Capture Costa Rica

5-Nights · 6-Days Trip

About This Bird Photography Group Tour

Focus: Bird Photography

Scheduled Dates

Dec 5 - Dec 15, 2026
Dec 6 - Dec 16, 2027

Maximum number of guests

8 Guests

Pace

Intermediate

Tour Highlights

Personalized instruction from an expert bird photography guide
Extended time at premium photography locations
Access to private reserves and specialized photography setups
Deliberate pace designed specifically for photographers
Diverse habitats and wide array of possible species

Trip Overview

Day 1:

Arrive San Jose

Days 2-3:

Caribbean Lowlands

Days 4-5:

Wetlands

Days 6-7:

Central Pacific

Days 8-9:

Talamanca Highlands

Day 10:

San Jose

Day 11:

Return to SJO Airport

This 10-night, 11-day privately guided bird photography tour is crafted for photographers who want to go beyond casual birding and capture striking images of Costa Rica’s most iconic and colorful species. With the guidance of an expert bird photography guide, you'll travel through diverse habitats including lush rainforests, tropical lowlands, wetland waterways, and coastal mangroves, each offering a new range of subjects and photographic opportunities. The tour follows a deliberate, photographer-friendly pace, allowing for extended time at premium locations and access to private reserves and specialized setups. Highlights include the renowned feeders at Cinchona, the wild hummingbird activity at La Paz Waterfall Gardens, and a visit to Cope’s Gardens, a favorite for close-up hummingbird shots and surprise wildlife encounters. In the Caño Negro region, private boat excursions through the wetlands and Medio Queso canals provide exceptional opportunities to photograph many wetland species at close range. In Orotina, you’ll search for owls in lesser-known hotspots, while the Tarcoles River Estuary boat tour offers dynamic opportunities to photograph waterbirds and mangrove species from the waterline. A stay at Quetzal Paradise Lodge rounds out the experience, with targeted efforts to photograph the magnificent Resplendent Quetzal. Whether you’re refining your technique or expanding your portfolio, this tour offers exceptional access, flexibility, and photographic potential in some of Costa Rica’s most productive wildlife regions.
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What's Included in Your 5-Nights · 6-Days Capture Costa Rica Tour?

  • Small Group Tour – Photography

    On a group tour with a private guide, the guide is with you from your arrival to your departure. You not only enjoy bird photography at the hotels, parks, and reserves on your itinerary, you also have the flexibility to stop with the guide at local spots, and places that only the guides know. You have an expert with you every step of the way. Guests with a Private Guide can expect to see and photograph at least 50% more species than guests using local guides.

    Pros and Cons of a Scheduled Group Trip

    Continuous expert guidance throughout the entire trip

    50% more species typically observed and photographed

    Access to off-the-beaten-track locations

    Flexibility for impromptu stops

    Daily species recap with guide

    Photo identification from your guide during and after your trip.

    Fixed travel dates

    Less individual flexibility

      Ideal for

    • Serious bird photographers aiming to maximize species sightings

    • First-time visitors wanting constant expert guidance

    • Photographers interested in off-the-beaten-path locations

    • Travelers who value having all meals and services included

    • Photographers who enjoy shared experiences with like-minded travelers

    • Travelers looking for an easy, seamless travel experience

    • Capture Costa Rica Itinerary Details

      Day 1: Welcome to Costa Rica

      Arrive at San José International Airport where you’ll be greeted and transferred to your hotel with your private driver. Spend the afternoon exploring the beautiful gardens of Hotel Bougainvillea with your private photography guide, capturing images of garden birds and practicing your settings for the days ahead. In the evening, join your group for a welcome dinner where your guide will provide an overview of the exciting photography opportunities awaiting you.

      Day 2: San José to Sarapiquí

      Depart from San José with your guide to Sarapiquí. En route, visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens, where the strategically placed feeders and natural settings provide excellent opportunities to photograph hummingbirds, tanagers, and other colorful species. In the afternoon, arrive at Selva Verde Lodge and explore its private reserve, offering forest trails and river views for diverse shooting conditions.

      Day 3: Sarapiquí Area

      Morning visit to Cope’s Gardens, a photographer-friendly private property with perfectly positioned perches and feeders designed specifically for photography. The afternoon takes you to Pierella Gardens, another specialized photography location where natural gardens provide optimal backgrounds for your top shots. Both locations provide excellent opportunities to capture striking portraits of rainforest species.

