Wildlife Expedition & Crocodile Encounter by Boat

The tour begins with a one-hour drive along scenic roads, passing quaint villages on your way to Hacienda Nosavar, next to Carara National Park and the Tarcoles River. With the advantage of 640 hectares of property and wonderful geography, this project is developing diverse activities for eco-adventure tourism At Hacienda Nosavar you will have the option to experience first-hand many nature related activities.

They will share their experience and knowledge of daily life on a big hacienda in full production. Once at the hacienda, board your open air, covered Wagon pulled by a tractor for a scenic journey into the property on your way to the small dock where your covered motor launch is waiting for you. Along the way, our tour guide will be explaining different aspects about a typical cattle ranch in Costa Rica.

At the river, the 90 minutes boat tour begins in search of the very rich wildlife species common to find in this area. Famous for its large American Crocodiles, the Tarcoles River forms the Northern border of 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 see. It will no be strange to see at least 20 huge crocodiles during this tour, some of them swimming or sunbathing on the multiple sandbanks and shores.
But in Tarcoles River not all are crocodiles. This river is an ecosystem with abundant aquatic birds such as Cormorants, Anhingas, Wood Stork, Roseate Spoonbill, White Ibis, Boat Billed Heron, Great Blue heron, Little Blue Heron, Snowy and Great Egrets, Tiger Heron, Northern Jacanas, Black Hawks, Crested Caracara, Ospreys, Falcons and many other beautiful birds like the colourful Scarlet Macaw. Mammals are common as well and with some good luck you will see Howler Monkies and White-Faced cappuccinos on the tree tops.

After your shopping time and explore the surroundings, enjoy complementary tropical fresh fruits, coffee and Ice Tea. Continuing our scenic drive, you will return to Puntarenas City for a short sightseeing tour. Puntarenas is the largest city in the Central Pacific. Some 120 kilometers west of the capital San Jose, Puntarenas means ‘sandy point’ in Spanish, and used to be one of the country’s principal seaports. Situated in the Gulf of Nicoya, Puntarenas has played a huge role in the history of Costa Rica. For years this city was a major sea port. However, now it is mostly used as a stopover port for many cruise ships that sail the waters of the Pacific Ocean. Still used as an important commercial fishing port, Puntarenas offers visitors and locals alike, a variety of tantalizing fresh sea foods such as shrimp, lobsters, fish, etc. A lively and attractive city, perhaps one of Puntarenas’s most interesting features is the Paseo de los Turistas. This is a tree-lined promenade adjacent to the beach. This area turns into a colorful street on weekends, as people from all over flock the popular restaurants, discos, cafes, bars and hotels that are found here. While the beach here is not safe for swimming because the water tends to be pretty murky, it is still a great place to hang out and relax with the local Ticos. It is definitely worth exploring this city, as there are many beautiful old unusual buildings found all over the place, as well as several fabulous restaurants and hotels. Puntarenas also has a lovely old church, which is a must see as well.

After the tour, you can decide to stay in the city or make your way back directly to the ship. For all those interested in walking along the boulevards, the pier is located right at the city at a very short distance from your ship. So, no worries for an easy return.