Costa Rica Birding Tours & Trip Packages

Costa Rica Birding Tours & Trips

295 Costa Rica trips. Tours from 130 tour companies. 839 reviews. 4.8/5 avg rating.

25 trips exactly matchall of the the filters you selected.
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Birding
Costa Rica's Coastal Secrets
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4.8/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Why we love them
With a huge range of trip styles and themes, they cater to basically every type of traveler out there- even those with super specific interests.
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Caribbean

Highlights

  • Spend three nights in Drake Bay, the remote gateway to some of the premier wildlife destinations in Costa Rica
  • Explore Corcovado National Park, one of the biologically rich areas on the planet
  • Discover the wildlife and waterways of Tortuguero, an important nesting site for green turtles
  • Enjoy unrivalled wildlife viewing, including monkeys, sloths, dolphins and whales (in season)
  • Visit both the Caribbean and Pacific coastlines

Themes

50 plus, Birding, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"Discover Costa Rica is a great itinerary, covering varied habitats around the country and staying 2 nights each at 6 centres. Their birdwatching specials are led by local experts who really know their stuff."

Trip dates & details
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Discover Costa Rica
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4.8/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Why we love them
With a huge range of trip styles and themes, they cater to basically every type of traveler out there- even those with super specific interests.
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Manuel Antonio National Park, Monteverde

Highlights

  • Unrivalled wildlife viewing: howler monkeys, caiman and sloths
  • Visit the beaches and waterways of Tortuguero, an important nesting site for green turtles
  • Verdant rainforest, lush mangroves, lava fields and serene cloud forests
  • Wonderful naturalist guides who will share their love of Costa Rica with you
  • Relax on idyllic Pacific coast beaches
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Themes

Birding, Cultural, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"Discover Costa Rica is a great itinerary, covering varied habitats around the country and staying 2 nights each at 6 centres. Their birdwatching specials are led by local experts who really know their stuff."

Trip dates & details
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Health Safety +

Generous cancellation

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Costa Rica - Coast to Coast
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4.8/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Small Group Tour
Why we love them
They explore a place beyond the typical tourist traps and offer exciting activities that bring the “wow factor” intrepid travelers want.
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Caribbean, Central America, Corcovado National Park, La Fortuna, Manuel Antonio National Park, Monteverde, Pacific Coast, Pacific Ocean, Tortuguero National Park

Highlights

  • Discover Costa Rica's diverse nature and wildlife, plus stay in a series of premium hotels
  • Explore the Monteverde cloudforest and the 'mini amazon' of Tortugero
  • Spend time on the Pacific Coast and visit Corcovado National Park on the Osa Peninsula

Themes

Birding, Cultural, Hiking & Walking, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"Good accomodation and an excellent guide. Sagres has lots of nice restaurants and 3 beaches."

Trip dates & details
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Flavors of Costa Rica
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4.9/5 Excellent
51 reviews
Small Group Tour
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Manuel Antonio National Park, Pacific Ocean, San José, Tortuguero National Park

Highlights

  • Marvel at picture perfect Arenal Volcano and refreshen your sprit in the many thermal hot-springs
  • Slow down a little and relax on the white sand beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park
  • Cruise the Tortuguero Canals looking for wildlife from your jungle lodge and visit the local community for some fun
  • Zipline high above the lush cloud forests of Monteverde
  • Smell the sweet aroma of Costa Rican coffee at Don Juan
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Themes

50 plus, Birding, Cultural, Education / Learning, High Adventure, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"We loved this trip. Our guide was excellent. We really enjoyed all the included highlights. Our favorite was Biltmore Estate. It is a must!"

