Sloths, blue morphos and a waterfall — one real rainforest day.
Ninety minutes inland from the dry Guanacaste coast, the forest turns green, wet and loud. A private naturalist walks you through it slowly, then down to a waterfall you can swim in. No rushing — the wildlife sets the pace.
Seven to ten sloths on a normal morning in the Tenorio rainforest — we just can't promise they'll be awake
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Quick answer
The Sloth & Waterfall Rainforest Combo is a full private day in the Tenorio rainforest, north of the Guanacaste coast, Costa Rica. A naturalist walks you slowly through the forest where sloths live, along with monkeys, toucans and tree frogs, then you swim at the Llanos de Cortés waterfall. Lunch, entrance fees and private transport included — from $500 per private group of 2.
Full dayTenorio Rainforest slothsLlanos de Cortés swimLunch included
Last verified September 2026 by Miller Contreras, naturalist guide
Duration
Full day
Style
100% private
Guide
Certified naturalist
Highlight
Llanos de Cortés
Guiding
0+ yrs
Sloths / morning
0–10
Rainforest · Costa Rica
Costa Rica Sloth & Waterfall Rainforest Combo Experience
Deep in the Tenorio rainforest — where the red-eyed tree frog, Costa Rica's living emblem, clings to flowering branches and the canopy never stops humming — our signature combo gathers the best of the rainforest into a single, unhurried day. Pair a private Río Celeste swim with a family chocolate-and-coffee farm, a walk across the hanging bridges, or a gentle river float; every combination is built around the wildlife of the Tenorio rainforest — sloths above all, with monkeys and toucans often in the canopy and blue morphos flashing along the shaded river — and the turquoise water that made this corner of Costa Rica famous. It all sits north of the coast for a reason — the Guanacaste dry forest is the wrong forest for sloths. Guided by a naturalist born and raised among these forests, each experience stays private, personal, and entirely yours.
Private Combo Experience
From $500 per private group of 2
Includes Llanos de Cortés Waterfall + Sloth & Wildlife Encounter
Taxes included · Lunch, entrance fees & bottled water · Private naturalist guide & transportation
Hotel pickup from Tamarindo, Las Catalinas, Reserva Conchal, the Riu resorts at Playa Matapalo, Playas del Coco, Playa Hermosa, Playa Panamá, Liberia & the Papagayo Peninsula.
Larger groups enjoy better per-guest rates — and every combo can grow with the add-ons below.
The base day already includes the rainforest wildlife walk and the Llanos de Cortés waterfall. Tap any add-on to build your day — we’ll confirm the exact quote by group size on WhatsApp.
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Sloth & Wildlife
The rainforest wildlife walk — sloths, monkeys and birds.
Rainforest wildlife walk + Llanos de Cortés waterfall — private guide, transport, lunch & water included.
All prices per private group · larger groups get better per-guest rates · we quote by group size on WhatsApp.
Real photographs from our days
What you'll meet
Every photo here was taken in the field by our own guides. Drag to explore.
Three-toed slothDiurnal, slow, algae in the fur — the one everyone hopes for
Two-toed slothNocturnal cousin; a bonus when we find one curled up
Blue morphoStructural blue — no pigment at all. Never fades.
Yellow-throated toucanThe big one; its call carries over a kilometre
Red-eyed tree frogCosta Rica's living emblem, asleep by day
White-faced capuchinThe cleverest primate in the Americas
Young slothFresh from a rain shower in the Tenorio rainforest
Why book with us
Book direct with the operator
We run these tours ourselves. No middleman, no reseller.
Private from two people on most experiences — no strangers in your van.
The price you see is the price you pay: taxes and door-to-door pickup included.
Honest odds
What wildlife will you see in the Tenorio rainforest?
Other tours promise. We show you the real odds from our own field days — because a wild forest is exactly that: wild.
Sloths
Almost certain
Two species. Found on nearly every visit — awake is another story.
Blue morpho
Almost certain
Costa Rica's national butterfly, flashing along the shaded river.
Toucans
Likely
Yellow-throated, keel-billed and collared aracari in the canopy.
Monkeys
Likely
White-faced capuchins and howlers — you'll hear them first.
Red-eyed frogs
Almost certain
By day they sleep camouflaged under leaves; your guide knows where.
