Birdwatchers tour in Costa Rica
Summary
Duration: 10 Nights
Birders and photographers alike will enjoy this Costa Rican tour. You will visit a number of well-equipped lodges, with feeders which are always busy and has a lot of protected land surrounding them. Start your trip at Caño Negro, which has wetlands with over 350 species of birds like the Emerald Basilisk on offer, making it a birder's paradise. Go on a Natural Wetland tour and get to see the Roseate Spoonbill & the Neotropic Cormorant. La Carolina is another rustic lodge nestled in the rainforest and boasts a number of bird species in its 170 acres. Get on the Panamerican highway to the La Ensenada National Wildlife Refuge, where along with birding on their 1000 acres you can also enjoy horseback riding. Herons, Montezuma Oropendola, Bellbird, White Iris are some of the bird species you can spot in the mangroves in this location. This tour will also take you to the Carara Biological Reserve, where you can spot the Scarlet Macaw, Trogons and Motmots. Get an understanding of how the mangroves play an important part, in the conservation of endangered species like the Mangrove Hummingbird & the Panama Flycatcher. You will end this trip with a Cacao tour, where you get to see how this fruit moves from the plantations to your table!
Price
From £3,459.00 per person based on 2 people sharing a room [Guide Price*]Best time to go
The best time to travel to Costa Rica is during the November to April dry season.
Tour Highlights
- Stay at top notch lodges with well stocked feeders
- Spot endangered birds like the Panama Flycatcher
- Capture the beauty of the Scarlet Macaw
- Learn how the cacao plantations work
Day 1: Arrival
Arrive at San Jose Airport, where a local representative will meet you and transfer you by private vehicle to the hotel.
Overnight at: The El Rodeo
Day 2: Caño Negro
These amazing wetlands are located in northern Costa Rica. Start your birding experience at the Caño Negro Wild Life Refuge which is one the most important wetlands area in the world. It was declared “Wildlife Area of International Importance” in 1991. Enjoy this ecological treasure which is the natural habitat of more than 350 species of birds, as well as the emerald basilisk, iguanas, river turtles, caimans and jaguars. You can also see the Caño Negro Lagoon and the Rio Frio here.
Overnight at: Caño Negro Lodge
Day 3: Natural Walk / Wetland
Start your day with the butterfly garden & find out how a small set of women are managing this place. After that, you will visit the turtle's project, where you can learn how they are raised. After lunch, you will travel to the Caño Negro refuge channels and lagoons via boat, and experience its great biodiversity. Keep your eyes peeled for the over 350 bird species here like the Jabiru, Roseate Spoonbill, Neotropic Cormorant, Anhinga, Wood Stork, Tricolored Heron, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron and Whistling-Duck.
Overnight at: Caño Negro Lodge
Day 4 & 5: La Carolina Lodge
You will enjoy tropical birding at one of Costa Rica’s famous birding lodges. Explore the La Carolina Lodge a rustic guesthouse set on the eastern slopes of Volcano Tenorio, amidst sunny jungles & volcanic mountains. Journey through its 170 acres, of rainforest, & over 4,500 ft of river front, full of toucans, squawking green parrots, and hummingbirds. Hike up to one of the hills to take in the stunning views of the neighbouring volcanoes, Tenorio and Miravalles. Keep your eyes & equipment at the ready in this birding paradise, to make the most of your trip.
Two nights at: Carolina Lodge
Day 6 & 7: La Ensenada
After the mountain jungles, you will spend the next two days exploring the Ensenada National Wildlife Refuge near the Pacific coast. You can enjoy a spot of horseback riding along with some bird watching here. The most important activities of this ranch are cattle, horse and salt & fruit production. Journey to the Gulf of Nicoya, where the mangroves and the Salina offer bird and photography lovers many different species of birds such as pelicans, herons, parrots, Montezuma Oropendola, Bellbird, white iris, great egret, etc. to spot.
Two nights at: Ensenada Lodge
Day 8: Carara
Depart in the morning towards the Central Pacific Coast and the Carara Biological Reserve. This 4700-hectare reserve is at the mouth of the Tárcoles River. As the reserve is surrounded by pasture and agricultural land it forms an oasis for wildlife for you to spot. Check in at Macaw Lodge located at nearby Carara, and spend the day browsing the area.
Overnight at: Macaw Lodge
Day 9: Carara
After an early breakfast depart for the Carara Biological Reserve where you can spot the brilliantly patterned scarlet macaw. Other birds to watch for include guans, trogons, toucans & mot-mots. This afternoon you will navigate along the Tárcoles River, giving you an understanding of the life cycle of the mangrove and its species. This mangrove forest is one of the most important in the mid Pacific Coast for the conservation of the Scarlet Macaw. Keep a keen look out for endangered species such as the Mangrove Cuckoo, Mangrove Hummingbird, Mangrove Vireo, Panama Flycatcher, Egrets in these mangroves.
Overnight at: Macaw Lodge
Day 10: Cacao Tour
Today you will be heading out to learn how the Mayans brewed their coffee! You’ll see these ancient traditions practised at Macaw today. The tour takes you through the cocoa plantations to learn about the varieties of cocoa trees, characteristics and the fruit, as well as all that’s involved in the process of bringing this beneficial fruit to the table. The afternoon is free for you to browse around.
Overnight at: Macaw Lodge
Day 11: Departure
Private transfer to San Jose airport, a journey of approximately 2 hours.
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These itineraries are just samples of what we have already done for our guests. Speak to one of our travel experts to create your perfect holiday based on your travel requirements.
* This is a guide price, based on travel in low season