Boca Tapada · Operated by Edward Vargas
Boca Tapada Photography and Wildlife Boat Tour
Slow riverboat along Río San Carlos and Río Tres Amigos, birding at eye level from the water.
2.5 hours
6:30 or 7:30 AM · 1:30 or 2:30 PM
Year-round · Agami active Mar–Jun
2–5 guests per boat
Easy · seated in stable riverboat
The experience
A stable, low-profile river skiff takes you along the Río San Carlos into the mouth of the Río Tres Amigos, one of the least-birded lowland rivers in Costa Rica. Expect Sungrebe, Sunbittern on riverbanks, Great Green Macaws crossing overhead, Green and Amazon Kingfishers, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Boat-billed Heron roosts and — during the March–June nesting season — direct access to the Agami Heron colony hidden along a quiet backwater. Perfect for eye-level bird photography.
Target species
Agami Heron
Agamia agami
Sunbittern
Eurypyga helias
Sungrebe
Heliornis fulica
Great Green Macaw
Ara ambiguus
Bare-throated Tiger-Heron
Tigrisoma mexicanum
Boat-billed Heron
Cochlearius cochlearius
Ringed Kingfisher
Megaceryle torquata
Amazon Kingfisher
Chloroceryle amazona
Green Kingfisher
Chloroceryle americana
Purple Heron
Ardea cocoi
Spectacled Owl
Pulsatrix perspicillata
Edward's field tips
Morning departures give calmer water and softer side-light. Bring a beanbag or your own bracket — the boat rests on quiet water for shots, but a monopod is impractical.
Where to stay in Boca Tapada
Sessions start early — staying in the area is strongly recommended.
