Upon arrival in San José, you will be met and taken to your hotel. Meet your guide at 6 pm in the hotel conference room for a welcome orientation followed by a welcome dinner. Check-in is at 3 pm.

This morning, meet for breakfast in the hotel restaurant, followed by an introductory presentation on tropical birding from a local expert. Check out of the hotel and start your journey to Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve. En route, stop for lunch and birding at Cinchona and Virgen del Socorro if road conditions permit. Selva Verde Lodge is situated in the Caribbean lowlands, at elevations ranging from 180 to 220 feet. Established by the Holbrook family in 1985, the lodge is renowned for its commitment to ecological preservation and sustainability. The reserve is home to a large assortment of avian life, including several types of herons, egrets, hawks, falcons, macaws, hummingbirds, flycatchers, warblers, sparrows, and tanagers. Specific species often spotted at Selva Verde include the Keel-billed Toucan, Sunbittern, Crimson-collared Tanager, Wood Thrush, Crowned Woodnymph, and Russet-naped Wood-Rail. Selva Verde is also home to the endangered Great Green Macaw, a species that seems to be recovering thanks to area conservation efforts. They can occasionally be found feeding on the giant fruiting almond trees in the rainforest. Have a brief orientation to get acquainted with the facilities before birding on the lodge trails.

Depart at dawn for the world-famous Organization for Tropical Studies La Selva Biological Station for early morning birding in the tropical wet forest. La Selva consists of nearly 4,000 acres of land, more than half of which is virgin forest. The area averages more than 13 feet of rainfall each year and is one of the longest studied rainforests in the world. More than half of Costa Rica's recorded bird species have been spotted at La Selva, including the Bare-necked Umbrellabird, Red-capped Manakin, Great Antshrike, Chestnut-backed Antbird, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Striped Cuckoo, Slaty Spinetail, Yellow-tailed Oriole, and Rufous-tailed Jacamar. Return to the lodge for lunch. Your afternoon is free to participate in optional activities such as a boat ride on the Sarapiquí River, whitewater rafting or horseback riding (arranged at reception upon arrival and paid on-site), spending time by the pool, or looking for avian visitors in Selva Verde's botanical garden area. Later this afternoon, enjoy a guided birding hike, or take in the river views from the patio overlooking the Sarapiquí River.

Begin the day with birding around Selva Verde's grounds and reserve. Later this afternoon, take a boat ride on the Sarapiquí River. While winding down the river bordered with forests and cultivated fields, look for aquatic animals, birds, and reptiles in their natural habitat. You may also see residents going about their daily lives and witness the impact local banana plantations have on this watershed. This evening, take a walk around the lodge grounds in search of nocturnal species.

Check out and depart for Arenal Observatory Lodge this morning, with a stop along the way at EcoCenter Danaus in the town of La Fortuna. This private ecological reserve also develops programs for conservation, training, environmental education, and sustainable production. There are a number of optimal birding locations to explore; the grassland areas, the bridge over the Burío River, the secondary forest, and the natural spring are all excellent vantage points to seek out some of the 150 species found here. Have lunch in La Fortuna and continue to the hotel. Arenal Observatory is the only eco-lodge situated between Lake Arenal and the massive Arenal stratovolcano, and the only hotel within the boundaries of Arenal National Park. Set on a ridge amid towering pine trees on the south side of the volcano, the lodge offers seven miles of well-maintained trails on more than 800 acres. It is a birder's paradise, with more than 500 species being recorded here. Some of the more spectacular local residents include the Three-wattled Bellbird, Fasciated Tiger-Heron, Laughing Falcon, Red-lored Parrot, Great Curassow, Northern Jacana, Steely-vented Hummingbird, and Keel-billed Toucan. There is also plenty of other wildlife in the area, including three species of monkeys. Elevations range from 1,650 to 2,950 feet.

