Costa Rica Highlights | Wildlife Watching

After your international flight, your private guide will be waiting to start your trip near San José, where you can relax at a hotel surrounded by tropical gardens. Among heliconias, orchids and butterflies, this is the perfect place for a gentle introduction to Costa Rica's nature before venturing into more remote regions.

A stroll through the gardens offers a first glimpse of the country's incredible biodiversity, setting the tone for the adventure to come and providing easy photography opportunities right in the lodge's gardens.

The Tárcoles River is world-famous for its huge crocodiles, which can easily be observed during a boat tour. The route also ventures into the mangrove channels, a fascinating ecosystem home to specialized birds and a great diversity of aquatic life.

Nearby Carara National Park protects a transitional forest where dry and humid habitats converge, resulting in extraordinary biodiversity. Walking its trails with a guide allows you to observe monkeys, deer and an impressive variety of forest birds. Combined with the hotel gardens and the proximity to the Pacific coast, this region offers one of Costa Rica's most complete wildlife experiences.

This region combines rainforest, rivers and ocean in one of Costa Rica's most scenic coastal landscapes. The trails at Hacienda Barú allow encounters with monkeys, sloths and colorful birds, while the wetlands are home to herons, trogons and antshrikes.

At sea, Marino Ballena National Park in Uvita is one of the best places in the country to observe Humpback Whales and Dolphins during the migration season (December to March and July to October). Outside whale season, the area still stands out for snorkeling, waterfalls, pristine beaches and a vibrant local culture, making it an ideal stop combining marine and land wildlife.

High in the Talamanca mountains lies one of the best places in the world to observe the Resplendent Quetzal. The cool cloud forest is home to numerous high-altitude endemic species, making it a dream destination for birdwatchers and photographers alike.

Visitors stay at specialized lodges, surrounded by gardens and trails where hummingbirds, warblers and silky-flycatchers are easy to observe. The mountain air, spectacular landscapes and abundance of rare species make this region an unforgettable highlight of any wildlife trip.

Sarapiquí is one of Costa Rica's most accessible rainforests, full of sounds and colors at every turn. Forest walks reveal monkeys in the canopy, brilliant toucans and trogons, and colorful frogs among the leaves, while boat rides along the Sarapiquí River offer a different perspective on the region's rich wildlife.

This is also a tropical research center, where visitors can learn about conservation and scientific projects. With its combination of rivers, forests and feeders, Sarapiquí is the perfect first deep dive into the country's biodiversity.