Costa Rica Focus designs Costa Rica birding tours and bird photography tours to all the top birding destinations in Costa Rica as well as throughout Central and South America. We offer custom tours as well as guided group tours (see the differences).
We work with the best bird watching lodges and hotels in the country, provide all your transportation to the different locations, and arrange fully guided or unguided birding tours. If you are interested in joining a scheduled group birding trip, click here to see our group options.
Our expert knowledge and local experience will help create the perfect Costa Rica bird watching tour for you. Explore our sample birding & bird photography tours below or contact us if you would like assistance in customizing your upcoming birding or bird photography tour.
Choosing your bird watching trip to Costa Rica can be as tough as counting species in a mixed flock. Lots of companies, lots of choices. We want you to travel the way you want to. It’s your adventure and we’re your personal Costa Rica bird guides, helping you maneuver through all the information and choices that will come your way as you begin researching your bird watching or bird photography vacation to Costa Rica.
It is easy for us to relate to your travel needs because we’ve traveled just like you have. We have carried binoculars, spotting scopes, and cameras. We have stayed in simple birding lodges, with no electricity, and lumpy pillows and we’ve pampered ourselves in deluxe ecolodges, overlooking lush gardens. Regardless of the type of trip you’re looking for, we’ll make sure of one thing; the BIRDS. As we live here in Costa Rica, THE bird watchers and photographers paradise, and as we are avid bird watchers ourselves, we will make sure you visit the best photography and birding spots in Costa Rica.
Whether you are looking for an intense bird watching adventure, life list in hand, want an easy-paced exploration of the top species of Costa Rica, or want to photograph the birds of Costa Rica, we’ll help you plan by providing friendly, professional service. If you are interested in other destinations, let us know, we offer birding and photography vacations throughout Latin America.
Costa Rica Focus made our first Costa Rica experience perfect.
What a vacation this turned out to be. I’ve had the best vacation of my life, and a big part of this is down to Costa Rica Focus. Thanks a lot, and I want to recommend this company to everyone with a wish to visit Costa Rica. A thoroughly professional company, which gave my first-time birding experience with the American continent another dimension.
The drivers brought us safely between the sites. The local birding guides did an excellent job, and I were satisfied to discover the guides were equally nerdy as me. The guides knew bird-ID, song/calls and sites very well. I ended up with a species list of nearly 300, but would certainly have struggled reaching 220-230 without the help by the local birders from Costa Rica Focus. They also included my not-so-nerdy wife in a brilliant way, which made her happy as well.
I owe a more detailed explanation to those who want to keep up reading, to explain. I’ve been a Norwegian birder for well over 40 years, but my wife doesn’t share this hobby with me. She likes nature but is more interested in the culture part new places. With the possible conflicting interests in mind, I contacted Costa Rica Focus just to get some advice for a Costa Rica-tour we had talked about since even before we got married 27 years ago. We had an idea of which sites we were going to visit and just had a few questions of which order we should do the sites, and how to best move from between the places.
Costa Roca Focus quickly responded, and gave us a few options, one of which was to set up a 12-days schedule. I silently asked for the 12-days-tour, and to my complete surprise, my wife accepted on the condition of getting a week on the beach after the Costa Rica Focus journey. I probably won the jackpot. This turned out to be the best decision we’ve made in a long time. I can’t praise the company enough, and the money was well spent. The standards of our hotels were around 3 (4) stars, and all breakfast included. About two weeks before our tour started, Costa Rica gave us a must-do-list, which included connecting to a Whatsapp-group, to download an app (Axis) which kept an overview of our schedule and name of the guides for the trip, and a list to remind us of what to pack. These were all useful to us. The contact with Costa Rica Focus during our trip was quick and easy, and through the WhatsApp-group the company always responded quickly to our questions. …
Another home run by Costa Rica Focus
A 10-day birding trip with a photography focus. Great birding and photography with our fabulous guide Sr. Minor H. despite occasionally iffy weather. Locations were great, accomodations ranged from luxurious to very basic, food from merely very good to excellent, including some pleasant surprises like Pizzeria Los Colibries, on the road to Savegre where we ended up when our destination restaurant turned out to be closed due to a medical emergency in the owner’s family – really good pizza with near-perfect crust and hyper-local ingredients like local mushrooms, herbs from their own gardens, lettuce from their hydroponic gardens, etc. It’s the first pizza place on the right on the road down to San Gerardo de Dota from National Route 2. You can’t miss it:). Logistics were perfect, including arrival and departure.
Not a lot ot add to the overwhelmingly positive reviews of Costa Rica Focus. This is the fifth trip I’ve taken with them in four years, including one to Ecuador in collaboration with Ecuador Birds Tours, and if I go again to a destination they offer, I can’t think why I would look elsewhere.
Dream Trip to Costa Rica
The Itinerary was tailor-made with a private guide by Costa Rica Focus. I have been on a group excursion with this company in the past and wanted to streamline a trip. Jess, Wanda and Joan provided the exact trip that I requested with even more extra stops suggested by my guide along the way.
