Day 1 - Arrival at SJO International Airport in Costa Rica

Upon arrival, you will be transferred to our hotel in San Jose in a private van. The drive from the airport to the hotel takes approximately 25 minutes depending on traffic.

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Day 2 – Drive to the Talamanca Highlands: Hummingbirds & Quetzal Tour. After an early breakfast, we will make our way up to the Talamanca Highlands.  The drive to the highlands is approximately 2 hours long but we will first make a stop at Paraiso Quetzal lodge where we will spend most of the morning photographing hummingbirds in a multi-flash setup and in natural light. Some of the species of hummingbirds we will encounter on this day are the Fiery-throated Hummingbird, Lesser Violetear, Talamanca Hummingbird, Volcano Hummingbird & White-throated Mountain-gem.  After lunch, we will go in search of the most sought-after bird in Costa Rica, the Resplendent Quetzal. We will spend close to 3 hours looking for this enigmatic bird at some very reliable spots. After getting some pictures we will continue our journey to the San Gerardo Valley where we will spend the following two nights. 

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Day 3 – Quetzal Tour Am – Feeders PM

We will depart the hotel by 5 am with a packed breakfast to go up the mountains for our second chance of getting pictures of the Resplendent Quetzal. Again, we will spend close to 3 hours at this site in hopes of getting excellent pictures. We will return to our hotel for a late breakfast and rest. In the afternoon we will visit a nearby location with hummingbird and tanagers feeders. Flame-colored Tanager, Silver-throated Tanager, Yellow-thighed Brush-Finch, and Northern Emerald Toucanet are all possible at this site. 

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Day 4 – Drive to our lodge in the Caribbean lowlands with one stop at Cinchona feeders

After breakfast, we will check out and start our drive towards the Caribbean lowlands, after crossing San Jose and before descending to the lowlands we will make a stop at some local feeders where we will photograph new species of birds. We will spend what is left of the morning and some of the afternoons at this location, then we will continue our journey to our lodge. Red-headed & Prong-billed Barbets, Crimson Collared Tanager, Common Chlorospingus, Violet Sabrewing, the endemic Coppery-headed Emerald, and more can be photographed here.

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Day 5- Full Day Private Property Feeders

After breakfast, we will go on a 40-minute drive to a private property, where we will spend the whole day photographing birds at feeders. Chestnut-headed Oropendola, Orange-chinned Parakeet, Golden-hooded Tanager, and Red-legged & Green Honeycreepers are all possible today.

Additionally, there is an optional walk in the forest to look for Spectacled & Crested Owls, with luck some trogons and the cute Honduran White Bats.

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We can also do a macro session of poison and glass frogs at this location. 

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Day 6 – Full Day Private Feeders

After breakfast, we will drive to a private home where we will photograph birds at feeders.

Crimson-collared, Scarlet-rumped & Dusky-faced Tanagers, Green-honeycreeper, Collared Aracari, and Black-cheeked Woodpecker are just a few of the birds that come to the feeders. Besides we will keep our eyes open as the activity in this yard is usually very good and it can produce birds like Lineated, Smoky, and Golden Olive Woodpeckers, Slaty-tailed & Gartered Trogons, along with White-collared Manakin, and many more! 

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Day 7 - Check out and drive to our lodge in the rainforest

After breakfast, we will do the check-out and depart to our next destination, the drive takes only about 2 hours. Once we arrive, we will be photographing from the deck. Yellow-throated & Keel-billed Toucans, Montezuma Oropendola, Brown-hooded Parrots, Red-legged, Green & Shining Honeycreepers, Black-cheeked Woodpeckers, and with luck the very attractive Chestnut-colored Woodpecker are all possible on this day.

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Day 8 – Photography from the deck and King Vulture

Before breakfast, we will photograph from the deck and by mid-morning we will go to a hide to photograph the extremely elusive King Vulture. For the rest of the day, we will take pictures from the deck at the lodge. More opportunities for Yellow-throated & Keel-billed Toucans, Montezuma Oropendola, Brown-hooded Parrots, and Red-legged, Green & Shining Honeycreepers. 

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Day 9 – Last photography session and departure to San Jose

 Shoot a full morning at the lodge deck and leave before lunch to San Jose

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Day 10 - International Departure

Depending on your flight schedule you can have one last Costa Rican breakfast at the hotel and then you will be transferred to the airport for your international flight home.