Today spend the morning birding on the lodge's trails. Look for Lovely Cotinga, Black-crested Coquette, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Bare-necked Umbrellabird, Cinnamon Becard, and many more. This afternoon, go birding along Bogarín Trail in La Fortuna. This easy trail takes you through secondary forest where it's possible to see Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Broad billed-Motmot, Barred Antshrike, Uniform Crake, White-collared Manakin, Gray-headed Chachalaca, Black-and-white Owl, and a variety of tanagers. The trail is also a great place to look for both two-toed and three-toed sloths. Return to the lodge for dinner.

Travel to Villa Lapas today. En route stop for a boat ride along the Tárcoles River to watch for both water and shore birds, like the Double-striped Thick-knee, Roseate Spoonbill, jacanas, and ducks. The Tárcoles River basin is one of the most important in the Pacific coastal region; it drains virtually the entire western side of the Central Valley. Tárcoles hosts an amazing diversity of wildlife along its banks. The river is a perfect place to catch a glimpse of mangrove specialties such as the rare Rufous-necked Wood-Rail, Mangrove Hummingbird, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Panama Flycatcher, Mangrove Vireo, Mangrove (Yellow) Warbler, and Scrub Greenlet. Perhaps the most famous of all its inhabitants are the enormous American crocodiles that live on its banks. Have lunch then continue to the hotel. Later, take a guided night walk to observe owls.

Spend a full day birding at Macaw Lodge. The lodge is located between two different types of forests: humid tropical forest and very humid forest. The varied climates, ecologies, and terrains support a wealth of birds that easily exceeds 350 migratory and resident species, including the Scarlet Macaws for which the lodge is named, plus Fiery-billed Aracari, Yellow-throated Toucan, Orange-collared Manakin, White-throated Magpie-Jay, and Amazon Kingfisher, among others. The lodge's 264-acre property offers eight acres of cultivated trails, a giant black bamboo forest, and a 12-acre tropical botanical garden with more than 500 species of heliconias and bromeliads from all over the world, including ornamental, medicinal, and agricultural plants. There is also the opportunity to hike to a waterfall or watch for avian visitors at the property's lagoon.

Begin the day with an early breakfast, then check out of the hotel and set out for a morning visit to Carara National Park, one of Costa Rica's birding hotspots. The park is located in the Central Pacific region, one of the most ecologically diverse areas of the country. The intersection of northwestern tropical dry forest with the humid rainforest of the South Pacific region, concentrated in a relatively small area, produces an interesting combination of species from both ecosystems. Keep your eyes open for Golden-naped Woodpecker, Baird's Trogon, Orange-collared Manakin, Riverside Wren, Black- hooded Antshrike, Dot-winged Antwren, Long-billed Gnatwren, and Chestnut-backed Antbird. Continue to Cerro de la Muerte, an area at the top of the Cordillera de Talamanca that is famous for its diversity of endemic wildlife. Consisting of temperate forest and páramo habitats, the natural vegetation attracts species such as the rare Red-fronted Parrotlet, Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl, Dusky Nightjar, Fiery-throated, Volcano, and Scintillant Hummingbirds, White-throated Mountain gem, Ruddy Treerunner, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Ochraceous Pewee, Silvery-throated Jay, Black- and-yellow Silky-flycatcher, Volcano Junco, Timberline Wren, Wrenthrush, and Resplendent Quetzal. Look for these species and others at Cerro de la Muerte en route to Savegre. Check in and have dinner.

Savegre is located in a small community in the Talamanca Mountains and houses its own private biological reserve. This high-elevation habitat of mostly oak and highland cloud forest attracts a huge variety of avifauna. The large centennial oaks that cover the forest are laden with lichens and mosses that contrast with the colorful bromeliads. The forest is rich with insects, mammals, amphibians, and 170 plus bird species. Spend today exploring the reserve's upper and lower trails. In the morning, look for Spotted Wood-Quail, Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl, Collared Trogon, Barred Becard, and Golden-browed Chlorophonia. In the afternoon, search for the Resplendent Quetzal. Dinner is followed by a guided night walk.

After some early morning birding around the lodge, have breakfast and begin the journey back to San José. En route, stop at Paraíso del Quetzal for lunch. Upon arrival at the hotel, check in and take some time to freshen up and relax. Attend a farewell dinner this evening.

Transfer to the airport for your flight home. Check-out is at 12 pm.