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Wildlife in Nosara
TOWN GUIDE

Wildlife Tours in Nosara

Olive ridley arribadas at Ostional, howler monkeys and river mangroves on the Nicoya coast. Day tours from local guides, compared side by side, with start times and hotel pickup on every card.

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Reserve with a 25% deposit on Lyferr's secure checkout · Full refund up to 48 h before day tours, except Lyferr's commission

THE SHORT ANSWER

  • WHAT YOU'LL SEE

    Turtles, howler monkeys, crocodiles

    Iguanas and magpie-jays around town

  • BEST TIME

    Arribadas peak about August to November

    Dry season runs from December to April

  • FIRST TIME HERE?

    Start with one day

    A river boat and Ostional at night

  • GETTING HERE

    About 5 hours from San José

    About 2 hours from Liberia airport

LYFERR IS A MARKETPLACE

We don't run tours. Independent local guides and operators list them, we vet every one and show each record openly, and you reserve through Lyferr's secure checkout.

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TOURS IN NOSARA

Trips and day tours in Nosara

Multi-day trips that stop in Nosara, and day tours from guides who live here.

No trips through Nosara listed yet

Multi-day trips appear here as guides list them. Every trip on Lyferr shows its route, dates and group size before you book.

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How it works and guarantees

Prices are set by each guide. The price you see is final. Lyferr's commission comes out of the guide's price, not on top. Each card opens the tour's page on Lyferr.

GUIDES IN NOSARA

Guides in Nosara

No guides in Nosara on Lyferr yet

Local guides are joining Lyferr town by town. Each one is vetted, and their record is shown openly.

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WHAT LIVES HERE

Species you can see in Nosara

Odds for one guided outing in October. Birds from eBird checklists near town; other animals from published studies, or a Lyferr estimate where no rate exists. Not a promise.

NOT IN NOSARA, AND WHERE TO GO INSTEAD

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WHEN TO COME

Nosara, month by month

Olive ridleys nest at Ostional all year, often in mass arribadas once or twice a month. The biggest come from July to November, peaking in September and October. Each one follows the moon, so dates are only known a few days ahead.

Season

  1. Jan: Drier months
  2. Feb: Drier months
  3. Mar: Drier months
  4. Apr: Drier months
  5. May: Wetter months
  6. Jun: Wetter months
  7. Jul: Drier months
  8. Aug: Wetter months
  9. Sep: Wetter months
  10. Oct: Wetter months
  11. Nov: Wetter months
  12. Dec: Drier months

Ostional arribadas

  1. Jan: Good chance
  2. Feb: Good chance
  3. Mar: Good chance
  4. Apr: Good chance
  5. May: Good chance
  6. Jun: Good chance
  7. Jul: Good chance
  8. Aug: Good chance
  9. Sep: Good chance
  10. Oct: Good chance
  11. Nov: Good chance
  12. Dec: Good chance

Howlers *

  1. Jan: Likely
  2. Feb: Likely
  3. Mar: Likely
  4. Apr: Likely
  5. May: Likely
  6. Jun: Likely
  7. Jul: Likely
  8. Aug: Likely
  9. Sep: Likely
  10. Oct: Likely
  11. Nov: Likely
  12. Dec: Likely
  • Very likely
  • Likely
  • Good chance
  • Rare
  • Drier months
  • Wetter months

Bird rows: share of eBird checklists near town that report the bird, by month (approximate). Other rows come from published studies, or are a Lyferr estimate where marked *. Not a promise. Shaded months are the drier ones.

NOSARA AT A GLANCE

GETTING HERE
5 to 6 h by road
About 250 km from San José, paved until the last stretch. About 2.5 h from Liberia airport. Small planes fly from San José to the Nosara airstrip.
WEATHER
22 to 33 °C
Dry from December to April. Rainy from May to November, wettest in September and October.
OSTIONAL
8 km northwest
The Ostional refuge also covers the beaches of Nosara and Guiones. During an arribada you may only enter the beach with a guide.
ROADS
4x4 in the rains
Many roads are unpaved and creeks cross the route. A regular car can work in the dry season. Use a 4x4 from May to November.

