The Birds of Costa Rica

A well-nigh perfect introduction to Costa Rica's birds. A mix of key habitats to give long lists, with comfortable lodgings and minimum travelling for maximum enjoyment.

from £3775

Customer rating 98%

'The Birds of Costa Rica'

What makes this trip special?

Carara Reserve & Tarcoles river

Central Pacific

A transitional life zone between the humid tropical forest and the high humidy pre-montane forest. At the Carara Biological Reserve highlights include Scarlet Macaw and an active Orange-collared Manakin lek. The Tarcoles river marshlands are rich in waterfowl and wading birds.

Wetland birds & dry forest birds

Palo Verde National Park & Rio Tempisque

Stay at a 1000 acre cattle and horse ranch near to the Palo Verde National Park with similar birds and seasonal dry forest/wetland habitat to Palo Verde (but better accommodation). Key species here include Jabiru, Glossy Ibis, Fulvous Whistling-ducks, Bay-winged Hawks and North American waterfowl.

Lush lowland rainforest

Sarapiqui

At the foot of the mountains, where the rainforest is at its lushest, Sarapiqui is home to a myriad of flora and fauna and is a must-see destination for birdwatchers and natural history enthusiasts.

Birds of the lowland rainforest

OTS La Selva

From your base at the renowned Selva Verde Lodge, bird at nearby OTS La Selva, one of the best places in Costa Rica to find bird species that are difficult to find elsewhere and where 480 species of birds have been recorded, as well as Virgen del Socorro, higher up the eastern slopes, and Braulio Carrillo National Park.

Superb birders lodge

Rancho Naturalista

A superb birders lodge at an elevation of 1,000m for a mix of mountain and lowland species. Over 450 species of bird have been recorded in the local area, and the resident ornithologist staff regularly see difficult species such as the snow-capped hummingbird.

Montane forest birds

Tapanti National Park

Birding the Tapanti montane forest where a key species is the Rufous-rumped antwren

Quiet "Garden of Eden" cloud forest

San Gerardo de Dota & Los Quetzales NP

Tranquil forested valley alive with trout-filled streams close to the highest pass in Costa Rica. Experience 'paramos' habitat above the tree line and keep your eyes peeled - this is the most reliable place in the country to spot the Resplendent quetzal

Itinerary

Day Overnight
1 San José
2 Carara NP
3 Carara NP
4 Carara NP
5 La Ensenada
6 La Ensenada
7 Sarapiqui
8 Sarapiqui
9 Sarapiqui
10 Rancho Naturalista
11 Rancho Naturalista
12 Rancho Naturalista
13 San Gerardo de Dota
14 San Gerardo de Dota
For the detail of each day click the ‘Day-by-day’ tab above.

Day-by-day itinerary for 'The Birds of Costa Rica'

DAY 1

San José

Met on arrival, you are driven to a mid-range hotel.

DAY 2

BLD

Carara Reserve

Dawn birding in the hotel’s lovely and productive grounds, then drive to the Tárcoles River on the mid-Pacific coast for 3 nights at Cerro Lodge or Villa Lapas, both are birders lodges close to mangroves and the Carara Reserve–a boundary between tropical dry and humid forest offering a mix of species including White-throated Magpie-Jay, Stripe-headed Sparrow, Fiery-billed Araçari and Black-bellied Wren. This is one of two sites in Costa Rica for Scarlet Macaw, reliably seen from the bridge over the Tárcoles at dusk or dawn.

