Wings of Costa Rica

Day 1 Arrival

Welcome at the modern international airport “Juan Santa Maria” near San José, Costa Rica. You will be picked up by our representative who will take you to your comfortable hotel, located only minutes from the airport.

Day 2 Domestic flight-Puerto Jiménez

After breakfast you will be taken to the airport. This morning you will fly from San José to Puerto Jiménez, located in the south of Costa Rica. Until the 60’s the “Península de Osa” was the most isolated part of Costa Rica, with exorbitant rainforests and an enormous variety of flora en fauna. Today Puerto Jiménez still is a quiet place where the scarlet macaw (Ara macao; 19-1) and the white faced capucin monkeys feel at home. The afternoon is all yours to discover the little town. (B)

Day 3 Rainforest excursion-scarlet macaw

In the morning the guide will pick you up for a beautiful rainforest excursion. This will be a terrific introduction of what Costa Rica has to offer in flora but especially in (avi-)fauna. Your guide guarantees you will see the scarlet macaw and monkeys. Impressive waterfalls, virgin rainforest, pristine beaches and a delicious lunch will be some more of today’s ingredients. (B, L)

Day 4 Bird tour-Wilson Botanical Gardens

It will be an early day because you can not leave Puerto Jiménez without having done the bird-trip. This short trip will take you to mangroves, an orchid- and fruit garden and, if you ask your guide, to a bird rookery. After breakfast the ferry will bring you to Golfito where your taxi will be waiting. It will take you to the famous “Wilson Botanical Gardens”. Observe the native plants (about 2000 species), more than 800 species of butterflies and 400 species of birds. The night is being spent in a lodge style room, decorated with bamboo and wooden furniture. From your private terrace you will have a stunning view on the garden, perfect for birders. The staff of Wilson Botanical Gardens will prepare all meals for you.  (B, L, D)

Day 5 Bird tour-Talari Mountain Lodge

Birds tend to show themselves best in the mornings, so this morning you will make a guided tour through the gardens. After breakfast a transfer takes you to San Isidro del General. On your way there you will pass the “Valle de Coto Bus”. This will give you stunning views on the Fila Costena and Cordillera de Talamanca.

The next 2 nights are being spent at Talari Mountain Lodge. This small hotel is located on 8 hectares of private ground and is completely managed by the rules of eco-tourism. The efforts of the owners have been rewarded with the star for eco-tourism by the “The New Key to Costa Rica”.

The 8 cabanas are nicely furnished, without unnecessary luxury. On the terrain you’ll find three short and easily accessible trails. The nights can be cool because of the high altitude, but the average day temperature is comfortable between 20° and 25° C (68° and 77° Fahrenheit).

Sit down at the veranda with your binoculars, camera and “a guide to the BIRDS OF COSTA RICA”. Pour yourself a drink, and enjoy silently. It won’t be long before the birds appear. Different types of hummingbirds search for nectar and you will see many types of butterflies. Many bromelias and orchids grow on the tree branches. The first night your host will prepare you a delicious 3-course meal. The second night you decide whether you eat at Talari Mountain Lodge or explore one of the restaurants in San Isidro del General. (B, D) 

Day 6 Los Cusingos Neotropical Bird Sanctuary-Dr. A. Skutch

On day 6 you will go to Los Cusingos Neotropical Bird Sanctuary (the late Dr. Skutch’s Farm), accompanied by an experienced guide. This park covers 142 hectare of land and was bought in 1941 by Dr. Alexander F. Skutch, writer of the famous “a guide to the BIRDS OF COSTA RICA”. He worked on this book for not less than 27 years!

With big love for nature, especially for birds, he converted this estate with over 400 species of birds into a true paradise. Dr. Skutch lived here until his death in 2004. Seven days before his 100th birthday he died… According to his wishes he was buried in a simple grave on the sanctuary.

His work is now being continued by “The Tropical Science Centre Organization”. They opened Los Cusingos for the public. Only 15 persons per day are allowed to enter the park. This is done to maintain the peaceful quietness. The house where Dr. Skutch lived is now a museum.

The name Los Cusingos was taken from a toucan that you can still find there, the Fiery-Billed aracari (Pteroglossus frantzii 27-16), with the local name: Cusingo. You can also find the rare Turquoise Cotinga (Cotinga ridgwayi 34-5) in the park. Your guide will find you this beautiful blue bird. (B)

Day 7 San Gerardo de Dota-Suria Mountain Lodge

The journey continues to the Quetzal area (!); San Gerardo de Dota.

