Highly enjoyable kayaking and snorkeling adventure. Our guide Cesar was wonderful. He pays attention to his clients, takes time to explain not only the surroundings, but also what to expect,... read more then gently immerses you in the experience. Although recent rains made the water a bit murky, we still managed to see some beautiful exotic fish. The scenery from the ocean is spectacular, the trip is just the right duration and you get a great feel of the beauty of the place.

  We were very excited, because of all of the great reviews, but were very disappointed The price for this tour is very high and is out of proportion to the... read more quality of the tour. We had been in Costa Rica for 3 weeks and this is the worst tour we have done. The guide was very focused on putting on 'a good show' and was only looking for the animals that would attract most tourists (like monkeys, crocodiles etc). We passed so many crabs, fishes, birds etc that are so important for the mangroves, but did not get any explanation on this specific ecosystem or these animals. The material used was not of good quality; again not in proportion with the price. Because we joined another group, we could not choose if we got a single or double kayak. I would recommend seeing the mangroves by kayak, but would not recommend this tour.

  Alan was our guide and we were lucky that it was just us on the tour.
He was amicable and explained lots of interesting facts to us and answered... read more the many questions we had- he was easy going, professional and knowledgeable and we got on very well.
We toured town in a comfortable car, got out at a park and then headed into the countryside.
The ‘farm’ was great and we’re introduced to the animals before picking our food for our cooking experience.
We had an amazing day- cooking, chatting and eating.
Loved the day and would highly recommend it.
Thanks Alan

  Alan was great as a tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and adapted quickly to the crowds. He is an obvious favorite with his peers

  My husband and I recently took this tour as an add-on to an 11-day group tour of Costa Rica.

I need to start by saying that as part... read more of our group tour of CR we were accompanied by an incredible guide who had told us so much about Costa Rica and gone out of his way to make sure we saw so much of the amazing flora and fauna this unforgettable country has to offer, so truly nothing (and no guide) could compare.

As part of our Manuel Antonia National Park tour, we were picked up in a small van at our hotel (along with 6 of our fellow travellers) and taken to the Toucanes Tours "home base" for breakfast. The breakfast was underwhelming - a plate of average-tasting gallo pinto, scrambled eggs, a tiny piece of toast (that was more like a dried-out slice of baguette), and a couple of pieces of plantain. Adequate portion size but not terribly tasty or filling for those with larger appetites. Coffee, tea, and juice/water were also included.

After the quick breakfast stop, we continued on into the town of Quepos where we saw a couple of sloths and some adorable capucin monkeys. Our Tocanes Tours' driver (Giovanni) and Tocanes Tours' guide (Jeremy) were very patient as we took photos and watched the animals.

Back in the van, we continued on to the entrance gate to Manuel Antonio National Park.

At the entrance of the park our backs were checked for food and drink. (This is to protect the monkeys and wildlife within the park.)

As we walked the pathway in the park, heading towards the ultimate destination of the beach, Jeremy stopped to show us many things including lizards, insects, birds, plants, and even a Howler monkey perched high in the treetop.

It was fun to stop at the cafeteria area to watch the adorable moneys frolic. This also offered the opportunity to go to the souvenir shop, use the bathroom, or change into your swimsuit (for those who hadn't worn theirs under their clothes).

The true highlight of the park (for me) was the beach. Because we were there during the quieter tourism season, there was lots of places to spread our towels and it wasn't crowded at all. The ocean water was so warm, although there is a bit of an undertow, so weaker swimmers be warned not to venture too deep.

Unfortunately, because our guide had tried so hard to show us so many things and spent so much time setting up his scope (sometimes too many things and taking too much time, to be honest) we only had 40 minutes to enjoy the beach/water before it was time to walk back (along a different path through the mangrove forest) to our waiting van.

Our "included lunch" was a real disappointment, as it was back at the same Tocanes Tours hub where we'd had breakfast and was a buffet that was depleted in quantity and the food wasn't warm. We were told there were four choices of meat but there was only chicken left when we got there (which was quite tasty).

After a quick lunch it was back in the van for the drive back to the hotel.

We were picked up at 6am and back at 4:30pm. That was a long day for two meals that were sub-par and 40 minutes at the beach, in my opinion. Neither my husband nor I, nor the 6 others we travelled with, felt that we got what we paid for. The van was clean and comfortable, the driver and the guide were friendly, polite, and professional, the food was meh (!!!), and the beach visit was too short.