My guide, Alex C. is accomplished, knowledgeable and an affable companion, constantly displaying his expertise and enthusiasm. Costa Rica Focus treats every client like family. I was asked about my comfort and experience throughout the trip. I am an older female adult, travelling alone. I felt totally safe at every location.
The accommodations were comfortable, clean and in all cases surrounded by a habitat of exquisite beauty and an abundance of birds and other wildlife. I could not have asked for anything more.
Fabulous Adventure Awaits in Guanacaste!
“Wings of Northern Costa Rica” was my fourth birding trip with Costa Rica Focus (Costa Rica/3 trips; Ecuador/1 trip), made extra special by the fact that I was able to reunite with birding companions I had met on previous trips! Although we all live far from one another, we have stayed in touch and try to plan our birding adventures together with the help of Joan at Costa Rica Focus. Joan bends over backwards to meet our needs at every turn. Talk about personalized service! I know that I will always be in the best of hands. As an experienced birder living in Costa Rica, I seek areas outside of the heavily trodden birding hot spots. The “Wings of Northern Costa Rica” trip surpassed ALL of my expectations. I absolutely loved birding the tropical dry forest of Guanacaste Province, but it didn’t stop there. We traveled from one life zone to another, exploring mangroves, marshlands, gulf waters (Nicoya), rainforests of 2 volcanoes (Tenorio and Rincón de la Vieja, with Miravalles Volcano close by) and 2 wildlife refuges (Palo Verde National Park; Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge). The beauty of our surroundings and unique diversity of wildlife were incredible and resulted in more than 250 bird species, many of which were “lifers” for me. Our stays at Celeste Mountain Lodge, La Ensenada, and Borinquen Lodge were especially exceptional. THANK YOU to Costa Rica Focus and to our outstanding guide, Mayer J., who so patiently brought out the best in all of us as photographers, birders, and nature lovers. Mayer taught us so much; I can’t wait to do it again.
Wonderful bird photography tour!
We just completed a 14-day bird photography tour with Costa Rica Focus and the experience was fantastic from start to finish. The level of client commitment and personalized service was outstanding. We have taken many bird tours with both large international companies and small local ones in South America, Tanzania, Central America, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Canada. Without question, Costa Rica Focus is by far the best company we have worked with. Jess was a pleasure to deal with. Her response time was nearly instantaneous; she answered all our questions, and helped us design a private tour that exactly fit our needs. The lodgings she chose were superb and provided us with wonderful birds right outside our bedroom door.
She kept in contact with us before during and after the tour and there wasn’t a moment during the entire tour that we didn’t feel well looked after. Our guide, Eric, was exceptional. His knowledge of Costa Rica birds is phenomenal. He was a wizard at finding birds and getting us great looks and photographs, even in some difficult dark jungle environments. We have gone on bird tours before and come home with a huge bird list only to ask ourselves when going over the list, “did we really see that bird?” Not so with Eric. He was unbelievably talented at getting us great looks at nearly every bird. We had an extremely high ratio of photos per bird encounter. He is also an outstanding photographer and provided tremendous photographic advice to help us get the best photographs possible. The trip was a perfect balance of serious birding and bird photography. Never once did we feel rushed. Eric answered every question with knowledge and grace. He even politely allowed my wife to practice her rudimentary Spanish throughout the tour.
A Birding Quest for My 5,000th Lifer
Costa Rica Focus excelled when tasked with organizing a 17-day, 16-night birding tour to show me the 53 birds I needed to see to make a lifetime total of 5,000.
Communications were virtually instantaneous as we negotiated a guided private trip for two at a relaxed pace with ample time at each locality. A day after my initial inquiry the co-owner of the company assumed responsibility for planning the complete itinerary. In the following weeks she coordinated the tour schedule with the availability of our international flights (we cashed in frequent flyer miles) and chose accommodations that would be conveniently located near the birds we were seeking. The birding guide they provided (see below) was superb.
Within five days of receiving my “wish list” of Costa Rican birds that would be “new” for me, she had prepared an amazing spreadsheet that detailed not only where one could see each target bird and the ease (or difficulty) of finding it, but also a list of birding sites and the number of target birds and the difficulty of finding them at each site. Awesome is an understatement.
The detailed final itinerary, fully illustrated with a map and sample birds to be seen at each locality, was then made available as a hard copy and on a smartphone app that could be consulted instantly wherever we were. With one exception (Tirimbina Lodge) the accommodations were very good to excellent.
Our driver/guide, Minor, is arguably the best bird guide in Costa Rica. With my “wish list” of 169 potential life birds in hand, he plotted each days’ drive to destinations for specific birds on the list. Minor has the almost magical ability to find target birds. He is an excellent and safe driver, taking us to the best places to dine for local specialties while seeming to know personally everyone in Costa Rica.
