Wildlife Birdwatching Costa quetzal birdwatch holiday travel bird watching trogon, parakeet, macaw, jaguar, sloth, tapir- Aqua-Firma

Wildlife & Birdlife of Costa Rica

This trip visits some of the most prolific and diverse wildlife and birdlife destinations within a two week trip to Costa Rica. The areas you will visit range from primary lowland tropical rainforest reserve of the Tortuguero National Park, to the upland cloud forests of San Gerardo de Dota in the Talamanca Highlands where some 50% of all bird species found there are endemic to the area. Amongst the profusion of birds you can hope to see on this trip are the iconic resplendent quetzal, some of Costa Rica's largest populations of scarlet macaw, turquoise-browed motmot and the endemic gray-tailed mountain-gem hummingbird. Wildlife and marine life you can hope to encounter include two toed sloths, mantled howler monkeys and nesting green sea turtles.

On your first full day you have the option to leave bustling San Jose to explore the Poas Volcano. Situated just outside of San Jose this active volcano has diverse habitats encapsulated in some stunning cloud forest topped off with some active and dormant craters as well as graceful waterfalls. (To add this option to your itinerary is only £35 per person)

The following days we will take you to the Tortuguero National Park on the northern Caribbean coast. Tortuguero National Park is one of Costa Rica's most famous national parks due to the turtles which nest here and its diverse range of habitats including swamps, Caribbean lowland rainforests and beaches. Tortuguero translates as 'turtle catcher' due to the large annual influx of green turtles - the largest in the western hemisphere. It is also an important nesting ground for the critically endangered leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) and to a lesser extent the loggerhead and hawksbill turtles.

Tortuguero is fantastic for bird watching attracting some 387 species of bird to its local forests. Popular birds include the green macaw and the boat billed heron. Tortuguero National Park is great for other lowland rainforest wildlife. Jaguars sometimes appear on the beaches as well as peccary. Howler monkeys and white fronted capuchins can be seen most days.

From Tortuguero we take you to the picturesque riverside location of Sarapiqui. This is an excellent location to delve into the Caribbean facing forests of the Tirimbina Biological Reserve. Your base will be the Neotropic Foundation's ecotourism project and research centre. This is one of Costa Rica's foremost research centres and the reserve can be explored through a mix of trails, suspension bridges and canopy walkways.

The next port of call is the La Selva Biological Research Station which lies close to the Braulio Carrillo National Park. This is Costa Rica's foremost research station making the surrounding rainforest some of the best researched on the planet. This is another excellent opportunity to see the native wildlife and some of the 448 bird species found here including a multitude of hummingbird species. You will be guided on trails through the rainforest by excellent naturalists stationed here.

Carara National Park is of particular interest to the natural history visitor because it bridges rainforest and tropical dry forest environments. This unique park attracts more than 450 species of bird including a large population of scarlet macaws, three-wattled bellbirds and scissor-tailed flycatchers. To get a close up view of the birdlife we can make use of the park's aerial walkways within the canopy.

At this point you will be reaching the end of your trip but we have left was it possibly Costa Rica best bird watching location until last, San Gerardo de Dota which lies . Tucked in a valley 7,000 feet up in the Talamanca Highlands, San Gerardo de Dota is probably the most assured place to see Resplendent Quetzals.

This trip provides an excellent combination of wildlife and birdlife opportunities. Since it is tailor made, it can be adjusted according to your interests and timings, as well as swapping or adding other national parks which might suit the seasons, interests and standard of accommodation available much better.

Photographs kindly provided by Natalia Lizano, the La Selva Research Station, ICT, Ralph Pannell

Birdwatching holidays - Excursions, Trips and Tours - Ecolodge - Resplendent Quetzal - hotel eco resort responsible travel vacation - Scarlet Macaw - Trogon - Parakeet - Tanager - Parrot - Sloth and Monkey - Tapir and Jaguar - capuchin howler spider squirrel

Like any of our Costa Rica experiences, this one can be tailored to meet your timings, preferences and special interests. We can easily add in or swap locations to incorporate more relaxation, adventure, a higher standard of ecolodge where available or allow for a more intensive look at certain birdlife, wildlife or marine life.

