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3-day or 9-day Natural History & Birding Tour
Contact us for more information.
9-Day Natural History &
Birding Tour
Our nine-day trip allows you to experience five distinct biomes as you pass from Costa Rica's central valley through the Talamanca Mountains and down to the Osa Peninsula on the southern Pacific coast.
Our small group sizes allow us to tailor trips according to your needs and preferences to maximize your enjoyment, safety and comfort.
Costa Rica: A Birding Paradise
Bridging North and South America, Costa Rica is one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world — a treasure trove of flora and fauna unequaled in so small an area. In no group is this diversity more stunning than in the birds of Costa Rica.
You will see some of the best birding possible: scarlet macaws, resplendent quetzals, trogans, hummingbirds, toucans, mot mots, various raptors, herons and many equally stunning, but less known species, such as the acorn woodpecker and the Yigüirro (clay-colored robin), Costa Rica's national bird, all while exploring the diverse flora and fauna of the mountain valleys and cloud forests of the Talamancas and the old-growth rainforests of the Osa Peninsula.
Tour cost
$1995 USD (based on double occupancy, there will be an additional fee for single accomodation).
Includes daily transportation by taxi van, comfortable accommodation and all meals.
See Reservation and Cancellation Policy
Sample Itinerary
Arrive in San Jose
Your tour will begin in San Jose, the urban capital of Costa Rica.
Ben, your guide, will meet you at the Hotel Aranjuez, a short taxi ride away from the international airport.
Day 1 - To The Talamancas (Highland Cloud Forest)
After a leisurely breakfast in the Aranjuez's garden patio (where you may see Blue-gray Tanagers, the Costa Rican national bird, the Clay-colored Robin, or a Blue-crowned Motmot), your guide will orient you on the tour's destinations, and we will leave the city at about 10 am.
Our destination today is the "Paradisio de Quetzales", a rustic alpine farm southeast of San Jose in the Cloud Forest of the Talamanca Mountains, at the drier edge of the Tapanti National Park.
We'll eat lunch along the way, and arrive by mid-afternoon.
The accommodations and meals at this small family farm are fairly basic. The climate is cool and humid.
It's well worth the visit, however, because there are old-growth Mountain Cypress and Oak trees, and some special birds here, especially Resplendent Quetzals, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, and Black-and-yellow Silky-flycatchers. Other birds found here include the Sooty and Mountain Robins and Rufous-collared Sparrows.
Day 2 - To San Gerardo de Dota (Montane Oak Forest)
We'll look for Quetzals and other species before breakfast, and after eating depart at around 11 am.
Our next destination is only 30 minutes away, but is at a much lower altitude. The descent to San Gerardo de Dota reveals the dramatic differences in vegetation and wildlife over short distances.
The long descent provides dramatic views of the forest canopy as we drop down into the valley of the Rio Savegre, where we will be staying at a wonderful family-run lodge.
Our accommodations in the valley of the Rio Savegre are quite comfortable and the food is excellent.
Lunch at the lodge is followed by a hike in the valley, exploring the stream-side vegetation for birds. Dinner is served at the lodge.
Day 3 - San Gerardo de Dota (Montane Oak Forest)
Without the need to drive to a new destination, the day will start out more leisurely. Breakfast will be served in the lodge dining hall, where rows of hummingbird feeders provide ample entertainment.
You can see up to ten species of hummingbirds around the lodge, including the Magnificent, Green Violet-ear, Purple-throated Mountain-gem, Gray-tailed Mountain-gem, Scintillant, and Fiery-throated Hummingbirds.
After breakfast, we will enjoy a brisk hike down the river to a spectacular waterfall, looking for Collared Trogan, Quetzals, Acorn Woodpecker, warblers, and hawks along the way.
Lunch will be served at the lodge, and the afternoon can be spent enjoying a good book by the hummingbird feeders, or walking along the riverbank further up the valley. Dinner is served at the lodge.
