Puntarenas Area Tour

Shore Trips in Costa Rica| Puntarenas Area Highlights in Costa Rica
Rated 4.4 out of 5
Read 7 Reviewsor
Excursion Highlights:
  • Discover the astounding beauty of Puntarenas with our exclusive Costa Rica Experience - this small-group tour is a must-book
  • Travel through Puntarenas' picturesque countryside onboard a comfy, air-conditioned vehicle, on your way to the private reserve at Villa Lapas
  • Witness vibrant wildlife on a guided rain forest walk, discover the local flora and fauna, and enjoy spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean
  • Explore the charming village of St. Lucia, shop for unique Costa Rican souvenirs, and savor complimentary tropical fruits and iced tea
  • Embark on a thrilling boat ride on the Tarcoles River, home to one of the world's largest wild crocodile populations, and end your day in Puntarenas City
Price: $157.00
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Summary
Shore Excursion Size ? Small
Shore Excursion Type Scenic, Cultural, Historical
Shore Excursion Duration 6 Hours
Activity Level ? Moderate
Shore Excursion Leaves From ? An approximate 3-minute complimentary shuttle from the cruise ship pier is required to reach your departure location. Full details will be provided in your electronic ticket upon confirmation.
Food/Beverage Provided A snack and beverage is included.
Recommended Dress We recommend wearing comfortable clothing and closed-toe, sensible walking shoes. Insect repellent, sunglasses, and sunscreen are also suggested.
Restrictions This tour includes a walk along a trail through the rainforest and the mountains, and is not recommended for guests with limited mobility. Rainy weather may affect the conditions of the trail. There is slippery and uneven terrain, and several steps. Guests must be able to walk at least a mile over gravel, concrete, packed dirt, and grass terrain, some of which is at an incline. Wheelchairs cannot be accommodated on this tour. Guests with dietary concerns may wish to bring a snack as this tour is approximately 6 hours in length.

Puntarenas Area Tour

Immerse yourself in Puntarenas' vast beauty on this unique Costa Rica Experience. You and your small group will join an expert guide on an adventure through the area, where you'll encounter incredible wildlife and other great sights. Reserve your spot today on this fun Puntarenas combo tour!

The first portion of this Puntarenas sightseeing tour takes you through the countryside with up to 19 other passengers. You'll travel in comfort onboard an air-conditioned vehicle as you pass by farms, fruit stands, and other points of interest en route to Villa Lapas. About one hour later, you'll arrive at the private reserve where you can explore your surroundings before a scenic nature walk.

As you make your way around the property, expect to see a number of colorful creatures including monkeys, anteaters, lizards, birds, and many more, as well as fantastic views of the Pacific Ocean. During your rainforest nature walk your guide will teach you all about the local wildlife and flora from as you make your way on carefully built bridges and walkways.

After your rainforest walk experience you will get the chance to roam around the beautiful village of St. Lucia, which is settled beside a scenic river. Guests here will get the chance to shop from a large array of gifts from Costa Rican culture.

Enjoy complementary fresh tropical fruits and iced tea in one of the dining rooms before you continue your journey to Tarcoles River, where you will embark on a one hour boat ride. Famous for its large American crocodiles, the Tarcoles River forms the northern border of the Carara Biological Reserve on the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The Tarcoles River is home to one of the world's largest crocodile populations in the wild and they are very easy to admire during our one hour boat ride. Some visitors have spotted up to 40 of them during one visit! Finishing up at the Tarcoles River, the tour will continue on to the El Juardin Souvenir Store and Restaurant. Here you will get free time to browse the art gallery, shop, and enjoy lunch on your own.

Before you head back to the cruise pier, there's one more place to visit: Puntarenas City, the largest city in the Central Pacific. There's plenty to see and do in this beautiful Central Pacific city located in the Gulf Nicoya. Home to gorgeous beaches, fresh seafood and charming architecture, Puntarenas has something for every traveler. This Puntarenas tour is recommended for the whole family.

Please Note: This tour includes a walk along a trail through the rainforest and the mountains, and is not recommended for guests with limited mobility. Rainy weather may affect the conditions of the trail. There is slippery and uneven terrain, and several steps. Guests must be able to walk at least a mile over gravel, concrete, packed dirt, and grass terrain, some of which is at an incline.

7 Ratings
4.4out of 5 stars
7 Reviews
Rated 4 out of 5
Feb 4, 2025
Fun Day in Puntarenas
The guide and driver really took good care of us, were very informative and the itinerary was great. Transportation very comfortable. The only downside was that there were some individuals in our group who weren't prepared for the level of hike and crossing the hanging bridges. We actually had to cut out some of the scheduled bridge crossings because time became an issue. Not sure how you could make sure everyone is at a comparable "level" but that would have been helpful. The "rest stop" and snack at the amazing little resort was wonderful. The little chapel and grounds were really beautiful. Very well organized. Crocodile boat ride was OK but not my favorite part, even though we did indeed see several crocodiles. Certainly worth the price and I would recommend other cruisers to the area.
Rated 4 out of 5
Feb 23, 2020
Costa Rica rainforest & culture
Liked the size of the group (small). Good content and activities. Staff were professional and engaging. Guide was well prepared and had a lot of insights and stories to offer. A good ambassador for the country and region.
Rated 4 out of 5
Feb 23, 2020
Bad start to a good tour
For this excursion we were told to assemble at 9 AM and when we arrived at the location we found a mostly full bus of people who had been waiting for an hour for us and some others.Evidently the 8AM & 9AM excursions were combined, BUT we were never notified. This was a very embarrassing way to start.The guide gave us a lot of interesting information about Costa Rica as we drove. We had a beautiful nature preserve walk, stopped for a delicious snack of fresh fruit, had a few minutes to taste Costa Rican coffees & shop and then went on to cruise on the Tarcoles River to see huge crocodiles and birds for an hour or so.This was a fun tour.
Rated 4 out of 5
Jan 5, 2020
Rain doesnメt stop us
We saw a variety of terrain in a short period of time. Even a hike on the rain seemed authentic. It was confusing about when or whether to get lunch. Turns out there was a choice: eat buffet or shop.
Rated 5 out of 5
Feb 24, 2019
Superb guide with deep knowledge of the area
Cindy was our guide and Olman the driver. Cindy has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of the flora and fauna of Costa Rica and an infectious enthusiasm for her country. She noticed interesting details on the hike and pointed them out. During the hike she suddenly stopped me and said:"Don't step on the ants!" Sure enough, there was a trail of leaf cutter ants crossing the path that I would not have seen. The 3 suspension bridges on the hike are best taken by walking right down the middle to keep them from swaying too much.
Our boat captain on the Tarcoles river actually got out of the boat and lured a crocodile onto the river bank in front of him by dangling some chicken in front of him! Another group reported that their captain got into the water with the croc! Have your cameras ready.
Rated 5 out of 5
Feb 17, 2019
Wow!
Cindy of Greenway Tours was our guide, Olman our driver. Cindy has a superb knowledge of and deep appreciation for the area and its ecology. She enthusiastically and effectively communicates with her clients. If you have hiking poles, bring them on the walk. Be prepared to see crocodiles up close, especially at low tide when they are out on the muddy river banks. Don't be surprised if you boat captain gets up close and personal with a crocodile. Have your cameras ready!
Rated 5 out of 5
Dec 30, 2018
Like a step back in time
Very educational. Our guide was like having our own nature professor with us, he knew the name of every plant,tree and animal we encounterd.