Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
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 days · Round trip from San José · up to 12 guests
Red-legged honeycreeper in Sarapiquí Photo: Bernard Gagnon, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Red-legged_honeycreeper_in_Costa_Rica_02.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Start and end
- Round trip from San José
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Longest drive
- 3.5 h on day 10No drive day is longer than 4 hours.
- Activity level
Moderate
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.
- Meals included
- 9 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 505 (estimated price)
- Season
- Year round; quetzal season about February to May
Highlights
Why this trip
- 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
What makes this trip different
Short drives, all published
Every drive is listed day by day, and none is longer than 4 hours.
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 505 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
The longest drive is 3.5 h, on day 10.
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in San José
Juan Santamaría International Airport to your hotel in San José
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in San José
- Drive about 45 min
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.
Morning
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.
Evening
Then we walk to a local restaurant for a welcome dinner of Costa Rican dishes. Tomorrow we leave after breakfast, at about 8 am.
Included
- Pick-up at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)
- Welcome briefing with your guide and naturalist; binoculars handed out
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
Activity: Land by about 4 pm to join the briefing; later arrivals are met and briefed the next morning.
Over the mountains to Sarapiquí
San José to Vara Blanca and Cinchona, then Sarapiquí
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Sarapiquí
- Drive about 2.5 h
We leave at about 8 am and climb north past Heredia into the mountains between Poás and Barva volcanoes, through the dairy and strawberry country of Vara Blanca.
Morning
Mid-morning we stop at Cinchona, where a roadside café looks across a forested gorge to a waterfall and keeps fruit and sugar-water feeders.
Afternoon
It is one of the easiest places in the country to photograph hummingbirds, tanagers and, often, emerald toucanets at a few metres' distance, so we stay for lunch and take our time. From there the road drops steeply through the cloud into the Caribbean lowlands, and the air turns hot and humid. We reach our lodge in Sarapiquí, base for two nights, by mid-afternoon, about two and a half hours of driving in all. At about 4 pm, when the heat eases, the naturalist walks the lodge grounds with the group: oropendola nests, toucans and the first poison dart frogs.
Evening
Dinner is at the lodge.
Included
- Drive from San José to Sarapiquí with your guide and naturalist
- Feeder stop and lunch at Cinchona
- Late-afternoon birding walk on the lodge grounds
- Dinner at the lodge
Easier option: Skip the afternoon walk and watch from the lodge veranda.
Free time: Free evening at the lodge
Activity: The road from Cinchona to the lowlands is steep and winding; tell us if you are prone to car sickness and sit at the front.
Dawn birding and La Selva
The lodge grounds at dawn, then La Selva Biological Station
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Sarapiquí
- Drive about 30 min
The lowland forest is loudest in the first two hours of light, so the naturalist is on the lodge grounds at about 5:45 am with coffee and the scope. Join for as long as you like; parrots and toucans cross the river, and tanagers and woodpeckers work the fruiting trees by the buildings.
Morning
After breakfast we drive about 15 minutes to La Selva Biological Station, a working research station where scientists have studied lowland rainforest since the 1960s. A station naturalist leads the morning walk with ours, over the suspension bridge across the river and along paved and earth trails through old forest. Possible sightings include chestnut-mandibled and keel-billed toucans, trogons, motmots, collared peccaries, sloths and strawberry poison dart frogs; the endangered great green macaw feeds in this region but is never certain.
Afternoon
Lunch is at the station. The hot afternoon is free for a siesta, the lodge trails, or an optional boat trip on the Sarapiquí River.
Evening
Dinner is at the lodge.
Included
- Dawn birding walk on the lodge grounds with the naturalist
- La Selva Biological Station morning walk with a station naturalist
- Lunch at the station
- Dinner at the lodge
Optional experiences
- Boat trip or rafting on the Sarapiquí River, booked at the operator's own price
Easier option: Sleep in and skip the dawn walk, or join it for half an hour from the veranda.
More active option: Stay out on the lodge trails after lunch with the naturalist's map and look for frogs and lizards in the afternoon heat.
Free time: Afternoon free at the lodge
Activity: About 3 to 4 km at La Selva on mostly flat trails; hot and humid. Long sleeves and repellent help.
West to Arenal and into the canopy
Sarapiquí to La Fortuna, then a hanging-bridges park
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in La Fortuna
- Drive about 2.5 h
Morning
There is one more optional dawn walk on the lodge grounds before breakfast. We leave at about 8 am and drive west across the northern plains by Aguas Zarcas, past pineapple, cattle and sugar cane, about two hours to La Fortuna, our base for two nights.
