Boca Tapada · 2027
*
Costa Rica · 11-day bird photography tour
Costa Rica Bird Photography Tour 2027
PhotoLior field
The tour
Five regions in eleven days, built around the birds most photographers come to Costa Rica for.
The route starts in the northern lowlands at Boca Tapada, where a King Vulture hide and feeder platforms bring toucans and macaws within range. On the way south we stop at a local naturalist's private gardens near Cope's for owls, bats and hummingbirds, then spend an evening herping at Centro Manú.
Up in the Talamanca highlands we have two private early-morning sessions for the Resplendent Quetzal at Cerro de la Muerte. From there we drop to the Central Pacific for a Tárcoles mangrove boat trip with scarlet macaws and crocodiles, plus the trails of Carara, and finish in Monteverde for the three-wattled bellbird.
Groups are capped at six photographers. Private 4x4 transport, all meals and all park entrances are included.
948
King vulture * Great green macaw * Keel-billed toucan * Hummingbirds * Tanagers * Resplendent quetzal * Motmots * King vulture * Great green macaw * Keel-billed toucan
The route
From the lowlands to the cloud forest
Lowland hides, two highland quetzal mornings, the Pacific coast and Monteverde.
10°18′N 84°48′W · Monteverde
Days 2 to 3
Boca Tapada
King Vulture hide and feeders
Day 4
Centro Manú
Gardens at Cope's, night herping
Days 5 to 7
Cerro de la Muerte
Two private quetzal mornings
Days 7 to 9
Central Pacific
Tárcoles mangroves and Carara
Day 10
Monteverde
Three-wattled bellbird
Itinerary
Costa Rica birding itinerary, day by day
Day 1
Arrival in San José
Arrive at your own pace. Welcome briefing in the evening before an early start.
Days 2 to 3
Boca Tapada
North into the lowland rainforest. Afternoon at the King Vulture hide and feeder platforms, then a full day working the hides, feeders and forest edges for lowland species.
Day 4
Cope's gardens and Centro Manú
A stop at a local naturalist's private gardens for owls, bats and hummingbirds, then an evening herping session at Centro Manú.
Days 5 to 7
Cerro de la Muerte
Up into the Talamanca highlands. Two early private Resplendent Quetzal sessions, with highland hummingbirds in between, then down the Costanera to the coast.
Days 8 to 9
Central Pacific
A morning boat trip through the Tárcoles mangroves for scarlet macaws, crocodiles and waterbirds, afternoon trails in Carara, then one more early session before leaving for Monteverde.
Days 10 to 11
Monteverde and departure
A dedicated session at Selvatura for the three-wattled bellbird and the cloud forest birds, then the transfer back to San José.
From
$4,250
per photographer
Dates
Apr 19 to 29, 2027
Duration
11 days, 10 nights
Group
Max 6 photographers
Deposit
$550
Reserve with a $550 deposit
Ask Lior on WhatsApp
Starts and ends in San José.
11
Days in the field, San José to San José
What you'll photograph
The birds you'll photograph
Costa Rica's signature species, from lowland hides to the cloud forest.
Quetzals feed mostly on wild avocados and other laurel fruit
Two early private sessions at Cerro de la Muerte in the Talamanca highlands, so a quiet first morning still leaves a second chance.
Resplendent quetzal
King vulture
Hide at Boca Tapada
Toucans
Feeders at Boca Tapada
Hummingbirds
Private gardens near Cope's
Tanagers
Cloud forest feeders
When to go
Best time for bird photography in Costa Rica
April is the end of Costa Rica's dry season and falls inside the resplendent quetzal's breeding season, which usually starts in March. It is a strong month for quetzals in the highlands, with drier conditions at the lowland hides too.
Quetzal breeding season starts around March
Our 2027 departures
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Quetzal breeding season
Outside breeding season
Breeding season continues
Early breeding season, from March
Piquiri River · 2026
Sony 100-400mm GM
In the field
How we photograph birds in Costa Rica
Most of the shooting happens from hides and feeder setups, so birds come to you at eye level instead of high in the canopy. That means cleaner backgrounds and time to work one bird properly.
Bring your longest lens for canopy birds and macaws in flight, and a shorter zoom for hummingbirds at close range. Cloud forest light is low, so a body that handles high ISO well makes a real difference.
What Lior shoots with
Body
Mirrorless with bird-eye AF
Tracks small, fast birds against busy backgrounds.
Main lens
150-600mm class zoom
Reach for canopy birds and macaws in flight.
Second lens
70-200mm or 100-400mm zoom
Hides, hummingbirds and close perches.
Dates and price
2027 departures, price and what is included
$4,250 per photographer, with a $550 deposit to hold your seat.
*
$550
Holds your seat
Apr 19 to 29, 2027
11 days, 10 nights · San José to San José
$4,250
$550 deposit
Reserve
Included
10 nights lodging
All meals
Photography guide
Private 4x4 transport
All park entrances
Not included
International and domestic flights
Travel insurance
Alcoholic drinks
Gratuities
Personal expenses
Is it for you
Six photographers, at most
Groups are capped at six, so everyone gets room at every hide and feeder.
Private transport
We travel in private 4x4 vehicles, so the schedule follows the light and the birds.
A second quetzal morning
A second private session is built in, in case the first morning is quiet.
“
Everything he told us we might see, we saw. This is our second trip with Lior.
Glenn O
* Your guide
Lior Berman
FAQs
Costa Rica birding tour questions
Anything else? Message Lior directly.
Fastest answer
Ask Lior on WhatsApp
Where does the tour start and end?
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In San José, Costa Rica. Arrive at your own pace on day 1, and on day 11 we transfer back to San José for your flight.
When do we photograph the quetzal?
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We have two private early-morning sessions at Cerro de la Muerte, on days 6 and 7.
How many photographers are on the trip?
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Six at most.
What is included in the price?
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10 nights of lodging, all meals, your photography guide, private 4x4 transport and all park entrances. Flights, travel insurance, alcohol, gratuities and personal expenses are not included.
How do the deposit and payment work?
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A $550 deposit holds your seat. Message me on WhatsApp for the payment schedule.
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*
2027
April
One departure. Six seats.
Apr 19 to 29, 2027. From $4,250, with a $550 deposit to hold your seat.
Reserve your seat
Ask Lior on WhatsApp
