Costa Rica | Birder’s Paradise: Savegre, Sarapiquí, and Carara

Upon arrival at the airport in San José, you will be met by your local guide and transferred to the hotel. Check in starts at 3 pm.

This morning, meet for breakfast and an orientation in the hotel restaurant, followed by an introduction to tropical birding from a local expert. Check out of the hotel and travel by bus to La Paz Waterfall Gardens, where you will have lunch and then visit the hummingbird gardens and butterfly house. Continue on, stopping en route at a café in Cinchona known for its many hummingbird feeders. This afternoon, arrive to Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve and take a hike in the reserve with your guide. Selva Verde's reserve protects 500 acres of rainforest, and the lodge offers many covered walks, birding trails, and lookout points, with opportunities to see species such as the Keel billed Toucan, Great Green Macaw, White winged Becard, Sunbittern, Acadian Flycatcher, and Wood Thrush. Boots are available for use if the trails are muddy. Take an optional walk this evening to discover nocturnal frogs and insects. Elevation change: From 3,000 feet above sea level in San José to approximately 225 feet in Sarapiquí, with the highest point visited today at 6,200 feet at La Paz.

Depart early this morning for the Organization for Tropical Studies La Selva Biological Station. Established in 1968, La Selva is world renowned for scientific research on rainforest ecosystems. Be on the lookout for the Ornate Hawk Eagle, Crested Guan, Great Tinamou, Pied Puffbird, and Spectacled Owl as possible sightings. Return to the lodge for lunch. This afternoon take a river boat trip on the Puerto Viejo River (if water levels permit), to experience La Selva from a different perspective. With luck we might spot a Sunbittern or Green Ibis, in addition to other residents along the river, including Spectacled Caiman.

Optional early morning bird walk. Breakfast and then depart for the Pacific Coast. En route stop at Casa de Cope, where a local artist has created excellent habitat for birds and wildlife on his property. There are chances to see Spectacled Owl, Crested Owl and Great Potoo. Upon arrival at the hotel, check in and have some time to freshen up before having dinner at a local restaurant.

Take an early morning bird walk before breakfast. Depart for a full day at Carara National Park, one of the birding hotspots of Costa Rica. 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. Before dinner at the lodge, watch for Scarlet Macaw from a nearby bridge. Later this evening go on a night walk to look for owls.

Check out then have breakfast before going on a boat ride along the Tárcoles River. Watch for both water and shore birds, like 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. Travel south to Dominical for the night.

After breakfast, begin your transfer to the tropical cloud forest realm of San Gerardo de Dota's Savegre Hotel Natural Reserve & Spa (elevation: 7,300 feet). Encompassing nearly 1,000 acres, Savegre's reserve is just five miles from the country's newest national park, Los Quetzales, and home to one of Costa Rica's avian treasures, the beautiful Resplendent Quetzal. Arrive at hotel and settle in at the lodge, spend some time walking around the extensive gardens where you may find resident Talamanca Hummingbird, Lesser Violetear, White throated Mountain gem, Volcano Hummingbird, and the tiny Scintillant Hummingbird. Fiery throated Hummingbird and Violet Sabrewing are seasonally present, and even Flame colored Tanager and Slaty Flowerpiercer come in for up close views, offering excellent photo opportunities.

Spend the morning exploring the upper trails at Savegre in search of Resplendent Quetzal and some of the other species present here. Take 4x4s about one mile uphill to the beginning of the trail. The large centennial oaks of the forest are laden with lichens and mosses that contrast with the colorful bromeliads, adding to the striking atmosphere of this forest. Explore the trails in search of such specialties as Spotted Wood Quail, Costa Rican Pygmy Owl, Resplendent Quetzal, Collared Trogon, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Ruddy Treerunner, Ochraceous Pewee, Barred Becard, Wrenthrush, and Golden browed Chlorophonia, just to name a few. Leisurely afternoon with another walk around the grounds and trails in the area.

Early morning birding and after breakfast check out and depart towards San José. Journey to Cerro Buena Vista in Los Quetzales National Park to look for Volcano Junco, Large footed Finch, Sooty capped Chlorospingus and Timberline Wren, among other high elevation (10,400 feet) species. Lunch at Paraiso Quetzal. Arrive at the hotel in the evening in time to freshen up for a farewell dinner.

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