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Costa Rica: Birds and Nature with a Naturalist

10 days from San José with a birding naturalist all the way: Sarapiquí rainforest and La Selva, Arenal, the Monteverde cloud forest, the Tárcoles River, Carara and Manuel Antonio.

10 jours · Départ et retour : San José · jusqu'à 12 voyageurs

Les faits

En bref

Durée
10 jours, 9 nuits
Départ et arrivée
Départ et retour : San José
Taille du groupe
7 à 12 voyageurs
Trajet le plus long
3.5 h le jour 10Aucun trajet ne dépasse 4 heures.
Niveau d'activité

Modéré

Guided walks of 2 to 3 hours most mornings, about 2 to 4 km each on forest trails that can be muddy and humid, with long pauses to look and photograph. Optional dawn walks start at about 5:45 am in Sarapiquí. The Monteverde reserve is at about 1,500 m and cool; the lowlands are hot. Canopy bridges at treetop height on day 4. Any walk can be shortened or sat out.

Repas compris
9 petits-déjeuners, 5 repas du midi, 4 repas du soir
Chambre individuelle
+ CAD 505 (prix estimé)
Saison
Year round; quetzal season about February to May

Points forts

Pourquoi ce voyage

  • Hummingbirds and tanagers at the feeders of Cinchona, on the road down to the Caribbean lowlands
  • A dawn walk on the lodge grounds in Sarapiquí, coffee in hand, as the toucans start calling
  • A morning at La Selva Biological Station with a station naturalist
  • Arenal from the hanging bridges and from the old lava flows at the park's 8 am opening
  • A guided night walk, then the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve at 7 am, looking for the resplendent quetzal
  • By boat into the Tárcoles River mangroves for crocodiles, spoonbills and boat-billed herons
  • Scarlet macaws in Carara National Park at opening
  • Manuel Antonio National Park at 7 am on the last morning, before the day crowds

Ce qui distingue ce voyage

  • Des trajets courts, tous publiés

    Chaque trajet est indiqué jour par jour, et aucun ne dépasse 4 heures.

  • Le temps libre fait partie du programme

    Le temps libre et les choix sont indiqués les jours où ils ont lieu.

  • En solo, sans pénalité

    Une chambre individuelle coûte + CAD 505 (prix estimé).

Jour par jour

Itinéraire

Le trajet le plus long dure 3.5 h, le jour 10.

NICARAGUAPANAMACaribbean SeaPacific OceanLake Arenal123456San JoséDay 1CinchonaDay 2SarapiquíDays 2 to 4La Selva stationDay 3La FortunaDays 4 to 6Arenal VolcanoDay 5MonteverdeDays 6 to 8Tárcoles and CararaDays 8 to 9Manuel AntonioDays 9 to 10

Touchez une étape de la carte pour ouvrir ce jour

Arrive in San José

Juan Santamaría International Airport to your hotel in San José

  • Welcome dinner
  • Nuit : San José
  • Environ 45 min de route

Fly into Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), about 20 km west of San José, at any time of day. A driver meets you in the arrivals hall for the 30 to 45 minute drive to the hotel. San José sits at about 1,150 m in the Central Valley, so the evenings are mild. Even here the birding starts: clay-coloured thrushes, the national bird, sing from the gardens, and great-tailed grackles patrol the parks. At about 6 pm your See Sight Tours guide and the group's birding naturalist meet everyone for a briefing.

Matin

You collect the binoculars you will use all trip, learn how to find a bird in them quickly, and hear how the days run: which mornings start at dawn, which are optional, and what to pack for the cloud forest.

Soir

Then we walk to a local restaurant for a welcome dinner of Costa Rican dishes. Tomorrow we leave after breakfast, at about 8 am.

Compris

  • Pick-up at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)
  • Welcome briefing with your guide and naturalist; binoculars handed out
  • Welcome dinner

Temps libre : Free until the evening briefing

Activité : Land by about 4 pm to join the briefing; later arrivals are met and briefed the next morning.

  1. San José1 nuit
  2. Sarapiquí2 nuits
  3. La Fortuna2 nuits
  4. Monteverde2 nuits
  5. Tárcoles1 nuit
  6. Manuel Antonio1 nuit
  7. San Joséarrivée
  • Étape avec nuitée
  • Excursion d'une journée
  • En bateau ou en train
Imprimer l'itinéraire

Faune et météo : December to April is the drier season and the busiest; North American migrant birds such as warblers and tanagers are present from about October to April. Resplendent quetzals nest in the Monteverde area and are seen most often from about February to May. May to November is the green season, with fresh mornings, afternoon rain, fewer visitors and many resident birds breeding. Monteverde is cool and misty in any month and Arenal's summit is often in cloud, which is why we look early.

