KSTR Re-Wilding Center Manuel Antonio (Sloth/Primate Park)

Maybe they were having an off day?

My husband and I booked the last tour of the day last minute so partly this might be our fault. We didn't feel particularly welcomed upon arrival and our guide, while informative and civil, lacked a lot of enthusiasm one would expect. I tried so hard to engage them asking their about their favorite animal and favorite thing to do there. Again it was the end of the day so they might have been tired and not feeling it. We didn't get any of the experiences others have spoken about here. We were quickly rushed through (or it felt that way) and saw a dozen or so animals in cages. Which is totally expected. But we didn't get to do any enrichment building or feeding or anything else mentioned. We booked the regular tour off their site so maybe that is why. After our guide dropped off our fruit at the end, we never saw them again. What was so odd to me was the gift shop. They have zero branded merchandise. Stickers were generic and looked like a "Costa Rica" sticker pack. The magnets, t-shirts, and stuffed animals could be found in any tourist trap. There was nothing special that said KSTR on them. I was so disappointed because I really wanted to get something branded for my niece and nephew. Our tour guide had a branded shirt so clearly they have them. Also, and this is no fault of the tour so I did not take points off for this, I was exposed to a plant that caused a serious reaction. I got a rash that spread across and up my calf in matter of minutes. I ended up at the urgent care where the doctor said it is very common in the jungle. She told me the name in Spanish and I immediately forgot it. As someone from the US, it cost me $350 for the urgent care visit, shots, and follow up meds so if you can wear long pants. Again this is not the fault of the tour! I'm warning others who might have sensitivities. My husband was completely fine. I guess the best way to describe the experience was low energy and disappointing. I'm not sure if they were having an off day or what. It is pretty pricey for such a small zoo, even if their mission is noble. My husband and I have been to many of these kind of places before and they were better experiences. Everyone has off days, I understand that. But the small size and lack of merch is what sealed it for us as a "meh" experience.

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KSTR Animal tour

Great experience learning all about the animals of Costa Rica! Elise was a fantastic guide! You can tell how passionate she is about the wildlife and the mission! Great tour for kids as well.

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Over priced

Hard to find with poor signage. Not 2-3 hours as described, thank God as it was exceedingly hot. The value did not match the expense of the tour.

Response from the operator: Thank you for your feedback! We’re sorry to hear that you had difficulty finding us and that the tour did not meet your expectations. Regarding the length of the tour, we would like to clarify that, in order to ensure the well-being of our animals, our tours are intentionally not overly long or intrusive. Minimizing stress and disturbance to the wildlife in our care is always our top priority, and this means keeping visits respectful and limited in duration, especially during hot weather conditions. As a non-profit wildlife rescue center, every tour we offer directly supports the upkeep of the sanctuary and helps us provide the highest level of care possible for the animals. Your visit contributes to their food, medical treatment, and rehabilitation. We truly value your support and hope that, despite the challenges you experienced, you were still able to appreciate the important work we do for wildlife conservation.

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Nice visit to an animal preserve

Very informative for the child and gives a lot of information about how the animals that they shelter came to be there. You get a glimpse into how the operation runs on volunteer efforts and a bit of the work behind it. I am glad we did it and that our money went to preserving the animals and their habitat. That being said, we didnt have a car, so we had to get a taxi, which charged us $40 ($10 more than quoted) because of the approximate 2 miles of dirt road that we went through. As most things in Costq Rica are expensive, it’s hard to criticize the price since it falls in line with it most quick tours. However, if you’re already feeling stressed with the funds, this may not be the tour for you. If you don’t mind donating to a good cause then it’s going to be great.

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Animal rehab

Very interesting. A bit expensive for what you get.

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