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Rancho Naturalista

One of the premier birding lodges in Costa Rica, Rancho Naturalista is among the finest in Central America for avid bird watchers. At Rancho Naturalista the atmosphere is warm and relaxed. This comfortable lodge is famous for its excellent food, well prepared, and made with the best fresh local ingredients. The weather is almost perfect year-round,…

What to Expect During Your Stay at the Rancho Naturalista...

Rooms and Amenities

Comfortable rooms are available in the main lodge and in garden-view cabins. All have private bathrooms with hot water, ceiling fans, and porches or balconies for birdwatching. Family-style meals are served in the dining room, with vegetarian and special dietary needs accommodated upon request. Wi-Fi is available in the main building.

Birding on the Property

The lodge’s famous feeders include hummingbird stations and fruit tables that attract an array of species. Forest trails cross diverse habitats, and a shaded balcony overlooks a ridge where mixed flocks and raptors often pass.

Other Activities Available

Guided birding is offered on-site or in nearby hotspots such as Tapantí National Park, CATIE, and the Turrialba Volcano region. Guests can also join photography sessions and guided night walks.

Rancho Naturalista

Travel & Logistics

  1. Conservation Initiatives

    Rancho Naturalista protects forest on its property, plants native species, and maintains bird-friendly gardens. The lodge also works with local communities to encourage sustainable tourism and conservation.

  2. How to Get There

    Located about 2.5 hours from San José, the lodge is reached via a mix of paved and gravel roads. It pairs easily with other Caribbean slope or highland birding destinations.

  3. Seasonal Notes

    Rainfall is steady year-round, with only minor shifts between wetter and slightly drier periods. Birding remains consistently productive, and hummingbird activity often peaks when flowering plants are in bloom.

  4. Best Times to Visit

    Any time of year. Slightly drier months (Aug–Nov) may offer particularly good photography conditions.

A Few More Notes on Rancho Naturalista

One of the premier birding lodges in Costa Rica, Rancho Naturalista is among the finest in Central America for avid bird watchers. At Rancho Naturalista the atmosphere is warm and relaxed. This comfortable lodge is famous for its excellent food, well prepared, and made with the best fresh local ingredients. The weather is almost perfect year-round, not too hot and not too cold.

Enjoy the large, open upstairs balcony where you can watch a huge array of hummingbirds zoom through the garden, see tanagers and honeycreepers visiting the feeders, and view the distant smoking Tenorio volcano.

Over 450 species of birds have been recorded in the private forest reserve and within the local area. Hike and bird the trails on your own or with one of the lodge’s excellent on-site guides. Rancho Naturalista is a wonderful getaway for bird watchers, hikers, photographers, and naturalists. Make Rancho Naturalista the highlight of your trip to Costa Rica!

Rancho Naturalista

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