Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary, Costa Rica: What to Know Before You Visit

If seeing wildlife is part of your Costa Rica plans, Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary offers something very different from an animal attraction. We visited the sanctuary to learn what actually happens behind the scenes of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation in Costa Rica, and I left knowing far more about responsible wildlife tourism than I expected.

Alturas rescues and rehabilitates injured and human-affected wildlife, with the goal of releasing animals back into the wild whenever possible. The animals visitors are able to see are generally the ones that, for one reason or another, cannot safely be released.

And that distinction matters. This isn’t somewhere you come to hold a sloth or get a selfie with a monkey. In fact, learning why you shouldn’t be able to do those things became one of the most interesting parts of our visit.

Did You Know?

Did you know that the temperature of egg incubation is the determining factor that controls the gender of most turtles, alligators and crocodiles? Yea, me either! The name of this phenomenon is known as, TSD (Temperature-dependent sex determination). For example, if the developing eggs are on the cooler side the hatchlings will be female. If the developing eggs are on the warmer side, the hatchlings will be male. Interesting, right? This is only one of the many educational take aways from touring Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary in Costa Rica.

Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary has been successfully nursing animals back to health since December 2014.

We had the opportunity to tour Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary and learn more about the role of an actual wildlife sanctuary in Costa Rica.

Is Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary Worth Visiting?

Absolutely. I think Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary is worth adding to a Costa Rica itinerary, especially if seeing wildlife is high on your list.

Costa Rica is obviously known for its wildlife, but what I loved about visiting Alturas was that we were able to see some of these animals while simultaneously supporting the work being done to protect, rehabilitate, and, whenever possible, release them back into the wild. Your tour money isn’t simply paying for the opportunity to look at animals, it’s helping support the sanctuary and the work happening behind the scenes.

And honestly, the behind-the-scenes part was what stuck with me most.

Before entering the area where we could see the sanctuary’s permanent residents, we were taught how to observe them respectfully without stressing them. These aren’t animals being kept there simply so tourists can see them. The animals visitors meet are there because, for various reasons, they weren’t able to pass the requirements needed to safely return to the wild. For some, Alturas becomes their permanent home. 

Our visit also completely changed the way I look at wildlife attractions when I travel. We learned why being allowed to hold an animal, get close enough for a selfie, or interact with wildlife isn’t necessarily a good thing, even when somewhere calls itself a “sanctuary.” I left knowing far more about how to recognize ethical wildlife tourism than I did when I walked in. 

So yes, you get to see some incredible Costa Rican wildlife, but you’re also learning why sometimes truly caring about animals means keeping your distance from them.

For me, that’s what makes Alturas worth visiting. You get an experience you’ll remember while your money helps an organization working to give injured and human-affected wildlife another chance. That’s a pretty easy thing for me to feel good about spending money on.

Wildlife Sanctuary Tour

Our tour started with Rigo, an animal caretaker at Alturas, explaining what was happening behind the scenes at the sanctuary and introducing us to some of the animals currently undergoing rehabilitation.

One thing became clear almost immediately… the animals being rehabilitated aren’t part of the tourist experience. That side of the sanctuary is intentionally kept away from visitors so sick and injured wildlife can recover with as little human interference as possible.

We then moved into the area housing some of Alturas’ permanent residents which anre animals that had been rescued and rehabilitated but ultimately couldn’t safely be released back into the wild.

Before we entered, Rigo explained how to observe them without causing unnecessary stress. That might sound like a small detail, but it ended up setting the tone for the entire visit. We weren’t there to interact with wildlife. We were there to learn about it.

Behind the Scenes at Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary

After our tour, we had the opportunity to sit down with Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary’s program manager, Christina Azzopardi Schellmann, and animal caretaker, Rigo, to learn more about what happens behind the scenes.

And there is a lot happening behind the scenes.

One of my biggest takeaways from our conversation was just how different a legitimate wildlife sanctuary is from an attraction that simply keeps animals for tourists to see. Rescue, rehabilitation and release are at the heart of what Alturas does, and the animals visitors see represent only one part of that work.

At the time of our visit, the team told us Alturas had received more than 250 different species since opening. The number of animals in rehabilitation and release was constantly changing, sometimes dramatically, depending on which animals needed help at any given time.

The goal isn’t to keep those animals at Alturas. Whenever possible, it’s to get them back into the wild.

Why Some Animals Stay at Alturas Permanently

Not every rescued animal can safely be released.

Some arrive with injuries caused by cars, electrocution or other human activity. Others may have circumstances that make survival in the wild impossible. Those animals can become permanent sanctuary residents, while animals capable of rehabilitation are kept separately and prepared for release.

