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Birding Vacation in Costa Rica

15 days for up to 13 greatest birding hotspot in costa rica

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In the next few lines, we present you with The 15 days Best Costa Rica Birding Tours, a wonderful birdwatching vacation package for your amazing vacations in Costa Rica.

It must be said, this is a starting offer. All our packages a fully customizable according to your needs, and your preferences. Especially when it comes to birdwatching.
For us is very important your feedback. Let us know if you have some preferences for birdwatching, or if you like to see as many species as possible.

Another factor to make some adjustments to is the season, especially when some species are a lifer for you.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

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Intro about 15-day Birding Vacation in Costa Rica with up to 13 birding hotspots.

#1 Birding trip in Costa Rica! Are you looking for a 15-day Birding Vacation in Costa Rica with up to 13 birding hotspots?

You land in the right place. Thanks to Birding Costa Rica Tour – Travel Agency runed by Renzo Sturmo, we designed a 15 days birding trip vacation with up to 13 birding hotspots Costa Rica. With this Costa Rica Vacation Package, you can visit the best birding hotspot around Costa Rica.

Destinations included in this offer are Puerto Viejo (Manzanillo National Park and Kekoldi Reserve), Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí (La Selva biological station), La Fortuna (2 birding Hotspot to visit), Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge, Medio Queso, Tenorio National Park, Monteverde (3 birding hotspot), Tarcoles, Carrara National Park.

15 giorni in Costa Rica con fino a 13 hotspot di birdwatching.

Stai cercando una vacanza di birdwatching di 15 giorni in Costa Rica con fino a 13 hotspot di birdwatching?

Atterri nel posto giusto. Grazie a Birding Costa Rica Tour – Agenzia di viaggi gestita da Renzo Sturmo, abbiamo progettato una vacanza di birdwatching di 15 giorni con tanto di 13 birdwatching hotspot in Costa Rica. Con questo pacchetto vacanze in Costa Rica, puoi visitare i migliori hotspot di birdwatching in Costa Rica.

Le destinazioni incluse in questa offerta sono Puerto Viejo (Parco Nazionale Manzanillo e Riserva Kekoldi), Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí (stazione biologica La Selva), La Fortuna (2 birdwatching hotspot da visitare), Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge, Medio Queso, Parco Nazionale di Tenorio, Monteverde (3 birdwatching hotspot), Tarcoles, Parco Nazionale Carrara.

15 day Birding Vacation in Costa Rica

Program 15-day Birding Vacation in Costa Rica

Day 1

Travel to Costa Rica - Arriving and Overnight in San José Costa Rica

Day 1 – Airport – Overnight

day 1
Arrival at the international airport Juan Santamaría and after carrying out the customs procedures, transfer by private vehicle to the chosen hotel. overnight stay.

giorno 1
arrivo all’aereoporto internazionale Juan Santamaría, e dopo aver eseguito le procedure doganali, trasferimento con mezzo privato all’hotel prescelto. Pernottamento.

Day 2 and day 3

Are you ready to begin this Birding trip in Costa Rica?
Let's go visit Puerto Viejo (Manzanillo National Park and Kekoldi Reserve)

Day 2 – Cahuita

As usual in Costa Rica for birdwatching, we are going to wake up early. And after a very good breakfast, we will meet with the guide and transfer by private vehicle in the direction of the south Atlantic area.
As we never stop birding, when you travel to Costa Rica, birdwatching is everywhere. Along the road, we will have the possibility to spot several species of birds, keep your binoculars and camera always ready.

At mid-way, time for lunch in a typical restaurant and arrival at the chosen hotel in Cahuita in the late afternoon. Dinner at a local restaurant. Free time for you, and a great relaxing overnight stay.

Day 3 – Manzanillo National Park on the beach – Kekoldi Private Reserve

After a few days in Costa Rica, you will use to wake up early. At sunrise, we are going to be ready for your first birding tour in Costa Rica. Return to the hotel at 8.00 for breakfast.
The day has just begun, and it is time to rise this birding list. The next birding hotspot is Manzanillo National Park, over the Caribean ocean.
Possible targets for Manzanillo National park are:

Another great Birdwatching Hotspot on the Caribean Coast of Costa Rica is Kekoldi Private Reserve. The period March / April and October / November are one of the best areas of the country for watching the raptor migration. Depending on the season. our target could be:

With 2 birding hotspots, we will be spotting birds all day long, but of course, we will make time for a Caribean-style lunch.
Back to the hotel late in the afternoon for dinner and free time to relax.

