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A trip to Costa Rica (1 Viewer)

K

Kenza

Member
Hi all!

I am planning to go to Costa Rica next year. Can anyone suggest a good birding tour operator because there are plenty on google and I would really like one that has a good reputation. My main targets to see are quetzals, toucans, aracari , woodpeckers and humming birds. What would be the best months to travel? Also any other hints and tips are welcome.

Cheers!
 
It's easy to do independently, driving is easy and they have a very good satnav system 'WAYS" which even takes the stress out of driving in San Jose.

You can pick up very good guides on a daily basis at most sites and the birds you mention are all fairly gettable at the right time which is generally March - April, Quetzal was easy at both Curi Cancha and San Gerardo when we were there.

Patrick O'Donnell is a member here and a highly regarded guide, you can pm him at Birdingcraft
 
Kenza said:
Hi all!

I am planning to go to Costa Rica next year. Can anyone suggest a good birding tour operator because there are plenty on google and I would really like one that has a good reputation. My main targets to see are quetzals, toucans, aracari , woodpeckers and humming birds. What would be the best months to travel? Also any other hints and tips are welcome.

Cheers!
Click to expand...

The major birding tour operators that I would recommend for you offer tours worldwide, including Costa Rica: Rockjumper Birding Tours, Field Guides, Wings

Smaller Operators (may or may not be cheaper) that I have toured with and would recommend include: Sunrise Birding Tours (went on a Costa Rica tour with them; Wingspan tours (laid-back and generally low cost)

I would not recommend Birdquest given the description of your interests. They tend to be more listing oriented and focused on more obscure birds.

Whether you go with a tour company or independently has been much discussed on this forum, but is simply a matter of personal preference.
 
Jim M. said:
The major birding tour operators that I would recommend for you offer tours worldwide, including Costa Rica: Rockjumper Birding Tours, Field Guides, Wings

Smaller Operators (may or may not be cheaper) that I have toured with and would recommend include: Sunrise Birding Tours (went on a Costa Rica tour with them; Wingspan tours (laid-back and generally low cost)

I would not recommend Birdquest given the description of your interests. They tend to be more listing oriented and focused on more obscure birds.

Whether you go with a tour company or independently has been much discussed on this forum, but is simply a matter of personal preference.[/

Don't completely agree Jim, many simply can't afford to spend $10K for two people for two weeks holiday!
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andyadcock said:
Don't completely agree Jim, many simply can't afford to spend $10K for two people for two weeks holiday!
Click to expand...


I understand that. I meant to include preferences regarding how much you want/can spend on a birding holiday under the rubric of "personal preference.”
 
andyadcock said:
Jim M. said:
Whether you go with a tour company or independently has been much discussed on this forum, but is simply a matter of personal preference.[/

Don't completely agree Jim, many simply can't afford to spend $10K for two people for two weeks holiday!
Click to expand...

There is two parts to the equation: can afford $10K if it is outstanding enough vs will want to use that kind of money for more mundane outings. I could find that kind of money but would not easily part with it unless promised something really special.

Niels
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njlarsen said:
andyadcock said:
There is two parts to the equation: can afford $10K if it is outstanding enough vs will want to use that kind of money for more mundane outings. I could find that kind of money but would not easily part with it unless promised something really special.

Niels
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For some people, this would represent life savings, not an annual, disposable amount to be made available for good times or 'mundane things'.

Not everyone is so highly paid and I think that some here would do well to remember that. Some of the things we do as birders and wildlife enthusiasts, many people will only ever dream of and will have to be satisfied with a David Attenborough programme. Ecotourism is definitely, for the few not the many.
Click to expand...
 
Do wish people would take more care over not chopping up the {quote} and {/quote} tags . . . I can't work out who's saying what here, because the citations are so messed up ;)
 
Many of these threads devolve into people bashing anyone who goes on set departure tours, suggesting they are all unimaginative birders who simply lack the skills to ID or find birds themselves, or dupes who waste money needlessly. In my post above, I was trying to avoid such a digression by suggesting that the decision of whether to go on a tour or independently is a complicated one that involves weighing many factors and personal preferences. I did not make an express reference to affordability because I consider directly suggesting that other people cannot afford something to be rather indelicate, and because the original poster's request did not suggest he had affordability concerns.
 