Birding Costa Rica Tours: Privately Guided vs Scheduled Group vs Independent… Differences?
When booking your tour, it’s important to know the different options available to you. Based on the experience you are looking for, the intensity of birding, and budget, Costa Rica Focus will help you choose the best option for you.
Feature
Privately Guided Tour
Scheduled Group Tour
Independent Tour
Tour Type
Custom
Pre-scheduled
Custom
Guide Availability
Dedicated Guide from arrival to departure
Dedicated Guide from arrival to departure
Local guides for specific excursions only
Transportation
Guide as driver (small groups) or separate driver (larger groups)
Costa Rica’s bird watching trips are one of many reasons why foreigners choose this amazing green country to visit. One of the most biodiverse countries on the planet, Costa Rica is home to more than 900 bird species within a relatively compact area roughly the size of Lake Michigan. Its rich ecosystems and well-protected reserves make it one of the world’s premier destinations for birdwatching.
Whether you’re a seasoned birder or just starting out, Costa Rica offers incredible opportunities to observe both iconic and rare species in stunning natural settings. From cloud forests and coastal wetlands to tropical lowland rainforests, the diversity of habitats supports an unmatched concentration of birdlife. It one of the best tourist destination for bird watchers.
Below we highlight five must-visit birding hotspots that showcase the best of what Costa Rica has to offer. You’ll also find details about our expertly guided multi-day tours designed to take you deep into the country’s top birding regions.
Get ready to explore some of the most vibrant and rewarding birding experiences in Central America.
Located near San Vito in southern Costa Rica, Wilson Botanical Garden is part of the Las Cruces Biological Station, one of the country’s premier centers for tropical research and biodiversity. The garden spans 12 hectares and is surrounded by over 250 hectares of protected forest, creating a rich environment for birdlife.
With one of the most extensive collections of tropical plants in Central America—including palms, bromeliads, and heliconias—the garden attracts a wide range of species such as hummingbirds, flycatchers, and tanagers. Visitors can enjoy scenic trails and birding right from the garden paths, making it an excellent destination for birders and nature lovers alike.
2. Caño Negro National Wildlife Refuge
Tucked away in the Caribbean lowlands near the Nicaraguan border, Caño Negro is one of Costa Rica’s top birding destinations, especially for wetland and migratory species. The refuge protects a seasonal floodplain, including swamps, lagoons, and the Río Frío, providing critical habitat for nesting and resting birds.
Species highlights include Snail Kites, Glossy Ibis, Anhinga, Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, and various kingfishers, herons, and ducks. Boat tours through the wetlands are the best way to explore the area and observe its remarkable biodiversity up close.
3. Talamanca Highlands
The Talamanca Highlands is one of the best places to encounter Costa Rica’s highland / cloud forest endemics. Sitting at elevations over 3,000 meters (nearly 10,000 feet), this cloud forest ecosystem is cool, misty, and filled with spectacular birdlife.
It’s one of the most reliable places to see the Resplendent Quetzal, as well as hummingbird species like the Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Volcano Hummingbird, and Talamanca Hummingbird. Other highlights include Black-and-Yellow Silky-Flycatcher, Sooty Thrush, and Flame-Throated Warbler. This region, with San Gerardo de Dota being the top area, is paradise for bird watchers and bird photographers
Photo: Talamanca Mountains
4. Río Tempisque and Palo Verde National Park
The Río Tempisque, running through Palo Verde National Park, is a haven for wetland and aquatic bird species. This region offers some of the best boat-based birding in Costa Rica, particularly along the Bebedero River, where expansive marshes and gallery forests attract hundreds of species. Several mangrove sites, salt ponds and coastal habitats round out this productive region.
Birders can expect to see Roseate Spoonbills, Jabiru Storks, Jacanas, Limpkins, Gallinules, and multiple species of herons, egrets, and kingfishers. The park is also an important habitat for migratory waterbirds and waders during the dry season.
5. Carara National Park
Located on the Central Pacific coast just a short drive from San José, Carara National Park is one of the most accessible and ecologically diverse parks in Costa Rica, and often a A favorite among the country’s bird watching destinations. Positioned at the intersection of tropical dry forest and humid rainforest, Carara is a transitional zone that supports a rich mix of wildlife.
It’s one of the best places to see Scarlet Macaws in the wild, along with species like the Gartered Trogon, Turquoise-browed Motmot, Great Tinamou, Slaty-tailed Trogon, and Bare-throated Tiger-Heron. The park’s well-maintained trails and boardwalks make it a favorite for birders and photographers.
These five locations represent just a sample of world-class birding Costa Rica sites.
Other top destinations include Monteverde Cloud Forest, La Selva Biological Stationin Sarapiquí, The Osa Peninsula, and the Arenal region, each offering its own unique habitats and iconic species. With more than 900 bird species across the country, Costa Rica remains a dream destination for birders and nature travelers from around the world.
