Arenal Oasis Wildlife Refuge
Arenal Oasis Wildlife Refuge
4.5
About
Experience Arenal´s only wild frog sanctuary at night, when colorful tree frogs and other rainforest wildlife are most active and most easily observed. At least 28 frog species have made their home the ponds of Arenal Oasis. The Rojas Bonilla family carefully maintains native plants of Arenal, to create needed frog habitat in this private wildlife reserve of fresh spring water fed ponds; within a rainforest refuge connecting the rainforests of the Arenal Volcano and El Rio Burio. The night tour continues past the frog ponds along flat trails immersed in the noisy night rainforest. The guide will point out animals hiding from you. Support, enjoy and learn about the only wild frog sanctuary in the Arenal Volacano Area. Tours led by trained naturalist along flat rainforest trails start at 5:45pm at Arenal Oasis. Flashlights are provided and reservations are necessary. Included in the Tour: - Flashlights - Transportation Round Trip - Certified Naturalist Guide - Entrance Fee - Drinks What to Bring: - Camera - Closed Shoes - Long Pants - Raincoat - Confortable light Clothing - Big Smile
Duration: 2-3 hours
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4.5
364 reviews
Excellent
289
Very good
58
Average
11
Poor
4
Terrible
2
annika_lucky13
Salamanca, NY439 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
We had another great stay at Arenal Oasis. Our cabin was comfortable and we loved the jungle setting. We had lunch and dinner at the restaurant and walked around the garden. All our food was excellent. We saw some great wildlife right on the property. The staff was always friendly and helpful.
We did the Night Walk and saw a lot of nocturnal species. We would highly recommend this tour.
We had a great visit and will definitely be returning in the future.
We did the Night Walk and saw a lot of nocturnal species. We would highly recommend this tour.
We had a great visit and will definitely be returning in the future.
Written 16 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Christine R
Monument, CO46 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
We went on the birding tour at the refuge. It was fabulous. We had about 17 species spotted before the tour but that amount doubled in the time we had with Aaron, our guide. He was very knowledgeable and knew where to look and could quickly identify our feathered friends. We also saw a sloth and some howler monkeys. A tasty breakfast is included in the tour. Yes, you have to get up early, but it’s birding after all. Well worth it.
Written 23 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mastaple
Limerick, Ireland193 contributions
Jul 2023 • Family
so many sloth in the area around La Fortuna. guides were experienced and found sloths in the area and got us into position for pictures at every stop. Also saw howler monkey and lots of frogs
Written 20 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MissPerkyAK
Palmer,AK127 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
This hotel is a nature lover's dream. The nature trail makes it feel like you are in the middle of the rain forest and the gardens are well maintained. There is a juvenile sloth that is currently hanging out on the property, and many bluejean frogs and toads can be found depending on the time of day. You can see Arenal volcano on a clear day in their garden it would make a beautiful spot for weddings.
The staff are very kind and helpful.
We ate breakfast and dinner at the restaurant and were pleased.
They offer a variety of tours and are very accommodating.
The wifi was usable.
The rooms were always clean. The beds were comfortable.
Cons: These are very much rustic cabins as in no insulation. Bugs get everywhere despite the bug nets on the windows. The fans for the rooms only pushed the hot air round. It was cooler outside than in the rooms. If the hotel bought stand up fans or portable fans for the bedrooms so it wasn't so miserable to sleep I could have given them 5 stars. I knew what I was getting into with the bugs, but this gringa no puede aguantar tanto calor.
The staff are very kind and helpful.
We ate breakfast and dinner at the restaurant and were pleased.
They offer a variety of tours and are very accommodating.
The wifi was usable.
The rooms were always clean. The beds were comfortable.
Cons: These are very much rustic cabins as in no insulation. Bugs get everywhere despite the bug nets on the windows. The fans for the rooms only pushed the hot air round. It was cooler outside than in the rooms. If the hotel bought stand up fans or portable fans for the bedrooms so it wasn't so miserable to sleep I could have given them 5 stars. I knew what I was getting into with the bugs, but this gringa no puede aguantar tanto calor.
Written 9 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Salaamus
Turlock, CA155 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
Night tour though the jungle was great, we seen lots of different frogs, spiders a tarantula, and to top it all off we seeing a huge ant eater, walking on path then darting up a high tree. Guild was great much knowledge of the rain forest. Night time is a whole different ecosystem. 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Written 8 June 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
avid_traveler_2007
Mountain View, CA135 contributions
Feb 2023
Did two tours here, one night hike to spot frogs, insects, and reptiles, and one early morning bird watching with delicious breakfast. Both tours were excellent and we learned so much from our friendly and informative guides.
Written 24 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ADS20092009
New Mills, UK84 contributions
Feb 2023 • Family
Brilliant frog tour with an incredibly knowledgeable guide. We saw maybe 12 different types of frogs and our young children (7&8) absolutely loved it! Just make sure you are covered and have bug spray on as there are all the mozzies.
Written 20 February 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Susan C
10 contributions
Dec 2022
Lot of frogs to view. Our guide was very informative, friendly and amazing at spotting the critters.(Luis) Path was a very easy stroll with not that much elevation. A disappointment was how many other people were on the same trail- it was quite a mass of humanity for Wednesday night. Sometimes surprising to see any animals at all due to the high traffic volume and having to move along or out of the way for other groups to pass.
