Discover Sloths: A complete guide to the Bogarin Trail in La Fortuna
Last updated: 01.10.24
Sloths are an iconic symbol of Costa Rica, and they hold the title of the country’s national animal. To be honest one thing you can’t miss during your visit to Costa Rica is the chance to encounter these adorable creators. As an animal lover, observing sloths was a top priority on my Costa Rica bucket list, and I’m glad I got to experience it on the Bogarin Trail in La Fortuna. Without a doubt, I recommend adding sloth observing to your own bucket list! Does encountering sloths sound exciting to you? If so, you’re in the right place.
The Bogarin Trail located in La Fortuna, Costa Rica, is a great spot to encounter wildlife and observe sloths. The trail is easy to walk and offers both guided and self guided sloth tours. You can even take a night tour on the trail. In this guide, I will share everything you need to know before planning your visit to the Bogarin Trail.
Discover Sloths: A complete guide to the Bogarin Trail in La Fortuna
Everything you should know about the Bogarin Trail in La Fortuna
Why visit the Bogarin trail in Costa Rica?
As I mentioned earlier, encountering a sloth is an absolute must do in Costa Rica – Or at least worth trying for. Since sloths are wild animals, there is no guarantee you will spot them. Which makes the experience even more special if you see these cute creatures!
If La Fortuna is part of your Costa Rica itinerary, you simply have to visit the Bogarin Trail. According to the Bogarin Trail’s own website, they offer the best sloth and bird watching trail in La Fortuna. We definitely enjoyed our self guided tour at the trail and were fortunate enough to spot several sloths along the lush rainforest trail.
The Bogarin trail is an unforgettable experience for nature and wildlife enthusiasts! It provides you the opportunity to observe the sloths in their natural habitat. Beyond sloths, the trail also offers the chance to spot other tropical wildlife, making it a perfect visit for anyone seeking a connection with Costa Rica’s rich biodiversity.
The location of the trail
Where is the Bogarin Trail located? The Bogarin Trail is located in the small town La Fortuna, which is in the northern part of Costa Rica.
If you’re arriving by car, free parking is available. We chose to walk to the trail since it wasn’t far from our accommodation in La Fortune. The trail is also conveniently close to the center of La Fortuna. You will find clear signs indicating you have arrived at the right place.
The Bogarin Trail map
Is the Bogarin Trail difficult? No I wouldn’t say so – Honestly I found the trail quite easy. The Bogarin Trail is approximately 2.5 km long and it’s easy to walk. Furthermore the trail is well marked and simple to navigate. Which is making it very accessible for hikes of all levels as well as wheelchair users. The trail takes you through the lush rainforest while spotting wildlife.
In the photo above (“The Bogarin Trail map) you can see the trail’s route. It forms a loop with a few small detours off the main loop. The trail is divided into sections numbered from 1 to 12, and we were informed that the best chance of spotting a sloth is in the middle loop near number 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Be sure to ask for advice at the reception when you pick up your tickets for the best chance of observing a sloth.
Wildlife at the Bogarin Trail
The tropical forest surrounding the Bogarin Trail is home to a wide variety of wildlife. In other words this provides visitors the opportunity to encounter much more than just sloths. A variety of bird species, including the colorful toucan and cool owls, can be seen flying among the trees. While on the forest floor, you might spot fascinating creatures like agoutis and the remarkable basilisk lizard. The basilisks are able to run on water for a short distance and therefore earned its nickname “Jesus Christ Lizard”. While these are just a few examples of exotic wildlife you might encounter on the Bogarin Trail in the lush rainforest.
However It’s important to remember that wildlife sightings are never guaranteed that you will find what you’re looking for. That is unpredictable. However this unpredictability only makes the experience even more rewarding if you’re lucky enough to spot the animals you’re hoping to see.
Sloths
When you think of Costa Rica, one animal instantly comes to mind: The sloth. They are known for their slow pace and unique appearance. They have become a symbol of Costa Rica. These fascinating creatures are found living in the rainforests of Central and South America.
A fun fact about the slots is that they are the slowest mammal in the world. It’s so inactive that algae grows on its furry coat.
Types of sloths:
Sloths are identified by the number of claws on each front foot. There live two different main species of sloths in Costa Rica. They are called two-toed sloth (Choloepus Hoffmanni) and three-toed sloth (Bradypus).
Two-toed sloth is significantly larger compared to the three-toed sloth. They measure between 61 cm and 69 cm and have a weight up to 8 kg. In contrast the three-toed sloth is smaller with its length of about 58 cm and a weight around 4 kg.
How to spot a sloth:
Your best chance of spotting a sloth is by scanning the treetops. You have to look out for something that looks like a bird nest or termite mound. A camera with a zoom lens or a pair of binoculars can be a great help in spotting a sloth. For more detailed tips on sloth spotting, check out The Sloth Conversation Foundation. Here you can find more info about how you spot a sloth and what kind of threes they live in. Furthermore it also describes how to behave if you encounter a sloth.
Volcano view
Along the trail, you will find a relaxing spot with a bench, providing the perfect place to take a small break and soak in the view of one of Costa Rica’s popular landmarks: The Arenal Volcano. This majestic volcano dominates the landscape with its impressive presence and it’s still active.
This scenic viewpoint, offering a beautiful view of the volcano, is clearly marked on the map, as shown on the map above.
Bogarin Trail tours in La Fortuna
When visiting this serene trail, you have three options for exploring it. You can choose a self guided tour or go for a tour with a guide. If you choose a tour with a guide you have the option of either a day tour or a night tour. Regardless of the option you choose, each tours offers the opportunity to watch sloths. Below you will find more details about each tour to help you decide which one is best for your visit.
