The 8 Costa Rica Birdwatching Tours to Book First

1.Birdwatching Tour at Mistico Park

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 79 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $66Our pick

Review of Mistico Park’s early birdwatching tour in La Fortuna, with hanging bridges, expert guides, wildlife, price, access, and practical tips.

“We had an amazing tour!! We would not have seen most of the birds & wildlife without our guide Gabriel- he is extremely knowledgeable about all the species of birds as well as the other wildlife, plants & trees, mushrooms, snakes, bugs etc. We also had the whole park nearly to ourselves for almost the whole tour. A few highlights were motmots, coati, spider monkeys were in the trees right over our heads, eyelash viper, and many many species of birds. We walked with pauses to look at various birds etc for about 3 hours. The paths were mostly smooth & easy to walk on. We walked about 8000 steps…”

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2.Monteverde Birdwatching Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 68 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $80Top rated

Explore Monteverde’s Curi-Cancha Reserve with a skilled naturalist, spotting quetzals, toucans, hummingbirds, and more on a four-hour walk.

“Jason was an absolute gem of a guide! He was incredibly knowledgeable & eager to show/teach us all he could. He would go out of his way to try to find us wildlife...we were even lucky enough to see the quetzal & the rare sunbittern! I would highly recommend this experience! The cloud forest is an unforgettable experience!”

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3.Jaco Birdwatching and Photography with Sergio

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 65 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $101

A practical review of Sergio’s private Jaco birdwatching tour, with Carara National Park, macaws, toucans, wildlife, transport, and photo tips.

“What a great experience! We went from the beach to the river to the rainforest! Sergio was absolutely incredible. He went above and beyond finding the birds and animals that we really were hoping to see! He even found a toucan! The macaws were beautiful. My husband had always wanted to be able to get a photograph of an owl and on this trip it happened. Sergio knew just where to look. While I loved the birds, the highlight for me was seeing the monkeys. We saw white faced monkeys, spider monkeys, and heard howler monkeys. In addition to being a very accomplished photographer, Sergio is also very informative on…”

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4.Monteverde Wildlife Walk & Hummingbird Encounter

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 52 reviews · from $45Best value

Explore Monteverde cloud forest with a local guide, telescope, wildlife sightings, and a close look at hummingbirds for $45.

“George is incredibly knowledgeable, patient and kind. We saw a quetzal, many other birds, and a bat, all while learning so much information about the environment and animals. This was a highlight of our trip! He went over and above and even let us take his SUV for a slight medical emergency for a child. Book with George- you will not regret it!”

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5.Resplendent Quetzal-Tucans- Tropical Birdwatching Tour Monteverde

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 51 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $100

Early-morning Monteverde birding with expert local guides, chances for quetzals and toucans, hotel transfers, and small-group attention.

“We went out on a misty, rainy morning but still had a really great time with Olman. He’s a super knowledgeable birder who knew both the habits and standard habitats of all local birds as well as the calls and songs for most. On our tour with him I added 19 new birds to my life list and my partner added 26 to his. We were very happy with the experience and had a great time with Olman.”

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6.Birdwatching Tour: unlock the wonder, whether beginner or advanced

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 51 reviews · from $175

Explore Monteverde’s cloud forest with a private naturalist guide, seeking quetzals, hummingbirds, plants, and wildlife on easy trails.

“Felix our tour guide was awesome. We trudged through torrential rains. He was eager to show us different types of plants and flowers. The views were fabulous. Thank you Felix!”

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7.Tamarindo Birdwatching Crocodiles and Monkey Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 51 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $50

Explore Tamarindo’s mangroves by boat with local guides, spotting crocodiles, monkeys, birds, iguanas, and crabs for $50.

“What a fantastic tour and an incredible guide! Juan-Carlos has a genuinely impressive, deep, and passionate knowledge of the wildlife, the environment, and how it all fits into the larger world. We saw several crocodiles, a troop of monkeys, termite colonies, various insects, at least a dozen birds, several types of mangroves, and other various flora too, and Juan-Carlos seemed to know everything about all of them. Nearly forgot the osprey we saw dive for a fish and carry it right toward us! Can you spot the bats in the third photo? Juan-Carlos could from at least 10m away. I've had college courses that weren't nearly as informative, and of…”

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8.Slothies and Birds Sightseeing

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 44 reviews · 1 to 2 hours (approx.) · from $89

See sloths and rainforest birds near La Fortuna on a family-friendly trail with expert guides, hotel transfers, and flexible morning or afternoon departures.

“This is a great way to see sloths, learn about their environment and be educated in other animals found in the rainforest while walking on a level trail. Melanie was a great guide, informative and patient.”

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