Birding trip · 11 nights · Arrive San José (SJO) · Fly home from Tambor
The dry side, with the wet side as a warm-up. Two nights on the slopes of Poás and three next to Arenal's national park, then west into the tropical dry forest: Rancho Humo on the Tempisque wetlands at Palo Verde, and three nights at Tango Mar on the Nicoya coast for the Curú refuge and the Pochote river by boat. The trip ends on the beach, and you fly home from Tambor rather than drive.
It ends on the beach at Tango Mar, which suits two. More trips like it on Costa Rica birding for couples.
Up to Poás from the airport, north to Arenal, west to the Tempisque plain, then across to the Nicoya coast at Tambor and a short flight back to San José.
The route between the numbered stops, the run from the airport and the flight back to San José (dashed); lodges as small red pins.Every stop and lodge on this route is in the numbered list.
Only three of these eleven nights are on the peninsula, and I want to be straight about that. The reason is the birds: the dry forest and the Tempisque wetlands at Palo Verde are the heart of the Northern Pacific zone, and the magpie-jays, motmots, thick-knees and storks there are birds you will not see on the wet side at all. Rancho Humo sits on the river with its own boats, so three nights is three mornings on the water.
The peninsula is the end on purpose. Curú is where the Scarlet Macaws are on the Nicoya, the Pochote is a quiet river birded from a boat, and Tango Mar is on the beach, so whoever has carried the scope for ten days gets two slow afternoons. Then the little plane from Tambor over the gulf instead of most of a day on the road. Nobody has ever asked me to put the road back.
Jason Bateman, Costa Rica Specialist
Days 1 to 2 · 2 nights
Poás Volcano Lodge, Poás
Poás Volcano Lodge. A boutique lodge on pasture high on the volcano's slopes, between two national parks.
Days 3 to 5 · 3 nights
Arenal Observatory Lodge, Arenal
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 more than 500 species around it.
At Arenal, Bare-necked Umbrellabird, Lovely Cotinga, Yellow-eared Toucanet and Great Curassow. On the Poás slopes, tanagers and the Resplendent Quetzal with luck.
Days 6 to 8 · 3 nights
Rancho Humo Estancia, Palo Verde
Rancho Humo Estancia. A private reserve on the Tempisque: mangrove, wetland and dry forest, with its own boats and safari jeeps.
Days 9 to 11 · 3 nights
Tango Mar Resort, Tambor
Tango Mar Resort. An oceanfront hotel on the Nicoya coast, the beach at the door and Curú and the Pochote a short drive away.
The dry-side birds first, because this is the trip for them: Turquoise-browed Motmot, Long-tailed Manakin, White-throated Magpie-Jay and Double-striped Thick-Knee in the dry forest; on the Tempisque, Jabiru, Wood Stork, Bare-throated Tiger-Heron and Mangrove Hummingbird.
At Curú, the Scarlet Macaw, the only population on the peninsula, and on the Pochote boat, trogons, motmots, kingfishers and hummingbirds along the river.
At Arenal, Bare-necked Umbrellabird, Lovely Cotinga, Yellow-eared Toucanet and Great Curassow. On the Poás slopes, tanagers and the Resplendent Quetzal with luck.
Every trip is a custom quote built around your dates and your list.
“We came to Costa Rica because my husband is a bird watcher ... and we were delighted to find that Abel was also passionate about birds, and he gave us a great experience showing us all the different birds as he drove us to our destinations!”
“They also understand birding travel versus other types of travel and found lodges that catered to birding.”
“Because of their incredible professionalism, accommodating service, and awesome attention to detail, we identified 347 new "life" birds.”
December to April is the classic dry season on the Nicoya, open forest and concentrated water birds. The green months are quieter and greener, and the route works in both.
Because the alternative is most of a day on the road. The domestic flight is a short hop over the gulf, booked to meet your international flight with time to spare.
No. Everything from landing to check-in for the flight home is ours, the Tambor flight included; the international flights are yours.
Yes. Drop Poás for a night on the coast, or swap Tango Mar for a lodge nearer Curú.
No. Private, for your party only, on your dates; we run no fixed-date group tours.
This route birds three of our five birding zones: Highlands, Caribbean Lowlands and Northern Pacific Lowlands. Each zone page has its parks, its birds and every lodge we use there.
Or see all twenty-three birding trips, or every lodge we use, on one map.
Tell us your dates and your list. A Costa Rica specialist writes back with your version of this trip.
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