Don’t Miss Exploring the Jungle at La Paz Waterfalls 10


The La Paz Waterfall Gardens is my favorite place to see the wildlife of Costa Rica. You’ll see by the number of pictures I have in this post! (Be patient while they all load!)

Butterfly Spread out at La Paz waterfall Gardens

Certainly a Bucket-List Sort of Place!

 It’s so up close and personal, and it isn’t usually very crowded.

Antique Lighting

 

Traditional Cart Pulled by Oxen

The name sounds pretty boring, but it’s an expansive zoo with Costa Rican animals set right near 5 beautiful waterfalls.

They have monkeys, jungle cats, a gigantic 2 story butterfly terrarium, free-roaming hummingbirds, a snake den, a frog habitat (with poisonous frogs!), a trout pond, and the coolest part of it all – a huge bird aviary where they’ll let you hold a toucan on your arm!

Shy Girl Holding Toucan

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention there’s lots of amazing jungle and orchid gardens (with scientific names, for people who can read them).

Beautiful Red and Yellow Flower

 

Beautiful Red Flower

We’ve been there 4 times so far and it’s still as beautiful as the first time. At $38 a pop, it’s a bit pricey for repeat-visitors, but for normal tourists it’s a bargain. The lunch isn’t a steal, but there aren’t any other options nearby, and it’s a good buffet with American and Tico food.

Monkeys at La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Monkeys are the all-time favorite of people visiting Costa Rica. They are so funny when they look at you and then poke away at sometime with their little human-like fingers!

Monkeys Checking out the Tourists

New Jaguar Exhibit

The Jaguar exhibit just got upgraded with a new habitat, so it’s a pretty impressive up-close and personal display.

Jaguar in New Exhibit

The Ocelots and Margays are my all time favorites, and often they’re out packing back and forth on their trees.

Ocelots Napping at La Paz Waterfall Garden

Butterflies at La Paz Waterfall Gardens

I could spend the ENTIRE DAY in the butterfly terrarium! It’s a big, airy sky-lit building to keep the butterflies from wandering off.

Butterfly Eye Looks like Soccer Ball

 

Butterfly Feeding on a Flower

 

Little Girl with Butterfly on Her Hair and Ear

 

Butterfly Eye Up Close Looks Like a Watermelon

 

Crazy Butterfly Wing Design Up Close

They have the whole butterfly lifecycle – many types of butterflies, beautiful ornate cocoons, crazy-looking caterpillars, and simple small eggs.

Catarpillar on Leaf

I still can’t figure out how the caterpillars turn leaf meals into gold on their cocoons!

Ornate Cocoon with Gold Ring on it

 

Lady taking care of butterfly collection

 

Butterfly Hatching from Cocoon

Hummingbirds at La Paz Waterfall Gardens

The hummingbirds always seem so intense at their play-fight games trying to get a turn at the feeder! They’ve almost run into my head more than a few times!

Blue Hummingbird at La Paz Waterfall Gardens

 

Hummingbird Head up Close

It’s such a challenge to photograph these guys! I love it!

Hummingbird in Nature on a Tree Branch

Get Up Close and Personal with the Toucans!

Alyssa’s favorite part of the whole place it the bird aviary where you can take your picture with a toucan!

Toucan in Tree at La Paz Waterfalls Gardens Nature Park

 

Toucan Eating Banana

 

Curious Toucan on Tree

They’re curious birds, and remind me of the monkeys checking everyone out.

Toucan Eye Up Close

There’s plenty of sweet parrots too! You can’t miss them. In fact, you might go deaf listening them squawk away.

Parrot all Fluffed up

Snake Den in the Jungle

I always wonder what would happen if a little kid dropped his water bottle on the delicate glass of these cages and all of a sudden there was a poisonous snake loose!

Poisonous Fer de Lance Snake Coiled up

They always seem like they’re up to no good – especially the ones that have a sign above them saying “extremely venomous!”

Green Snake

 

Snake Skeleton with Jaws Wide Open

Poisonous Frogs at La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Get as close as you want to the poisonous frogs here! Just don’t lick them, I guess… Haha, probably better to just take pictures.

Strawberry Blue Jeans Poisonous Tree Frog at La Paz Waterfalls Exhibit

Some of the tree frogs are nocturnal, so they’re just hanging out on a leaf, sometimes upside-down.

Red Eyed Tree Frogs Sleeping

The frog habitat is a little jungle room with a few handy signs clipped to where the frogs are sleeping or normally hang out.

Green Tree Frog

The Grand Finale – The Waterfalls!

La Paz Waterfalls Cliff

Follow the trail down the hill to see the last attractions, the powerful waterfalls.

If you're anywhere near San Jose, I highly recommend checking out the La Paz Waterfalls Gardens Nature Park!  

Huge Waterfall Spray

 

La Paz Waterfalls and River

La Paz Waterfalls Gardens Nature Park

Oxen Pulling Cart

Oh yeah, if you are on your honeymoon, check out their sweet Peace Lodge to stay in!

Purple Bell Flowers

It’s only an hour drive out of San Jose, and they’re open from 8am to 5pm. There’s secure parking, a restaurant, and not one, but 2 gift shops for all your overpriced souvenirs! They even have a shuttle from downtown San Jose, with info on their website about it. If you’re anywhere near San Jose, I highly recommend checking out the La Paz Waterfalls Gardens Nature Park!

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Leave a comment below if you’ve been there!


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