Day 1
Arrive San Jose where you will be met and taken to your hotel in the centre of the city, close to the main plaza and theatre. If you are in need of good natural history and identification books, there is an excellent bookshop nearby.

Day 2
(B)
Day to rest and acclimatize in San Jose.
Optional ½ day trip to Poas Volcano (additional charge).
Overnight in San Jose.

Day 3
(B,L,D)
Early rise and drive overland towards the Tortuguero National Park where you will be met by an electric powered boat and taken up the Tortuguero Canal to your rainforest / Caribbean lodge. 387 species of birds recorded. After your afternoon canal boat trip you will have dinner by the pool. You will then have the option to take a night walk through the local private trails or during July - September observe turtles nesting.

Day 4
(B,L,D)
Today you will be taken on morning guided walk and evening boat trip along the Tortuguero canals in search on the areas wildlife and birdlife. In the evening you will again have the option of a night walk or turtle observation.

Day 5
(B,D)
Early morning transfer to La Selva Biological Research Station and it's near 4,000 acre reserve. Species diversity here is quite spectacular including 448 species of bird, 350 species of tree, 1,850 spp of plant and approximately 500 species of ant! Here you will go on a guided walk of the forest with an expert naturalist.

You will then be transferred to the forests of Sarapiqui where you will stay on the site the Neotropic Foundation - an NGO dedicated conservation, scientific research and education.

Day 6
(B,L,D)
The morning will be spent birdwatching in the Tirimba Biological Reserve which is one of the last remaining stands of mid-elevation premontane forest in north eastern Costa Rica. This reserve has been the site of numerous biological research projects. A suspension bridge and canopy walkway allow viewing at all levels and across some of the many streams which carve through the area.

Later in the day, you will be taken on a guided natural history walk in the reserve.

Day 7
(B,L,D)
Today you will be taken by guided boat along Sarapiqui's abundant riverside to view the wildlife from this unique perspective.

Day 8
(B,D)
After breakfast you will be privately transferred from Tirimba Biological Reserve to Carara National Park close to the Pacific coast.

Day 9
(B,L,D)
A full day to explore the transitional tropical moist to tropical dry forests of the Carara National Park. This will include a 1 ½ mile long aerial walkway.

Day 10
(B,L,D)
Today you will embark upon the Carara Sky Walk trip, where you find yourself in the forest canopy amongst the areas abundant birdlife including its resident colony of Scarlet Macaws. The aerial walkway is made up of a combination of suspension bridges and canopy walkways.

Day 11
(B,D)
After breakfast in the Carara N.P. your driver will collect you and take you to what is one of Costa Rica's foremost birdlife and cloud forest highlights: San Gerardo de Dota. From our base at 7,000ft we will enjoy probably the best opportunities in the country for seeing Resplendent Quetzals, as well as a whole host of other high altitude birds.

Day 12 & 13
(B,L,D)
Two full days to explore the forests of San Gerardo de Dota. Including 3 guided trips in search of local birdlife in particular the Resplendent Quetzal.

Day 14
(B)
Morning to explore forests of San Gerardo de Dota.
In the afternoon we will drive back to San Jose.

Day 15
(B)
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
We can also arrange for you to stay on in Costa Rica or other parts of Latin America if you wish.

Photographs kindly provided by Natalia Lizano, the La Selva Research Station, ICT, Ralph Pannell

Birdwatching holidays – Excursions, Trips and Tours – Ecolodge – Resplendent Hotels – Trogon- Quetzal – Scarlet Macaw – Trogon – Parakeet – Tanager – Parrot – Sloth and Monkey – Tapir and Jaguar – capuchin howler spider squirrel