This was an important distinction for me because, as a visitor, the animals you see aren’t simply there to create an attraction.

In fact, much of the sanctuary’s work happens with animals tourists will never see at all.

How to Tell if a Wildlife Sanctuary Is Actually Ethical

This was probably the most important part of our conversation.

The word “sanctuary” alone doesn’t necessarily tell you whether an animal experience is ethical, and Christina and Rigo gave us some really useful things to look for when visiting wildlife facilities anywhere in the world.

One of the biggest red flags is breeding.

They explained that rescued animals aren’t necessarily good representatives of healthy wild populations. They may have injuries, illnesses or other conditions that could be passed on to offspring. If a facility calling itself a sanctuary is intentionally breeding animals simply so there are more animals for visitors to see, that’s something worth questioning.

There is an important distinction here: legitimate conservation breeding programs for endangered species can exist, but those programs have a conservation and potential release purpose rather than producing animals for tourist interactions.

Another major red flag is direct interaction with wildlife.

If somewhere is encouraging you to hold a wild animal, pet it or pose with it for a close-up selfie, don’t automatically assume that’s a special opportunity.

Wild animals are not domestic animals. Being repeatedly handled by tourists can cause stress, and responsible wildlife tourism sometimes means accepting that loving an animal doesn’t entitle us to touch it.

That lesson has stuck with me on trips ever since.

Sometimes Helping Wildlife Means Leaving It Alone

Something else they explained completely changed the way I think about wildlife rescue.

Our instinct as humans is often to intervene whenever we see an animal struggling. But Alturas isn’t trying to prevent every difficult thing that naturally happens in the wild.

Their work focuses on reversing negative human impacts.

An animal injured after being hit by a car or electrocuted, for example, is a very different situation from an animal struggling because of something occurring naturally.

They gave us the example of receiving calls about animals with naturally occurring injuries or sick babies that appeared to have been abandoned. As difficult as those situations can be to witness, death, illness and natural selection are also parts of a functioning ecosystem.

The goal isn’t to control nature. It’s to help repair some of the damage humans have caused to it.

I think that distinction is incredibly important, and it’s something I hadn’t really considered before visiting.

Visiting Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary

Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the mountains above Dominical, Costa Rica. We were staying in Dominical at the time in an absolutely beautiful rental, so we had our own rental car and drove ourselves to the sanctuary.

And when they recommend a 4×4, listen to them.

The drive up is steep. Like, properly steep. We had a 4×4 and I was very happy we did. Alturas currently recommends a 4×4, particularly during Costa Rica’s rainy season from April through November. There isn’t a public bus that takes you to the sanctuary either, so if you don’t have a rental car, they recommend arranging a 4×4 taxi from Dominical or Uvita — including arranging your ride back down the mountain ahead of time. 

Once we got there, though, everything was easy. We didn’t have any trouble finding the entrance and parking was simple.

Do You Need a Reservation for Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary?

Yes. You can’t just show up and wander around the sanctuary on your own. Visits are guided and reservations are required, which makes a lot more sense once you understand that minimizing stress for the animals is a priority here. 

As of 2026, regular tours are offered Tuesday through Sunday at 9:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. The sanctuary is closed on Mondays, although private tours can be arranged outside normal hours and on Mondays with advance booking. Regular tours last approximately 1.5 hours. 

Current admission for international visitors is $33 USD for adults and $17 for children ages 3–12. I would always check the current price and tour schedule directly with Alturas before planning your day, since both can change. 

What Is the Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary Tour Like?

Our group only had around eight people, which I loved.

It made the whole experience feel much more relaxed and made it far less intimidating to ask questions. We were also able to chat with the animal caretaker off to the side throughout the tour, and he was genuinely happy to answer anything we wanted to know.

This isn’t a strenuous wildlife hike. For someone with normal mobility, I found the tour very easy and relaxing. There is one fairly steep section, but it doesn’t last long. The paths are gravel and aren’t completely level, though, and Alturas says only around 50% of its facilities are wheelchair accessible. Based on my own experience, I wouldn’t personally recommend this particular tour to someone with significant mobility issues without contacting Alturas first to discuss what would be accessible for them. 

And then, of course, there are the animals.

I remember seeing monkeys, a crocodile and several birds, including one particularly memorable parrot who could talk to us. Alturas currently lists spider monkeys, capuchin monkeys, squirrel monkeys, parrots, scarlet macaws, a toucan, an ocelot, a two-toed sloth and a crocodile among the animals that may live at the sanctuary, although exactly which animals you’ll see can obviously vary. 

What I appreciated was that seeing an animal was never prioritized over the animal itself. You’re observing permanent sanctuary residents who cannot be released into the wild, while the rehabilitation center where animals are being prepared for possible release, isn’t open to tourists. 

