I bet one of the main reasons you`re coming to Costa Rica is to see the wildlife. Well you picked the right place! Costa Rica is the world`s most biodiverse dense country (just one of the reasons why Costa Rica is awesome), and if you are planning a trip here, you cannot miss out on a guided wildlife tour!
We have done many guided wildlife tours around the country, and our #1 favorite pick is:
Hacienda Baru Wildlife Refuge with Freddy
Freddy grew up as a groundskeeper at Baru where he learned the art of cultivating coffee and sugar cane. Since he was a kid, he always knew he wanted to be a tour guide, as he had a passion for the wildlife he grew up amongst. At the age of 17, he began dedicating his life to learning everything he could about wildlife. He studied for 4 years at both The National Institute of Learning (INA) and Icetur to become a certified wildlife tour guide. He also taught himself English, and has now been guiding wildlife tours at Hacienda Baru and Manuel Antonio National Park for over 17 years.
The main point is, Freddy is AWESOME! To see his amazing reviews on TripAdvisor, click here.
Why Hacienda Baru is Better than the Manuel Antonio National Park for Tours
More Nature, Less People.
Everyone has heard of the famous Manuel Antonio National Park, and that`s why Manuel Antonio has become such a famous tourist destination. The park is beautiful, but because of it`s popularity has become super crowded almost every day of the year. After guiding tours there for years, Freddy wanted his guests to really be able to focus on the wildlife he was showing them and not seeing other people- so he has switched his focus to Baru. Located in Dominical, it`s only a 35 minute drive from Manuel Antonio, and there are about 90% less people. Totally worth the short drive if you ask me.
Fun Facts About Hacienda Baru
Hacienda Baru National Wildlife Refuge encompasses a variety of habitats (Primary and Secondary tropical wet forest, swamp forest and mangrove estuary) for a total of 815 acres.
It is home to over 300 species of birds, sloths, monkeys and many mammals not seen in the Manuel Antonio National Park including otters, ocelot, margay, paca and peccary.
There are 7 kilometers of walking trails and 3 kilometers of pristine beach.
Tour Rates
$65 per person (transportation from Manuel Antonio included)
$55 per person (drive yourself there)
Entrance fees to the park are paid separately, $15pp
*Minimum of 2 people required. If you are a solo traveler, the rate for a private guided tour for 1 person is $120.
What to Bring
wear lightweight clothing
shoes comfortable for light hiking
water
snacks
insect repellent
sunblock
camera (you will be able to get awesome pics through the lens of the telescope!)
money (there`s a restaurant there where you can have lunch after the tour and also a small gift shop)
How to Reserve Your Tour
Please tell us your name, preferred date, Airbnb or hotel name, number of people and kids ages (if applicable).Don`t forget to mention you want the HACIENDA BARU TOUR 🙂
You will receive an email confirmation from us with your tour details within 24 hours. No need to pay in advance.
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If you`ve never been to Costa Rica before, the first thing you need to learn is that everything is Pura Vida. Pura Vida (pronounced as “poo-rah-vee-dah”) is the country`s motto and way of life. The direct translation is “pure life” although it`s meaning is much more than that- it`s literally the mentality and lifestyle here.
Just think of “hakuna matata” which is the same concept. It`s all about having no worries, being happy in the moment, appreciating what you have, having an optimistic attitude and knowing that every little thing is gonna be alright (Bob Marley was a very Pura Vida kinda guy).
You can use “pura vida” as a way to say hello and goodbye or as a response when asked how you`re doing. If you don`t speak Spanish and you`re traveling in Costa Rica, just say “pura vida” to any local and they will immediately light up, smile and shout “pura vida!” back to you!
2. The Happy People
Costa Rica has been ranked #1 multiple times on the Happy Planet Index as being the happiest country on earth. The US ranks 108th to put that in perspective. The pura vida mentality is obviously a main reason why the people are so happy, and when you add in the beauty of this country, the climate, the fact that the government focuses on education and health vs. having an army…it`s no wonder why the people are so happy here!
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3. The Beaches
Costa Rica has some of the most stunningly beautiful and clean beaches in the world. Two sides of the country are along coastlines- the north side is the Caribbean and the south side is the Pacific. The beaches range from crystal clear water, white sand beaches to black sand beaches- and a ton of them are top surfing spots in the world. Our very own Playa Espadilla (main beach in Manuel Antonio) has been ranked in TripAdvisor`s Top 25 Beaches in the World!
