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COSTA
RICATOUCAN & TANAGER SPECIAL!
April 4 - 11, 2026
Combine this tour with our
COSTA RICA QUETZAL & HUMMINGBIRD SPECIAL>
Contact gina@sunrisebirding.com to reserve your space!
Trip Cost & Travel Planning> | Registration Form>
Tour Registration Details, Terms and Cancellation Policies>
Costa Rica! If the mere mention of Costa Rica elicits images of brightly colored birds in warm tropical climes, this tour is for you! As a complement to our ever popular Quetzal & Hummingbird Special>, we've designed this tour to highlight Costa Rica's stunning toucans and tanagers. Join us to explore the habitats of these avian gems of the tropics as we seek them out in Costa Rica's Central Mountain Range and the Caribbean lowlands of northern Costa Rica.
Our itinerary features a two night stay in Boca Tapada at Pedacito de Cielo is "Little Piece of Sky." This 300 hectare reserve situated on the San Carlos River in the San Carlos region is run by a local family eager to share their little piece of heaven with birders! The lodge's trails, flower-filled gardens, and very active feeders offer excellent birding and photography opportunities. We'll also spend two nights at the famed, family-owned Arenal Observatory Lodge situated in a private nature reserve with primary and secondary rainforests, waterfalls, and sparkling rivers. The lodge's observation deck offers spectacular views of Arenal volcano and Lake Arenal and its beautiful gardens and trails support a wide variety of plants, animals, and more than 500 species of birds. Of course, there will be much more than toucans and tanagers to see. Join us for this special foray into the rainforests of northern Costa Rica.
Photos: Keel-billed Toucan by Steve Bird; Red-legged Honeycreeper by Gina Nichol; Emerald Tanager by Steve Bird.
For more spectacular birding, combine this tour with our
Costa Rica Quetzal & Hummingbird Special, March 22-29, 2024>
ITINERARY (Subject to change based on birds and other factors.)
Day
1 -ARRIVAL SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA
Plan to arrive at Juan Santamaria International Airport (Airport code: SJO) in San Jose, Costa Rica any time today. Take a taxi to the hotel which is 10 minutes from the airport. Settle in to your lovely room and join our group for dinner in the evening. (D) Photo: Yellow-throated Toucan by Gina Nichol
Day 2 - EL RODEO PROTECTED ZONE
Our first full day of birding will be at the Carara National Park, one of the best birding sites in Central Pacific Costa Rica. Today we'll have an early depart with box-breakfast and drive just one hour to this spectacular protected area.
Sightings today may include a wide variety of species like White-shouldered Tanager, Dusky Antbird, Dot-winged Antwren, Long-tailed Manakin, White-whiskered Puffbird, Turquoise-browed Motmot, Scarlet Macaw and up to 5 species of Trogons!
Also, we have the chance for some very special near-endemic species like Black-hooded Antshrike, Orange-collared Manakin and the beautiful Fiery-billed Aracari! Other highlights of the day could include White Ibis, Rose-throated Becard, Lesson´s Motmot, Turquoise-browed Motmot, Rufous-and-white & Rufous-breasted Wrens, Pale-billed Woodpecker, and many more! Lunch will be in a local restaurant.
(B-L-D)
Day 3: CINCHONA to ARENAL OBSERVATORY LODGE
Today after breakfast, e’ll explore the Caribbean foothill countryside of the Poás
Volcano and Cinchona looking for many special birds like Northern Emerald Toucanet (Photo: Gina Nichol),
Common Chlorospingus, Volcano Hummingbird (Poas-Barva), Silver-throated Tanager, Palm Tanager,
Scarlet-rumped Tanager, Prong-billed Barbet, Red-headed Barbet, Ochraceous Wren, Golden-winged
Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Coppery-headed Emerald, Green Hermit, Black Guan, Summer
Tanager, Baltimore Oriole, Violet Sabrewing and many more! In the afternoon, we will arrive and check-in to wonderful Arenal Observatory Lodge. (B-L-D)
Day 4: ARENAL OBSERVATORY LODGE
ARENAL VOLCANO from the deck of Arenal Observatory Lodge. Photo by Gina Nichol
Although the main attraction in this region is the volcano, the area offers fantastic bird watching opportunities on forest trails, along tumbling streams and around Lake Arenal. The gardens abound with birds and feeders and flowers attract a wealth of birds. A nearby stream often holds Fasciated Tiger-Heron and occasionally Sunbittern, while forest edges could treat us to Ornate Hawk-Eagle, Collared Aracari, White-throated Magpie-Jay, Crimson-collared Tanager (Photo: Steve Bird), Keel-billed Toucan, Slaty Spinetail, Bright-rumped Attila, and possibly Keel-billed Motmot.
