- Group 4–6 · private
- Breakfast & lunch daily · dinners free
- Naturalist with spotting scope
- Private transport · fuel & tolls
- Highland hummingbirds
- Resplendent Quetzal
- Volcano Junco
- Timberline Wren
- Mangrove Hummingbird
- Boat-billed Heron
- Roseate Spoonbill
- Scarlet Macaw
- Orange-collared Manakin
- Baird's Trogon
- White-throated Magpie-Jay
- motmots
- Three-wattled Bellbird (Mar–Sep)
- hummingbirds
- Sloths
- trogons
The full route: Talamanca, the Central Pacific, Monteverde and four days of photography in Arenal with Boca Tapada and Caño Negro.
- San José · start
- San Gerardo de Dota
- Tárcoles / Carara
- Monteverde
- La Fortuna / Arenal
- Boca Tapada
- Cinchona
- San José · end
Price per person
USD · all fees included · shared double rooms. For 1–3 or 7+ travelers we quote on request.
Superior hotels are not available in Tárcoles · Carara; those nights use the best Comfort lodge.
| Style · season | 4 travelers | 5 travelers | 6 travelers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfort · green | $4,570 | $4,570 | $4,570 |
| Comfort · peak | $4,955 | $4,955 | $4,955 |
| Superior · green | $5,615 | $5,615 | $5,615 |
| Superior · peak | $6,255 | $6,255 | $6,255 |
Day by day
Day 1 · San José
Arrival in San José
Transfer to the hotel and welcome briefing.
Private transfer
Breakfast: — · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 2 · San José → San Gerardo de Dota
Over the Cerro de la Muerte
km 70 hummingbird feeders and down to the Savegre.
Route guide
Target species: Highland hummingbirds
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 3 · San Gerardo de Dota
Quetzals and Los Quetzales NP
Quetzal at dawn and páramo species.
Park entrance
Target species: Resplendent Quetzal, Volcano Junco, Timberline Wren
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 4 · San Gerardo → Tárcoles
Down to Tárcoles
Drive to the Pacific and an afternoon boat in the mangroves.
Tárcoles boat
Target species: Mangrove Hummingbird, Boat-billed Heron, Roseate Spoonbill
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 5 · Tárcoles
Carara National Park
Transitional forest and macaws.
Park entrance
Target species: Scarlet Macaw, Orange-collared Manakin, Baird's Trogon
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 6 · Tárcoles → Monteverde
Up to Monteverde
Climb through Orotina with birding stops.
Route guide
Target species: White-throated Magpie-Jay, motmots
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 7 · Monteverde
Monteverde full-day birding
Cloud forest with a VIVO guide.
Monteverde Full-Day Birding
Target species: Three-wattled Bellbird (Mar–Sep), Resplendent Quetzal, hummingbirds
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: In the tour · Dinner: Free
Day 8 · Monteverde → La Fortuna
Around the lake to Arenal
Private transfer around Lake Arenal and an afternoon on the Bogarín Trail.
Private transfer · Bogarín Trail
Target species: Sloths, trogons
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 9 · La Fortuna
Arenal Observatory and macro night
Tower at dawn, macro at night.
Arenal Observatory Birding · Macro Night Photography
Target species: Toucans, Black-crested Coquette, red-eyed tree frog
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 10 · La Fortuna ⇄ Caño Negro
Caño Negro photo boat
The wetland at camera pace.
Caño Negro Photography
Target species: Jabiru, herons, caimans
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 11 · La Fortuna ⇄ Boca Tapada
Boca Tapada full day
Hides and platforms built for photographers.
Boca Tapada Full Day
Target species: King Vulture, Great Green Macaw, toucans
Breakfast: In the tour · Lunch: In the tour · Dinner: Free
Day 12 · La Fortuna → Cinchona → San José
Cinchona and back to San José
Colibrí Café feeders on the way to the city.
Private transfer · Cinchona feeders
Target species: Violet Sabrewing, barbets
Breakfast: At the hotel · Lunch: Lodge or local soda · Dinner: Free
Day 13 · San José
Departure
Transfer to the airport.
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$1,798
- Transport & route guideestimate · shared by the group$1,185
- Lodgingestimate · shared by the group$1,276
- Mealsestimate · shared by the group$291
- Price per person$4,570
Best months
December–April: dry on the Pacific and in the northMarch–April: quetzals nesting and the bellbird already in MonteverdeSeptember–October: heavy rain on the Pacific
Hotels by region
San José · airport · 1 nights
Comfort
Hampton by Hilton SJO Airport
Superior
Hotel Bougainvillea
San Gerardo de Dota · 2 nights
Comfort
Trogon Lodge
Superior
Savegre Hotel Natural Reserve & Spa
Comfort
Quetzals Paradise (km 70)
Tárcoles · Carara · 2 nights
Comfort
Cerro Lodge
Monteverde · 2 nights
Comfort
Trapp Family Lodge
Superior
Hotel Belmar
La Fortuna · Arenal · 4 nights
Comfort
Arenal Observatory Lodge
Comfort
Hotel Lomas del Volcán
Superior
Arenal Manoa Resort & Hot Springs
Superior
Arenal Kioro Suites & Spa
San José · airport · 1 nights
Comfort
Hampton by Hilton SJO Airport
Superior
Hotel Bougainvillea
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.