"Spot-crowned Antvireo - Pipeline Rd Panama_H8O3186-270" by fveronesi1 is marked with CC BY-NC-SA 2.0.

Day 4 and day 5

Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí - La Selva Biological Station

Day 4 – Let’s go to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí

Not so early today, breakfast and departure to the famous birdwatching destination La Selva Biological Station in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui. We are going to arrive at La Selva Biological Station around lunchtime. And then, of course, birding, photography, and enjoying the wildlife of Costa Rica rain forest.

La Selva Biological Station has a lot of trails, so you will be sure that there is no time to get bored.

At sunset, we go to the hotel, time for dinner and rest for the next day.

Day 5 – La Selva Biological Station

I am sure that we left some birds or animals left at La Selva Biological Reserve, so early morning is the perfect time to walk along other mysterious trails in the jungle.
After breakfast, we are going to meet with an experienced local guide. Costa Rica is not only about birds, but also dense wildlife. At La Selva Biological Station, we are going to have the possibility to spot the 3 kinds of monkeys, sloths, Tapir, and other mammals and reptiles that live around this very protected forest.

Depending on the season, our target could be:

Lunch and dinner are always part of our schedule. Late in the afternoon, we will be back at the hotel for a relaxing night.

Day 6 and day 7

La Fortuna at Arenal Volcano - Bogarin Trail - Arenal Observatory Private Reserve

Day 6 – Travel to La Fortuna at Arenal Volcano – The Bogarin Trail

Let’s begin the morning with some birding around the hotel, and a super breakfast before beginning our travel to La Fortuna at Arenal Volcano. We will arrive soon in the afternoon, ready for our second birding tour at Bogarin Trail private forest. This location just outside La Fortuna town, is the perfect place to spot easily some iconic birds of this area, as well sloths, frogs, and a few other reptiles.

Alway related to season, our few targets can be:


Just before sunset, we will be heading to the hotel located under the Arenal Volcano. If you are interested in frogs and other reptiles of Costa Rica, before dinner we can take a short walk along a magnificent pound inside the hotel.
After an intense day in Costa Rica bird photography tours, is time to relax and recharge batteries.

Day 7 – Arenal Observatory and Mistiko (or Sky Trek) Hanging Bridges

The list of the expected bird to see in La Fortuna – Arenal Volcano is long. Better to wake up early, and began the day around the private reserve of the hotel. After a substantial breakfast, we will continue birding in La Fortuna, inside the huge private reserve of the hotel. On mid-day a delicious lunch to regain strength, and ready to go to the hanging bridges of Mistiko or sky trek where you can see various birds of Arenal. Target to spot depending on the season:

It is time to call the day with a delicious costarican meal in La Fortuna, and sleep surrounded by the nature of the private reserve at Arenal Observatory Lodge.

La Fortuna at Arenal Volcano - Bogarin Trail - Arenal Observatory Private Reserve

Day 8 and day 9

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge and Medio Queso Wetlands

Day 8 – Travel to Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge

Just to be sure we do not leave any bird unseen, we will begin the day around the restaurant of the Arenal Observatory Lodge. Breakfast around 8 am, and departure in the direction of Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge in the north of Costa Rica. On the way lunch in a typical restaurant and arrival at 13.00 at Hotel de Campo.

We are not losing time, and after lunch, we will be on the boat for our first boat tour inside Caño Negro Refuge. Birds, monkeys, caimans, iguanas, turtles… we will spot any kind of the Costa Rica Wildlife. With the sunset, we will finish the day. Time to relax, a great meal, and a very restoring sleep.

Day 9 – More boat tours in Caño Negro Refuge (and Medio Queso Wetlands*)

Sunrise around 5:30 am. No time to lose. Starting the boat trip in Caño Negro with coffee on the boat at 6 am, and let’s go drain the battery of your camera.
For the afternoon, we can choose between Medio Queso wetland (if it is dry season), or continue exploring Cano Negro Refuge.

Target birds to spot in this area can be:

(* Medio Queso: this can be an option during the dry season between February and April. During this time of the year, is possible to easily spot the Pinnated Bittern (Botaurus pinnatus), Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis), Sora (Porzana Carolina), Yellow-breasted Crake (Hapalocrex flaviventer)

Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge

Day 10 and day 11

Tenorio National Park - Blue River - Bijagua

Day 10 – Travel to Bijagua – Visit the Rain Forest

A little bit more birding in Caño Negro. Breakfast and travel to Bijagua close by the Tenorio National Park.