We chose the self guided tour, and you can read about our experience later in this blog post.
| Self guided tour | Guided tour | Night tour | |
| Advantages | Your own pace Lower price | A guide to answer question and point out animals A telescope to watch wildlife | A greater chance of spotting variety of animals |
| Disadvantages | No guide to help you point out animals and answer questions | A bit less flexible | A higher price |
| Opening hours | 7.00 am to 4.00 pm | 8 am, 9 am, 10 am, 11 am, 1 pm, 2 pm, 3 pm and 4 pm | 5 pm |
| Price | $20 for adults and kids | $45 for adults and $30 for kids | $50 for adults and kids |
Bogarin Trail self guided tour
If you enjoy exploring at your own pace, a self guided sloth tour is a perfect choice! The advantages of this option are that it’s more affordable, and you can take your time, walking the trail at a pace that suits you. However the downside is that you don’t have a guide to introduce you to the animals and plants or answer any questions. Still there are informative signs along the trail, where you can learn more about different animals and plants. Another disadvantage is not having an experienced guide who knows the trail and can more easily point out the wildlife.
Bogarin Trail guided tour
On a guided tour you will walk around with a guide who knows the area and can help you pointing out interesting animals and plants while answering your questions. Furthermore the guide brings a telescope to make it easier to observe the wildlife. A downside is that it’s a bit less flexible than taking the tour on your own.
Bogarin Trail night tour
A guided night tour offers the advantage of expert knowledge from a guide while allowing you to experience the transition from late afternoon light to the mysterious darkness of night. This increases the likelihood of spotting a wider variety of animals, especially those more active after dusk. However this experience does come at a higher cost.
Bogarin Trail practical information
In this section I will share practical information about the Bogarin Trail to help you plan your visit. Firstly you will find details on opening hours, prices, trail recommendations and followed by a section with other useful information.
Opening hours
Here are the opening hours for the 3 different types of tours available at the Bogarin Trail:
- Self guided tours: 7.00 AM to 4.00 PM
- Guided tours: 8 AM, 9 AM, 10 AM, 11 AM, 1 PM, 2 PM, 3 PM and 4 PM
- Night tours: 5 PM
However it’s always a great idea to check their website for any updates on opening hours, prices and other details before your visit.
Prices
This is the different entrance fees for each type of tour:
- Self guided tours: $20 for adults and children
- Guided tours: $45 for adults and $30 for children
- Night tours: $50 for adults and children
Entrance for Infants is free.
Recommendations for the trail
For those planning a trip to the Bogarin Trail, here are some trail recommendations:
- Wear close-toed shoes
- Bring a bottle of water
- Use insect repellent and sunscreen
- Do not feed and touch the animals
- Always stay on the trail
- No smoking and no alcoholic drinks
Other information
Here are some additional details to help you plan your trip to Bogarin trail in La Fortuna:
- A tour typically takes around 2 hours
- Free parking is available
- Free lockers are available
- There is a souvenir and coffee shop on site.
Bogarin Trail our personal experience
Now that I have shared plenty of pratical details about the tail, I would like to tell about our personal experience with at the Bogarin Trail in La Fortuna. In May 2023 my husband, Nicko, and I set off with the hope of experience sloths in real life for the first time – Such an exciting feeling! We were staying at a nearby accommodation, so we walked to the trail, arriving around 9 AM to avoid the heat of the midday sun.
At the entrance we were greeted by the friendly staff and surprisingly a special bird. After a brief introduction to the trail and some tips on the best spots to see a sloth, we stopped by the restroom, conveniently located near the entrance, before starting our adventure.
We decided to head the left, following the map toward marker 9. As we walked, we kept spotting any kind of wildlife, especially sloths. The peacefulness of the trail combined with the shade from the trees, made the walk very enjoyable.
However after a while the reality set in: “This is wildlife – There is no guarantee we will spot our first sloth today.” At first this thought made me feel a bit disappointed. But then I reminded myself how much more authentic and rewarding it is to observe animals in their natural habitats rather than in captivity. Even if we didn’t see a sloth that day, we still had several more days in Costa Rica to try again. With this positive mindset, we continued our search for sloths. We still hadn’t reached the parts of the trail with the highest likelihood of spotting sloths.
All of sudden we noticed one of the guides standing and pointing against a group of threes. Purely on instinct we began scanning the same area and after a while we spotted our first sloth. It was pretty high up and well hidden in the tree. Sloths can be tricky to discover due to their color combined with their position high up in the trees and their slow movement (if any move at all). It was a great feeling! We didn’t walk much further before spotting our second group with a guide spotting another adorable sloth.
The second sloth was even moving from one three to another. It felt lucky to observe the sloth in action like that. Along the trail we meet two other families without a guide. Neither family had seen any sloths yet, so we decided to help them. Together we walked back and showed both the sloths we had observed. I like when people help each other out on a trail.
All in all we ended up spending around 2,5 hours on the trail. Despite a slow start we ended up watching two sloths multiple times along with other wildlife. It was an unforgettable experience!
Is the Bogarin Trail in La Fortuna worth a visit?
Absolutely! I had an amazing experience observing sloths. If you’re an animal lover, I highly recommend visiting a place where you can encounter sloths when you’re in Costa Rica.
Lastly I hope you found this guide to the sloth tours at the Bogarin Trail helpful. If you’re seeking more inspiration for your La Fortuna itinerary, be sure to check out this guide on 5 amazing things to do in La Fortuna.
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