Name: Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary
Address: Calle San Martin Nte, Provincia de Puntarenas, Costa Rica, CR
Telephone: +506 8609 5363

Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary is a park, located at Calle San Martin Nte, Provincia de Puntarenas, Costa Rica. They can be contacted via phone at +506 8609 5363, visit their website alturaswildlifesanctuary.org for more detailed information.

Location :

Calle San Martin Nte, Provincia de Puntarenas

Contacts :

Added by Jopie, at 20 September 2016

Monday Closed
Tuesday 9:00 – 11:00 AM, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Wednesday 9:00 – 11:00 AM, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Thursday 9:00 – 11:00 AM, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Friday 9:00 – 11:00 AM, 1:00 – 3:00 PM
Saturday 9:00 – 11:00 AM, 1:00 – 3:00

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Liana Mori

30 April 2018

Amazing place. Wonderful guide. Passionate and really dedicated to the well-being of the animals. I fell in love with this important sanctuary which rescues, rehabilitates, releases and educates the public about the wonderful and vulnerable species of this region of Costa Rica. Please support this vital organization.
Faye Susans

20 April 2018

Great ethics and mission. The sanctuary do lots of education and work with locals to help the animals.
They release and rehabilitate everything possible and provide an enriched life for those that can't be released.
There's a vet centre and two permanent on call vets. Check ahead for tour times and grab a meal at the hotel. Well recommended.
Haley Felchak

19 March 2018

Amazing place to visit. Your money is actually going to helping the animals. Recommended this place to all my friends and they all loved it as well. DEFINITELY GO AND DO A TOUR!
Nick Scarim

25 February 2018

Very worthy organization.The tour is very informative. explaining not only WHY the animals are there (automobile related injuries, illegal pets, electrocution, etc) but how hard Alturas works to rehab and release as many animals as is possible. Stunning location as well.
Lee Aument

25 February 2018

The drive to the sanctuary is steep and you'd definitely want 4 wheel drive if it was raining. The tour was great and seeing what they are doing there is something everyone should be supportive of. Seeing the animals was fun with the racoon and sloth being highlights.
Robin Ki

22 February 2018

This is a good opportunity for everyone who wants to learn about the animals in the region and who does not want to support zoos. They help injured and sick animals with the goal to release them back into nature. The money you spend there helps them help the animals.
George Robbins

21 February 2018

A really great experience! Got to hear lots of good details about the rehabilitation process and how the sanctuary is run. I would recommend for any animal lovers, and yo can even get a tasty bite and drink afterward at the attached hotel. Get there while you can still see Pandora, she was worth the trip on her own.
Stacey Janning

05 February 2018

This is a small rehab and release sanctuary. Please consider donating and taking a tour despite it's size. They cannot walk you around the rehab section but they can walk you through the small outdoor cage areas that house some of the animals that cannot be released back. The stories are a great addition to the tour. I recommend close toed shoes as there are biting ants around some of the cages. Bug spray is also recommended for later afternoon tours. There is an attached hotel/villa option and an upper scale restaurant on the property as well. The pool looked very inviting and the hotel offers a great overlook to the ocean.
Stephanie Benedict

10 December 2017

The tour is very informative. I learned not only why the animals are there (injury, illegal ownership, etc) but how hard Alturas works to rehab AND RELEASE as many animals as is possible and safe to the animal. Being up close and learning why it’s best for the animal to not learn human interaction is a new and very meaningful. The place isn’t huge, isn’t a US zoo, it’s exaxtly right for Costa Rica.
Ivan Tarapov

22 November 2017

I can see how some people can dislike the place, but I think you need to set your expectations straight first.

If you are coming as a tourist, keep in mind - this is no zoo. You will not be allowed to play with animals and animals are not kept in habitats designed for viewing by humans. This is a rescue mission, working to rehabilitate injured, abused or abandoned animals and release them back into the wild. Or to provide animals with decent life if they can not go to their wild lifestyle. The place is a part of beautiful boutique hotel and you will be able to enjoy a spectacular deck with view, a meal and a few mediocre cocktails before and after touring the sanctuary.

The sanctuary itself will contain different kinds of animals depending on who needs help at the point. We got a very educating tour from a local veterinarian who was very passionate about her job and gave us a glimpse into how the sanctuary operates.

Keep in mind that
a) There is a mandatory non-negotiable minimum donation for the tour
b) You can't see the place without the tour guide
c) The road is steep and washed out. If you have decent driving experience, you'll be OK in an FWD sedan driving carefully, but a 4WD is recommended and is a must if it's wet.
Matthew Hoag

20 November 2017

A must see and a worthy cause
Do PM

20 May 2017

The best place in the pacific coast of Costa Rica, the staff is so kind and the food perfect!!
Catie Lee

16 May 2017

Rates for volunteering are extremely expensive. Cannot afford the stay..
Tessa Torrente

15 March 2017

Your entrance fee for the tour goes to a great cause. The animals have some sad stories but Alturas tries to rehabilitate and release as many animals as they can.
J David C G

30 December 2016

Too small place if you're expecting to see a lot of local fauna, but it's ok for the purpose of the sanctuary.
Jody Richards

29 November 2016

A wonderful place to visit and see the fabulous work these people do to help wildlife. A great chance to see wildlife up close too. It is also in a gorgeous setting.
TropicalSands Dominical

18 October 2016

Good to place to see local animals, sloths, monkeys and macaws etc.. There are some sad stories as these are rescues, but your entrance fee goes to support their good actions. Definitely a place to support! They take great care to help and rescue the hurt animals in this region. Two thumbs up to this refuge!
D.S. Joseph

27 September 2016

I can afford more than the most expensive Alturas Villas Resort had to offer. Instead I chose to take the more rustic route as I volunteer abroad in many areas and countries with Animals because that is my passion.
Being at the Aluras Wilfelife Sanctuary, which has nothing to do with the Resort other than the same owner, there was a very small volunteer hut, which included electricity, shower(cold water only), and food. However the food situation was extremely sloppy and nothing was structured. There is supposed to be a clear cut understand of what to do, learn, what jobs need to be done, who is working from when and where, etc. There was NO STRUCTURE whatsoever, not to mention 2 Spider Monkeys got out and attacked 1 human and 1 dog (which had to be put to sleep). There were Volunteer Supervisors that knew nothing and did less work than anyone at their least. They also ate all of our food and took up the space that we paid for in the jungle, these are the same people that LIVE DOWN THE STREET!!! When going up to the pool in the extremely hot weather, after working with the animals (that I paid to help and give my time), I remember a group of us being very rudely told that we could not be on the extremely large pool deck that overlooked the souther coast of Costa Rica because other people paid for it. Well the other people invited us for conversation regarding certain species of animals they had saw. Why are volunteers treated as 3rd class nobodoes? The lack of respect shown to the volunteers was uncanny.

HOWEVER, The Directior, both past and present are awesome people. Both Mike and Dania were awesome and so were the Doctors and Biologist. Had so many things not gone in a direction that was so dull and negative, basically the complete opposite of what their "ABOUT" description includes.

Its all about the money, even if you just want to better the world and preserve it's natural state.