      Day 4: Sarapiquí to Caño Negro

      Journey from Sarapiquí to the Caño Negro region. Stop at the famous Cinchona feeders, where toucans, barbets, and tanagers visit regularly, providing great opportunities to capture Costa Rica’s diverse species. Arrive at Natural Lodge Caño Negro in the afternoon, where you’ll begin exploring these unique wetlands searching for the top species of the region.

      Day 5: Natural Lodge Caño Negro

      Spend the day exploring the rich wetlands of Caño Negro and the quiet waterways of Medio Queso with your private photography guide and boat captain. These productive habitats are excellent for searching for a wide variety of wetland species, including kingfishers, herons, jacanas, Sungrebes, and other elusive birds that can be difficult to find elsewhere in Costa Rica. With some luck, you may even encounter the impressive Jabiru, one of the country’s most sought-after wetland birds. The slow pace and small-boat access provide excellent opportunities for close wildlife observation and photography throughout the day.

      Day 6: Caño Negro to Central Pacific

      Today, travel with your photography guide from the wetlands of Caño Negro to Costa Rica’s Central Pacific region, passing through changing landscapes that range from northern lowlands to forested foothills and warmer Pacific habitats. En route, stop at the San Luis Tanager Watch, a well-known photography location where colorful tanagers and other species often provide excellent close-range photographic opportunities, After you’ll continue on to the Central Pacific coast.

      Day 7: Central Pacific Area

      Spend the day with your private photography guide exploring two of the Central Pacific region’s most productive wildlife locations. In the morning, enjoy a private boat excursion through the Tárcoles River Estuary, offering excellent opportunities to photograph herons, kingfishers, mangrove species, crocodiles, and other wetland wildlife from the water. After a midday break for lunch, continue to the Orotina area for an afternoon visit to Álvaro’s owl hotspots, where your guide will search for several sought-after owl species and other nocturnal birds in their daytime roosting locations.

      Day 8: Central Pacific to San Gerardo de Dota

      Today, travel with your photography guide from Costa Rica’s Central Pacific region into the Talamanca Highlands, where cooler temperatures and cloud forest habitats provide a completely different birding and photography experience. En route, stop at Batsu Gardens, a well-known photography destination featuring excellent feeder setups for hummingbirds, tanagers, and other highland species at close range. Afterwards, continue to Paraíso Quetzal Lodge, surrounded by scenic cloud forest and excellent habitat for the Resplendent Quetzal and other mountain specialties.

      Day 9: San Gerardo de Dota Area

      Spend the morning exploring the cloud forests surrounding Paraíso Quetzal Lodge with your private photography guide in search of the spectacular Resplendent Quetzal and other highland specialties. After a relaxing lunch break at the lodge, enjoy the afternoon photographing hummingbirds and other colorful mountain species at the lodge’s private hummingbird gardens, where excellent feeder activity often allows for close photographic opportunities in a beautiful natural setting.

      Day 10: Highlands to San José

      Early morning dedicated to Quetzal photography near the lodge – one of the best locations worldwide to capture images of this spectacular bird. Later, ascend to the Paramo ecosystem for landscape and bird photography in this unique high-altitude habitat with its specialized residents. In the afternoon, return to San José, with time to photograph in the gardens of your hotel.

      Day 11: Departure

      After breakfast, transfer to San José International Airport for your international departure, bringing home memory cards full of extraordinary bird images from your Costa Rican adventure.

        "Unforgettable 10 Day Costa Rica Birding Trip"

        I chose Costa Rica Focus for a 10 day birding adventure around Costa Rica and I had the most amazing, unforgettable experience. Everything was so well planned and organized I always knew I was in good hands. I really enjoyed how each place we stayed at was a perfect spot for birding and each birding guide was very professional and so knowledgeable of the area we were birding in. I left this trip with 196 lifers! Thank you Costa Rica Focus for curating this unique experience.

        Miranda K

        Irving, TX

        "Wonderful trip, all we had to do was show up!"

