Costa Rica 8 Nights Photography Tour
- Photo Tour | January 3-11, 2027 & March 25-April 2, 2027 & January 3-11, 2028
- Costa Rica Arenal Extension | January 11-14, 2027 & January 11-14, 2028
- Maximum 6 Photographers
- Photo Tour | October 7-21, 2024 & October 7-21, 2025
- Amazon Extension | October 21-26, 2024 & October 21-26, 2025
- Maximum 6 Photographers
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Costa Rica 8 Nights Photography Tour
- Photo Tour | January 3-11, 2027 & March 25-April 2, 2027 & January 3-11, 2028
- Costa Rica Arenal Extension | January 11-14, 2027 & January 11-14, 2028
- Maximum 6 Photographers
ABOUT COSTA RICA PHOTO TOUR
Photograph the amazing Resplendent Quetzal
Photograph Toucans, Tanagers, Parrots, Oropendolas and more at Laguna del Lagarto Ecolodge
Photograph King Vultures from a hide
Photograph Fiery-throated Hummingbirds, Coquettes and other beautiful Hummingbirds
Cost & Logistics
$5,495
Photographer
$4,995
Non-Photographer
$800
Single Supplement
$1,600
Deposit
2028 costs: $5,795 photographer, $5,195 nonphotographer, $800 single supplement.
Number of Participants: 6 photographers and 9 total participants.
Itinerary January
January 3rd – Arrival to San Jose airport and transfer to the Bougainvillea Hotel, arrival dinner. Bougainvillea Hotel
January 4th – We will have a morning bird photography session then check out. Interesting birds on the hotel grounds include a day roost for Mottled Owl, Lesson’s Motmot and White-eared Ground Sparrow, then we will check out and head down to the Talamanca Reserve. Our main target in the Talamanca Reserve is the spectacular, White-crested Coquette. A nice hotel near the reserve.
January 5th – In addition to the Coquette, we will likely get White-tailed Emerald, Snowy-bellied Hummingbird and Speckled Tanager as well as other species. Then we will check out and head to the quetzal area. This afternoon we will have a multi-flash photo session with Fiery-throated, Talamanca and Volcano Hummingbirds. Accommodation: Gema del Bosque Lodge
January 6th – This morning we will photograph the amazing Resplendent Quetzal. This species is relatively common in the area and the locals have even set up open perches for these spectacular birds to use near their favorite avocado trees. In the afternoon we will photograph a variety of birds including likely the Peg-billed Finch, Long-tailed Silky Flycatcher and Golden-browed Chlorophonia. Gema dei Bosque Lodge
January 7th – We will have another morning session photographing the Quetzals, then we will check out and head to Laguna del Lagarto Lodge, where we will arrive in the late afternoon. We will have an evening multi-flash bat photography session after dinner tonight. Laguna del Lagarto Ecolodge.
January 8th and 9th – We will have two full days photographing at Laguna del Lagarto. Their elevated canopy deck is the best place in Costa Rica to photograph fruit eating species such as Keel-billed and Yellow-throated Toucans, Golden-hooded Tanager, Brown hooded Parrot, Montezuma Oropéndola, and Collared Aracari. We will spend one morning in the King Vulture hide. Laguna del Lagarta Ecolodge.
January 10th – We will spend the morning photographing at Laguna again today. Two other spectacular species which are regular here are the Great Green Macaw and Great Curassow. After lunch we will check out and head back to the Bougainvillea Hotel. If we have time a bit of late afternoon bird photography in the garden before our final dinner. Bougainvillea Hotel.