Vous voulez recevoir ce programme par courriel?

Recevez l'itinéraire jour par jour par courriel, ou posez-nous vos questions sur ce voyage. Un conseiller en voyages vous répond le jour même ou le jour ouvrable suivant.

Avant de réserver

Ce voyage est-il pour vous?

Ce voyage vous convient si vous recherchez

  • Keen and beginner birders who want a naturalist with them every day, not just in the parks
  • Photographers who want time at feeders and early light, without a rushed schedule
  • Travellers happy to get up early some mornings for the best of the wildlife
  • Solo travellers who want company, a fair single price and a guide who handles the logistics

Ce voyage ne vous convient pas si vous recherchez

  • Travellers who want hot springs, beaches and ziplines in the price: take the 9-day classic loop instead
  • Anyone after Tortuguero or Río Celeste: take the 13-day Costa Rica trip
  • Serious listers chasing a long target list: this is a broad nature trip, not a hardcore birding tour
  • Photographers wanting a dedicated photo instructor: the naturalist knows birds and light, but this is not a workshop

Réservez vos vols une fois votre place confirmée.

9 nuits

Où vous logerez

Vos hôtels sont nommés dans la confirmation de votre voyage.

  • San José1 nuit
  • Sarapiquí2 nuits
  • La Fortuna2 nuits
  • Monteverde2 nuits
  • Tárcoles1 nuit
  • Manuel Antonio1 nuit

Un seul prix

Ce que le prix comprend

Compris

Hébergement

  • 9 nights: San José (1), a rainforest lodge in Sarapiquí (2), La Fortuna (2), Monteverde in walking distance of Santa Elena village (2), a lodge near Carara National Park (1) and Manuel Antonio near the park gate (1)
  • Hotels and lodges of a 3-star-plus standard with private bathrooms and hot water, named when we confirm your dates
  • Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement

Transport

  • Pick-up at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) on day 1, whatever your flight time, and drop-off on day 10
  • An air-conditioned van with driver for the whole route
  • Boat across Lake Arenal, with road transfers either side
  • Tárcoles River boat

Votre guide

  • A See Sight Tours guide with the group for the whole trip
  • A specialist birding naturalist with a spotting scope for the whole trip
  • Local guides where sites require them: La Selva Biological Station, the Monteverde night walk and the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve
  • Binoculars lent to every guest for the trip

Activités

  • Feeder stop at Cinchona
  • Dawn birding walks on the lodge grounds in Sarapiquí
  • La Selva Biological Station guided morning walk
  • Hanging bridges on the flank of Arenal Volcano
  • Arenal Volcano National Park entry and guided walk
  • Guided night walk in Monteverde
  • Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve entry and guided walk
  • Tárcoles River boat into the mangroves
  • Carara National Park entry and guided walk
  • Manuel Antonio National Park entry and guided walk

Repas

  • 9 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners
  • Lunches on days 2, 3, 4, 8 and 9
  • Welcome dinner in San José, two dinners at the Sarapiquí lodge, dinner at the Carara lodge and a farewell dinner in Manuel Antonio

Non compris

  • International flights to and from San José
  • Travel insurance
  • Lunches on days 5, 6, 7 and 10 and dinners on days 4 to 7
  • Drinks
  • Tips for your guide, naturalist, driver and local guides
  • Optional activities such as hot springs, La Fortuna Waterfall, ziplining, rafting, the Sarapiquí River boat and coffee farm tours
  • Camera equipment and personal expenses
  • Costa Rica's departure tax, if it is not already in your air ticket

Suppléments

Chambre individuelle
CAD 505 (prix estimé)

Quand partir

Dates et prix

Choisissez votre date de départ au moment de votre demande de réservation. Nous vérifions cette date et la confirmons dans votre devis.

Vous préférez voyager sans groupe ni guide? Demandez-nous d'organiser vos hôtels, vos transports et vos visites de ville pour voyager en autonomie.

Avant de réserver

Conditions de réservation

Rien n'est facturé maintenant. Les conditions complètes et le barème d'annulation accompagnent votre devis, avant que vous acceptiez.

Adresses de l'entreprise

See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584

Avis des voyageurs

Ce que disent nos voyageurs

Avis de voyageurs ayant participé à nos visites d'une journée.

