Sloths are the #1 animal on the “must see” list that people want to see when they come to Costa Rica. And this tour gives you your best chance to see them if you are staying in Guanacaste! After a short hike to Guanacaste’s most stunning waterfall, you will head north to look for sloths, and there is a pretty good chance you will see some of the beautiful dart frogs, toucans, scarlet macaws and other animals – all in the wild, nothing caged on this tour. Enjoy these great spots with your private, naturalist guide who will share useful tips and interesting facts revealing their love of Costa Rica and its rich history -- and they make it FUN!
HIGHLIGHTS
• Best chance of any tour from Guanacaste to see sloths, toucans and frogs
• Cortez Waterfall Hike
• Hot, Tico-style Lunch with Natural Fruit Juice
• Private vehicle and naturalist guide accompany you and your party
Tour Options
Sloths, Monkeys and Waterfall Experience
Pickup included
Itinerary
Bill Beard's Costa Rica
You will be picked up by a naturalist, English-speaking guide in a
private vehicle at your
Guanacaste Beach hotel* for a day of pure Costa Rican natural wonders. After an easy drive that takes you along the outskirts of Liberia, the capital city of Guanacaste, you will be greeted by rolling hills and wide-open spaces. You will enjoy a wonderful short hike that takes you to the pool where the wide, stunning Llanos de Cortez spills into a refreshingly large pool. You will definitely want to take photos at this gorgeous spot!
Stop along the way to relax, stretch and enjoy a delicious, typical “Tico” lunch, served hot with a refreshing fruit drink.
From here you will continue north on the Pan American highway and into the dense, lush hills that are home to sloths, monkeys. Blue Jean dart frogs and other colorful frogs like to hang out near the river banks, and you and your guide will have ample time to search for these natural wonders, because this unspoiled area is filled with wildlife, birds and plants. You will be glad to have the naturalist guide with you since the sloths, frogs, monkeys, toucans and other animals and birds are not in cages. We cannot “cue” the wildlife, so there is no guarantee that you will see all the animals, birds or reptiles listed.
What's included
Included
Lunch - Typical Lunch near Miravalles and Tenorio Volcanoes
Bottled water
Private vehicle and naturalist guide accompany you and your party
Hotel pickup and drop-off (selected hotels only) : Playa Hermosa, Playas del Coco, Playa Ocotal, Playa Flamingo and Playa Tamarindo area hotels. Contact us if staying at hotels outside these areas.
Dinner
Hike to Llanos de Cortez Waterfall
Not included
Transportation from hotels outside the Playa Hermosa, Playas del Coco, Playa Ocotal, Playa Conchal, Flamingo and Tamarindo. Contact us before booking if you are not sure your hotel is in one these towns.
Tips for Guides or Drivers
Pickup Locations & Times
If you are staying at a rental property we can schedule pick up at the nearest hotel location.
Traveller Ratings
5.0
13 reviews
5
13
4
0
3
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2
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1
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Important Information
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Naturalist guide reserves the right to revise logistics or provide alternate tour options when necessary
No guarantee you will see all animals, birds or reptiles listed.
Not recommended for person with disability that would preclude them from hiking up and down hills to waterfalls
Not responsible for damage to personal items brought on tour. Bring personal items at your own risk.
Not recommended for children aged 2 and under
Children must be accompanied by an adult
Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
Wear Comfortable Shoes for Moderate Hike
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
1+ days before100% refund
0–1 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does Sloths, Monkeys and Waterfall Experience take?
Sloths, Monkeys and Waterfall Experience lasts about 6–8 hours. The itinerary has 1 stop.
How much does Sloths, Monkeys and Waterfall Experience cost?
Prices start at $250 per person for this Playa Hermosa experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel Sloths, Monkeys and Waterfall Experience for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Is hotel pickup included?
Yes, pickup is offered. If you are staying at a rental property we can schedule pick up at the nearest hotel location. Pickup points include Que Tuanis.
