Night Hiking Tour at the Gandoca Manzanillo Mixed Refuge

Overview

Available languages

English

Spanish

3 hours

Mobile ticket

It's an adrenaline-filled activity that will heighten your senses and connect you with nature. It is a unique experience where you can enjoy animals that are nocturnal and typical of Costa Rica in the tropical rain forests.

Some of the animals that can be observed and enjoyed during the activity are Snakes, Taranturas, Frogs, Kinkajus, owls, Caimans, sloths, and a wide variety of insects and more.

It is a safe activity where you can go as a family and bring your camera and photograph memories.

Where you will learn more about nature.

Additional Info

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Specialized infant seats are available

Not recommended for pregnant travelers

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What To Expect

The night hiking tour covers a 3km route through the humid tropical forest within the Gandoca-Manzanillo Mixed Refuge. We will be exploring both secondary and primary forests. The hike is of low difficulty, allowing you to appreciate a wide biodiversity of flora and fauna. Among the notable fauna you may encounter are sloths, kinkajous, snakes, frogs, tarantulas, basilisks, anteaters, and more. It's an adrenaline-filled activity that will heighten your senses and connect you with nature.

What‘s Included

Entrance

Fruit

Air-conditioned vehicle

flashlight

Bottled water

repellent

poncho or jacket

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Options

Night Hiking Tour at the Gandoca Manzanillo Mixed Refuge

Pickup included

Reviews

5.00

9 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Great experience! Don't miss this tour
904zissist,,Mar 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Amazing experience!! A must try tour! Particularly enjoyable thanks to Haniel who was ready to provide any explanation and keeping the experience engaging the whole time!!!
Expert Level Guide
jlsgolden,,Mar 5, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Haniel is an expert level guide for birding. After being on a night hike we joined another birding tour that Haniel offers. We saw 68 species in 3 hours. Haniel is also a photographer and helps you capture beautiful images. Haniel is humble and acknowledges when he doesn't know something. We ran into another couple who had been on Haniel's chocolate tour who sang his praises. Haniel is knowledgeable about the land that he grew up on and shares his expert level knowledge generously. You will walk away from time spent with Haniel feeling a connection to nature and to Costa Rica. Thank you Haniel!
sExcellent, entertaining and very competent guide
dal64,,Feb 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Excellent, entertaining and very competent guide. He finds everything "that creeps and flees". we can highly recommend him - just English you should know ;-)
Fun in the Dark!
RobRoySr,,Feb 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Saw some great wildlife including a sloth within a minute of starting the hike! Lots of tarantulas too! Haniel was very keen to make sure we had a fun time! It's amazing what he can find in the dark!
A highlight of our trip - thoroughly recommend 🤩
Samantha H,,Dec 10, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Haniel was our guide for a different tour and we booked this immediately after, as he was fantastic. 🤩 The night tour was amazing; completely different animals to what we saw during the day hikes. I would never have noticed Kinkajous, possums, racoons, lizards, frogs, and so many insects and spiders, but Haniel was brilliant at locating everything we hoped to see, and so knowledgeable about them and the area. He even helped me get fantastic photos of creatures I didn't dare get close enough too, and gave us the most unforgettable memories. We cannot thank or recommend him highly enough for a breathtaking tour, from the best guide 💛
Most Incredible Night Hike
Gregory M,,Nov 12, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The night hike with Haniel was incredible, memories that will last for life. We saw Kinkaju, possum, raccon, bats, frogs, spiders, and so much more. Haniel is a great guide knowledgeable and funny, and the time seemed to fly by, did not notice the distance we walked at all. I would do the whole thing again every night for a week, and probably still want more. If you like nature, I can not recommend this enough. You will love it. Incredible photos, incredible memories.
Life changing family fun!!!
miguelaX5822ZK,,May 27, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
If you're considering a night hiking tour in Manzanilla, Costa Rica, stop thinking and just book it—especially if Haniel is your guide! Our experience was absolutely phenomenal, filled with once-in-a-lifetime wildlife encounters that left us in awe. From the moment we started, Haniel's expertise and kindness shone through. He guided us with ease and enthusiasm, making the adventure both safe and incredibly exciting. His knowledge of the local wildlife is unparalleled, and his passion is contagious. We were incredibly lucky to see a wide array of animals: we marveled at the sight of sloths lazily hanging from trees, spotted elusive possums scurrying about, and even had close encounters with the mesmerizing eyelash vipers and cat-eyed snakes. But it didn't stop there—we were also fascinated by the sheer size of bullet ants and the Goliath bird eaters. Haniel made sure we learned fascinating details about each creature, adding depth to every encounter. The experience was magical from start to finish. If you want an unforgettable night filled with thrilling animal sightings and guided by someone as fantastic as Haniel, don't hesitate. Book this tour and get ready for a blast!
Great night tour
Kadri A,,Feb 14, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Great opportunity to discover the nightlife in the forest. The guide is very nice and informative. During the 3 hours you walk around, expect to see a large variety of species, as the guide is highly knowledgable. 10 out of 10 recommended.
Once in a lifetime experience
enikoxiomaras,,Feb 6, 2024
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
The tour was very interesting and Haniel made sure that we all had a great and exciting time, while providing enough information to navigate on this new terrain for us. We were a group of 4 and we saw several animals and wildlife throughout the entirety of the tour. Spending some hours during nighttime in the forest was truly magical and a once in a lifetime experience for us. The Gandoca Manzanillo Refuge is an amazing park where you can really see a lot of animals - plus, being guided by a professional like Haniel who is devoted to nature and conservation, you'll learn a lot and have a fun time.