Wildlife and Biodiversity Tour in Costa Rica’s Pacific side

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.

The Tárcoles River is world famous for its massive crocodiles, easily seen on a boat tour. The journey also enters mangrove channels, a fascinating ecosystem home to specialized birds and countless aquatic creatures.

Nearby Carara National Park protects a transition forest where dry and wet habitats meet, resulting in extraordinary biodiversity. Walking its trails with a guide reveals monkeys, deer, and an impressive mix of forest birds. Combined with the hotel gardens and the proximity to the Pacific coast, this region offers one of the richest wildlife experiences in Costa Rica.

Target species in Tárcoles & Carara: American Crocodile, Mangrove Hummingbird, Scarlet Macaw, Black-headed Trogon, Ferruginous Pygmy Owl, Cinnamon Hummingbird, Rufous-naped Wren, Streak-backed Oriole, Hoffman’s Woodpecker, herons, egrets, kingfishers, shorebirds, White-throated Capuchin Monkey, agouti and white-tailed deer.

Before reaching Uvita, we make a special stop in the lush hills of Esquipulas — one of Costa Rica’s hidden gems for bird lovers. Here you’ll have the chance to witness the iconic Red-capped Manakin, famously known as the Michael Jackson bird, performing its legendary moonwalk-style courtship dance.

We’ll also visit a local birding hotspot with feeders that attract an incredible variety of species, including the striking King Vulture and, with a bit of luck, the dazzling White-crested Coquette hummingbird. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a fresh local coffee while photographing wildlife at close range.

After this scenic wildlife stop, we continue toward Uvita, a peaceful coastal region surrounded by rainforest and ocean views, where we’ll settle in for the night.

In the morning we head out to the coast for a whale-watching tour in the warm Pacific waters. Depending on the season, you may see humpback whales breaching, mothers with calves, playful dolphins, sea turtles, and seabirds soaring above.

After returning to land, we explore the trails and beaches of the nearby National Park, a beautiful mix of jungle and ocean where it’s common to encounter Howler monkeys, sloths, and a variety of colorful birds. The combination of marine life, rainforest scenery, and relaxed coastal atmosphere makes

Your Corcovado adventure begins in the remote region of Drake Bay, where the rainforest meets the ocean in one of the most pristine corners of Costa Rica. Upon arrival, we explore the coastal trails on a guided birdwatching walk, scanning the forest edge for scarlet macaws, hawks, tanagers, and other species that thrive between the beach and the jungle canopy.

From Drake, we transition deeper into nature, spending the night in a jungle lodge surrounded by wildlife. Here, the sounds of the forest take over — frogs calling after sunset, howler monkeys at dawn, and the rustle of nocturnal creatures moving through the understory.

The heart of the journey unfolds over the next two days inside the legendary Corcovado National Park, widely known as the most biodiverse place in Costa Rica. We hike through primary rainforest, rivers, and coastline trails as we make our way to and from the Sirena Biological Station, where we spend the night in the middle of the park. This is one of the best locations in the country to see wildlife up close: Baird’s tapirs, all four species of Costa Rican monkeys (including the endangered squirrel monkey), coatis, peccaries, and a remarkable variety of birds found only on the Osa Peninsula.

After exiting the park, we return to the comfort of the jungle lodge for one last night, allowing you to unwind after the deep-forest expedition and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of Corcovado’s wild surroundings.

This section of the trip combines raw nature, rare wildlife, and some of the most breathtaking rainforest landscapes in Central America — a true immersion in the wild soul of Costa Rica.

Continuing the immersion in the biodiversity of the Osa Peninsula, the next stage of the journey unfolds in the lush lowland rainforests of Piedras Blancas National Park — a sanctuary of dense jungle, crystal rivers, and extraordinary wildlife. We settle into a rainforest lodge tucked deep within the forest, surrounded by towering trees and the constant soundscape of tropical birds and insects.

During our stay, we explore the area through a series of specialized wildlife experiences. As the sun begins to set, we head out on a sunset birdwatching walk, a magical hour when tanagers, toucans, parrots, and other species become especially active. After nightfall, we venture again into the forest for a guided night tour, discovering the hidden world of frogs, snakes, insects, sleeping birds, and other nocturnal creatures that thrive under the cover of darkness.

Another highlight is a peaceful boat excursion through the mangroves of the Coto River, one of the richest ecosystems in the region. Gliding through narrow channels framed by tangled roots, we search for kingfishers, herons, crocodiles, monkeys, and the unique species that inhabit these coastal wetlands.

This section of the trip offers a perfect blend of comfort and deep nature — a chance to experience the quieter, wilder side of the Osa region while staying in a lodge designed for wildlife enthusiasts.

We then travel into the cool cloud forests of Cerro de la Muerte, one of the best places in the country to see the legendary Resplendent Quetzal. Over two nights in the highlands, we join expert local guides on specialized Quetzal-watching tours, exploring moss-covered oak forests where these birds nest and feed. Early mornings here are magical — drifting mist, towering trees, and the iridescent green of a Quetzal gliding through the canopy.

Between tours, we also visit a garden with mountain bird feeders, where you can photograph high-elevation species at close range. Hummingbirds are especially abundant, with multiple species darting among the flowers, alongside tanagers and other birds adapted to the cooler climate.

This highland section offers a peaceful contrast to the tropical lowlands — crisp air, quiet trails, and the chance to observe one of the continent’s most iconic birds in its natural habitat.

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.