Tenorio Rainforest Hanging Bridges, waterfall and Sloth Encounter

The excursion was fantastic. We experienced the Rainforest, the views and sounds were amazing. Our tour guide Eddy, was absolutely amazing- he made the outing a home run. He was knowledgeable about all the flora and fauna of Costa Rica and shared the history of his country. We visited the waterfall and were the first ones there and experienced this with just our family- swimming and taking great pictures. The sloth encounter was really special as well. Everywhere we went we seemed to be the first to arrive which made it even more special. Eddy seemed to know everyone- we stopped so he could educate us on the Guanacaste Tree and then again to try some some local Rosquillas and watermelon. Everyone honked and waved at Eddy. The restaurant he took us to for lunch allowed us to try the local cuisine and it was great- it also had a butterfly sanctuary. Eddy gave us VIP treatment and I highly recommend him and this excursion.

This was an exceptional trip and well worth the money and going on if you're around these areas. Our guide and driver for the day was Eithel, and we couldn't have asked for anyone better. Here's what we did & why we enjoyed it so much. We went to Llanos del Cortes waterfall which Eithel chose to take us to first rather than last as shown on the itinerary, this was a good choice because it rained later in the day but it was nice & sunny when we got to the waterfall, it was also very quiet & we had the place almost to ourselves which meant we could have a nice peaceful swim and photos, the place is a real magical green paradise. We then went onto Albergue Heliconias Lodge rainforest which was very tropical and green, we went on a 2 hour walk through the rainforest where there were about 4 hanging bridges we walked across, Eithel was very knowledgeable about the animal sounds we was hearing and told us what each sound was and pointed out loads of wildlife including, sloths, lizard, hummingbirds, glass-wing butterfly, frogs, tucan, leafcutter ants, spider monkeys which we saw playing in the trees. The hanging bridges enable you to walk through the canopy of the rainforest and see it from a different perspective, the paths aren't too physically demanding, if you have a fear of heights this soon goes because you're too busy looking at all the amazing scenery. We then went to a restaurant with a butterfly sanctuary, ordered food which is included in the price of the trip, while we waited we walked around the butterfly sanctuary where there were loads of massive butterflies flying around (around 5-6 inches wide) . The food was amazing and had big portions. Then we went to Finca Verde Lodge private nature reserve at the base of Tenorio volcano where we had a guide from the nature reserve who walked round with us for about 1 hour and pointed out all the animals to us that were hiding, because he worked here he knows where all the animals live, including sloths, porcupine, poisonous frogs, lots different birds, red eyed tree frog, termites (he eat some) leafcutter ants, howler monkeys, honey bees, loads of different plants and flowers. The guide was great, very friendly, funny and knowledgeable, unfortunately can't remember his name. Overall the whole day was amazing, we was out for about 10 hours including the driving and it was well worth every penny. Make sure you tip Eithel well at the end he deserves it.

We had the most amazing time on our tour with Carlos Mendez! He was very knowledgeable about the rainforest and the many animals living there! Lunch was awesome in a local restaurant! Llanos de Cortez was beautiful and refreshing! Carlos took a lot of pictures of us and asked if we wanted to go anywhere else along the way for food or souvenirs! Definitely ask for Carlos on your next tour! Next time we are in Costa Rica we will tour with him again! Muchas Gracias para todos Carlos!

+6

The rainforest was beautiful! Got to see sloths up close and a bunch of other wild life! The guides gave helpful info about the species of animals along the way.

+2

We did this tour with Eithel. He is the absolute best!!!! He went out of his way to make sure we got the best of the day and even stopped at a souvenir spot for us before taking us back to the hotel. This place was breathtaking!!! The hike up is not for everyone, I would say active to moderately active but it’s worth every aching sore the next day. Beautiful rainforest, you forget how small you actually are in the world. At the end we got to see a viper, poisonous frogs, and a sloth so close up! Toucans were plenty but so active.

Miller was an amazing tour guide & we had such an amazing time on this excursion! The waterfalls were gorgeous, with plenty of howler monkeys to see & hear! We chose not to take a swim, but definitely would have been fun! The best part of our trip was walking through the rainforest, we saw so many amazing creatures, each fully explained by Miller or Daniel, our other forest guide. We saw 4 sloths & they were quite active too! It was great to see them up close in their own environment. Our guides were just as excited to see everything & take photos just like us.. it really showed how proud they are and how much they love their country. I mean, it’s paradise, how could you not? Our lunch at a local soda was delicious! We loved sharing a meal with Miller & exploring a nearby butterfly garden full of Morphos butterflies too, the local food was amaaaazing. Miller was an exceptional guide & truly made for a great day, definitely worth so much more than what we paid! Thanks again Miller, you’re the best! 😊

Miller was punctual, accommodating, informative and fun. He anticipated our needs and was always one step ahead of our group in suggesting interesting things. He spotted birds and animals during the excursion and on the drive and was willing to make unscheduled stops for photos. He even brought a good digital camera and offered to share his photos with us. He suggested an additional stop at the Blue River which was amazing. I highly recommend this tour and make certain you request Miller.

+3

This was a terrific private tour. The guides were excellent and willing to make changes to the itinerary to accommodate health needs. The tour was informative and the guides gave us a lot of information about Costa Rican history. The waterfalls were beautiful but be prepared to hike up a lot of steps. We saw several sloths and even saw one up close on the ground! It was an amazing day.

Our guide Miller was a delight! We had so much fun with him and he worked hard to give us a tremendous experience. We saw active sloths, lots of monkeys, poison dart and red eyed tree frogs, three different toucan species and lots of tanagers and other beautiful birds. Our forest walk in the tree tops was misty and otherworldly and the reserve owners were kind and warm. Lunch at La Amistad was way off the beaten path but so worth it! Quaint and rustic setting with seriously local home cooked food. Just what we wanted! We loved seeing the rainbow eucalyptus trees.....wow wow wow! The greatest memory will be meeting CR folks in all our stops. They were so friendly and happy to have us. Pura vida!

+1

Today was more than I could have ever imagined. We saw Sloths, Tuscan, howler monkeys, white face monkey, owls, blue jeans frog, red eyed frog, viper tree snake, vultures, wild turkey, tapir, lots of beautiful butterflies and all in their natural environments. Miller was our guide he went above and beyond to make sure we were takin care of. He is very knowledgeable and had an answer to all my questions. The bridges were ok but the wildlife was my favorite.

+3