Arenal · La Fortuna · Costa Rica
Birds, rainforest macro and wildlife photography with local specialists.
Photography in the field
6 photography tours
Photo: VIVO Expeditions
High-impact birding and wildlife photography across two of La Fortuna's best sites — privately guided at your own pace.
~6.5 hours
Ecocentro Danaus + Bogarín Trail – La Fortuna
From $350 p/p
View tour
Photo: VIVO Expeditions
One of Costa Rica's best-kept birding secrets — King Vulture hide, toucan platform, hummingbird multi-flash and macro at dawn. Built entirely for photographers.
Full day (~12 hrs)
Laguna del Lagarto Lodge, Boca Tapada
From $640 p/p
View tour
Photo: VIVO Expeditions
Specialized wildlife photography experience in one of Central America's premier wetlands
~3 hours (boat) + transport
Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge
From $450 p/p
View tour
Full-day photography excursion to Costa Rica's most famous close-range feeders — hummingbirds, barbets, toucanets and tanagers at point-blank range, with a La Paz Waterfall photo stop.
Full day (~8–9 hours door-to-door; 6 hours dedicated at the feeders)
Colibri Cafe – Soda y Mirador Cinchona, Route 126, Sarapiquí, Alajuela
From $350 p/p
View tour
Photo: VIVO Expeditions
Exclusively for your party. A dedicated photography guide follows your pace; no other guests join your rainforest session.
2.5–3 hours
Private Rainforest Reserve – Arenal Area
From $145 p/p
View tour
Photo: VIVO Expeditions
Full-day private excursion from La Fortuna to La Paz de San Ramón to photograph the Resplendent Quetzal in its cloud-forest habitat — plus honeycreepers, hummingbirds and oropendolas at Don Ignacio Arias' private property.
Full day (~10–11 hrs)
La Paz de San Ramón, Alajuela
From $350 p/p
View tourBoca Tapada · 11 sessions
Six hummingbird species at close range, sugar feeders and native flowering plants.
2–3 hours
Year-round
Price on request
View session
Professional multi-flash setup for wing-frozen hummingbird portraits — a fully configured session.
2 hours
Year-round
From $81.20 · per person
Taxes & processing included
View session
Purpose-built ground hide with baited perch. Costa Rica's most reliable King Vulture site.
2 hours
Year-round · best Dec–Apr
From $69.60 · per person
Taxes & processing included
View session
Slow riverboat along Río San Carlos and Río Tres Amigos, birding at eye level from the water.
2.5 hours
Year-round · Agami active Mar–Jun
Price on request
View session
One of Central America's few accessible Agami Heron nesting colonies. Strictly ethical, low-impact.
4–5 hours
March – June only
From $164.00 · per person
Taxes & processing included
View session
Endangered Great Green Macaws nesting in almendro trees on private conservation land.
3–4 hours
December – April (nesting)
From $100.00 · per person
Taxes & processing included
View session
One of the tropics' most bizarre birds — long dangling pendant nest and hidden crimson crown.
3 hours
April – June only
From $100.00 · per person
Taxes & processing included
View session
Reliable Sunbittern territory on a shaded forest stream — including the famous wing-spread display.
2.5 hours
Year-round
From $91.00 · per person
Taxes & processing included
View session
Professional 3-flash rig captures nectar-feeding bats mid-hover at Abutilon and balsa flowers.
3 hours
Year-round · best dry season
From $91.00 · per person
Taxes & processing included
View session
Photograph the Central American Pygmy-Owl at an active nesting cavity — May & June only.
2.5 hours
May–June only (active nesting cavity)
Price on request
View session
Red-eyed Tree Frog, glass frogs, poison-dart frogs and Eyelash Pit Viper — controlled macro with multiflash or continuous light.
2 hours
Year-round · best May–Nov (rainy)
Price on request
View sessionBeyond a single day
Arenal · Boca Tapada · Highlands
View journey
Pantanal, Brazil
View journey
Choco Andino & Eastern Andes, Ecuador
View journey
Andes & cloud forest, Colombia
View journey
Local specialists, photography sessions and real places. Choose the experience that fits your subject, destination and pace.
Meet Elías PeñaWhat camera gear should I bring?
Are photography tours suitable for beginners?
What is the best season for wildlife photography in Arenal?
For wildlife and birds, a 100–400mm or longer telephoto is ideal. For macro night sessions, a 90–105mm macro plus a flash works perfectly. We can advise specific setups before your tour — just message us.
Yes. Our multi-flash hummingbird setup (4–5 strobes, triggers, diffusers, backgrounds, perches) is included. You only bring your camera and lens.
Absolutely. Our naturalist photographers explain settings, composition, and behavior in real time. Private format means no waiting on a group.
Yes. Many guests combine a macro night, a hummingbird morning, and a Boca Tapada full-day across 3–4 days. We coordinate transport, lodging, and reserve access end-to-end.
The green season (May–November) brings dramatic light, lush backgrounds, and peak frog activity. The dry season (December–April) offers easier logistics and stronger bird movement. Both work — we adjust the targets.
Yes. A tour is a single private outing. The Costa Rica photography workshop is a structured multi-day program with image review, classroom sessions, and a fixed itinerary. See /photography-workshop/costa-rica.
