4.9 (446) · Guanacaste and Northwest · By Palo Verde Boat Tours Free cancellation
Palo Verde Boat Tours® is a family-owned company with over 34 years of experience in rural and nature tourism in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
Enjoy an authentic wildlife boat tour through the wetlands surrounding Palo Verde National Park and the Cipancí Wildlife Refuge, two of the most important ecosystems in the Tempisque River Basin. This experience is ideal for nature lovers seeking close encounters with birds, crocodiles, monkeys, and rich tropical biodiversity.
By booking with us, you support local families, sustainable practices, and community-based tourism, while contributing directly to the rural economy of Guanacaste.
Travel responsibly. Experience nature. Support local.
✓ Corn tortillas lesson (100% corn)✓ Small group boat tour (Ask us for private rates)✓ Typical homemade meal (Family style)✓ Local guide (S/E)✓ small bottle or refill your own✓ Juice & coffee✕ Private transportation✕ Gratuities / Tips✕ Palo Verde National Park ($10 Cash Only)Activity Schedule
3 h 10
PALO VERDE BOAT TOURS© has been a pioneer in Rural Tourism for more than 34 years. Our commitment is to provide unique and unforgettable trip experiences with the true Costarican family.
Visitors will enjoy and connect with a natural destination, special for nature and wildlife lovers, and get to know the culture and way of life of the families in Guanacaste. Let yourself be captivated by the beautiful nature of Palo Verde National Park and Cipanci Wildlife Refuge, a great opportunity to enjoy a safari adventure by bordering the Tempisque River to observe wildlife (crocodiles, monkeys, birds, etc).
Complete your visit with a taste of the Costa Rican Blue Zone lifestyle, enjoying a traditional lunch made with fresh, locally grown ingredients and family recipes. We promise unique and inherited recipes from our grandmothers.
Ideal for travelers with a rental car (self-drive) or ask about private transfer is also available upon request.
By booking this tour, you directly support local families and community-based tourism in Guanacaste.
Boat Tour length: 1h45 minutes.
Lunch (30-45 min)
Pottery show (30 min)
Mobile or paper ticket accepted. One per booking
According to your location, drive directly to these cities (choose one).
ENTRANCE #1) Drive to Filadelfia / Corralillos / Palo Verde boat tours, in Ortega village (only during summertime).
ENTRANCE #2) Drive toward Santa Cruz to Palo Verde boat tours in Ortega village.
According to your location, drive directly to these cities (choose one).
ENTRANCE #1) Drive to Filadelfia / Corralillos / Palo Verde boat tours, in Ortega village (only during summertime).
ENTRANCE #2) Drive toward Santa Cruz to Palo Verde boat tours in Ortega village.
We are sharing a few check out points:
#1) Drive to Filadelfia - Palo Verde boat tours: View on map
#2) Drive toward Santa Cruz - Palo Verde boat tours: View on map
This activity ends back at the meeting point.
Wheelchair accessible Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health Palo Verde Boat Tours, Ortega
Consider self-driving or inquire about private transfers. Bring cash for the park entrance fee. This tour is wheelchair accessible. Infants must sit on an adult's lap. Not recommended for individuals with poor cardiovascular health. For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Product code: 112389P2
Activity offered by Palo Verde Boat Tours via Viator.
WizardTrip Help Center Nature lovers Wildlife enthusiasts Travelers seeking cultural experiences Families Authentic wildlife boat tour Close encounters with diverse wildlife Support local communities and sustainable tourism Family-owned company with extensive experience Traditional Costa Rican lunch included
Currency Costa Rican colón
Official language Spanish
Driving on the right
Power plugs A, B · 120 V
Emergency number 911
Capital city San José Average temperatures 27° Jan 28° Feb 29° Mar 30° Apr 29° May 27° Jun 27° Jul 27° Aug 27° Sept 26° Oct 26° Nov 26° Dec Sources: Wikidata; climate: NASA POWER, 2001-2025 averages.
What is the duration of the Palo Verde Boat Tour? + The total duration of the activity is 3 hours and 10 minutes, including the boat tour (1 hour 45 minutes), lunch (30-45 minutes), and a pottery show (30 minutes).
What wildlife can I expect to see? + You can expect to see a variety of wildlife, including crocodiles, monkeys, and numerous bird species.
Is transportation included? + Private transportation is not included. Travelers are advised to drive directly to the meeting points or inquire about private transfer options.
What should I bring for the tour? + You will need $10 cash only for the Palo Verde National Park entrance fee. You may also want to bring your own bottle for refills.
What is included in the tour? + The tour includes a small group boat tour, a typical homemade family-style meal, a local guide, a corn tortillas lesson, juice, and coffee.
★★★★★ Tripadvisor review
Great experience; lots of crocodiles, excellent food!
Compass25276391509, August 2026
We really enjoyed our experience at Palo Verde Boat Tours. This is a well run family business that provides an authentic local experience. We did the 11 am tour and had lunch after. I recommend that everyone who does the tour books the lunch. It’s worth it! Probably the most authentic local food we had the whole trip. Patricia and her team work really hard to make the visit worthwhile.
Access is vis gravel road once you leave the main highway. There are a few kilometres (miles) of road that are a little rougher - not terrible at all - more than worth it! Not something that should detract from the experience. 4WD not required.
★★★★★ Tripadvisor review
Amazing experience
danbA7622PJ, August 2026
This tour was incredible, the guides were so friendly, knowledgeable, showed us a lot of wildlife in the Tempisque river, they took good care of us and made us an incredible lunch. Very serene boat ride. 10/10 recommend!
★★★★★ Tripadvisor review
Awesome family experience!!
Scott876, August 2026
We took a private tour at the end of July 2026, with my family and a friend and his family. We had 3 kids, the youngest being 7 and everyone had a great time. We drove from Playa Conchal the morning of the tour and Waze was very accurate (took about an hour and 20 minutes to get there). The drive was fairly easy with a couple of short sections of dirt roads.
The tour started with some juice, coffee and a tortilla making demonstration (that was super interesting). We then drove down to the boat in our own vehicles (about a 10 minute drive) and met our boat driver. About a minute away from the dock we saw our first Basilisk (one of many), which was just the beginning of seeing many birds and animals. Our guide Ruben, was amazing and still have no idea how he saw all the animals that we did. Our boat driver also found many animals as well (don't have his name). The laser pointer really helped us to locate the animals as everything blends into the environment really, really well. We saw many cool birds, bats, crocodiles, iguanas, basilisks and monkeys. Toward the end of the tour, they let our kids drive the boat which they had fun doing.
We then returned to the office/kitchen and had lunch. All the other reviews are spot on as the food was fantastic!! We then got to watch a demonstration on pottery and that too was very interesting and informative, we learned a lot! The whole experience was about 3 and a half hours and we enjoyed every minute of it. Everyone we interacted with was really friendly, helpful and a pleasure to be around. We would highly recommend this tour and can't say enough good things about them!!
★★★★★ Tripadvisor review
best tour ever
Terealfa83, August 2026
One of my favorite tours, I have gone there 3 times and I am always amazed for its beauty and nature. Lunch is delicious and service is great! the tour itself last 1 hour and 30 minute in a bout. I recommend bringing sunblock.
★★★★★ Tripadvisor review
Excellent
GrandTour32946286527, July 2026
The people and the site are wonderful.
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