        After our trip in April, we couldn’t wait to go back. The accommodations, the guides, the drivers everybody was wonderful, and the schedule was perfectly coordinated. We’ve never had trips that went as smoothly as the one arranged by Costa Rica focus. I could I could tell you all the details but honestly, you just need to call Costa Rica Focus because they have got it down. The nicest part of Costa Rica are the people, but I really love the birds and the plants and the ocean and the mountains….. really it’s an experience you can’t miss.

        Kathryn V

        Ivins, UT

        "Simply the best!"

        We can’t say enough about how pleased we were that we went with Costa Rica Focus, and thoroughly recommend them in every respect … As for our guide and driver Andres, what can we say? If a review sheet had a plus and minus column, we would request a third plus-plus column. He was absolutely amazing in every respect.  We arrived to meet Andres as a stranger only to leave two weeks later feeling like we just left our best friend behind. He was the most knowledgeable guide, an extremely careful and diligent driver, plus a delightfully thoughtful fellow in every respect. Nothing was too much trouble and any questions or requests were answered or taken care of immediately.  …

        Richard B

        San Diego, CA

      Additional Tour Info

      This itinerary requires an intermediate level of physical activity. Guests will traverse a variety of environments, including well-established trails, narrow forest paths, gardens, feeders, and observation platforms. Participants should be comfortable walking at least 2 miles at a steady, relaxed pace without the need for frequent stops or rest.

      Weather

      Weather in Costa Rica varies significantly by region and elevation. Expect different temperatures and rainfall patterns as you travel through the country. While some areas experience brief morning mist or afternoon showers, others may have longer periods of rain. These patterns shift throughout the year and create the perfect conditions for Costa Rica’s rich wildlife. While we plan activities around typical weather patterns, we recommend packing for both sun and rain to ensure your comfort throughout your journey. The temperatures listed below represent typical averages for each region, though daily conditions may vary.

      • Central Valley: Warm daytime temperatures from the high 70s °F to low 80s °F. Evenings pleasant in the high 60s °F to low 70s °F.
      • Caribbean Lowlands: Daytime temperatures will range from the high 80s to low 90s °F. Evening temperatures will be in the high 70s – low 80s °F. Expect high humidity.
      • Mid-Elevation Locations (Foothills): Enjoy temperate weather with daytime highs in the low to mid-80s °F and evenings and early mornings in the low to mid 60s Mid-Elevation Locations: Enjoy temperate weather with daytime highs in the low to mid-80s °F.
      • Pacific Lowlands: Daytime temperatures will range from the high 80s to low 90s °F. Evening temperatures will be in the high 70s – low 80s °F.
      • Highlands (Talamanca Mountains): Cooler conditions prevail here, with daytime temperatures in the mid to high 70s or low 80s °F. Evenings can drop to the high 40s or low 50s °F, so pack appropriately to stay comfortable throughout your journey. We recommend layers and a fleece or jacket. 

      On the Trail

      Please note that some parks and reserves lack seating or designated rest areas once inside the forest. While most trails are relatively flat, certain locations may involve inclines, steps, or uneven terrain with minor elevation changes.

      Trail conditions will vary, and guests should be prepared to navigate narrow forest paths with natural debris such as sticks, leaves, rocks, and roots. In the event of rain, trails may become muddy and slippery, adding to the challenge.This itinerary is designed for participants with an intermediate level of fitness and mobility, ensuring a rewarding experience for those prepared for the natural demands of these environments.

      All guests should be comfortable carrying their own equipment and personal items in the field. We understand that everyone’s pace and energy levels are different. If you ever feel the need for a shorter day, a morning to rest, or time to recharge, please let your guide know. This is your trip, and we’re here to ensure you enjoy it to the fullest.

      This trip would not be recommended for a person with mobility issues.

      Accommodations

      For our group trips, we select hotels based on their prime locations for birding opportunities. Accommodations will range from basic, rustic lodges to mid-range hotels with additional amenities, always with the goal of prioritizing excellent access to birding hotspots.

      It’s important to note that not all hotels will have air conditioning, but all will feature private bathrooms, hot or warm running showers, fans, and Wi-Fi (available at least in reception or dining areas, though signal strength may vary). The level of comfort will align with the descriptions provided in the itinerary.

      In some locations, rooms may be a 5–15 minute walk from the reception or dining areas. If you have physical needs and would prefer a room closer to these facilities, please inform us in advance, and we will do our best to accommodate your request.

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