Afternoon
Lunch is included in town. In the early afternoon we drive about 20 minutes to a hanging-bridges park on the flank of Arenal Volcano: a loop of forest trail and suspension bridges at treetop height. From the bridges you see the canopy from the level where most of the birds and monkeys live, and the naturalist sets the scope on whatever appears, from tanagers to motmots, while the volcano fills the gaps between the trees when the clouds allow. The afternoon light is warm and low by the time we finish, good for photographs of the cone.
Evening
The evening is free in La Fortuna.
Included
- Optional dawn walk on the lodge grounds
- Drive from Sarapiquí to La Fortuna
- Lunch in La Fortuna
- Hanging bridges on the flank of Arenal Volcano with the naturalist
Easier option: Walk only the first section of bridges and wait at the entrance café.
Free time: Evening free in La Fortuna
Activity: About 3 km of trail with suspension bridges; some steps and slopes. The bridges are stable but high.
Arenal Volcano National Park at opening
La Fortuna to Arenal Volcano National Park and back
- Breakfast
- Stay in La Fortuna
- Drive about 1 h
Arenal, about 1,630 m high, erupted without warning in 1968 and stayed active until 2010.
Morning
Its summit is often in cloud by late morning, and the forest birds quieten as the day warms, so we are at the gate of Arenal Volcano National Park when it opens at about 8 am. The trails cross regrown forest and old lava flows, now covered in ferns and shrubs, to a viewpoint over the volcano and Lake Arenal. The naturalist works slowly, looking for crested guans, motmots, oropendolas and hummingbirds, with howler monkeys and coatis often close by; expect to walk about 3 km in three hours. We are back in town by noon.
Afternoon
The afternoon is free: rest, edit photographs, or take an optional trip to the hot springs or La Fortuna Waterfall. For anyone who wants more birds, the naturalist offers a short late-afternoon walk near the hotel.
Included
- Arenal Volcano National Park entry from opening with the naturalist: forest trails, old lava flows and the volcano viewpoint
- Late-afternoon bird walk near the hotel with the naturalist
Optional experiences
- Hot springs near La Fortuna, La Fortuna Waterfall, ziplining or canyoning, booked at the operator's own price
Easier option: Walk only to the first viewpoint and wait in the van, or take the afternoon off entirely.
More active option: Add the late-afternoon bird walk, or the roughly 500 steps down to La Fortuna Waterfall (own entry).
Free time: Lunch, the afternoon and the evening free in La Fortuna
Activity: About 3 km on gentle park trails, loose rock on the lava flows; sun and heat in the open sections.
Across Lake Arenal to Monteverde
La Fortuna by road to Lake Arenal, by boat across the lake, then by road up to Monteverde
- Breakfast
- Stay in Monteverde
- Drive about 2 h
There is no direct road from La Fortuna to Monteverde, and driving round Lake Arenal takes about four hours, so we cross the lake by boat.
Morning
After breakfast and an 8 am departure, a short drive brings us to a dock near the Arenal dam, where a covered boat carries the group and our bags across the water, with the volcano behind us when the sky is clear; the naturalist watches the shore for herons, kingfishers and ospreys. On the far side our van meets us for the climb into the Tilarán hills, the last stretch winding and partly unpaved, to Santa Elena at about 1,400 m.
Afternoon
We arrive around midday; lunch and the afternoon are yours, and the hummingbird feeders near the reserves are a good use of it.
Evening
At dusk we go out with a local guide and our naturalist on a two-hour night walk in a private reserve: sleeping birds, tarantulas, tree frogs and, with luck, a sloth or a kinkajou.
Included
- Van and boat crossing of Lake Arenal, with road transfers either side
- Guided night walk in a private reserve near Santa Elena
Free time: Lunch and the afternoon free in Santa Elena
Activity: The night walk is about 2 hours on forest paths with a torch; Monteverde evenings are cool, so bring a warm layer.
Looking for the quetzal in the cloud forest
Santa Elena to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve and back
- Breakfast
- Stay in Monteverde
- Drive about 30 min
Morning
This is the morning many birders come for. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve opens at 7 am, the first hour is the quietest, and the resplendent quetzal feeds on wild avocado trees near the trails in the early morning, so we are at the gate when it opens. With a reserve guide alongside our naturalist we walk about 3 km under trees thick with mosses, bromeliads and orchids, listening for the metallic bonk of the three-wattled bellbird and watching for black guans, prong-billed barbets and the quetzal's green and crimson. Quetzals are seen most often from about February to May, when they nest; outside those months they are harder to find, and in any month never certain. The reserve was founded in 1972 on land from the Quaker families who settled here in the early 1950s.
Evening
Lunch and the afternoon are free, and the evening too. If rain sets in, the naturalist moves the walk to the next clear spell.
Included
- Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve entry from opening with a reserve guide and the naturalist
Optional experiences
- A coffee and chocolate farm tour, ziplining or a butterfly garden, booked at the operator's own price
Easier option: Walk the first loop only and return to the hummingbird feeders by the entrance.
