The 5 Best ATV Tours in Jaco, Costa Rica [2024 Reviews]

Jaco always promises an unforgettable experience amidst dense rainforests, exotic critters, and an incomparable spirit of adventure! It may be known for its world-class surfing, pristine beaches, and lively nightlife, but one of the best ways to see Jaco is still on a good, old ATV!

I’ve gone ahead and carefully curated the top 5 ATV tours in Jaco, Costa Rica so you don’t have to waste your time with sub-par experiences. Each of these selections are well-organized and perfect for all ages and experience levels! Let’s get started!

Best Jaco ATV Tours

3-Hour ATV Jungle Waterfall Adventure2 Hour ATV Jungle Adventure JacoATV Tour in Jaco
editors choice
Location:Hotel pickup & drop offHotel pickup & drop offHotel pickup & drop off
Start:9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 3:00 PMBetween 8:30 AM & 1:00 PM
Duration:3 hours2 hours1 to 8 hours
Includes:Equipment Rental, Bilingual Guide, Waterfall entranceEquipment rental, bilingual guideBilingual tour guide, gas included

Tour Information & Booking

Tour Information & Booking

Tour Information & Booking


Quick Answer: The 5 Best ATV Tours in Jaco, Costa Rica For 2024

  1. 3-Hour ATV Jungle Waterfall Adventure
  2. 2 Hour ATV Jungle Adventure Jaco
  3. ATV Tour in Jaco
  4. 4-Hour ATV Waterfall & Delicious Rainforest Lunch
  5. 2 Hour ATV + Waterfalls in Jaco Beach and Los Sueños

Best Jaco ATV Tour Reviews

1. 3-Hour ATV Jungle Waterfall Adventure

Tour Highlights:

  • Duration: 3 hours
  • Departure: Hotel pickup & drop off
  • Departure Time: 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 2:00 PM
  • Includes: Round-trip Local Transportation, Equipment Rental Fees, Bilingual Guide, Waterfall entrance, pickup service

I don’t know about you, but when I think back to the most beautiful things I’ve seen in nature, they’ve almost always been off the beaten path.

With the 3-Hour ATV Jungle Waterfall Adventure Tour, that’s exactly where you’ll be, taking an adventurous ride through the lush rainforest to discover some of the most awe-inspiring sites the country has to offer.

After meeting up at the tour offices, we were warmly greeted by our guide and other staff who were more than happy to help. They gave us a briefing, helping us with our safety equipment and showing us how to ride an ATV safely before going on a couple practice laps.

All the ATVs looked very well-maintained, and they were a blast to drive around in this beautiful naturaleza! We started off right in the majestic mountains located behind Jacó, where we followed the guide up to the beautiful Cascada del Zorro!

After zipping through the humid rainforest, taking some time to splash around in the refreshing, 35-foot waterfall was more than welcome! We also had some time to take some photos and amazing videos slightly beyond this point, at a mirador that seems to never end.

We then hopped back on our ATVs to weave around the mountains to arrive at a second waterfall: the Pura Vida. If you didn’t take a dip at the waterfall prior, this one has a rock platform perfect for jumping into the pool that sits at the bottom!

After all that, we headed to a quaint, local restaurant where we enjoyed a well-deserved drink after all that adventuring! Even if you aren’t familiar with riding ATVs, you can rest easy knowing that you’re in good hands!

Tour Information & Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


2. 2 Hour ATV Jungle Adventure Jaco

Tour Highlights:

  • Duration: 2 hours
  • Departure: Hotel pickup & drop off
  • Departure Time: 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM
  • Includes: Equipment rental fees, bilingual guide

I’m always up for an adrenaline-fueled adventure, and racing through the lush jungles and rugged terrain of Costa Rica is one of the best. The 2 Hour ATV Jungle Adventure Jaco Tour will take you to places that aren’t accessible via buses or other tour vehicles, putting all kinds of natural wonders on display.

Led by a local, experienced guide, this is the one to take for a deeper understanding of the country’s culture and ecology.

I’m someone who likes to have a packed schedule every day, as I really want to make the most of my time there. However, the tours I want to take don’t always work out due to conflicting start times.

That’s why I appreciated the multiple available start time options with this tour, ensuring we were able to focus on the tour without worrying about rushing to the next. After arriving to the tour offices, our guide gave us an informative briefing and quick lesson on how to use the ATVs safely.

The environment was so beautiful, and I loved the view from the top of the mountain, overlooking the entire city, Nicoya Peninsula, the Agujitas Mountains, and beyond.

We zoomed over the dirt and rock trails, over muddy puddles, and just went all over the place before stopping for some photo ops!

If you do happen to get dirty, you can just wash off in the refreshing waterfalls and the pools that sit below them! The trails themselves are quite beginner-friendly, so I feel safe recommending this tour to entire families with kids just as well as older individuals.

If you’re short on time and really want to explore Jaco to its fullest, don’t miss out on this tour!

Tour Information & Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


3. ATV Tour in Jaco

Tour Highlights:

  • Duration: 1 to 8 hours
  • Departure: Hotel Pickup & drop off
  • Departure Time: Between 8:30 AM & 1:00 PM
  • Includes: Bilingual tour guide, gas included

This next tour is one of the most customizable, allowing you to select between multiple tours, depending on your preferences. The ATV Tour in Jaco will show you places that the vast majority of tourists don’t get to see, with a local expert guide to lead the way.