ARRIBADA DATES: Announced days ahead. The Ostional local guides association and the refuge post when an arribada is declared. Book a slot as soon as it is. Ostional is the second largest olive ridley arribada beach in the world. One event can bring 15,000 to 200,000 females over a few nights.

WHAT'S NEAR YOU

What you can reach from Nosara

Times are by road from Playa Guiones. Ostional is only 20 minutes away, and the dry forest parks inland are full days.

Travel time from Nosara, by road. 1 Nosara river, 10 min. 2 Ostional, 20 min. 3 Camaronal Refuge, 1 h. 4 Barra Honda NP, 1 h 30. 5 Palo Verde NP, about 2 h

  1. 1. Nosara river

    10 min
    Mangroves and riverKayak or boat

    Mangroves at the river mouth, with crocodiles, herons, kingfishers and howler monkeys.

  2. 2. Ostional

    20 min
    Wildlife refugeArribadas

    Olive ridleys nest here in huge numbers on a few nights a month, mostly in the wet season. Guided visits only.

  3. 3. Camaronal Refuge

    1 h
    Turtle beachNesting in season

    A quieter nesting beach south of Sámara, with olive ridleys and, more rarely, leatherbacks and hawksbills.

  4. 4. Barra Honda NP

    1 h 30
    Caves and dry forestBats and birds

    Limestone caves with bats inside and dry forest trails above, with monkeys and motmots.

  5. 5. Palo Verde NP

    about 2 h
    WetlandsWaterbirds

    Boat trips on the Tempisque past crocodiles and big flocks of waterbirds, best in the dry season.

  • Ask about arribada dates

    Arribadas follow the moon and can't be predicted exactly. Local guides know when one is starting.

  • Respect the turtles

    No flash, no touching, and keep your distance on the beach, always with a guide certified by the ICT.

  • Expect river crossings

    The coast road to Ostional crosses rivers, and some can't be crossed after heavy rain.

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Every day tour on Lyferr shows its start time and pickup area before you book.

See Nosara day tours

FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

Photographing wildlife in Nosara

Dawn on the beach, dusk on the river. Here is when the light works, where to stand and what to pack.

SHOT LIST · ODDS FOR OCTOBER

PLAN THE SHOT

Sunrise is between about 5:15 and 6 am and sunset between about 5:15 and 6 pm, depending on the month.

turtles mostly come ashore between 8 pm and 4 am. Guided visits usually run at dawn or dusk, and dawn gives the first usable light on turtles still nesting.

See photo tours here

FIELD TIP FROM LYFERR

Turtles follow the moon. Ask about arribada dates a few days ahead and go with an accredited local guide from Ostional.

Lyferr field guide · based on park rules and local practice

WHAT TRAVELLERS SAY

Reviews of guides in Nosara

No reviews yet. Verified Lyferr reviews appear here as travellers complete tours, and only travellers who booked can leave one.

NOT BOOKING YET?

Take the Nosara wildlife checklist with you

One printable page: the 10 spots, the best time of day, what to look for in the trees, and the photo settings that work. Sent to your inbox.

No spam. One email with the PDF.

Lior Berman Fernandez, founder of Lyferr

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 guided and photographed wildlife across Costa Rica, from Arenal's rainforest to the dry forest at home. This guide is what he tells friends before they go.

  • Sony World Photography Awards finalist
  • Wildlife Photographer of the Year finalist
  • Born in Guanacaste

Fact-checked by founder Lior Berman Fernandez · Data: iNaturalist public records · How listings work →

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Arribadas happen a few nights a month, mostly from about August to November, and follow the moon. Smaller nestings happen on many other nights. Visits are guided, and no one can promise an arribada.

Still have a question? Ask us

KEEP EXPLORING

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