The park is a beautiful place but you may wish to take it in on your own or hire one of the many guides waiting around the gate area when you get there. I feel certain that part of us feeling underwhelmed was as a result of the incredible experience our 11-day-tour guide had already provided us.

  I went white water rafting with some of my classmates. It was so much fun. The rapids were so big and fun. Our guide, lettuce, lead us through the river.... read more We ended up flipping but because of our amazing guide we were all back on the boat safe. And now we have am amazing story to tell.

  MA is a beautiful park with lost of flora and fauna, BUT, unless you have a guide, you will miss most of the birds and other animals like sloths for... read more sure. Our guide from Toucanes Tours was amazing. He tuned in immediately to our knowledge base and explained in detail about the evolution of the animals and plants. He further described the many relationships these organisms have with each other and then he explained about the geology of the area. His ability to spot sloths in the trees was amazing. He would then set up his spotting scopes for all to see and used it to take amazing pics for us all using our iPhones against the scope. Eli, and his driver Rebecca, were a wonderful team and made the day one of the highlights of all our many trips. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

  We used Tucanes Tours during our trip to Manuel Antonio and were impressed by their professionalism and felt we received high quality experiences. We had a private airport transport from... read more San José-Manuel Antonio, a private transport from Manuel Antonio-Arenal, a hiking tour and a kayaking tour. Each tour guide and driver was knowledgable about Costa Rica and very caring towards my wife and I. We are especially thankful to driver Misael who drove us during both of private transfers. He was prompt, knowledgable, spoke to us in both English and Spanish (English for my wife, Spanish for me) and was willing to make few stops for pictures, souvenirs or to get a bite to eat. If we return to Costa Rica in the future we will not hesitate to use Tucanes Tours. …

  My husband and I were staying at Gaia Hotel & Resort and had a truly awful experience with the tour guide Gaia frequently uses and recommends. When we realized they... read more were planning for him to be our guide into Manuel Antonio National Park, we adamantly refused to go with him and requested another guide. Multiple difficulties and mix-ups ensued, but we were eventually paired with Lisandro at Tucanes Tours, and going on a tour with him was one of the highlights of our time in Costa Rica.

Lisandro was welcoming and friendly and seemed to know everyone at the park, which is always a good sign. He got us into the park and started the tour very quickly and without any difficulty, and we were amazed at his knowledge and passion for wildlife and eco-tourism. He answered all of our questions and found the best spots for us to take incredible photos. We saw toucans, two-toed sloths, three-toed sloths, multiple species of bats and iguanas, Jesus Christ lizards, white-faced capuchin monkeys, howler monkeys, and more birds than I can name. He took so many photos of my husband and me together and never acted as if it was a nuisance to do so. The beach was fantastic, and he was very proud of how clean it was and clearly loves his country. At the end of the tour, there was bottled water, pineapple, watermelon, and cookies waiting for us before we got back in the car to return to the hotel.

We hadn’t brought as much cash with us on the tour as we’d initially thought, but we enjoyed our time with Lisandro so much, we asked him to wait when he took us back to our hotel, and I ran up to our room and retrieved more money in order to give him the tip we believed he deserved. I cannot say enough good things about our time with Lisandro, and I highly recommend taking a tour with him! Absolutely incredible experience we will never forget.

  This is a great tour on the natural canals through the mangrove trees. Our guide Carla was fantastic, with great knowledge of the natural world, and super positive & helpful.... read more We saw incredible wildlife (snakes such as the mangrove boas, cappucine monkeys, various beautiful birds, iguanas etc. ) After the tour we had a lovely early dinner at a local restaurant.
We recommend this tour.

  Early tour and enjoyed it with a knowledgeable guide.
I like this company and did a good tour with them.
I’d recommend starting later as there were many... read more people on the same kind of tour.
It would have been helpful to know that we could have swam beforehand as didn’t bring my swimming costume.
Still enjoyed it

  Luis & Eric were fantastic guides. They emphasized safety first and made sure all in the raft were well trained and prepared for the journey. The upper Chorro part... read more of the Naranjo River was exciting and lots of fun. Luis and Eric even took pictures and video of the experience and shared same at the end of the trip. I would highly recommend taking a trip with this team. Additionally they included a delicious Mahi Mahi lunch as part of the rafting experience.