What languages is Sloths, Monkeys and Waterfall Experience offered in?
The experience is available in EN, ES.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Up to 15 travellers can book together.
Is the tour suitable for children?
Not recommended for children aged 2 and under Children must be accompanied by an adult Child rate applies only when sharing with 2 paying adults
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Reviews(13)
7
748deonnah
January 9, 2026
An excellent adventure!
Jose was a fantastic guide. We made it to the waterfall early and beat the crowds. We saw sloths, frogs, a snake, and much more. We also worked on our Spanish and Jose made the trip very fun. Lunch was good food! Highly recommend!
Operator response
Thank you, we too think Jose is the best. He has worked with us for over 35 years and he always prides himself on our clients enjoying the best tour he can provide. AND the tour, is one of our most popular due to the beauty, typical Costa Rican lunch and seeing all the animals in their natural habitat, the Spanish lessons are Jose's extra touch. Thank you again and Pura Vida.
V
vanessa_s
December 31, 2025
An exciting rain forest escapade
Jose, our private driver, was awesome 😎 I recommend this company; very reliable since the moment I made this reservation, picking us up from our hotel 🤩 five-star service.
Operator response
Thank you Vanessa for your 5 star review on our "5 star service", we really appreciate it. We think this is one of the best tours in Costa Rica and the best opportunity to see sloths in their natural habitat. And, Jose, he has been with us over 35 years and think he is the best in the country, he will be happy to see your review. Hopefully, you will have time to enjoy some of our other tours. Than you again, we really appreciate you taking your time to write this great review. Happy New Year & Pura Vida.
G
GrandTour18785379769
July 18, 2025
Hiking the mountain through the jungle of Costa Rica to the waterfall was an amazing adventure! jose the tour guide was phenomenal and our tour group was super fun! We saw a small yellow venomous snake, a rare lizard and a large family of White Nosed Coati in the wild! Super cool! I normally only experience this while walking through a zoo. I know that I wouldn’t have seen any of these amazing creatures there myself without our experienced guide from #BillBeardCostaRica ! The entire experience in the Tenorio Volcano National park was amazing even the stairway to the waterfall was super cool. The waterfall itself was breathtaking!
We ALSO went on a boat outing to snorkel which was amazing! As well as stayed at two amazing resorts Casa Conde Beachfront all inclusive resort in Papagayo Bay in the San Jose area as well as the Arenal Manoa resort at the base of the Arenal Volcano in Fortuna, Costa Rica which has refreshing mineral hot springs to soak and relax in on site!! These were all arranged so thoughtfully by Nadine Beard herself for us and it was all absolutely perfect!
Operator response
Thank you for the comprehensive review. We are so happy that you had such a wonderful experience with us in Costa Rica on your vacation. It is what we do and we love to do it. Nadine is definitely the best in arranging itineraries and her knowledge of the country and setting up the logistics are unsurpassed. We have experienced stays in all the hotels we recommend, enjoyed the food and know the staff. Jose, our guide manager has worked with us for over 30 years and is definitely family to us. I will pass your review over to Nadine and Jose, you can be sure they will be ecstatic. Thank you again, warm regards & Pura Vida.
A
adventuresofmnm
March 3, 2025
Great Costa Rican Experience
We checked off everything on our list and then some! Ron was an amazing tour guide, loaded with fun facts about Costa Rican terrain and history. Would definitely go again. 😊
Operator response
Sloths, Monkeys & more, not behind bars, we are all so lucky. Thank you for the 5 star review. This is one of our favorite and most popular tours. Thank you for taking your time to send the review and particularly the comments about our naturalist guide Ron, he will be delighted. Thank you again, Best regards & Pura Vida.
M
Michelle_A
June 15, 2024
Amazing!
I wish there were more stars to give! This was an EXCELLENT tour guided by Jose. We saw SO many things, including a sloth that was so close to us we could hear him eating. Unfortunately the waterfall was closed due to inclement weather, but Jose pivoted and filled the space wonderfully. I can’t say enough about this experience!
