Wildlife Holidays in Central America

Wildlife tours in Central America

Central America adventure wildlife holidays are filled with unique experiences where you’ll get up close and personal to fantastic creatures and see them interacting in their natural habitats. Imagine a world where lizards walk on water and frogs have strawberry-red eyes, where spiders spin webs of golden silk, and rainbow-coloured flocks of birds soar through the sky. It might sound like a scene from Avatar, but in Central America, this is real life.

In Costa Rica alone, the gloriously diverse ecosystem is home to some 5% of the world’s animal and plant species. Discover the full spectrum on wildlife holidays in Central America. You might find yourself in the mist-shrouded canopies of rainforests, surrounded by the raucous sound of Howler monkeys, or watching green turtle hatchlings scramble across the sand towards the Caribbean Sea during nesting season.

Costa Rica’s wildlife extends beyond just rainforests, as it’s also home to majestic mountains and the Caribbean and Pacific coastlines. From the renowned Arenal Volcano to Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, you can immerse yourself in the remarkable beauty of the mountains. Nature lovers can embark on thrilling hikes, zip line through the canopies or soak in therapeutic hot springs, all while being surrounded by the diverse wildlife that calls these landscapes home.

Along the coastline, explore Manuel Antonio Beach, spotting dolphins, turtles and even whales during certain seasons. Tortuguero, often referred to as Costa Rica’s “little Amazon,” is a must-visit destination on wildlife holidays in Central America. This remote region is home to an extensive network of canals and lagoons, which serve as the breeding grounds for numerous marine turtles, including the endangered green turtle.

Central America Wildlife Trips

Costa Rica

Discover Costa Rica

15 Days from £ 3799

£ 3229

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Wildlife

Costa Rica

Costa Rica's Coastal Secrets

15 Days from £ 4799

£ 3839

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Wildlife

Costa Rica

Natural Highlights of Costa Rica

8 Days from £ 2199

£ 1869

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Wildlife

15 Days from £ 3849

£ 3079

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Wildlife

15 Days from £ 4599

£ 4139

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Culture

11 Days from £ 5799

£ 4639

Guided Group (Excl. Flights)

Wildlife

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From steamy Tortoguero, with the howler monkeys waking us up at 5.00am (no need for an alarm!) to cool, mountainous Savegre thronging with hummingbirds, this was a tour of contrasting habitats each with their own variety of wildlife, plants and flowers. In addition to the wildlife elements of the tour, visits to the Aquiares coffee factory and CAITE research centre were incredibly interesting. The optional visit to the Bri Bri community was well worth it; we learned all about how chocolate is made from scratch and had great fun trying each part of the process.

While there were some longer travel days, they were well paced, never felt too onerous and we often saw interesting things en route. The boat trips were fantastic- just getting to Tortoguero and to Drake Bay were experiences in themselves, with opportunity to see lot of wildlife on the way. The snorkelling trip was amazing- we were able to swim above sea turtles, rays and amongst lots of colourful fish. Even if you don’t snorkel, the boat trip was worth doing- we saw a pod of humpback whales quite close to the boat, and a variety of birds.

The accommodation was comfortable and in all the hotel grounds we were able to spot a variety of wildlife- great for photographers who enjoy having a camera/phone in one hand and a ‘sundowner’ in the other!

Linda Grierson Costa Rica's Coastal Secrets

The idea is sound – visiting four parks maximises the chance of seeing a good variety of wildlife.
However the trip notes seriously under state the terrible condition of the roads and therefore the time it takes to make the transfers. We spent more time on the road between parks than we did on game drives.
The driving is terrifying.
The whole trip felt rushed, as soon as we arrived at a park we were hurried into a meal and then straight out in the vehicle again. There was no time to relax or make use of the facilities in the lodges (which were lovely.)
The behaviour of the guides in the parks was shocking to me. There is a 5 vehicles per animal rule but whenever there was a big cat there were a crowd of 30 or more, all jostling for position and hounding the animals if they moved off. At one point I thought they had run over a chetah. Our driver also broke the no driving off road and no speeding rules. I felt ashamed to be part of it.

Claire Underwood Kenya Safari Adventure

This trip truly lives up to its name and was an unforgettable way to experience Costa Rica’s incredible biodiversity. From lush rainforests and wildlife-rich national parks to volcanic landscapes and the coast, the itinerary felt perfectly balanced and thoughtfully paced, with each destination offering something new and exciting.

One of the real highlights was the wildlife. Seeing animals in their natural habitat was a daily occurrence, made even more special by the expertise of our local leader. Their knowledge, enthusiasm and ability to spot wildlife we would otherwise have missed added huge value to the experience and brought the landscapes to life.

The trip also offered a great mix of guided walks, scenic drives and time to simply take in the surroundings, making it feel immersive without ever being rushed. Early starts were well worth it for the rewarding wildlife encounters and peaceful moments in nature.

Overall, this adventure is ideal for anyone wanting to explore Costa Rica’s natural highlights in depth, with the reassurance of excellent organisation and an outstanding local leader. A truly memorable journey through one of the world’s most beautiful and biodiverse countries.

Grant Rossouw Natural Highlights of Costa Rica

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