The Wildlife of Costa Rica

Hopefully, you’ll wake refreshed after the long flight today, ready to journey onwards to your first stop – the adventure capital of Arenal. Once you’ve checked into your hotel, there are so many brilliant options in Arenal, we’ll be sure to seek out the best, wildlife-packed spot for you – it’s time to explore. First up, a visit to the perfectly conical Arenal volcano. We’d recommend exploring the Arenal 1968 Reserve and the dramatic landscapes shaped by the eruption back in 1968. With trails winding through lush rainforest, lava fields and formations, it’s a fascinating glimpse into the area’s geology, with plenty of wildlife spotting opportunities along the way. Once you’ve got your steps in, unlace your walking boots and soak your limbs in the relaxing natural hot springs. The perfect way to unwind before an early start and a wild day tomorrow.

Today you’ll head out on a superb full-day tour to one of the best reserves in the country – the Caño Negro Wildlife refuge. Tucked away close to the Nicaragua border, you’ll venture through the lush tropical forest and float down the winding waterways in search of spider monkeys, turtles, sloths, enormous lizards and a huge variety of birds. If you’re lucky, you might even  glimpse a caiman lurking amongst the wetlands and flooded forest. 

You’ll leave Arenal behind this morning for a scenic drive up into the clouds. Monteverde Cloud Forest is one of the most commonly visited in Costa Rica, but for good reason. It really does offer the best opportunity to spot a huge variety of cloud forest birds and mammals. You’ll be staying in a beautiful lodge nestled within its own network of forest trails, giving you plenty of opportunities to wildlife-spot in between tours. Your first adventure into the reserve will be a night walk this evening. Led under torchlight through the forested pathways, your expert guide will help you spot nocturnal treasures such as the red-eyed treefrog hidden within the leaves. If you’re lucky, you might even encounter one of the elusive mammal species that live within the cloud forest. Ocelots and margays are wild cats that can occasionally be spotted roaming the forest pathways at night. Sightings are rare, but we’ll cross our fingers for you!

This morning you’ll head off to the lesser-known forest reserve of Curi-Cancha with your very own specialist guide. This secret spot in Monteverde is the perfect place to experience the wealth of wildlife, well-maintained trails and lush landscapes of the cloud forest, away from the crowds. There are more than 3 miles of walkways and with visitor numbers limited by the reserve, you won’t have too many other people to share them with. More than 250 species of birds have been recorded here, as well as playful white-faced capuchin monkeys, agoutis, colourful hummingbirds flitting amongst the flowers and so much more. This is a much more intimate way to explore the wild wonders of Monteverde – and we love that.

Today you’ll head back to the Monteverde Reserve to discover the flora and fauna of the cloud forest with a naturalist guide. The amount of knowledge these guides have is staggering, plus they’re all seriously eagle-eyed. If there’s wildlife about, they’ll spot it. We’ve left this afternoon free for you to do whatever suits your interests - you might choose to explore the canopy walkways, channel your inner Tarzan with a zip lining adventure through the trees, or pay a visit to a local coffee and sugar cane plantation to learn all about these key parts of Costa Rican culture. 

From the clouds to the beach. Today you’ll journey to the Central Pacific Coast for two nights in beautiful Manuel Antonio. One of Costa Rica’s most loved destinations, it’s not only home to abundant wildlife and lush rainforests – but also gorgeous white sand beaches to laze on and crashing waves to dive beneath. Manuel Antonio National Park is home to more than 100 mammal species (so many monkeys!) and is a real haven for birdwatchers too. There’s so much wildlife here, there’s a big chance you won’t even need to leave your hotel grounds to catch a glimpse of a sloth lazing in the trees, scarlet macaws flying overhead or a troop of endangered squirrel monkeys causing mischief in the trees. 

We’ve included a kayaking tour to Damas Island today, a chance for you to explore yet another of Costa Rica’s vibrant ecosystems. Bobbing along the waterways with your guide, spotting the wildlife hidden within the coastal mangroves is the perfect activity for families and wildlife lovers alike. As you paddle through the calm waters, you might just encounter cheeky capuchin monkeys swinging overhead, flashes of colourful birds as they flit between the branches, and maybe even the occasional croc basking in the sun. Exploring by kayak means you can explore the tight channels that larger boats can’t reach – but we can always arrange for you to take a boat trip through the mangroves instead if preferred. As always, just chat to us and we’ll make it happen. 

Today is an exciting day. You’ll leave the beaches of Manuel Antonio behind and head towards the rugged and pristine Osa Peninsula. Boasting the highest diversity of flora and fauna in the entire country, the Osa Peninsula is a true wild paradise. Trust us, it’s special. You’ll spend the next three nights hunkered down in a superb jungle lodge, immersing yourself in the natural world amongst the wild inhabitants of the rainforest. You’ll feel a million miles away from day-to-day life here. 

We haven’t planned too much for the next few days, leaving the time up to you to choose how to soak up your last two days in this incredible country. Of course, we recommend spending as much time as possible exploring the jungle trails in search of species such as anteaters, poison dart frogs and all four of Costa Rica’s resident monkeys. All whilst colourful scarlet macaws swoop through the skies above and the sun glints through the trees. There really are few places on Earth as wild, remote and special as the Osa Peninsula. In between the wildlife spotting, there are plenty of other activities to enjoy. Challenge yourself to a surfing lesson, ride a horse along the beach, head off on a birdwatching trip or take to the waters in a kayak. This is the perfect place to finish your wildlife-focused adventure around Costa Rica.

Today you’ll enjoy a light aircraft flight back to San Jose in time for your flight back to the UK. Your camera roll will be packed, your animal-spotting checklist ticked and your heart full. Until next time, Costa Rica.