Have you ever taken a last-minute adventure that turned out to be a fantastic part of your trip? I love when that happens! It’s just so satisfying. We were fortunate to have an experience like that during our time in La Fortuna at Sloth’s Territory.
What is Sloth’s Territory?
Sloth’s Territory is a privately-owned reserve in La Fortuna run by the Rodriguez Perez family. This local Costa Rican family saw a need to protect the rainforest and local animals, including the sloths, from the dangers of deforestation. So they have dedicated their efforts to protecting and maintaining 13 hectares of rainforest (approximately 32 acres). 10 hectares are currently in the reforestation process to recover from damage. But the remaining 3 show the full beauty of the Costa Rica rainforest!
Let me be clear: there are no cages here! Sloth’s Territory is not a zoo or a wildlife sanctuary (although it is a sanctuary of sorts). It is a beautiful section of land that exists so wild creatures have a safe place to live and thrive without the risk of losing their natural homes.
Animals of all kinds congregate here, from monkeys and sloths to colorful birds and frogs. They even have a wildcat from time to time. But all the animals are free to come and go as they please and live a life free from human interference.
Sloth’s Territory’s goals are to protect these creatures while educating guests on conservation and the dangers of deforestation. It’s a wonderful example of eco-tourism!
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Discovering Sloth’s Territory
On our first night, as we were driving from San Jose to our hotel in La Fortuna, we passed a sign for Sloth’s Territory. We hadn’t heard of it before, but we both made mental notes to look it up when we got to the hotel.
I’d made a point to schedule a few tours during our week-long adventure, but I’d also tried to leave plenty of time open for relaxing and spur-of-the-moment activities. In addition to the Hanging Bridges, this sounded like an interesting option to add on if we had time.
We booked a last-minute tour for 3 p.m. after finishing our zip line and rappel tour in the early afternoon.
It was one of the best decisions we made on the entire trip! Thanks to this tour, we saw so much of Costa Rica’s natural beauty on our first full day. I could even cross “See a toucan” off my list immediately when a Chestnut-Mandibled Toucan flew into a tree.
If you’re looking for an easy-to-moderate level tour in La Arenal that’s going to a fantastic cause, I highly recommend Sloth’s Territory.
FAQs About Sloth’s Territory
What tours do they offer? Sloth’s Territory provides 3 kinds of tours: Diurnal observation tours (between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.), a Birdwatching experience (5 a.m.), and a Night hike (6 p.m.).
How much does it cost? Tickets vary based on which tour you are booking. The standard day tour is $28 per adult. Night and Birdwatching tours are $60 per adult. If you book two or more tours, you’ll get 10% off the total.
How long is the tour? Each tour is approximately 1.5 to 2 hours long.
What should I bring? Bug spray (apply before entering the rainforest), binoculars, water, sunscreen, a camera with a telephoto lens, and a packable rain jacket.
What should I wear? You’ll want comfortable activewear and hiking shoes that can handle steep inclines and dirt trails. If the weather is cool, you’ll also want a jacket.
What kind of animals will I see? There are hundreds of incredible creatures at Sloth’s Territory! Since these are wild animals, it’s never guaranteed that you’ll see specific creatures, but here’s what we saw:
- Toucan
- Two-toed sloth
- Three-toed sloth
- Bats
- Howler monkeys
- Broad-billed motmot
- Green basilisk
- Turtle
- Crested guan
A Diurnal Observation Tour at Sloth’s Territory
You know you’re in a good place when you get to see two incredible creatures in the wild within 5 minutes of starting a wildlife tour.
First off, I want to say that our guide was fantastic! He was so knowledgeable about the wildlife, and he had such an excellent eye for spotting creatures hidden in the foliage. We had another group from France and Canada with us, so he conducted the whole tour in flawless English as our common language.
He was also fantastic at taking photos with our smartphones through his telescope, and he took many of the pics featured in this post.
After meeting our guide, we started our tour at the welcome center and walked around their picnic shelter to a field on the forest’s edge. The staff had noted that a 3-toed sloth was taking a snooze in a nearby tree, so they took us there first.
We each got to take a peek through the telescope to see the sloth bundled up in the tree. While we were doing that, a large toucan landed in the upper branches of a tree several yards away from the sloth!
After the toucan flew away, our guide led the group away from the rainforest and around the field on its borders.
As we made our loop, we saw several small birds darting through the scattered trees, including ones with bright yellow bodies and others with scarlet-red stomachs. Another of my favorite sights here was the square, pink bananas! Our guide informed us that they’re not very tasty for humans, so they leave them for the birds. But they sure look amazing!
We eventually meandered down a path that led to a small stream, where we saw a pair of green basilisks camouflaged in the leaves. They’re such incredible creatures! There was also a turtle basking in the sun on a nearby log.
After this, we returned to the field, where our guide carefully examined the undergrowth on the border. Another guide had reported a sloth making his way down this treeline; unfortunately, we didn’t see him.
But we were able to spot a pair of crested guans enjoying a snack in the field and a long line of ants working hard to bring leaves to their colony.
Finally, we entered the rainforest in search of its creatures. We were surrounded by beautiful tropical trees wrapped in various vines and mosses. Some even had leaves as big as me! The ground was thick with bright-green plants and colorful flowers popping up here and there. There was even a beautiful river that we walked along frequently.
We trekked along a variety of dirt, stone, and paved paths. Many were steep or narrow, so I highly recommend hiking shoes.
A few minutes into the jungle, our guide spotted a howler monkey perched high in the tree’s branches above us.
A few feet down the trail, he also spotted another sloth, but it was tough to see even with the telescope.
We continued down the path and hit a jam-packed section. Within a few feet, we saw a broad-billed motmot eat a cicada, a pair of howler monkeys playing in the trees, another one peeking down on us, and some tiny bats clinging to the other side of a giant leaf.
We continued our adventure through the woods and ended up spying a couple more sloths. One was a very happy-looking three-toed sloth, and the other was a two-toed with a baby clinging to her stomach!
Our tour ended back at the picnic shelter, where fresh pineapple and watermelon were waiting for us. They tasted so delicious and refreshing after our hike!
This covered area looked out on a lovely bend in the river we’d been following, and it was a great view to end the trip on, especially since we got to see one last creature: a hawk!
Closing Thoughts
If you’re in La Fortuna, Costa Rica, Sloth’s Territory should be high on your list of things to do in the area! We absolutely loved our adventure, and our knowledgeable guide (and his telescope) made all the difference.
We took a couple of other rainforest excursions during our trip, but we hardly spotted any wildlife on our own. This experience was worth every second and penny, and I loved knowing that the entry fee was going to a good cause–not a basic tourist attraction.
Please feel free to drop any questions or comments below in the comment section. And don’t forget to share this post to help others learn about this incredible place.
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Thanks for reading, and happy travels. Pura Vida!
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