Laguna Lagarto Lodge
- ~45 min from Edward's sites
Duration
2 hours
Start time
11:00 AM · 1:00 PM · 3:00 PM
Season
Year-round · best May–Nov (rainy)
Group size
Private · up to 4 photographers per hide
Difficulty
Easy · slow-paced forest edge
Tour details
- Maximum group
- Private · up to 4 photographers per hide
- Camera level
- All levels · phone, bridge, DSLR or mirrorless
- Hides and feeders
- Macro photography setup
- Guide
- Edward · local Boca Tapada partner (hides and boat)
- Target species
- Frogs and reptiles
No professional equipment required. Recommended: 300 mm or longer for birds; 100 mm macro and flash at night.
Every guide carries a telescope and helps with phone-scoping.
January–March; operated year-round.
Subject to availability confirmation; at least 72 hours ahead. Hotel transport quoted separately.
Location
Edward's Garden, Boca Tapada
Tour Location· Edward's Garden, Boca Tapada
Tour at a glance
Red-eyed Tree Frog, glass frogs, poison-dart frogs and Eyelash Pit Viper — controlled macro with multiflash or continuous light.
The experience
A controlled macro photography session at a private frog pond and rainforest edge in Boca Tapada — not a night tour. Edward locates Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas), glass frogs, Strawberry Poison-dart Frog, Green-and-black Poison Frog, Smilisca tree frogs, and the iconic Eyelash Pit Viper (Bothriechis schlegelii) on low vegetation. All subjects are wild — never staged or handled. The session uses multiflash or carefully diffused continuous light for crisp macro portraits. Three sessions available: 11:00 AM, 1:00 PM and 3:00 PM.
Target species
Red-eyed Tree Frog
Agalychnis callidryas
Reticulated Glass Frog
Hyalinobatrachium valerioi
Strawberry Poison-dart Frog
Oophaga pumilio
Green-and-black Poison Frog
Dendrobates auratus
Masked Tree Frog
Smilisca phaeota
Eyelash Pit Viper
Bothriechis schlegelii
Edward's field tips
This is a fully controlled session: any handling of subjects is done exclusively by our trained team, following professional welfare practices — minimal, brief and always in the animal’s interest. Guests photograph without touching. The light setup is dialled in for f/16–f/22 macro at ISO 200; bring a manual-capable body. Sessions run rain or shine.
Plan around early starts
Where to stay in Boca Tapada
Sessions start early — staying in the zone is strongly recommended. Transport is coordinated by VIVO inside the booking flow.
Maquenque Ecolodge
- ~30 min from Edward's sites
Pedacito de Cielo
- ~20 min from Edward's sites
Frequently asked questions
How long is this session?
2 hours
In which season does it take place?
Year-round · best May–Nov (rainy)
What does the session include?
Naturalist guide with herp expertise; Access to private pond and forest edge; Multiflash or continuous-light setup with diffusers (provided); Water
What should I bring?
Macro lens 90–105mm ideal; Camera with hot-shoe / off-camera flash sync; Rubber boots (wet vegetation); Long sleeves · insect repellent
What is the group size?
2–6 guests
Other Boca Tapada sessions
Hummingbird Garden & Feeders
Six hummingbird species at close range, sugar feeders and native flowering plants.
Hummingbird Multi-Flash Workshop
Professional multi-flash setup for wing-frozen hummingbird portraits — a fully configured session.
From $81.2 pp
King Vulture Photography Hide
Purpose-built ground hide with baited perch. Costa Rica's most reliable King Vulture site.
From $69.6 pp