Coming in December 2026 or January 2027? Read Manuel Antonio in December — tours, park tickets and high season for the exact date entry tickets are released, New Year’s week availability, December weather and prices. Ready to lock a date? See live December 2026 availability.
Most first-time visitors book our small-group guided walk — it covers the main trails and the best wildlife spots with a naturalist and a spotting scope. If you want a private start time, a slower pace, or hotel pickup, choose the Premium or VIP private tour. Message us your dates and group size and we’ll tell you which one fits.
Our Premium and VIP tours include your park entrance and round-trip transport from your Manuel Antonio or Quepos hotel. The standard small-group tour includes the guide and scope, and park entrance is added separately so you pay only the exact national-park rate. We confirm what’s included before you book.
Plan for about 3 to 3.5 hours inside the park. We start early, when animals are most active and the trails are coolest, and keep the pace relaxed so there’s time to watch and photograph.
Manuel Antonio National Park is open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is closed on Tuesdays. We recommend an early start — wildlife is most active in the first hours, and the park gets busier later in the morning.
Yes. The park limits how many people enter each day, and it sells out weeks ahead in high season (December–April). Booking your tour with us in advance secures both your guide and your park entry for the date you want.
Sloths, white-faced and howler monkeys, iguanas, colorful birds, and sometimes toucans or a coatimundi are all common sightings. We can’t promise any single animal — this is wild nature — but a trained guide with a scope greatly improves what you’ll actually spot and photograph.
Wear light clothing and closed walking shoes, and bring sunscreen, insect repellent, a hat, a refillable water bottle, and your camera. Leave valuables at the hotel. Note that outside food is not allowed inside the park (see below).
Yes. The main trail is relatively flat and family-friendly, and children love the wildlife. If anyone in your group has mobility needs, tell us in advance and we’ll plan the route and pace around them.
Rain rarely stops the tour — wildlife stays active and the forest is stunning in a light shower, and we tour in the mornings, which are usually driest. If you need to change or cancel, message us as early as you can and we’ll do our best to reschedule.
The fastest way is WhatsApp — send us your dates and group size and a real person (not a bot) will reply and confirm availability. You can also book directly here on this website, on our Manuel Antonio guided tour page.
Yes, and it’s the most common complaint we hear. People in reflective vests wave you into a “parking spot” on the way in and then disappear — they are not affiliated with the park. The legal lots near the entrance charge roughly $4–6 for the day with a real attendant. On our tours we meet you at a set point, so you never have to deal with this.
No. A known scam is someone at the entrance quoting “$150 for entrance and a guide.” Real park entry is a fixed, far lower rate, and legitimate guides don’t hustle you at the gate. Your Wakoo guide meets you at an agreed spot and knows your name — you’ll never be pressured at the entrance.
No. Several websites look official but are actually marketing resellers. Park tickets are sold only through the national park system (SINAC). When you book a tour with us, we handle valid park entry for you, so you don’t risk buying from a fake site.
You can legally enter on your own. But visitors who came for the wildlife most often say going without a guide is the one thing they’d change: sloths sit still and camouflaged, and a naturalist with a scope shows you animals you’d walk right past — then puts the scope on your phone for photos.
Park entrance is about $18.30 per adult and $5.65 per child (roughly ages 2–12), set by the national park (SINAC) and paid online — separate from the tour, unless you book our Premium or VIP tour, which includes it. Rates are set by the park and can change, so we confirm the current price when you book.
The park caps daily entries and sells out about 3–4 weeks ahead in high season (December–April) and 1–2 weeks in green season. We plan our guests’ entry in advance, so a “sold out” day on the public site doesn’t automatically mean you miss the park — message us and we’ll check options for your date.
Park tickets are released up to two months before your visit date, and not earlier. That’s another reason to book a guided tour ahead of time — we track the window so you don’t miss it.
It’s about a 3.5–4 hour drive from San José. Shared shuttles run roughly $65 per person and private transfers about $207 for 1–4 people. Our Premium and VIP tours include round-trip transport from your Manuel Antonio or Quepos hotel, so you don’t have to arrange it separately.
No. Under current rules, outside food and snacks are not allowed inside Manuel Antonio National Park — this protects the wildlife. You can bring water, and there’s a refreshment area inside. Have a good breakfast before an early tour.
Bring your passport or a clear photo of the photo-ID page. Rangers check your ID against your ticket at the entrance, so everyone in the group should have theirs ready.
Opportunistic theft does happen on the beaches when bags are left unattended while people swim. Don’t leave valuables on the sand, and ideally leave what you don’t need at the hotel. On a guided tour, someone is always with the group.
They can — white-faced monkeys and raccoons are bold and go for anything that smells like food, and they’re most active around midday (roughly 12–2 p.m.). Keep food sealed and out of sight, never feed the animals, and keep bags zipped and close to you. Your guide will show you how to stay clear of them.
Wildlife is excellent year-round. The green season (May–November) brings short afternoon downpours, but mornings are usually dry — which is exactly when we tour. October is the wettest month yet still very much worth it: you’ll often find quieter trails and a lush, active forest.
Yes. It’s one of the most reliable places in Costa Rica to see sloths, monkeys, and tropical birds, in a compact, beautiful park where rainforest meets the beach. With a guide, most visitors see far more than they expected. See what lives there in our Manuel Antonio wildlife guide.
It’s one of Costa Rica’s most visited and tourist-friendly areas. The main things to manage are the entrance scams and opportunistic theft described above — simple precautions handle both. Traveling with a local guide removes most of the friction.
Early morning. Animals are most active and easiest to spot right after the park opens at 7 a.m., temperatures are cooler, and the trails are less crowded. That’s why our tours start early.
We meet you at an agreed point in Manuel Antonio (near Supermarket Joseth) or, on Premium and VIP tours, at your hotel. You’ll get exact instructions and your guide’s name when you book — so there’s no confusion, and no one can pose as your guide.
Yes. Every booking includes a US$2 donation per person to Kazan Karate for Kids — a local program supporting children in Manuel Antonio through martial arts and discipline. It’s built into what you pay, at no extra cost to you.
Ready to book? See dates and prices on our Manuel Antonio National Park guided tour page, or read the park information guide.
\n
Guided by Jason Solano Zamora, guía certificado de Costa Rica Wakoo Tours.
Planning December? Book your December Manuel Antonio tour — dates, prices & 2026–2027 availability.