Manuel Antonio National Park is home to both of Costa Rica’s sloth species: the brown-throated three-toed sloth and Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth. You will not find a separate “sloth tour” with us, because sloths are not a show: they are part of the forest you walk through on our guided Manuel Antonio National Park tour, where an ICT-licensed naturalist and a Swarovski scope turn a grey shape in the canopy into a face you can photograph.
This field guide explains how to tell the two species apart, when and where our guides find them, and why a guide changes the odds. Written by Jason Solano Zamora, ICT naturalist guide (license 1206) with 18 years in the park.
Ask Jason on WhatsApp: +506 8514 1361 ↗
Which sloths live in Manuel Antonio National Park?
Two species, from two different families. The brown-throated three-toed sloth (Bradypus variegatus) is smaller and grey-brown, with a dark eye mask and the fixed “smile”. It is active by day, so it is the one you most often see moving slowly through the cecropia trees.
Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) is larger and blonder, with a pig-like snout and no mask. It is nocturnal: on a morning walk you usually find it asleep, balled up in a branch fork.
How to tell the two species apart in the field
| Three-toed sloth | Two-toed sloth | |
|---|---|---|
| Activity | Day and night | Mostly night |
| Face | Dark eye mask, “smile” | Plain face, pig-like snout |
| Fur | Grey-brown, algae-green tint | Blond to tan, shaggy |
| Front claws | Three long claws | Two claws |
| Where you see it | Feeding in cecropia | Asleep in a branch fork |
When and where our guides find them
The first two hours after the 7:00 a.m. opening are the best: three-toed sloths feed in the cool morning and movement is what a guide’s eye catches. After about 10:30 a.m. the trails fill and animals settle higher. Our guides find them most often along the Sendero El Perezoso boardwalk and the first part of the Punta Catedral loop, where the canopy is low enough to put a sloth within scope range.
Sloths are wild animals, so no honest guide guarantees one. On our early guided walks they are among the animals we find most consistently.
Why a licensed guide and a Swarovski scope change the odds
Finding a sloth is a memory problem before it is an eyesight problem. Sloths use the same few trees for weeks, and guides who walk these trails every morning check the trees that were occupied yesterday. Then the Swarovski spotting scope fills the eyepiece with the face, the claws and the algae in the fur, and lets you take a real photo with your phone through it. Every guest also receives free 4K photos of their tour.
See the two-toed sloth awake: the night tour
If you want to see the two-toed sloth awake and moving, that happens after dark. Our Manuel Antonio night tour runs on a private reserve next to the park, every evening, including the Tuesdays when the park is closed.
Tour options to see sloths in the park
All options use the same licensed guides and the same scope; the difference is group size and what is included.
| Option | Price per adult | Park ticket | Group |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic Group | $30 | Not included ($18.08) | Shared |
| Premium Group | $65 | Included + transport | Shared |
| Classic Private | $69 | Not included | Your party only |
| V.I.P. Private | $100 | Included + transport, snack, lunch | Your party only |
Full details on the Manuel Antonio National Park guided tour page. The park is closed every Tuesday, and SINAC sells tickets only within two months of your date.
Ask Jason on WhatsApp: +506 8514 1361 ↗
Frequently asked questions about sloths in Manuel Antonio
Does Manuel Antonio have sloths?
Yes, both species, all year round, including December and January.
Is there a dedicated sloth tour?
Not with us. Sloths are seen on the guided park tour together with monkeys, birds and the rest of the forest. We do not sell a tour that promises a single animal.
Are sloths guaranteed?
No. They are wild. With a guide and a scope at 7:00 a.m., the odds are far better than walking alone.
Is there a sloth sanctuary inside the park?
No. Rescue centres near Quepos are separate operations; the park has wild sloths only.