Birding Costa Rica: From Highlands to Rainforests
This bird-focused itinerary takes you across Costa Rica’s most diverse birding hotspots—from the highlands of Alajuela and the cloud forests of Los Quetzales National Park, to the lowland rainforests of Sarapiquí and Boca Tapada. Along the way, explore key reserves like Carara National Park, the Pacific coast around Uvita, and the renowned Rancho Naturalista, a true paradise for birders.
Whether you’re hoping to spot the Resplendent Quetzal, Great Green Macaw, hummingbirds, tanagers, or rare endemics, this route offers exceptional opportunities to experience Costa Rica’s incredible avian diversity across a wide range of habitats.
Itinerary
Welcome to Costa Rica! For your added comfort, our representative will be waiting for you just outside the airport doors, holding a sign with your name. After clearing immigration and customs, you’ll be greeted and escorted by your private transfer, ensuring a smooth and comfortable ride to your hotel in Alajuela.
Accommodation: Buena Vista Hotel (1 Night)
Carara National Park is a unique transition forest on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific, where dry and humid ecosystems meet, creating rich biodiversity. Covering 4,700 hectares, it’s famous for its large population of Scarlet Macaws and as a habitat for birds, monkeys, and giant crocodiles along the Tárcoles River. The park features accessible trails, waterfalls, and diverse flora, making it a top spot for nature lovers and birdwatchers alike.
Accommodation: Cerro Lodge Hotel (2 Nights)
Located near Carara National Park, Cerro Lodge is a prime birding destination on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific coast. This tour offers early-morning walks through dry forest and open areas, ideal for spotting iconic species such as the Scarlet Macaw, Turquoise-browed Motmot, Black-headed Trogon, and many others. The proximity to the Tárcoles River also allows sightings of waterbirds and raptors. With its mix of habitats and expert guides, Cerro Lodge provides an unforgettable birdwatching experience for beginners and seasoned birders alike.
Included: Guide and Transportation.
Uvita is a laid-back village south of Dominical, known for its lush hills, quiet beaches, and the stunning Marino Ballena National Park—famous for humpback whale sightings and its whale tail-shaped sandbar. It’s ideal for off-the-beaten-path travelers and hosts the annual Whale and Dolphin Festival. Nearby waterfalls like Cascada Verde and Catarata Pavón offer great spots for swimming in crystal-clear waters.
Accomodation: La Cusinga Lodge Hotel (2 Nights)
Spend the day unwinding at your hotel or exploring the area at your own pace.
San Gerardo de Dota is a hidden gem nestled in the Talamanca Mountains, south of San José. Known for its cool cloud forest climate, it’s a haven for birdwatchers—home to the Resplendent Quetzal and many hummingbird species. With scenic trails, waterfalls, and peaceful eco-lodges, it’s an ideal retreat for nature lovers and a serene stop before heading back to the airport.
Accommodation: Paraíso Quetzal Lodge (2 Nights).
Join an early morning tour through the misty cloud forests of San Gerardo de Dota, one of the best places in the world to spot the elusive Resplendent Quetzal. With the help of an expert guide and high-quality spotting scopes, you’ll search for this stunning bird among wild avocado trees—its favorite food. Along the way, you may also encounter hummingbirds, tanagers, and trogons. A magical experience for bird lovers and nature enthusiasts alike.
Nestled in the lush Caribbean foothills of Costa Rica’s Talamanca Mountains, Rancho Naturalista is considered one of the top birding lodges in the country—and for good reason. With over 450 bird species recorded in the area, it offers an unparalleled experience for bird enthusiasts of all levels.
What makes Rancho Naturalista truly special is the combination of its unique location, experienced local guides, and carefully maintained trails and feeders that make birdwatching easy and rewarding. Whether you’re enjoying a coffee on the veranda or hiking through the surrounding forest, you’ll be surrounded by incredible birdlife.
Some of the iconic species commonly seen at Rancho include: Snowcap, White-collared Manakin, Keel-billed Toucan, Golden-hooded Tanager, Rufous Motmot, Black-crested Coquette, Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Blue-crowned Motmot, Tawny-chested Flycatcher, Sunbittern.
Accomodation: Rancho Naturalista (2 Nights)
Spend the day unwinding at your hotel or exploring the area at your own pace.
Sarapiquí is a hidden gem for nature lovers, offering rich biodiversity and outdoor adventures like hiking, birdwatching, horseback riding, and white-water rafting on the Sarapiquí River. The area blends farmland with tropical rainforest and is home to important ecological research. A visit to the Tirimbina Biological Reserve (optional) offers easy trails and a stunning 200-meter hanging bridge leading to a jungle island—perfect for exploring Costa Rica’s wild side.
Accomodation: Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve (2 Nights)
Join a naturalist guide for an early morning birding walk at Selva Verde, when bird activity is at its peak. Spot a variety of tropical species with the help of expert guidance and a high-powered scope. Every walk offers a unique experience, and binoculars are available for rent at reception.
