Top 8 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 for a roughly 2.5-hour guided walk through Mistico Park’s rainforest and hanging bridges. With up to eight people per guide, you’ll search the canopy for toucans, parrots, motmots, monkeys, reptiles, and more. Guides such as Donald, Christian, Gabriel, and Indira have earned special praise for sharp eyes and strong bird-call skills.

“My guide was very knowledgeable about the different flora and fauna and the tour itself was wonderful.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Monteverde Birdwatching Experience

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

Walk 2 to 3 kilometers through Curi-Cancha Reserve with a bilingual naturalist guide, usually at 7:00 a.m. Guides such as Jason, Beto, Jacob, and Jesus use a high-definition spotting scope to help you see quetzals, toucans, hummingbirds, trogons, and other cloud-forest birds. The group is limited to eight people.

“I had a great experience on the Monteverde Birdwatching Experience. Everything ran smoothly and was exactly as promised, which is really what you want when booking a tour. The experience itself was well organised and relaxed. I’m not a hardcore birder, but I enjoy watching birds and learning along the way, and this tour struck a nice balance. I learned a lot about the forest and where to look for different species, and we were lucky enough to see plenty, including many woodcreepers, hummingbirds, redstarts and more and to get some good photos. While the experience overall was solid, it was even better thanks to my guide, Beto. His genuine…”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Jaco Birdwatching and Photography with Sergio

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

Sergio picks you up in Jacó and takes you through Carara National Park and nearby bird habitats for an early morning of birdwatching and photography. Expect about 20 to 40 species, with possible sightings of scarlet macaws, toucans, motmots, manakins, owls, monkeys, reptiles, and other wildlife. Transportation, park admission, and guide service are included.

“Excellent tour, would definitely repeat again. He was very detailed in showing us all of the best places to get amazing shots.”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.Resplendent Quetzal-Tucans- Tropical Birdwatching Tour Monteverde

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

Start early with guides such as Olman, Jorge, or Osman on a small-group walk around Ficus Trails and Monteverde. You may spot quetzals in season, toucans, hummingbirds, coatis, monkeys, and deer. The guide supplies the scope, but you must bring your own binoculars. Routes can include roads, forest paths, and nearby birding sites.

“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…”

Check availability →Read our full review

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

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

Join a private, leisurely birdwatching walk near Monteverde with a naturalist guide such as Marcos or Felix. Your route may use Monteverde Reserve, Curi Cancha Reserve, or SkyWalk bridges. Expect help spotting birds, plants, nests, and cloud-forest details, with time for questions. Bring water and pay the trail entrance fee separately.

“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!”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Tamarindo Birdwatching Crocodiles and Monkey Tour

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

Set out from Tamarindo with guides such as Juan Carlos, Moises, or Luis for a two-hour boat trip through Las Baulas National Marine Park. Expect mangrove channels, crocodiles, howler monkeys, birds, iguanas, crabs, snacks, and clear explanations of the estuary’s ecology. Wildlife sightings vary, and monkeys may require a short walk.

“Our tour was great! We got to see 3 alligators, different birds, a large sting ray, raccoons, bats, land crabs on the trees, & a family of howler monkeys. Our guide Juan did an amazing job educating us about the importance of mangroves in the eco system.”

Check availability →Read our full review

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

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

Start at 6:00 a.m. with Monteverde Wild and guide Oscar, then walk Curi-Cancha Reserve trails for about two hours in search of quetzals, toucans, hummingbirds, and other wildlife. A spotting scope and breakfast at a local bakery are included. Bring $25 for park admission and arrange your own transport.

“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.”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Esquipulas Rainforest – Private Birding – Fully Customizable Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 33 reviews · 4 hours (approx.) · from $135

Start at 5:00 am from Quepos or Manuel Antonio with a private bilingual bird guide and head to the 133.5-acre Esquipulas Rainforest. Search for cotingas, trogons, hummingbirds, toucans, and more, using Swarovski optics before breakfast and forest trails. Guides may include Manuel, Dylan Serrano, or Berny Sanchez.

“No response from the tour operator the days before or on the day of. When we found the tour company, it was closed and there wasnt anyone there. We texted and called and still have not received a call from the company. We have also not been issued a refund yet from Viator. We were sad to miss this experience.”

Check availability →Read our full review