The kid hid in the fur of the mother sloth, while she moved along the branch in the typical pace. We were watching them move as the long and strong three-toes clamped on the branches. How do they just move, sleep, eat like that and do not fall! The Bogarin Trail offered many such encounters with sloths and their varied behaviors.
The secondary rainforest at Bogarin Trail is home to several species of birds, mammals, and amphibians and all of that is a whisker away from the town of La Fortuna. This makes it a wildlife haven that may end up being your best spot for finding sloths in Costa Rica.
Quick Resources for Bogarin Trail Visit
🦥 Guided or Self-Guided Tour? Either. We recommend guided tour.
🎟️ Advance Reservation Required? Recommended for guided tours. Not required for self-guided visit.
✅ How to Book? Directly on Bogarin Trail online reservation page or on Viator (sold by Bogarin Trail).
🚗 Best Way to Get Around in La Fortuna: Rent a car. Check out our Costa Rica Car Rental Deal.
How to Reach Bogarin Trail
Bogarin Trail is located close to the La Fortuna town center and about 600 m from the La Fortuna Park or the main church of the town, Parroquia San Juan Bosco.
As you pass the church, after around 600 m towards the Arenal volcano, a short alley on the right, leads you to the entrance of the Bogarin Trail. The entrance is hidden just a few meters off the main road facing the volcano. You will see a sign board at the entrance of the road.
You can find Bogarin Trail on Google Maps and Waze.
To get to Bogarin Trail, you can easily take a taxi/ Uber from the center of the town, of if you prefer, you may even walk to the entrance.
But for the whole of your La Fortuna itinerary, you can consider renting a car.
✅ Recommended: Adobe Rent A Car, a 100% Costa Rican company with transparent pricing. Reserve here and get 10% discount and other freebies
🚗 Other options: Compare deals on Rentalcars.com by Booking.com
Read this: Should you rent a car in Costa Rica?
Bogarin Trail: Hours of Visit and Tour Timings
For guided sloth tours at Bogarin Trail, you can choose from 4 different slots in the AM and 4 different slots in the PM. The guided tours usually last for about 2 hours. It is best to make a reservation online in advance for a guided tour.
For a self-guided tour, you can just show up between the visit hours, pay the entrance fee and and start exploring on your own.
- Self-Guided Tour: Anytime between 7:00 am to 4:00 pm
- Guided Tour: 8:00 am, 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 2:00 pm, 3:00 pm, 4:00 pm
- Night Tour: 5:00 pm
Entrance Fees and Guided Tour Costs at Bogarin Trail
2024 Update: You can now pay at Bogarin Trail with card or cash.
The price for guided tours includes a general entrance fee and a bilingual guide (English + Spanish).
For Foreign Nationals
| Tour Type | Adults (12 Years +) | Kids (3-12 Years) | Infants (0-3 Years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entrance + Self-Guided | 20 USD | 20 USD | FREE |
| Guided Tour | 45 USD | 30 USD | FREE |
| Night Tour | 60 USD | 45 USD | FREE |
For Costa Rica Citizens and Residents
| Tour Type | Adults (12 Years +) | Kids (3-12 Years) | Infants (0-3 Years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entrance + Self-Guided | 10 USD | 10 USD | FREE |
| Guided Tour | 35 USD | 25 USD | FREE |
| Night Tour | 50 USD | 40 USD | FREE |
We recommend the guided sloth watching tour. Why? Read on to find out.
Bogarin Trail Visit: Planning Logistics
To help you plan a hassle-free visit to Bogarin Trail, they offer onsite amenities like:
- Free onsite parking
- Locker for storage – at no extra cost
- Coffee Shop
- Souvenir Store
The Namesake: The Man behind the Bogarin Trail
The owner, Giovanni Bogarin, narrated to us his story of ‘creating’ this secondary forest. The original owner got disinterested in this farm land as it was more of a swamp, which is not suitable for a farm.
Giovanni took the opportunity and let the nature take its own course to turn this piece of land into a home for birds and animals. He recalled that as the forest continued to establish its kingdom, the sloths and the birds found their way to this place.
Giovanni is passionate about his work and what he has built over the years. Upon our arrival, he offered us coffee and engaged in discussions about the property, the history, the species and the types of visitors he gets. We ended up discussing so much more about Costa Rica as well, including politics!
The Bogarin Trail
The Entrance Area
Before even going into the trail, the entrance area captivates with multiple species of birds. There is a feeder near the entrance and a small wetland which attract the birds. We spent a considerable amount of time photographing in this area before starting our walk on the trail.
Couple of Russet-naped Wood Rails were searching for food around the wetlands, while male and female red-legged honeycreepers, multiple species of tanagers visited the feeder and nearby perches. We spotted an Amazon Kingfisher as well in the nearby perch.
The Trail
There is one large circular trail with a couple of detours. These are mostly flat and that is why you can relax and concentrate on the wildlife. The main trail is well-marked and about 2 km (1.25 miles) long with occasional sitting areas spread across the trail.
The Sloths
William, Giovanni’s brother, guided us on most parts of the trail to help us find the sloths. We saw 7 of them! Couple of them were mommy sloths with their babies. Seeing this maternal bond reminded us of the humpback whales with their babies.
