When visiting Costa Rica we had the good fortune to head out on a day trip from La Fortuna to the Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge. Cano Negro is in both Costa Rica and Nicaragua and was so encompassing that any animal lover will love the adventure!

When do you go to Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge?

Whenever the tours are open, which is pretty much year round.  You can find more info out about the Refuge HERE and we booked directly with a great tour company through our hotel in Fortuna.

Pierre picked us up on a bus at 730am and we were off!

How long is the trip in Cano Negro?

From Costa Rica it’s an all day trip (we got back around 430 in the afternoon) and on the way out you get to stop at this fun roadside cafe for Espresso and all of the Iguanas you can handle!

This little cove called Centro Turistico for Las Iguanas on the way to the refuge has become a mainstay breeding ground and safety habitat for iguanas.

It’s pretty amazing!

What will you see at Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge?

Wildlife of course!  We were with some bird watchers on the boat ride and they told Pierre and us that they saw about 6 or 7 birds that they had never seen in person.  And this was a family who bird watches all over the world on their vacations!

What was my favorite part?

Seeing the monkeys in the wild or the baby caiman.  The caiman were so tiny my photos don’t do it justice.

How much does it cost?

Our day for the 3 hour boat ride, transportation, tips, and lunch was about $85.00 each.

It’s one of the hardest places to get to independently and they sometimes do not even have boat tours available if you aren’t in a group.

What should I bring?

Sunscreen, water, bug spray, binoculars, a camera, your passport, and a sense of adventure!

As the Costa Ricans like to say…Pura Vida!  Live life.

Have you been on this trip or planning to go to Costa Rica or Nicaragua soon?  

If so put this one in the mix for a possible day trip if you like seeing wildlife in a natural setting!

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Because Adventure Feeds the Soul,

Mike R and the Hashtag 59 Team