Trip dates & details
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Rainforest & Cloud Forest Package
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4.7/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Vacation / Holiday Package
Why we love them
They offer something for every kind of traveler and their excellent customer service is available throughout the whole process.
Lodging level
Basic - 2 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Arenal Volcano

Highlights

  • Visit Arenal Volcano and enjoy some of the many activities in the area
  • Take a boat ride across Lake Arenal en route to Monteverde
  • Go on a El Trapiche Sugar Mill & Coffee Tour
  • Enjoy a guided nature hike through the cloud forest of Monteverde

Themes

Birding, Cultural, Eco, Sustainable & Green Travel, High Adventure, Hiking & Walking, Local Immersion & Homestays, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Relaxing Retreats, Transformative, Trekking & Expeditions

What travelers are saying

"We completed the three day tour with the glacier hike today! It was awesome and the sub vendor, Troll Expeditions, is definitely worthy of staying on the vendor list. 3 Day Blue Ice Cave + Golden Circle + Northern Lights"

Trip dates & details
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Costa Rica at it’s best- Nature, whales and dolphins
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5/5 Excellent
14 reviews
Group Tour
Lodging level
Luxury - 5 star
Physical level
Moderate
Trip pace
Balanced schedule

Visits

Arenal Volcano, Corcovado National Park, La Paz, Manuel Antonio National Park, Poas Volcano National Park, San José, Tortuguero National Park

Highlights

  • In Costa Rica tour we will visit
  • Central Mountain Range with an authentic Costa Rican coffee plantation
  • La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Poas Volcano
  • Turtle Museum of the C.C.C. (Caribbean Conservation Corporation)
  • Tortuguero National Park
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Themes

Birding, Cultural, High Adventure, Nature & Wildlife, Photography, Scuba Diving

What travelers are saying

"The brilliant excursions! Dear Richele! I am writing you with gratitude for organizing the brilliant excursions for our group of 16 people! They came back from Brazil very happy and really satisfied! So, many-many thanks to you and your wonderful team! Looking forward to our next cooperation) Kind Regards, Anna Zboranska Exotic Department TRAVEL PROFESSIONAL GROUP"

Trip dates & details
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Galapagos & Costa Rica tour
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4.9/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

Arenal Volcano, Galapagos, Guayaquil, Quito

Highlights

  • Search for the resplendent quetzal and other birdlife in the cool Costa Rican cloud forest.
  • Get up close to the perfectly conical Volcan Arenal.
  • Undertake zip-lining, white water rafting as well as other activities around Arenal.
  • Relax on a beautiful Pacific beach.

Themes

Birding, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife, Relaxing Retreats

What travelers are saying

"It's hard to describe how lucky we are to have been able to work with Stephanie in planning our honeymoon to Japan. From the very beginning, Stephanie was friendly, flexible, and an absolute wealth of knowledge. We had several meetings with her leading up to our trip to come up with the perfect itinerary. Throughout this, Stephanie was mindful of our budget, without sacrificing anything. During our trip, Audley was available at all hours to help with anything and everything which was such a relief to know we had that resource available to us. I truly cannot imagine having planned this trip without all of Stephanie's guidance and knowledge- and cannot imagine taking another big trip like this without the help of Audley. Thank you again!"

Trip dates & details
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Birdwatching in Costa Rica
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4.9/5 Excellent
100+ reviews
Private Guided
Lodging level
Standard - 3 star
Physical level
Easy
Trip pace
Full schedule

Visits

San José

Themes

Birding, National Parks, Nature & Wildlife

What travelers are saying

"It's hard to describe how lucky we are to have been able to work with Stephanie in planning our honeymoon to Japan. From the very beginning, Stephanie was friendly, flexible, and an absolute wealth of knowledge. We had several meetings with her leading up to our trip to come up with the perfect itinerary. Throughout this, Stephanie was mindful of our budget, without sacrificing anything. During our trip, Audley was available at all hours to help with anything and everything which was such a relief to know we had that resource available to us. I truly cannot imagine having planned this trip without all of Stephanie's guidance and knowledge- and cannot imagine taking another big trip like this without the help of Audley. Thank you again!"

Trip dates & details
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Costa Rica Reviews & Ratings

4.8/5  Excellent
839  Reviews
See all Costa Rica tour reviews
Excellent
552
Great
88
Average
14
Disappointing
4
Terrible
4
A

Anonymous

Aug 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

A wonderful trip

Thoroughly enjoyed this holiday. We saw so much wildlife from sloths and monkeys and even an anteater to scarlet macaws and toucans, as well as the elusive quetzal...

A

Anonymous

Aug 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

I really wanted to see a Tapir!

Our third visit to Costa Rica was everything we expected and more (sadly we didn't see a tapir - but that was the only disappointment!). The trip is full on - if y...

A

Anonymous

Aug 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

Wonderful holiday!