Operator response
Thank you, A review can't get any better than yours and we can't agree with you more, Jose is one of a kind and he has worked with us for 30 years. So happy that you enjoyed the tours and hopefully you will have time to try some others. Thank you again, warm regards & Pura Vida
O
O172QUkates
March 25, 2024
Wonderful family experience!
We did this private tour with our family of 6 and I highly recommend it! We have a range of kids from 9-17 and it was the perfect timeframe to keep everyone’s interest. Our favorite was definitely the rainforest portion, because we saw so much cool wildlife. Our tour guides were so knowledgeable and helpful and a huge shout out to Carlos (I think that was his name) who was a fantastic photographer and helped get really amazing photos of all the wildlife!
Operator response
Thank you for your excellent review. We are so happy that you and your family had a memorable vacation in Costa Rica that met your expectations. Costa Rica is such a wonderful destination for families and multigenerational groups. I will check and see who your guide was and let him know that you send a "shout out", I can assure you he will be pleased. Our guides love their jobs and their country and it always shows, some of them are second generation with us and they all have families and love guiding other families. There is a lot to do and see in Costa Rica and we hope you will return soon and experience more of what we call Pura Vida. Thank you again.
B
Brock_C
October 6, 2023
So Cool
We saw so many animals on our tour and we loved every minute of it! The guides answered all of our questions and the Sloths were so cool to see.
Operator response
What a wonderful way to see animals in their natural habitat and not behind bars. Thank you for you report, we really appreciate it. Best regards Pura Vida.
6
68penster
January 1, 2023
Sloths, Monkeys and Waterfalls oh my!!!
Thank you to Jose, Marco and Gabriel! They made our tour amazing. We saw sloths, monkeys, frogs and beautiful countryside. The restaurant we went to was authentic Costa Rican food and was so delicious! I highly recommend this tour for people of all ages!!!
Operator response
Wonderful, thank you for the review and Happy New Year. That's a great way to start the year. Jose, Marco & Gabriel will be thrilled to see your 5 star review. On the restaurant, we agree, all of us love to go there and enjoy the typical food and the "old" Costa Rica atmosphere. Thank you again and please hurry back. PURA VIDA
6
65wendys
September 8, 2022
Sloth encounter, frogs and lunch
It all started with Jose picking us up and actually driving in opposite direction to dive shop to get my dive bag left from the day before. He was so patient and even let us stop at a Walmart for some after sun lotion. He acted like one of the family!!!
Then the sloth encounter, frogs and lunch on the way from Playa Hermosa to Arenal was one of the best tours we experienced! Our guide Alan was amazing at not only finding 6 sloths (young sloth almost on ground that we got to get really close to), frogs (he even found a blue jean dart frog), honeybees, termites (yes, we did eat one and it was minty), leave cutter ants, and all sorts of birds. He was so knowledgeable and really great at helping us take great close-up pictures of everything. We left so excited about everything we saw and learned!
Operator response
What an amazing day! Both Jose and Alan are wonderful guides and we love that our clientes get the chance to really connect with them in a small group setting. Thank you for joining Bill Beard Costa Rica on this great day adventure
I
isaacsmeg
June 23, 2022
Sloths, Frogs and Food, Oh My!
Jose was an amazing tour guide. We had a prompt and easy pick up from our resort. He was very knowledgeable about the region and filled us in on an array of information.
We had a great walk through the rainforest. The guides really know what to look out for. We saw so many sloths, frogs, birds and other little rainforest creatures at work.
Our lunch was so wonderful…a truly authentic Costa Rican meal. Delicious and in a stunning setting.
We cannot recommend this tour enough!
Operator response
Wonderful, Thank You for letting us show you some of our country. We are so happy that you enjoyed the tour, the lunch and some of the tremendous amount of wildlife we have. We agree that Jose is an amazing, knowledgeable naturalist guide that loves his job and he will be delighted to see your review. Thank you again, please come back soon and PURA VIDA
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