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Birds of Costa Rica

Costa Rica

15 days from £2,915pp Inc. international flights

For such a small country, Costa Rica is home to an astonishing variety of birdlife, and has rightly earned its world renown as a key destination for birding and wildlife enthusiasts. This two week trip staying in well appointed birding lodges explores four key habitats in lesser visited regions to maximise bird-watching opportunities.

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At a Glance

Tailoring your trip

This itinerary is designed to give you a flavour of what is possible

  • We can tailor this trip to suit your specific requirements
  • Any aspect of the itinerary can be altered, from excursions to accommodation

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View Tailor-made Suggestions
Birds of Costa Rica

Itinerary Route Map - 15 Days

Hummingbird, Costa RicaRed-eyed Tree Frog, Costa RicaDistant view of San Jose, Costa RicaTurrialba, Costa RicaSan Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica

Our Tailor-made suggestions for this itinerary are:

  • Take a scenic flight to the remote and beautiful Osa Peninsula, staying in a tented camp or rustic lodge where the wildlife comes right up to your doorstep!
  • Visit the famous Arenal Volcano region, one of the most active volcanoes in the world, where you can wander along hanging bridges and soak under the stars in the hot springs.
  • Unwind on the beach at Manuel Antonio with birds and monkeys looking on.
  • Add a few days to visit Panama and view the incredible birdlife along the pipeline road.

Highlights of this itinerary

  • Discover the famous resplendent quetzal in the tranquil cloud forest of San Gerardo de Dota.
  • Enjoy the services of an expert naturalist guide at the Turrialba's renowned birding lodge, Rancho Naturalista.
  • Visit La Selva Biological Station to explore the pristine tropical forest trails, home to 448 species of birds.

Day by Day

Day 1London - San Jose

Indirect flight to San Jose. Upon arrival you will be met by your guide and taken to your hotel in the city centre.

Day 2San Jose - Jaco

You will be collected from your hotel this morning and driven to your lodge just North of Jaco on the Central Pacific Coast.

Day 3Jaco

Enjoying an enviable location within a 500 acre private rainforest reserve bordering the Carara National Park, simply exploring the gardens of the lodge will provide plenty of opportunities to glimpse a huge variety of birds, insects, flora and fauna. The park itself is also well worth a visit, situated in a transitional zone of Pacific Rainforest and Tropical Dry Forest it attracts birds and wildlife from both zones, and tours with specialist birding guides can be arranged.

Day 4Jaco

Second day around the Carara National Park region - you may wish to consider the on-site canopy zip line tour or exploring the flora and fauna on the 1.5 miles of on-site canopy walkways.

Day 5Jaco - Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui

Travel in private vehicle to your lodge in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, one of the last remaining areas of primary tropical rainforest in Costa Rica.

Day 6Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui

Enjoy a provided guided tour of La Selva Biological Station, one of the world's most important sites for tropical ecosystem research. Set in 3988 acres of tropical wet forest, the diversity of species here is spectacular, including more than 1,850 species of plants, 350 species of trees and 448 species of birds.

Day 7Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui

Day at leisure for further activities in Sarapiqui - you may wish to consider a chocolate tour, white water rafting, zip-lining, horse-riding, rappelling or mountain biking.

Day 8Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui - Turrialba

You will be driven in private vehicle to the Turrialba region, nestled in the verdant hills of the Central Volcanic Range.

Day 9Turrialba

During your time at Rancho Naturalista you will be able to explore the large area of protected forest within the grounds of the lodge with the resident birding guide. The lodge is renowned in the birding world, and in addition to the forest trails there is an observatory which is a great way to get close up views of many hummingbirds.

Day 10Turrialba

Second day for birding walks around Rancho Naturalista or other activities in the Turrialba region. You could visit the nearby volcano, experience the world class white water rafting and visit one of the many nearby plantations. You could also try horse riding or kayaking, and canyoning and canopy zip-lining tours are available for the more adventurous.

Day 11Turrialba - San Gerardo de Dota

Today you will be driven in private vehicle to San Gerardo de Dota, a remote and tranquil cloud forest home to a wonderful variety of birds.

Day 12San Gerardo de Dota

Enjoy an early morning walk with an expert birding guide in search of San Gerardo's most famous year-round resident, the Resplendent Quetzal.

Day 13San Gerardo de Dota

Second day exploring the Cloud Forest trails of San Gerardo de Dota. In addition to longer hikes in search of over 200 species of highland birds, you could hike to the Savegre waterfall, explore on horseback or try your hand at trout fishing.

Day 14San Gerardo de Dota - San Jose

You will be collected from your hotel for your private transfer back to San Jose, to connect with your overnight flight back to the UK.

Day 15London

Arrival in the UK.

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