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A wonderful two weeks travelling in Costa Rica, staying in the most fabulous locations and being guided by the most extraordinarily talented bird spotter. The highlights were varied and many... watching the leaf-cutter ants busily going about their work, standing in the rain forest with howler monkeys all around us... a surround sound experience, watching brown boobies diving to catch flying fish in the air whilst dolphins stirred the water nearby, watching a pair of woodpeckers having a "domestic" after one had been clearing out their nest, spending an hour watching a pair of Resplendent Quetzals nest building, gliding along the Sierpe and Tarcoles rivers watching an astonishing abundance of wildlife, dawn at Las Cruces as the brighly coloured Tanagers and many other species appeared at the feeders, the "red jeans" and red-eyed tree frogs noisily making their presence known ... the list just goes on. Excellent, great itinerary, superb guide, excellent and very safe driver.
A.S. Kent, Feb 22
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The Best of Southern Costa Rica
Tour Code: CRI03A 14-day birdwatching and wildlife holiday to southern Costa Rica, including three nights in Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica's flagship wildlife reserve and one of the most biologically diverse places on Earth!
£5,695 (Inc flights)
£4,895
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
We begin this tour with two nights in the moss-draped cloudforests of the Talamanca Mountains. Here we will have our first taste of Costa Rica’s dazzling variety of hummingbirds, tanagers and other birdlife, plus the stunning Resplendent Quetzal, one of the most beautiful birds in the world! Next we drive south to the pre-montane forests of Las Cruces Biological Station and the lowland tropical rainforest of Piedras Blancas National Park, before transferring by boat to what should be the highlight of the holiday, a 3-night stay in Corcovado National Park, the ‘jewel in the crown’ of Costa Rica’s protected areas. Corcovado has been named the world’s most ‘biologically intense place’ by National Geographic and is one of the best places in the country to look for mammals including Baird's Tapir, Mantled Howler Monkey, Central American Spider Monkey and Northern Tamandua. Birds are also abundant and include Costa Rica’s largest population of Scarlet Macaws, plus White Hawk and perhaps the rare White-crested Coquette. Lastly we head back to San Jose, via Carara National Park, for our flight home.
- Three nights in a beach-front lodge on the edge of Corcovado National Park
- Explore the moss-draped cloudforests of the Cordillera de Talamanca
- Numerous colourful tanagers, trogons, toucans & motmots
- Birds include Resplendent Quetzal, Rufous-tailed Jacamar & White Hawk
- Hear Corcovado ‘dawn chorus’ of Mantled Howler Monkeys, birds & other wildlife
- Night walks in Piedras Blancas NP in search of frogs, snakes & nocturnal birds
- Look for Northern Tamandua, Baird's Tapir & Central American Spider Monkey
- Explore trails around Las Cruces Biological Station & Wilson Botanical Gardens
- Led by expert local naturalist guides
Grading
Grade B. Easy to moderate day walks, although the heat and humidity, especially in the lowlands, can make walking tiring.
Even in a country as biologically rich and diverse as Costa Rica, Corcovado National Park is special. Named ‘the most biologically intense place on Earth’ by National Geographic, this vast tract of untouched rainforest, cloudforest, wetlands and pristine palm-fringed beaches is a natural history treasure-house second to none! The diversity and abundance of wildlife here is staggering. For example, the park protects 500 species of tree (a quarter of the species in Costa Rica), over 6,000 species of insect, 140 species of mammal, 116 species of amphibian and reptile, and more than 400 species of bird. Despite this abundance of life, Corcovado is rarely included on the traditional birding and wildlife circuits of Costa Rica, primarily due to its location in the far south-west of the country. What is needed, therefore, is a wildlife holiday that focuses primarily on this southern, less visited, half of the country and this exciting Naturetrek itinerary does just that!
As well as a 3-night stay in Corcovado National Park we will also visit a contrasting range of habitats and elevations from the highland forests of the Talamanca Mountains and Las Cruces Biological Station to the lush lowland rainforests of the Pacific coast. We begin our holiday, however, with a flight to San José, the Costa Rican capital. After one night on the edge of the city, we commence our journey south by climbing into the moss-draped cloudforests of the Talamanca Mountains for two nights, home to the spectacular Resplendent Quetzal, one of the most beautiful birds in the world! Here we will get our first taste of the huge variety of birdlife that occurs in Costa Rica. Hummingbirds, such as Talamanca and Fiery-throated, zip to and fro between flowering shrubs and hummingbird feeders. Mixed tanager and warbler flocks often include such gems as Collared Whitestart and Flame-throated Warbler, whilst elegant Swallow-tailed Kites glide overhead.
Moving on, we complete our journey into southern Costa Rica by travelling down the mountainous spine of the country to Las Cruces Biological Station. Las Cruces is a working ecological research station, set in the Wilson Botanical Gardens at 1,500 metres above sea level and only 5 kilometres from the Panama border. It protects 300 hectares of pre-montane wet forest and is home to over 350 species of bird and 2,000 species of plant. Species to look out for include Speckled and Golden-hooded Tanagers, Red-faced Spinetail and Fiery-billed Aracari, plus Central American Agouti which wander around the grounds looking for palm nuts.
