Cano Negro Wildlife Boat Tour – Arenal/La Fortuna Area
Cano Negro is a wildlife refuge north of the Arenal area near the Nicaragua border. The refuge is located in a remote area and has a rich ecosystem full of birds and wildlife. It’s home to about 160 species of mammals, including monkeys, sloths, and even jaguars.
As you cruise down the wide, calm river, the guides will point out wildlife. Three types of monkeys (white faced, howler, and even rare spider monkeys) can be seen as well as caimans, basilisk lizards, iguanas, and bats. Many types of birds can also be spotted, including herons, kingfisher, anhinga, wood storks, potoo, and roseate spoonbills. If you’re lucky, you may even get to see an orange-colored howler monkey, one of the only ones in the world! This special creature has a genetic mutation, which makes its fur orange instead of black.
The boat ride is about two hours long. It’s a sturdy, pontoon boat that is fully covered with shade.
After the boat portion, you will enjoy a traditional lunch back at the restaurant (a casado with rice, beans, chicken or vegetables, salad, and plantain chips). You’ll also do a short chocolate and sugar cane tasting. The local guides will share some fun cultural traditions along the way.
The drive from La Fortuna to Cano Negro is about 1 hour 45 minutes.
Tour Details
Cost (2026): $76 per person adults. $53 per person children ages 4-11. Rates plus 13% tax. Children under 4 are free.
2027 (Starting January 1, 2027): $82 per person adults. $58 per person children ages 4-11. Rates plus 13% tax. Children under 4 are free.
Offered: 7:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. door to door from your lodging (approximate)
Includes: Round-trip transportation from your hotel or vacation rental house in La Fortuna, bilingual naturalist guides, all equipment, water and drinks, snack (fresh fruit), lunch, tastings, and coffee.
Minimum Age: None. This tour is great for families with young children since the boat is covered and sturdy.
Accessibility: This tour is handicap accessible. There is limited walking and the paths around the facility are suitable for a wheelchair. The boat has a sturdy metal ramp to board and there is little movement on the pontoon boat.
More Information
To learn more about the Cano Negro boat tour, read our post Cano Negro: A Wildlife Boat Tour on the Rio Frio.
Have a question?
Send us an email at bookings@twoweeksincostarica.com
Return to La Fortuna/Arenal Tours
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Stephen Frey (Verified Customer) –
One of our favorite excursions from our trip. We were able to see lots of wildlife including a sloth, monkeys, caimans and numerous birds. The boat ride was well paced (slow) and relaxing allowing for animal spotting. The freshly prepared lunch was a nice treat as well.
To bear in mind that there is a lot of bus time from La Fortuna (about 2.5 hours each way) but that wasn’t a surprise.
Peter C. (Verified Customer) –
A well organised tour that encompassed a lengthy drive through lowland sugar, cassava and pineapple plantations. The river boat tour itself was very relaxing, with frequent sitings of iguana and water birds. We also saw groups of three different species of monkeys, small bats, and an alligator, but no jaguar (not that we expected to).