  Wonderful tour with Danny! He was extremely knowledgeable about the wildlife in the park and helped us to take amazing pictures. If you want to see the wildlife in the... read more park a guide is highly recommended!!

  The trip was flawless from start to finish. Tucanes pick us up at our condo and we let our guide (Alan) for Manuel Antonio. Alan was incredible. ... read more Before we even entered the school ark we saw a sloth and monkeys. Things got even better when we enter the National Park. Our guide found so much (howlers, white face monkeys, two and three toed sloths, a spider that spin a 3D web, iguanas, and so much more). The level of detail was awesome.
Mucho Gusto Alan!!!

  Had a beautiful afternoon kayaking snorkeling and relaxing at the beach with our guide Gustavo. Thanks!

  Fantastic Experience! Enjoyed every minute! The food was delicious. Thank you Nicolas, Erick, Enrique, and Ma

  The walk was not at all strenuous and we got to see so many animals! Alan was amazing at pointing out the animals and helping get pictures of them. He... read more had a scope with him that let us get amazing views of all the different creatures (two-toed and three-toed sloths, monkeys, and more!)

  Guides were amazing, professional and lots of fun
Had a great time would recommend this to anyone who wants to enjoy real level iv rapids

  Cesar was an incredible guide who really took care of us on our tour. The company picked us up from our hotel in the area and had water bottles and... read more fresh pineapple for us to enjoy during the activity. The views by themselves were breathtaking, very reminiscent of Assassin's Creed Odyssey imo. After the tour we were taken to Tucanes' home base where they served us lunch in their personal restaurant, a feature of the tour I had happened to forget about and was pleasantly surprised by. Everything about this ocean kayaking and short snorkeling expedition was very enjoyable, and my family had a really good time! (Just make sure to triple up on the sunscreen cause just this once I didn't apply religiously enough and burned like I didn't know I could)

  This tour was amazing! Our tour guide, Jairo was knowledgeable, and entertaining as well. The views were breathtaking and so serene. Everyone was so professional and kind. What an incredible... read more experience! Thank you Jairo!

  What an incredible experience! Alan was the BEST! He was a fantastic guide and spotted so many things we never would have seen we saw iguanas, basilisks, crabs, bats, herons,... read more white ibis (I think?), hawks, a tiny little tamandua (anteater) but the highlight had to be the troops of capuchin monkeys! They were fearless and as interested in us as we were in them. Alan was friendly, personable and incredibly knowledgeable about the mangrove forest and surrounding area. We all learned so much. Tucanes tours provides water and a typical meal at the end, with an option of chicken, fish or vegetarian. Try the sour juice! One note - accept the offered transportation as the launch site is hidden and confusing to reach. We had our own car and planned to meet them there but we were glad we decided to take the van.

  We had the BEST time! The food was great, our guide (Orlando) was amazing and the rapids were no joke! I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for an... read more adrenaline rush:) Our guide was professional and we felt very safe and well instructed.

  We were picked up from our hotel, taken to lunch, and then to the river where the four of us took a two hour kayaking trip with our very knowledgeable... read more guide, Mario. Easy paddling, saw capuchin monkeys, a baby crocodile, and lots of birds and crabs. Dress to get wet. It’s a lovely way to spend an afternoon. …

  Very good experience with Alberto today, good variety of animals insects and birds. Park was very busy but Alberto made sure we got to see everything.

  My husband and I had a blast doing this for the first time. It’s been days later and we are still talking about how awesome it was. We went down... read more so many rapids. Nic made it more of an experience and we enjoyed talking with him. The only downside is the thought that rafting trips anywhere else will not be as exciting.

  Mangrove Boat Tour - We did the mangrove boat tour with Alexis as our guide and had a great experience. We learned so much from Alexis about the mangrove ecosystem and saw a monkey,... read more many birds, and some lizards. After the tour we had a delicious buffet lunch before heading back to the hotel. Highly recommend this tour and Alexis as a guide.

  Absolute fantastic tour walking through Manuel Antonio national park. We saw so much wildlife (Monkeys, Sloths, Bats). Our tour guide Karla was so knowledgeable and clearly very passionate about the... read more wildlife and the park!
Great tour!