Caribbean Costa Rica is justly famous for spectacular beaches, great tracts of rainforest and loads of wildlife.
Howler Monkeys swing through the trees, sloths meander up and down trunks, toucans nibble palm fruits as neon Dart Frogs hop through the leaves while pelicans swoop over dolphins playing offshore.
The Caribbean coast is the best place in Costa Rica to see a variety of wildlife without sacrificing comfortable accommodation, a great variety of good restaurants and of course gorgeous beaches.
Imagine a week (or two) where you live a different Caribbean wildlife adventure each day and every day see something new and amazing. From A (spotting an Agouti) to Z (ziplining through the rainforest canopy) we’ve put together a Wildlife Week Menu with choices to suit ages from 8 to 80!
Whether you are a couple looking for one or two weeks vacation full of wildlife experiences or a family considering a Wildlife Adventure vacation, we’ve got the local knowledge and options to suggest an itinerary that suits you.
Take a look at our Wildlife Week itinerary to get an idea of the possibilities.
Most of us enjoy wildlife but kids (of all ages) universally love it! In a world where everyday life can be taken over by technology, a Family Wildlife Week gives everyone the chance to unplug and share the pleasures of this incredible natural world.
OK, we DO have WIFI at Geckoes Lodge but you can choose whether or not to share that information ,) Our bet is that most children will spend little / no time online because the alternatives are Awesome!
Staying at Geckoes Lodge you are surrounded by wildlife and our rainforest villas are designed to make viewing easy and luxurious… you can simply wildlife spot from your plunge pool, hammocks, living area, kitchen and even your bed or bathroom!
Away from it all, but only 1 kilometre from the beach, restaurants and all amenities, at Geckoes Lodge you have the best of both worlds.
The Small Print:
We are happy to help you choose and arrange activities that suit you for your Wildlife Week.
The prices of trips and tours vary of course, depending on what you choose. For instance, ziplining costs US$55 per person (half price for children ages 4 to 11 years) whilst a visit to the Mariposario costs approximately US$6 per person.
A Wildlife Menu
If you want to choose your own menu of wildlife experiences here’s what’s possible on this coast. As you can see, you can easily choose for a Wildlife Fortnight!
Jaguar Rescue Centre: A chance to see animals, reptiles and birds up close who are being cared for prior to re-release into the wild.
Ziplining: Great fun and wildlife spotting.
Cahuita National Park: Guided Snorkelling on Cahuita’s coral reef and walk through the national park.
Tree of Life: Animal Rescue Centre in Cahuita with a good variety of rainforest wildlife.
The Ara Project: Breeding and Releasing centre for Green Macaws.
LA Ceiba: Early morning tour or Dinner and Night hike tour in this beautiful sanctuary.
Sloth Sanctuary, Cahuita: Guided tour of the sanctuary and a canoe trip on the Estrella river.
Gandoca Lagoon: Boat trip on a small but lovely lagoon with great wildlife spotting opportunities.
River / Sea kyaking: View wildlife from the water.
Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge Trek: Forest, lagoons and spectacular beaches. Good for viewing monkeys, toucans, sloths, snakes, caimans and a variety of birds.
Mariposario: A small but interesting butterfly and Poison Dart frog garden with hives of non stinger bees too!
Dolphin watching: A boat trip to view these wonderful creatures in their own environment.
Fishing &/or Snorkelling: Charter a boat for half a day or a full day, catch fish for dinner and snorkel the outer reefs.
Bird Watching: there are various tours available, such as a tour to the Kekoldi Indian Reserve or a simple bird-spotting walk in Manzanillo. With over half the bird species of Costa Rica found on this coast, birders are in for a treat!
Horseback Jungle/Beach tour: Spot wildlife from the saddle with a combination of rainforest and beach riding.
Turtle watching: March to July. Gandoca runs a sea turtle conservation project and guided tours (small groups) can watch the Leatherback or Green turtles laying their eggs in sand burrows. An unforgettable experience.
Iguana Verde Foundation: A foundation set up to breed and release Iguanas into protected wild areas, here you can view these magnificently pre-historic reptiles.
Ready for a Wildlife Week or two?
We’ll help you organize it: All you have to do is Live it!
Take a step towards an unforgettable wildlife vacation…