DAY 3

BLD

Two full days’ birding in the Carara Reserve and Rio Tárcoles area. The Reserve’s notable birds also include Hoffmann’s Woodpecker, Orange-collared Manakin, Panama Flycatcher and Black-hooded Antshrike. Look for Zone-tailed Hawk, Gray-chested Dove, Long-billed Hermit, Purple-crowned Fairy, Blue-throated Goldentail, Baird’s Trogon, Long-tailed and Tawny-winged Woodcreepers, Dusky and Chestnut-backed Antbird, Dot-winged Antwren, Spectacled Antpitta, Black-faced Antthrush, Golden-crowned Spadebill, Greenish Elaenia, Slate-headed Tody-flycatcher, Northern Bentbill, Rose-throated Becard, Rufous-breasted, Black-bellied and Riverside Wrens, and Western Tanager. Tárcoles river banks bring Collared Plover, Spotted and Western Sandpipers, and mangroves near its mouth the endemic Mangrove Hummingbird plus Brown Pelican, numerous egrets and herons, White Ibis, Osprey, Plumbeous Kite, Mangrove Black-hawk, Rufous-browed Peppershrike and Mangrove Vireo.

DAY 4

BLD

Another full days’ birding in the Carara Reserve and Rio Tárcoles area.

DAY 5

BLD

Palo Verde area

After a final early morning in the Carara area drive up the coast to La Enseñada Refuge by the Gulf of Nicoya, for 2 nights. La Enseñada is a 1000 acre cattle and horse ranch whose birds are similar to the nearby Palo Verde NP but with better access and accommodation. An afternoon on the ranch’s trails by a variety of aquatic habitats–freshwater lagoon, saltwater lagoon, mangrove and river, plus some forest habitats–should produce pelicans, herons, parrots, parakeets, bellbirds, trogons, kingfishers, White Ibis, Great Egret, Montezuma Oropendola, Double-striped Thick-knee and possibly Jabiru. Migrant shore birds are also seen.

DAY 6

BLD

Full day birding the trails at La Enseñada. This entire region is most productive in the December-April dry season. At other times substitute 2 nights at Tortuguero, which we would place at the start or end of this itinerary.

DAY 7

BLD

Sarapiquí

Drive to Selva Verde Lodge at Sarapiquí (Caribbean slopes) for 3 nights. Bird the grounds for Black-and-white Owl, Great Green Macaw, Snowy Cotinga and Sunbittern.

DAY 8

BLD

La Selva Biological Station

A full day at nearby OTS La Selva and surrounding area for NE lowland forest species at 35- 200m. Specialities include White-tipped Sicklebill, Green Thorntail, Spectacled Antpitta, Bare-necked Umbrellabird, Canebrake Wren, Black Hawk-Eagle, Slate-coloured Grosbeak, Olive-backed Euphonia, Tiny Hawk, Great and Slaty-breasted Tinamous.

DAY 9

BLD

La Virgen del Socorro

Bird La Virgen del Socorro for Tawny-capped Euphonia, Emerald Tanager, and the endemic Coppery-headed Emerald.

DAY 10

BLD

Braulio Carrillo to Rancho Naturalista

Morning’s birding Braulio Carrillo NP where targets include Lanceolated Monklet, Sharpbill, Black-crested Coquette, Rufous-fronted Wood-Quail, Dull-mantled Antbird, Purplish-backed Quail-Dove. Continue to Rancho Naturalista near Turrialba for 3 nights, a birders lodge at 1000m, for a mix of mountain and lowland species. Balcony feeders attract Gray-headed Chachalaca, Collared Araçari, Passerini’s Tanager, Montezuma Oropendola, Blue-crowned Motmot, Lineated and Black-cheeked Woodpeckers, Golden-hooded and White-lined Tanagers, and Scarlet-rumped Cacique. Hummingbird feeders meanwhile buzz with Green Thorntail, White-necked Jacobin, Green-crowned Brilliant, Green-breasted Mango, and Rufous-tailed Hummingbird. Vervain flowers attract Black-crested Coquette and Snowcap. Surrounding trees bring Keel-billed Toucan, Brown-hooded and White-crowned Parrots, and Masked and Black-crowned Tityras.

DAY 11

BLD

Two full days’ birding at Rancho Naturalista and around, where specialities include Purplish- backed Quail-Dove, Lanceolated Monklet, Rufous Motmot, Brown-billed Scythebill, Checker-throated Antwren, Spotted Antbird, White-crowned Manakin and Tawny-chested Flycatcher.

