Although there are an abundance of sloth tours all over La Fortuna, you can actually see them for free. And I don’t mean a random sighting around town - which definitely can happen - but you need a little time and a bit of luck for that.
There’s actually a little known forest close to the town centre, which is a biological reserve, and you can wander the trail looking for sloths just like you would on any of the self guided sloth walks in La Fortuna.
We were thrilled to spot two sloths, and the short, easy forest walk was beautiful too. A win-win.
Here’s everything you need to know about where to look for sloths for free in La Fortuna.
First things first: the truth about going without a guide
The truth of the matter is, whether you go to the free reserve, or take a self guided sloth walk in one of the paid for reserves, there is no replacement for a good guide. Sloths can be quite difficult to spot as they’re often high up in the trees and the forest is usually dense. A good guide will spot many animals that you would simply walk straight past.
However, in a country as expensive as Costa Rica, where almost everything comes with a hefty price tag, you might not want to shell out on a guide. Or you simply might prefer the challenge of searching for one yourself.
Whichever category you fall into, it’s worth checking out the free reserve, and then if you don’t get lucky you can always opt to take a tour if you want to.
Personally we saw two sloths, one in the reserve and one beside the road leading to the reserve - and the excitement was greater than seeing them on the self guided sloth walk we’d done earlier in the day - though that was a lot of fun too!
Getting to the reserve
The reserve is called the Rio Danta Corredor Biologico Sendero, just 3.5km and a 7 minute drive from the centre of La Fortuna.
Before you arrive at the reserve, keep your eyes peeled on the C.468 and Av. 351 roads that head northwards from the centre of La Fortuna.
This is where we saw our first sloth, in a tree at the side of the road. The trees are not so dense here, so it was easier to spot the sloth than in the forest. Our sighting was in the large tree before the Don Juan coffee house.
Obviously they move, but keep an eye out along this whole stretch because we also met a couple who had seen another sloth along the same road, so it’s probably not too rare to see them here.
Once you arrive at the Rio Danta Reserve, there’s no dedicated parking, you need to just pull off the road and park on the gravelled area. It’s free and very quiet, so you won’t have any trouble getting a spot.
Exploring the Rio Danta Corredor Biologico Sendero Reserve
Edit for June 2023: They have sadly closed this side of the reserve, but you can still enter the reserve to the left (east) of the road, details below.
We started by exploring the forest on the southern side of the river that headed westwards - you’ll see a sign saying Sloth Shelter, so you know you’re in the right place. You’ll immediately enter a dense patch of forest. The dirt path is both flat and in good condition - in the dry season anyway, I am sure it gets a bit muddy in the rainy season.
As the terrain is so good, you don’t need to watch your footing, and can instead spend your time searching the tree tops for sloths.
You can walk for 450m through the forest before returning the same way. You’ll need to walk slowly and keep your eyes peeled. Often times the sloths are not very active, so you’ll likely be looking for a curled up ball high in the trees. Their fur tends to blend in nicely with the bark!
We didn’t see any sloths in this section, but the forest was gorgeous and it was an enjoyable walk, with or without the sloths. We saw a few birds and it was just nice to be in a forest without any crowds!
You can also explore the area to the east of the road (still open despite the other side of the reserve now being fenced off). You have to walk a little along the dirt/grassy area and then you’ll see the path leading into the forest.
This is where we met a guide and he showed us a sloth just 30 seconds into the forest. Full disclosure here: we would not have seen the sloth without him! That’s why we say there’s no substitute for a good guide.
But it’s fun to look and you may have a better eye for spotting than we do!
Even if you don’t see one, the forest is beautiful, so it’s no hardship, and if you do find one, you feel more accomplished than if someone points one out to you. We were thrilled to spot the one at the side of the road ourselves : )
Another spot to check
Another spot we got lucky spotting a sloth on our own, was again at the side of the road, but this time on the way to the Tabacon hot spring area - at the turning for the Volcano Lodge and Springs (you can click here to find it on Google Maps).
The funny thing about this spot is it’s literally by the side of the road, but we saw several different animals here over a few days. As well as a sloth, we also saw a Tamandua, but couldn’t get a photo before it moved behind too many leaves.
Sightings here are far from rare and we know this because we probably drove past this spot about 15 times, and every other time, there were groups with binoculars and cameras! We saw the sloth early morning on the way to the hot spring and it was still there several hours later when we returned, only this time the tour groups were also there too!
A suggestion if you don’t get lucky
If you don’t spot a sloth at the Rio Danta Corredor Biologico Sendero or the other area we’ve mentioned, and you’re looking for a low cost option, you could try the self guided tour at the Bogarin Trail in town. We did this and saw three sloths. Now they are no easier to spot here than at the reserve, but there are two key differences.
The first is you can ask the staff at the ticket office before you go where a sloth was last spotted, and secondly you can see where the guided tours are stopping and look in the same area.
I’m not suggesting tagging along on a guided tour without paying, but if you just so happen to walk past a big group staring up at a sloth (and you will) then of course you can stop and have a look before continuing on the trail yourself.
You can see more about our experience on the Bogarin Trail here.
Where to stay in La Fortuna
Arenal Observatory Lodge
The Arenal Observatory is a pretty special place. The lodge has incredible views of the iconic Mount Arenal - even from the rooms!
The rooms are clean, comfortable and well away from the hustle and bustle of La Fortuna town.
It’s surrounded by nearly 900 acres of privately managed rainforest, there are walking trails and even a bird sanctuary on site.
Check the latest prices & availability on:
Apartamento Equipados RyA del Volcan
For those looking for a comfortable stay in a central location, this apartment is a great choice.
Apartamento Equipados RyA del Volcan is a short walk from the centre of La Fortuna, so you don’t have to worry about finding parking or paying for a taxi every time you go out for a meal.
The rooms are stylishly furnished, clean and have a small living area and kitchen for the times you don’t fancy eating out.
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