Southern Costa Rica Birding Tour

This tour is a perfect complement to the Northern Costa Rica trip, and it is great for groups of birding friends, and bird clubs that travel together.

Names of the Main Habitats that we will visit:

Tropical Dry Forest (Northwest)
Pacific lowlands (Carara National Park)
Open swamps on the country’s southern ending (Panama border)
Open savannas in the mid-elevation of the Pacific slope (Buenos Aires)
Paramo habitat over forests (Cerro de la Muerte)
Highland Oak Forest (Savegre)
Rainforest on the foothills of the Caribbean slope (Turrialba Valley)

In addition:

This tour can be modified if necessary, based on the traveler’s needs. We will be assisting you with any questions you might have, just send us a message through any of the official channels like E-mail or WhatsApp and we will gladly assist you with your requirements.

Price includes:

All lodging
All meals except arrival dinner
All taxes on meals, lodging, and transport
All transport and driver from airport arrival to departure
Private quality bird guide throughout your tour
Boat trip on the Tarcoles River while staying in the Carara area

Entrance fees and activities at:

Carara NP
Rincon Bridge on the Osa Peninsula
Wilson Botanical Gardens
San Joaquin Marsh near San Vito
Grasslands above Buenos Aires for specialties
Paraiso Quetzal Lodge feeders
Paramo of Cerro de la Muerte
Tapanti NP
Irazu Volcano NP
Casa Turire

Tour Plan:

1 night: Hotel Robledal near the San Jose Airport upon arrival.
2 nights: Hotel Villa Lapas in the central Pacific lowlands.
3 nights: Esquinas Rainforest Lodge in the SW Pacific rainforest.
1 night: Wilson Botanical Gardens (Las Cruces OTS) in the SW Pac foothills.
1 night: Cabinas Kamaraci in Buenos Aires for grassland specialties.
2 nights: Savegre Hotel in the Chiriquí highlands.
2 nights: Hotel Quelitales or Hotel Alma de Luna near Tapanti NP in the Caribbean mid-elevations.
2 nights: Rancho Naturalista in the Caribbean pre-montane rainforest.
1 night: Hotel Robledal near the San Jose Airport for the night before departure.

Trip Gear and Clothing:

Binoculars are always recommended on all wildlife tours and this one is not an exception.

You are coming to a Rainforest, though you may need simple tools, but useful:

A good raincoat or waterproof rain gear, always makes a big difference when that unexpected shower comes through, you may not experience any of them, however, keep that in mind
You should bring an umbrella instead of a raincoat, it can get too hot
Short and long sleeve shirts, we also recommend bringing long & short pants, all these items lightweight and comfortable
Lightweight jacket, hopefully, synthetic material, and a heavier fleece for cool weather
A good hat that can offer protection from the sun
Walking or hiking shoes and sandals or flip flops
Bottle for water or “hydration pack” such as Camelback
Prescription glasses and sunglasses with a strap if you prefer

Additional Highly Recommended Items:

Prescription medicines you may need during the trip
Personal toilet articles
Casual clothing, such as jeans and sleepwear
Swimming suit for pools
Trekking poles
Travel alarm clock
Small flashlight
Camera and extra memory card
Sunblock, insect repellent

Entrance fees and activities at:

Carara NP
Rincon Bridge on the Osa Peninsula
Wilson Botanical Gardens
San Joaquin Marsh near San Vito
Grasslands above Buenos Aires for specialties
Paraiso Quetzal Lodge feeders
Paramo of Cerro de la Muerte
Tapanti NP
Irazu Volcano NP
Casa Turire

Starting in Carara National Park which is a convergence zone for wildlife due to the fact that it sits between the dominance of the dry forest and the rainforest, a coastal marine environment, with mangroves and freshwater rivers. This tour goes down to the Pacific coast on the southwest as far as Peninsula de Osa and all its natural wealth before coming up the spine of Costa Rica, “The Talamanca Highlands” where most endemic species are found, to make progress later on over the Caribbean side, it takes in the mid-elevations of Tapanti National Park before finishing up at the famed Rancho Naturalista where the hummingbirds are an eternal companion while you are getting a cup of coffee or tea.

It concentrates on the specialty birds at some of the most iconic sites for birding in the southernmost region of Costa Rica.