all in one day! It’s wonderful that your guide made the experience both informative and fun. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back for another Costa Rican adventure! 🌿🦜🇨🇷
Pablo was knowledgeable. A superb guide. Would highly recommend him. Humorous, helpful, timely and safety conscious. Found many alligators, 2 very large, and many various birds.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re delighted to hear that Pablo made your experience so memorable. His knowledge, humor, and focus on safety truly set him apart, and we’re glad you enjoyed the wildlife sightings. We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you on another adventure soon!