Jim M. said:
Many of these threads devolve into people bashing anyone who goes on set departure tours, suggesting they are all unimaginative birders who simply lack the skills to ID or find birds themselves, or dupes who waste money needlessly. In my post above, I was trying to avoid such a digression by suggesting that the decision of whether to go on a tour or independently is a complicated one that involves weighing many factors and personal preferences. I did not make an express reference to affordability because I consider directly suggesting that other people cannot afford something to be rather indelicate, and because the original poster's request did not suggest he had affordability concerns.
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Oh come on Jim, many of them are just like that, I know a few people with a World list above 6K through their numerous tours who haven't got a clue what they're looking at or what they've seen but clearly not all are like that........:-O

I personally enjoy the 'hands on' of organising a trip and learning the birds, I genuinely believe that you learn more this way about both the country and the birds. On the two occasions I've done tours, I couldn't look at a map and tell you where we went and most of the birds are a blur with the odd standout but each to their own.

What I do miss when I go independently, is the ability to find birds on call which you get on tours from a good guide.
 
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The thing to know about Costa Rica is that there are two seasons: dry and wet. The "wet" season (May to November) means some rain most every day, usually in the afternoon and/or evening. The dry season can mean no rain for days. Depending on location, some of your travel will be cheaper and/or have more availability during the wet season. I like the wet season: the tourist zones are less crowded, and afternoon clouds help keep the heat from getting too unbearable (especially on the coasts). Do your birding in the morning, use the afternoon for relaxation and/or travel.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you're looking for birds in a tropical rainforest, a local guide can make a big difference. Visibility in a jungle is very poor, so it helps to know where to go and when. Toucans, for example, may visit a particular fruit tree at a particular time of day.

This doesn't mean you need a package tour. As others have mentioned, you can drive yourself anywhere using GPS. (This is a bit of a shame; in the bad old days you'd have to stop all the time and ask for directions, so you'd interact with more locals.) Cell coverage is pretty comprehensive, but it doesn't hurt to download maps in advance before setting out each day, just in case.

People in the tourism industry speak excellent English. Wander off the main roads and things get very rural very fast, and you'll need to use Spanish. (90% of the population lives in the capital city, so there's a *lot* of uncrowded spaces in the rest of the country.)
 
nartreb said:
The thing to know about Costa Rica is that there are two seasons: dry and wet. The "wet" season (May to November) means some rain most every day, usually in the afternoon and/or evening. The dry season can mean no rain for days. Depending on location, some of your travel will be cheaper and/or have more availability during the wet season. I like the wet season: the tourist zones are less crowded, and afternoon clouds help keep the heat from getting too unbearable (especially on the coasts). Do your birding in the morning, use the afternoon for relaxation and/or travel.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if you're looking for birds in a tropical rainforest, a local guide can make a big difference. Visibility in a jungle is very poor, so it helps to know where to go and when. Toucans, for example, may visit a particular fruit tree at a particular time of day.

This doesn't mean you need a package tour. As others have mentioned, you can drive yourself anywhere using GPS. (This is a bit of a shame; in the bad old days you'd have to stop all the time and ask for directions, so you'd interact with more locals.) Cell coverage is pretty comprehensive, but it doesn't hurt to download maps in advance before setting out each day, just in case.

People in the tourism industry speak excellent English. Wander off the main roads and things get very rural very fast, and you'll need to use Spanish. (90% of the population lives in the capital city, so there's a *lot* of uncrowded spaces in the rest of the country.)
Click to expand...

That may well be but I stopped in to a store to buy a local SIM, my UK phone costs me almost 3 pounds per minute outside of Europe. It was a long, convoluted process that the store owner undertook for me, on the phone with the SIM provider. He had to provide lots of details including my passport number but ultimately, the SIM failed to load.

Agree with everything else, we took local guides at a few places who were superb.
 
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Interesting. On my recent trip my US phone worked with zero hassle. I think voice was eleven US cents a minute, data and texts free (within my usual plan limits). No need for a SIM or a new phone number. My wife's phone (different carrier) worked fine too, though I think she had to call ahead and pay extra. After many years of US phones being useless in the rest of the world, this was a refreshing change.

Not sure which store you went in to, but getting a SIM should have been routine (but yes, they will want your passport number - they are strict about requiring ID). If for some reason your phone doesn't work, you can pick up a new phone for the equivalent of $20 or so. The newer the phone, the more likely it can take full advantage of Costa Rica's very modern network.
 
nartreb said:
Interesting. On my recent trip my US phone worked with zero hassle. I think voice was eleven US cents a minute, data and texts free (within my usual plan limits). No need for a SIM or a new phone number. My wife's phone (different carrier) worked fine too, though I think she had to call ahead and pay extra. After many years of US phones being useless in the rest of the world, this was a refreshing change.

