The Grand Birding Circuit

Hotel Bougainvillea. Gardens with mature trees twenty minutes from the airport.

1. Day 1
   San JoséOur greeter meets you at arrivals with your welcome pack; a short transfer to Hotel Bougainvillea, whose gardens are a first list before dinner.

Arenal Observatory Lodge. A 1987 Smithsonian research station on its own 350-hectare reserve next to Arenal Volcano National Park, with its own trails and the volcano from the window.

1. Day 2
   To ArenalNorth to Arenal Observatory Lodge, next to the national park, the volcano from the window.
2. Day 3
   The lodge trailsA guided morning on the trails from the door and the observation deck.
3. Day 4
   A second Arenal morningBack on the trails at dawn for whatever the first morning missed. The afternoon is yours.

At Arenal, the Bare-necked Umbrellabird and the Lovely Cotinga, the two birders ask us about, with Yellow-eared Toucanet, Great Curassow on the trails and Bare-throated Tiger-Heron at the water's edge.

Rancho Naturalista. The birding lodge of the Caribbean foothills: 125 acres of slope forest half an hour from town, feeders on the balcony, hummingbird pools.

1. Day 5
   To TurrialbaAcross to the Caribbean foothills and up to Rancho Naturalista, the balcony feeders before dinner.
2. Day 6
   Rancho NaturalistaThe morning feeders with the lodge's guides, and the forest pools in the late afternoon for the Snowcap.
3. Day 7
   Río Tuis and Cerro SilencioA guided day in the Río Tuis valley and at Cerro El Silencio, higher and more open than the lodge.

At Rancho Naturalista above Turrialba, the Snowcap at the forest pools in the late afternoon, Lanceolated Monklet in the Río Tuis valley, Black Hawk-Eagle and Ornate Hawk-Eagle at Cerro Silencio, and Gray-headed Chachalaca, Collared Aracari and Rufous Motmot at the morning feeders.

Savegre Lodge Natural Reserve & Spa. A 400-hectare private cloud forest reserve at 2,200 metres, with heated rooms, which matters at that altitude.

1. Day 8
   To San Gerardo de DotaSouth into the Talamanca to Savegre Lodge, the river trail in the afternoon.
2. Day 9
   The quetzal morningBefore dawn with a local guide who knows which wild avocados are fruiting, then the valley.

At San Gerardo de Dota, the Resplendent Quetzal, with Fiery-throated Hummingbird at the feeders, Black Guan in the oaks and Northern Emerald-Toucanet.

Drake Bay Wilderness. The lodge for the Osa nights on this route.

1. Day 10
   To Drake BayThe long travel day of the trip, down to the Osa and Drake Bay Wilderness.
2. Day 11
   Drake BayA guided morning in the forest around the lodge.
3. Day 12
   Corcovado National ParkA full guided day in Corcovado.
4. Day 13
   A last Osa dayOne more guided morning on the Osa. The afternoon is yours.

At Drake Bay and on the Osa, the wildest forest we sell: the Scarlet Macaw in numbers, the Fiery-billed Aracari, Ornate Hawk-Eagle and Riverside Wren, with Baird's Trogon and Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager, birds found only on this stretch of the Pacific.

Club del Mar. The last stop, near Carara and the Tárcoles.

1. Day 14
   Up the coastNorth to Club del Mar at Jacó, close to Carara.
2. Day 15
   Carara National ParkA guided morning in the park with a local birding guide.
3. Day 16
   The Tárcoles mangrove by boatA guided boat morning through the channels for the water birds.

At Carara and on the Tárcoles, the Scarlet Macaw and Collared Aracari in the park, and from the mangrove boat Boat-billed Heron and Keel-billed Toucan.