Central and South America

Costa Rica | Birding in Your Bubble: A Privately Guided Sarapiquí Experience

Duration:
6 Days
Interests:
Private Journeys
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Blue-gray Tanager
Suspension bridge at Selva Verde Lodge
Great Curassow
Views from Cinchona
Trails at La Selva
Sunbittern
Slaty-tailed Trogon
Olive-backed Euphonia
Lesson's Motmot
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About this trip

Costa Rica has long been a paradise for birdwatchers. This neotropical country boasts over 920 species—close to 10% of the world’s total bird diversity. In this concise yet comprehensive five-night program, birders will explore the northern province of Heredia, and especially the richly biodiverse canton of Sarapiquí. Habitats range from lowland tropical rainforest to premontane cloud forest.

Highlights include:

  • Private birding at La Selva Biological Station
  • A visit to the home and reserve of wildlife artist and naturalist Cope
  • Birding from your balcony at your home base of Selva Verde Lodge
  • Enjoying the cool (literally and figuratively) birding opportunities at higher-elevation sites 

Special notes

A key feature of this self-contained birding adventure is that you and your party will have an expert, English-speaking naturalist guide and private transportation at your service throughout your six days. Not only does this allow you to maximize your time, adjust your plans, and bird to your heart’s content, but it also limits any close contact with others. Your naturalist guide will be tested for COVID-19 within five days of your arrival. Throughout your program, hotels and service providers will adhere to Costa Rica’s protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Traveling between October and April allows you to see migratory as well as resident species. 

**Due to naturalist guide availability, some parties may have a guide/driver; other parties may have a guide and a driver, i.e. two separate individuals. In the event there is a guide and a driver, both will have COVID-19 tests within five days of the program’s start.

What makes us different

Scopes

All of our birding guides carry scopes to improve your chances of spotting even the most hard to find species

Top birding guides

Our in-country birding guides are experts in bird identification and behavior, providing rewarding experiences for everyone from novice birders to ornithologists

Wildlife up-close

Enjoy up-close observation of the behaviors and interactions of wildlife in their native habitats

Service anytime

Enjoy worry-free travel — our emergency line is monitored 24/7/365 so we can assist you if any problems arise while you’re traveling with us

Custom-tailored trips

We can customize your itinerary so that it’s the ideal match for your interests, travel dates, and budget

Flight arrangements

We’re a full service travel provider and are happy to assist with making your flight arrangements if desired

AND MORE!