Lunch at a local restaurant and arrival at the chosen hotel at 14.00. During the afternoon we will be birding in Bijagua, inside the private property of the hotel.
After sunset, relax, have a nice dinner, and good night.

Day 11 – Tenorio National Park – Blue River

As usual, our day will start at sunrise. This is the right time to search for the largest mammal in Costa Rica: the Tapir.

Before continuing the day to Tenorio Volcano and National Park, a restoring breakfast. Return to the hotel at 8.30 and have breakfast. Birding at Tenorio National Park is a very nice experience. Trails are easy to walk, and a beautiful blue river and waterfall is part of these lovely surrounding. As usual in Costa Rica, wildlife is always there to amaze you. Not only birds but monkeys, lizards, iguanas, frogs, tapir, and more are our possible targets for the day.

The day didn’t finish at sunset. At Tenorio, we will make our first night tour in Costa Rica, just after dinner. It is time to discover the rainforest during the night. The mystery of walking in the dark, wild sound of the forest, spotting frogs and other reptiles, owls and screech. It is an amazing experience.

Targets birds for Tenorio National Park and Bijagua could be:

Tenorio National Park - Blue River - Bijagua
"White-necked Puffbird (Notharchus hyperrhynchus)" by dunelark is marked with CC BY-NC 2.0.

Day 12 and day 13

Monteverde - Curicancha Private Reserve - Carrara National Park

Day 12 – Travel to Monteverde – Limonal for the Ara Macaw

It is time to travel to Monteverde. Today late breakfast and let’s go. On our way, a stop that we cannot miss. At Limonal there is a good restaurant that serves costarican food, and also is a great hotspot to take pictures of the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao). They are in freedom but use to staying close by.

This will be a relaxing day. Arriving time to Monteverde will be in mid-afternoon, and the rest of the day will be free.

Day 13 – Birding in Monteverde – Curicancha Private Reserve

Monteverde is a very well-known destination for bird watching in Costa Rica. As the list of birds that we can spot is large, we will be birding from sunrise to sunset. Do not worry. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are also on the list to do.

Our birding walking tour destination will be the Children’s Eternal Rainforest and Curicancha Private Reserve.

During our stay in Monteverde, I can say that a few interesting birds that we should see can be:

Day 14 and 15

Carara National Park - Travel to San Gerardo de Dota

Day 14 – Bird watching at Finca Paraiso Private Reserve – Travel to Carara National Park

We cannot leave Monteverde behind without visiting the private reserve of Finca Paraiso. We will be there soon in the morning for a walking tour in search of birds that we could find the day before, we will have a nice very typical breakfast. More birding and photography in Costa Rica, lunch at Finca Paraiso.

In the afternoon we will drive to the Pacific coast to visit Carara National Park.

Day 15 – Birding in the morning, Visit Carara National Park – Travel to …

Carara National Park is located on the Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica. here, we are going to explore a different ecosystem. This is a transitional rainforest, the second most diverse ecosystem, only after the tropical rainforest. Actually, it is the only  National Park in Costa Rica with a transition forest ecosystem in the Central Pacific Coast. This results in a diversity of flora and fauna, where converge typical species of dry and humid forests.

 

The most prominent bird flying around the Central Pacific Coast is the Scarlet Macaw (Ara macao). Is possible to see it flying all around this area. Meanwhile, other interesting birds to see at Carara National park could be:

The day will begin with a non so early breakfast, and then a full morning walking the trails of Carrara. Do not worry, we will have lunch in a local restaurant and depart to … Well, this part of the program it will organized according your vacation schedule.

"Copan HN - Hellroter Ara - Ara macao - Scarlet Macaw 02" by Daniel Mennerich is marked with CC BY-NC-ND 2.0.

Day 15 

Besides the morning of day 15, the program for the afternoon will depend on your schedule. We will organize this last day according to your vacation and flight schedule.

Birdwatching destination in Costa Rica

Contact & Prices

Next step? just contact Birding Costa Rica Tours with Renzo

For your next trip to Costa Rica, consider planning a Birding vacation in Costa Rica with Renzo Sturmo.

All our packages are custom-made. So be as specific as you can at the time to request information about the package