Baird's tapir
Rare
Lives here, but shy and nocturnal — read in tracks more than seen.
“You'll see fauna. The last word belongs to the forest.”— our only promise, and the honest one.
Your day
The shape of the day
No fixed clock — we pick you up along the coast and the forest sets the rhythm. This is how it unfolds.
Morning
Hotel pickup
Private transport from your hotel: Coco, Hermosa, Panamá, Papagayo, Tamarindo, Conchal, the Riu resorts, Liberia.
The drive
Coast to rainforest
Watch the landscape change — dry forest gives way to green, then to wet, loud, living rainforest near the town of Bijagua.
The walk
Rainforest wildlife walk
Slow and guided. We don't look for a sloth — we look for an interruption in the canopy. Morphos, toucans, frogs, monkeys along the way.
Midday
Lunch
Included — local and fresh, at the forest's pace.
Afternoon
Llanos de Cortés waterfall
A short walk down to a wide, swimmable waterfall. The swim is optional; the photo isn't.
Indicative order — exact timing depends on your pickup point, the wildlife, and any add-ons.
From the field
“We don't look for a sloth. We look for an interruption in the canopy — a shape that doesn't move like leaves. On a normal morning in the Tenorio rainforest we find seven to ten. What we can't promise is that they'll be awake.”
Miller Contreras · Naturalist guide · 30+ years in tourism and 20+ years guiding in Guanacaste · Meet your guide →
Before you go
What should you know before you go?
Duration
Full day
Difficulty
Easy–moderate
Style
Private
Languages
EN / ES
Best for
Families
What to bring & wear
Closed walking shoes
Swimwear & a towel (for the waterfall)
Light rain jacket, sun protection, repellent
Camera
Bottled water & lunch are provided.
Age & fitness
Gentle pace, good for kids and seniors — short walks on forest trails and a stroll down to the waterfall. Tell us about mobility needs and we adapt.
Rain & weather
It's a rainforest — a passing shower is part of it and the day runs. If it turns unsafe we reschedule. You'll see wildlife — which species is up to the forest that day.
Pickup
Coco, Hermosa, Panamá, Papagayo, Tamarindo, Las Catalinas, Conchal, the Riu resorts, Waldorf Astoria & Liberia. We confirm your time by location.
The details
What's included
Included
Private transportation (round trip)
Professional naturalist guide
Waterfall visit & swimming
Sloth & wildlife encounters
Rainforest hiking trails
Authentic Costa Rican lunch
All entrance fees & permits
Water, snacks & binoculars
Not included
Optional add-ons (from $70 per group)
Gratuities
Choose with clarity
This day vs. our other rainforest days
Detail
This combo
Sloth & Wildlife Encounter
Rainforest Birding
Duration
Full day
Half day
Full day
Focus
Sloths + waterfall
Sloths
Birds
Difficulty
Easy–moderate
Easy
Easy
Swim
Yes, optional
No
No
Best for
Families
First-timers
Birders
Questions
Frequently asked
Very likely — we find sloths on nearly every visit and see seven to ten on a normal morning in the Tenorio rainforest. What we can't promise is that they'll be awake. It's wild.
Yes. The pace is gentle, the walks are short, and the swim is optional. Tell us about any mobility needs and we adapt the day.
It's a rainforest — a shower is part of the experience and the day runs. Only if conditions become unsafe do we reschedule.
Twenty-four hours before your tour begins, counted from the start time and not the day. Cancel before that and you get a full refund.
It's a private day, so we quote by group size and pickup location; larger groups get better per-guest rates. Optional add-ons start at $70 per group. We confirm everything on WhatsApp.
In their words
What guests take home
★★★★★ 5.0
“We saw so much, including waterfalls, sloths, white-faced monkeys, howler monkeys, red-eyed tree frogs, toucans, the chocolate tree farm and more. There is so much to see in Costa Rica — what a wonderful country. It was worth the cost.”
EGED GGuided by Miller & Eddie RajosTripadvisor · Verified review
More than 300 five-star reviews on Tripadvisor
Come find it in the rainforest
Tell us where you're staying on the coast and we'll build the day around you — the wildlife takes care of the rest. Our guides’ eBird lists are public, so you can read them before you write.
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