See all the reasons why you should travel with Holbrook

What makes us different

Daily Itinerary

Print Itinerary
Sarapiquí
Day 1
Arrive into San José. After clearing customs and immigration, meet the naturalist guide who will accompany you throughout your birding adventure. Together you will transfer to your home base for your program, Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve, located approximately two hours from San José. Depending on your flight arrival time, there will be opportunities for birding en route, so be sure to pack your binoculars in your carry-on. Also pending flight arrival time, lunch can be enjoyed en route (at your own cost). Selva Verde is situated in the Caribbean lowlands at elevations of 180 to 220 feet. Founded by the Holbrook family in 1985, Selva Verde 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 that are often spotted at Selva Verde include the Keel-billed Toucan, Sunbittern, Crimson Tanager, Wood Thrush, Violet-crowned Woodnymph, and Gray-necked Wood-Rail. Selva Verde is also home to the endangered Great Green Macaw, which feeds on the giant fruiting almond trees in the rainforest. After settling in at the lodge and refreshing yourself, join your naturalist guide for a brief orientation to your program and a briefing for the next day's activities. This evening, dinner will be on own.
Selva Verde Lodge
Sarapiquí
Day 2
This morning, meet at the restaurant for a cup of Costa Rican coffee before your first morning of birding around the lodge grounds. Return for breakfast at the lodge. Afterwards, explore other great birding spots in the Chilamate area such as La Linda, accessible within a very short drive from the lodge. Have lunch (at your own expense) at Selva Verde Lodge or another restaurant in the region. This afternoon's activity will be aboard a boat on the Río Sarapiquí. Located a short drive east of the lodge is the town of Puerto Viejo (not to be confused with the town of the same name on the Atlantic coast). This town is the capital of the county and was historically an important stop along the trade route connecting the two coasts. At the river port, board the covered, stable, motorized vessel with your naturalist guide. As you wind 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. Afterwards, return to the lodge to review your checklist with your guide and prepare for another exciting day of birding in Sarapiquí.
Breakfast- included
Selva Verde Lodge
Sarapiquí
Day 3
Depart at dawn for early morning birding in the tropical wet forests of the world-famous Organization for Tropical Studies La Selva Biological Station. Upon arrival at La Selva, you will bird around the grounds surrounding the facilities and road. Enjoy breakfast at the station, followed by a private birding walk guided by one of La Selva's on-site naturalist guides. La Selva consists of nearly 4,000 acres of land, more than half of which is virgin forest. The area averages over 13 feet of rainfall each year, making it a prime spot to observe water birds. Over 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. After your morning birding at La Selva, enjoy lunch at your own expense at Selva Verde Lodge or at another restaurant in the region. This afternoon, you will be at leisure to enjoy any number of optional activities such as additional birding at the lodge or in the region, a delicious sustainable chocolate tour, or just relaxing around the pool at Selva Verde. There are many activities that your guide can suggest. For those interested, there are rural tourism activities available with a local non-profit called the Sarapiquí Conservation Learning Center such as cooking classes, visiting a local farm, or dance classes. These activities help ensure that local people can enter the tourism economy, an important part of sustainability for Sarapiquí. This evening, review your checklist with your guide followed by dinner on own.
Breakfast- included
Selva Verde Lodge
Sarapiquí
Day 4
This morning after a cold breakfast (or boxed breakfast) at Selva Verde, depart very early and head to Braulio Carrillo National Park, about 45 minutes' drive south of Selva Verde. Straddling the eastern ridge of the Central Volcanic Mountain Range, Braulio Carrillo covers 118,000 acres of mostly virgin rainforest, making it the second largest national park in Costa Rica. Bird along the way, and upon arrival at the Quebrada Gonzalez (Gonzalez Creek) entrance, begin your hike. After your morning birding experience, take a 20-minute drive toward Guápiles to the home and private reserve of Costa Rican naturalist and wildlife artist José Alberto Pérez, also known as Cope. Cope's property is designed to maximize opportunities for birding and photography. His ponds attract aquatic species, and the property also features blinds for bird photography. Cope's incredibly fine-tuned knowledge of bird behavior and the local habitat, including his neighbors' reserves, provides unique access to some wonderful species. Lunch today can either be arranged at Cope's home or at a local restaurant in the region. After your visit, head back to Selva Verde for rest and relaxation. Dinner will either be at Selva Verde Lodge or at a nearby restaurant.
Breakfast- included
Selva Verde Lodge
Sarapiquí
Day 5
This morning, depart Selva Verde at daybreak after a cold breakfast or with a boxed breakfast and drive about 40 minutes west. You will begin ascending into the folds of Poás Volcano into an area known as La Virgen del Socorro, a middle-elevation habitat that is both accessible from the road and that abuts Braulio Carrillo National Park. Interesting sightings at this location include Tufted Flycatchers, Rufous-browed Tyrannulets, tanagers, and euphonias. You will also have a good chance of seeing some interesting raptors. After birding at El Socorro, head toward the "soda" restaurant in Cinchona. This small, roadside café has a balcony that offers a stunning view of the valley and a giant waterfall on the other side of the valley. An impressive array of hummingbirds can be seen here at the feeders. Also, it offers delicious hot chocolate, coffee, and other treats. After your visit here, continue up the mountain another 45 minutes to an even higher elevation of roughly 3,000 feet, to an area known as Bajos del Toro. Here you will bird in actual cloud forest on the trails of El Silencio Rainforest Reserve. After lunch (at your own expense) at the Catarata del Toro Restaurant, head back to your home base for your last evening at Selva Verde Lodge to review your checklist a final time. Dinner will be on own at Selva Verde or at a local restaurant.
Breakfast- included
Selva Verde Lodge
Depart
Day 6
This morning bid farewell to Selva Verde Lodge and Sarapiquí. Your guide will take you to the international airport for your departure.
Breakfast- included
Depart

Please call 800-451-7111 for your price.

What's Included
  • Activities and meals as mentioned in itinerary
  • Full time guide for the duration of your program
  • Private transportation and driver for the duration of the program
What's Not Included
  • Carbon Offset
  • International airfare
  • Tips

Travel Info

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Entry & Exit Requirements

U.S. and Canadian citizens must have a valid passport to enter Costa Rica. Passports must be valid for at least the duration of your stay. As this requirement is subject to change at any time without notice, we recommend at least 6 months' validity.

