EcoVentures Travel
Safaris and nature tours for discriminating individuals

Corcovado National Park hiking
Departing early in morning through the Costanera road along the Pacific Ocean, for about 90 minutes to get to the town of sierpe... There we will have 30 minutes for breakfast. After breakfast we will be taking a comfortable boat ride for about 90 minutes to Corcovado National Park through the biggest mangrove swamps in Central America, chances to spot up to 4 species of monkeys, crocodiles, snakes, a great variety of birds and also one of the biggest islands in Costa Rica (Violines Island). From the Sierpe river mouth to the park you will get a view of the most scenic places in the country like drake’s bay and Marenco biological reserve. Chances to spot the Humpback, Pilot, False Killer Whales and dolphins. When we get to the park you will be introduced by your guide into 3-hour hike through one of the most exuberant primary forest in the country.

Ending the trails at the rangers’ station, we set you up with a delicious picnic lunch surrounded by the richest natural atmosphere.

Includes: Ground & boat transportation, professional guide, access to the Park
Meals: Meals: Stop for breakfast (not included)  & Lunch
Duration: Full day

For passengers travelling alone the cost for a private  tour is 4 times the regular rate.

Cano Island snorkeling and trails
Departing early in morning through the Costanera road along the Pacific Ocean, for about 90 minutes to get to the town of Sierpe. There we will have 30 minutes for breakfast. After breakfast we will be taking a comfortable boat ride for about 90 minutes to Caño Island, through the biggest mangrove swamps in Central America, chances to spot up to 3 species of monkeys, crocodiles, snakes, a great variety of birds, and also one of the biggest island in Costa Rica (Violines Island) also known for its wealth source of gold.

From the Sierpe river mouth to the island we will get a view of some of the most scenic places like drake bay, Marenco Biological Reserve and part of Corcovado National Park. Out in the ocean there are good chances to spot the Humpback, Pilot, False Killer Whales and dolphins.

When we get to the island we will spend about 1 hour snorkeling in the clear waters, then we will set you up a picnic lunch. After lunch you can either go back for a second session of snorkeling.   Walk up to one of the trails of the island or  stay  and hag out on the beach

After that, around 2 pm. We’ll start to head back, undoing what we did to get to the island.

Includes: Ground and boat transportation, professional guide & access to the Island & snorkeling equipment.
Meals: Stop for breakfast (not included)  & L
Duration:  Full day

For passengers travelling alone the cost for a private  tour is 4 times the regular rate.

Scuba diving at Caño Island Biological Reserve
Departing early in the morning in our comfortable van, along the Pacific Ocean for about 1 ½ hour, up to the town of Sierpe. There, we'll stop for 30 minutes to get breakfast (not included). After that, aboard a cozy & cover boat that will take us for the first 45 minutes, on Sierpe River,  When we get to the diving spots our professional Dive Master will briefly go over with the first dive itinerary and some instructions to make your dive even more enjoyable. After the first dive is done, we'll be dropped off on the island for a delicious Picnic Lunch, than will take you out for the last dive always hoping that the second one will be better that the first one. After this second part of the tour, we'll head back to Dominical.

What to Bring: Comfortable clothing, strap sandals or sneakers shoes, mosquito repellent, sun block, sunglasses, raincoat or poncho, binoculars, camera, plastic bags, extra water bottle, set of extra clothes, and a towel. And don’t forget your prescribed medicine if you take any.

Includes: Land and boat transportation, professional guide & dive master, access to the Island & diving equipment.
Meals: Stop for breakfast (not included)  & LunchDuration: Full day

Whales & dolphin watching on the Southern Pacific Coast (Whales season:   Year round except of April & May )
Departing early in the morning in our comfortable van we'll drive down the Costanera Highway and along the Pacific Ocean for about 1 ½ hours to the town of Sierpe. There, we'll stop for 30 minutes to eat a tasty breakfast (not included). After breakfast we will board our cozy boat and cruise for 45 minutes down the Sierpe River through the largest Mangrove swamp in Central America, watching the abundant wildlife along the shores.

