Can you touch or hold frogs?
No. Some are poisonous, and all have thin skin that absorbs sunscreen, repellent and the oils on your hands. A good guide will never hand you a frog.
Never pick up a frog for a photo, and don't move it to a nicer leaf.
Frog guide
Frogs of Costa Rica: Where to See Red-Eyed Tree Frogs, Poison Dart Frogs and Glass Frogs
About 150 frog species, from the red-eyed tree frog to see-through glass frogs and tiny poison dart frogs. Here's where to find each one, which ones you can't touch, and the local guides who run night walks, compared and ranked.
By Lior, wildlife photographer and guide from Guanacaste
Reserve with a 25% deposit on secure WeTravel checkout · Refundable up to 60 days before trips, 48 h before day tours
The short answer
- Where
- La Fortuna, Sarapiquí, Puerto Viejo, Monteverde
- Caribbean side and the rainforest lowlands
- When
- All year, at night
- Most active in the rainy season, May to November
- How many species?
- About 150
- Including 5 poison frogs and over a dozen glass frogs
- Can you touch them?
- No
- Some are poisonous and all have sensitive skin. Look, don't touch.
Lyferr is a marketplace
We don’t run tours. Licensed local guides and operators list them, we rank them openly, and you reserve through Lyferr’s secure checkout on WeTravel.
How it worksSighting odds
How likely you are to see frogs, spot by spot
Some night walks give you very good odds of a red-eyed tree frog. Here's the honest picture for one walk with a local guide.
| Spot | Chance | Who you’ll likely see |
|---|---|---|
| La FortunaNorthern plainsRed-eyed tree frog, Glass frogs | Almost certain | Red-eyed tree frog, Glass frogs |
| SarapiquíCaribbean lowlandsStrawberry poison frog, Red-eyed tree frog | Almost certain | Strawberry poison frog, Red-eyed tree frog |
| Puerto ViejoSouth CaribbeanStrawberry poison frog, Green-and-black | Almost certain | Strawberry poison frog, Green-and-black |
| TortugueroNorth CaribbeanRed-eyed tree frog, Poison frogs | Likely | Red-eyed tree frog, Poison frogs |
| MonteverdeCloud forestGlass frogs, Rain frogs | Likely | Glass frogs, Rain frogs |
| Osa PeninsulaSouth PacificGranular poison frog, Golfo Dulce poison frog | Likely | Granular poison frog, Golfo Dulce poison frog |
| Manuel AntonioCentral PacificTree frogs, Glass frogs | Likely | Tree frogs, Glass frogs |
| UvitaSouth PacificRed-eyed tree frog, Granular poison frog | Good chance | Red-eyed tree frog, Granular poison frog |
Our local guides' estimate. As guests report what they saw on Lyferr tours, these become measured rates.
Each tour page shows what guests actually saw, once reports come in.
Compare night walksTown by town
Can you see frogs where you're staying?
- Frogs: yes
Are there frogs in Monteverde?
Glass frogs and rain frogs on cloud forest night walks.
- Frogs: yes
Are there frogs in La Fortuna?
One of the best places for red-eyed tree frogs, on night walks every evening.
- Frogs: yes
Are there frogs in Puerto Viejo?
Strawberry and green-and-black poison frogs by day, tree frogs at night.
- Frogs: yes
Are there frogs in Tortuguero?
Red-eyed tree frogs and poison frogs around the lodges at night.
- Frogs: yes
Are there frogs in Sarapiquí?
Strawberry poison frogs by day, red-eyed tree frogs by night.
- No wild frogs
Are there frogs in San José?
Few in the city. Sarapiquí night walks are about 1.5 hours away.
- Frogs: yes
Are there frogs in Manuel Antonio?
Night tours find tree frogs, glass frogs and sleeping birds.
- Frogs: yes
Are there frogs in Uvita?
Red-eyed tree frogs at night, granular poison frogs by day.
