Caribbean Jewels

After landing at Juan Santamaría International Airport, we’ll get you out of the city fairly quickly no need to linger when the birds are waiting.

We head toward Turrialba, where the landscape slowly shifts into the lush Caribbean slope. You’ll feel it before you even see its warmer air, deeper greens, and that constant background soundtrack of tropical life.

Depending on your arrival time, we’ll ease into things with some relaxed birding around the lodge. 

A few early characters we might meet:

Keel-billed Toucan, Collared Aracari, Russet-naped Wood-Rail, Rufous-tailed Hummingbird, White-shoulder Tanager, Gray-headed Chachalaca, Black Crested Coquette, Red-Billed pigeon, Lineated Woodpecker, Fawn-throated foliage-gleaner.

First night in Turrialba

This is where the trip really begins to settle into its rhythm.

Turrialba is one of those places that doesn’t try too hard to impress and ends up doing exactly that. Quiet roads, excellent habitat, and a really nice overlap of species.

We’ll bird at a comfortable, well-paced rhythm. Early start (with good coffee, of course), active morning, and time to actually enjoy the sightings.

What we’ll be looking for:
Rufous Motmot, Gartered Trogon, White-collared Manakin, Bright-rumped Attila, White-Crowned Manakin, Sunbittern, Cinnamon Becard, Thicket Anttpitta, Brown-billed Scythebill, Tropical-Screech Owl, Purple Gallinule, Chestnut-collared swift, Slaty-capped Flycatcher. 

Second night in Turrialba

After a tasty breakfast we move deeper into the Caribbean side, arriving in Sarapiquí , and this is where things start to feel properly wild.

The forest gets taller, denser, and a bit louder. There’s always something happening here.

Afternoon birding around trails and open areas a perfect introduction to lowland rainforest birding.

Possible highlights:
Great Green Macaw, Cinnamon Woodpecker, Collared Aracari, Olive-backed Euphonia, Fasciated Antshrike, Pale-Vented Pigeon, 

Golden-hooded tanager, Middle american Screech-Owl, Bronze-tailed Plumeleter.

Third night  in Sarapiquí

A full day in classic Caribbean lowland rainforest.

We’ll focus on early morning activity, when the forest is at its best  and then adjust the pace as the day unfolds. No rigid schedule… birds don’t read itineraries anyway.

We keep things flexible depending on bird activity , and enjoyable because sometimes the best moment of the day is the one you didn’t plan.

Species we hope to connect with:
Snowy Cotinga, Slaty-tailed Trogon, Broad-billed Motmot, Green Ibis, 

Second night in Sarapiquí, Dusky-faced Tanager, smoky-brown Woodpecker, Purple-crowned Fairy, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Black-cowled Oriole, Yellow-crowned Euphonia.

Fourth night in Sarapiquí

Today we trade rainforest for wetlands as we head to Caño Negro.

Open skies, lagoons, and marshes  a totally different feel, and a totally different bird list.

We’ll explore in the afternoon, around the lagoons of the area, gardens, and trails of the lodge. 

Possible sightings:

Boat-billed Heron, Canebrake Wren, Slate-headed Tody-Flycatcher, Spot-Breasted Wren, Great Potoo, Black and White Owl, Pacific-Screech Owl, Nicaraguan Seed-Finch, Red-lored Amazon, Jabiru, White Ibis, Olive-crowned Yellowthroat, Mangrove Swallow, Blue-throated Goldentail, Stripe Owl, Olivaceus Piculet. 

Fifth Night near Caño Negro

Early morning in the wetlands by boat ,calm, soft light, and usually some of the best activity of the day.

Later, we head toward Bijagua, a place we genuinely enjoy sharing with people.

It’s a bit under the radar which is exactly why it works so well. Great habitat, fewer crowds, and excellent birding.

We’ll settle in, maybe stretch our legs, maybe grab a coffee… and see what the afternoon brings.

Wetland specialties:

American Pygmy Kingfisher, Black-collared Hawk, Sungrebe, Purple Gallinule, Nicaraguan Grackle, Green kingfisher, Yellow-tailed Oriole, Yellow-breasted Crake, Gray-Headed Dove, Southern Lapwing, Wood Stork, Neotropical Cormorant, Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture, Black-collared Hawk, Gray-headed tanager.

Six Night in Bijagua

If you ask us, this is one of the highlights of the tour.

Bijagua sits in a biological corridor, meaning species from different ecosystems overlap here. In simple terms… you never quite know what’s coming next.

We’ll take our time, bird the forest, enjoy the process — and let the day unfold naturally.

Top targets:
Tody Motmot, Keel-billed Motmot, White-fronted Nunbird, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Black-crested Coquette, Black-headed Saltator, Northern Schifornis, Spotted Antbird, Streaked-crowned Antvireo, Ruddy Woodcreeper, Rufous-winged Tanager, Semiplumbeous Hawk, White-tipped Sicklebill, Uniform Crake, Black-headed Tody Flycatcher, Great Antshrike. 

seventh night in Bijagua

We finish with a relaxed morning, a final walk, a last look around, maybe that one species that decided to show up just in time.

Then we make our way back to San José, wrapping up the tour the same way we approached it: unhurried and well-paced.