Birding in Southern Costa Rica: Motmots to Quetzals
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Overview
Highlights
- Observe brilliantly colored Resplendent Quetzals while they feed on the fruit of the aguacatillo tree
- Spot nocturnal birds and mammals, including owls, on nighttime hikes
- Look for water birds and shore birds during a boat ride along the mangrove-lined banks of the Tarcoles River
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Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Activities
Trip includes
- 10 nights of accommodations
- 5 expert-led lectures
- 23 expert-led field trips
- An experienced Group Leader
- Customary gratuities throughout the program
- Road Scholar Assurance Plan
- Taxes
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Itinerary
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Villa San Ignacio
Arrive in San José, Check-in, Orientation
Activity note: Participants must book flights that arrive into San José, Costa Rica no later than 4:30 p.m. on this day if they plan on attending the program ...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Villa San Ignacio
Transfer to Central Pacific Coast, Tárcoles River Birding
Activity note: Morning check out. From San José to the Central Pacific coast is about 45 miles; approximately 2 hours. We...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Villa Lapas Hotel
Birding in Carara National Park
Activity note: Before breakfast, early morning birding around the hotel grounds. Please wear shoes with a closed heel and toe area that are suitabl...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
Barú Wildlife Refuge, Esquinas Reserve Birding
Activity note: From Carara to Golfito is about 150 miles; approximately 4 hours by bus. The journey will be broken up with a...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
Birding at Esquinas Rainforest Reserve
Activity note: Before breakfast, early morning birding around the hotel grounds. Birding from forest trails and walking on irregular...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Las Cruces Biological Station
Transfer to San Vito, Las Cruces Biological Station
Activity note: Before breakfast, head out for early morning birding around the hotel grounds. From Golfito to San V...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Las Cruces Biological Station
Birding at Las Cruces Field Station, Night Walk
Activity note: Before breakfast, set out for early morning birding around the Station's grounds. Average elevation for ...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Savegre Hotel Nature Reserve & Spa
Transfer to San Gerardo de Dota, The Resplendent Quetzal
Activity note: Early morning pre-breakfast birding around the station's grounds. From San Vito to San...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Savegre Hotel Nature Reserve & Spa
Birding on Forest Trails, Cerro de la Muerte
Activity note: Early morning birding before breakfast around hotel grounds. Walking on irregular terrain and unpa...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodation: Wyndham San José Herradura Hotel & Convention Center
Birding at Cerro de la Muerte, Transfer to San José
Activity note: From San Gerardo de Dota to our hotel is about 73 miles; approximately 3 ...
Meals: Breakfast
Program Concludes, In Transit from Program
Activity note: Hotel check out by 11:00 a.m. See your program’s travel details regarding transfers at the conclusion of the program.
Breakfast: At the hotel (dependent on flight times).
Morning: Transfer ...
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Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Road Scholar.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
Road Scholar Reviews & Ratings
I could not have been happier with my choice of the trip
If you love bird-watching and want to discover a country that is devoting itself to supporting outdoor adventure and ecotourism, Costa Rica has to be at the top of y...
The Program was amazing!
The Program was amazing! The birds numerous and varied; the guide was unbelievably good; the food and accommodations were appropriate at every location; the logistic...
An incredible diversity of birds and plants
This program excelled in almost every aspect: great guide (warm and funny too); enthusiastic participants; varied terrain with an incredible diversity of birds and p...
The places we stayed were amazing and the food was FANTASTIC!
I would highly recommend this program to other birders. Leo was a phenomenal guide and I ended up with 153 life birds! (AND I'd been to Costa Rica twice before...) A...
What a great trip.
What a great trip. Of the 265 bird species located on our trip about 140 were lif...
Other Road Scholar Reviews
Ageist gaslighting
I enrolled early in the French Art Voyage because of the caliber of the sites visited: no visit to the overly crowded Louvre but rather to Monet’s Giverny and Cezann...
Disappointing …
Although the trip was lovely in many ways, the guide spent the entire tour touting his own ludicrous "theories" (the ancient Egyptians saw dinosaurs, they traveled t...
Wonders of Costa Rica at a slower pace
When I signed up for the Wonders of Costa Rica at a slower pace. The hotel listed in the itinerary for day 8&9 was a 4 star hotel on the beach called the Punta L...
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Logistics
Accommodation
10 Breakfasts, 9 Lunches and 10 Dinners
The following choices may be available when requested in advance: Vegetarian, Low Salt, Low Fat, Gluten Free
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