- Frogs: yes
Are there frogs in Jacó?
Night tours near Carara find tree frogs and the odd glass frog.
- No wild frogs
Are there frogs in Santa Teresa?
Few frogs in the dry season. In the rainy months, some tree frogs at night.
- No wild frogs
Are there frogs in Tamarindo?
Dry forest, so frogs are mostly a rainy-season thing. Plan a night walk in Arenal.
- No wild frogs
Are there frogs in Nosara?
Some frogs after rain, but the famous species live on the Caribbean side.
Species expert program
Find a certified Frog Expert
Lyferr certifies guides one species at a time. A Frog Expert has the strongest proven record on Lyferr for finding and photographing frogs, which makes them your best odds for a good sighting and a good shot.
- 175+ logged frog tripsCounted on Lyferr for this species only, not for wildlife tours in general.
- 290%+ composite scoreSighting success, cross-checked with public sighting records, weighted with traveller ratings of the guide's species knowledge.
- 3Earned species by speciesA guide can hold several badges. Each one is earned on its own and kept once earned.
How guides move up, one species at a time
- 01EmergingUnder 20 trips
- 02Skilled20+ trips · 60%+ score
- 03Specialist40+ trips · 75%+ score
- 04Species Expert75+ trips · 90%+ score
Founding experts
At launch, we award Founding Expert badges to guides with several years of premium tours focused on this species. Each one is confirmed or removed once the guide has logged 20 trips on Lyferr. After that, the badge is earned with logged trips and score.
No guide can promise a sighting. The badge shows the strongest track record for this species, not a guarantee.
See Frog Expert guidesDay tours from local guides
Compare frog tours from local guides
Day tours run by independent local guides, all held to the no-touch, no-feeding standard.
Ranked by sighting success, verified reviews and licence
Frogs tours from local guides are being added. Tell us your dates and where you’re staying, and we’ll match you with a guide.
Ask LyferrClear refunds
up to 60 days before trips, 48 h before day tours, on every booking made through Lyferr. Booking fee (11% of the price) excluded.
Reserve with 25%
secure checkout on WeTravel, the rest paid before your tour
Group size, upfront
every listing shows its maximum group size
Your guide, confirmed
guide's name and WhatsApp arrive in your booking confirmation
Real reviews
only travellers who booked can review
How booking works
- 1Pick a tour or trip on Lyferr
- 2Choose your date and pay the 25% deposit on WeTravel
- 3The guide confirms within 24 h. Their WhatsApp arrives with your confirmation
Prices are set by each guide. The 25% deposit includes Lyferr’s booking fee (11% of the price), shown before you pay. Each card opens the tour’s booking page on WeTravel.
Which frog is that?
Saw a frog? Find it by colour
The frogs people ask about most, sorted by what you noticed first. Each tag says if it's poisonous.
- Harmless, don't touch
Red-eyed tree frog
Caribbean lowlands, Arenal
PoisonousStrawberry poison dart frog
Caribbean side
- Poisonous
Green-and-black poison dart frog
Caribbean and south Pacific
- Poisonous
Granular poison frog
South Pacific only
- Poisonous
Golfo Dulce poison frog
Osa and Golfo Dulce, endemic
- Poisonous
Lovely poison frog
Caribbean lowlands
- The "Kermit" frog
Diane's bare-hearted glass frog
Caribbean foothills
- See-through
Reticulated glass frog
Streams, Caribbean and south Pacific
- See-through
Emerald glass frog
Streams across the country
- Glides between trees
Gliding tree frog
Caribbean lowlands
- Harmless
Masked tree frog
Lowlands, often near houses
- Toxic to pets
Cane toad
Everywhere, even in town
Not in Costa Rica: the golden poison frog (Colombia) and the coquí (Puerto Rico).
Want names for every frog you saw? Book a night walk.
Compare night walksWhen to go
When is the best time to see frogs?
