Wandertour durch den Manuel Antonio-Nationalpark

Our experience at Manuel Antonio was incredibly special thanks to our guide Mauricio. He was so knowledgable, had a great eye to spot wildlife that we would've easily walked past without noticing, and he's great about answering any questions you have. We learned so much about the plants and animals that live at the park! Mauricio met us along the main road, and helped us get into the park via an access road. He brought a telescope, and took photos for us through the telescope which gave us a really unique, up close look. Bonus: we visited on a weekend, so he brought his 9-year old son Dejan with him -- the cutest little nature guide we'd ever met! At his height, he could spot different wildlife than what we could see, so it felt like we had two guides :) There wasn't any hiking involved in the 2 hour tour with Mauricio,-- just a nice, leisurely walk along the road/path to see wildlife. After the tour, we walked up to Catedral Point which was an uphill, moderate hike (mostly in the shade, but with lots of slippery steps). The view is stunning, but be mindful if you're not up for that level of hike. Constructive comments (about the park, not about the tour itself) -- 1) The park is the smallest national park in Costa Rica, and it attracts a TON of people. We went midday, but even in the mornings, it's crowded. Just be aware of that going in. That's why it really makes a difference to book your tour with Iguana (we were a small group of 4 which was the perfect size). 2) Make sure you know the most current info about what you can/cannot bring into the park. No food was allowed, but plastic bottles were allowed. The rules change often, so try to ask before you go! 3) Time your visit based on the tides depending on which beach(es) you want to visit in the park.

Andrés was fantastic naturalist and your guide. He was very knowledgeable about the flora and fauna. He pointed out so many plants and creatures we would have missed and got unforgettable photos. Shout out to Luis the driver for picking us up at our hotel and returning our lost phone. Definitely would recommend this to get the most out of the national park.

his tour was incredible. Naturalist Raul Barquero was incredible—his depth and breadth of knowledge, his calm and open demeanor, his patience with our kids. This tour was our first experience after landing in Costa Rica and it really set a fantastic tone for our trip. We saw so many incredible things at just the right pace for our family. Had we tried to go it on our own we would have missed out on so much. Thank you so much, Raul! We also did a night walk with Raul and it was INCREDIBLE. This wasn’t a part of our original plan, but as soon as we heard it was an option we knew we had to go, and we wanted to go with Raul again. We saw so many cool things in the black of night—a fer-de-lane, a huge tarantula, frogs, etc. Truly a must-do for any trip. Raul made the experience so smooth and simple—you just show up and brings all the necessary equipment, knowledge, and know how. Highlight of our trip.