Written 16 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Departure658823
San Jose, CA22 contributions
Oct 2022 • Friends
Our hotel helped us book this the same day and we were very happy they made the recommendation! Our guide Juan was informative and helped us take great pics of the vipers, frogs, toads, spiders and cicadas. They provided flashlights and a bottle of water too. I was still in shorts from the day so wished I had come in pants. Insect repellent and closed toed shoes also recommended.
Written 7 October 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chaletaria
London, United Kingdom545 contributions
May 2022
Although the frogs (bats, snakes, etc) are all wild, they are protected in this well set out sanctuary. The area feels very natural with a selection of pools, and I got the impression most visitors saw some of the most iconic frogs of Costa Rica; we certainly saw Red-eyed Tree frogs, Glass Frogs, Rain frogs and even watched a Fer-de-Lance capture a bullfrog. The guide was very knowledgeable and helpful (ask if she/he will take photos using their scope + your phone for amazing pictures). Obviously this is a night tour, so dress accordingly. Transport to/ from the hotel was provided.
Written 9 June 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mariannelouisemac
Bristol, UK47 contributions
Can I check that there are no animals (frogs/snakes etc) in any type of cages/ glass boxes? I saw a review from many years ago suggesting there were and I just want to check this is no longer the case?
isabel f
Boston, MA27 contributions
there are none in captivity! i went two days ago and its a piece of secondary rainforest full of wild (and free!) creatures
Eletriz
Madrid, Spain129 contributions
Hola buenas tardes. Acabamos de llegar y estaríamos interesados en hacer el tour nocturno. Seríamos cuatro personas adultas. Me podrían decir si tienen plazas y que precios tienen???
Didier Jose A
Sardinal, Costa Rica23 contributions
hola me puede regalar el precio neto recogiendo en el hotel los lagos gracias
Jose Andres R
La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica15 contributions
Estimado Didier José A.
La tarifa rack para caminata nocturna recogiendo en Hotel Los Lagos es de $50 por persona .!
Tarifas netas para hoteles y agencias se pueden solicitar al email.
Saludos
Jason C
Orange County, CA9 contributions
Just a few questions. How long is the walk/tour? How were the mosquitoes? How much was the tour? How far was it from La Fortuna?
- Thank you! Jason
LouGoon
London, UK70 contributions
Hi,
The Arenal Oasis website tells you the tour cost - sorry it won't let me paste the website link here!
When we went (November) we didn't really get any mozzie bites but we did wear long trousers/coats etc for the night walk!
I think it was maximum 10 minute car ride from the main road in La Fortuna!
wlapaintmaker
Huntley, IL3 contributions
Are the tours wheelchair accessible?
MissT603
Sydney, Australia596 contributions
The trails would probably be very difficult in a wheelchair. They are pebbly gravel and some are very steep. I only did the night walk so not sure if there might be something more accessible.
SimbaMinneapolis
Minneapolis5 contributions
How do I book tickets?
rykben
Saint Paul, MN30 contributions
We booked all of our tours and activities through Pacific Tradewinds. I'm sure your hotel or other trips planning sites will be able to help you book.
Lori716
Austin, TX177 contributions
We would like to take the Night Frog Tour in February. How far in advance do we need to reserve? How do we make reservations? How long does the tour last?
Thank you!
Jose Andres R
La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica15 contributions
Hi Lory , you book it anytime between now And one hour before tour starts.!
rkramadh
Alpharetta, GA245 contributions
Does this tour allow you to see more than frogs, although those are also beautiful? Some tour companies market this tour as frog focused tour as the family maintains flora/fauna/ponds to preserve these frog species? I found it a bit confusing that same location/tour is marketed differently on diff websites.
maro m
Edmonton, Canada97 contributions
Yes especially if you do the night tour in which you may see bats, Snakes, crabs, spiders, although yes LOTS of frogs. During the day you'll probably see stuff like toucans, Sloths, dart frogs, butterflys, monkeys and other stuff.
melidot23
Cheney, WA71 contributions
Could someone tell me the price of a Night tour please?
Jose Andres R
La Fortuna de San Carlos, Costa Rica15 contributions
Hello,
There are 3 options, $25 if you stay at arenal Oasis Eco Lodge, $40 if you stay somewhere else but you arrive there on your own vehicle , or $50 if you stay somewhere else and need them to pick you up at your hotel .
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Claim your listingARENAL OASIS WILDLIFE REFUGE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Frequently Asked Questions about Arenal Oasis Wildlife Refuge
- Hotels near Arenal Oasis Wildlife Refuge:
- (0.02 mi) Tropical Suites
- (0.05 mi) Arenal Oasis Eco Lodge & Wildlife Refuge
- (0.18 mi) Cerro Chato Eco Lodge
- (0.51 mi) Hotel Destinos Arenal
- (0.31 mi) Hotel Faro Arenal
- Restaurants near Arenal Oasis Wildlife Refuge:
- (0.02 mi) Mi Tierrita Restaurante
- (0.52 mi) Red Frog Coffee Roaster
- (0.52 mi) Restaurante El Coloso Arenal
- (0.50 mi) Restaurante La Caribena
- (0.55 mi) Piura - Terraza Peruana