Included: Bilingual Guide.
Boca Tapada is a remote rainforest haven in northern Costa Rica, ideal for bird and nature lovers. Home to the endangered Great Green Macaw and rare Almendro trees, it borders the vast Maquenque Biological Reserve, which protects wetlands, rivers, and rich biodiversity. Explore by boat or canoe on the San Carlos River, spotting wildlife like crocodiles, herons, and kingfishers in this unspoiled natural paradise.
Accommodation: Maquenque Eco Lodge (2 Nights)
Spend the day unwinding at your hotel or exploring the area at your own pace.
The Poás Volcano National Park is certainly one of Costa Rica´s most popular destinations. The massive crater filled with an impressive blue sulfuric pool demonstrates its volcanic activity by giving off smoke into the air, a show worth taking the short 1.5 hr drive from San José for. It is always favorable to enter the national park early in the morning.
Accommodation: Poas Volcano Lodge (1 Night).
What´s Included
- Private Transfer from International Airport to Hotel in Alajuela
Accommodation Services:
- 1 Night at Buena Vista Hotel, A la Carte Breakfast Included
- 2 Nights at Cerro Lodge Hotel, Breakfast Included
- 2 Nights at La Cusinga Lodge Hotel, Breakfast Included
- 2 Nights at Paraíso Quetzal Lodge, Breakfast Included
- 2 Nights at Rancho Naturalista, Full Board Included
- 2 Nights at Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve, Breakfast Included
- 2 Nights at Maquenque Eco Lodge, Breakfast Included
- 1 Night at Poas Volcano Lodge, Breakfast Included
Car Rental
- 15 Days Car Rental MIDSIZE 4X4 (Suzuki Vitara Automatic or Similar)
Excursions:
- Shared Excursion |Explore Carara National Park
- Shared Excursion |Quetzal Tour
- Shared Excursion | Early Morning Bird Walks at Selva Verde
- Early Morning Bird Walks at Selva Verde. Included: Bilingual Guide and entrance fee.
- Canoeing Caño Negro (3hrs). Included: Bilingual Guide and entrance fee.
- Birdwatching Tour-Bosque de Paz. Included: Bilingual Guide and entrance fee.
- Birdwatching Tour at Carara National Park. Included: Bilingual Guide and entrance fee.
International flights
A Basic Bird-Watching Equipment Checklist
Binoculars
Perhaps the most useful piece of equipment a birder should have is a pair of binoculars. Without binoculars, a beautiful bird sitting high in a tree could remain nothing more than a small speck in the distance. To avoid such frustration, it’s important to invest in a quality pair of binoculars with magnification capabilities. Bring WATERPROOF binoculars. With the wonderful advent of a variety of quality, mid-priced binocs, most birders coming to Costa Rica have optics that are waterproof and therefore will not fog up in humid conditions.
Journal and pen
If you’re an avid bird-watcher, you may want to document your findings. Keeping a journal will help you remember what birds looked like, the noises they made, and other important details so that you can identify them when you get back from your birding expedition.
Smart phone
Smart phones have revolutionized birdwatching. It’s like having a field guide in your phone, except it’s better. Like a field guide, it provides illustrations and range maps. Plus, some birding apps have programs that allow you to filter characteristics to help you identify your bird.
Spotting scope
Binoculars may help you get a better view of birds in your general area, but if you’re trying to see a bird that’s extremely far off in the distance, you’ll likely need the aid of a spotting scope. In addition, spotting scopes are useful for getting a more detailed look at birds so that you can better identify them.
Camera
Many birders enjoy bringing cameras along with them on their bird-watching excursions. Snapping a few photos of the birds can be beneficial for identifying them later. Plus, you’ll likely end up with some incredible photographs due to the artistic and graceful nature of birds.
Zip lock bags
Use those ziplock bags as an extra measure of security for the stuff we would rather keep dry such as cameras, ipods, digital recorders, batteries, medicine, socks, and other articles of clothing.
Clothing
Earth-toned clothing is best. Birds have a highly-developed sensitivity to color, as evidenced by females choosing brightly-colored mates. This means that brightly-colored clothes are visible to birds. Shoes should be comfortable, closed-toed, and waterproof depending on your conditions.
Field guide
Looking at beautiful birds in their natural habitat is fun on its own, but having the ability to identify the different birds can enrich your experience. By bringing a field guide with you, you’ll be able to classify birds based on the guide’s illustrations and descriptions. Garrigues and Dean is perfectly sized for travel and is an excellent field guide for Costa Rica. The classic Stiles and Skutch tome is also a great guide and is chock full of information but its size is somewhat prohibitive for travel.
The Birds of Costa Rica, written by Richard Garrigues and Robert Dean
Price From US$ 2,435.00
Price Per Person, based on double Occupancy.