Larry Liese came by his love for the outdoors at an early age. Raised in Vermont, he spent much of his youth backpacking and hiking...more
Mario Cordoba, a member of the Dessert Botanical Garden, was born and raised in Northern Costa Rica and has worked as a Naturalist Birding Guide in Costa Rica since 1992. He graduated from Instituto Tecnologica de Costa Rica in Agro Ecotourism. He’s led tours for National Wildlife Federatione’s, Friends of Bosque del Apache, Elderhostel, Holbrook Travel, Abercrombie and Kent, and several Audubon societies. He’s fully equipped with state of the art optics.
To read about the birds in the area see our reading lists.
The quintessential trip for all birders – from beginners to advanced! The variety and richness of Costa Rica’s famous birdlife are some of the main reasons travelers come here. In this compact country nearly 14 percent of the land has been dedicated to their National Park system. Some of the most sought after birds include Scarlet and Great Green Macaws, Resplendent Quetzals, 10 species of toucans, 5 species of motmots, and 57 species of hummingbirds.
With over 850 species of birds, 3,000 species of orchids, 35,000 
species of insects, 220 species of reptiles, and 160 species of amphibians, Costa Rica has some of the most diverse wildlife in the world.
We sample five of Costa Rica’s many diverse habitats – the high mountain cloud forest, Pacific slope coastal rainforest and tidal area, Caribbean lowlands, Atlantic slope mid-elevation tropical rainforest, and Atlantic slope coastal rainforest. We stay at charming, locally-owned lodges that reflect the ambience of the areas. The food is delicious – a mix of local and continental dishes, with a variety of tropical fruits and vegetables. We’ll travel by comfortable, private mini-bus. The pace of the trip is moderate and will allow trip participants to opt out of scheduled activities if they choose.
Join Nature Treks & Passages on this adventure! Besides birds, we’ll expect to see two species of sloths, three species of monkeys, blue morpho butterflies, coatimundi, anteaters, bats, iguanas, crocodiles, river otters, poison frogs, and many more. The trip also includes two river boat trips, birding above the tree canopies on a suspended walkway, a visit to a luxurious hot spring resort, and a front-row room in the closest lodge to the most active volcano in Costa Rica.
Day 1: Our trip starts at 5PM at our hotel in San Jose. From our balconies we’ll enjoy a 360 degree panoramic view that gives us vistas of three nearby volcanoes as well as the central valley and the city of San Jose. After dinner at our hotel we’ll have an introductory meeting and orientation.
Day 2: After breakfast we drive to La Paz Waterfall and Gardens to bird and visit the butterfly and amphibian displays. Hummingbird feeders there attract several hummingbird species including Brown Violet-ear, Green Thorntail, and Black-bellied Hummingbird. We’ll enjoy lunch at the Gardens and then drive to Arenal where we stay at Arenal Observatory Lodge, the closest lodge to Arenal Volcano, the most active volcano in Costa Rica. For the next two days we’ll be using our lodge as a base to explore and bird in the surrounding area. We take all our meals at our lodge. The fruit feeders outside our lodge’s dining room attract numerous toucans, tanagers, and orioles, as well as a resident troupe of coatimundi. After dinner tonight our Costa Rican guide will talk about the natural history of Costa Rica.
Day 3: Today we drive to Cano Negro Wildlife Refuge to bird. We may expect to see anhinga, Roseate Spoonbills, storks, herons, and the largest Costa Rican colony of Olivaceous Cormorants. Overnight at the same lodge.
Day 4: After breakfast we bird in Arenal Volcano National Park and then walk on the “hanging bridges” to bird above the treetops. Some of the bird species we may see include Keel-billed and Broad-billed Motmot, Nightingale Wren, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, and Shining Honeycreeper. In the evening we relax at a luxurious thermal springs resort on a nearby river. Overnight at the same lodge.
Day 5: Today we drive to the Sarapiqui river area to stay a comfortable lodge on the Rio Sardinal. In the afternoon we take a river boat trip to bird on the Sarapiqui river. This evening we will take a night walk to look for nocturnal birds and other wildlife.
Day 6: After breakfast we drive to the Caribbean lowlands rain forest and bird at La Selva Biological Station. This is an important tropical forest research facility funded internationally. In this area are found over 400 species of birds including Violaceous Trogon, Long-tailed Tyrant, Slaty-breasted Tinamou, Great Curassow, Spectacled Owl, Snowy Cotinga, and Plain Xenops. Stay at same lodge.
Day 7: We drive to Savegre Lodge high in the mountains at San Gerardo de Dota. Here on the Cordillera Talamanca is a well-known area for seeing the Resplendent Quetzal. We may also see Flame-throated Warblers, Long-tailed Silky-flycatchers, Emerald Toucanets, Mountain Robin, Flame-throated Warbler, Sooty-capped Bush-Tanager, and Zeldonias.
Day 8: Today we bird at Tapanti and Cerro de Muerte National Parks. Tapanti is famous for its lush cloud forest, tree ferns, clearwing butterflies, and trees filled with orchids. Some of the species we may expect to see here include Torrent Tyrannulet, Golden-bellied flycatcher, and White-bellied Mountain-gem. There will some free time in the afternoon. Stay at the same lodge.
Day 9: We drive to Carara National Park in the Pacific lowlands to bird and stay at Hotel Villa Lapas, a comfortable lodge adjacent to the Park. It is likely that we will see Scarlet Macaws roosting on the grounds of our lodge.
Day 10: We take an early morning river boat trip at the mouth of the Tarcoles River and into the mangrove forest. Some of the species seen here are Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Mangrove Hummingbird, Pale-billed Woodpecker, Black-striped Woodcreeper, Green Shrike-Vireo, and Red-legged Honeycreeper. We’ll have some free time in the afternoon to relax at the lodge. Stay at the same lodge.
Day 11: We spend the morning birding in Carara National Park. After lunch we drive back to San Jose. We say goodbye at our farewell dinner.
Day 12: The trip ends this morning. Flights back home.
Itinerary is subject to change, based on weather or other factors.
The price of this 12-day trip is $3599 based on double occupancy and a minimum of 8 people. The single supplement is $375. We will match you with a roommate of the same gender if you choose, but if this is not possible you will be charged the single supplement fee.
The tour fee includes all accommodations, meals, guides, entrance fees, tips except for the guides and driver, and transportation from San Jose, Costa Rica. It also includes trip insurance covering emergency medical services and emergency medical evacuation. Airfare to and from Costa Rica from the US, personal items, alcoholic beverages, and exit fees levied by Costa Rica are not included.
To register for this tour, contact Debra Tranberg at info@naturetreks.net or call (781) 789-8127 for a registration packet. A deposit of $400 per person is required to reserve a spot on the trip. Full payment of the tour fee is due ninety days prior to the tour departure. Please send your checks to Nature Treks and Passages, P.O. Box 542, Bryantville, MA 02357. If you have any questions, please contact Debra Tranberg at (781) 789-8127or info@naturetreks.net.
April 14-25, 2010
Price - $3599
A current passport valid for six months beyond the date of your return is required for US citizens to enter Costa Rica.