- Group 4–6 · private
- Breakfast & lunch daily · dinners free
- Naturalist with spotting scope
- Private transport · fuel & tolls
- Keel-billed Toucan
- trogons
- hummingbirds
- red-eyed tree frog
- eyelash viper
- Jabiru (dry season)
- Boat-billed Heron
- kingfishers
- spectacled caiman
- monkeys
- Violet Sabrewing
- Prong-billed Barbet
- Northern Emerald-Toucanet
- tanagers
- King Vulture
- Great Green Macaw (Dec–Apr)
One hotel, eight private outings built for the camera: the Boca Tapada hides, Cinchona's feeders at arm's length, a photo boat in Caño Negro, quetzals in San Ramón and macro work at night.
- San José · start
- La Fortuna / Arenal
- Boca Tapada
- Caño Negro
- San José · end
Price per person
USD · all fees included · shared double rooms. For 1–3 or 7+ travelers we quote on request.
| Style · season | 4 travelers | 5 travelers | 6 travelers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfort · green | $3,610 | $3,610 | $3,610 |
| Comfort · peak | $3,870 | $3,870 | $3,870 |
| Superior · green | $4,590 | $4,590 | $4,590 |
| Superior · peak | $5,090 | $5,090 | $5,090 |
Day by day
Day 1 · San José → La Fortuna
Welcome to Costa Rica
Your guide and driver meet you at SJO. Photo stops on the way north and lunch at a local soda. Gear check and briefing in the evening.
Private transfer
Breakfast: — · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 2 · La Fortuna
Arenal Observatory and macro night
Dawn on the 28 m tower and the trails of Arenal Volcano National Park. After dinner, a private macro session for frogs and vipers.
Arenal Observatory Birding · Macro Night Photography
Target species: Keel-billed Toucan, trogons, hummingbirds, red-eyed tree frog, eyelash viper
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 3 · La Fortuna ⇄ Caño Negro
Caño Negro photo boat
A private boat paced for photography in the wetland, with low angles on herons and caimans.
Caño Negro Photography
Target species: Jabiru (dry season), Boat-billed Heron, kingfishers, spectacled caiman, monkeys
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 4 · La Fortuna ⇄ Cinchona
Cinchona · Colibrí Café
Six hours at the most famous close-range feeders in the country, with a stop at La Paz Waterfall.
Cinchona Colibrí Café
Target species: Violet Sabrewing, Prong-billed Barbet, Northern Emerald-Toucanet, tanagers
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: In the tour · Dinner: Free
Day 5 · La Fortuna ⇄ Boca Tapada
Boca Tapada full day
King Vulture hide, toucan platform, multi-flash hummingbirds and macro at dawn.
Boca Tapada Full Day
Target species: King Vulture, Great Green Macaw (Dec–Apr), toucans, Sunbittern
Breakfast: In the tour · Lunch: In the tour · Dinner: Free
Day 6 · La Fortuna ⇄ La Paz de San Ramón
Valle de los Quetzales
Full day at Don Ignacio Arias' property for the Resplendent Quetzal.
Valle de los Quetzales
Target species: Resplendent Quetzal, honeycreepers, oropendolas, hummingbirds
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: In the tour · Dinner: Free
Day 7 · La Fortuna
Sloths and the volcano
Morning on the Bogarín Trail for sloths and birds; late light on the Arenal 1968 lava trails. Group photo review.
Bogarín Trail · Arenal 1968
Target species: Two- and three-toed sloths, trogons, Arenal Volcano at sunset
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 8 · La Fortuna → San José
Departure
Breakfast and private transfer to SJO. Best with flights after 2:00 pm.
Private transfer
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: — · Dinner: —
Breakfast & lunch every day
- Breakfast: at the hotel when it is included; served on the route on early starts or where the hotel does not include it; in the tour when the outing includes it.
- Lunch & on the road: lunch every day at a lodge or local soda (or in the tour), plus coffee, water and snacks in the vehicle.
- Dinner: free, so you choose where and when.
How this price is built
Per person · 4 travellers · Comfort · green season · all fees included
- Tours & entrances$2,291
- Transport & route guideestimate · shared by the group$189
- Lodgingestimate · shared by the group$860
- Mealsestimate · shared by the group$136
- Price per person$3,610
Best months
December–April: dry season in the north; Caño Negro concentrates birds as the water dropsGreat Green Macaw nesting in Boca Tapada: December–AprilAgami Heron (Boca Tapada): April–September · Royal Flycatcher: April–June
Hotels by region
La Fortuna · Arenal · 7 nights
Comfort
Arenal Observatory Lodge
Comfort
Hotel Lomas del Volcán
Superior
Arenal Manoa Resort & Hot Springs
Superior
Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa
Included
- •Private naturalist guide with a spotting scope on every outing, who helps you photograph through it
- •Private transport with fuel, tolls and parking, plus airport transfers
- •Lodging in your chosen style (Comfort or Superior), shared double rooms
- •Breakfast every day: at the hotel, or served on the route on early starts and where the hotel does not include it
- •Lunch every day at a lodge or local soda, plus coffee, water and snacks on the road
- •All entrances, boats, hides and feeders in the program
- •Small group of 4 to 6 travelers
Not included
- •Dinner not included: we recommend places near each hotel
- •International flights
- •Travel and medical insurance
- •Alcohol, tips and personal expenses
- •Activities outside the program
Conditions
- •Departures for 4 to 6 travelers. For 7 or more, or for 1–3 travelers, we quote on request
- •50% non-refundable deposit to book; balance due 60 days before departure
- •Photography sessions are always private to your group
- •Children 5–10 pay 70% of tours and entrances, and the same as adults for lodging, meals and transport; infants 0–4 pay 20% of tours and entrances plus the full transport amount; infant lodging follows each hotel's policy and is not charged upfront
- •Hotels are references: the final property is the one shown or similar, subject to availability
- •Peak season (Dec 15–Apr 30 and July): drives can take up to 30 minutes longer
Frequently asked questions
How big is the group?
Standard departures are for 4 to 6 travellers. For 1–3 or 7 or more travellers we prepare a custom quote.
Which meals are included?
Breakfast every day, at the hotel or served on the route on early starts, and lunch every day at a lodge or local soda. Dinner not included.
Are the photography sessions private?
Yes. Photography sessions are always private to your group.
When is the best season?
The best months for this expedition are Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, Dec.
What is the deposit?
50% non-refundable to book, and the balance 60 days before departure. Nothing is charged until we confirm availability.