I would recommend this well organised holiday to anyone who wants to explore the diverse landscapes of Costa Rica, as well as see a wide range of wildlife - sloths...

A

Anonymous

Aug 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

A tropical paradise.

Overall we had such an amazing trip. Our tour guide was fantastic and one of a kind. He really knew his stuff and went the extra mile above and beyond for the grou...

A

Anonymous

Aug 2018

Provided byExodus Travels

Coastal secrets of Costa Rica

I had booked this trip to celebrate "big birthdays" for both me and my daughter, so my expectations were high and this fantastic holiday exceeded my expectations. ...

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Costa Rica Tour Selection Trips

  • Allow at least seven to ten days for a tour that will hit many of the highlights.
  • Costa Rica caters to a wide variety of travelers, including couples, singles, and families. Whether you’re looking for hard or soft adventure, Stride can help you find the best Costa Rica tours.
  • If you have a special interest -- birding or fishing, for instance -- look for tours that emphasize those activities; you’ll be able to find them.
  • Don’t be put off by reports of civil strife elsewhere in Central America; Costa Rica has been safe and peaceful for decades.
  • The dry season runs from December to April or May in San Jose (the capital) and the Pacific Coast and from January to April along the Caribbean.
  • Some parts of the country can get rain year-round, and temperature is swayed more by altitude than season, so pack an umbrella and visit any time of year.

Additional details

Tours to Costa Rica usually focus on a combination of eco travel, wildlife, and adventure. You will usually find a tour that weighs one or two of these themes above the other.

If it’s your first visit to Costa Rica, try to find a tour that hits upon what Costa Rica is most known for. These include Arenal Volcano and Monteverde Cloud Forest. Both attractions are extremely popular and are normally included in Costa Rica tour itineraries.

bridge-in-monteverde

Outdoors and Active Costa Rica Tours

Most Costa Rica tours don’t have a heavy emphasis on cultural or historical sight seeing. Simply because the wildlife and outdoor tour activities are enough to occupy the days!

Wildlife lovers will want for nothing in Costa Rica, and most itineraries do focus heavily on the diverse wildlife found in Costa Rica’s rainforests and cloud forests. Some may not include Tortuguero National Park - and if you don’t want to miss observing sea turtles nesting or hatching be sure to find a tour that includes this park!

Some of the most famous animals you can see relatively easily in Costa Rica include the red-eyed tree frog, crocodiles, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, tapirs, basilisk lizards, coatimundis (the Costa Rican version of a raccoon!), and two kinds of sloth. A night safari might allow you to see some of the rarer or more elusive animals in the country, such as jaguars, kinkajous, tarantulas, and ocelots. Don't forget to look up - night is the best time to see snakes as they stalk for sleeping birds in the trees above. 

If you decide to go snorkeling or scuba diving, you may run into bottlenose dolphins (or go see them on a dolphin swim!), green sea turtles and leatherbacks, sharks, and all kinds of tropical fish. Whale watching is  also a great way to see orcas and humpback, blue, beaked, and pilot whales. 

If you are interested in going on a birdwatching trip, there are also tons of beautiful and exotic birds. There are green and scarlet macaws,  toucans, dozens of species of hummingbirds, and all kinds of birds of paradise -- including the rare national bird of Costa Rica, the Resplendent Quetzal. 

costa-rican-volcano

Weather in Costa Rica

It gets quite wet and humid in Costa Rica, and the country is prone to hurricane conditions. Tour activities may change depending on the time of year, but generally you can expect to be walking through the rainforest in every sense of the word.

Most tours in Costa Rica will provide wet weather gear, though it is a good idea to pack light weight waterproof clothing for the majority of your tour. Long sleeves and pants can go a long way toward insect protection as well.

Eco Lodge Accommodation on Costa Rica Tours

Costa Rica has a long history as a leader in eco travel, and a majority of trips to Costa Rica have an eco, sustainable, and green travel theme. These will often feature a stay at an eco lodge, or even a treehouse! These can vary from luxury accommodations to comfortable-but-basic.

Don’t expect terribly reliable internet and electricity - particularly in keeping with the eco lodge approach! These establishments are designed to be as eco conscious as possible, and your tour will reveal new ways you can help contribute and be a responsible traveler.

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