Palo Verde Boat Tours: Immerse in Wildlife and Sustainable Farming Experience in Ortega
4.9
418 Ratings
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 leader in Rural Tourism for over 34 years. Their dedication is to offer unique and memorable travel experiences with an authentic Costa Rican family touch.
    Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy and connect with a natural destination, perfect for nature and wildlife enthusiasts, while…
see more
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
  • Private transportation
  • Gratuities / Tips
  • Entrance fees
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® is a family-operated business with more than 34 years of expertise in rural and nature tourism in Guanacaste, Costa Rica.
Delight in a genuine wildlife boat tour through the wetlands surrounding Palo Verde National Park and the Cipancí Wildlife Refuge, two of the most significant ecosystems in the Tempisque River Basin. This…

see more
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
(418 Ratings)
5 stars
4 stars
3 stars
2 stars
1 star
Kevinls1762co
Apr 2, 2026
Best ever!!! - I have never experienced a better tour. Ruben and Mary, the hosts couldn’t have been more gracious. Or your guide, Francisco and the boat operator Caesar were knowledgeable, informative and just fun to be with. You’ll see all the wildlife you could expect. Wonderful!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tour64560247653
Mar 30, 2026
Best wildlife viewing experience we had in Costa Rica! - We had an amazing day with Palo Verde Boat Tours! Arrived 20 minutes before set tour time. Check-in process went very smoothly. Started with a cultural tour, learning about how corn tortillas are made. Also learned about cashew roasting in the traditional ways. Then off for a 10 minute drive to the boat launch with our guide, Angel. What incredible wildlife viewing we had.... from all kinds of birds to crocodiles to white-faced monkeys and howler monkeys..... We even stopped enroute to the boat to see a macaw bird in a tree (supposedly not very common). The trip down the river was very enjoyable too. Upon return to the tour office/family home in Ortega, we were treated to an incredibly delicious Costa Rican meal served sit down style (not buffet) with some lovely personalized touches like a chalkboard greeting to welcome us to our table. After a delicious lunch, we enjoyed learning about pottery making from a local artisan. The drive to Ortega is an adventure in and of itself on some very rough roads. But the tour and welcoming hospitality of this family-run business is definitely worth the drive! A highlight of our two weeks in Costa Rica!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Whsmacon
Mar 24, 2026
One of the Best Days You'll Have - Incredible tour from an incredible small business. First of all, the lunch is the best meal you'll have all trip. This is not a sack lunch, this is a pure organic, pure fresh, cooked on the spot feast. The lady who cooks throws down so hard - the tamarind chicken is insane. The salsa is phenomenal. If they opened a restaurant we'd eat there every night we have left. The boat tour was so so so good. White-faced monkeys 3 ft from you in a tree, crocodiles against the boat, iguanas everywhere and every bird you can imagine. We also saw a Coati in the brush. Francisco and Antonio were the best. They're funny and informative. They went out of their way to have fun with the kids on the boat and generally made the whole thing a great experience. We're staying directly on the ocean but I think this was probably the best day we've had in Playa Hermosa. I cannot recommend this enough.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ben
Mar 23, 2026
Great tour and local lunch - Great tour … we saw howler and white faced monkey, a lot of bird and crocs. Nice local family run business that is very friendly. Don’t miss out on lunch … family said it was the best tasting local meal they have had so far and I would agree. Highly recommend!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
G3522esashleyf
Mar 21, 2026
Don’t miss out! - Such an amazing experience! We loved the personal family owned connection. The tour was amazing. Angel was our tour guide and Tonio was our captain. We saw so much wildlife and got close up with a crocodile!!! The Costa Rican lunch was exceptional and we loved meeting with Josue and watching his pottery making. We cannot recommend this enough! - Ashley Fruechte and family
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michelle
Mar 21, 2026
Amazing Tour! - Amazing experience and excellent food! Wonderful cooperative of local guides, cooks and demonstrations!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Carson_z
Mar 16, 2026
Luis was amazing! So many... - Luis was amazing! So many animals and they were super knowledgeable ( and good at spotting) , 10/10 would recommend
Review provided by Viator
Rmacy74
Mar 15, 2026
Outstanding Excursion - They were outstanding. We had trouble getting the directions to work in our GPS and ran late - they still accommodated us which was wonderful as we had just one day to do it. The lunch was one of my favorite of the whole Costa Rica vacations - do not skip it. The drive was doable from Conchal - it wasn't the easiest drive and I would recommend getting the GPS up and running the night before. By that I mean don't just sort of get it up - get it up as though you are in the car driving.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
324antjee
Mar 14, 2026
Wildlife on the Tempisque River with Palo Verde Boat Tours - The tour is highly recommended. It's all super organized. On arrival there was coffee or tamarind juice (delicious drink). Then we drove by car to the Tempisque River and switched to the boat, which provided a roof to protect us from the sun. Sun protection is recommended for the skin. We didn't need mosquito repellent. We saw a lot of crocodiles and a lot of birds and monkeys. Our guide Franzisko and the captain Manuel had a good eye for the animals. But the tour was easy to understand in English. The boat tour lasted about 1:45 h. Then we drove back to base. On the way back, Franzisko stopped again, seeing a macaw in the tree. At the base we got a Costa Rican meal prepared by the women themselves. It was very abundant and there was chicken fried with rice vegetables (corncob) beans salad and corn tortellas. For dessert there was a scoop of ice cream dragon fruit and passion fruit. Afterwards, we saw some pottery. In total it was almost 3 hours. Worth it !!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gabrielle_m
Mar 12, 2026
Guide was excellent -... - Guide was excellent - very knowledgeable Between him and the captain we saw so much. Within 3 ft of an alligator and face to face with a capuchin monkey
Review provided by Viator
Check Availability
From $90
From $90
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Select a date
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).