Top 5 Best Places for Night Walks in Costa Rica

A crested owl spotted in the Osa Peninsula

Night hikes are some of the best things you can do in Costa Rica.

As the sun sets, a completely different world emerges. 

Frogs call from hidden pools, kinkajous move through the canopy, and if you are super lucky, elusive wild cats may make an appearance.

I love hiking - and I certainly have some favorite guided hikes in Costa Rica. But there’s something mysterious, and a little spooky, about night hikes that really gets the adrenaline pumping. 

Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to experience night walks in many different regions of Costa Rica. 
Some have been guided excursions. Others self-guided explorations. All, however, have offered something unique. 

These are five of my favourite places to experience Costa Rica's nocturnal wildlife.

1. El Remanso Lodge: A Wildlife Haven

A suspension bridge at El Remanso is a great place to spot wildlife at night

Costa Rica’s remote Osa Peninsula is widely considered one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.

And few lodges showcase this better than El Remanso.

But El Remanso isn’t just another lodge. It's one of the best ecolodges in Costa Rica. But more on that another time. Today, we’re just focusing on the night walk aspect. 

A stay at El Remanso includes a variety of tours - one of which is a night walk. This, for us, is a highlight. 

With a naturalist guide from the area, you’ll be shown around specific rainforest trails where nocturnal animals can be found. 
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As darkness falls, the rainforest symphony changes dramatically. The calls of frogs reverberate around the trees, and hundreds of cicadas and crickets drone like one. 

Whilst it’s not directly in the Corcovado National Park, El Remanso sits upon 185 acres of private pristine rainforest, and further primary and secondary forest surrounding the lodge. 

You never truly know what you’re going to experience at El Remanso. You could see a whole manner of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. 

On my last stay, I was fortunate enough to spot a crested owl, as well as various species of reptiles and mammals.

Woolly opossums scurried across the canopy, as fer-de-lance snakes - Costa Rica’s most dangerous snake - coiled close to a water source. 

The guides here, having grown up in the region, are exceptionally skilled at spotting animals that most visitors would walk straight past.

They also carry specalised light equipment. With the flick of a switch, our guide turned on a UV light revealing the luminous glow of a scorpion climbing up a tree. 

2. Boca Tapada: Home to Ocelots

Not the best quality, but when you're shaking with excitement at night, you can be forgiven

If I had to choose the single most memorable wildlife sighting I have experienced during a Costa Rican night walk, a night hike in Boca Tapada would top the list. 

Located in the northern lowlands near the Nicaraguan border, Boca Tapada remains one of Costa Rica's least-visited wildlife destinations. 

The region receives a fraction of the visitors that arrive in places such as Arenal or Manuel Antonio, making it a hidden gem and one of our favourite destinations in Costa Rica. 

During the day, Boca Tapada boosts an extraordinary variety of species - from spider monkeys to poison dart frogs.

However, nighttime here is something truly special.

Firstly, the ecosystems consist largely of freshwater lagoons and wetlands. This is a goldmine for frog species - such as the red-eyed tree frog and the Central American bullfrog - Costa Rica's largest frog species. 

And where there are frogs, there are predators. On my last visit I saw three snake species, including a snail-eating snake, a species I had yet to see in all my time in Costa Rica. 

However, one encounter took the spotlight.

And what made this even more special, I was totally alone - stupid or brave, well that's for you to decide. 

One evening, as I made my way back along a well-maintained rainforest trail to my room, an ocelot walked right in front of me. 

It wasn’t spooked. It didn’t run away at the sight of me. It simply ambled past without a care in the world and continued into the forest. 

Considered endangered in Costa Rica, ocelots are small to medium sized felines that are seldom seen. 

So you can imagine my shock when one walked right in front of me, in a hotel of all places. 

The sighting lasted only moments, but it remains one of my favourite wildlife memories.

But sightings aren’t always luck alone. 

Maquenque Ecolodge, in the heart of Boca Tapada, offer guided night tours with specalised naturalists into Maquenque Reserve.
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Whilst you can do self-guided trails, which offer their own rewards, a guided night tour will take you hiking to places prohibited without a guide. 

3. Valle Escondido: A Private Reserve

Exploring the inside of a tree at night

When people think of Costa Rica's cloud forests, they may have heard of Monteverde - perhaps the most famous cloud forest in the world. 

However, it is not the only cloud forest in Costa Rica. 

Valle Escondido is a private reserve adjacent to Monteverde Cloud Forest.

This means Valle Escondido can reap the rewards of being close Monteverde Cloud Forest, without the crowds. 

