Costa Rica

Costa Rica wildlife tours to explore this small but incredibly diverse Central American country. Costa Rica has long been a favourite with wildlife enthusiasts due to the combination of easy logistics, superb wildlife sanctuaries, incredible diversity and of course. the famous Costa Rica eco-lodges. Costa Rica was at the forefront of developing a sustainable wildlife tourism industry which other countries have tried to replicate; what does this mean to you and your Costa Rica wildlife tour?

After a night in a great Costa Rica hotel in the capital San Jose you will be picked up by your private guide and vehicle to start your Costa Rica wildlife holiday. It is refreshing that most of the car journeys are short and you can easily combine classic Costa Rica wildlife sanctuaries such as Arenal Volcano, Monterverde cloud forest, Cano Negro wildlife reserve, Osa Peninsula and Caño Island Reserve; as part of a circular Costa Rica wildlife tour.

The Costa Rica beaches are world famous and there are some wonderful beach resorts to stay at on both the Caribbean and Pacific Coasts. The Caribbean side is more famous for its corals and diving and snorkelling opportunites. While it is the large consistent waves found on the Costa Rica pacific coastline which attacts the surfers. Whatever your choice for a beach extension we will make sure your bespoke Cost Rica wildlife tour is a holiday of a lifetime.

If you’re looking to visit Costa Rica and unsure when to go, check out our dedicated blog post, about the best time to visit Costa Rica here.

Popular Itineraries

Cloud Forest, Margays & Turtles
The timing of this Costa Rica wildlife holiday is crucial if you have a strong desire to see turtles. Tortuguero is one of the most important sites on the Western Hemisphere for the nesting of sea turtles. Four out of the seven sea turtle world species come to Tortuguero to nest, but because three of these species are highly endangered, there are only tours permitted to see the Green Turtles and these are managed by the park authorities. July to October is the best time to see the Green Tutles nesting, so this provides the window for our tour. As well as turtles, we visit the ‘real’ higher altitude cloud forests for sloth, monkeys and endemic birds like Orange-bellied Trogon. Here at Wildlife Trails we love to see what the animals are doing at night, so there are some very cool night walks for Costa Rica wildlife which comes alive in the dark.
Style - Bespoke Wildlife
Duration (Excl. Flights) - 12
Activity Level
When to Go
  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
Price (Excl. flights)
£3000
Quetzals, Humpbacks & Tapir
Our quest for not only a good location in Costa Rica to see Tapir, but also how to organise the day by day activities, has been a long but enjoyable one for Wildlife Trails. There are many companies who talk about ‘the chance’ to see Tapir, but 90% of the time you are going to be disappointed. We realised that the Osa Peninusula was one of the best places to see Tapir in Costa Rica, but without our clients pre-booking specific wildlife trails with expert guides, their chances would still be quite low. So, this tour not only gives you the best chance to see Tapir when visiting Costa Rica, but also includes some amazing Humpbacj, Dolphin and Quetzal action enroute. Enjoy the ride!
Style - Bespoke Wildlife
Duration (Excl. Flights) - 13
Activity Level
When to Go
  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
Price (Excl. flights)
£4500
Sloths and Monkeys
Experts on Costa Rica rainforests and ecosystems all acknowledge that mammal viewing in this species rich country is far from easy and many of the original Costa Rica eco lodges were set up more for birding groups, than mammal enthusiasts. Therefore a tour focused on viewing sloths, monkeys and other mammals species in Costa Rica needs to be carefully planned and include longer stays at the key habitat locations for primates and other mammals. With our ‘Sloths and Monkeys’ tour we have consulted wildlife photographers, our own trips and that of our clients to bring together all the elements required for some great mammal viewing.
Style - Bespoke Wildlife
Duration (Excl. Flights) - 13
Activity Level
When to Go
  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
Price (Excl. flights)
£4600
Specialist Rainforest Photography Tour in Costa Rica
A specialist Costa Rica photography tours designed with careful consideration to the wildlife lodges and the quality of their facilities to enable the best photographic opportunities for our clients. The lodges have specialist hides and equipment which allows us to get up close and photograph species like bats, and King Vultures.
Style - Bespoke Wildlife
Duration (Excl. Flights) - 16
Activity Level
When to Go
  • Jan
  • Feb
  • Mar
  • Apr
  • May
  • Jun
  • Jul
  • Aug
  • Sep
  • Oct
  • Nov
  • Dec
Price (Excl. flights)
£4900

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