Costa Rica | Neotropical Birding: Sarapiquí, Carara, and San Gerardo de Dota

Upon arrival in San José, you will be met and taken to Hotel Bougainvillea. Check-in begins at 3 pm. Elevation is 3,100 feet.

This morning, meet for breakfast in the hotel restaurant, followed by an orientation with your guide and an introduction to tropical birding from a local expert. Check out of the hotel and travel by bus to a café in Cinchona known for its many hummingbird feeders and bird along Virgen del Socorro. Have lunch en route. This afternoon, arrive to Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve and take a hike in the reserve with your guide. Selva Verde's reserve protects 500 acres of rainforest, and the lodge offers many covered walks, birding trails, and lookout points, with opportunities to see species such as the Keel-billed Toucan, Great Green Macaw, White-winged Becard, Sunbittern, Acadian Flycatcher, and Wood Thrush. Boots are available for use if the trails are muddy. Take an optional walk this evening to discover nocturnal frogs and insects. Elevation change: From 3,000 feet above sea level in San José to approximately 225 feet in Sarapiquí, with the highest point visited today at 6,200 feet.

Begin the day with early morning birding. After breakfast, set out to explore the reserve again on a different trail. Selva Verde's reserve is home to one of the largest almond trees in all of Central America, which provides habitat for the endangered Great Green Macaw. This afternoon, explore Tirimbina Biological Reserve on a guided hike. The trails at Tirimbina are designed to afford excellent opportunities for viewing rainforest biodiversity. As a large proportion of life in the rainforest thrives in the canopy layer, visitors can experience the richness of treetop flora and fauna from a 328-foot suspended canopy walkway spanning one of the many stream valleys in the reserve. After dinner at Tirimbina, enjoy an informative talk on the lives of bats.

Depart early this morning for the Organization for Tropical Studies La Selva Biological Station. Established in 1968, La Selva is world-renowned for scientific research on rainforest ecosystems. Be on the lookout for the Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Crested Guan, Great Tinamou, Pied Puffbird, and Spectacled Owl as possible sightings. Return to the lodge for lunch. Your afternoon is free to participate in optional activities such as a boat ride on the Sarapiquí River, whitewater rafting or horseback riding (arranged at reception upon arrival and paid on-site), spending time by the pool, or looking for avian visitors in Selva Verde's botanical garden area. Later this afternoon, enjoy a guided birding hike, or take in the river views from the patio overlooking the Sarapiquí River.

Travel to the Central Pacific Coast today. Stop for lunch at a local restaurant, and then go for a boat ride along the Tárcoles River to watch for both water and shore birds, like the Double-striped Thick-knee, Roseate Spoonbill, jacanas, and ducks. The Tárcoles River basin is one of the most important in the Pacific coastal region; it drains virtually the entire western side of the Central Valley. Tárcoles hosts an amazing diversity of wildlife along its banks. The river is a perfect place to catch a glimpse of mangrove specialties such as the rare Rufous-necked Wood-Rail, Mangrove Hummingbird, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Panama Flycatcher, Mangrove Vireo, Mangrove (Yellow) Warbler, and Scrub Greenlet. Perhaps the most famous of all its inhabitants are the enormous American crocodiles that live on its banks. Later, take a guided night walk to search for owls.

Take an early morning bird walk before breakfast. Then, set out for a full day at Carara National Park, one of the birding hotspots of Costa Rica. The park is located in the Central Pacific region, one of the most ecologically diverse areas of the country. The intersection of northwestern tropical dry forest with the humid rainforest of the South Pacific region, concentrated in a relatively small area, produces an interesting combination of species from both ecosystems. Keep your eyes open for Golden-naped Woodpecker, Baird's Trogon, Orange-collared Manakin, Riverside Wren, Black-hooded Antshrike, Dot-winged Antwren, Long-billed Gnatwren, and Chestnut-backed Antbird. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Early this morning, check out of the hotel and depart for San Gerardo de Dota. Make a stop at Los Cusingos, the farm of Alexander Skutch, a prolific naturalist and pioneering ornithologist in Costa Rica. Have lunch en route and make another quick stop in San Isidro del General. Then, check in at the hotel in San Gerardo de Dota, a small community in the Talamanca Mountains that sits at an elevation of about 7,220 feet. The forest surrounding the hotel is home to massive oaks, colorful plants, and an incredible variety of animal life: birds, insects, mammals, and amphibians. The famous valley is a paradise for birdwatchers, with more than 170 species recorded here. The crown jewel is the magnificent Resplendent Quetzal, which lives in the region year round. After settling in at the lodge, spend some time walking around the extensive gardens, where you may find resident Talamanca Hummingbird, Lesser Violetear, White-throated Mountain-gem, Volcano Hummingbird, and the tiny Scintillant Hummingbird. Fiery-throated Hummingbird and Violet Sabrewing are seasonally present, and even Flame-colored Tanager and Slaty Flowerpiercer come in for up-close views, offering excellent photo opportunities.

Spend the morning exploring the upper trails at Savegre Reserve in search of Resplendent Quetzal and some of the other species present here. Board 4x4 vehicles to travel up to the beginning of the trail system. The large centennial oaks of the forest are laden with lichens and mosses that contrast with the colorful bromeliads, adding to the striking atmosphere of this forest. Explore the trails in search of such specialties as Spotted Wood-Quail, Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl, Resplendent Quetzal, Collared Trogon, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Ruddy Treerunner, Ochraceous Pewee, Barred Becard, Wrenthrush, and Golden-browed Chlorophonia, just to name a few. After lunch, continue birding around the lodge and area trails. Dinner is at the lodge this evening.

Have another day of incredible birding in the San Gerardo de Dota area, a birder's paradise!

After some early morning birding around the lodge, have breakfast and explore the surrounding high-elevation area (10,400 feet) in search of Volcano Junco and other species. En route to San José, stop at Paraíso del Quetzal for lunch. Upon arrival at the hotel, check in and take some time to freshen up and relax. Attend a farewell dinner this evening.

Travel to the airport for your flight home. Check-out is at 12 pm.