A visa is not re­quired for visits up to 30 days.

If you are not traveling with a U.S. passport, please check with the Costa Rican Embassy for the requirements based on your nationality. 

Health Information

IMMUNIZATIONS

The Centers for Disease Control recommends that all travelers be up to date on routine vaccinations such as measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, diphtheria-pertussis-tetanus vaccine, varicella (chicken pox) vaccine, and your yearly flu shot before every trip.

There are no vaccinations required for entry into Costa Rica, unless you are traveling from an endemic yellow fever area within six weeks prior to entry.

Some physicians recommend that travelers get hepatitis A and typhoid vaccines before visiting Costa Rica.

Please consult your physician for additional information and recommendations based on your individual circumstances.

MALARIA

The CDC warns that travelers to Central America may be at risk for exposure to malaria. Malaria is caused by a parasite found in Anopheles mosquitos, which are active from dusk until dawn. Prevention is twofold: the use of anti-malarial drugs and the prevention of insect bites. If you choose to use an anti-malarial drug, as recommended by the CDC, see your physician for a prescription.

CHIKUNGUNYA

In June 2014, El Salvador reported locally transmitted cases of chikungunya in Central America. Local transmission means that mosquitoes in the area have been infected with chikungunya and are spreading it to people. Local transmission of chikungunya is now being reported in other countries in Central America. CDC recommends that travelers to the Central America area protect themselves from mosquito bites.

ZIKA VIRUS

Locally transmitted cases of Zika virus have been reported in Costa Rica. Local transmission means that mosquitoes in the area have been infected with Zika and are spreading it to people. The CDC recommends that travelers to Costa Rica protect themselves from mosquito bites. As a precaution, the CDC advises women who are pregnant to consider postponing travel to any area where Zika virus transmission is ongoing.

SUN EXPOSURE

The effects of the sun can be damaging to the eyes and skin. Spending time outdoors exposes you to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays, even on cloudy days. To protect yourself from the sun, use a broad spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 15, protect skin with clothing, wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and drink plenty of fluids.

Resources

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Packing Recommendations

Everyone has personal preferences when it comes to packing; for this reason, the information below is offered as a general guide and not a definitive list. You know yourself best: Use your discretion and pack what you think will serve you, based on your personal preferences and specific itinerary.

You may find many of the items below in the New Headings Gear Store. Use code HolbrookGuest10 for a 10% discount on your purchase.

CLOTHING

Casual, comfortable clothing is suitable for most activities in Costa Rica. You may wish to bring a slightly nicer outfit or two (eg sundress, polo shirt) if your itinerary includes dinners out or more formal activities.

Bring enough clothing suitable for the length of your program. If you prefer to pack light, note that many hotels offer laundry services at additional cost. If you plan to hand-wash items, remember that humidity may delay drying time.

Pack clothing that can be worn in layers to adapt to weather changes throughout the day. Costa Rica’s rainy season is May through November, but it can rain at any time. Clothing that wicks away moisture and dries quickly is recommended.

If your program includes visits to higher elevations (e.g. Savegre, Monteverde, or Cordillera de Talamanca), warm clothing is strongly recommended. Temperatures can get quite chilly, especially at night and early in the morning, and hotel rooms don’t always have heat. It can also be windy at times. Consider packing a warm underlayer, as well as a warm, protective outer layer.

  • A combination of short-sleeved and lightweight, long-sleeved shirts for sun and mosquito protection
  • Shorts
  • Lightweight, quick-drying long pants for sun and mosquito protection; jeans tend to be uncomfortable in hot and humid conditions, but are fine in the cooler highlands.
  • Undergarments
  • Sleepwear
  • Lightweight jacket or sweater/sweatshirt (or heavier weight if visiting high-elevation areas)
  • 1-2 bathing suit(s) for the beach, if applicable, plus many hotels have pools
  • Socks – Bring extra pairs. If your itinerary indicates muddy hikes with rubber boots provided on-site, pack a few pairs of knee socks to prevent blisters.
  • Shoes – Consider your specific itinerary when choosing footwear. For most programs, you’ll likely want at least one pair of comfortable, closed-toe walking or hiking shoes suitable for forest hikes and walking over cobblestones or other uneven terrain. Sturdier hiking boots may be appropriate for more rugged itineraries. In addition, many participants opt for a pair of sturdy sport-strap sandals (e.g. Keens, Tevas, or similar) and/or casual flip-flops or sandals. If you’re whitewater rafting or visiting the beach, you may also want a pair of aqua socks, reef walkers, or water shoes.
  • Lightweight rain jacket, hooded poncho, and/or windbreaker
  • Visor or wide-brimmed sun hat
  • Bandana, scarf, or Buff-style headwear