Once through the Sierpe River mouth and into the Pacific Ocean we will start our search for some of the 5 species of Dolphins, Whales and/or possibly the Sea Turtles that inhabit these waters. Your guide will illustrate the trip with interesting facts about these fascinating mammals and their Natural History. The spectacular views of Drakes Bay, Caño Island and Violines Island will amaze you. When you get hungry we will prepare a delicious picnic lunch and then get back to Dolphins and Whales watching. Around 3:00 p.m. will start to head back to Sierpe and to Dominical.

What to Bring: Comfortable clothing, strap sandals, hiking or sneakers shoes, mosquito repellent, sunblock, sunglasses, raincoat or poncho, binoculars, camera, plastic bags, extra water bottle, dry clothes to change into, and a towel. And don’t forget your prescribed medicine if you take any.
Includes: Transportation, boat ride through the Mangrove swamp & naturalist guide.
Meals: Stop for breakfast (not included)  &  pic nic lunch
Duration: Full day

Kayak tour on Hatillo Mangrove Forest
Share the adventure in a natural environment of great scenic beauty and know exuberant species of flora and fauna.

The mangrove swamps are one of the richest environments in the world, where you can see a great variety of birds including: bare-throated tiger-heron, little blue heron, brown pelican, royal tern, mammals like White –Faced Capuchin Monkey, Three and Two-Toed Sloth, Northern Raccoon, White-Nosed Coati. In reptiles; Green Iguana, Jesus Christ Lizard, Boa Constrictor Snake, and 6 different species of crabs.

Departing from Dominical, 7 kilometers north over Costanera road, until we arrive to Hatillos Mangrove Swamp, next to Guapil beach. On the way there, we make some stops to see sloth, toucans and monkeys. When we get to put in section, your guide will get your ready with a safety talk and will explain to you the grand significance of this environment and introduce you to and easy paddling thought the canals on 3 hours discovering the beauty and the great variety of fauna that this estuary offer.

Note: the schedule is subject to high tides

Included: Transportation, safety  equipment and  guide.
Duration: Half day
Minimum age for children: 4 yrs. old

Kayaking Waves & Caves on Marino Ballena National Park
The Marino Ballena National Park was created in 1990 to preserve and protect the 4500 ha of coral reef that surround Ballena & Las Tres Hermanas Islands, the very beautiful beaches and the exuberant flora and fauna of its coasts. This park also protects 13 km of coastline including the most scenic beaches of the area such as: Playa Ventanas, Playa Piñuelas, Playa Ballena, Playa Hermosa and Playa Bahía..

Starting with 30 minutes drive from Dominical to the put in section in Piñuelas. During this 24 kilometer road trip, we will stop, if we get to spot some of the wildlife such as: birds, monkeys, sloth’s etc. You will see all this, along the most beautiful scenery of the Pacific Ocean and the exuberant vegetation of the coast.

At the put in section we provide you the most professional and safe equipment a safety speech by a professional and bilingual tour guide. After that, the guide will illustrate the ½ hour easy paddling to where the caves are, with natural history of the park, than you will witness one of the most scenic place in the area, over 30 different caves and 2 of them are accessible   -depending of the oceans condition- by kayak. After that we will go back to one of the most beautiful beaches of the area, Playa Ventanas, where we will set  you  up on a tropical way, with fruits and drinks. Steps away from our fruit stop, there are 2 caves for you to explore hiking through during the low tide, you can also enjoy and have fun surfing the waves at this beach on your kayak. After all this, we start to drive back to your hotel.

Note: the schedule is subject to low tides

Included: Transportation,  proffesional guide, access  to the Park, kayaking equipment and bilingual   guide.
Meals:  Fruits & drinks
Duration: Half day
Minimum age for children: 8 yrs. old

Kayaking & snorkeling  on  Marino Ballena National Park (Only on summer)
The Marino Ballena National Park was created in 1990 to preserve and protect the 4500 ha of coral reef that surrounds Ballena & Las Tres Hermanas Islands. This park also protects 13 km of pristine coastline including beautifully scenic beaches such as: Playa Ventanas, Playa Piñuelas, Playa Ballena, Playa Hermosa and Playa Bahia. Marino Ballena Park's most interesting feature is a Tombolo, or land bridge, which links the offshore reef to the mainland of Uvita Bay. This natural bridge, formed by sedimentation, can be seen and accessed only at low tide.

