This privately guided birdwatching tour is designed for birders seeking an in-depth and immersive experience across Costa Rica’s top birding destinations. With an expert birding guide by your side from start to finish, you’ll explore a variety of ecosystems, from highland cloud forests to lowland rainforests and coastal mangroves. Each day is carefully planned to maximize birding opportunities, including visits to renowned reserves, private feeding stations, and off-the-beaten-path locations. Comfortable accommodations, private transportation, and expertly guided excursions ensure a seamless and rewarding birding adventure. Whether you’re after rare endemics or the thrill of discovering new species, this tour offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore Costa Rica’s remarkable birdlife in detail.
What's Included in Your Grand Costa Rica Bird Watching Tour?
Privately Guided Tour
Features and Inclusions
‘Meet & Greet’: Your private guide meets you at your arrival airport.
Airport pick up: Included
Guide Services: Full-time expert birding guide
Birding Flexibility: Unlimited, including impromptu stops
Transportation: Private vehicle
Meals: All meals included, more flexibility for top local dining
Species Observation: Up to 50% more species observed
Official Checklist: Included
Daily Species Recap: Included
In-country Assistance: Included
Ideal for
Serious birders aiming to maximize species sightings
Target list birders in need of specific species
Those seeking a comprehensive, all-inclusive experience
Photographers needing flexibility and local expertise for optimal shooting conditions
First-time visitors wanting constant expert guidance throughout their trip
Birders interested in visiting off-the-beaten-path locations
Travelers who prefer local experiences with expert guidance
Grand Costa Rica Bird Watching Tour Itinerary Details
Day 1: Arrival in Costa Rica
Welcome to Costa Rica! Upon arrival at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), you’ll be greeted by your private birding guide who will transfer you to Hotel Bougainvillea. This charming hotel features spectacular gardens that serve as your introduction to Costa Rica’s amazing birds. Spend the afternoon exploring these lush gardens with your guide.
After breakfast, journey through Costa Rica’s picturesque highlands to San Gerardo de Dota, a magical valley nestled in the Talamanca Mountains. The drive itself offers birding opportunities as you ascend into cloud forest habitat. Upon arrival at Savegre Lodge, spend the afternoon exploring the immaculate gardens where numerous hummingbirds, tanagers, and highland specialties abound.
Begin your day with a visit to Batsu Gardens, a private sanctuary designed specifically for birding and photography with strategically placed perches and feeding stations. Here, you’ll have excellent opportunities to photograph cloud forest species like the Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher and Flame-colored Tanager. In the afternoon, venture into Savegre Lodge’s private reserve on a quest for the magnificent Resplendent Quetzal, one of the world’s most beautiful birds.
Start early with a visit to Costa Rica’s unique páramo ecosystem at high elevation, where specialized birds like the Volcano Junco and Timberline Wren make their home in this windswept landscape. Afterward, descend to the Caribbean slope and travel to Turrialba. Check into the legendary Rancho Naturalista, known worldwide for its exceptional birding. Spend the late afternoon on the lodge’s famous balcony, watching for White-necked Jacobin, Snowcap, and other hummingbirds that frequent the feeders.
Dedicate today to exploring Rancho Naturalista’s extensive trail system with your guide. The lodge’s property offers incredible diversity, from hummingbird gardens to primary forest patches. Visit the hummingbird pools in the afternoon where birds come to bathe, and explore different elevations and habitats throughout the day. Keep an eye out for all the mid-elevation specialties.
Journey to the lush lowlands of Sarapiquí, a region known for its remarkable biodiversity. En route, your guide will stop at strategic birding locations to break up the drive. Upon arrival at La Quinta Sarapiquí Lodge, settle in and spend the afternoon exploring the lodge’s tropical gardens, riverfront areas, and forest trails.
Day 7: Birding at La Selva Biological Station & Cope's Gardens
Begin with an early morning visit to the world-renowned La Selva Biological Station, one of the most studied tropical rainforests in the world. Explore well-maintained trails with your guide, searching for Great Green Macaw, Snowy Cotinga, and numerous antbirds and woodcreepers. In the afternoon, visit Cope’s Gardens, where feeding stations attract numerous species for excellent close-up viewing and photography opportunities of hummingbirds, toucans, tanagers, and honeycreepers.
Day 8: Transfer to Arenal & Birding at Cinchona Feeders
Travel to the Arenal Volcano region, stopping at the famous Cinchona Feeders en route. This roadside location offers spectacular views of numerous hummingbirds, the Emerald Toucanet, and the striking Red Headed Barbet at close range. Continue to Arenal Observatory Lodge, where you’ll spend the afternoon birding the grounds with views of the majestic volcano as your backdrop.
Day 9: Full-Day Birding at Arenal Observatory Lodge
Spend a full day exploring the extensive trail system of Arenal Observatory Lodge with your guide. The property’s varied habitats—from primary forest to gardens to open areas harbor an impressive diversity of birds. Search for specialties like Toucans, Tanagers, Raptors, Antbirds, Antpittas and much more. The lodge’s feeding stations provide additional close viewing opportunities throughout the day.
Day 10: Transfer to Monteverde & Afternoon Birding
Journey around Lake Arenal and up into the mountains to reach the famous Monteverde cloud forest region. The scenic drive offers several birding stops along the way. Upon arrival at Heliconia Hotel, take time to explore the hotel grounds and nearby forest patches with your guide, looking for cloud forest species. Monteverde is another opportunity for the Quetzal as well.
Day 11: Birding at Monteverde Cloud Forest & Curi Cancha Reserve
Dedicate today to exploring Monteverde’s premier reserves. Start early at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, where misty trails wind through pristine habitat. Search for Three-wattled Bellbird, Quetzals, and the elusive Black-breasted Wood-Quail. In the afternoon, visit the lesser known Curi Cancha Reserve, where open areas interspersed with forest provide excellent viewing of trogons, toucanets, and numerous hummingbird species at natural feeding sites.
Day 12: Transfer to the Central Pacific & Tarcoles River Birding
Descend from the mountains to the tropical Pacific coast, with birding stops along the way to observe species transitions. Arrive at Nativa Reserve near Tarcoles in time for an afternoon boat tour on the Tarcoles River Estuary. This exciting excursion offers close views of water birds like Roseate Spoonbill, Wood Stork, and various herons and kingfishers, plus American Crocodiles and the spectacular Scarlet Macaw flying overhead against the setting sun.
Spend a full day exploring Carara National Park, a biological corridor where the dry tropical forest of the north meets the more humid forests of the south. This transitional zone creates exceptional biodiversity and birding opportunities. Search for Scarlet Macaws, Great Tinamou, Royal Flycatcher, and Orange-collared Manakin among many other species. The park’s Universal Trail offers excellent accessibility and birding, while other paths venture deeper into the forest.
After a final morning of birding in the hotel gardens, your guide will transfer you to Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) for your departing flight.
"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.