Personal Toiletries

Pack toiletries based on your personal preferences and habits. Below are just a few recommendations to keep in mind.

  • Shampoo, conditioner, lotion, deodorant/antiperspirant , etc. – If possible, avoid strong fragrances if you are sensitive to insect bites.
  • Soap and washcloth or a small, quick-drying microfiber towel – Washcloths are not standard in all hotels. If you normally use a washcloth, you may wish to bring one from home.
  • Hairbrush, comb, hair ties, shower cap. Most—but not all—hotel rooms provide a hair dryer, but you may wish to bring one from home.
  • Toothbrush and toothpaste
  • Razor
  • Ear plugs, especially if you are a light sleeper
  • Feminine hygiene products
  • Insect repellent with DEET or picaridin (see note below about treating clothing with permethrin)
  • Sunscreen and lip balm with SPF – If you’ll be in the ocean, we recommend reef-safe sunscreen.
  • Aloe vera gel
  • A travel pack of tissues – also useful as napkins or toilet paper if needed

In addition to your personal toiletries, it is useful to pack a small medical kit, which you can easily prepare. Helpful items might include: bandages, antihistamine, a pain reliever, motion sickness and/or altitude sickness medication (if you are prone to either), anti-diarrhea medicine, individually wrapped pre-moistened towelettes and/or hand sanitizer, antibiotic ointment, anti-fungal cream, moleskin for blisters, eye drops, tweezers, a mini sewing kit, and an extra pair of disposable contact lenses or eyeglasses if you wear them.

Days before you leave home, you may wish to consider spraying any clothing, socks, and shoes that will be worn in lowland, tropical sites with permethrin, an anti-parasite medication, to repel irritating pests and prevent the spread of disease. A recommended brand is Sawyer. Carefully read all instructions before use. Please note permethrin is highly toxic to cats and fish, and some aerosol products may be harmful to birds. Side effects may include minor itching, burning, or redness. You may want to use a laundry marker to label and keep track of which socks are permethrinized. Only one application per item is necessary; permethrin on treated clothes remains effective through several washings. Permethrin should NOT be applied directly to skin.

Miscellaneous

Remember to pack valuables such as your passport, cash/credit cards, and medications in your carry-on luggage.

  • Passport and photocopies of all travel documentation
  • Personal insurance card and travel insurance information
  • Money – ATM/credit card, traveler's checks, and/or cash; small bills in good condition are recommended
  • Prescription medicines (if applicable), with a copy of the prescription
  • Yellow fever certificate (if required; only if arriving from a country where yellow fever transmission is a risk)
  • Sunglasses with strap
  • Small day pack for hikes and excursions
  • Flashlight and/or head lamp
  • Travel alarm clock or inexpensive waterproof wristwatch with alarm – Not all hotels provide alarm clocks.
  • A pocket calculator or phone to assist with conversions and currency exchange
  • Binoculars with lens cleaner
  • Camera and related equipment, such as charger, lenses, and extra memory cards
  • Reusable water bottle
  • Non-perishable snacks
  • Pocket-knife or multipurpose tool - Pack in your checked luggage
  • Zip-top style bags – useful for packing toiletries, sorting clothing, storing damp or muddy shoes, or as a dry bag for protecting electronics)
  • Notepad or travel journal and pen
  • Music or reading material for down time, long bus drives, or on the airplane, and a portable bright light to read by
  • Collapsible walking stick with rubber tip
  • A small quantity of laundry detergent if you’ll be washing clothing by hand
  • Travel-size umbrella – Some people find this unwieldy to carry, while others find it offers better protection than a rain jacket alone.
  • Money belt
  • Chargers for electronics
I wanted to see as many birds as possible. I saw over 100 birds I’d never seen before.
- Barbara Pigott
Costa Rica , 2017
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