4. There`s So Much To Do!
In addition to the beautiful beaches, Costa Rica is world renowned for for it`s epic waterfalls, rainforests, mountains, rivers and volcanos which in turn means there`s so many things to do! Some of the world class things to do and see are:
Being from Wisconsin, the weather is one of the things I love most about this country! The average annual temperature ranges between 70-81 degrees and has 2 main seasons: wet and dry.
Dry Season (December- April): Hottest time of the year! It`s pretty much hot and sunny every single day with a very small chance of rain (if so it`s usually overnight). Great time to travel if you`re dreaming of a beach vacation and getting that tan on!
Wet Season (May – November): Usually it`s hot and sunny during the day and then there`s a pretty good chance of afternoon showers or heavy rain at night (awesome sleeping weather!).
Wet season is actually my personal favorite time of year because you get the perfect balance of rain and shine, everything is greener and it`s less crowded (it`s the “low season” for tourism).
A good thing to know is that there is no “bad” time to travel to Costa Rica. We live in Manuel Antonio (beach town in the southern pacific) and it`s warm enough year round to go swimming in the ocean even if it`s a rainy day!
6. The Food
Everything is super fresh! To get started, the pineapple here is like no other. I used to hate pineapple when I lived in the states, but here it`s like a magical explosion of deliciousness in your mouth!
The typical plate here is called a “casado” which includes rice, beans, your choice of meat (usually beef, chicken, pork or fish), salad and plantains. You can easily make it VEGAN like I do by ordering the casado without any meat (and asking what kind of dressing is on the salad to check if it`s vegan). It`s a super balanced meal and really delicious!
Costa Rica also has a ton of exotic fruits, my favorites being guanabana, lychees, passion fruit to name a few….and since the weather is awesome here year round, every town has a weekly farmer`s markets (“la feria”) where you can buy fresh produce, organic coconut oil, flowers and souvenirs from local artisans.
7. There`s NO Army!
That`s right- it is possible to have a country that`s safe without having an army. The army was abolished in CR in 1949 and since then the money has been reallocated to education, health and pensions. No army + pura vida = everyone happy and peaceful!
8. The Wildlife
Costa Rica has nearly 6% of the world`s biodiversity even though it only takes up .03% of the earth`s landmass. That`s a ton of plants and animals people!!! Every day I see a new bug or flower I`ve never seen before, it`s like I can`t believe my eyes. Costa Rica is especially famous for having monkeys and sloths, which is just one of the main reasons tourists travel here.
In Manuel Antonio, we are lucky to have 3 species of monkeys:
• Howler Monkeys (2nd loudest mammal on earth)
• White Face or “capuchin” Monkeys (these guys are crazy!)
• Titi Monkeys (only found here)
I see monkeys everyday like how I used to see squirrels in Wisconsin. We even have bridges for the monkeys to cross our streets because there`s so many of them! Ha!
Costa Ricans know that their land is precious and they are very focused on protecting it. Over 25% of the landmass is protected and dedicated to National Parks (rainforests, cloud forests, beaches, wet lands, etc). Along the same lines as not having an army, Costa Ricans have a profound respect for life of all kinds. Animals, plants, people, you name it….if it`s alive they want to keep it alive!
10. The Freedom
I`m from “the land of the free” and I can honestly say I`ve never felt more free in my life than I have living in CR. Want to take your dog to the beach without a leash? Go ahead! No shirt, no shoes- no problem!
I`ll never forget my 2nd trip to CR (the one where I made the choice to move here)…Fer and I were taking a road trip around the country and we stopped at a gas station to fill up and take a break from driving. Fer came back to the car with a beer and cracked it open so we could share the beer and chill a bit. I freaked out and said “you can`t open that in the car, what are you doing!?”…and he said “yes I can, what are you talking about?”….he explained that yes, drinking and driving is obviously illegal- however having an open beer in your vehicle is totally fine, just don´t drive drunk! It`s more about common sense and people taking responsibility for themselves here, instead of having a million rules and lawsuits about everything. As long as you are not hurting anyone, you are free do whatever you want!
Territorio de Zaguates (known in English as “Land of the Strays”) is the world`s largest no-kill dog shelter, located in Costa Rica.
