bird-photography-classic
What you'll see
The journey, one day at a time
Arrive San José
Arrive in San José, met and transferred to your accommodation. San José's Central Valley setting, ringed by volcanoes and coffee farms, is a gentle start to a wild trip.
To Sarapiquí
Transfer to Sarapiquí. Photograph toucans and hummingbirds at the feeders, with rainforest birding. A full day of lowland Caribbean birds along the Sarapiquí.
Sarapiquí
A full day of lowland Caribbean birds along the Sarapiquí. Feeders, frogs and rainforest trails for macaws and sloths. Sarapiquí's feeders bring toucans and hummingbirds to within camera range — a flying start to any trip.
To Savegre Valley
Transfer to Savegre Valley. A dawn quetzal search, then the highland feeders. Cloud-forest birding for endemics and hummingbirds.
Savegre Valley
Cloud-forest birding for endemics and hummingbirds. Quetzals at first light and oak-forest trails. No bird in the Americas is more sought-after than the quetzal — and Savegre is the surest place to find it.
To Tarcoles
Transfer to Tarcoles. A river boat safari for crocodiles and waterbirds. Mangrove birding and the giant Tárcoles crocodiles.
To Boca Tapada
Transfer to Boca Tapada. Long sessions in the photography hides for macaws and ground birds. Hide and feeder photography in the lowland rainforest.
Boca Tapada
Hide and feeder photography in the lowland rainforest. A full day of bird photography at the hides. Boca Tapada's hides and macaws make it one of Costa Rica's premier bird-photography sites.
To Arenal
Transfer to Arenal. Walk the hanging bridges, then a night walk for frogs. Rainforest birding and a soak in the hot springs.
Departure
A final morning in Arenal — a last outing or a slow start as time allows — before the transfer onward and the journey home.
The season changes what you see.
Peak season
The dry season — pleasant valley weather for arrival and departure.
Good season
The green season; warm and lush in the highlands.
Hand-picked camps & lodges
Arenal Observatory Lodge
The only lodge inside Arenal Volcano National Park — unmatched cone views and trails.
Grano de Oro
A beloved boutique hotel in a converted mansion, San José's most characterful stay.
Selva Verde Lodge
A riverside rainforest lodge on a private reserve, strong on lowland birding.
Laguna del Lagarto Lodge
A remote rainforest lodge built for bird photography, with hides and great green macaws.
Country Inn & Suites
A reliable, comfortable airport-area hotel for arrivals and departures.
El Bambú
A comfortable garden hotel in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, handy for the feeders.
Make it yours.
Add nights, swap a park, extend to the coast — this route is a starting point, not a fixed menu. Tell us how you travel and we'll route the rest.