Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Are you looking for a unique experience just outside Costa Rica's capital? Be surrounded by nature and stay at our guesthouse amongst colorful birds like toucans and macaws singing during the day! Don't forget the stunning owls and frogs at night. You get to stay in our sanctuary, where you will receive an educational walk by one of our knowledgeable tour guides and learn about all the beautiful wildlife! The local food will amaze you, and having coffee upon your arrival with the Founder, Leslie Howle will be something to remember. Then we will take you out to dinner with a staff member, so you can ask questions and learn more about Toucan Rescue Ranch's work. Live the adventure of staying at a wildlife sanctuary!
San Josecito Off of Route 112 near downtown San Josecito, Heredia 40101 Costa Rica
Toucan Rescue Ranch
489 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
I stayed at the guest house for one night during my trip to Toucan Rescue Ranch and I loved it! The guesthouse sleeps up to four people, one queen/full bed, one twin, and a bunk bed. It was quite spacious, and there was a privacy screen between the sleeping area and the rest of the guesthouse, so it didn’t feel like one big room. It had a full bathroom with shower (good water pressure) and stocked with toiletries, a dinner table, sofa, and kitchenette with full sized refrigerator and sink. The fridge came stocked with bottled water, soda, and there was wine/glasses as well, all for additional price. They put a fresh bouquet of lilies on the table which were lovely 😄 There was a porch with light and chairs to sit and look out at the beautiful scenery.
The ceiling was really lovely, made of some type of varnished wood (bamboo?) and very high. Nice windows that provided soft light, with curtains for privacy.
The guest house was located on the sanctuary side of the ranch, and was surrounded on all sides by the animal enclosures! It was so cool to sleep with owls, parrots, and monkeys right outside. I slept well, and although I could hear the wildlife sounds of bird calls and such, they were not overly loud. I easily tuned them out and fell asleep.
I also had a special visitor at the guesthouse, resident kitty Nala! She was so friendly and came right over to say hello to me 😄 I loved spending time giving her pets and cuddles, and she made biscuits on the blankets with me ❤️
It was a very special experience spending the night here, and as part of the package you get to meet and snack with the founder Leslie, have dinner with one of the staff, and get a private tour the next morning of the sanctuary! I enjoyed all of it, got to ask lots of questions, see the animals and hear their stories, and get a feel for how a rescue center works to save animals. I learned a lot and will always remember my time there. In fact, I would love to go back in a couple of years to see all the animals again!
The money spent on this stay will help the Toucan Rescue Ranch a lot, and you will know your money is going to a good cause. Highly recommended!
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Date of stay: February 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled solo
Room Tip:Bring layers of clothing, weather can go from warm to cold at night. Go outside at night for a...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Our tour was very informative and our questions were met with enthusiasm. We learned a lot about the difficulties of rehabilitation. Our guide was so knowledgeable and clearly loved all the animals there, she was able to tell us the backstory of each one and how they, sadly, came to be there.
A very well organised and ethical place which gives an animal lover the chance to see some of Costa Rica's beautiful wildlife up close instead of as a dot up in tree.
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Date of stay: October 2022Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was the highlight of my recent trip to Costa Rica.
It is a well run and ethical facility. No touching of animals but a well conducted tour by Alexia who was both personable and informative. While I was a little disappointed to not be able to see the animals being rehabilitated for release, I was actually pleased that I couldn't it. It demonstrated that they are truly doing their best for pre release animals to not become habituated to humans.
I was able to see plenty of animals and birds that for various reasons can't be released and are being cared for in a human environment. This is NOT a zoo!
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Date of stay: May 2021
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
If you love animals you must go to this place. Just visiting you would help wild life. This is not a zoo is a place to protect, rescue and/or release animals who has been in troubles. The staff loves what they do. The place is completely clean. Is like a circuit where you can see the animals, you don't have to walk a lot, it's more to appreciate the wild life that is in rehab. The terrain is flat and safe for all ages.
