With over 2600 species of plants (67 of which are endemic), 370 species of birds, and 140 species of mammals, Corcovado National Park protects the largest remaining expanse of primary rainforest on the Pacific coast of the Americas. National Geographic famously described Corcovado as being “the most biologically intense place on Earth” and that’s exactly what it is – intense.
This 8-day/7-night trip includes a flight from San Jose to Drake Bay, a remote resort town on the fringes of the park. We will make Drake Bay our base and spend several nights there to allow for some self-paced exploration, beach time, and creature comforts. We will explore one of Costa Rica’s marine highlights, the seas around Isla del Caño, taking a tour that will allow us to snorkel with sea turtles, sea horses, manta rays, stingrays, sharks, and hundreds of colorful fish. If you are certified to dive, you are welcome to do so for an additional cost.
The focus of this trip, however, will be Corcovado National Park. We will take an hour and fifteen-minute boat ride to the Sirena Ranger Station where we will spend two days and one night. Our private guide will lead us through the primary rainforest during the most active wildlife hours. Maximizing our time spent here around dawn and dusk will heighten our probability of finding some of the most iconic tropical wildlife. Think tapir, puma, spider monkey, peccary, ocelot, toucan, parrot. This will be the tropical adventure you will remember forever!
Birding Man Adventures (BMA) is passionate about supporting conservation through sustainable travel. Having spent time living and doing research in Costa Rica, BMA founder and guide Ryan Dibala has remained in close contact with several different communities in Costa Rica. He has professional working relationships and friendships with several of the guides who will be leading this tour. You can feel great about your dollars directly supporting local "Ticos" and the projects they are working on.
In-country flights and on-ground transportation
7 nights of lodging
We work with some of the best birding guides in Costa Rica. In addition, Ryan travels with the group serving as trip coordinator, translator, and assistant guide
All meals
All water
All snacks
Leave the tipping up to us
Alcoholic beverages and additional drinks
Arrive to San Jose's Juan Santamaria International Airport and transfer to your hotel. Enjoy relaxing and birdwatching in the hotel's gardens, with potential birds such as Blue-vented Hummingbird, Inca Dove, and Ferruginous Pygmy Owl.
In the morning we will board our flight to Drake Bay, where we will be met by our driver who will bring us to Finca Maresia, our home in paradise for the next couple of nights. The afternoon will be yours to explore, hit the beach, or hike the jungle trails near the lodge. We will enjoy a group dinner in the evening.
We will wake early to board a boat that will take us to one of Costa Rica’s premiere snorkeling and diving destinations, Isla del Caño. The seas around the island are home to humpback whales, false orcas, pilot whales, and several species of dolphins. Jump in the water and snorkel with sea turtles, sea horses, manta rays, stingrays, sharks, and hundreds of colorful fish. If you are certified to dive, you are welcome to do so for an additional cost.
We will return for lunch and enjoy a relaxing afternoon at Finca Maresia. The birdwatching is first rate on the grounds of Finca Maresia. You will also have the option of walking to the ocean and enjoying the beach and nearby trails.
This morning we will board an early boat that will take us on a one-hour and 15 minute trip down the coast to the Sirena Ranger Station in the heart of Corcovado National Park. We will meet with our professional naturalist guide who will lead us down the trails in the primary rainforest looking for mammals like collared and white-lipped peccaries, Baird's tapir, spider monkey, two-toed and three-toed sloths, and white-nosed coati, among others. Enjoy wild encounters with Great Curassows, Scarlet Macaws, Keel-billed Toucans, and Mealy Parrots.
We will eat lunch at the ranger station and find a quiet spot to relax and rest during the afternoon heat. In the afternoon hours, we will join our guide once again for another excursion. Be prepared for a wild experience. I've seen crocodiles, bull sharks, roseate spoonbills, ocelots, and even a puma here before!
Later, we will retreat for dinner and an early bedtime. Our accommodations will be basic bunkbeds with mosquito nets. As unglamorous as this sounds, it is totally worth it to wake up inside one of the most biodiverse rainforests in the western hemisphere.
Morning wildlife observation with our guide. Some of our target birds will be the endemic Black-cheeked Ant-Tanager, Baird's Trogon, Marbled Wood-Quail, and White-tipped Sicklebill.
After another morning of exploration in Corcovado, we will board the boat and travel back to Drake Bay. There, we will check into our hotel, Jinetes de Osa. This will give us some time to unwind while enjoying some of the creature comforts that we lacked out in the National Park.
Today we will explore the trails near Jinetes de Osa, looking for birds, mammals, insects, and herps. Your guide will recommend several activities you do on your own, at your own pace. We will eat lunch back in Drake Bay at our hotel and have the afternoon to unwind and relax. In the evening, we will venture out on a night tour with the famous Bug Lady of Drake Bay. This will provide an opportunity to learn about the nocturnal wildlife of the Osa Peninsula!
We will enjoy our last morning in Drake Bay and then catch an afternoon flight back to San Jose. Once back in the capital, we will transfer to Hotel Robledal where we will enjoy our final farewell dinner.
Today we will head to the airport and go our separate ways. I'm sure we will all be talking about this adventure for a long time to come.