Not sure which store you went in to, but getting a SIM should have been routine (but yes, they will want your passport number - they are strict about requiring ID). If for some reason your phone doesn't work, you can pick up a new phone for the equivalent of $20 or so. The newer the phone, the more likely it can take full advantage of Costa Rica's very modern network.
Click to expand...

My UK phone is awfully expensive outside of Europe (European Union actually) and even costs me £1.30 per minute to receive a call so I always put a local SIM in it when I can.
 
andyadcock said:
Oh come on Jim, many of them are just like that
Click to expand...

Which precisely misses the one of the points of my post, which expressly used the word "all." My point was that they are not all like that (me for one), so please don't make broad generalizations about everyone on such trips, or what functions the trips can serve for someone who wishes to go on them. (And I don't mean to be accusing you in particular Andy--just making a general point.)
 
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Thanks for all the advice. I have decided to go independently and rent a 4x4 there. A couple of factors made me decide to go in July: airfare and accomodation is cheaper, less tourists and the “little summer” phenomenon which apparently is a great time for birding. I presume it won’t be difficult to hire a guide at certain national parks ( Monteverde is one choice). I don’t know about you guys from the US but getting to central america from europe is pretty expensive!

Now on another matter. I will be in Chile in february visiting some friends. I will be situated at three different locations: San Pedro de Atacama, Santiago and Punta Arenas in patagonia. Can anyone suggest from personal experience good birding spots near these three towns. I will probably spend a week in each region. Thanks!
 
Kenza said:
Now on another matter. I will be in Chile in february visiting some friends. I will be situated at three different locations: San Pedro de Atacama, Santiago and Punta Arenas in patagonia. Can anyone suggest from personal experience good birding spots near these three towns. I will probably spend a week in each region. Thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi Kenza:

I don't know about the Atacama or Punta Arenas, but I did spend some time near Santiago a few years ago. (But much depends on how you define "near" - it was a couple of hours' drive south that I did most of my birding).

I was really charmed by an area called Laguna Torca - the swans, coots, and marshland birds (e.g. Spectacled Tyrant) were fantastic, and so easy to see! Unfortunately, you can no longer stay at the Hacienda we stayed at - it has since closed - but there is probably a lot of accommodation in nearby Vichuquen.

An account and some photos here:https://www.birdforum.net/showpost.php?p=2062284&postcount=22
 
Kenza said:
Thanks for all the advice. I have decided to go independently and rent a 4x4 there. A couple of factors made me decide to go in July: airfare and accomodation is cheaper, less tourists and the “little summer” phenomenon which apparently is a great time for birding. I presume it won’t be difficult to hire a guide at certain national parks ( Monteverde is one choice). I don’t know about you guys from the US but getting to central america from europe is pretty expensive!

Now on another matter. I will be in Chile in february visiting some friends. I will be situated at three different locations: San Pedro de Atacama, Santiago and Punta Arenas in patagonia. Can anyone suggest from personal experience good birding spots near these three towns. I will probably spend a week in each region. Thanks!
Click to expand...

A great choice, you'll have an amazing time but I doubt you'll get the Quetzal in July? Below is a link to the guide we used for Monteverde and Curi-Cancha. The latter site is less well known but a must do and David can guide you at both as they are near to each other.

https://www.birdnote.org/contributor/david-rodriguezarias

Did I send you my report? If not, it will have to wait until I return to the UK in January, don't be shy about reminding me if you want it and I forget.
 
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andyadcock said:
A great choice, you'll have an amazing time but I doubt you'll get the Quetzal in July? Below is a link to the guide we used for Monteverde and Curi-Cancha. The latter site is less well known but a must do and David can guide you at both as they are near to each other.

https://www.birdnote.org/contributor/david-rodriguezarias

Did I send you my report? If not, it will have to wait until I return to the UK in January, don't be shy about reminding me if you want it and I forget.
Click to expand...

Possibly more difficult than at other times of the year, but I saw the quetzal several times in July at Monteverde when I stayed there for a month-long Spanish language course. Also had them at the end of June at Paraiso de Quetzales in the Talamanca range. A guide would be helpful for locating them.
 
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