We recently did the walk with the dogs and it was the most magical experience! Just imagine the amount of happiness and love 1 dog gives you and multiply that times 900! If you are a dog lover, you definitely need to make a point to visit this doggie paradise on your next trip to Costa Rica! At any given time, there could be up to 900 dogs that are free to roam in this gigantic mountain property. Of course the goal is to get these dogs adopted out, but in the meantime of rehabilitation and being taken care of, I cannot imagine a better place on earth!
Check out this video we took of the dogs running together. It`s so cute…
How to Visit
Where
Land of the Strays is located just about an hour outside of downtown San Jose, Costa Rica. The easiest way to get there is to drive yourself using the navigation app Waze.
When
The only time you can visit is on the weekends (usually twice a month) to do the walk with the dogs. This walk is 3 hour walk through their mountain property with hundreds of dogs! It is important to get there early (at least 8:45am) so you are ready to start the walk at 9:00am with the group. They are very strict about the start time and do not allow anyone else in the gates once they start the walk.
Since Territorio de Zaguates is located only an hour outside of San Jose (where the SJO airport is), I recommend planning to visit either at the beginning or end of your trip to Costa Rica. You should plan to stay at a hotel at least 1-2 nights in San Jose. Do not try to visit Land of the Strays the same day you have a flight, it will just not work out logistically. So for example, if you visit at the end of your trip, you could go to San Jose on Friday night, do the walk Saturday morning, stay in San Jose again on Saturday night and then fly out of SJO on Sunday.
What to Wear
Be sure to wear clothes you don´t mind getting dirty in. Dress in layers because you will be on top of the mountains and sometimes it can get a bit chilly or rain, so if you dress in layers, you will be comfortable no matter what the weather brings. Tennis shoes that you are comfortable hiking in are best (you will have a hard time in flip flops).
What to Bring
Pack light as you will be hiking for 3 hours and probably don`t want to carry too much. I suggest packing a small backpack with the following things:
phone / camera to take pictures
cash (to buy tee shirts or make donations after the walk)
water bottle
If you need help planning your visit to Land of the Strays or your trip to Costa Rica, check out our travel planning services and / or stay with us.
About the Author
castropolous
Co-founder of Castropolous.
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If you`re taking a trip to Costa Rica and flying into the international airport in San Jose (SJO), chances are you need a place to stay that first or last night of your trip. Most tourist destinations are at least a 3+ hour drive from the airport, so if your flight arrives late at night or leaves early in the morning, it`s logistically much easier to spend the night in San Jose to be close to the airport.
Fer and I call Adventure Inn “our home in San Jose.” It is so cozy and the staff is so welcoming that it really does feel like home. Also, they have a few rooms that are pet friendly so we especially love that we have a place to stay where we can bring our dog, Luka.
I really cannot say enough great things about this hotel. To break it down for you why I love it so much, I came up with the 5 main reasons..
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5 Reasons why we LOVE Adventure Inn
1. It`s not just another boring hotel chain. It has Costa Rican character and charm!
I don`t know about you, but when I travel to a foreign country, the last thing I want to do is go to American brand chains like McDonald`s or the Hilton. I want to experience the culture of the country and try something new. This is one of the main reasons I recommend Adventure Inn.
Just check out the wall behind the front desk. The ENTIRE hotel is covered with tropical paintings. I love staying here just to admire the artwork everywhere. Each room is painted differently so every time we go there I get excited to see which painting we`re going to get!
They have a large buffet of tropical fruits, muffins, etc… plus you get to order a meal off of their menu- all included in the price of your room. Breakfast is from 6-10am, but if you need to leave earlier than that to catch your flight, they will pack you a fresh breakfast to go. All you have to do is ask the front desk when you check in.
Also, the restaurant is open all day so if your flight gets in late at night, it`s easy to just grab dinner at the hotel without having to get in a car and go somewhere. If you feel like going out, there`s a few really nice restaurants (Italian, sushi, Mexican, etc.) within a 10 minute walk!
3. They have a FREE shuttle to and from the airport (SJO)!
You would think all hotels close to the airport include this service, but surprisingly, they do not.
Adventure Inn makes getting to and from the airport free and super easy and it`s only about a 10-15 minute drive each way.
4. There`s a pool, a hot tub and a gym!
This is something I super duper appreciate about Adventure Inn. Many of the hotels close to the airport either don´t have a pool or they just have a pool but no hot tub. San Jose can be a bit chilly at night, so having the hot tub there really makes a difference when it`s too cold to go swimming. Also, it always feels great to work out before getting on a plane all day. I need to get a quick workout in before a flight, otherwise I find sitting all day a total nightmare!