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Date of stay: January 2022Trip type: Traveled with friends
Room Tip:You must want to carry a wind breaker because the drizzle.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We loved our visit here. We did the Slothies and Coffees tour as wanted more time with the Sloths. Our guide was Isaac and he was so passionate about the animals and such a knowledgeable/charming/funny guide. We loved him. The sanctuary really puts the wellness of the animals above all else. Animals that have a chance to be released back in wild are kept in another location so there is no unnecessary exposure/interaction with humans. You also learn a lot about their successful release program, as well as how to know whether an animal centre you’re visiting is truly a rescue/release centre and what not to do at rescue centres so the animals do not get stressed. Highly recommend
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Date of stay: January 2023Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Initiative is excellent. But just give them a donation. The visit itself is a sad tour of even sadder cages, that look straight out of the Victorian age in size and design, with almost no room for the poor few animals that are permanent residents. Wouldn't even be worth $5 in my opinion let alone the near $40 they charge per person. Avoid
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Date of stay: July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Mariana Díaz Fernández, Marketing at Toucan Rescue Ranch
Responded Sep 3, 2021
Hi Jamesnsteph, We are sorry to hear about your experience. As a grass-roots nonprofit, and as you may recall from your tour, we don't receive any funding from the government, meaning that we rely 100% on donations. This is the reason behind the prices for our tours, which is additionally pretty standard among rescue centers and sanctuaries worldwide. Caring for over 200 animals, and rescuing countless animals that come with injuries from everywhere in the country is an expense we need to cover in order to give these animals a second chance. In terms of the size and styles of the cages, we can assure you these animals are not stressed or confided, and they get constant enrichment developed and implemented by expert veterinarians and animal husbandry staff. We hope this response gives you the reassurance of the money spent with us, and for those reading this review. All the best.
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
This animal sanctuary will warm your heart! The animals are happy and well cared for by the lovely staff. The grounds are small enough for people of all ages to navigate comfortably but they never feel cramped or too small.
Our tour was informative, fun and very interactive. Two thumbs up!
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Date of stay: March 2022Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Marketing TRR, Owner at Toucan Rescue Ranch
Responded Mar 21, 2022
We are so happy that you had a great visit! Thank you for coming by to learn about our sanctuary and thank you for all of your support!
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Such a nice experience! The tour guide was extremely knowledgable and we learned a lot of interesting facts about the animals there. So glad we made it there. It's a 20 min drive from San Jose. They don't allow any selfies/pictures of people near the animals.
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Date of stay: January 2020Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I was not able to visit in person but I did the virtual on line tour which was very good. The tour started on time and lasted 1 hour and was very easy to do on line. It was interesting to learn about the different animals they care for and all they are doing to help them.
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Date of stay: August 2023Trip type: Traveled solo
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I signed up for this at the last minute, and we were so glad we did. We did the classic tour, and the guide, Isaac, was amazing. We learned so much about toucans, macaws, monkeys, and sloths. They served us coffee and water, showed us a helpful intro video, and answered all our questions with so much expertise and friendliness as we walked to each enclosure. The Uber to get there and back to Barrio Amon was inexpensive and very easy. If you only have a couple days in San Jose, and you don't have time to do one of the longer day trips (e.g., to Turtle Island, or waterfalls, or the volcano), then this is a great option to see some nature, learn about Costa Rican wildlife, support a great conservation effort, and see a more rural part of the city. (We didn't realize this, but when they say arrive 15 minutes early, they mean it! We arrived too early and couldn't get in. But, since we had plenty of time to kill, we walked to Casa Antigua down the street and had a lovely snack — they accept card! It was also a great opportunity to see the little town.)
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Date of stay: January 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Plan to actually get there no more and no less than 15 minutes before your scheduled tour.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Marie,
You are welcome to join us for an educational tour of the facility. If your special interest is sloths then the "Slothies and Coffees" tour might be your best fit. We also offer a unique "Ranch Experience" where you get to stay in our cabina and learn all things that are Toucan Rescue Ranch. We also offer internships and volunteerships. You can learn more about all of these by visiting our website!
Hi Tamsin! So sorry we are just now reading this. For future reference just hop onto our website and make your reservation right there. We respond within 24-hours and will give you our availability for when you want to visit. Hope you enjoyed Costa Rica!
There are more places to choose from in the Heredia area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
toucan rescue ranch hotel heredia
LOCATION
Costa RicaProvince of HerediaHeredia
NUMBER OF ROOMS
1
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