Costa Rica: Estuaries & Volcanos
February 1-11, 2026
Your place on this Venture is reserved with your completed registration and deposit of $700/person are submitted. Deposit may be made via the ‘book now’ button above, or by contacting the Ventures office. We accept credit cards for an additional fee (2.9% for MC, Visa, Discover; 3.9% for AmEx), but you may also pay by bank transfer via our website. If paying by cash, check, or money order (payable to ‘VENTURES BIRDING’), please mail in your payment with a paper registration form to PO Box 1095, Skyland, NC 28776, or contact our office. This Venture is limited to 8 participants.
This tour explores two remarkable Costa Rican wetlands as well as spectacular volcanic peaks and Cloud Forests. We start in the mountains of Bajos del Toro, where we will visit the Catarata del Toro - where the Toro River cascades 270 feet into the caldera of an extinct volcano!
From here we explore the massive wetlands of Cano Negro. Considered one of the most important wetlands on the planet, this region in the far north of Costa Rica is home to huge numbers of wading birds - including Jabirus and Agami Herons - as well as hundreds of other species. Because of the aquatic nature of the habitat our tours here will be by small boat with an expert local guide.
Our next stop is Bijagua de Upala, where we will explore the private Tapir Valley Nature Reserve as well as the Hanging Bridges Trail at our lodge. While we will be in the north west part of Costa Rica, the habitat is actually part of the Caribbean Foothills, so we will be looking for incredible varieties of tanagers and the very rare and hard-to-find Yellow-eared Toucanet.
The tour ends on the Tarcoles River, which is home to a large population of giant American Crocodiles as well as a large Mangrove Forest home to several Mangrove endemic species of birds. We will explore the River and Mangroves by boat before watching the sunset from a birding tower located at our last eco lodge.
This tour will be focused on birding, but there will also be plenty of chances to see sloths, monkeys, frogs, snakes, invertebrates, and much more! Seeing 300+ species of birds would not be unexpected! Book now »
Cost of Costa Rica Venture $3,295 per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement - $375. Price includes: All ground transportation; all accommodation during tour dates; all meals, taxes, entrance fees, trip information packet, bird list, and guide/leader service throughout. Not included: International flights (tour begins and ends in San Jose (SJO)), alcoholic beverages, laundry, gratuities, and items of a personal nature.
Birds We Hope to See
Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Boat-billed Heron, Sunbittern, Sungrebe, Jabiru, Fiery-throated, Volcano, Black-bellied, Stripe-tailed, and Mangrove Hummingbirds, Snowcap, White-crested and Black-crested Coquettes, Sulphur-winged Parakeet, Baird’s and Collared Trogon, Resplendent Quetzal, Red-headed Barbet, Northern Emerald-Toucanet, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Fiery-billed Aracari, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Ruddy Treerunner, Buff-throated & Buff-fronted Foliage-Gleaners; White-crowned, Red-capped, Blue-crowned, Orange-collared Manakins; Long-tailed Silky-Flycatcher, Dark Pewee, Black-capped Flycatcher, Golden-bellied Flycatcher, Tawny-chested Flycatcher, Golden-crowned Spadebill, American Dipper, Black-throated Wren, Black-cheeked Warbler, Flame-throated Warbler, Collared Redstart, Flame-colored, Bay-headed, Spangle-cheeked, Speckled, Silver-throated, Tawny-crested Tanager, Ashy-throated Chlorosphingus, Orange-billed Sparrow, Cabanis’s Ground Sparrow (E), Tawny-capped Euphonia, Black-thighed Grosbeak, Black-faced Grosbeak, Large-footed Finch, Peg-billed Finch, Yellow-thighed Brushfinch, Costa Rican Brushfinch, Slaty Flowerpiercer, Montezuma Oropendola, and many more.
