Nature & wildlife · Half Day or Full Day
Ponderosa Safari & La Perla Waterfall
An African wildlife safari, a waterfall and lunch in one day.
Ponderosa African Safari Tour from Tamarindo
Giraffes and zebras in Costa Rica? Absolutely! Just a scenic drive from Tamarindo, Ponderosa Adventure Park near Liberia, Guanacaste is home to Costa Rica's only African style wildlife safari. Ride into the savanna where giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, antelopes and ostriches roam free, and get close enough to hand feed them. Pro tip: grab extra carrot bags on arrival, and they won't want to leave your side!
Then dive into the crystal clear pool at La Perla Waterfall and refuel with a Costa Rican buffet lunch. It's one of the most unique family day trips and things to do from Tamarindo, with no minimum age and doorstep hotel pickup and drop off included.
Craving more thrills? Upgrade to our Full Day package and add ziplining, lazy river tubing and horseback riding!
- Duration
- Half Day or Full Day
- Run by
- Trusted, local operators
Watch
Rates by tour length
- Half-day safari$145 /person
- Full-day safari$169 /person
What's included
- Doorstep hotel pickup and drop off from Tamarindo
- Pickup around 6:45 AM
- African wildlife safari at Ponderosa Adventure Park
- 1 to 1.5 hour guided safari ride
- Giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, antelopes and ostriches
- Hand feeding giraffes and zebras (carrot bags sold on site)
- Bilingual guide
- La Perla Waterfall access and free swim time
- Costa Rican buffet lunch (served 12:00 to 3:00 PM)
- Family friendly, no minimum age
What to bring
- Sunscreen
- Towel
- Change of clothes
- Sunglasses
- Hat
- Camera
- Water shoes
- Swimsuit
- Insect Repellent
- Water Bottle
Common questions
Reviews
1 review of Ponderosa Safari & La Perla Waterfall so far.5.0 on Google, 328 reviews
Brandon Schmahl
Feb 2026
10/10 highly recommend. These guys are top notch. Everything was extremely smooth from bike rental , drop off/pick up, communication and so much more. If you want the full Costa Rican experience, use this company to rent a scooter/motorcycle to roll around the coastline. We rented the bike for a total of 7 days and had zero issues the entire trip. On top of that, they can arrange excursions for you. We chose the sunset catamaran, waterfall hike & ATV tour. If/when we return to Costa Rica, they will be the first company I will reach out to. Pura Vida!
Response from Ohana
Thank you so much for choosing us Brandon! We are glad your entire experience here with us went amazing and that you enjoyed it! Have a safe trip home and we will see you next time 🙌🏾
Cancellation policy
Free cancellation up to 7 days before. Cancel between 7 days and 48 hours before and you get half back. Inside 48 hours the operator has already committed the day, so there's no refund. If we cancel for weather or a boat problem, you choose another day or a full refund.
Questions?
Special requests, pickups, anything this page doesn't answer. Sam replies on WhatsApp or by email.
5.0328 reviews
What people are saying
Richard Burns
Sep 2026
Now I know why they call him Sam the Man! Sam and his fellow co-workers were there for us the moment we landed in Costa Rica till the moment we had to leave. From the travel arrangements, food, excursions, suggestions, always checking on us. We plan on coming back and we know who our go to company will always be from here on out. Thank you so much Sam and everyone you work with. Everyone was always so happy, cheerful, positive! Your company is the best. See you soon! Pura Vida my friend!
Response from Ohana
Thank you so so much for your kind words rick 🥹 it is truly heartfelt and deeply appreciated by the Ohana team 🫶🏾 we look forward to seeing you again and hosting you guys for your trip here with us in the future and welcome to the Ohana family ❤️
Nathaniel Mastrapa
Sep 2026
5 STARS ALL AROUND. Sam and the crew at OHANA RENTALS are the only people to see for Golf cart or Motorbike rentals in Tamarindo. They were absolutely seamless to work with, willing and eager to help with anything from recommending the best place to get a street pincho to where to booking a fishing charter, surf trip or eco tour Sam is the man. He and his team of caring Ticos will steer you safely in the right direction. I have no reservations about recommending OHANA RENTALS to anyone visiting the Tamarindo area. Thank you Sam for your warm hearted hospitality. PURA VIDA MAE...
Response from Ohana
Your review is truly touching our entire teams heart!! Thank you so so much for your kind words for our team, it really means a lot to us and we want to thank you for choosing to book with us and being part of the Ohana family! Pura vida Nathaniel, we hope to have you back with us again soon ❤️
Kiran Ingale
Sep 2026
Samuel made renting a scooter with him extremely easy. He was very responsive and even picked up the scooter near my hotel to make my departure day smoother. Not only that, he recommended a dive shop to me for my first ever scuba dive which was fantastic. Will definitely work with him again when I return to Tamarindo
Response from Ohana
Thank you for your kind words and for choosing to rent with us and join us on our Scuba diving trip for your first time, it was so awesome to host you and we hope to have you back with us again 🙌🏾
Donald Aydelott
Sep 2026
Great to deal with, very punctual. Had no issues at all with the two scooters we rented. Highly recommend
Response from Ohana
Thank you for choosing to rent with us Donald, it was a pleasure to host you both! 🙌🏾
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