Costa Rica Group Birding Trip: Search for the Elusive Birds
← Back to Group Tours / Group Package #6 (October Birding Trip)
This 8 night / 9 day birding and nature trip to Costa Rica gives avid bird watchers the chance to see some of Costa Rica’s rarest and most exciting bird species, plus, enjoy some of the other fantastic activities that Costa Rica has to offer. This Costa Rica Birding trip is a great combination of excellent bird watching, culture, and nature. With your private naturalist birding guide, you’ll travel throughout the country on this small group trip to Costa Rica and experience paradise at its best.
Some of the species on our Target List: Lovely Cotinga, Bicolored Hawk, Ocellated Antbird, Red-fronted Parrotlet, White-Tip Sicklebill, Sharpbill, Lanceolated Monklet, to name a few.
Itinerary Overview
Day 1: Arrive San Jose, Costa Rica | Hotel Bougainvillea
Day 2-3: Cartago | Quelitales Lodge
Day 4-5: Tortuguero | La Baula Lodge
Day 6-7: Arenal | Observatory Lodge
Day 8: San Jose | Villa San Ignacio
Day 9: San Jose | Depart for Home
Map of the October Birding Trip: Elusive Birds Tour
October Birding Trip: Elusive Birds of Costa Rica
On a tour with a private guide, the guide is with you from your arrival to your departure. You not only bird at the hotels, Parks, and Reserves on your itinerary, you also have the flexibility to stop with the guide at local spots, off the beaten track locations, 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 at least 50% more species than guests using local guides.- Meet and Greet at the SJO Airport from your Naturalist Guide, Rudy Zamora.
- Services of your private professional birding guide for the duration of your journey.
- Transportation in a comfortable coaster with an English speaking driver.
- 1 night at Hotel Bougainvillea in San Jose.
- 2 nights at Quelitales Lodge in Cartago
- 2 nights at La Baula Lodge in Tortuguero
- 2 nights at Arenal Observatory Lodge in Arenal
- 1 night at Villas San Ignacio in San Jose
- All meals, beginning with dinner on arrival day and ending with breakfast on departure day.
- Activities to include: Privately guided bird & nature tours at each destination, Guayabo National Monument visit, CATIE, Tortuguero National Park, Cope’s Gardens, Arenal Observatory Reserve, EcoTermales Hot Springs, San Luis Trails & Feeders.
- Welcome Packet
- Official checklist of the birds of Costa Rica
- Daily species review with your guide
- 24/7 in-country customer service
‘Elusive Birds of Costa Rica’ October Birding Trip Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive San Jose | Welcome to Costa Rica
Welcome to Costa Rica! We’ll meet you at the San Jose International Airport. Your private guide will meet you at the airport and transfer with you to the charming Hotel Bougainvillea. Check in and enjoy the spectacular gardens at the hotel. This evening join your group for a Welcome Dinner.
Hotel Bougainvillea / Meals: Dinner
Day 2: Cartago | Quelitales Lodge
You’ll depart after breakfast, driving towards the town of Cartago. Cartago is the original capital city of Costa Rica. You’ll head into the country passing small towns, beautiful green hills, rivers and forests. You’ll make two stops today en route to your hotel, first at the Guayabo National Monument and second at CATIE. After lunch you’ll continue on to your hotel.
Charming and friendly, Quelitales Lodge sits in a beautiful garden, surrounded by forest in a peaceful paradise. It’s a family run eco lodge, renowned for good service and great views all around.
You’ll feel immersed in nature, exploring the trails, enjoying the views and seeing the top species of the area.
Quelitales Lodge / Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 3: Cartago | Quelitales Lodge
Today you’ll enjoy a day of birding at the trails and gardens of your hotel. The location of this hotel in the Orosi Valley, at the foot of Tapanti National Park makes for spectacular birding. There have been 31 species of hummingbirds recorded in the gardens alone. The surrounding forest and coffee plantations have created a haven for many different species of birds.
Quelitales Lodge / Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 4: Tortuguero | La Baula Lodge
Today you’ll have an early breakfast then it’s time to head to Tortuguero. You’ll travel several hours north to the port of La Pavona where you’ll board your boat and travel through the canals of Tortuguero to reach your lodge. You’ll check and have lunch. After some time to relax, you’ll then have your first exploration of the canals.
La Baula Lodge / Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 5: Tortuguero | La Baula Lodge
You’ll leave with your guide early this morning on a wildlife- filled journey through the canals of Tortuguero. This area is often referred to as “The Little Amazon” due to the remoteness, lush forest, and wide array of wildlife. The canal network is home to 138+ mammals, 442 bird species, and 118 species of reptiles.
You’ll be back to the lodge for breakfast, spend the day exploring the gardens, and late afternoon return to the canals to search for those elusive species of birds and animals.
Rana Roja Lodge / Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 6: Arenal | Arenal Observatory Lodge
After breakfast you’ll board your boat, travel about 90 minutes through the canals of Tortuguero and then get back on your vehicle and depart with your guide heading West towards the Arenal Volcano. En route you’ll stop for a visit to the amazing Cope’s Gardens. You’ll drive through beautiful rolling hills, farmlands with fields of yucca, groves of bananas, and acres and acres of pineapples, and soon the majestic peak of the Arenal Volcano will appear on the horizon. You’ll arrive at the Observatory Lodge for check in.
Arenal Observatory Lodge is a preferred destination for bird watching in Costa Rica, with more than 500 species of birds found on the grounds and surrounding forest.
Arenal Observatory Lodge / Meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7: Arenal | Arenal Observatory Lodge
Today you’ll spend the day with your Naturalist Guide exploring the trails and gardens around the Observatory Lodge. This is truly one of the best places in Costa Rica for spotting wrens, antbirds, tanagers, hummingbirds, raptors, cotingas, woodpeckers, woodcreepers and so much more. It’s a true birdwatchers paradise. The forest is also home to many mammals. We’ll be looking for agoutis, anteaters, armadillos, peccaries, and much more. Enjoy this fabulous day of birding and interaction with nature.
Late afternoon you’ll make a visit to the beautiful EcoTermales Thermal Hot Springs. Here you’ll have a chance to soak in the thermal mineral hot springs, surrounded by forest, soothing tired muscles and enjoying this unique feature of the Arenal area. Your group will enjoy a delicious typical dinner at the hot springs.
Day 8: San Jose | Villas San Ignacio
This morning you’ll enjoy your last morning around the gardens of the Observatory Lodge and then have breakfast. On your way back to San Jose you’ll stop at the beautiful trails of San Luis to enjoy the tanagers and hummingbirds. You’ll then continue the journey back to San Jose, birding along the way. You’ll make a stop for lunch and arrive at your hotel late afternoon. Tonight, join your group for a farewell dinner, toast your great memories and reminisce about your last 8 days in Costa Rica.
Day 9: San Jose/ San Jose International Airport
This morning your October birding trip comes to an end. You’ll depart your hotel and transfer back to the SJO Airport for your flight home.
Elusive Birds of Costa Rica – October Birding Trip Review:
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About Costa Rica Focus
Costa Rica Focus is a birding tour company that offers customized Costa Rica birdwatching tours for individuals or groups of people and guided by a knowledgeable birding expert who will help you spot and learn about the beauty of the birds of Costa Rica. Let’s talk about your Costa Rica birding vacation!
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