CLASSIC HOTSPOTS BIRDING TOUR

Our Costa Rica Hotspots Tour features excellent birding sites in central Costa Rica. Sites covered include Ceiba-Cascajal Road, Carara National Park, San Gerardo de Dota, the Talamanca highlands, Reserva El Copal, Hotel Quelitales grounds, and La Selva Biological Station. The tour has the potential of recording about 300 species during a week of birding. The best time to take this tour is during early dry season from January-March. During this time birds are in full breeding plumage and are most active. By April Resplendent Quetzals are in nesting holes and can be more difficult to see. Accommodations are good to excellent throughout the tour.

The tour begins with a transfer from our hotel near the international airport to the Pacific lowlands with a morning of birding along the productive Ceiba-Cascajal Road through dry forest and open areas. During a two night stop at Cerro Lodge, a full day will be devoted to birding nearby Carara National Park. A transfer south and then west that includes a couple birding stops leads to the Talamanca highlands including Cerro de la Muerte and San Gerardo de Dota. One morning will be devoted to seeking Resplendent Quetzals at Paraiso Quetzales followed by an afternoon birding highland areas above our lodge. We then continue on to a productive forest site full of tanager species at Reserva El Copal. We'll spend that night and the following morning at nearby Hotel Quelitales where over 70% of all hummingbird species in Costa Rica occur. From there we move on to the Sarapiqui area for a morning of birding on the Caribbean middle elevation site at La Selva Biological Station where over 400 species have been recorded. The tour ends with a transfer back to Alajuela with a stop to view hummingbirds en route.

Tour Considerations

PACE - The pace of this tour is very easy.

DIFFICULTY - Birding during the tour is along roadsides and relatively flat trails. One higher elevation site is included at Cerro de La Muerte, which reaches about 3450 m (11,300 ft) at the radio towers.

CLIMATE - Rainy season is during May-June and September-November. A mini dry season occurs during July-August. Temperatures in the lowlands are generally warm but comfortable. In the Talamanca Mountains, temperatures are moderate with cool nights.

BIRD ACTIVITY - Breeding activity of birds in Costa Rica is best from December through April during breeding season. One of the key species, Resplendent Quetzal, is in nesting holes and less frequently foraging during April but with patience can still be seen. The mini dry season during July and August can also be good for birding, though the quetzals and other species are not in their best plumage during those months.

PHOTOGRAPHY - Photo opportunities at bird feeders is quite good at several of the lodges. Getting photos of the quetzals and other forest birds is generally easy with a little patience except along the Headquarters Trail in Carara National Park that goes through primary rainforest.

• Photos from Past Tours
• Travel Information

BIRDING LOCALES
FOR THIS TOUR

• Carara National Park
• Ceiba-Cascajal Road
• Cerro Lodge
• El Tapir Nature Reserve
• Hotel Quelitales
• La Selva Field Station
• Reserva El Copal
• San Gerardo da Dota
• Talamanca Highlands