Central and Southern Pacific Lowlands
The refuge round Golfito, on the Golfo Dulce, set aside to protect the area's biodiversity and its water.
It is a hike, and a hard one: howler and white-faced capuchin monkeys, sloths and several tropical bird species along the way. Good boots, an early start and plenty of water.
Golfito is also the way in. The airstrip there is how we bring birders to the Golfo Dulce without a long day on the road, and Esquinas Rainforest Lodge in the valley of La Gamba, on its own reserve bordering Piedras Blancas National Park, is 30 minutes from it. The Scarlet Macaws fly over the gulf here, as they do over Carara at dawn.
The Scarlet Macaw over the Golfo Dulce.
In the forest, the birds of this stretch of the Pacific: Baird's Trogon, Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager and Orange-collared Manakin, all regional endemics on the official list. Along the streams on the way up, listen for the Riverside Wren, another bird found only on this side of the country, and keep an eye on the sky for the Ornate Hawk-Eagle.
| English | Scientific | Spanish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Macaw | Ara macao | Guacamayo Rojo (Lapa Roja) | |
| Baird's Trogon | Trogon bairdii | Trogón Vientribermejo | Regional endemic |
| Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager | Driophlox atrimaxillaris | Tangara Hormiguera Carinegra | Regional endemic |
| Orange-collared Manakin | Manacus aurantiacus | Saltarín Cuellinaranja | Regional endemic |
| Riverside Wren | Cantorchilus semibadius | Soterré Pechibarreteado | Regional endemic |
| Ornate Hawk-Eagle | Spizaetus ornatus | Aguilillo Penachudo |
Fly into San José and on to the Golfito airstrip. By road it is a long day. Hot at sea level all year: start at first light and stop by ten.
All year for the birds. Bring a rain layer whatever the month.
Three lodges. Esquinas, in the next valley, is the lodge we use to open the Osa and the Golfo Dulce, on its own reserve bordering Piedras Blancas National Park and 30 minutes from the Golfito airstrip, so the refuge and the park can share one stay. Across the gulf, Playa Nicuesa is about 30 minutes by boat from Golfito, and Playa Cativo has self-guided trails and mangrove kayaking.
Photo: Esquinas Rainforest Lodge
Golfito
Immerse Youself in Nature!
★★★
Thirty minutes from the Golfito airstrip, on its own reserve bordering Piedras Blancas National Park, in the valley of La Gamba, with the Golfo Dulce forest at the door. The lodge we use to open the Osa and the Golfo Dulce without a long drive.
Photo: Playa Cativo Eco-Lodge
Golfo Dulce
A great opportunity and experience
★★★
A lodge on the Golfo Dulce where birdwatching is, in its own words, one of the most popular things guests do, with self-guided trails and mangrove kayaking that suits birders.
Photo: Playa Nicuesa Lodge
Golfo Dulce
A Pastoral Oasis in the Wilds of the Osa Peninsula
★★★
Reached only by boat, about half an hour from Golfito or Puerto Jiménez, with a resident naturalist and Piedras Blancas National Park next door. Trogons, a toucan and Orange-collared Manakin are among the birds guests are pointed to.
No fixed trip stops here yet; we add it to a custom trip.
A few minutes on the form, and one of our Costa Rica specialists comes back to you personally with a first itinerary: the Pacific in the right order with whatever else is on your list, and how many nights each stop really needs. That first version is just a place to start.
Or call us: 1 (800) 996-1139 from the US and Canada, +506 4052-2140 in Costa Rica.
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