Private Trip Available Lush and verdant throughout the year, Costa Rica is a fantastic place for bird and nature lovers. This small country sustains some of the world’s most productive ecosystems. To maximize your experience, explore various tropical environments through Savegre River Valley, Carara National Park, La Selva Biological Station, and Tortuguero National Park. Spring boasts exceptional weather and increased animal activity, including migrating birds along the Continental Divide, the backbone of Costa Rica, plus monkeys, sloths, crocodiles, peccaries, and agoutis. Enjoy the friendly people and delicious food of Costa Rica at beautiful, well-situated lodges while you explore this Central American hotspot.
HIGHLIGHTS
Itinerary Updated: January 2023
| Date | Description | Lodge | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10 | Arrive in in San José, Costa Rica. | Hotel Bougainvillea, San José | D |
| Apr 11-12 | Experience the cloud forests of the Savegre River Valley and the resplendent quetzal. | Savegre Lodge, Savegre River Valley | B, L, D |
| Apr 13-14 | Discover rainforest habitats of Carara National Park on the banks of the Tarcoles River near the Pacific coast, including a mangrove boat tour. | Hotel Villa Lapas, near Carara National Park | B, L, D |
| Apr 15 | Explore the tropical dry forests, marshlands, estuaries, and mangroves of Guanacaste Peninsula. | La Ensenada Lodge, Abangaritos | B, L, D |
| Apr 16-17 | View active Volcán Arenal and walk in Arenal National Park on tropical forest trails with great birding. | Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal National Park | B, L, D |
| Apr 18-20 | Explore tropical lowland rainforests of the Caribbean slope along the Sarapiqui River, including visits to Braulio Carrillo National Park and the La Selva Biological Station, a world-famous tropical research facility. | Selva Verde Lodge & Reserve , Chilamate | B, L, D |
| Apr 21-22 | Boat to Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean coast to explore rich, narrow waterways through the rainforest by boat. | Laguna Lodge, Tortuguero National Park | B, L, D |
| Apr 23 | Return to San José for a farewell dinner. | Hotel Bougainvillea , San José | B, L, D |
| Apr 24 | Fly home. | B |
Paco has over 20 years of experience guiding wildlife, natural history, and birding tours throughout his native Costa Rica. He grew up in Sarapiqui near the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS) Station and inherited his family's passion for the diverse local plants and animals. He was part of the very first World Wildlife Fund (WWF) intensive Naturalist training program and helped build and worked at La Selva Biological Station before following his dream of starting his own tour company. His deep knowledge and charming personality make him one of our best leaders.
Arrive in San José for an overnight at Hotel Bougainvillea, located on ten acres of beautiful gardens that attract a multitude of birds including some you might not see on the rest of your trip! If you would like to arrive earlier, we can arrange divergent airport transfers and extra nights.
© Debbie Thompson
Enter the misty highland cloud forests in the Talamanca Mountains and the Savegre River Valley to look for numerous species of flora and fauna. The jewel of these forests is the resplendent quetzal, considered by some to be the most beautiful bird in Central America. Search for birds on the Savegre Lodge’s private 400-hectare nature reserve, visiting hummingbird feeding stations and walking through gardens, along trails in the forest, and along the Savegre River.
Situated on the banks of the Tarcoles River, near the Pacific coast, Carara National Park is in a unique climate zone that joins the humid southern coastal region and the dry climate of the northern Pacific area, creating a rich mix of species from both regions. Explore bird-rich trails through the forests in search of tiger-herons, antbirds, rufous-tailed jacamar, trogons, and royal flycatchers. Become one with the sights and sounds around you while looking for a cooperative mixed flock foraging together, or even a glance at one of the mammal species: collared peccaries, tayras, tamanduas, or agoutis. Hopefully, you will find the orange-collared manakin dancing in its lek, an aggregation of males performing competitive displays to attract females who are ready to mate. When the birds are less active, you’ll find beautiful butterflies like blue morphos flitting about. Enjoy morning and evening stops at the Tarcoles River bridge to watch scarlet macaws fly to and from their nighttime roost in mangroves.
Embark on a two-hour mangrove boat tour along the Tarcoles River in search of giant crocodiles, shorebirds, waterbirds, and raptors. If time allows, you will also explore the visitor center and walk through a habitat home to the great curassow and great tinamou, both seen side by side!
The Guanacaste Peninsula hosts a vast diversity of wildlife habitats, including tropical dry forests, marshlands, estuaries, and mangroves. Drive through the Pacific Lowlands on the Pan-American Highway passing through the arid landscapes of the Guanacaste-Gulf in the Nicoya region, which has distinctive flora and fauna endemic to this special region.
Explore La Ensenada National Wildlife Refuge on the Pacific Coast of the Gulf of Nicoya. You will stay at a family-managed lodge and ranch within the refuge where you will visit natural habitats, including dry forest and mangroves. Listen for mantled howler monkeys calling in the distance, and look for other mammals including white-headed capuchins, northern tamandua, white-nosed coati, and white-tailed deer. You can also find Pacific screech-owls and ferruginous pygmy-owl.
Drive east into the highlands of the Continental Divide and down the Caribbean Slope to Lake Arenal with your first sights of the breathtaking Volcán Arenal, Costa Rica’s youngest and most active volcano. Along your route, you’ll stop for birds and picturesque views.
