From a forest trail, the birds of the canopy are mostly hidden in the leaves. The Mistico hanging bridges near Arenal put you up at their level, in a reserve where more than 350 species have been recorded, migrants and residents both.
A local guide walks the bridges with you and finds what the foliage hides. Tanagers, hummingbirds and trogons come close at that height, and from the bridges you also get the Arenal Volcano.
It is a morning out rather than a place to sleep. We bird it from the Arenal lodges, and for the national park itself, the trails and the lodge next to it, see our page on Arenal Volcano National Park.
The bridges are for the birds you rarely see well from the ground: tanagers, hummingbirds and trogons in the canopy. The Keel-billed Toucan, with the rainbow bill, is the zone's own bird and the one most people want a clear look at.
For the umbrellabird, the cotinga and the curassow, the Arenal Volcano National Park page lists the trail birds.
| English | Scientific | Spanish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keel-billed Toucan | Ramphastos sulfuratus | Tucán Pico Iris | |
| Slaty-tailed Trogon | Trogon massena | Trogón Coliplomizo | |
| Graceful Black-throated Trogon | Trogon tenellus | Trogón Cabeciverde |
Fly into San José or Liberia, and stay at Arenal. The bridges are 7.8 km in a straight line from Arenal Observatory Lodge.
All year. It rains in every month on this side of the country, so bring the rain layer even for a morning in the canopy.
Three lodges at Arenal: the one next to the national park, and two smaller family lodges near La Fortuna with guided bird walks of their own.
Photo: Arenal Oasis Ecolodge & Wildlife Refuge
Arenal
Where Tranquility and Rustic Auras meet Sustainability
★★★
A small family lodge 3 km from La Fortuna with its own frog sanctuary, butterfly garden and trails, and guided birdwatching walks run by the family. Basic, in one reviewer's word, and the same review called it magical.
Photo: Arenal Observatory Lodge
Arenal
A Stunning Hotel on Amid 870 Acres of Lush Private Rain Forest
★★★
Built as the Smithsonian's volcano research station, on its own 350-hectare reserve next to Arenal Volcano National Park. The observation deck and the trails from the door are why six of our 45 recent birding itineraries sleep here, level with Trapp Family Lodge for the most.
Photo: Chachagua Rainforest Hotel & Hacienda
Arenal
A sustainable resort above any other
★★★
Inside its own rainforest reserve near La Fortuna, with a guided birdwatching walk at 6 am and a night walk at 6 pm every day, and a warm spring pool kept for hotel guests. The adults-only tree house sits 20 metres up in the canopy.
A few minutes on the form, and one of our Costa Rica specialists comes back to you personally with a first itinerary: the lowlands 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.
