Over 600 hectares of tropical rainforest on the Sarapiquí River, declared a wildlife refuge in 2001. What sets it apart from its neighbours in Sarapiquí is the bridges.
One crosses the Sarapiquí River itself and lands you on an island. The other is a canopy bridge at an average height of 35 metres, which puts you level with the tops of the trees.
Beyond the bridges there are more than 9 kilometres of trails, and one of them is accessible, which matters to some of the families we plan for. The center runs a bird tour, and for the rest of the group a bat program, a frog tour and a chocolate tour.
Of the three Sarapiquí places on our pages, Selva Verde is the river lodge and La Selva the research station with the longest list. Tirimbina is the one for the birder who wants to stand in the canopy without climbing a tower, or for a group where not everyone walks far. It is not one of our lodges; Selva Verde and La Selva, both ours, are close by.
From the canopy bridge, the two birds of the Caribbean lowlands, the Great Green Macaw and the Keel-billed Toucan. On the river below, watch the edges for the Sunbittern.
| English | Scientific | Spanish | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Great Green Macaw | Ara ambiguus | Guacamayo Verde Mayor | |
| Keel-billed Toucan | Ramphastos sulfuratus | Tucán Pico Iris | |
| Sunbittern | Eurypyga helias | Garza del Sol | |
| Golden-hooded Tanager | Stilpnia larvata | Tangara Capuchidorada | |
| Scarlet-rumped Tanager | Ramphocelus passerinii | Tangara de Passerini | |
| Clay-colored Thrush | Turdus grayi | Mirlo Pardo | |
| White-necked Jacobin | Florisuga mellivora | Jacobino Nuquiblanco |
Fly into San José. Sarapiquí is two hours from the airport, and Tirimbina is 6.8 km in a straight line from Selva Verde Lodge.
All year. It rains in every month in Sarapiquí, so the rain layer comes on the bridges too.
Two lodges of ours: Selva Verde on the river, and the research station at La Selva.
Photo: La Selva Biological Station
Sarapiquí
Visit a Research Center Working to Protect Nature's Diversity and Bounty
★★★
A working research station of the Organization for Tropical Studies, about 1,600 acres of lowland forest with a bird list over 450 species long. You walk it with their naturalist guides, early bird walk included, and eat with the scientists.
Photo: Selva Verde Lodge
Sarapiquí
A Great Jungle Eco-Retreat with a Wide Variety of Activities Just 2 Hours from San Jose
★★★
About 500 acres of Sarapiquí rainforest the lodge has looked after since 1986, 15 km of paths, and the river at the bottom of the garden. Two hours from San José, so it is often the first night of the trip.
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 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.
