Costa Rica

November 23, 2025 to December 03, 2025 — 10 days

Tour Leader:

Diego Quesada

Fiery-throated Hummingbird (c) Chris Charlesworth

Costa Rica has over 935 species of birds on its national list!
Visit the famous Arenal Volcano, an area rife with exciting tropical birds and wildlife.
Boat ride in wetlands of Cano Negro, home to Jabiru, Agami Heron, 6 species of kingfishers and more.
Explore La Selva Biological Station where close to 500 species of birds have been found.
Many hummingbirds in the Talamanca Mountains, including Volcano, Fiery-throated and namesake Talamanca hummingbirds.
Search for the amazing Resplendent Quetzal.
Visit high mountains for Volcano Junco, Timberline Wren and more.

Tour Details

Tour Description

Costa Rica, with over 935 species of birds on its national list, has one of the highest diversities of birds in the world for a country of its size. Though the country has only 6 endemic species, only 3 of which are found on the mainland, Costa Rica has many reqional endemics. Diego Quesada, our local Costa Rican guide, is very knowledgeable on the birds and general wildlife of his country. Our tour begins in the shadows of the famous Arenal Volcano, where many exciting birds can be found. We'll explore the Arenal Observatory grounds, home to such avian gems as Keel-billed Motmot, Ocellated Antbird, Song Wren, Lovely Cotinga, White-throated Shrike-tanager and perhaps an Ornate Hawk-Eagle. We then head to Cano Negro where we will explore the marshes and wetlands on a boat, hoping for birds like the elusive Agami Heron, the Jabiru and perhaps a Royal Flycatcher, amongst many other highlights. As we make our way to Boca Tapada, we'll keep an eye open for the massive King Vulture, as well as Great Green Macaws. We will explore the famous La Selva Biological Station, where over 470 species of birds have occurred, including such gems as Sunbittern, Red-capped Manakin and Pied Puffbird can be found. Our attention then turns to the Talamanca Mountains, home to dozens of species of hummingbirds including Volcano Hummingbird, Talamanca Hummingbird, Fiery-throated Hummingbird and more. In the mountains we will search for one of Costa Rica's most sought-after birds, the Resplendent Quetzal. We will visit high mountains to look for birds like Volcano Junco and Timberline Wren, amongst others. In addition to birds, we will be watching for all sorts of other creatures, including mammals, reptiles and amphibians and some of the gorgeous butterflies found in Costa Rica.

Tour Itinerary

Itinerary:

Day 1 - Travel day. Arrival at San Jose, Costa Rica and we will transfer to nearby hotel for the night.

Day 2 - Our morning will start off with some birding on the grounds of our hotel near San Jose. This is an excellent way to get acquainted with some of the local birds, and get some photographs of them. A few of the many species of birds we could encounter here include Blue-vented Hummingbird, Lesson's Motmot, Hoffmann's Woodpecker, White-fronted Parrot, Rufous-naped Wren, and Costa Rica's national bird, the Clay-colored Thrush. Once we've finished up and had breakfast we will start the journey to Arenal. Along the way we will do some birding in the Poas Foothills, Cinchona and the Virgen del Socorro areas. We will be on the lookout for birds like Red-headed Barbet, Volcano Hummingbird, Coppery-headed Emerald and the Northern Emerald Toucanet, amongst others. Night at Arenal.

Day 3 - We will spend the day birding the Arenal area, beginning with an exploration of the grounds of our lodge. We will also explore some of the network of trails this region has to offer. This area is in the foothills of the Caribbean slope, and is home to some exciting birds like Keel-billed Motmot, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Ocellated, Spotted and Bicolored antbirds, Cinnamon Woodpecker, Lovely Cotinga and Violet-headed Hummingbird to name a few. With any luck we'll spot a White-throated Shrike-Tanager as well. Night at Arenal.

Day 4 - After some morning birding on the grounds of our lodge, we will visit some feeders where we will be able to see and photograph a number of birds. We will also explore the Bogarin Trail in La Fortuna, after which time we will begin the drive to the Cano Negro Wetlands. Birds we will be watching for include Nicaraguan Grackle, Nicaraguan Seed-Finch, Pinnated Bittern and Yellow-headed Vulture, as well as much, much more. Night at Cano Negro.

Day 5 - Today promises to be an exciting day as we take a boat ride at Cano Negro, home to birds like the rare and elusive Agami Heron, as well as the towering Jabiru and up to 6 species of kingfishers! With luck we'll see a Royal Flycatcher here as well.

In the afternoon we will drive to Boca Tapada, where we will spend the night. Before heading off to dinner, however, we will do some birding on the grounds of the lodge.