In the park there can be found sponges, corals, mollusks, algaes, echinoderms, crabs and other creatures which are adapted to the strong tidal swell. Green Iguanas abound in the park, feeding on the plentiful alga plants. It is also an important refuge and nesting place for numerous marine birds including the frigate and the sea earwig. It is considered the most median point of reproduction of the Humpback Whale which comes to these tropical waters during winter months.

We will launch our kayaks at Playa Arco, short 30 minute drive from Dominical in our comfortable van. Along the way we may stop to watch birds, monkeys, sloth’s, etc. Aside from exuberant flora and fauna you will also see breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. At the put-in, our bilingual guides will tell you all about the park's history and teach you important safety techniques. We do our best to make sure that you get what you expect from the tour and will provide you the safest equipment available.

An easy 45 minutes paddle brings us to Ballena Island where a lunch of fruit and cold drinks in tropical style will be provided. We will then snorkel around the island, observing the richest marine fauna in the area. Or, if you prefer, you may choose to simply relax on the island and explore the numerous caves. After an adventurous day we’ll paddle back to Playa Arco and return you to your hotel.

What to Bring: Comfortable clothing, strap sandals or sneakers shoes, mosquito repellent, sun block, sunglasses, camera, plastic bags, extra water bottle, dry clothes to change into, and a towel. And don’t forget your prescribed medicine if you take any.
Includes: Transportation, bilingual naturalist guide, Park entrance fee & snorkeling equipment.
Meals: Fruits and  drinks
Duration: Full day

Crocodile night safari tour (only on summer)
There is no better place to go and see  crocodiles  than a Mangrove Swamps, since this environment is considered on of the most richest  one’ s on earth.

The Sierpe River holds the major concentrations of Mangrove Swamps of Central America.

With these credentials, this trip will bring to your eyes some of the resident inhabitants on this complex environment such as: Bats, Opossums, Sloth’s, Owls, Snakes, Raccoons, Frogs and of course the main and most fascinating one: The American Crocodile.

We invite you to enjoy and to experience a whole different way to see the wildlife.

Leaving from Dominical late in the afternoon to the town of Sierpe where we’ll aboard the boat that will take us through the Mangrove Swamps. It’s important to mention that this mangrove is part of the most important Conservation Area of its type in Central America. On this Mangrove we’ll spend 2 hours browsing around for all the wildlife that there is. Meanwhile your guide while enhanced this interesting expedition, teaching you all about the animals, birds, reptiles, plants and trees and the environment in the mangroves.

What to bring: Comfortable Clothing, strap sandals, Mosquito repellent, Camera, and coat. Don’t forget your prescribed medicines if you take some one.
Includes: Ground and boat transportation , naturalist & bilingual guide.

Whales & dolphin watching on Marino Ballena National Park
The Marino Ballena National Park was created in 1990 to preserve and protect the 4500 ha of coral reef that surround Ballena & Las Tres Hermanas Islands, the very beautiful beaches and the exuberant flora and fauna of its coasts. This park also protects 13 km of coastline including the most scenic beaches of the area such as: Playa Ventanas, Playa Piñuelas, Playa Ballena, Playa Hermosa and Playa Bahía.

Starting with 30 minutes drive from Dominical to the put in section in Piñuelas. During this 24 kilometer road trip, we will stop, if we get to spot some of the wildlife such as: birds, monkeys, sloth’s etc. You will see all this, along the most beautiful scenery of the Pacific Ocean and the exuberant vegetation of the coast.

At the put in section we provide you the most professional and safe equipment a safety speech by a professional and bilingual tour guide. After that, the guide will illustrate the ½ hour easy paddling to where the caves are, with natural history of the park, than you will witness one of the most scenic place in the area, over 30 different caves and 2 of them are accessible   -depending of the oceans condition- by kayak. After that we will go back to one of the most beautiful beaches of the area, Playa Ventanas, where we will set you up on a tropical way, with fruits and drinks. Steps away from our fruit stop, there are 2 caves for you to explore hiking through during the low tide, you can also enjoy and have fun surfing the waves at this beach on your kayak. After all this, we start to drive back to your hotel.

Includes: Transportation, professional guide, access to the Park and kayaking equipment.
Note: the schedule is subject to low tides
Meals: Fruits and drinks
Duration: Half day