Central and Southern Pacific Lowlands
Over 35,000 acres of lowland wet forest on the Golfo Dulce, the gulf our notes describe as a tropical fjord, with tall green forest running down to the water. It is the lesser known neighbour of Corcovado, and a gathering point for birds.
We bird it from the valley of La Gamba, where Esquinas Rainforest Lodge sits on its own reserve bordering the park. That is one of our lodges, 30 minutes from the Golfito airstrip, and it is how we open the Osa and the Golfo Dulce without a long drive: you land, and the forest is at the door by the afternoon.
The Scarlet Macaws fly over the gulf here, as they do over Carara at dawn.
The Scarlet Macaw first, loud and red over the Golfo Dulce.
Then the birds found only on this stretch of the Pacific, every one a regional endemic on the official list: Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager, Baird's Trogon, Turquoise Cotinga, Orange-collared Manakin and the Riverside Wren. And for the raptor list, the Ornate Hawk-Eagle.
| English | Scientific | Spanish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Macaw | Ara macao | Guacamayo Rojo (Lapa Roja) | |
| Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager | Driophlox atrimaxillaris | Tangara Hormiguera Carinegra | Regional endemic |
| Baird's Trogon | Trogon bairdii | Trogón Vientribermejo | Regional endemic |
| Turquoise Cotinga | Cotinga ridgwayi | Cotinga Turquesa | 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 | |
| King Vulture | Sarcoramphus papa | Zopilote Rey |
Fly into San José and on to the Golfito airstrip; the lodge is 30 minutes from it. By road it is a long day.
All year. It is lowland wet forest, so pack the rain layer whatever your dates. Hot at sea level: start at first light.
Three lodges. Esquinas, bordering the park, is the lodge we use to open the Osa and the Golfo Dulce without a long drive. Two more sit on the Golfo Dulce shore: Playa Nicuesa, reached only by boat, with the park next door, and Playa Cativo, with 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.
Keep going: add more birds, lodges or tours, then turn your Wishlist into a trip.
