Animal Sanctuary Experience — rescued wildlife, up close

A Private Visit to a Wildlife Rescue Sanctuary, Guanacaste, Costa Rica

You'll walk a sanctuary that cares for rescued Costa Rican wildlife — three kinds of monkeys, sloths, toucans and other birds, and the big cats that stop everyone in their tracks: pumas, ocelots and jaguars, each one here because it couldn't return to the wild — confiscated from a home that kept it as a pet, brought in injured, or taken out of the illegal wildlife trade. The enclosures open onto glass on all four sides, so everyone gets a clear view without jostling for position — and with your own private guide, someone who knows every resident's story, the visit stays unhurried and easy. Seeing a sloth up close is a quiet thrill, but the moment that stays with most people is standing just a few millimeters of glass from a jaguar — its size, its stillness, its sheer presence.

This is a rescue center, not a zoo: nothing is handled, nothing is for show, and the animals' wellbeing comes first. Come early — from our own experience the mornings are best, cooler for you and far more active for them. Your naturalist guide is exclusively yours and knows each rescued resident by name. The sanctuary itself is a shared facility, so you may see other visitors during your visit. It's an easy add-on to our ATV & Buggy Adventure or our Mangrove Canoe Wildlife Safari — a calm counterpoint to a morning outdoors.