Day 6 - We will continue exploring the grounds of our lodge at Boca Tapada this morning, before heading out to explore several birding sites and reserves in the area. Target birds today include the regal King Vulture, as well as Great Green Macaw, the rare White-fronted Nunbird and the Chestnut-colored Woodpecker. Let's not forget the Black-capped Pygmy-Tryant as well. Night at Boca Tapada.

Day 7 - After a little early morning birding, we will begin the drive towards Sarapiqui, birding the access road and surrounding areas of La Selva Biological Station. Birds are numerous here, and we will be searching for species like Rufous Motmot, Long-tailed Tyrants, Keel-billed Toucans, Pied Puffbirds and Red-capped Manakins. Night at Ara Ambigua.

Day 8 - We will spend the day exploring one of the oldest research facilities for tropical studies in the world, the La Selva Biological Station. The station has an impressive list of potential bird species, so we will spend the whole day exploring the area and its network of trails, while watching for birds like the Snowy Cotinga, Sunbittern, Chestnut-backed Antbird and the Middle-American Screech-Owl. Night at Ara Ambigua.

Day 9 - After an early breakfast we will make our way to the highlands of Costa Rica and the Talamanca Mountains. Along the way we will stop at a fantastic place for hummingbirds, and other species, Paraiso de Quetzales. Here, we will enjoy watching the hummingbird feeders and exploring the gardens. Hummingbird species to watch for include the stunning Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Talamanca Hummingbird, Volcano Hummingbird and White-throated Mountain-gems. Other species to look for include Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, Black-and-yellow Silky-Flycatcher, Wrenthrush and Slaty Flowerpiercer, amongst others. We will arrive at our lodge in Savegre in the late afternoon.

Day 10 - An early start is required today in order to give us the best chance to see one of the biggest target birds of the trip, the Resplendent Quetzal. We will position ourselves near avocado trees where the quetzals like to come in and eat. Other highland species are possible today such as the Flame-throated Warbler, Yellow-winged Vireo, the Scintillant Hummingbird and the Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher. Night at Savegre.

Day 11 - After some early morning birding around the grounds of our lodge, we will visit the high elevation (11,500 ft) paramo today, above Savegre, where rare and localized species such as Volcano Junco, Timberline Wren and Peg-billed Finch live. In the afternoon we will head back towards San Jose where we spend the night.

Day 12 - Tour ends and participants shuttle to airport depending on flight times.

Tour Price:

Price for 6-7 ppl $7200 CAD per person. Price for 8-10 ppl $6600 CAD per person. Single room supplement $1000 CAD. Deposit of $1800 CAD required to hold space on tour.

Book this tour

What is included?:

Included in the tour price are accommodations from the night of November 23 to the night of December 3. Meals are included, beginning with dinner on Nov 23 and ending with dinner on Dec 3. Ground transportation via air conditioned van or minibus included for length of tour, and airport transfer included. Boat trip at Cano Negro included. Park entry fees included. Also included are the services of expert guides throughout the tour. Personal items are not included in tour price, such as alcoholic beverages, phone calls from hotels, private internet fees (if applicable), laundry services, room service etc.

Weather and What to Bring:

Temperatures and conditions will vary depending on location and elevation. Expect a range in temperature from perhaps 10 degrees C all the way up to 34 degrees C. Expect a mix of sun/cloud with daily possibilities for rain, sometimes heavy. For cool mornings and visits up into high elevations you will want a fleece and a light jacket, and perhaps even a warm hat and light gloves. Be sure to bring rain gear. An umbrella may come in handy. For hotter days, wear light, breathable clothing. You may want long pants and long sleeved shirts to protect you against insects and the elements. Don't forget to bring a wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle. Bring bug repellent, as well as a headlamp or small flashlight. Extra battery chargers for cell phones, and extra batteries for camera, as well as extra memory cards recommended. Bring sturdy, waterproof footwear, as well as casual shoes and sandals. You may want to bring along your own walking stick to help on any uneven paths.

Pace of Tour:

Expect early mornings, to take advantage of the burst of bird activity that occurs at and shortly after dawn. We'll generally have a sit down breakfast, and then head out for birding for the rest of the day. Some days we'll have packed lunches and others we'll stop for lunch at a restaurant. Once we arrive at our lodges in the evening, we'll have dinner together as a group. Nocturnal outings, and pre-breakfast outings are generally optional, unless we have to travel immediately afterwards. Walks are generally fairly easy, though there will be some uphill and some walking at higher elevations.

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November 23, 2025 to December 03, 2025 — 10 days

Tour Details