When you arrive in Carara National Park from Jaco with your informative guide, you’ll be amazed by the amount of easy-to-spot wildlife in this stunning biological reserve, spanning 11,600 acres (4,700 hectares). Embark on a 3-hour walk through the forest as your guide points out its natural ecological features to your small group.

 

The reserve contains primary rainforest habitat that supports a variety of species, making it a bird-watching haven; since the forest is dryer, there’s more open space to make wildlife viewing easier – especially in a small group. As you stroll along the paths and peek quietly through the undergrowth, learn how the low, mountainous region acts as a transition zone for flora and fauna.

 

Your guide will help you spot scarlet macaws as well as parrots, orange-chinned parakeets, motmots, manakins and a variety of hummingbirds. Keep an eye out for several types of waterfowl, including herons, egrets and kingfishers, which live among seasonal marshlands fed by the Río Grande de Tarcoles (Tárcoles River).

 

If you’re lucky, you might catch sight of such fascinating creatures as the American crocodile, green and black poison arrow frogs, kinkajous, red brockets and white-faced capuchin monkeys, as well as two- and three-toed sloths.

 

Finally, enjoy relaxing at Jaco Beach and watching the surf before your guide returns you to your local hotel.