DAY 12

BLD

Another full days’ birding at Rancho Naturalista and around.

DAY 13

BLD

Tapantí and Los Quetzales NP

Birding in the Tapantí montane forest where a key target is Rufous-rumped Antwren, then drive onwards to the San Gerardo de Dota area for 2 nights.

DAY 14

BLD

San Gerardo de Dota and Cerro de la Muerte

A memorable morning’s birding for Resplendent Quetzal. Ascend to Cerro de la Muerte for páramo species: Volcano Hummingbird, Black-capped flycatcher, Ochraceous Pewee, Red-fronted Parrotlet, Barred Parakeet, Timberline and Ochraceous Wrens, Yellow-winged Vireo, Wrenthrush, Volcano Junco, Blue Seedeater and Peg-billed Finch.

DAY 15

San José

A final dawn’s birding in Los Quetzales before you return to San José airport for your overnight flight home.

Route map for Costa Rica 'The Birds of Costa Rica' holiday

Guide prices for 'The Birds of Costa Rica'

options	based on	all year	low season	mid season	high season	peak season	other season
Selfdrive basis	2 people sharing		£3,775		£4,060
Bird guide basis	2 people sharing		£6,070		£6,405

Prices are per person and include:

all travel in Costa Rica
all accommodation
meals as indicated B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner

Prices do not include:

international flights
travel insurance
airport and departure taxes
items of a personal nature such as drinks, tips, laundry, etc
any optional excursions you may buy locally

Customer reviews for 'The Birds of Costa Rica'

Recent reviews are shown here from holidays based on this initial design. In each case the itinerary may have been modified (a little or a lot) to suit the individual traveller.

Average customer rating 98%

Another excellent trip.

Best parts: Rancho Naturalista and Savegre Mountain Hotel.

The itinerary worked really well covering a broad range of habitats. All the accommodation was very comfortable with good food and friendly service. Transport arrangements worked out well. All in all a highly enjoyable holiday, hopefully we will be abl

Best parts: All boat trips were outstanding

This was our first trip of this type and we found the whole experience a real adventure. We didn’t know what to expect but we were really impressed by the standard of the lodges and hotels we stayed in. Thank You for helping to make this such a wonderfu

Best parts: Tortuguero, La Selva, Arenal. Difficult to pick a best part as they were all so diverse

This type of tour suits us well. We are less agile than we were and we could pace ourselves. The places were well chosen but above all our enthusiasm is connected with the excellence of our guide. He was a pleasure to travel with, I hope we may do so a

Everything was handled with the utmost efficiency and enabled us to get the most out of this, our first visit to Costa Rica. We very much hope it will not be the last

Best parts: Difficult to say because each place was so different. But we would go back to Tortuguero for the experience and to Arenal for the setting and to Bosque de Paz + Savegre Mountain Hotel because they are project places to stay. And we would like the Bougai

You provided an itinerary that was perfect for us. Especially scheduled to our tastes and requirements, we are most grateful for your help with all the arrangements thank you very much indeed.

Best parts: We could have spent weeks at each location - as each had so much to offer. San Gerardo de Dota was brilliant as was sarapiqui, Arenal was most comfortable - the hot outdoor jacuzzi was great! Rincon de la vieja so much hotter, but we really went for the

The trip was very well managed and all the arrangements worked well. Much of the success was due to our guide, Esteban. He was outstanding - probably the best guide we have ever had, and we've been out with some distinguished guides - an

Best parts: We enjoyed it all, but our time in Sarapiqui would have been better with less rain!

Cannot fault anything from Heathrow and back. I would fully recommend this tour to anyone interested in a short tour but wants to see varied habitat and good Costa Rican birds (300 + in 9 birding days).

Best parts: Mountains, boat trips, but in general the wildlife, weather, our guide nd the lovely Costa Rican people (Ticos).

We could not fault the tour or the organisation. We would happily use you again and have already recommended you to British birders out there and friends at home.

Best parts: Hard to specify!

