Per person
minimum of 2 people
Duration: 2 hours
Experience the magic of the rainforest at night! Boots on, headlamp and a guide leading, discover uncover the hidden world of nocturnal creatures that come alive at night. This is your chance to encounter amphibians, insects, and other marvels of this mysterious tropical realm. Nocturnal animals depend on their heightened senses of hearing, sight, and smell to navigate the darkness, evade predators, and hunt for food.
On this tour, you’ll be encouraged to fully engage your own senses and gain insight into the behaviors of wildlife. At one point, you’ll switch off your lights to let your eyes adjust to the darkness, revealing the mesmerizing glow of flora and fauna in the pitch-black night.
In this diverse and unique ecosystem, discover how the sensory receptors of anthropoids, reptiles, and mammals play a crucial role in their nighttime hunt for food. You’ll also witness the mesmerizing glow of mushrooms and learn fascinating facts about the ever-vibrant Osa Peninsula. The trails wind along a stream in the wetland rainforest, close to a breeding site, making it an ideal spot for master hunters to dominate and capture their prey.
Since the animals are free in the wild, we can’t guarantee what you’ll see on your night walk. The moon cycle significantly influences animal behavior. You’re more likely to spot a wider variety of species during a new moon, but a full moon may increase your chances of witnessing mating behavior. Seasons also play an important role: frogs thrive in the rain, cats prefer to stay dry, and snakes emerge from their flooded caves.
Regardless of when you embark on this tour, you’re likely to see a variety of spiders, frogs, and lizards, and perhaps snakes, birds, and maybe even mammals. Tapirs, pumas, kinkajous, and opossums inhabit the Osa Peninsula forests. While tracks are often found, spotting these mammals is seldom, as they’ll likely see you first and quickly retreat.
Interesting Facts
Owls, crocodiles, and big cats are equipped with exceptional night vision, thanks to special adaptations that allow them to see in the dark. However, not all nocturnal animals share this capability. Some, like the skunk, rely on other highly developed senses to stay alert and active during the night. With an excellent sense of smell and sharp hearing, the skunk compensates for its poor vision.
During the twilight and nighttime hours, animals that lack strong night vision employ fascinating instinctual techniques to navigate, camouflage, find mates, hunt, and avoid predators. To move more effectively in the dark, many animals track scents that linger longer in the cool night air. They also rely on acute hearing to detect the movements of prey as it rustles through leaves and twigs. In the animal kingdom, various species have evolved unique physical traits that help them survive the darkness, using sounds, echolocation, smells, and even bioluminescence to thrive at night.
Embark on a thrilling nocturnal hike through the untamed jungle, where the mysteries of the night come alive under the moonlit canopy!
This tour can be offered in different locations of the Osa Peninsula including Puerto Jiménez neaby areas (El Ñeque, El Tigre, Rio Nuevo, Cañaza, Guadalupe) Matapalo, and Drake Bay.
Carate is also a potential location for monitoring the beach to spot turtles, depending on the time of year.
Transportation can be provided for an additional fee from your hotel or lodge.
A non-refundable deposit is required to book this tour. If unforeseen circumstances arise, such as a flight cancellation, illness, or inability to travel to Costa Rica, rescheduling may be possible based on the availability of the guides on alternative dates. However, please note that no-shows will result in the forfeiture of the full deposit.
This activity relies on safe weather conditions. While light rain is typically manageable, high winds or storms may require cancellation. In such cases, you can reschedule or request a full refund. We prioritize your safety and enjoyment.