Sometimes the sloths were high up near the forest canopy and some were hanging from the middle branches of the trees. We also one one tucked inside dense leaves with just the face visible from the trail, sleeping!
The sloths were definitely the highlight of our walk as we saw them in their various natural behaviors in just the 2 hours that we spent on the property.
It could be difficult to spot some of them unless William showed us and helped take some pictures using his telescope.
The Birds
Apart from the sloths, we spotted several birds on the property. There were several jacamars on the trail. We also saw antshrikes, rufous motmots, woodcreepers, Baltimore orioles, squirrel cuckoos, honeycreepers, yellow-billed cacique and several species of hummingbirds.
There is a small pond halfway through the trail. The trees surrounding the pond is home to aquatic birds like the boat-billed herons and night herons.
The Frog Pond
The Bogarin Trail also has a small frog pond where you can find Costa Rica’s iconic red-eyed tree frog. They are nocturnal, so they hide below the leaves and sleep during the day. If they feel threatened they flash their bright red eye and blue-while long limbs as a defense mechanism. William helped us spot one!
Tips to make the most of your visit to Bogarin Trail
Hire a guide
Most of the birds and animals are difficult to spot. If you are visiting to spot the sloths, the guides will definitely be able to help with their expertise. They know the favorite spots of the sloths even if they hide well between the thick vegetation. They carry the telescope which helps in spotting hidden sloths and take photos/videos in your cellphone cameras.
Go early
Try visiting the trail early in the morning. You will find most of the activities in the morning hours and that increase the chances of spotting the wildlife.
Wear closed walking shoes
Though the trail is flat, it can be slippery in certain sections of the trail, particularly if you are visiting after a shower.
Check our comprehensive Costa Rica packing list (with a FREE checklist) and if you are visiting during the low season, do not forget to pack these 15 essential items for rainy season.
Do not forget your camera
Get a telescopic zoom lens or a camera with a good zoom as the chances of spotting wildlife is high.
Related Reading: Our photography gear – what’s in our camera bag?
Final Thoughts on Bogarin Trail
Bogarin Trail can be an awesome half day addition to your La Fortuna/ Arenal itinerary. It provides an amazing glimpse of the wildlife treasure that Costa Rica holds.
The proximity to the town and nearby hotels/resorts, while still hidden in a tropical rainforest environment filled with sloths, tropical birds and frogs, makes Bogarin Trail a must-do activity in the area.
Plan Your La Fortuna Trip
For planning your La Fortuna and Arenal trip, check out our other articles about the attractions in the area.
- 20+ Things to Do in La Fortuna and Arenal
- Free and Budget Things to Do in La Fortuna
- 3 Days in La Fortuna Itinerary
- Arenal Volcano National Park
- Arenal 1968 Trail
- Eco Termales Hot Springs
- Relax Termalitas Hot Springs
- Best Hot Springs in La Fortuna
Like the post? Pin it!
If you enjoy reading our free travel guides, tips and stories, you can buy us a coffee and help us keep this website ads free. Thanks for supporting Paradise Catchers.
Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase or a booking through these links, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you.
Excellent detailing. Awesome photography. Tips worthy for tourists. Admire your survey of locations.
Thank you! 🙂
The Bogarin Trail looks to be a must-visit if you are anywhere near the town of La Fortuna. They really have created a special opportunity here for people to appreciate birds and animals in their natural habitat. Your photos are really quite stunning, focussing so well on each subject. I would love to visit when in the neighborhood of Central America.
Thank you Nicole. Yes, it is a must do in La Fortuna for people who love to observe wildlife and birds.
I’m a sucker for spotting wildlife in the wild, and I’d go crazy in a place like this! The birds are certainly beautiful, and the amphibians are cute, but those SLOTHS! <3
You would love this place then Sage 🙂
Oh my gosh, I love this so much! I would love to see all of these animals in their natural habitat! Thanks for adding another destination to my list!
Thanks Michelle 🙂
Costa Rica is a natural paradise – and I really appreciated how locals preserve all those natural treasures they have – very different from other Central American countries. The birds in your pictures are just amazing – however, the sloths are the strongest suit. I went to a lagoon in Peru to see them – but unfortunately, we didn’t get to see them – although they aren’t too fast to spot 😀
Hi Renata. The chances of sloth sighting are very high in Costa Rica, and it is so much fun to observe the behavior of these cute animals.
Costa Rica is on my dream list because I love wildlife. I love to photograph birds. That’s why I would love to use your tips and add a post to my list. Great photos!
Thanks Agnieszka. Hope you get to visit Costa Rica soon 🙂
Hi! My husband and I are looking to take a family trip to Costa Rica. From your opinion, do you think it would be appropriate to take a 2 and 3 year old? Also, silly question but I’m terrified of tarantulas, did you see any or many? Thank you!
Hi Natalie.
Costa Rica is very kid-friendly, so you can definitely plan a family trip with 2 and 3 year old kids, just choose your activities accordingly.
You don’t need to be worried about tarantulas 🙂 We have seen a few here in Costa Rica, but only during guided night walks in forests.
Hope you have a great trip! Pura vida!