Cornelius Amann
06 octobre 2026
google

5/5

Parminder did a great job guiding us around, giving us tips & teaching us the history of the falls. A great experience!

Jane
06 octobre 2026
gyg

5/5

Good views of the surrounding area of Halifax in a comfortable minivan

Susan
06 octobre 2026
gyg

5/5

June was brilliant- made good contact beforehand and really attentive and knowledgeable. Made me feel like I was special- something only experience can do. Thank you June.

Tom L
05 octobre 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Our host was very knowledgeable, friendly and even provided some humor.

MandL83
05 octobre 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Peter was a very good guide, giving us insight into the various parts of the Park, including parking lot congestion details, trail and viewing location suggestions.

Darren O
05 octobre 2026
tripadvisor

5/5

Excellent morning spent with my guide Nancy. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Thoroughly enjoyed my trip

4.7/5 sur 38 601 avis de voyageurs

Bon à savoir

Questions

What does the price include?

Nine nights in hotels and lodges, 9 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 5 dinners, airport transfers, an air-conditioned van and driver, the boats on Lake Arenal and the Tárcoles River, your See Sight Tours guide and a birding naturalist for all ten days, loaned binoculars, and every entry in the plan: La Selva, the hanging bridges, the night walk and four national parks or reserves.

Do I need to be an experienced birder?

No. The naturalist works at the group's pace, explains how to find birds in binoculars on the first evening, and puts the scope on everything worth seeing so everyone gets a look. Experienced birders will enjoy the time at feeders and in the forest, but this is a broad nature trip, not a target-list tour.

Do I need to bring binoculars or a camera?

No. We lend every guest a pair of binoculars for the trip, so bring your own only if you prefer them. Any camera works: a phone held to the naturalist's scope takes good record shots, and a long lens of about 300 mm or more is worth bringing if you have one. Bring spare batteries and a dry bag.

How big is the group?

The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests. That keeps everyone close to the naturalist on narrow forest trails, gives each person a quick turn at the scope, and fits one van with room for bags.

Who leads the trip?

Two people stay with the group for all ten days: a See Sight Tours guide who runs the logistics, and a specialist birding naturalist with a spotting scope. Local guides join where sites require them, at La Selva, on the Monteverde night walk and in the Monteverde reserve. Our own driver and van carry the group between bases.

How early are the starts, and how fit do I need to be?

Dawn walks in Sarapiquí start at about 5:45 am and are optional. Parks are visited at opening, 7 or 8 am, and luggage days leave at 8 am or later. Walks are 2 to 4 km at a slow birding pace, with an easier choice. Inland bases get two nights each; the two Pacific stops are single nights so the boat, Carara and Manuel Antonio fall in their best hours.

I am travelling solo. Is there a single supplement?

Solo travellers are welcome. You can share a room at the twin-share price, or have a room of your own from CAD 505 more, shown up front when you request to book. There is no other solo charge, and the shared lodge dinners in Sarapiquí and Carara make it easy to meet the group.

When is the best time to see the resplendent quetzal?

From about February to May, when quetzals nest in and around Monteverde and are easiest to find; those are the departures we schedule first. December to April is also the drier season, with migrant birds present until about April. Quetzals can be seen in other months, but no sighting is ever guaranteed.

Do I need a visa for Costa Rica?

Canadian, US, UK and most EU passport holders do not need a visa for a tourist stay. You need a passport valid for your whole stay and proof of onward travel, such as your return flight. Rules change and depend on your passport, so check them before you book.

How does booking work?

Choose your start date and request to book. We confirm your place within 24 hours, and no payment is taken when you send the request. The small group starts from CAD 2,985 per person sharing, taxes included, and the price you see is the price of the trip.

Can we travel privately or on our own dates?

Yes. Besides the small group, the trip comes as a private trip for your party only, on a date you choose, with your own naturalist, from CAD 5,375 per person sharing. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same lodges and guided visits.

How is this different from your other Costa Rica trips?

This one is built around wildlife: a birding naturalist for all ten days, Sarapiquí and La Selva, the Tárcoles boat and Carara. The 9-day Arenal, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio loop includes hot springs and a San José walk instead, and the 13-day Volcanoes, Cloud Forest and Coasts trip adds Tortuguero and Río Celeste.

Bons plans voyage et alertes horaires

Nous vous écrivons seulement quand ça compte : changements d'horaire, événements ou saison touchant nos tours.

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