This 14-day independent birding tour is designed for travelers who want the freedom to explore Costa Rica at their own pace—without missing out on expert local birding knowledge. At each major destination, you'll meet up with professional bird watching guides who will help you get the most out of the region’s unique habitats and most wanted bird species.The route includes a wide variety of ecosystems—from the Central Valley’s rolling hills to the lush Caribbean Lowlands, the wetlands of Caño Negro, the biodiverse Caribbean Foothills and Arenal region, and on to the bird-rich Central Pacific lowlands, the highland cloud forests of Talamanca, and the eastern slopes around Turrialba. Along the way, you'll experience both iconic birds like the Resplendent Quetzal, Keel-billed Toucan, and Scarlet Macaw, as well as regional specialties that make Costa Rica a world-class birding destination. This tour is ideal for experienced birders who enjoy structured support and birding on their own, or for first-time visitors seeking a comprehensive introduction to Costa Rica’s birdlife.
What's Included in Your Costa Rica Signature Birding Tour?
Independent Tour with Local Guides
Features and Inclusions
‘Meet & Greet’: Your private driver meets you at your arrival airport.
Airport pick up: Included
Guide Services: For scheduled sessions, local birding or naturalist guide
Birding Flexibility: Combination of scheduled sessions and “on your own”
Transportation: Air-conditioned van, private driver
Meals: Breakfast only, unless the lodge includes meals
Species Observation: At scheduled locations & lodge
Official Checklist: Not Included
Daily Species Recap: Not Included
In-country Assistance: Included, 24/7
Ideal for
Budget-conscious travelers
Those who prefer more downtime on their own
Guests traveling with non-birding companions who may want to mix in general activities.
Costa Rica Signature Birding Tour Itinerary Details
Day 1: Welcome to Costa Rica
Arrive at Juan Santamaría International Airport where you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel in the Central Valley. This peaceful garden oasis is the perfect place to rest after your flight and enjoy an easy afternoon of birdwatching. Look out for the Masked Tityra, Blue-crowned Motmot, and Crimson-fronted Parakeet among the vibrant foliage.
Travel north into the Caribbean lowlands with a scenic stop at Cinchona’s famous roadside feeders. Keep your eyes open for the striking Emerald Toucanet and maybe even the elusive Barbets. Arrive in Sarapiquí and enjoy birding around your lodge’s lush gardens and riverside trails.
Spend the morning exploring the renowned La Selva Biological Station, a hotspot for tropical biodiversity. With your local guide, search for a huge array of Caribbean Lowland species. In the afternoon, visit Pierella Gardens, a haven for hummingbirds, tanagers, honeycreepers and other colorful species.
Head west to the wetlands of Caño Negro, a remote and important refuge for waterbirds and other wildlife. This unique habitat is one of the most important migratory refuges in Central America. In the evening, join a naturalist on a night tour in search of nocturnal species and unique creatures that emerge after dark.
Enjoy a private boat tour through the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge. Glide through the calm waterways and lagoons as your guide helps spot highlights like the Sungrebe, Boat-billed Heron, and Nicaraguan Grackle and many more. The rest of the day is yours to bird the lodge trails and gardens.
Continue south toward the iconic Arenal Volcano region. Settle into your lodge with stunning volcano views and vibrant bird activity. Spend the afternoon relaxing or searching for top species of this mid-elevation forest. The gardens and the viewing platform are great places to introduce yourself to the vast array of birds found here.
Start the day with a private guided birding tour around the lodge’s trails and gardens. This area offers excellent chances to spot toucans, raptors, parrots, hummingbirds as well as the elusive antbirds and antpittas. Your expert guide will escort you through the gardens and forest trails looking for the top species of the area.
Today you travel west to the Central Pacific region, descending from the highlands into the tropical lowlands. After checking in, explore the dry forest habitat around the lodge and scan the skies for the soaring Scarlet Macaw. In the afternoon, the Macaws are reliable visitors around the restaurant.
Enjoy an incredible day on a private tour combining the diverse ecosystems of Carara National Park and the Tarcoles River. Highlights often include the Scarlet Macaw, Turquoise-browed Motmot, and American Pygmy Kingfisher. The mix of forest and river habitats makes this a top birding day.
Climb into the Talamanca Highlands for a complete change of scenery. Arrive in a cool cloud forest valley known for its moss-covered oaks and iconic highland birds. Spend the afternoon birding the lodge gardens and keep your eyes peeled, this is Quetzal country.
Visit Batsu Gardens for a morning of leisurely birding at the fantastic feeding stations or in the forest trails. In the afternoon, meet your private birding guide and take a walk in the lodge’s private reserve, where you might spot the spectacular Resplendent Quetzal, a bucket-list species for many birders.
Travel through scenic mountain roads to the bird-rich Turrialba region, home of the legendary Rancho Naturalista. Upon arrival, enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and start birding from the terrace, where hummingbirds and tanagers are constant companions.
Join a private guide for a half-day birding tour on the trails of Rancho Naturalista. The morning mist and forest edge habitats are perfect for finding target species, and the lodge’s feeders offer some of the best opportunities for hummingbirds.
After breakfast, transfer back to the Central Valley for your international departure. Enjoy the final glimpses of rural Costa Rica as you descend through coffee country and rolling hills.
"Amazing, could not have been better!"
When we booked this we knew nothing about the company and we were a little nervous about what we would be getting. We put some preliminary questions, like “will meals be a fixed menu, or free choice a la carte”. We also worried about whether the guide would be personable, knowledgeable, and with good language ability, etc.
