San Jose Trip Overview
Our Monteverde Journey is specifically designed to maximize the opportunity to see Resplendent Quetzals in their native habitat. We have timed the tour to when they are most active. It also gives great opportunities to see Yellow-throated Toucans, Jabirus, Roseate Spoonbills, Great Curassows, Snail Kites, Crested Guans, Scarlet-rumped Tanagers, Streak-backed Orioles and Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrants among many other species.
Additional Info
Duration: 11 days
Starts: San Jose, Costa Rica
Trip Category: Outdoor Activities >> Nature & Wildlife
Explore San Jose Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting San Jose, Province of San Jose, Costa Rica
Our Monteverde Journey is specifically designed to maximize the opportunity to see Resplendent Quetzals in their native habitat. We have timed the tour to when they are most active. It also gives great opportunities to see Yellow-throated Toucans, Jabirus, Roseate Spoonbills, Great Curassows, Snail Kites, Crested Guans, Scarlet-rumped Tanagers, Streak-backed Orioles and Scale-crested Pygmy-Tyrants among many other species.
Itinerary
Day 1: San Jose
Stop At: San Jose, San Jose, San Jose Metro, Province of San Jose
Arrival at the airport in Costa Rica. Transfer-in to the hotel in San José for the overnight.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Hotel Bougainvillea or similar accommodations.
Day 2: Curi-Cancha
Stop At: Curi Cancha Reserve, 300 meters west of the Monteverde Cheese Factory, 60109 Costa Rica
Early morning we will explore the gardens of the hotel, where we can find birds from the central Valley. After a welcome breakfast, we will travel from San Jose to the mountains of Monteverde (approx. 3.5 hours). Upon arrival we’ll have lunch at the hotel, after which we’ll board the vehicle for a short drive to the Curi Cancha Private Reserve, once a cattle farm, this private reserve protects a transitional forest that connects the cloud forest and the seasonal pacific forest. 380 species of birds have been observed here. We’ll hike for approximately 2.5 hours.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Cala Lodge or similar accommodations.
Day 3: Our Private Reserve
Stop At: Santa Elena, Santa Elena, Monteverde, Province of Puntarenas
After a hearty breakfast, we’ll embark on a quest into the cloud forest. We will be hiking to our own private reserve, where we will camp for the night. This hike will lead us through several different elevational habitats, giving us a chance to see a large variety of birds.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight camping at our private reserve.
Day 4: Monteverde
Stop At: Monteverde, Monteverde, Province of Puntarenas
We hike back to Monteverde, birding along the way and spending the night there, preparing for our next excursion.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Cala Lodge or similar accommodations.
Day 5: Monteverde
Stop At: Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, Monteverde, Province of Puntarenas
We bird the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. After the hike, we will stop for a nice coffee at the Cafe Colibrí right outside of the park. The hummingbird feeders there attract many species that can be easily photographed. In the afternoon we travel to Palo Verde, one of the premiere birding locations in Costa Rica, known for its diversity of waterfowl.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hacienda La Pacifica or similar accommodations.
Day 6: Palo Verde
Stop At: Palo Verde National Park, Costa Rica
We spend the morning birding Palo Verde National Park and, in the afternoon, we travel to Tenorio National Park.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Celeste Mountain Lodge or similar accomodations.
Day 7: Rio Celeste
Stop At: Rio Celeste, Tenorio Volcano National Park Costa Rica
Today we will be birding Tenorio National Park while hiking to see the beautiful Rio Celeste, known for its sky-blue waters.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Celeste Mountain Lodge or similar accommodations.
Day 8: La Fortuna
Stop At: La Fortuna de San Carlos, La Fortuna de San Carlos, Arenal Volcano National Park, Province of Alajuela
After breakfast, we travel to La Fortuna, below the scenic Volcan Arenal, an active cone-shaped volcano.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Arenal Observatory Lodge or similar accommodations.
Day 9: Arenal National Park
Stop At: Arenal Volcano National Park, Arenal Volcano National Park, Province of Alajuela
We spend the Day birding Volcan Arenal National Park.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at the Arenal Observatory Lodge or similar accomodations.
Day 10: San Luis Canopy
Stop At: San Jose, San Jose, San Jose Metro, Province of San Jose
Early morning, we travel back to San Jose, stopping along the way at the San Luis Canopy and Hummingbird Gardens, giving us the opportunity to observe hummingbirds from a different elevational climate.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Hotel Bougainvillea or similar accommodations.
Day 11: Flight Home
Stop At: San Jose, San Jose, San Jose Metro, Province of San Jose
Transfer-out to the international airport for the flight out.
Duration: 8 hours
Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.