Today we’ll be exploring the amazing grounds, trails and roads at the lodge looking for Green Honeycreeper, Emerald Tanager, Hepatic Tanager, Scarlet-thighed Dacnis, Bay-headed Tanager, Black-and-Yellow Tanager, White-ruffed Manakin, Yellow-throated Euphonia, Great-Curassow, Spotted Antbird, Dull-mantled Antbird, Thicket Antpitta, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Keel-billed Toucan, Yellow-throated Toucan, Collared Aracari, Broad-billed Motmot and many more! This wonderful place is also home of the very elusive and uncommon Yellow-eared Toucanet! In the evening, if the weather conditions make it possible, we’ll go looking for owls and frogs! (B-L-D)
Day 5: ARENAL TO BOCA TAPADA
Today we will bird the grounds of Arenal before breakfast and then head to the Caribbean lowlands driving across the continental divide of the Central Mountain Range. On the way, if we haven't already done so, we will visit the Bogarin Trail looking for the elusive White-throated Crake and Boat-billed Heron in their small wetland. The trails can offer us Gray-headed Chachalaca, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, Green Honeycreeper, Yellow-throated Toucan, a sloth or two, perhaps a Laughing Falcon, and a maybe even a roosting Black-and-White Owl. We'll be listening for the forest sounds and follow the popping sounds in the under story with the hopes of seeing the small, but charismatic White-collared Manakin and we'll search out a good variety of woodpeckers like the Smoky-brown Woodpecker, Rufous-winged Woodpecker, and the tiny Olivaceous Piculet! In the afternoon, we will head for Boca Tapada in the Caribbean lowlands for a two night stay. (B-L-D)
Day 6: PEDACITO DE CIELO
Today we have a full day to explore Pedacity de Cielo and the Boca Tapada area. The lodge offers excellent observation and photo opportunities for birds like Keel-billed Toucan, Yellow-throated Toucan, Collared Aracari, Golden-hooded Tanager, Scarlet-rumped Tanager, Blue-gray Tanager, Palm Tanager, Plain-colored Tanager, Green Honeycreeper, Red-legged Honeycreeper, Shining Honeycreeper. Yes, this is toucan and tanager heaven!
But that's not all, around the trails and feeders we can see Olive-backed Euphonia, Black-cowled Oriole, Black-cheeked Woodpecker, Montezuma Oropendola, Scarlet-rumped Cacique, Brown-hooded Parrot and more!
As we explore the area, we’ll also be looking for the uncommon Nicaraguan Seed-Finch, Pied Puffbird, White-fronted Nunbird, the magnificent King Vulture, the endangered Scarlet Macaw, and the massive Great Green Macaw! (B-L-D)
Day 7: SAN LUIS to SAN JOSE
Today we will work our way back toward San Jose with some wonderful stops along the way. At the San Luis Park, nestled in the cloud forests of Costa Rica's Central Valley, you'll be blown away by the incredibly close views of tanagers at the feeders. If we can tear ourselves away from the feeder show, we’ll walk the trail loop crossing its five hanging bridges and explore the grounds looking for Speckled Tanager (Photo: Gina Nichol), Emerald Tanager, Black-and-Yellow Tanager, Bay-headed Tanager (Photo: Gina Nichol), Crimson-collared Tanager, Common Chlorospingus, Silver-throated Tanager (Photo: Gina Nichol), Tufted Flycatcher and even the rare Blue-and-Gold Tanager! Late in the day, we will arrive in our lovely hotel outside the city and enjoy our farewell dinner. (B-L-D)
Day 8: DEPARTURES FROM SJO
Departures can be anytime today from Juan Santamaria International Airport (Airport code: SJO). Note that the hotel transfer schedule is from 5 am to 11 pm. Outside of those hours, you'll need to take a taxi to airport which is 10 minutes from the Hotel. (B)
 COSTA
RICATOUCAN & TANAGER SPECIAL! April 4 - 11, 2026 Registration Form> TOUR PRICE: US$2895.00* per person based on double occupancy from San Jose, Costa Rica (Airport code: SJO) and a minimum of 8 passengers. Deposit: US$750.00
per person. Note: Tour deposits can be paid by check or credit card via PayPal. Use this link to make your credit card payment. Please advise gina@sunrisebirding.com when you have made payment. Not
included: International
flight, airport
departure tax (currently
$29
per
person, subject
to change),
airport transfer
on arrival
by the hotel
(taxis are very easy from the airport which is 15 minutes from the lodge),
insurance,
drinks, tips,
and
items of
a personal
nature
such as: laundry,
telephone,
beverages,
gratuities
for
porterage,
guides,
or
personal
services. Also,
any
and
all
costs
arising
from
pandemic
or
Covid-19
related
issues
are
not
included
in
the
tour
cost
and
are
the
sole
responsibility
of
the
traveler.
These
include,
among
others,
the
costs
of
Covid
treatment,
hospitalization,
medical
fees,
transport,
meals
and
accommodation
in
case
of
illness
or
quarantine,
and
the
costs
of
any
Covid
tests
needed
before,
during
and
after
the
tour. Photo: Black-and-white Owl at Arenal Observatory Lodge by Gina Nichol.
Flights: Once we have reached the subscription level, we will confirm the tour and send out confirmations with specific timings so that you can book your flights for this tour. Please do NOT book your flights until you have received the official confirmation letter from us with the flight schedule. There is a flight agent who can help you and we will provide their contact information in the confirmation letter. Please
note: Tour
prices are
based on quoted
costs from
ground operators,
estimated
fuel costs,
and the rate
of exchange
the time of
itinerary
publication.
The erratic
nature to
financial
markets makes
it difficult
to predict
changes in
costs over
the long term.
Since tours
are priced
well in advance
of the actual
operation
of the tour,
tour costs,
and fuel costs
can change,
sometimes
drastically.
Depending
on the extent
of such changes,
it may be
necessary
to implement
a surcharge
on this tour.
If a surcharge
is necessary,
every effort
will be made
to minimize
the amount.
Note, we have
rarely had
to do this
but we need
to be clear
what could
happen due
to changing
costs. Cancellations
and Refunds:
TRIP INSURANCE:
PLEASE NOTE:
Questions?
Contact Gina
Nichol at gina@sunrisebirding.com |