After an early morning pickup from your hotel in San Jose, enjoy a scenic drive northeast, arriving in less than an hour at Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica Atlantic. This ecotourism reserve covers 1,174 acres (475 hectares) of waterfalls, rivers, and lush tropical forest.

On your bird-watching tour, you’ll walk a total of 3 miles (5 km) along paved paths and flat dirt trails in the Caribbean foothills, as well as primary and secondary tropical rainforests. Set up your tripod on the pavement and enjoy identifying various birds from a list provided by your naturalist guide.

Follow your guide across a hanging bridge over the Molinete River, where kingfishers are often seen catching prey with their long, sharp beaks.

Next, board an aerial tram for a serene glide through the canopy. During this hour-long ride in an open-air gondola, you’ll see an abundance of birdlife, with your guide explaining the sights along the way. The tram stops periodically to give you the best chance to observe and photograph birds. Look out for the resplendent plumes of a trogon, often overlooked as it tends to stay very still in the mid-canopy.

Disembark deep in the rainforest and continue with your guide on a trail to an overlook point, where you’ll take a break and enjoy a boxed breakfast. (Breakfast typically includes rice and beans, scrambled eggs, sausages, bread, cereal, fresh fruit, juice, coffee, or tea.)

Afterward, your guide will lead you down a trail to spot more birds in their natural habitat, such as the blue-crowned motmot with its distinctive bare feather shaft, and the keel-billed toucan with its colorful beak. You might hear parakeets and macaws before you see them.

Continue your bird-watching adventure with your guide on another path toward the reserve’s observation center, a stunning location with plants that attract hummingbirds. You might catch a glimpse of the beautiful blue-gray tanager.

After a wonderful day of bird-watching, you’ll be transported back to your hotel in San Jose.

Note: Click on the ‘View additional info’ below to ensure your hotel is included in the pickup and drop-off zone.

Points of Interest

• Rainforest Adventures

• Expert certified naturalist bilingual guide
• Bird Watching Tour
• Aerial tram tour
• Hotel pickup and drop-off (if option selected)
• Breakfast (if option selected)

• Gratuities
• Binoculars and/or spotting scope

Bird enthusiasts, don’t miss out: Witness the dance of birds in this one-day visit to a secluded nature retreat located just beyond San Jose. With a record of 365 distinct bird species spotted here, rest assured you’ll spot a multitude of them, with or without the help of your binoculars. Walk alongside a knowledgeable nature expert across open terrains and into the depths of the rainforest, and soar above the treetops on a sky tram, all to maximize your bird-watching experience. From Macaws to hummingbirds and motmots, you’ll add a noteworthy variety of birds to your observation catalogue.

• Minimum age is 12 years
• It is recommended that you wear comfortable clothes and hiking shoes
• A good level of fitness is required
• A minimum of 2 passengers per booking is required. There is a possibility of cancellation after confirmation if there are not enough passengers to meet requirements. In the event of this occurring, you will be offered an alternative or full refund

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.