Marino Ballena National Park, just south of Uvita, sits on the humpback migration route through the warm waters of the Central Pacific. From July 15 to October 15 you can watch humpback mothers traveling with their calves, along with pilot whales and dolphins. A naturalist guide rides along to spot the action and explain what the animals are doing.
This is the meet-us-there version of the tour: there is no hotel pickup, so it suits travelers already staying along the Costa Ballena or driving themselves down the coast. Be at the park's main gate for the 8:00 am start, board the boat, and spend roughly three hours working the coastline past Roca Ballena, the caverns off Playa Ventana, Roca Viuda, and Tres Hermanas. If conditions allow, you can hop off the boat for a swim or a snorkel, and the gear is included.
One honest caveat from the operator: whales are wild animals and a sighting is never guaranteed. During the season, though, the odds are very much in your favor.
Bring a bathing suit, sunglasses with a retainer cord, a waterproof camera, sandals, and a beach towel. No pickup: meet at the main gate of Marino Ballena National Park in Uvita. Runs July 15 to October 15.
Before you book, one honest note. Prices, departure times, and what is included move with the season here. Rivers rise and drop, tides reset the schedule, boats come out of the water for maintenance, and operators adjust rates without telling anyone first. The details on this page are what we last confirmed directly with the operator, and we go back and check them, but your booking is with the operator and their confirmation is the final word on price, timing, pickup, and what you get. If a detail matters to your trip, whether that is a dietary need, a mobility question, a birthday, or a tight flight, ask us before you book and we will confirm it with them directly rather than guess.
Traveling with kids, limited mobility, or a tight schedule? Tell us your situation and we will match you to the right day and departure.
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