Temperatures are cooler, mist hugs the trees, and your senses feel heightened after dark. Hollowed out trunks allow you to climb inside, and gnarled branches jut out in all directions. 

And what’s more, some of the most fascinating wildlife emerges after sunset.

But to see such specalised wildlife, a guide is recommended. And we have to admit, this has got to be one of the best guided night tours we’ve been on. 

The guide, Jorge, was incredibly knowledgeable about a range of different species. Like El Remanso, Jorge carried a UV light to spot the reflective glow of scorpions. 

Due to Monteverde’s notorious moistness, amphibians thrive here - despite the cooler temperatures. We saw plenty of frogs along our walk, as well as nocturnal mammals including armadillos and porcupines. 

4. Piedras Blancas National Park: Escape the Crowds

A scorpion glows under UV light

Costa Rica's National Parks attract millions of visitors each year, but some remain surprisingly overlooked. Piedras Blancas National Park is one of them.

Located in the southern Pacific region near Golfito, the park often sits in the shadow of its famous neighbour - Corcovado. 

But this is what makes Piedras Blancas National Park so special. Tourists visit Corcovado and completely miss out on Piedras Blancas. 

Unlike more heavily visited destinations, it’s pretty normal to spend hours exploring the area without encountering another group.

And this is exactly what makes the night hikes here so exhilarating. 

When you stand quietly in the darkness, surrounded by pristine rainforest and without the distractions of crowds, you feel genuinely immersed in the environment. 

The sounds become more vivid, and wildlife encounters feel more intimate.

Piedras Blancas protects extensive tracts of rainforest that support an impressive range of nocturnal species.

Ocelots and pumas are surprisingly common in this part, as are tapirs and a whole host of owl species. 

The park's location within the Golfo Dulce region contributes to its exceptional biodiversity.

​Guided hikes during the day are special enough, but at night it is a completely different experience. And it's the lack of crowds here that adds to the experience. 

Although I do have to admit, I freaked myself one too many times when I could hear the crunching of leaves but couldn't identify the source. Spookyyyy. Especially to be alone in the middle of a sparsely visited National Park.

5. La Fortuna: A Red-Eyed Tree Frog Paradise

A vibrant red-eyed tree frog looking for a mate

No article about Costa Rica's best night walks would be complete without mentioning La Fortuna.

Yes, it’s cliche, but it truly does deserve its spot here.

Infamous for the iconic Arenal Volcano, La Fortuna is also a hotspot for nocturnal hikes. 

There are so many night hikes to choose. From Mistico's nocturnal hanging bridges adventure, to Arenal Oasis’ speciality frog tour, you’ll be spoilt for choice. 

We love the naturalist-led tours at Arenal Oasis. Not only is it a unique opportunity to explore the fascinating world of frogs and other nocturnal species, it is also a journey of discovery and conservation. 

By taking part in the Arenal Oasis frog tour, you become part of the mission to protect the fragile ecosystems, and the species within them.

But La Fortuna provides excellent opportunities to become involved, no matter what tour you choose.

And there’s one iconic resident that steals the hearts of any visitor - the red-eyed tree frog. 

By day, these frogs lead a cryptic life. They inconspicuously cling to the underside of leaves, no hint of their colourful bodies showing. 

But at night, or if threatened, everything changes. 

Known as startle colouration, the red-eyed tree frog flashes a host of vivid colours - red eyes bulge open, blue streaks flank their sides, and orange feet are unmissable. 

This burst of colour startles potential predators, giving the frogs vital seconds to jump to safety. 

Beyond red-eyed tree frogs, La Fortuna's night walks frequently reveal glass frogs, snakes, bats, sleeping birds, and a remarkable variety of insects. It is a night hike hotspot for a reason. 

​If you want to learn more about what to do in La Fortuna, visit our guide to Three Days in La Fortuna. 

Final Thoughts

A caiman at night

​A night hike in one of Costa Rica’s many ecosystems is a must-do activity.

As daylight fades, an entirely different ecosystem awakens, offering visitors the chance to witness behaviours and species that remain hidden during the day.

Whether it’s the unforgettable possibility of spotting an ocelot in Boca Tapada, the misty cloud forests of Valle Escondido, or the famous red-eyed tree frogs of La Fortuna, each destination provides its own unique perspective on Costa Rica's nocturnal world.

If you are planning a wildlife-focused trip to Costa Rica, I would strongly encourage you to include at least one night walk in your itinerary - more if possible!

My biggest piece of advice is to expect the unexpected on a night hike. Some wildlife encounters happen when you least suspect - so go in with an open mind. 
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And above all, enjoy yourself.