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Wildlife in Uvita
TOWN GUIDE

Wildlife Tours in Uvita

Humpback whales, mangroves and rainforest on the south Pacific, with Corcovado a boat ride away. 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

    Whales, dolphins, monkeys

    Toucans and sloths in the hills above town

  • BEST TIME

    Whales Jul to Oct and Dec to Mar

    Dry season runs from December to April

  • FIRST TIME HERE?

    Start with one day

    A whale boat and the Whale's Tail at low tide

  • GETTING HERE

    About 3.5 hours from San José

    About 1 hour from Manuel Antonio

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 UVITA

Trips and day tours in Uvita

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

No trips through Uvita 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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  • No paid ranking
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 UVITA

Guides in Uvita

No guides in Uvita 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 Uvita

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 UVITA, AND WHERE TO GO INSTEAD

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WHEN TO COME

Uvita, month by month

Humpbacks come from both hemispheres. Southern whales arrive in July and peak in August and September. Northern whales come from December to March. May and June are the quiet gap.

Season

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

Whales *

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

Toucans

  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
  • 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.

UVITA AT A GLANCE

FROM SAN JOSÉ
About 3.5 to 4 h
Around 175 km. Route 27 to the coast, then Route 34 (Costanera Sur) south through Quepos and Dominical.
MARINO BALLENA
Open daily, 7:00 to 18:00
Tickets at the entrance by card only. Bring your passport or cédula.
TIDES
Whale's Tail at low tide only
The sandbar and Playa Arco are only reachable at low tide. Check the tide table with park staff.
WEATHER
Dry December to March
Rainy from May to October, wettest in September and October. The dry season starts later here than in Guanacaste.

WHALE RULES: 100 m and 30 minutes. Boats keep 100 m from whales and 50 m from dolphins, for up to 30 minutes. Swimming with whales is not allowed. Bottlenose, pantropical spotted and spinner dolphins are seen here all year.

WHAT'S NEAR YOU

What you can reach from Uvita

Times are by road from the centre of Uvita and are approximate. The park and the hills are half days; Sierpe and the mangroves are a full day.

Travel time from Uvita, by road. 1 Marino Ballena NP, 5 min. 2 Oro Verde, 20 min. 3 Hacienda Barú, 25 min. 4 Nauyaca waterfalls, 30 min. 5 Térraba-Sierpe mangroves, 1 h

  1. 1. Marino Ballena NP

    5 min
    National parkLow tide walk

    The Whale's Tail sandbar at Punta Uvita, walkable only at low tide. In whale season, boats into the bay leave from Playa Uvita.

  2. 2. Oro Verde

    20 min
    Hills above townBirding at dawn

    Forest and farms in the hills behind Uvita, with toucans, trogons and tanagers. Birding walks start early.

  3. 3. Hacienda Barú

    25 min
    Wildlife refuge near DominicalBirds and night tours

    Forest, mangrove and beach trails, with birding by day and night tours after dark.

  4. 4. Nauyaca waterfalls

    30 min
    Forest above DominicalForest walk

    A two-tier waterfall reached on foot or by 4x4 transfer, with birds and monkeys on the way.

  5. 5. Térraba-Sierpe mangroves

    1 h
    Boat from SierpeBoat trip

    Mangrove channels by boat, with monkeys, crocodiles and herons. Boats to Drake Bay and Corcovado also leave from Sierpe.

  • Go out on the water early

    On this coast rain falls mostly in the afternoon. Whale boats and mangrove trips leave in the morning.

  • Check the tide table

    The Whale's Tail sandbar is only walkable around low tide. Plan the park around it.

  • Whale season

    Humpbacks visit from about July to October and December to March. Dolphins can show up all year.

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

See Uvita day tours

FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS

Photographing wildlife in Uvita

Boats in the morning, the sandbar at low tide. 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.

Go out on the water early, before afternoon storms build. On the Pacific slope rain falls mostly in the afternoon and early night.

See photo tours here

FIELD TIP FROM LYFERR

Book the whale boat for the morning, when the sea is calmer, and visit the Whale's Tail at low tide the same day.

Lyferr field guide · based on park rules and local practice

WHAT TRAVELLERS SAY

Reviews of guides in Uvita

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 Uvita 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

Humpbacks from the south arrive from about July to October, and from the north from about December to March. Dolphins are seen all year. No boat can promise a sighting.

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KEEP EXPLORING

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