The Arenal Observatory Lodge, located within Arenal National Park, offers wonderful views of the volcano and sunsets over Lake Arenal, as well as tanagers, hummingbirds, and several species of warblers at the feeders – all viewed from the comfort of the outside deck. Extensive trails around the lodge provide opportunities to walk through montane rainforest for woodland bird species, monkeys, and butterflies. In the evening, you may go owling in search of black-and-white, mottled, and striped owls.
Continue down the Caribbean slope to Selva Verde Lodge, located in the tropical lowlands of Sarapiqui. Spend three nights at this lodge, situated on 500 acres of tropical forest adjacent to Braulio Carillo National Park and the Organization for Tropical Studies’ (OTS) La Selva Biological Station. Paco knows this area very well from spending his youth here and working as a naturalist.
You’ll explore the wildlife-rich riparian zone along the banks of the Sarapiqui River for the great green macaw, an endangered species that feeds almost exclusively on the almonds of the almendron tree (Dipteryx panamensis) commonly found here. Meander the walkways at your lodge and look for poison dart frogs, millipedes, and many bird species. Enjoy your early morning coffee at the fruit feeding station to see who will make an appearance!
Visit La Selva Biological Station, one of the world's most important sites for tropical ecosystem research where scientists and students come from around the world to study tropical ecology. La Selva is home to more than 420 bird species, 500 butterfly species, 120 mammal species, 55 snake species, and hosts a variety of tree species on its 4,000 acres of old growth and disturbed tropical wet forest. La Selva is the most likely place to find the three species of tinamous in Costa Rica, plus woodpeckers, aracaris, tanagers, rufous motmot, trogons, caciques, purple-throated fruitcrow, and snowy cotinga. Also look out for peccaries (wild pigs), agoutis, coatis, sloths, and the monkeys that frequent this area.
Travel by boat to Tortuguero National Park, navigating through small resort areas, agricultural land, and secondary forest before reaching your lodge just outside the park.
At Tortuguero National Park, you will traverse the rich labyrinth of peaceful waterways, keeping an eye out for active wildlife along the water banks and in the trees. This area boasts 320 bird species, including tiger-herons, Agami heron, white-fronted nunbird, and all six species of kingfishers belonging to the Americas. You may also see caiman, iguanas, poison dart frogs, freshwater turtles, basilisk lizards, Honduran white tent-making bats, and three species of monkeys that frequent the banks. Also keep an eye out for slaty-tailed trogon, Montezuma’s oropendola, and sungrebe.
If you have time, you may visit the Caribbean Conservation Center to see the outstanding exhibits of nesting turtles and forest ecology, with information on recent leatherback turtle activity in the area.
Depart, by boat, downstream through Tortuguero National Park where sloths are sometimes visible in the trees. Drive from the Caribbean coast through Braulio Carrillo National Park en route to San José. Enjoy a farewell group dinner at your lodge.
Explore this lush and diverse country full of colorful birds and other wildlife with our experienced and knowledgeable guide.
9.991539, -84.198725
Conservation| Type | Cost Per Person |
|---|---|
| Trip Cost, double occupancy | $5,825 |
| Single Supplement | $820 |
Costs are per person, double occupancy, not including airfare, singles extra. See Included and Not Included sections for more details.
If you are a single traveler, we will find a roommate for you, but if we cannot find you a roommate, we may charge you a single supplement. Single rooms cost extra and are subject to availability.
| Payment | Due Date | Amount Per Person |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit | Due now to reserve your space | $500 |
| Final | October 8, 2023 | Remaining balance |
Payments are due based on the schedule above. All reservations require a deposit to confirm reservation of your space.
Until the Final Payment due date, deposits are refundable except for a cancellation fee of $150 per person, which can be applied toward another trip if reserved within six months of the cancelled trip’s departure date. Cancellations are non-transferrable. No refunds are given after the Final Payment due date.
Temperatures vary greatly – the Pacific coast is often hot while the cloud forests can be quite cool. Although December through May is the dry season, expect rain anytime. The average temperatures in April range from 63°F (17°C) at night to 95°F (35°C) during the day, depending on your location.
You will view most wildlife by walking along trails or from small boats. Walks are generally a few hours and include flat trails, uneven terrain, and hills. Paco will offer optional night walks when he thinks it will enhance your overall wildlife experience and if the weather conditions cooperate. Please contact us if you have any health concerns that may make this trip challenging.
Airfare is not included in trip costs. Detailed logistical information and the contact information for our recommended flight-ticketing agent are included in the Trip Materials we will send you. Please let us know if you are arriving earlier or staying later, as we are happy to assist you with any extra overnights that you might want to arrange.
Flights you (or a travel agent) book: Arrive in San José, Costa Rica (SJO) by 5:00pm on April 10. Depart from San José, Costa Rica (SJO) after 6:00am on April 24.
Lodging ranges from rustic to modern, all with private baths. While most lodges do not have air conditioning, some have fans. Almost all lodges have open-air dining and common areas.
You will travel by air-conditioned mini-bus and occasionally by boat.
Our company ethos has always regarded conservation as inseparable from responsible tourism. We struggle with the dilemma that traveling worldwide expends climate-changing carbon. However, we wholeheartedly believe that traveling with us will cultivate your passion for conserving our beautiful world while stimulating each destination’s local economy. We encourage you to explore the various ways in which Cheesemans’ operates within this context:
Read our current Terms and Conditions.
Paco Madrigal