This is our fourth visit to Costa Rica with Geodyssey, they have all been excellent.

We enjoyed all the lodges, particularly the opportunity to explore their attractive gardens and trails.

Best parts: Seeing the male Quetzal. Close views of snowcap and other birds on feeders at Rancho Naturalista. Capuchins at Carara.

Esteban was a remarkable safe driver and an incredible guide. Apart from being able to see round corners, his skills in hearing birds and seeing them in very difficult places never ceases to amaze me. Having birded in over 80 countries he is with

Best parts: Everything (apart from the accommodation in Palo Verde)

We had a superb holiday with so many highlights. The birding was outstanding (we could talk for hours about the birds!!). There were no organisational glitches so many thanks for that!

Best parts: All of the locations were super and the birding was excellent.

The arrangements all ran like clockwork. The voucher system worked well. People were friendly and helpful. We survived well with a map and a little Spanish (and no GPS which would have been expensive).

Best parts: The three highlights were Rancho Naturalista, Savegre, Wilson

An excellent tour and we would consider doing this again. We were very pleased with the driver and our tour guide Hugo. Thank you to everyone involved!

Best parts: We would have liked to extend the holiday to spend more time at the end but the overall trip was excellent and we would consider going again.

The arrangements and tour itself was very good. No complaints about any of it.

Thank Tenille for organising it all for us so successfully.

Best parts: San Gerardo de Dota and Arenal

Best parts: Having a knowledgeable, sympathetic and genuinely very nice guide.

Seasonal information for 'The Birds of Costa Rica'

Select your month of travel:

Along this route in January

Day	Location	Max °C
1	San José	24°C	14mm
2	Carara NP	32°C	8mm
3	Carara NP	32°C	8mm
4	Carara NP	32°C	8mm
5	La Ensenada	32°C	1mm
6	La Ensenada	32°C	1mm
7	Sarapiqui	30°C	254mm
8	Sarapiqui	30°C	254mm
9	Sarapiqui	30°C	254mm
10	Rancho Naturalista	25°C	186mm
11	Rancho Naturalista	25°C	186mm
12	Rancho Naturalista	25°C	186mm
13	San Gerardo de Dota	16°C	85mm
14	San Gerardo de Dota	16°C	85mm

Typical weather for January

Max °C figures are the average daily maximum temperatures for the month. Rainfall is the average precipitation for the month.

Hotels for 'The Birds of Costa Rica'

Select your preferred accommodation option

Day 1

Bougainvillea

Heredia

Average rating 4.8 (297 ratings)

Hotel Bougainvillea is a very nice 3-4 star hotel set among ten acres of lush flower filled gardens and surrounded by coffee plantations and citrus orchards. Situated in Heredia it provides a quiet first/last night hideaway just 15 minutes from the international airport and from downtown San José. Bedrooms are rather bland, but spacious with two double beds, a sitting area and the full range of facilities. Most of the rooms have free wi-fi internet access. Every room has a balcony offering marvelous views of the mountains on one side and the San José skyline on the other. There is a light and pleasant dining room, a large inviting swimming pool and 2 tennis courts. This is a good option for gardeners, birdwatchers and those who prefer to stay out of the city centre. It is not ideal if you intend travelling around Costa Rica by shuttle bus transfers.

Days 2 - 3

Villa Lapas Rainforest Resort

nr Carara

Villa Lapas is very popular birders hotel due to its unique location adjacent to the Carara Reserve and productive natural history viewing opportunities in its mature tropical grounds. The hotel has 78 simple, rustic rooms and suites set in colonial hacienda style buildings amidst a 500 acre private reserve of secondary forest. All have either a king bed or two queen beds, private bathrooms with hot water, A/C, Smart cable TV's, free wifi and an in room safe. There are trails, a swimming pool and canopy walk in the grounds. The onsite "Casa del Rio" restaurant serves international/Costa Rican fusion meals in a dining room or alfresco terrace overlooking the Tarcolitos river. There is also a bar "La Cantina" serving cocktails and snacks set in the hotel's onsite mock colonial village "Santa Lucia", where premium/deluxe suites are located.

