Taking A Slow Walk With Sloths On Bogarin Trail
Without a doubt, sloths are some of the most adorable creatures on earth. So, whenever we find a chance to check them out, you better believe that we’re going to go. You can imagine our excitement, then, when we discovered that there was a well-known sloth trail just outside of La Fortuna, Costa Rica!
Where is it?
Bogarin Sloth Trail
Address – Calle 480, Provincia de Alajuela, La Fortuna, 21007, Costa Rica
Hours – Every day from 7 am-5 pm
Cost –
Self-guided tour – $10
Guided tour – Adults $35 / Kids $20 / Under 3 Free
Private tour – Adults $55/ Kids $35 / Under 3 Free
Phone – +506 8420 3661
Website – http://www.lafortunasancarlos.com/
What is it?
Bogarin Sloth Trail is a privately owned plot of land just outside of La Fortuna, Costa Rica noted for its large quantity of wild sloths. With both primary and secondary tropical rainforest plants on the property, it’s also a haven for a wide variety of other jungle creatures, and it makes the perfect location for a 2-3 hour outing on a day when you have some free time.
The main attraction is the 2km of wildlife trails cutting through the jungle, where you can find tropical birds like toucans, motmots, and owls, multiple species of frogs, and of course sloths.
Do I need a guide?
Walking up to the reception area, we were faced with the familiar question of whether or not to hire a guide, and with so many creatures known to live in the area, we decided to do a little experiment. We chose to do a self-guided trip through the trail at our normal pace, doing our best to spot as much of the wildlife as we could on our own, and then to do a walk-through with a guide to see how much more wildlife we could see with a guide.
While I am proud to say that there have been plenty of times that I’ve spotted amazing animals all on my own, in the end, there was a clear winner.
On our self-guided walkthrough, I was able to spot an agouti, a pair of toucans, and some squirrels. Which totally count as wildlife, by the way! However, I didn’t find a single sloth the entire walk.
Not terrible, but also not too great.
In comparison, our guide showed us 5 or 6 sloths, 3 different species of tropical frog, numerous different species of birds, a small colony of bats, and the infamous bullet ant!
Even though the trail itself was well-maintained and made for a great place for taking a relaxing walk, having access to a guide was without a doubt worth the extra cost.
Owned and operated by Giovanni Bogarin
Of course, our guide also had a distinct advantage in the challenge since he was Giovanni Bogarin, the very man who built the trail in the first place!
During the course of our trip, we heard a bit about how the Bogarin trail came to be, and it’s an interesting story.
One night, when Giovanni was still a young child, he had a vivid dream of taking care of a slice of tropical rainforest. At the time, it was just the dream of a child, but it was a dream that stuck with him for years, even after he grew up and began working as a trail guide. When he happened upon the area of ground that became Bogarin Wildlife Trail, it was a swampy parcel of ground that a local farmer was looking to get rid of. Giovanni looked around the area, and realized with a shock that this was the exact place he had dreamed of years before!
He purchased the land from that farmer and set to work, digging drainage for the land, and planting more than 100 indigenous trees across the area to provide homes for the rainforest creatures he knew would come. As the years went by, the ground transformed from broken farmland back into a rainforest paradise. Animals began to return to the area, and the sloth population, in particular, began to boom!
During the 21 years that the trail has existed, the population has grown from only a single sloth to the more than 40 sloths that call Bogarin trails their home today.
An amazing experience!
Our family loved the attention that Mr. Bogarin lavished on us as his guests. From the beginning, he promised to show us something that we’d never seen before, and us being who we are, he had his work cut out for himself. After each new sighting, he would turn to the kids and ask if they’d seen that before, and my son in particular wasn’t cutting him any slack.
Red-eyed tree frog? Seen it.
Blue Jean poison frog? Yup.
Boat-billed heron? Just last week.
Toucans? Once again, yes.
With each new sighting, it seemed his dedication to showing us something new swelled, and in the end, he showed us not one, but three new things!
The bullet ant is world-renowned for its painful bite, which feels roughly like being shot by a rifle. Giovani mentioned that he had been bitten twice the last time he showed a guest these ants.
The black and white owl is typically a nocturnal creature, and this one gave us a glare or two for waking it up.
The green-and-black poison frog, like all poison dart frogs, gets its poison from the ants it eats. The ones in this area are not as poisonous as their relatives further south, but they still pack a punch! Giovanni mentioned that the last time he touched one, he brushed his eyes without thinking. He was blinded for three days.
It’s interesting that, in the end, the animals that were new to us all ended up being animals that aren’t really all that different from their relatives that can be found in the States. That’s one of my favorite things about nature walks! No matter where we are in the world, there’s almost always something new to discover just outside the door if you’re willing to take your time and look.
Other reasons to visit
While the trail is the main draw for most visitors, Giovanni pointed out some other things that were closed at the time as we walked past each area. There’s an on-site restaurant where hikers can get a tasty meal or take a cooking class, if they’re so inclined. There are areas for yoga classes and dance classes, and, although it isn’t part of Bogarin trail’s offerings, there’s a chocolate-making workshop located just next door. (Yum.)
One of the most interesting things he mentioned was that Bogarin Trail has a number of small cottages along their trail where guests can stay during their trip to La Fortuna. We didn’t have the chance to stay there, but the idea of getting to spend a few days in a room surrounded by tropical forest sounds super appealing. Especially since it’s also so close to La Fortuna and all that town has to offer!
Sometimes, it can seem like La Fortuna is almost too full of amazing experiences. It can be overwhelming trying to decide what things to see and do, especially if you’re short on time. But with such a wide array of amazing wildlife alongside experienced and friendly guides, Bogarin trail is definitely on the shortlist of places that you have to experience in La Fortuna.