Next we descend from the mountains into the lowland tropical rainforests of Piedras Blancas National Park. Here we will spend one night at Esquinas Rainforest Lodge, a simple but comfortable retreat on the edge of the forest, where Slaty-tailed Trogon, Rufous Jacamar and Buff-rumped Warbler are amongst some of the garden highlights. As well as birdwatching during the day in search of King Vulture, Orange-collared Manakin, Cocoa Woodcreeper and many others, we will also take a night walk in search of some of Costa Rica’s nocturnal inhabitants. These should include the attractive Red-eyed Tree Frog, perhaps an owl or two, or even a snake such as Eye-lash Pit Viper or Fer-de-lance.
For the undoubted highlight of our holiday we board a boat for the 2-hour journey down the Sierpe River and along the palm-fringed Pacific coastline to Drake’s Bay on the northern edge of Corcovado National Park. On arrival, we will transfer to a comfortable beach-front lodge for three nights, our base whilst we explore this ‘jewel in the crown’ of Costa Rica’s protected areas. Corcovado National Park covers 424 square kilometres of the Osa Peninsula and protects the largest tract of primary rainforest left on the Pacific coastline of the Americas. Commoner mammals to look out for include Mantled Howler Monkey, Central American Spider Monkey, Squirrel Monkey and Northern Tamandua. The rare Baird’s Tapir is also frequently seen during early morning walks, although it would take a great deal of luck to find one of the elusive Jaguars or Pumas which still prowl the forests in good numbers. Birdlife is prolific and includes Costa Rica’s largest population of Scarlet Macaws, plus White Hawk, Baird’s Trogon, Long-billed Antwren, Blue-throated Goldentail and the rare White-crested Coquette. Even the Harpy Eagle, the greatest avian predator in the Americas, still retains a toe-hold in the remoter, little-visited, areas of the park!
Finally, we will break the journey back to San José with three nights on the edge of Carara National Park. Here we will search for a final few Costa Rican birds and mammals, before completing our return to the Costa Rican capital in time for our flight home.
Outline Itinerary
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation:
We stay in comfortable hotels and rainforest lodges, all with private facilities.
- Food:
All meals are included in the price except for dinner on Day 1 and lunch on Day 13 (allow £20).
Reviews
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Visited an interesting variety of wildlife habitats, with much to see. Excellent guides meant that we saw much more than we would have done on our own, and guides appreciated that many of us wanted to see all sorts of things & weren't just birders wanting ticks for our life lists. We have travelled several times with Naturetrek: very impressed by their strong conservation ethics, well-chosen destinations & itineraries, very competent & personable guides & assiduous care for their clients.
D.T. Devon, Jan 22 -
Good itinerary, great value. Knowledgeable and personable tour leader who dealt well with all questions about the country and wildlife.
V.E. Hampshire, Feb 20 -
Erick Castro was brilliant, his kindness, patience and above all his incredible spotting and identification skills made this trip so memorable. The boat trips were particularly good, the first up the Rio Tarcoles, and the two from Drake Bay, to Corcovado N.P. and the one up the Rio Sierpe, on which we saw a fantastic variety of wildlife.
J. & J. B. Essex, Feb 20 -
Our local guide, Yehudi Hernandez was brilliant, as was our Naturetrek leader Tim Melling, and our driver Alberto. There was a good balance between organised activity and free time. We saw an amazing number of birds - some very rare - and so much else as well.
A.E. Lancashire -
A tour & exploration to discover some of the birds & animals to be found throughout Southern Costa Rica. Varied terrains, regions, & accommodation were experienced in order to see as much as possible without speeding from place to place. A well paced trip with excellent leaders/guides.
A.C. Powys
Dates & Prices
2024
2025
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The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Mammal Watching Holidays
Many of the world’s mammals are instantly recognisable to us. Animals such as Lions, Tigers, elephants and bears capture our imaginations from an early age. At Naturetrek, we take great pleasure and pride in helping people to fulfil their lifelong dreams of seeing these iconic species in the wild. We also enjoy introducing our clients to some of the world’s more unusual mammals, many of which are just as fascinating.
Naturetrek Mammal Watching Tours
Many of our tours have a primary focus on mammals and we offer the widest choices of mammal-watching holidays across the globe, from the poles to the tropics. Our holidays are guided by at least one professional naturalist tour leader and usually benefit from additional guiding by expert local naturalist guides. We have holidays to see an incredible range of the world’s most sought-after mammals, such as orangutans, lemurs, bats, polar mammals, big cats, and mammals of the African savannah. A significant number of tours also targets some of the planet’s more unusual and elusive species, from pottos and pangolins to slender lorises and obscure cetaceans.
Here’s a selection of our mammal tours:
- India’s Kanha and Pench Tiger Reserves
- A cruise to Spitsbergen in search of Polar Bears
- A chance to see the ‘Big Five’ and much more in South Africa’s Kruger National Park
- Search for Blue, Fin and Sperm Whales in the Azores
- Close-up views of Brown Bear and Wolverine in Finland
- Enjoy the mammals of Kenya’s Masai Mara, while staying in luxury camps
- Search for elusive nocturnal mammals, such as Aardvark, Black-footed Cat and Aardwolf, in the Kalahari Desert
Bargain mammal selection
We offer a range of action-packed bargain holidays for the dedicated mammal enthusiast, which are exceptional value for money, from Belize to Zambia.
Our specialist recommends...
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
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Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