Any evening of the year, and best in the rainy season from May to November, when frogs call and breed after rain. Tree frogs come out after dark; poison frogs are the exception and hop around the leaf litter by day.
Why a guide matters
How guides find more frogs
You'll hear frogs on your own. A good guide shows you the ones calling by:
- Knowing the ponds and streams each species uses, and when they breed.
- Following a call in the dark to a frog the size of your thumb.
- Telling you which frogs are toxic, and keeping everyone's hands off.
- Using dim or red light, so frogs stay put and keep calling.
Not sure where to go? Send us your dates and where you're staying, and we'll suggest the right guide.
Ask Lyferr a questionFOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Best time is the first two hours after dark, when frogs are calling and sitting still.
Ethical wildlife watching
Frogs first, photos second
Is flash OK at night?
A short, diffused flash for a photo is fine. A bright torch held on a frog for minutes is not: use red or dim light.
Never pay to hold or pose with a frog. Real rescue centres don't offer it.
Book a night walk with a local guide
Find a no-touch guideThe sound of the forest
What's that noise at night?
Most of the night chorus is frogs. Males call to attract females, loudest after rain, and every species has its own call.
Red-eyed tree frogs give a short "chock", strawberry poison frogs buzz like insects by day, and some glass frogs whistle from leaves over streams.
Evenings after rain are the loudest.
See night walksNot booking yet?
Take the frog ID sheet with you
One printable page: the 20 frogs you're most likely to see, which ones are poisonous, and where to find them. Sent to your inbox.
Frog facts people ask about
- ~150frog species live in Costa Rica
- Duskis when the frog chorus starts
- 0golden poison frogs or coquís live wild here
- 2 cmis all a strawberry poison frog measures
- Calzonudathe red-eyed tree frog’s local name, for its "trousers"
Who wrote this
Lior, founder of Lyferr
Wildlife photographer and guide who grew up in Guanacaste, and a finalist in the Sony World Photography Awards and Wildlife Photographer of the Year. Lior has spent years photographing Costa Rica's frogs on night walks, from red-eyed tree frogs in Arenal to poison frogs on the Caribbean coast. This guide is what he tells friends before they go.
- Sony World Photography Awards finalist
- Wildlife Photographer of the Year finalist
- Born in Guanacaste
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
How many frog species are in Costa Rica?
About 150, including five poison frogs, over a dozen glass frogs and the red-eyed tree frog.
Does Lyferr run the tours?
No. Lyferr is a marketplace. Licensed local guides and tour operators list their tours here, and we rank them by sighting success, reviews and client experience (and photography expertise for photo tours). You book and pay the deposit through Lyferr, and the operator you choose runs the tour.
Where is the best place to see frogs in Costa Rica?
On night walks in La Fortuna, Sarapiquí, Monteverde and Tortuguero, and on day trails around Puerto Viejo for poison frogs.
When is the best time to see frogs?
Any month, at night. The rainy season from May to November is the most active.
What time of day are frogs most active?
After dark, especially in the first hours after rain. Poison frogs are active by day.
How much does a night walk cost?
Group night walks cost about $30 to $60 per person and last about two hours. Every tour on Lyferr shows its price before you book.
Are there golden poison frogs or coquí frogs in Costa Rica?
No. The golden poison frog lives in Colombia and the coquí in Puerto Rico. Neither lives wild in Costa Rica.
Are poison dart frogs dangerous to touch?
Costa Rica's poison frogs are mildly to moderately toxic. Touching one is unlikely to hurt you badly, but it can irritate cuts and eyes, and it harms the frog. Don't touch.
Is the red-eyed tree frog poisonous?
No. Its bright colours are a bluff to startle predators. Still, don’t touch it: your skin oils and sunscreen harm it.
What are frogs called in Spanish?
Rana. The red-eyed tree frog is the rana calzonuda, and glass frogs are ranas de vidrio.
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