Royal Flycatcher

Its an all inclusive tour!

Transport service for airport arrival and departure, full time private bi-lingual professional bird guide throughout your tour, local birding guides, spacious air-conditioned vehicle ideal for wildlife viewing, 12 days on full board basis (all meals)  as per itinerary, en-suite best in town accommodations, one deluxe Costa Rica birdchecklist, private boat trip, Cope´s feeders and owl tour, Quetzal tour with local private guide,  all private reserves and national park  fees, all taxes on meals, lodging, and transport.

• Full time bi-lingual bird guide throughout your tour
• Extra local birding guides
• Air-conditioned vehicle
• Shuttle service for airport arrival and departure
• Fine standard accommodations en-suite
• 32 meals  / water
• Costa Rica Deluxe birdchecklist per person
• boat trip and Quetzal tour
• all national parks and private station entrance fees
• Waterfall Gardens – hummingbird observatory
• Cope’s Garden – owl quest tour

Day 1 – Arrival

Arrive in Juan Santamaria International Airport where you will be welcomed by your guide AND escorted back to your hotel. Depending on arrival time, you may also be able to do some birding on the hotel grounds.

DINNER INCLUDED- HOTEL IN SAN JOSE

Day 2 – Caribbean foothills . Waterfall Gardens

Red headed Barbet

You will drive north from the central valley over the active volcanic zone, down into the Caribbean forest lowlands, towards on of the best spots for hummingbirds and middle elevation birds. Waterfall Gardens is well known as hummingbird’s heaven with some endemic mountain species, not seen anywhere else in the world. Ochraceous Wren, Crimson-collared Tanager, Coppery headed Emerald, American Dippers and Torrent Tyrannulets. The best place for Northern Emerald Tucanet

ALL MEALS – LAGARTO LODGE

Day 3 – King vulture and tucans

King-Vulture

First thing in the morning is waiting for the birds to visit the feeders and not too far in the forest look for  King Vulture, the most beautiful of all vultures, that usually roosts in nearby trees. Then you will visit a private property which is fantastic for photography and bird observation. Very close views of Red-legged Honeycreeper, Shiny Honeycreeper, Blue Dacnis, Chestnut- headed Oropendola, White-necked Jacobin, Bronze- tailed Plumeleteer, Crowned Woodnymph.

ALL MEAL LAGARTO LODGE

Day 4 – Sarapiqui plains. Central Caribbean lowlands

Collared Aracari

Sarapiqui area is located in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica, renowned for the high bird diversity, the number of National Parks, private protected forests and bird sanctuaries, and the huge raptor and hawk migration that passes the region every year. The target birds in Sarapiqui are the highly endangered Great Green Macaw and Sunbittern. Along the Sarapiqui River birders can find Great Egret, Little Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Bare-throated Tiger- Heron, Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Green Ibis, Keel-billed and Yellow- throated Tucans.

ALL MEALS SELVA VERDE LODGE

Day 5 – La Selva Biological Reserve

Spectacled Owl

Northwest Pacific contains some of the last remnants of the endangered life zone know as tropical lowland dry forest. Its large salt pans offer birding opportunities for shore birds, locals and migrants. Best chance for rare endemics and local dry forest specialties including birds that are not readily seen farther south such as Spot-bellied Bobwhite, Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, Spottedbreasted

Oriole, Streak-backed Oriole, Snail Kite, Roseate Spoonbill, Double-striped Thick-Knee, Yellow-naped Parrot, Mangrove Hummingbird, Banded Wren, White-lored Gnatcatcher.

ALL MEALS ENSENADA LODGE

Day 6 – San Gerardo Valley. Central Highlands

Fiery throated Hummingbird

A pristine mountain valley located high in the Talamanca Mountains at 2200 meters of altitude (7220 ft) nestled in a steeply walled river valley where the cloud forest is filled with massive oaks and other highland native species. More than 50 endemic birds are found in the central highlands of Savegre. Before reaching our lodging you’ll bird along the road at about 9000 feet elevation, and have our first chance at a number of the regional endemics found in these mountains, including fancy species such as Volcano Hummingbird, Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher, Black-billed Nightingale-Thrush, and both Yellow thighed and Large-footed Finch.

ALL MEALS SAVEGRE LODGE

Day 7 – Quetzal quest

Resplendent Quetzal

You will start the day looking for one of the most attractive birds in the world: The Resplendent Quetzal. While seeing a quetzal will be our main goal, the valley is also an excellent place for all the specialty birds of the region. Some of the regional higland endemics we are likely to see include Highland Tinamou, Red-tailed Hawk, Black Guan, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Ruddy Treerunner, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Sooty Robin, Ruddy Pigeon, and many hummingbirds like White throated Mountain-gem, Scintillant Hummingbird, and Purple throated Mountain-gem.

ALL MEALS SAVEGRE LODGE

Day 8 -Northern Pacific dry forest

Turquoise Browed Motmot

Northwest Pacific contains some of the last remnants of the endangered life zone know as tropical lowland dry forest. Its large salt pans offer birding opportunities for shore birds, locals and migrants. Best chance for rare endemics and local dry forest specialties including birds that are not readily seen farther south such as Spot-bellied Bobwhite, Lesser Ground-Cuckoo, Spottedbreasted

Oriole, Streak-backed Oriole, Snail Kite, Roseate Spoonbill, Double-striped Thick-Knee, Yellow-naped Parrot, Mangrove Hummingbird, Banded Wren, White-lored Gnatcatcher

ALL MEALS ENSENADA LODGE

Day 9 – Ensenada Lodge

Jabiru Stork

We spend the day birding the property, trails, lake and salt pan. Its large salt pans offer birding opportunities for shore birds, locals and migrants. The open areas are good for Snail Kite, Yellow Crowned night Heron, Marbled Godwit, Short Billed Dowitcher, Yellow Naped Parrot

ALL MEALS ENSENADA LODGE

Day 10 – Central Pacific lowlands. Tarcoles River Estuary

Roseate Spoonbill

The Central Pacific area consists of transicional lowland forest where the more humid forests of the southern Pacific coast blend and overlap with the Drier forests of the northern Pacific coast. The result is a unique zone of overlap where both northern and southern species can be seen in the same place. In the afternoon, after lunch, the group takes a tour along the Tarcoles River and Guacalillo mangrove estuary. Here is the largest population of American Crocodiles in Central America. You will see many of the biggest ones on the sand banks. Great opportunity for fresh water birds, waders and shorebirds.

ALL MEALS VILLA LAPAS LODGE

Day 11 – Carara National Park

Scarlet Macaw

Carara National Park is considered by many to be one of the best birding locations in Costa Rica. The national park is famous for its population of Scarlet Macaws, and we are certain to see many, particularly at dusk. The excellent birdlife includes up to five different species of Trogons, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Royal Flycatcher, King Vulture, Grey-necked Wood-rail, Elegant Tern, Tawny-winged Woodcreeper, Smooth-billed Ani, Scaled Pigeon, Costa Rican Swift, Panama Flycatcher and some rarities like Mangove Hummingbird (one of the country´s endemic).

ALL MEALS VILLA LAPAS LODGE

Day 12 – Tarcoles grounds and departure day

Gray Cowled Wood Rail

First activity in the morning is a birding walk in the lodge trails forthe last birds of the trip. After breakfast you leave to International airport, short trip of approx 1.5 hours.

BREAKFAST INCLUDED

ALL MEALS VILLA LAPAS LODGE

Extras not included on this package shall be: tips to local staff, items of personal nature, and airport tax.