What to Wear and Bring to Alturas

Costa Rica is hot, and this was definitely one of those days when I wished I had planned my clothes a little better.

If I were doing the tour again, I’d wear a lightweight sun-protection shirt and bring a hat. There were portions where we were out in the sun and it was hot, although once we started viewing the animals, I don’t remember spending long stretches completely exposed.

You definitely don’t need hiking boots. I would wear comfortable tennis shoes or secure walking sandals like Tevas or Chacos. Alturas itself says hiking boots aren’t necessary, but the paths are gravel and uneven in places, so this isn’t somewhere I’d personally wear flimsy flip-flops. 

And bring water. I don’t remember there being anywhere at the sanctuary where we could buy it, so I wouldn’t count on finding some once you arrive. Alturas currently specifically asks visitors to come properly hydrated and bring a water bottle because of the tropical heat. Sunscreen and a rain jacket or umbrella are also recommended. 

A Note About Wildlife Photos in Costa Rica

One of the things that stuck with me most from this visit actually had nothing to do with what animals we saw.

Costa Rica takes wildlife interactions seriously, and Alturas does not allow visitors to touch or feed the animals. The sanctuary also supports Costa Rica’s #StopAnimalSelfies initiative, which encourages travelers to photograph wildlife from a respectful distance rather than touching, holding or manipulating an animal to get a photo. 

That’s an important distinction because “animal selfie” doesn’t mean you can’t take a picture of yourself with a monkey somewhere in the background. The campaign is specifically trying to stop the kind of wildlife tourism where animals are handled, restrained, baited or brought unnaturally close to people for photographs. Costa Rican tourism and conservation authorities warn that these interactions can stress wildlife and interfere with their natural behavior. 

And after visiting Alturas, I actually started looking at wildlife experiences differently. Being told you can’t hold, pet or get right next to an animal might sound like you’re getting less of an experience.

In reality, it can be a very good sign that you’ve chosen a place putting the animal’s welfare ahead of your Instagram photo.

Planning a Trip to Costa Rica?

Costa Rica is one of those destinations where having the right experiences on your itinerary can make such a difference. If you want to see the wildlife, explore beyond the resorts, and actually figure out how to fit places like Alturas into a bigger Costa Rica trip, this is exactly the kind of thing I help my travel planning clients with.

I’ll handle the logistics, accommodations, transportation and experiences so you can focus on actually taking the trip.

Start Planning Your Costa Rica Trip

Volunteering at Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary

We also learned that volunteering at Alturas isn’t designed to be a wildlife encounter disguised as volunteer work.

At the time of our visit, the sanctuary accepted a relatively small number of volunteers at once, around 11, because they wanted people who could actually contribute to the work that needed to be done.

Many of their volunteers came from abroad, and housing and meals were provided as part of the program.

If you’re considering volunteering with wildlife while traveling, I think the same rules we learned during our visit are worth applying here too. Ask what the work actually involves, whether volunteers are unnecessarily handling wildlife, what the organization’s rehabilitation and release goals are, and how your participation benefits the animals rather than simply giving you access to them.

Read more about volunteering at Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary here.

What Does the Future Look Like for Alturas?

At the time of our conversation, Alturas hoped to continue expanding its rescue and release work while becoming more involved in research and post-release monitoring.

And that last part is particularly important.

Releasing an animal isn’t necessarily the end of rehabilitation. Understanding what happens afterward can help conservationists learn whether animals are successfully adapting back to life in the wild, but tracking and monitoring equipment can be incredibly expensive.

The team also spoke about finding more sustainable long-term solutions for certain species rather than simply providing permanent housing. Their example was spider monkeys, giving individual animals somewhere safe to live is important, but it doesn’t solve the larger challenges facing wild populations.

That conversation was another reminder that wildlife conservation is much bigger than rescuing the animal standing in front of you.

Supporting Alturas Wildlife Sanctuary

One of the things I appreciate about visiting Alturas is that your money isn’t only buying you the chance to see wildlife.

Alturas is a nonprofit, and visitor tours and donations help support the rescue, rehabilitation and care happening behind the scenes, including work involving animals you’ll probably never see during your visit.

For me, that’s a much better way to spend money on a wildlife experience.

You can support Alturas simply by booking a tour, donating directly, learning more about their volunteer program or following their work after you leave.

And maybe the most important thing you can take with you costs nothing at all…be more critical of wildlife experiences when you travel. A photo of you holding a wild animal might look incredible on Instagram, but sometimes the places doing the best work for animals are the ones telling you that you can’t touch them.

Make your tour reservation here.

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Photo credit: Anna Vogl |