It turned out that not only were these worries unfounded, but we had lucked into a far more generous, efficient, knowledgeable, and exciting company than we could have possibly imagined.
Every last part of this tour was super, and we don’t say that lightly. To begin, of course, the locations were mind blowing, and the birding was great. But then there was the personality, knowledge, and language ability of our guide and of the driver – both great people, and we fell in love with them immediately. And they and the company behind them had really thought of everything. There was never the slightest glitch or problem. To boot, the accommodations were to us first rate, and the food wonderful, and basically unlimited. …
Now, as we are going through our photos, we are impressed over again with every single last bit of this experience. It’s a cliché to say we could not recommend Costa Rica Focus highly enough, but that is exactly the case.
A special parting word about our guide, Alex C. Costa Rica Focus has many guides, but of course we only know about Alex. If in life you can meet a kung fu master or a violin master, or someone who has mastered any field, then it is inspiring. Alex is one of these. He could look in a forest and identify birds we could not even see, often even when he indicated them with his laser pointer. In addition he had a great knowledge of Costa Rican history, geography, culture, and politics, that he shared with great clarity. If Alex is any indication, then the guide you get with Costa Rica Focus is going to be good.
"I would recommend this company to all"
This company designed a fabulous Costa Rica bird trip. There were a variety of habitats to maximize the types of birds we saw. The accommodations were first rate. The hired drivers and bird guides were dependable and first rate. We enjoyed the food everywhere we went. The company stayed in touch and were able to make minor adjustments if necessary. We were very pleased with the trip.
"An amazing birding experience in Costa Rica"
Costa Rica Focus went above & beyond in every way. From the very beginning when I had a few questions before I made my decision to book this trip to the end in traveling home. I felt very safe because we had the ability to be in constant contact with the team if we needed them.
The trip itself was just amazing! I added over 200 new life birds to my list! The scenery was spectacular! Our guide was so helpful, knowledgeable & personable. Each lodge was unique in it’s own way; from larger to quite small. The staff at each place were super. Food was plentiful & tasty. Different birds and experiences at each location. I don’t think a single thing could be improved upon. Thanks again for a most memorable experience!
"Amazing Experience"
My wife and I joined a small group, we were 5 in total. Everything was perfectly well organized. Our guide, Minor, was fantastic. He was always ready to help and accomodate us. He also has a fantastic knowledge of wildlife and where to find it. We went to the mountains, Tortuguero in the rain forest and to the slopes of the Arenal volcano. Exotic places, fantastic views and hundreds of species of birds. I would recommend Costa Rica focus without hesitation.
"Knowledgeable and great local connections"
Joan and company were excellent by being so responsive, attentive, cooperative with making adjustments and extremely helpful at navigating our way around the country of Costa Rica. They had great connections with the locals and we got to know the people as well as the wildlife and the countryside. Our nature guides were top notch as well as our drivers. Very knowledgeable and patient (traffic and roads can be crazy at times). We always felt remembered each day as they checked in with us and them with us. The app is fantastic for knowing what was up each day. Highly recommend!
"A Quest for the Agami Heron"
I went on the A Quest for the Agami Heron in June of 2023 and have meant to write a review since then. I am going with better late than never. My cousin talked me into going with her and insisted I take her camera. I could not get a picture for three days that I could even see but on the third day magic happened and my life changed. From the moment I walked out of the airport to the moment they dropped me back off everything was taken care of. Our guide, Minor, and our driver, Victor, took care of us and were an amazing team to get us to very unique hotels, wonderful restaurants and to birds I never knew existed. Resplendent Quetzels, Sunbitterns, and Agami Herons were some of my favorites. We saw baby turtles released into the sea and all cried together when they made it. We built friendships through our experiences that were real and lead to another one this summer and a reserved one for next year. I highly recommend Costa Rica Focus. 5+ out of 5 stars.
"A fantastic trip to Ecuador"
I’ve just returned from a fantastic 11 days’ birding in Ecuador organised by Costa Rica Focus and I couldn’t be happier. Having used them last year, I knew what to expect and they didn’t let me down. Their attention to detail is incredible and everything went exactly to plan from the moment I was greeted at Quito airport.
But what makes them special is their careful choice of guides. Both Daniel and Ivan were outstanding and helped me to see and photograph more than 300 birds, most of them lifers. Their incredible knowledge, professionalism and enthusiasm made all the difference. Toucans, hawks, cock of the rock, umbrella bird, oilbird and loads of hummingbirds – they got me up close and personal to them all.
I have no hesitation in recommending Costa Rica Focus and I look forward to my next adventure with this great company.
"“Off the beaten track” excellent trip that lived up to its name."
3rd trip with this company. Alex was an excellent guide/driver and the itinerary well organized and unique. Some locations family owned with breathtaking views, wonderful accommodation and home cooked meals. Saw 214 species of birds with 90 % “lifers”. Was a fusion of photography and forest birding. Have to admit that as a prairie person my body ached after hiking up and down slippery paths and staircases. CR is beautiful with waterfalls, lush vegetation and mountains!
We crossed the country from SanJose to the Pacific Ocean, over the highest peaks and to the southern tropical areas with stops at local restaurants and locations where we saw species rarely seen. The meals were healthy and typically CR. Given that this is nesting season without the migrant birds, Alex and the experienced birders in our small group found many unique species. It was a good learning experience for myself as I’m more of a photographer. Would highly recommend this tour and I will certainly continue to travel with Costa Rica focus.
