Central America
Costa Rica
Province of Limon
Cahuita
Things to do in Cahuita
Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica

Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica, Cahuita: Hours, Address, Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica Reviews: 4.5/5

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Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica

See all things to do
See all things to do
Sloth Sanctuary of Costa Rica
4.5
from €31.92
905
#4 of 6 things to do in Cahuita
Nature & Wildlife Areas
08:00 - 14:00
Tuesday
08:00 - 14:00
Wednesday
08:00 - 14:00
Thursday
08:00 - 14:00
Friday
08:00 - 14:00
Saturday
08:00 - 14:00
Sunday
08:00 - 14:00
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About
Two types of tours to see sloths and learn about their diminishing rainforest habitat. Sorry, no direct contact with sloths, for their well-being and yours. "Buttercup Tour" requires no advance reservation; just arrive about 20 minutes before the top of the hour (8AM–2PM) to register. Duration about 2 hours. "Insider's Tour" is given twice daily and requires advance booking. This tour includes everything in the Buttercup Tour plus "behind-the-scenes" visits to the NICU, Slothpital, climbing area and more. Admission/donations collected directly support the sloths – their rescue, rehabilitation, wellness, research, housing and enrichments. Thank you for supporting the sloths with your tour!
Suggested duration
2-3 hours
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4.5
905 reviews
Excellent
579
Very good
166
Average
75
Poor
35
Terrible
50
lex_loci_david
Melbourne1,225 contributions
Worthwhile
Mar 2021
We visited the Sloth Sanctuary and the Jaguar rescue center. The Sloth Sanctuary had two large rooms with sloths in very large cages. The guide told us all about sloths in English and Spanish. It was reasonably interesting and informative. The sloths were mostly sleeping but some were moving around and doing cute sloth things. One of the other people on the tour reached out and held the sloth toes (see the photo). I was surprised that the guide was ok with that because at the Jaguar centre they would have freaked out. I think a young child would have struggled to be entertained for that length of time given that your interaction with the Sloths is limited mostly to looking at them in a cage. Should you go? Many reviewers disagree with these type of operations but they seem to me to be a net benefit to Costa Rica. Apparently they used to have a canoe tour as well and maybe that will come back when travel gets back to usual.
Written 2 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Alexander P
7 contributions
Horrific.
Mar 2021 • Couples
It is difficult to even recount the horrific experience we had at this “sanctuary.” While we were awaiting our tour, we witnessed three dogs, presumably the owner’s, attack and maul a sloth. I do not know if the animal survived; we were so traumatized after witnessing this incident that we left the facility shortly thereafter. It is troubling that safeguards are not in place to ensure that the sloths receiving care are not injured further or killed while in captivity.
Written 16 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
zinc5
Allentown, PA21 contributions
Focus on Sloth Rescue
Dec 2020
absolutely enjoyed our time learning about the work to save and return animals into the wild, family owned and a little bit old-school style presentation but definitely great visit for a worthy cause.
Written 11 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Amanda
Milwaukee, WI18 contributions
Selfless sanctuary
Feb 2021 • Couples
How can you really say 'off the beaten path' better than going to the jungle? But that's exactly the best place to find sloths. The Sloth Sanctuary is a place for sloths to heal as they're prepared for rehabilitation and release. By staying on property, you're able to have a close look at their work. You can immediately tell that the owners and staff put their entire hearts into their work. meeting the founder Judy was a highlight of our experience. Our room was comfortable with a modern bathroom. Truly a great jungle escape to enjoy the Pura Vida lifestyle.
Written 28 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
lolhark
Bucharest, Romania12 contributions
Up close sloth experience
Dec 2020 • Friends
We all loved this tour. There are two areas that we visited to see sloths up close. Jeff was very knowledgable and his grandparents are the founders of the sanctuary. We loved hearing how his grandmother devleoped the sanctuary and contributes to sloth research. There are some negative reviews and opinions that we encountered suggesting that this place is more of a zoo than a sanctuary. However, after doing my own research, I believe that they have the animals best interests at heart here and although they may release a smaller number of sloths into the wild than other sanctuaries, it is because they want to ensure the highest chance of survival. As a bonus, we also seen a group of howler monkeys passing through the trees at the sanctuary. Would definitely recommend this place to anyone visiting the area.
Written 4 January 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Moritz F
Copenhagen, Denmark66 contributions
A must do
Dec 2020 • Solo
Go there to see the cutest creatures in the world! It’s not too expensive and the guide Jeff is very good.
Written 28 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Elmomma
Fort Lee, NJ44 contributions
The best!
Dec 2020
Highlight of our visit to Costa Rica!! Incredible people, place and of course sloths! Owned by the most amazing and beautiful family. They put all their heart and soul into their place and their care for the sloths. We learned so much about sloths and now we want to learn more. We left with a warm heart, gratitude and complete appreciation for sloths . We will return for more.
Written 25 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Susan B
1 contribution
Awful animal welfare do not go
Mar 2020
Do not visit or support this place, ignore all the reviews which say they are doing good work - they are not. The visitor experience takes you into two areas where sloths are crammed into large cages with a few wooden branches to climb about on so tourists can enjoy getting close to and taking lots of selfies - nothing at all to do with the welfare of the animals. The floor is tiled for easy mopping and everything is sparkly clean, not at all an enriched experience for these poor creatures, it is all just for tourists. Please think about the welfare of animals and not about your selfish wish to get up close to these fantastic animals - we all should be practicing responsible tourism. Look into their claims regarding releasing the sloths, they do not hold substance. Away from the tourist building you can just about see some of the small wire cages where most of these creatures are destined to spend their lives.
Written 10 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
abqhiker321
Albuquerque, NM12 contributions
Amazing Visit
Dec 2020 • Couples
They are doing great work here. They care for sick, injured, and abandoned sloths and work hard to help them return to the wild. And they provide excellent care for those unable to be released. We stayed at they Bed and Breakfast for 2 nights and did the insiders tour. I highly recommend both.
Written 6 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Alex
Kyiv (Kiev), Ukraine64 contributions
Amazing information
Nov 2020
The work they do with sloths is amazing and they need all of us to support them, because they do not get any kind of support from the local government. The guy in charge of the guided tour loves what he does, loves sloths and have a really incredible knowledge about. It makes the tour a fun and enjoyable tour where you can also learn a lot. It is a must visit!
Written 19 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
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