A morning in the rainforest beside the people who care for injured and orphaned animals, and help many of them return to the wild.
On the southern Caribbean coast, where the forest runs almost to the sand, a private sanctuary in Punta Cocles takes in wild animals that are injured, sick or orphaned. This Costa Rica wildlife rescue center tour invites you to spend a morning there, about 20 kilometers from Cahuita, and see up close how the team cares for them day after day.
The goal of the center is simple and demanding: whenever an animal's condition allows, it is gradually prepared to return to its natural habitat. During the guided visit, you learn how this rehabilitation works and why it matters for the wildlife of the region, from sloths and monkeys to reptiles, frogs, birds and butterflies.
This is a short, focused outing, centered on a single visit to the animal rescue center, with a choice of two time slots. If you are staying in Cahuita, Puerto Viejo or Manzanillo, transportation from your lodging can be added as an option, so the day fits easily between a morning swim and an afternoon of your own.
After breakfast at your hotel, you set off toward Punta Cocles. If you add the optional transfer, departure is around 8:45 a.m. for the 9:30 a.m. visit; an 11:30 a.m. visit is also available. Deep in the tropical forest, the sanctuary works to protect and rehabilitate wild animals that are injured, sick or orphaned, preparing them step by step to return to the wild when their condition allows. Your guided visit shows the daily work of the teams and their contribution to protecting Costa Rica's wildlife. Along the paths, you may observe mammals, reptiles, butterflies and birds; sloths, monkeys and frogs often punctuate the walk, always depending on conditions on the day. You come away with a clearer understanding of what it takes to protect wildlife, and of the local initiatives that help preserve the country's remarkable biodiversity.
No payment now: we confirm availability within 48 hours, then send you a secure Banco de Costa Rica payment link.
You can choose a visit at 9:30 a.m. or at 11:30 a.m. If you book the optional transportation, departure for the 9:30 a.m. visit is around 8:45 a.m.
No. Transportation is offered as an option from Cahuita, Puerto Viejo or Manzanillo, priced per vehicle. Without it, you make your own way to Punta Cocles, about 20 kilometers from Cahuita.
The guided visit described in the program, the entrance fee, the 13% tax on tourist activities and assistance from our agency team. Meals, drinks, tips, personal expenses and travel insurance are not included.
The center cares for a variety of mammals, reptiles, frogs, birds and butterflies, and sloths are often part of the visit. Which animals you see always depends on conditions on the day.
A Costa Rica wildlife rescue center tour is a quiet way to look beyond the postcard and understand the care behind each animal's second chance. If you would like to add this morning in Punta Cocles to your stay on the Caribbean coast, with or without transportation from your lodging, our team in San Francisco de Heredia will be glad to answer your questions in English and prepare a quote tailored to your dates.