Although the facilities are in want of an up-grade its location is the winning aspect. This area is one of the few places in Costa Rica where Scarlet Macaw can be seen at dusk and dawn flying from their roosts to the forest to feed and back again.

Hotel grounds

Days 5 - 6

La Ensenada Lodge

Gulf of Nicoya

Average rating 4.4 (23 ratings)

La Ensenada is a family run 1000 acre farm set beside the Gulf of Nicoya near Palo Verde, sharing a similar wetland habitat. Accommodation is in simple, functional, clean wooden cabins, each with a private bathroom and veranda. There is a swimming pool and lawns down to the Gulf which create a beautiful, tranquil location in which to relax. Guests can join in with the daily activities of the working farm, which raises cattle and horses as well as producing salt and fruit. They offer horse back riding, mangrove tours and trails through the jungle. There are great bird watching opportunities here (Dec - Apr) particularly when the migrant species are passing through. On your way over to dinner you will need a torch - watch out for the huge toads!

Days 7 - 9

Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve

Chilamate

Average rating 4.2 (74 ratings)

Selva Verde Lodge, is located on a 500 acre, private tract of virgin tropical rainforest and rich second-growth habitats. It is adjacent to Braulio Carrillo National Park and near to the Organization for Tropical Studies' field station, La Selva. The lodge is an ideal base for birders, boasting a resident naturalist, local guides, butterfly garden, swimming pool and an ever-expanding reference library. There are 40 rather spartan double (or triple occupancy) rooms with fans, private baths and showers. Bedrooms open onto large, spacious, wooden balconies connected by raised walkways. Meals are served cafeteria style.

Days 10 - 12

Rancho Naturalista

20mins from La Suiza

Average rating 4.7 (29 ratings)

A delightful hill top family run birders lodge with 15 rooms, the majority with private bathrooms. Guests stay here on a full board basis. Situated on a hill top at 900m (2,970ft), the grounds extend from an altitude of 2528 - 3850ft (766 and 1167m) on the Caribbean slope in the Cordillera Talamanca. There are good views of Volcan Turrialba and Volcan Irazu from the lodge.

Over 450 species of birds have been recorded in the area inc. Snow-cap Hummingbird. Optional excursions are also available at modest extra cost with the resident professional bird guides.

RESIDENT BIRD GUIDE FEES AT RANCHO NATURALISTA (taken from their website)

Guiding fees are paid directly to the guides, the fee is:

$60.00 per group for a full morning of guiding (up to 5 people)

$50.00 per group for an afternoon of guiding (up to 5 people)

All guiding is subject to availability, if there are not enough guides than you may have to share a guide.

Days 13 - 14

Savegre Hotel Natural Reserve & Spa

San Gerardo de Dota

Average rating 4.6 (45 ratings)

This comfortable family-run mountain lodge is situated in the cloudforest village of San Gerardo de Dota which nestles in the pretty Savegre River valley. It has 41 simple wooden cabin-style rooms each with private bathrooms with hot water, safe, electric room heater, hairdryer, private terrace and wifi.

The onsite 'Las Bromelia's restaurant fuses local and international cuisine with a garden to table concept. The Los Robles bar/lounge serves snacks and drinks including locally produced coffee. The 'Del Rio' spa offers a range of massages and treatments and has saunas, steam baths and jacuzzis. The surrounding grounds include an orchard of plums, apples and peaches and a trout farm. The lodge's 500ha private biological reserve ranges from between 1,220 and 2,560m above sea level. Over 170 species of bird have been observed on its cloud forest hiking trails. A variety of tours can be booked at the lodge including birdwatching, hiking and horse-riding (all tours must be pre-booked well in advance of your stay to guarantee availability).

[Clients suggest you might choose to visit "Feathers bird garden" just a short walk from the lodge entry USD5pp where one of the local bird guide has feeders for hummingbirds and migrant species].