If you’re looking for the perfect balance of adventure and safety, look no further than this excursion! Of course, the activities will vary a bit, depending on the tour length/option you choose!

However, every single one includes an ATV trip through the Costa Rican rainforest, to gorgeous waterfalls, up mountains, and through many different types of terrain! The Tarzan swing was so much fun – not to mention, the perfect opportunity for photos (our guide even offered to snap pics for us!).

We picked the longest option, which was the 4-hour tour, which included a stop at a family ranch where we got to kick our feet up and relax. This was a great way to lower the heartrate, enjoying some tasty refreshments amidst the fresh air and relaxed environment.

After this, we headed to a gorgeous swimming hole that are hidden right in the heart of the lush rainforest! Thanks to the small group setting, it felt like it was just us with our guide, who acted like a longtime friend rather than someone we’d just met a couple hours earlier.

Don’t forget to take some photos of the incredible Pacific Ocean views when you get to the top of the mountain on your ATV! If you’re looking for one of the best activities to do in Jaco, this tour should be at the top of your list!

Tour Information & Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


4. 4-Hour ATV Waterfall & Delicious Rainforest Lunch

Tour Highlights:

  • Duration: 4 hours
  • Departure: Provincia de Puntarenas, Jacó, Playa, 61101
  • Departure Time: 8:00 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 1:00 PM
  • Includes: Equipment rentals, authentic lunch, bilingual guide, waterfall entrance fee, pickup service

Jaco certainly has a lot to offer, but if you’re looking for something different from the run-of-the-mill experiences, check this next one out.

The 4-Hour ATV Waterfall & Delicious Rainforest Lunch is a fantastic way to spend an afternoon, taking you deep into the Costa Rican wilderness to discover some of its hidden gems. From dense forests to muddy trails, there’s never a dull moment in this adrenaline-packed excursion!

If you’re on the hunt for an activity you can take the entire family on that won’t bore the kids, this is one of the best options. It’s perfect for all ages and skill level, so even if you or someone else in your group is inexperienced, there’s no need to worry.

Moreover, they even come and pick you up right from your hotel so you don’t have to deal with booking separate transportation! Upon arrival, we got acquainted with our ATVs with the help of our guide, before setting off through the mountains!

We got to see not only some incredible panoramic views of the city and mountains around us, but splashed in waterfalls and rivers, reveled in the expansive countryside, and even explored some small villages!

Halfway through the tour, we took a well-deserved stop at a local restaurant to enjoy an authentic local lunch of tilapia, veggies, and more.

We then continued to the top of the mountain and into the pueblo Bijagual, where we cruised by the church, soccer field, and central saloon. From the advanced safety training on the ATVs to the beautiful natural scenery, this was a simply perfect experience that I’d recommend to anybody!

Tour Information & Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience


5. 2 Hour ATV + Waterfalls in Jaco Beach and Los Sueños

Tour Highlights:

  • Duration: 2 hours
  • Departure: Vista Los Sueños Adventure Park, Provincia de Puntarenas, Herradura
  • Departure Time: Between 8:00 AM & 3:00 PM
  • Includes: Fruits and water, bilingual guides, insurance, professional photographers, snacks, bottled water

“Los Sueños” literally translates to “the dreams” in English, and this whole trip felt like a dream with its pristine natural beauty. With top-notch customer service, friendly guides, and great organization, this tour was a pleasure to take. The 2 Hour ATV + Waterfalls in Jaco Beach and Los Sueños tour was above and beyond what I expected, and I feel like this is one of the best tours if you’re short on time!

If you’d like to try an ATV ride for the first time but don’t want to commit to a longer tour, this is also a great option. It’s a little bite-sized taste of the others, while still providing insight into the surrounding landscapes of Jaco. After arriving to the offices, you’ll be given a comprehensive safety training to ensure everyone is comfortable before heading out onto the trails.

We headed up to the lush, green mountains that are brimming with life – we even spotted some critters along the way! I enjoyed how our guide made regular stops so we could take photos, and learn about the different points as we cruised along. We saw plenty of rivers, crystalline waterfalls, muddy paths, and lookout spots, or “miradores”.

After we spent an hour or two zooming around the mountain and rainforest, we then headed to a more tranquil spot so we could enjoy some drinks and snacks of fresh fruit. The only thing I will mention is that this is not the tour for you if you’re looking to really ride fast – it’s more of an exploration than a race. However, it was a super cool experience that’s great for people of all ages and experience levels!

Tour Information & Booking

100% refund for cancellations within 24 hours of tour experience

 

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The 3-Hour ATV Jungle Waterfall Adventure is our Editors Choice for the best Jaco ATV tour

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Shayanne DeCastro

Shayanne is a freelance writer, wine snob and marketer based in LA, California. Describing herself as a nomad, she has lived in many different cities including Boise, Idaho and Seattle, Washington as well as Guadalajara, Mexico. She is forever on the move. Being an extremely active person, she loves to snowboard, skateboard, and ski. She enjoys sharing her love for active sports with others through her “how to” sports guides as well as food and wine reviews. Her love for wine and good food shines through every paragraph. While she travels, Shayanne loves to try new restaurants and wineries.  If there is a winery or good restaurant in your town, you will probably meet her one day.
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