Day 4 - To San Isidro del General and Cerro Chirripo (Lower Montane Forest)
After an optional morning walk and a leisurely breakfast, we will climb back out of the Savegre river valley for a high-altitude drive across the Talamanca Mountains to our next destination.
Amid the stunning vistas, you can see soaring vultures, hawks and the spectacular American Swallow-tailed Kite.
Leaving the Talamancas and descending steeply into the Valle de General, we will stop in the city of San Isidro (Perez) for lunch and arrive at another comfortable family-run hotel by mid-afternoon.
Day 5 - To Rio Sierpe Delta (Mangrove Forest)
Near the base of Cerro Chirripo, Central America's largest mountain, we'll take a morning stroll along the Rio Chirripo to look for hummingbirds, Great Kiskadee, Tropical Kingbird, Scarlet-rumped Tanager, Bay-headed Tanager, Northern (Baltimore) Oriole, Blue-hooded Euphonia, Blue Dacnis, and Red-legged Honeycreeper.
Afterwards, we descend to the coast and follow the new coastal highway south to the Pacific, stopping for lunch, birding, and an optional beach walk along the way.
Our drive takes us through Parc Nacional Marino Ballena where we'll see dramatic sea stack rock formations.
We arrive in Palmar Norte by 5 pm, for dinner, before traveling to our overnight lodgings in Sierpe, a small village on the tidal Rio Sierpe.
We're in the coastal lowlands now, and it will be quite warm.
Day 6 - To Drake Bay and the Osa Peninsula (Tropical Rain Forest)
After breakfast in Sierpe, we travel by boat down the river and through a biologically rich coastal habitat where we’ll see the rare Red Mangrove.
A variety of bird species, including Ibis and herons inhabit these waters, along with crocodiles! By noon we will arrive in Drake Bay village, our home base for the next three days.
During your 3-day stay in Drake Bay you will be hosted by a local family in their tropical-hardwood home, complete with hot showers, comfortable beds, and a veranda overlooking the bay. Our hostess, Yami, prepares most meals, though some evening meals will be eaten out at restaurants in the village.
Drake Bay is remotely located on the north side of the Osa Peninsula, near Corcovado National Park, which National Geographic has referred to as "the most biologically intense place on earth".
After settling in and having lunch, there is time for an afternoon siesta, a hike, or swim.
Day 7 - At Drake Bay (Tropical Rain Forest)
We'll start the day with a bird walk, looking for stunning Scarlet Macaws, Scarlet Tanagers, Chestnut-mandible Toucans, and both Ringed and American Pygmy Kingfishers.
There will be an optional kayak paddle in the afternoon for those who wish to see Tiger Herons, Night Herons, and Speckled Heron in the nearby tidal river.
Other tour participants may prefer to simply enjoy the beach, or explore the many local coastal trails.
Day 8 - At Drake Bay (Tropical Rain Forest)
Following an early breakfast, we will pack a lunch and kayak down the coast to the nearby Marenco biological reserve, 150 acres of protected old growth rain forest, for an hour hike along the coast to Rio Claro, hopefully spotting raptors such as Laughing Falcons and Black Hawks among the old-growth trees.
Up to four species of monkeys (Whiteface, Howler, Squirrel, and Red Spider) might also be seen.
Rio Claro is a pristine tropical river, providing the backdrop for a wonderful day of swimming, beach-combing, and, for the adventurous, a canoe ride up the river and a brief climb to a spectacular waterfall.
Our final group dinner will wrap up the tour.
Day 9 - To San Jose
After an early breakfast, a short taxi ride takes you to the Drake Bay airport for an 8:30 am flight over the Talamanca Mountains to the Pavas airport outside San Jose.
From Pavas, taxis are available for the ride to San Jose's Juan Santamaria International Airport and connecting flights home in the afternoon and evening.
If you choose to stay an extra day or two in metropolitan San Jose, we would be happy to recommend places to stay and things to do in and around the city.
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