Central Mountain Tours

Cloud forests offer the best birding opportunities to search for some of the rarest birds found in Costa Rica. This tour, only for guest staying at the Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel and Private Reserve, is led by certified Greentique birding guides who have local knowledge of the birds living within this 2000 acre protected area. This is a mild to moderate 2-hour hike led by a professional guide with a high-powered spotting scope. Stopping to follow the sound of a specific bird call, your guide will help you find and identify several birds that you can check off your list. There are over 250 species of birdlife recorded at this high elevation. This tour leaves from the hotel reception area and includes a certified Greentique birding specialist guide. Please wear fully enclosed hiking shoes, and bring rain gear, insect repellent, bottled water, binoculars, and your camera. Since this is for hotel guests only, there is NO TRANSPORTATION needed. Perfect for families with children age 6 and up. Even if you have never considered birdwatching before, you may be surprised at the excitement sighting these exquisite birds can bring.

OPTIONAL TOUR. Alternative activities are: Pacuare Canopy Adventure, Birdwatching Experience in Costa Rica's Rainforest, Cabecar Indigenous Hike, The Loop, Rural Experience, Ancient Trail & Hidden Waterfall Hike, and The Sustainable Tour.

Today’s adventure, for guests staying at Pacuare Lodge, includes hiking, rock climbing, and waterfall rappelling down a canyon. It provides a perfect opportunity to learn to rappel beginning with a 6-foot rock wall and working up to 65 feet before the ultimate rappel down a 90-foot cliff into El Tesorito Creek. This particular tour is only for guests staying at Pacuare Lodge. It includes professional, bilingual guides plus all safety and rappelling equipment. There is NO transportation needed since participants are staying at the Lodge. The total time for this exhilarating combination of thrilling activities typically takes around 2.5 hours. Please wear shorts that can get wet and tennis shoes, hiking boots or water shoes, plus bring sunscreen, insect repellent, rain gear, and your camera. This tour is considered moderately difficult. Children ages 12 and up are welcome to participate in this awe inspiring adventure.

Today you will take a guided tour of the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, considered a nature lover’s paradise. Following trails through both cloudforest and rainforest environments, you will come upon 5 cascading waterfalls with specially designed viewing platforms. Throughout the hike, you will visit nature pavilions and sanctuary habitats for a variety of wildlife including jungle cats, birds, butterflies, monkeys, hummingbirds, sloths, snakes, and frogs in addition to the orchid house. You will also arrive at a 100-year-old farm reproduction where you will learn the traditional Costa Rican way of life a century ago. Here ox-cart rides are available and it may be possible to milk a cow. The Gardens is an eco-friendly sanctuary participating in reforestation and reintroduction of wildlife when it is possible.The tour includes entrance to the Gardens and a bilingual tour guide. This is a moderate hike that includes hundreds of stairs. Transportation is NOT included but can be arranged for an additional cost. Many people like to add this to their transfer between Arenal and the Central Valley. The guided tour typically takes between 1.5 and 2.5 hours depending on how long the group spends in each area. Please wear comfortable enclosed hiking shoes, and bring a rain jacket, bug repellent, sunblock, binoculars, and camera.

This guided hike for guests staying at the Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel will take you into the El Silencio Cloud Forest private reserve to look for the Resplendent Quetzal as well as other rare and interesting wildlife. Home to many species of orchids, reptiles, interesting insects and many mammals such as monkeys, sloths, peccaries and jaguars (usually nocturnal), the cloud forest hosts a huge diversity of wildlife for the nature enthusiast. You will go on an easy to moderate 2-mile hike for approximately 2 hours on well-maintained natural trials at an elevation of approximately 2,300 feet. At the end, you will visit a research station with displays of delicate butterflies, beetles, and other insects with information about their importance in the circle of cloud forest life. This tour is only offered to guests staying at the Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel and includes admission fees plus a certified Greentique professional bilingual guide. There is NO Transportation needed since it is an in-house tour. Please wear fully enclosed hiking shoes and long pants. You will want to bring insect repellent, rain gear, drinking water plus your binoculars and camera. There is a presence in the cloud forest that can only be felt by being there. Come see what it’s all about!

OPTIONAL TOUR. Alternative activities are: Pacuare Canopy Adventure, Canyoning -Tesorito Creek Experience, Cabecar Indigenous Hike, The Loop, Rural Experience, Ancient Trail & Hidden Waterfall Hike, and The Sustainable Tour.

This bright and early guided birdwatching hike takes you into the misty rainforest at daybreak, the best time for finding birdlife foraging for their morning meal. You’ll meet your guide at the reception desk where there will be plenty of hot coffee available. Your guide will lead you in a few gentle exercises to wake up your body as you prepare to go into the surrounding rainforest for a 1.5 hour long hike. Along the way, you’ll be able to see up-close details of the visible wildlife through your guide’s spotting scope. There are many species of birds commonly seen in this particular area including Oropendolas, Toucans, Tanagers and Hummingbirds. You may come across a Three Toed Sloth or a family of Howler monkeys as well. When your hike comes to an end back at the Lodge, it will be time to sit down and enjoy a well-deserved hearty delicious breakfast. This 1.5 hour tour is only available to guests staying at the Pacuare Lodge Hotel, therefore transportation to the Lodge is not necessary. The tour includes a bilingual nature guide and a delicious breakfast. Please wear fully enclosed walking shoes, plus bring along your camera, binoculars, rain jacket, and bug repellent.

Today you will meet at Braulio Carrillo National Park to go for a leisurely aerial tram ride for about 1.5 hours from the forest floor up to the mountain top and back again. Your bilingual nature guide will point out any wildlife along the way and share with you interesting information about the rainforest inhabitants. Please wear enclosed shoes, insect repellent and bring your camera and binoculars to fully appreciate the experience. This tour includes park activity fee, naturalist guide, and transportation and lunch.

Today you will go on a guided hike through Braulio Carrillo National Park. This unique park includes both primary an dsecondary rainforest and cloud forest. With a little luck your bilingual guide will spot, identify and tell you about various animals that live in the park. Your guide will also introduce you to the many different species of plants and trees. This hike can be challenging and muddy. You should be in reasonable physical condition to participate. This fun filled half day tour includes guide and lunch, but DOES NOT INCLUDE TRANSPORTATION TO AND FROM THE TOUR.