The 7 Best Birdwatching Tours in Costa Rica

1.Birdwatching Tour at Mistico Park

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

Start at 6:00 am in Mistico Park for a guided walk across rainforest trails and hanging bridges. Your guide may be Donald, Christian, Gabriel, Anderson, Victor, Henderson, or Indira, all praised for spotting birds and wildlife. Expect about 2 to 3 hours, small guide groups, steep sections, and excellent early light.

“One of the best guided tours of our vacation. Our tour guide (Anderson) was very knowledgeable and patient. It rained for most of the walk so we did not see a ton of birds, but he pointed out multiple birds, lizards, bats, snakes and frogs. Walking across the hanging bridges made it even better. Thank you Anderson!”

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2.Monteverde Birdwatching Experience

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

Start at 7:00 a.m. for a four-hour, 2 to 3 km walk through Curi-Cancha Reserve with a bilingual naturalist guide. Guides such as Jason, Beto, Jacob, and Jesus use a spotting scope to reveal quetzals, toucans, hummingbirds, woodcreepers, and other forest life. The reserve fee costs an extra $25.

“The tour was really nice and we were really lucky in spotting lots of birds. At the beginning I thought it would have been better to go without a guide, but he spotted so many birds hidden in the canopy that I was really glad we booked the tour in the end. Besides lots of tukans and kolibris and other local birds we even saw three quetzals, which are really hard to find without a guide knowing where to look. Jason is a really experienced guide and I would recommend him to anyone wanting to do bridwatching in Monteverde.”

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3.Jaco Birdwatching and Photography with Sergio

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

Join Sergio for an early private birdwatching and photography outing from Jacó. After pickup, you may visit several bird habitats, including Carara National Park, where Sergio helps you spot macaws, toucans, motmots, owls, monkeys, and more. Transport, park admission, and guiding are included. Bring water and a charged phone or camera.

“I booked this for my husband since he loves photography if birds.. Sergio was great putting my husband into great spots to get the best photo possible. We got to see a lot of different birds and Sergio knew all the great spots. Would highly recommend this for anyone that needs a great guide for birds in general especially for photographing birds!!!”

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4.Resplendent Quetzal-Tucans- Tropical Birdwatching Tour Monteverde

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

Join a small-group morning walk in Monteverde with guides such as Olman or Jorge, looking for quetzals, toucans, hummingbirds, tanagers, and other cloud-forest birds. The route may include Ficus Trails and nearby birding spots. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included, but bring your own binoculars.

“We had a wonderful time on our tour. Our guide Jorge was funny, kind, and went out of his way to give us a great tour. The morning started with a stop at the entrance to the Monteverde Cloud forest in the hopes of finding a Resplendent Quetzal. While we were unsuccessful, the effort was much appreciated. We then went to the nearby Ficus Trials where we saw some great species including a Keel-billed Toucan and a Long-tailed Manakin which Jorge hadn't seen in months. Luck us! We stopped at a vista that looked over the cloud forest and the surrounding landscape. The morning finished at the local birder friendly…”

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

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

Meet in Santa Elena for a relaxed, private walk in Monteverde Reserve, Curi Cancha, or SkyWalk bridges. Your naturalist guide, possibly Marcos or Felix, helps you spot birds and explain the forest. Bring water, pay the $15 to $35 entrance fee, and arrange your own transport.

“Marcos is the best! He can call the birds and they call back. When no one could find a quetzal, he found us three. His true love and knowledge of the botany and complex ecological relationships comes through. But most of all his enthusiasm!”

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6.Tamarindo Birdwatching Crocodiles and Monkey Tour

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

Join guides such as Juan Carlos or Moises for a two-hour boat trip through Tamarindo’s mangrove estuary. Look for crocodiles, howler monkeys, hummingbirds, herons, iguanas, raccoons, bats, and land crabs while learning how mangroves protect the coast. Fresh pineapple, bottled water, snacks, and free parking are included.

“Great tour! Our guide Moses was informative and pointed out Birds, raccoons, and he even found a couple crocodiles for us! Highly recommended this tour!”

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7.Birdwatching tour at the Cloud Forest -Monteverde Wild-

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 39 reviews · 3 to 4 hours (approx.) · from $80

Meet at 6:00 am at Stella’s Monteverde, then walk Curi-Cancha Reserve’s trails with a bird guide for about two hours. Look for hummingbirds, toucans, and quetzals, using the provided spotting scope before finishing by the reserve parking lot. Breakfast is included, but the $25 entrance fee and transportation are extra.

“Even though the day started out pretty rainy we had an awesome time with Oscar learning about the different bird species in Costa Rica. He found the male and female quetzal for us along with many other beautiful birds. I highly recommend this tour if you enjoy seeing birds in their natural habitat.”

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