Overall the arrangements and recommended itinerary for the trip were extremely good. The transport between different locations was very safe and professional. The allocated guides in the main birding locations were outstanding. The lodges that we were recommended were good. I would recommend Costa Rica Focus to anyone considering or planning a birding holiday to Costa Rica.

Our ten-day bird-watching trip to Costa Rica, organized by Costa Rica Focus, was fantastic. We worked with Adriana to plan the trip, and she was very responsive to our requests and prompt in responding and working out the details. We also appreciate the 24/7 access to Costa Rica staff through WhatsApp, and they were able to answer all our questions during the trip. All the birding guides were extremely knowledgeable, as well as kind and friendly. We felt very safe with all the drivers, who were also wonderful people. We spent the first night in San Juan and the Hotel Bougainvillea, which was very comfortable. Their beautiful garden gave us a great introduction to Costa Rica birding. Sergio, a great driver, got us to Sarapiqui, with a stop for amazing bird-watching at the Cinchona feeders. The Sarapiquis Rainforest Lodge was very comfortable, with good food and beautiful architecture in the style of a pre-Columbian village. The night walk at neighboring Tirimbina was fascinating. Lenin was our guide at the La Selva Biological Station, and he knew every path like the back of his hand, and he was able to detect every bird species by the slightest flutter of a leaf or faint call. Lenin explained so much to us about the local environment—not just the birds. The following day we stopped at Cope’s Garden, which we highly recommend. Cope is devoted to the birds and their habitat, with amazing views of his feeders and a fantastic walk in muck-boots through the forest. He is also an amazing artist, and his wife is the best cook in Costa Rica! Arenal Observatory Lodge’s landscape was lovely, and we really appreciated Adriana finding a last-minute cancellation for us. The view of the volcano was amazing, and the staff were very friendly. Gabriel was our fantastic guide at Arenal, and we learned so much from him! The next day we took a pleasant boat ride across the lake, with a drive to the Trapp Family Lodge, which was a great place to stay, being right next to the Monteverde Cloud Forest Biological Reserve. Eric was our guide through the reserve, and every other guide clearly respected his decades of knowledge and experience. He found the Resplendent Quetzal we so hoped to see, along with so much else—from spiders to bats to butterflies. Our last nights were at the Cerro Lodge, which is a lovely hotel with great staff. The pizza is amazing—genuine Italian! Wilky guided us on a walk through the Carara National Park and a boat trip on the Tarcoles River Estuary. This was an entirely new habitat for us, and Wilky (with a great sense of humor) was determined to hunt out rare species for us, and to make sure we all saw them! All told, we saw almost 200 species in less than 10 days. The trip exceeded our already high expectations, and we will cherish it forever!

Our trip to Costa Rica was fantastic! Great birding locations, wonderful lodging, excellent food -- all pulled together by the superb organizers at Costa Rica Focus and our amazing and magical guide, Mayer.

Costa Rica FOCUS FOR EXCEPTIONAL BIRDING This was our third trip to CR. We received several proposals from local CR tour companies specializing in birds. We studied ornithology at university, worked on bird research projects in Alaska and Africa and been fortunate to bird six continents. We chose CR Focus to plan our two week independent private birding tour with local guides. We are very happy with CR Focus. Our trip met all of our expectations. Gustavo was great to work with. Gustavo maintained contact throughout our trip and quickly resolved several minor issues. Lodging was comforable, convenient with good food and service. Arenal Observatory Lodge is exceptional. Having private transportation for most of our trip was delightful and convenient. The drivers were prompt, courteous, accommodating and cautious. We had private local guides at La Selva, Arenal, Monteverde, and Carara. The guides were exceptional. With extensive local knowledge, we were able to see a total of 48 life birds. TIPS: Book Early - The best birding lodges fill up fast. Six months isn’t too soon. Lodge Location - Do they cater to birders with hiking trails, feeders and adjacent reserves? Ticos use WhatsApp to communicate and Waze app to navigate. We did not exchange any currency. USD and credit cards work almost everywhere. Request a bird list from your guide or use the Merlin CR app from ebird. Books: Lawson, A Bird-Finding Guide to CR & Garrigues et al, The Birds of CR, A Field Guide, and Forsyth, Nature of The Forest Costa Rica… ENJOY

I 100% recommend Costa Rica Focus for anyone planning a trip to Costa Rica. From the moment we reached out to them, they were incredibly communicative and transparent about every aspect of our vacation. They took the time to understand our interests and preferences, customizing the trip to our needs, and the result exceeded all of our expectations. All of the hotels they booked for us were exceptional, transportation arrangements were seamless, and the birding tours with local guides were simply incredible. The attention to detail and level of service provided by this company truly made our vacation unforgettable. If you're looking for an stress-free and unforgettable trip to Costa Rica, look no further.