Itinerary March
March 25th – Arrival to San Jose airport and transfer to the Bougainvillea Hotel, arrival dinner. Bougainvillea Hotel
March 26th – We will have a morning bird photography session then check out. Interesting birds on the hotel grounds include a day roost of Mottled Owl, Lesson’s Motmot and White-eared Ground Sparrow, then we will check out and head to Laguna del LaGarto. This time of year, the Royal Flycatchers should be displaying, which is an incredible thing to witness and photograph. We will have an evening bat multi-flash photography session. Laguna del Lagarto Ecolodge
March 27th – The elevated canopy deck here is the best place in Costa Rica to photograph fruit eating species such as Keel-billed and Yellow-throated Toucans, Golden-hooded Tanager, Brown-ooded Parrot, Montezuma Oropéndola, and Collared Aracari. Other great birds we should photograph include Great Green Macaw and Great Curassow. Laguna del Lagarta Ecolodge.
March 28th- After a morning session on the deck we will spend some time photographing in the King Vulture hide, after lunch we will check out and head to Sarapiqui. Next we will drive to the spot of our Snakes and frogs macro session. We will shoot the Strawberry Poison Dart Frog, Green and Black Poison Dart Frog, Red-eyed Leaf Frog, White-sided Palm Pit Viper, among others. Macro lens recommended but not required. Bambu Lodge
March 29th – We will leave the lodge early and spend the morning at a location in the lowlands where we will visit roosting sites of owls, potoos and Honduran White Bats. At this spot there are also fruit feeders which attract some different birds such as Chestnut-headed Oropendula and Orange-chinned Parakeets. In the afternoon we visit a location with a White-collared Manakin lek, this is a good spot for photographing Rufous-tailed Jacamars feeding on moths. Bambu Lodge
March 30th – After a bit of bird photography around the lodge we will check out and head down to the Southern Highlands, land of the amazing Resplendent Quetzal. We will have our first session with the Quetzals this afternoon. We stay at the beautiful Savegre Lodge.
March 31st – We will have a morning session with the Quetzals, this time of year they should be nesting which enables us to get amazing images of the birds flying to and from their nests. In the afternoon, we will photograph beautiful Fiery-throated, Volcano and Talamaca Hummingbirds. The garden of our hotel is good for the Long-tailed Silky Flycatcher. Savegre Lodge
April 1st – We will have another session with the Quetzals, have lunch and then head back to San Jose, arriving in the late afternoon. If time allows a bit of photography there. Bougainvillea Hotel.
April 2nd – Transfer to the airport for your return trip home.
Costa Rica Arenal Extension
COST
$1,950
Photographer
$1,750
Non-Photographer
$300
Single Supplement
Itinerary
January 11th – We will check out and stop at a location which has a canopy walkway and hummingbird feeders. It’s a good spot for Bay-headed and Emerald Tanagers as well as Violet Sabrewing. Then we will continue to the Arenal area. In the afternoon we will visit Bogarin Trail looking for Keel-billed Motmot, Broad billed Motmot, Barred Antshrike, White-throated Crake, Black-and-white Owl, Orange-chinned Parakeet and others. The lakes around here can be good for Agami Heron. We stay at a nice lodge in Fortuna/Arenal.
January 12th – We will have a full day of photography at Arenal Observatory Lodge, which has a wonderful garden. The fruiting trees here should have many great opportunities for fine species like Rufous-winged Tanager, Black and Yellow Tanager and Chestnut-headed Oropendola. If we find ants on any of the trails it can be a wonderful experience seeing all the antbird species at work such as Ocellated Antbird, Bicolored Antbird, Spotted Antbird, together with Red-throated Ant Tanager or Gray Headed Tanager, sometimes some woodcreepers join the show like Tawny-winged Woodcreeper. A nice lodge in Fortuna/Arenal.
January 13th – After breakfast we will move through the central mountain range and stop at a garden for Coppery-headed Emerald(endemic) Crowned Woodnymph, Green Hermit and Violet Sabrewing. If the Bellbirds are displaying we will also stop to photograph them. We will arrive back at the Bougainvillea in the late afternoon. Hotel: Bougainvillea
Jose Avendaño | Nature Photographer
Jose Avendaño is a full time photography and birding tour leader from Cusco, Peru. In addition to being a very good photographer and excellent birder, Jose is accredited as a cultural guide as well. Jose is known for his excellent sense of humor.
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