5. The prices are reasonable and affordable!
You will not find a better value for your money.
One time, Fer and I thought we`d treat ourselves to a “fancy” hotel on one of our trips to San Jose. We looked at different rooms all over, some costing upwards of $400 per night, thinking that they would be super luxurious and worth splurging on. We were wrong! There are several American brand chain hotels that are charging a ton of money (probably just for the name) but their rooms are super outdated, smell musty, they don´t have pools and in general feel like a total scam. We ended up going back to our “home” at Adventure Inn because we honestly find it to be much more comfortable and a way better value than any other hotel we`ve seen.
If you feel like treating yourself, you can upgrade to one of their Jacuzzi suites for just $20 more per night which includes a king-size bed, an in-bath Jacuzzi, microwave, mini-fridge and a nice outdoor sitting area.
We`ve got the hookup for a DISCOUNT on your room!
Since we`ve been there so many times and have developed a personal relationship with the owner, we are authorized to offer our readers a 10% discount on your reservation! Just click the link below to book your room and the 10% discount will automatically be applied!
Located in the south Pacific of Costa Rica, the Nauyaca Waterfall is a place you must visit! We have been to many of the top waterfalls all over Costa Rica, and Nauyaca is my favorite! Not only is it breathtakingly beautiful, but it`s also awesome because the because you can swim, jump and climb different parts of it! Truly a memorable place to visit.
Located just about 40 minutes from Manuel Antonio (in Dominical), you can take a day trip there by yourself (and save some money as I noted in How To Travel Costa Rica on a Budget)! Definitely set aside a full day of adventure for going here because you will be pooped at the end!
Of course there are guided tours (about $130 pp), but you really don`t need a guide to hike to the waterfall as the trail is super simple to navigate. Just make sure you go with a buddy of course for safety!
Keep reading this article for all the tips you need to know to go on your own…
Nauyaca is a 2 tier waterfall:
Upper Falls- 180 foot drop (where you can climb on rocks and feel the mist in your face…totally exhilarating!)
Lower Falls- 80 foot drop with a huge swimming pool at the bottom (swim, climb, places to jump off…so much fun!)
How To Get There
DRIVE YOURSELF: The easiest way to get there (without paying for a tour) is to drive yourself. You should have a 4×4 to be able to drive down to the parking lot (saving a lot of walking time). Waze location: Nauyaca Waterfalls Office, Puntarenas Province, Costa Rica
TAXI: If you don`t have a rental car, you can get roundtrip transportation for $150 (for up to 4 people). This is still way cheaper than paying $130per person for a tour. Contact us to set up this service.
Things To Know Before You Go
You will first arrive to the office where you purchase your entrance ticket (only $8 per person, cash only). This is not a tour, just your admission into the park so be sure to pack water bottles and snacks.
Then, if you have 4-wheel drive (recommend an SUV, not a car) you can drive down into the parking area and then start the 2.5 mile hike. The parking lot is free but is unattended, so be sure to lock your car. This will save you walking an extra 1.2 miles from the office (where you buy the tickets) down to the parking lot.
The hike takes about 1.5 hours, walking at a steady pace. It is not super difficult, but is not super easy either (there are quite a few inclines especially as you get closer to the waterfall), so you should be in relatively good shape to do this.
The hiking trail itself is really beautiful. You will be entertained with different scenery along the way (there`s a river that you can stop at, really cool bamboo, awesome views, etc).
The rocks at the bottom falls (where you go swimming) can be quite slippery, so be careful! You might want to pack water shoes if that will make you feel more comfortable, but that`s more about personal preference than a strong recommendation.
*Do NOT go if it`s been raining all week- this will make the hike super duper muddy and slippery and just kind of a nightmare. Also, if it`s been super rainy, you will most likely not be able to drive down to the parking lot, thus making your hike an extra mile long.
What To Pack
comfortable shoes for hiking (that you don`t mind getting dirty)
insect repellent
sunblock
swim suit
water shoes (optional)
towel
ziploc bag for your phone / wallet
water
snacks
camera
I hope you have an awesome time exploring Nauyaca Waterfalls! If you need help arranging your roundtrip transportation there, or if you`d feel more comfortable going on a guided tour, contact us.