San Gerardo de Dota is the area where you will see the -without a doubt- most famous bird of Costa Rica, the Resplendent Quetzal (Pharomachrus mocinno 26-1). This park also houses many other special bird species like the Collared redstart (Myioborus torquatus 42-6), Spangle-cheeked tanager (Tangara dowii 46-12), Sooty-capped bush-tanager (Chlorospingus pileatus 45-14), Yellow-thighed finch (Pselliophorus tibialis 48-22).

You will spend the night at the Suria Mountain Lodge. Doña Hilda will prepare some wonderful meals for you. (B, D)  

Day 8 Resplendent Quetzal–Bougainvillea

During the breeding season of the Quetzal (March until June) and afterwards when they search for ripe mangos together with their offspring (July until August), the guide is 100% sure you will see the Quetzal. The rest of the year the chances are “only” 99%! In the afternoon the journey continues to the north. This evening is spent at the comfortable hotel Bougainvillea. This hotel is very well known in Costa Rica for its wonderfully designed gardens. Birds that are seen many times here are: the Clay-colored Robin (Turdus grayi 39-8), or locally called: Yigüirro. This bird is the ‘national bird’ of Costa Rica. Not because of its special appearance, but because people believe it will rain when the bird sings! Other birds that were seen are the rufous-tailed hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl 24-10) with its shiny green neck and breast and reddish colored tail and the tropical kingbird (Tyrannus melancholicus 35-1) with its grey head and its olive yellow breast. (B)

Day 9 Arenal Volcano-Hot springs

After you have checked out you will drive to the Arenal Volcano. In our opinion you cannot leave Costa Rica without having seen this active(!) volcano. The town of La Fortuna is a touristy hotspot; hotels just seem to ‘pop’ out of the ground. La Vida Activa chose a comfortable hotel outside of the touristy La Fortuna. This way you can enjoy the nature and the beautiful view on the Arenal Volcano.  

At the end of the afternoon you will be picked up at the hotel to go for a hike in the nature around the volcano. When it becomes dark you will have (with clear weather) a spectacular view on the active volcano. Now you deserve some relaxation; enjoy the healing hot springs and a delicious meal. (B, D)  

Day 10 Caño Negro-water birds

In the morning you will be picked up for a daytrip to Caño Negro. This area around the “Rio Frio”-river is being marked by birders as the number 1 destination to see water birds in Costa Rica. During dry season (Dec – Apr) the amount of birds here is overwhelming, but also during the rainy season you will see many birds as the kingfisher, heron, egret, ibis, rail, anhinga, strok and theroseat spoonbill. You will have a big chance of seeing the olivaceous cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus 4-4) and the Nicaraguan grackle (Quiscalus nicaraguensis 44-17). The park is also home to many other animals as sloths, monkeys, iguana’s, river turtles and caimans. (B, L)

Day 11 Bosque de Paz-Juan Castro Blanco National Park

Before this trip comes to an end we would like to treat you to a stay at lodge Bosque de Paz, situated at the West side of the Poas Volcano. This lodge is situated at a unique location between Juan Castro Blanco National Park and Volcano Poas National Park. Here you will, again, find many birds and also a butterfly garden. Upon arrival you can enjoy a nice lunch and a nice dinner in the evening. The afternoon is yours to spend however you want to. (B, L, D) 

Day 12 Bird tour-la Garita

In the morning you will take a guided bird tour. During the walk you will try to find the Scaled antpitta (Grallaria guatimalensis; 30-20), Black guan (Chamaepetes unicolor; 12-5) and the Emerald tucanet (Aulacorhynchus prasinus; 27-17): the smallest toucan of Costa Rica, and the only green one. Others are the very unique Three-wattled bellbird (Procnias tricarunculata; 34-12), the Ornate Hawk-eagle (Spizaetus ornatus ; 17-11), Wrenthrush (Zeladonia coronata; 32-13), the Silvery-fronted Tapaculo (Scytalopus argentifrons; 32-12), the Black-faced solitaire (Myadestes melanops; 39-13), the American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus; 39-11) and the Golden-browed chlorophonia (Chlorophonia callophrys; 45-10).  

After breakfast you will drive the last part of this trip to la Garita where you will spend the last night of this bird trip. (B)

Day 13 Departure

This morning your rental car is being picked up and you will be taken to the airport. (B)