Palo Verde Boat Tours: Immerse in Wildlife and Sustainable Farming Experience in Ortega

Immerse yourself in a wildlife and sustainable farming experience with Palo Verde Boat Tours. Discover the true essence of Costa Rican culture and support local communities.

Duration: 3 hours, 10 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Palo Verde Boat Tours - PALO VERDE BOAT TOURS© has been a pioneer in Rural Tourism for more than 30 years. Our commitment is to provide unique and unforgettable trip experiences with the true Costarican family essence.
    Visitors will enjoy and connect with a natural destiny special for the nature and wildlife lover type of tourist; and get to know…
What's Included
  • Enjoy complimentary snacks
  • Experience an intimate small group boat tour (contact us for private options)
  • Savor a traditional homemade meal, served family-style
  • Discover the area with a local guide (S/E available)
  • Stay hydrated with bottled water included
  • Refresh with juice and coffee
What's Not Included
  • Park fee ticket $10 p/p (CASH ONLY).
  • Private transportation
  • Gratuities / Tips
Meal Options
  • Healthy meals - Local & organic products. Traditional meals: rice, beans, chicken, fresh vegetables & fruits, corn tortillas,etc. Vegan or vegetarian dish available
Additional Information

PALO VERDE BOAT TOURS© has been a leader in Rural Tourism for over three decades. We are dedicated to offering unique and memorable travel experiences that capture the true essence of a Costa Rican family.
Guests will enjoy a boat tour tailored for wildlife enthusiasts and have the opportunity to engage in the sustainable farming practices of families in…

Location
Palo Verde Boat Tours
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.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(301 Ratings)
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Travel587864
Jan 16, 2025
Excellent nature experience on the Tempisque River in Palo Verde National Park - The guides were very attentive to making sure we were able to see as many of the birds and other fauna on the tour as possible. Plus the boat driver was very careful to make photo ops as close and still as feasible. Very pleasant experience, and the provided lunch was excellent.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Esrocyroad
Jan 14, 2025
Perfect mix of culture, nature, and unforgettable flavors! - Our Palo Verde Boat Tour was a Costa Rican adventure we’ll never forget! The day started with Willy giving us a fascinating pottery tutorial, showcasing the traditional craftsmanship that is so important in this region. The river tour was incredible—we saw at least 25 crocodiles up close, playful capuchin monkeys, and a dazzling array of birds. Our guide, Caesar, was so passionate about the birds that his enthusiasm was contagious. We left with a new appreciation for the wildlife and ecosystem of Costa Rica. To top it all off, the meal provided was the best of our trip—an authentic Costa Rican feast with black beans, plantains, and squash that we’re still dreaming about. And the dragon fruit and coconut ice cream for dessert? Absolute perfection.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
257natya
Jan 14, 2025
Family trip - We had a family tour with kids and elders included, it was amazing! They were super nice since the entrance, making sure we feel comfortable and to covert our main goal, to watch the coco’s, I love the attention and having a private boat just for my family, the traditional food delicious, I love everything about this experience, I will come back soon
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rachel
Jan 6, 2025
Highly recommend! - Thank you for an amazing time! The pottery demo was informative and the boat tour was fantastic! We saw crocodiles, herons, egrits, iguanas, and monkeys; the guides were so good at finding the animals. The lunch was delicious and our hosts were so welcoming and warm. A definite highlight on our trip. Well worth it!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Christine_h
Jan 3, 2025
A delightful tour from start to finish! - A wonderful experience from beginning to end. We drove ourselves to Ortega and were greeted in the street with a warm welcome from the family. The guides were so knowledgeable and I don’t know how they spotted so many beautiful birds, crocodiles, and monkeys. We returned to a homemade lunch, which was delicious and a surprising highlight of the day. We did not expect such a wonderful meal, complete with personal welcome notes on each table per family. Knowing this tour is a family run business made it all the more special of a find for our vacation. Highly recommended.
Review provided by Viator
Mattsq3732gv
Jan 2, 2025
Don't walk...RUN to this tour!! - Amazing experience! All details extremely well managed by the crew from arrival to departure. We saw so much wildlife...well beyond our expectations. The authentic lunch was the crown on an exceptional day. You will not be disappointed!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Katecc7960ky
Dec 28, 2024
Early morning wonder - The reviews and write up (and directions) were spot on. This is an amazing family business with true Costa Rican hospitality. Ramon (our guide) spoke great English and welcomed us warmly. The ride from the meeting place in our own car to the boat is a nature journey in itself. Between Ramon and Cesar the guiding on the river was amazing, their nature and birding knowledge was immense. I was able to take great pictures with just my iPhone. Cesar even found a baby crocodile to show our 8 year old. We saw everything from monkeys to crocodiles to myriad herons, and even bats and several different iguana species. It was a great 1.5 hour boat ride, not too hot. Back at the meeting place the comida tipica was out of this world delicious and the dragon fruit coconut sorbet was some of the best I have ever tasted (and I am a foodie). To top the whole experience off Willie the potter gave us beautiful insight into the making of a pot. A tradition passed down to him through many generations, his handmade pottery is gorgeous. Yes, we bought a bowl, but we didn’t feel like we had to. All in all a great Costa Rican trip and day excursion.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Bob
Dec 24, 2024
SUPER AMAZING RESTAURANT - this was a delicious restaurant with great food and all of our finicky family enjoyed it!! 10/10. we loved it. would definitely return
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Brad
Dec 19, 2024
Great tour, great food and great people! - We started with a presentation by a local potter who demonstrated how some beautiful pots were made and then drove to the park following our guide. On the river we saw monkeys, bats, crocodiles and many different birds. Once we returned we had a delicious lunch including a tasty dragonfruit drink and some homemade dragonfruit ice cream. Everyone was wonderful and we were happy to see a more local part of Costa Rica!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Letsbmermaids
Dec 12, 2024
Lots of wildlife and the food was amazing!!!! - The whole experience from start to finish was amazing! If you are looking to be immersed in the beautiful Costa Rican culture this is it! The boat tour was fun and informative we spotted a lot of birds, different types of iguanas, a monkey in a tree and a lot of crocodiles. They took the time to search and look to make it special. My favorite part was the meal at the end! Gorgeous little place on the side of the road serving the most amazing g food and juice! Best meal I had this trip while on excursions, they made you feel like family. It’s was beautifully decorated as well, just a day to remember.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
2 Adult
January 2025
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