Costa Rica Birding Odyssey

The Trip

Day 1:  Naranjo – Chayote Lodge
Day 2:  Caño Negro Wetlands – Caño Negro Natural Lodge
Day 3:  Caño Negro Wetlands – Caño Negro Natural Lodge
Day 4:  Sarapiquí Rainforest – Selva Verde Lodge
Day 5:  Sarapiquí Rainforest – Selva Verde Lodge
Day 6:  Turrialba Valley – Rancho Naturalista
Day 7:  San Gerardo de Dota – Savegre Natural Reserve & Spa
Day 8:  San Gerardo de Dota – Savegre Natural Reserve & Spa
Day 9:  Piedras Blancas National Park – Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
Day 10: Piedras Blancas National Park – Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
Day 11: Piedras Blancas National Park – Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
Day 12: Carara National Park – Macaw Lodge
Day 13: Carara National Park – Macaw Lodge
Day 14: Transfer to San Jose International Airport

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Costa Rica – Naranjo
Arrive at San José airport and meet your local representative before travelling into the cool highlands of Naranjo, a region shaped by rolling coffee plantations and sweeping views of the Central Volcanic Range. Settle into your lodge, designed to evoke the traditional recibidores where coffee cherries were once collected. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure, breathing in the crisp mountain air and watching the light shift across the valleys. This gentle first day eases you into Costa Rica’s landscapes, culture and slower pace of life.

Stay at Chayote Lodge (B)

Day 2: Birding Chayote – Travel to Caño Negro Wetlands

Begin the morning with a guided birdwatching walk around the lodge, where the surrounding coffee fields and forest edges attract a surprising variety of highland species. Afterwards, travel north toward the remote Caño Negro wetlands, a Ramsar‑listed sanctuary of lagoons, marshes and slow‑moving waterways near the Nicaraguan border. This region is one of Costa Rica’s most important migratory bird habitats, offering a dramatic contrast to the highlands you’ve just left behind.

Stay at Caño Negro Natural Lodge (B)

Day 3: Birding & Wetlands Boat Tour
Spend the morning exploring Caño Negro’s mosaic of wetlands, where both resident and migratory birds gather in extraordinary numbers. Your guide will help you search for shy species hidden among reeds and flooded forest. In the afternoon, board a comfortable boat to navigate the Rio Frío and Caño Negro Lagoon, gliding past cormorant colonies, roseate spoonbills, herons, ibises and the rare Nicaraguan grackle. The stillness of the waterways and the density of birdlife make this one of Costa Rica’s most memorable wildlife experiences.

Stay at Caño Negro Natural Lodge (B)

Day 4: Travel To Sarapiquí Rainforest
Travel southeast into the warm, humid lowlands of Sarapiquí, a region known for its lush primary rainforest and its role as a biological corridor linking to Braulio Carrillo National Park. On arrival, settle into your lodge, surrounded by towering trees, hanging vines and the constant chorus of tropical birds. Sarapiquí is a favourite among naturalists for its rich biodiversity and accessible trails, offering excellent chances to encounter monkeys, toucans, frogs and countless insects.

Stay at Selva Verde Lodge (B)

Day 5: Rainforest Hike in Selva Verde Reserve
Join a naturalist guide for a leisurely walk through Selva Verde’s private reserve, a protected area of old‑growth and secondary forest threaded with well‑maintained trails. Learn about the intricate relationships between plants, animals and the rainforest ecosystem as you search for motmots, toucans, poison dart frogs and other wildlife. The pace is gentle, allowing time for photography and observation.

Stay at Selva Verde Lodge (B)

Day 6: Travel To Turrialba Valley
Drive into the fertile valleys of Cartago province, where misty hillsides and patchwork farmland give way to the pre‑mountain rainforests surrounding Turrialba. Arrive at Rancho Naturalista, one of Costa Rica’s premier birding lodges, renowned for its hummingbird feeders and balcony birding—often allowing close views of species such as snowcap, white‑necked jacobin and green thorntail. Spend the afternoon enjoying the lodge’s relaxed atmosphere and watching the constant movement of birds around the gardens and forest edge.

Stay at Rancho Naturalista (B)

Day 7: Birding At Rancho Naturalista – On to San Gerardo De Dota
Begin at sunrise, when mixed flocks move actively through the forest and hummingbirds gather at feeders. After breakfast, continue south into the Talamanca Mountains, climbing into the cool cloud forests of San Gerardo de Dota. This secluded valley, filled with ancient oaks and moss‑draped branches, is one of the best places in the world to see the Resplendent Quetzal. Enjoy an afternoon birding walk through the lodge’s trails, where high‑altitude species thrive.

Stay at Savegre Natural Reserve & Spa (B)

Day 8: Quetzal territory – Full‑day birding at Savegre
Spend the day exploring the cloud forests of Savegre and the Quetzal National Park. Begin early to search for the Resplendent Quetzal, often found feeding on wild avocado trees. Continue through a variety of habitats, from riverbanks to dense oak forest, looking for species such as the flame‑throated warbler, barred becard, torrent tyrannulet and the elusive silvery‑fronted tapaculo.

Stay at Savegre Natural Reserve & Spa (B)

Day 9: Travel To Piedras Blancas National Park
Travel south through dramatic mountain scenery before descending toward the Golfo Dulce region, one of Costa Rica’s most biodiverse lowland rainforests. Arrive at Esquinas Rainforest Lodge, set beside Piedras Blancas National Park, a protected area known for its dense vegetation, abundant birdlife and remote, untouched feel. The surrounding forest hums
with life, creating an immersive natural soundtrack.

Stay at Esquinas Rainforest Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 10: Guided Rainforest & Wetlands Birding
Join your guide for an early morning exploration of the surrounding rainforest, wetlands and coastal lagoon areas. This region supports an impressive variety of neo‑tropical birds, from colourful tanagers and honeycreepers to herons, kingfishers and raptors. Trails wind through primary and secondary forest, offering opportunities to observe wildlife at different layers of the ecosystem.

Stay at Esquinas Rainforest Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 11: Day At Leisure in the Rainforest
Enjoy a relaxed day surrounded by pristine rainforest. You may choose to unwind at the lodge, listening to the sounds of nature, or join optional guided walks focusing on forest ecology, wildlife tracking or birdwatching. The area’s remoteness and low visitor numbers create a peaceful atmosphere, ideal for photography, quiet observation or simply absorbing the rhythms of the rainforest.

Stay at Esquinas Rainforest Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 12: Travel to Carara National Park

Travel north along the Pacific coast toward the transitional forests of Carara National Park, where humid rainforest meets the drier northern zone, creating exceptional biodiversity. Arrive at Macaw Lodge, an off‑grid eco‑retreat powered by solar energy and surrounded by extensive gardens designed to attract wildlife.

Stay at Macaw Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 13: Birding in Carara
Enjoy a gentle half‑day birding hike through the forests around Jacó, guided by a bilingual naturalist. Carara is famous for its scarlet macaws, which often fly overhead in pairs, as well as toucans, motmots, hummingbirds and a variety of forest‑dwelling species. Trails are well maintained and the pace relaxed, allowing time to observe behaviour and appreciate the diversity of this transitional habitat.

Stay at Macaw Lodge (B, L, D)

Day 14: Return To San José for departure
Depart Macaw Lodge and travel back to San José, a scenic journey of around two hours. Depending on your flight time, enjoy a final morning surrounded by nature before heading to the airport, arriving three hours before your international departure.