- Overview
- Itinerary
- Trip Includes
- Trip Excludes
- Gallery
Over the 13 days we shall drive all through Costa Rica touring all the eco types
Itineraries
Day 1
Date : March 24, 2020
Arrival – Basic Birding
Upon arrival you will be welcomed by our representative and transferred to Hotel Bougainvillea, located in a nice
neighborhood at the edge of San José. The well-maintained gardens of the hotel offer a great introduction to
birdwatching in Costa Rica. Here you can expect some common species like Great Kiskadee, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Blue-gray Tanager, Palm Tanager and Blue-crowned Motmot.
Overnight savegre
Day 2
Date : March 25, 2020
La Selva
After morning birding on the grounds of the hotel head towards the Caribbean lowlands en route passing by the
vast wilderness of Parque Nacional Braulio Carillo, stopping at a small garden with feeders that allow easy
approach and photography opportunity to many colorful species, like Collared Aracari, Blue-gray Tanager, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Long-billed Hermit, White-necked Jacobin, Bronze-tailed
Plumeleteer, and sometimes even White-tipped Sicklebill. We would also visit a nearby forest patch for day roosts of nocturnal birds like Spectacled Owl, Crested Owl and possible Great Potoo.
Day 3
Date : March 26, 2020
La Selva
You will day in “La Selva”. This is one of the most famous biological stations in the neotropics and one of the
classic and most productive places for birdwatching in Costa Rica, where you will be spoiled with colorful birds
like Parrots (up to 9 species including the possible Great Green Macaw), Trogons, Tanagers and Toucans (up to
3 species) at the forest edge. Besides that, you will have access to an extensive trail system penetrating a
beautiful piece of lowlands virgin rainforest in which you can expect some of the more elusive typical forest birds
like Tinamous, Manakins, Woodcreepers and Antbirds. We would also be visiting the La Selva Biological Station
Overnight Selva Verde Lodge
Day 4-5
Caño Negro
The Caño Negro is a very relaxed destination with almost no tourism, which makes it very authentic and the
birding is fantastic. First we shall visit the Medio Queso wetland offers spectacular birdwatching and great
photography opportunities with waterbirds that are easy to approach and some species that are very hard to see
elsewhere in the country like Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Black-collared Hawk, Nicaraguan Grackle, Least
Bittern and Pineated Bittern. We shall also do a boat tour at the Rio Frio which is the best spot for Kingfishers in
Costa Rica as all 6 American species can be seen here, besides there is also the Yellow-breasted Crake and
Sungrebe.
Overnight Natural Lodge
Day 6-7
Arenal area
Arenal Observatory Lodge is a comfortable lodge with a spectacular setting at the edge of the rainforest and right
in front of (but at safe distance from) the active Arenal Volcano. The beautiful gardens of the lodge, fruit feeders
and forest edge attract some easy to see birds like the colorful Crimson-collared Tanager, Passerini’s Tanager,
Golden-hooded Tanager and Crested Guan. Besides that the purple verbena flowers in the garden attract many
hummingbirds including Violet-headed Hummingbird and sometimes even the spectacular Black-crested Coquette.
On day 7 you will make a private guided bird walk partly through the canopy passing large suspension bridges.
This is the ideal way to see a bit more of the fauna and flora of the canopy. You will be on the lookout for local
specialties like White-fronted Nunbird, Song Wren and the rare Yellow-eared Toucanet among many others.
Overnight Arenal Observatory Lodge
Day 8-10
Parque Nacional Carara
Cerro Lodge is an isolated lodge that offers simple but clean accommodations with great views of Parque
Nacional Carara and its surroundings. Parque Nacional Carara is another must-do for birding tours in Costa Rica.
The national park protects one of the last natural stands of transitional forest between the tropical dry forest of the
northwest and tropical wet forest in the southeast. Birds to look out for are Orange-collared Manakin, Baird’s
Trogon, Streak-chested Antpitta, Riverside Wren, Royal Flycatcher and the spectacular Scarlet Macaws. On day 9
in the morning you will make a guided private bird walk in Parque Nacional Carara in search of the local
specialties; in the afternoon you will certainly enjoy the boat ride on the Tarcoles River where you can expect
many herons, ibises, kingfishers and will have a chance to spot the endemic Mangrove Hummingbird.
A morning bird tour in a little bit drier habitat to get Turquoise-browed Motmot, Black-headed Trogon, White-throated Magpie-jay, Long-tailed Manakin and day roosts for owls: Ferruginous Pygmee Owl, Black-and-white
Owl, Pacific Screech-owl.
Overnight Cerro Lodge
Day 11-12
Los Quetzales National Park: Cloud Forest
The trip will continue through the endemic-rich area of the Cerro de la Muerte stopping en route at feeders for
some exciting photo-ops and at some Paramo vegetation. We shall stay in the middle of the cloud forest where
we can have dramatic views of the surrounding mountain scene. Several trails give access to the cloud forest
where you might see the spectacular Resplendent Quetzal and can spot many near-endemic bird species like
Spangle-cheeked Tanager, Black Guan, Collared Redstart and Yellow-thighed Finch among many others.
Sugarfeeders attract several highland hummingbirds including the colorful and rare Fiery-throated Hummingbird,
tiny Volcano Hummingbird and Magnificent Hummingbird. On day 12 you will go on a private bird walk in search
of the Quetzal and other highland endemics.
Overnight Hotel Savegre
Day 13
Date : April 5, 2020
Birding - Airport
We shall leave for the airport after spending some time at feeders for the Fiery-throated Hummingbird.
End of trip.
