Central and Southern Pacific Lowlands
330 hectares of rainforest, mangrove and beach just north of Dominical, with 7 kilometres of walking trails, 3 kilometres of beach and a bird watching tower. It is also one of our lodges, so you sleep inside the refuge and the trails start at the door.
The guided walk here is the lowland birding tour, through the forest and then out along the beach, which is a different list from the one up the hill.
Barú is part of a wildlife corridor, the Path of the Tapir Biological Corridor.
The owner has written a book about the place. "Lots of birds, butterflies, monkeys and sloths", as one reviewer put it.
Our own notes on Barú name no single species, so these are the birds of this stretch of coast. The Fiery-billed Aracari first, the regional endemic the whole zone is known for, and Baird's Trogon, another found only on this side of the country.
In the mangroves, the Yellow-billed Cotinga, white and very rare, and the Riverside Wren calling from the thickets along the water.
| English | Scientific | Spanish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiery-billed Aracari | Pteroglossus frantzii | Tucancillo Piquianaranjado | Regional endemic |
| Baird's Trogon | Trogon bairdii | Trogón Vientribermejo | Regional endemic |
| Yellow-billed Cotinga | Carpodectes antoniae | Cotinga Piquiamarillo | Regional endemic |
| Riverside Wren | Cantorchilus semibadius | Soterré Pechibarreteado | Regional endemic |
Fly into San José. Most trips arrive from the quetzal valley, about two and a half hours down from San Gerardo de Dota to the coast at Dominical, then go on up the coast to Carara, about two hours. Hot at sea level all year: start at first light and stop by ten.
All year. It is lowland forest on the wet Pacific, so bring a rain layer whatever the month.
One lodge, inside the refuge: the trails, the tower and the beach are all on the property.
Photo: Hacienda Barú Lodge
Dominical
A Superb Lodge with Eco-Excellent Ethos in a Natural Reserve
★★★
A lodge inside the Barú National Wildlife Refuge just north of Dominical, 330 hectares of rainforest, mangrove and beach with 7 km of trails and a bird watching tower. "Lots of birds, butterflies, monkeys and sloths", as one reviewer put it, and the owner has written a book about the place.
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.
Keep going: add more birds, lodges or tours, then turn your Wishlist into a trip.
