Costa Rican Caribbean Biodiversity Experience

After your international flight, your private guide will be waiting for you to begin your journey near San José, where you can relax in a hotel with tropical gardens. Surrounded by heliconias, orchids, and butterflies, this is the perfect place for a relaxing introduction to Costa Rica’s nature before venturing into more rugged regions.

A walk in the gardens provides a first taste of the country’s incredible biodiversity, setting the tone for the adventure ahead and allowing easy photography opportunities right on the lodge grounds.

Target species at the hotel’s garden: Lesson’s Motmot, Rufous-capped Warbler, White-eared Ground-Sparrow, Mottled Owl, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, Great Kiskadee and Blue-gray Tanager.

Sarapiquí is one of the most accessible rainforests in Costa Rica, alive with sounds and colors at every turn. Walks through the forest reveal monkeys in the canopy, bright toucans and trogons, and colorful frogs among the leaves, while boat trips along the Sarapiquí River provide a different perspective on the region’s rich wildlife.

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

Target species in Sarapiquí: Great Green Macaw, White-collared Manakin, Snowy Cotinga, Sunbittern, plus toucans, trogons, parrots and woodcreepers. Mammals include howler monkeys, white-faced capuchins, spider monkeys, sloths, and river otters. Reptiles and amphibians often seen are green iguanas, basilisks, poison dart frogs, glass frogs and eyelash vipers.

After an early departure, you will travel to the Caño Blanco dock and continue by boat through the canals, arriving at your lodge deep in the heart of Tortuguero. This unique area, only accessible by boat, offers an immersion into one of Costa Rica’s richest ecosystems, with waterways surrounded by lush rainforest.

During your stay, you will explore the canals on guided boat tours, a relaxing way to discover the incredible wildlife of this flooded forest. It is common to encounter sloths hanging from the trees, several species of monkeys, and a wide variety of waterbirds and raptors. With some luck, you may even spot a jaguar along the beach, as they occasionally come to hunt sea turtles.

Target species in the canals and forest: Spider Monkey, Mantled Howler Monkey, White-faced Capuchin Monkey, Sloth (both species), Bare-throated Tiger-Heron, Sungrebe, Purple Gallinule, Northern Jacana, and Black-collared Hawk.

After breakfast, you’ll leave Tortuguero by boat, navigating once more through its peaceful canals before reaching the dock and continuing by road toward the southern Caribbean coast. Along the route, several stops will be made at bird feeders and scenic viewpoints — ideal opportunities to observe toucans, tanagers, honeycreepers, and other colorful species that thrive in the lowlands.

As you approach Cahuita, the landscape transforms into a vibrant coastal setting filled with palm trees and a relaxed Afro-Caribbean atmosphere. Upon arrival, check into your lodge surrounded by tropical gardens, where you’ll spend the evening unwinding and enjoying the sounds of nature before continuing to Puerto Viejo the next day.

After a short drive from Cahuita, you’ll arrive in the lively coastal town of Puerto Viejo, where rainforest, coral reefs, and Afro-Caribbean culture blend seamlessly. Over the next two days, you’ll explore the natural and cultural richness of Costa Rica’s southern Caribbean coast.

Begin with a guided visit to Cahuita National Park, a tropical paradise where white-sand beaches meet lush rainforest. Walk the coastal trails as you spot sloths, monkeys, and a colorful variety of birds, or take the opportunity to snorkel over coral reefs teeming with marine life.

In the evenings, experience a guided night walk to discover frogs, reptiles, and other nocturnal species that thrive after sunset. The next day, head out on a boat tour along the coast, searching for dolphins and seabirds while enjoying the relaxed rhythm of the Caribbean.

Famous among birders worldwide, Rancho Naturalista is renowned for its balcony overlooking feeders alive with hummingbirds and tanagers. It offers one of the most relaxed yet productive birding experiences in the country, with dozens of species often seen before breakfast.

Trails through the surrounding rainforest provide more challenging birding, with manakins, antbirds, and woodcreepers. At night, moth traps attract both insects and the secretive birds that feed on them, making Rancho a perfect balance of easy observation and true rainforest exploration.

Target species in Rancho Naturalista: Snowcap, White-crowned Manakin, Lovely Cotinga, White-necked Jacobin, Green-breasted Mango, Spotted Woodcreeper, White-breasted Wood-Wren and a wide variety of colorful tanagers.

The final day is reserved for the return to San José and your international flight. Depending on your schedule, optional stops can be arranged along the way—whether a scenic viewpoint, a wildlife garden, or a local town visit.

This flexibility ensures a smooth conclusion to the adventure, with the chance for one last taste of Costa Rica’s landscapes and wildlife before departure.