Manuel Antonio National Park is definitely one of the best options in Costa Rica for observing wildlife. Although it is not likely to be the best choice for bird watching, because it happens to welcome many visitors. So, here you have three great options: 

Esquipulas, Playa Rey (seasonal wetlands) Bird Watching Tour (5am to 11am) 

If you want to enjoy the perfect bird watching tour, in a close by location to Manuel Antonio area, Esquipulas is the place to go! 

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Esquipulas, Playa Rey (seasonal wetlands) Bird Watching Tour (5am to 11am)

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If you want to enjoy the perfect bird watching tour, in a close by location to Manuel Antonio area, Esquipulas is the place to go!

 

Esquipulas is a small countryside town located at the foothills of San Marcos de Tarrazú (one of the highest mountains in Costa Rica). Esquipulas is considered to be the best spot for bird watching in the Manuel Antonio and Quepos areas. 

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It is located just approximately 20 minutes from the Manuel Antonio Park area and reaches 400 meters above the sea level, which happens to be a great altitude for a bird watching morning. 

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They will pick you up at Jungle Roost in Manuel Antonio early in the morning. Then will drive you up the Tarrazú mountains while your naturalist guide would be pointing some common bird species. 

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Esquipulas habitat is a combination of several ecosystems, such as primary and secondary forest, house gardens and cattle pastures. That is why the this  area is home to a very high variety of birds, including Tanagers, Trogons, Hummingbirds, Flycatchers, Manakins, and Toucans, among many others. 

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A high number of bird species have been reported in Esquipulas species (approximately 304 bird species). This means that you will have excellent possibilities to observe many birds. After the breakfast you will be heading to Playa Rey a seasonal wetland visiting two totally different habitats. 

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About the tour 

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Pick up at Jungle Roost 5 am / birding in Esquipulas / typical breakfast / birding at Playa Rey / returning to Jungle Roost max at 11 am 

Guide services + typical breakfast $300=1-2 people ($400=3-4 people). 

Guide services with specialize equipment + typical breakfast is $300 (2 people) or $400 (3-4 people) 

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Resplendent Quetzal Bird Watching Tour (3am to 3pm) 

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The Resplendent Quetzal is a bird species that everybody wants to see. However, it is not easy to spot at all. There are only two places in Costa Rica where you may encounter the Resplendent Quetzal, namely the Monteverde and San Gerardo Dota o Cerro de la Muerte areas. Our bird watching tour will take you to the San Gerardo Dota area, located approximately 3 hours from the Manuel Antonio Park area. The Dota area is at approximately 2700 meters (8800fts) above sea level. This means that this place is one of the most amazing areas for bird watching in our beautiful Costa Rica.  

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History of San Gerardo

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When Costa Rica was still an unexplored country by naturalists, local people started to notice the abundance of flora and fauna, which is what began to attract the attention of many scientists, since the presence of many new species was reported. Later on, a couple of botanists, students from Harvard University, travelled to Costa Rica for investigating orchids in the San Gerardo Dota area. 

In their scientific publication, they included a special note mentioning how incredibly abundant Resplendent Quetzal was in this area. Thanks to this paper, several naturalists started to travel to Costa Rica during the ‘70s for watching birds. They were especially interested in the Resplendent Quetzal. 

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In addition to the Quetzal, San Gerardo Dota offers an immense population of birds, with a very high presence of endemic species that have evolved in the habitat of the highest mountains of Costa Rica. This is why this place is definitely a great location for birdwatchers. However, everyone will appreciate the fantastic birdlife of the area and will be delighted with breathtaking views of these beautiful mountains. In addition to the elusive Resplendent Quetzal species, more than 200 species have been recorded in the Tropical and Subalpine Cloud Forest of San Gerardo Dota and Cerro de la Muerte. 

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About the tour 

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Once arrived at San Gerardo Dota, you start the bird watching adventure searching for different species, especially the Resplendent Quetzal. Early in the morning is the best time of the day for spotting the elusive Resplendent Quetzal birds, since at that time they perch on tree branches and eat fruits, like the little avocados. 

 

Later in the morning, you will be taken to the typical ranch of Doña Miriam to enjoy a delicious breakfast. This place is also well known for the large number of birds that come to perch nearby which makes it an excellent attraction for photographers, who can easily photograph the many beautiful birds after having enjoyed a delicious typical Costa Rican meal. After the breakfast you will continue doing some birding ap to 12pm (trying for Tanagers, Warblers, Flycatchers, Wrens and much more), 

A visit to San Gerardo Dota and the surrounding areas may be the best option for a bird watching trip in Costa Rica. As you continue the adventure, you will visit several specific places in the San Gerardo Dota area. What the tour wants to offer you is the best bird watching experience ever. 

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Pick up time is 3am / arriving Savegre Valley 6am for Quetzal walk / 7:30 am typical breakfast at Miriam's SODA / birding from 8am to 12pm / back at Jungle Roost by 3 pm. 

Guide services with specialize equipment + typical breakfast is $250 (2 people) or $350 (3-4 people) 

 

Carara National Park Bird Watching Tour (4am to 3pm) 

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Carara National Park is definitely one of the best bird watching site in the central pacific area of Costa Rica. 

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Manuel Antonio National Park is definitely a great location for observing wildlife. Although it is not that good for bird watching because this location happens to be quite busy and it welcomes quite a high number of visitors. This is the reason why is highly recommended to visit the Carara Park for bird watching. This park is considered to be one of the best places in Costa Rica for bird watching. 

 

It is located approximately 1 and ½ hours north of Manuel Antonio and Quepos. Its geographic position means that its forest is a transition zone: here the tropical rainforest meets the dry forest. This makes Carara the perfect place for both rainforest and some dry-forest species, since different habitats can be found here, such as primary and secondary rainforest, gallery forest, thickets, grasslands, rivers and others. This is a must visit to any bird watcher coming to Costa Rica. 

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The main target species at this park are: Scarlet Macaws, Antbirds, Tinamous, Trogons, Manakins, Motmots, Jacamars and many other unique or endemic Costa Rican species. 

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This bird watching adventure in the Carara Park starts with an early pickup at Jungle Roost in Manuel Antonio, as you drive north towards Carara your guide will make some strategic stops at some special bird watching places that they know. 

In addition to the main tour, you may add a visit to the Tarcoles River (a 2 hours bird watching experience along the river).

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About the tour 

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Pick up at Jungle Roost at 4 am / stopping at Tarcoles village for birding from 5:30am to 7:00am / stopping for breakfast / visiting Carrara from 8 am- 12pm / typical lunch and option of 1- birding at Carara or 2- birding Jaco wetlands (one option after lunch) 

 

Guide services with specialize equipment + typical breakfast +typical lunch is $350 (2 people) or $450 (3-4 people) 

Details