More active option: Stay on in the reserve after the guided walk and walk out to the continental divide viewpoint; the van collects you in the early afternoon.
Free time: Lunch, the afternoon and the evening free
Activity: About 3 km on wet, root-crossed trails at about 1,500 m; cool and damp. Waterproof shoes and a warm layer.
Down to the Pacific and the Tárcoles River
Monteverde to Tárcoles, then by boat into the river mouth
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Tárcoles
- Drive about 3 h
Morning
Anyone who wants one more look at the cloud forest can join the naturalist at the hotel garden at first light.
Afternoon
We leave at about 8:30 am and wind down out of the hills to the Pan-American Highway, then south to the Pacific, about three hours with a stop and a sit-down lunch near the coast. In the afternoon, timed to the tide, we board a covered boat on the Tárcoles River for about two hours. Large American crocodiles lie on the mud banks, and the boat runs into the mangroves near the river mouth, where roseate spoonbills, boat-billed herons, wood storks, kingfishers and the mangrove birds of the Pacific coast feed.
Evening
Scarlet macaws often fly over towards evening. Tonight we stay at a lodge near Carara National Park, where we have dinner together; we stop here, not at Manuel Antonio, because Carara is best at its opening tomorrow.
Included
- Optional dawn walk in Monteverde
- Drive from Monteverde to Tárcoles with a sit-down lunch
- Tárcoles River boat into the mangroves, about 2 hours
- Dinner at the lodge
Free time: Late afternoon free at the lodge after the boat
Activity: About 3 hours of driving, then 2 hours on a covered boat with steps on and off. Hat, sun cream and water.
Carara at opening, then Manuel Antonio
Carara National Park, then the coast road to Manuel Antonio
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Manuel Antonio
- Drive about 2 h
Carara National Park lies where the dry forest of the north Pacific meets the wetter forest of the south, so birds from both meet here, and it is a stronghold of the scarlet macaw. We are at the gate at opening (7 am from December to April, 8 am from May to November) and spend about three hours on its flat trails, one of them paved and accessible. The naturalist looks for macaws, trogons, motmots, antbirds and manakins dancing at their display sites, with agoutis and white-faced capuchins on the ground and in the trees.
Afternoon
We have a sit-down lunch nearby, then drive south past Jacó and through oil palm plantations to Manuel Antonio, about an hour and a half.
Evening
The late afternoon is free for the pool, Playa Espadilla or the sunset over the Pacific. In the evening the group sits down together for a farewell dinner with the naturalist and your guide.
Included
- Carara National Park entry from opening with the naturalist
- Sit-down lunch near Carara
- Drive to Manuel Antonio
- Farewell dinner
Easier option: Stay on the paved, accessible trail near the entrance, with benches.
More active option: Walk the longer loop trail into the wetter forest for manakins and antbirds.
Free time: Late afternoon free in Manuel Antonio
Activity: About 2 to 3 km on flat trails; hot and humid by mid-morning.
Manuel Antonio at 7 am, then fly home
Manuel Antonio National Park, then to Juan Santamaría International Airport
- Breakfast
- Drive about 3.5 h
Morning
A last early morning. Manuel Antonio National Park is small and busy, with a daily cap on visitors, so we have tickets bought ahead and go in at 7 am, when the animals are most active and the paths are quiet. For about two hours the naturalist sets the scope on what the forest gives us: two- and three-toed sloths, white-faced capuchins, Central American squirrel monkeys, iguanas, toucans and fiery-billed aracaris, ending at the pale sand of Playa Manuel Antonio.
Afternoon
We are back at the hotel by about 9:30 to change, and leave at about 10:30 for Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), about three hours and 170 km by Route 34 and Route 27, with a stop on the way for lunch (at your own cost), arriving at about 2 pm. Book a flight leaving after about 5 pm. The park closes on Tuesdays, so we set our dates so this morning is never a Tuesday.
Included
- Manuel Antonio National Park entry from opening with the naturalist
- Drop-off at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)
Easier option: Skip the park and enjoy a slow breakfast and the hotel pool before the transfer.
Activity: Book international flights leaving after about 5 pm. Earlier flight, or want to stay on? Ask us for a separate transfer or extra nights.
- San José1 night
- Sarapiquí2 nights
- La Fortuna2 nights
- Monteverde2 nights
- Tárcoles1 night
- Manuel Antonio1 night
- San Joséend
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: 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.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- 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
Not for you if you want
- 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
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
9 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- San José1 night
- Sarapiquí2 nights
- La Fortuna2 nights
- Monteverde2 nights
- Tárcoles1 night
- Manuel Antonio1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 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
Your 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
Activities
- 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
Meals
- 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
Not included
- 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
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 505 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
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+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
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.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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