Introduction
Costa Rica’s diverse climate has made it synonymous with spotting wildlife, and its abundance of lush green rainforest framed by volcanoes and beaches provide a wonderful setting for exploring an enormous flora and fauna population.
It accounts for just 0.03% of the earth's surface, but contains almost 6% of the world’s biodiversity with twelve incredibly different microclimates, meaning its residents vary from elusive big cats to exotic insects. Our itineraries provide several ways to explore this spectacular region, from cloud forests to night hikes, but all offer wonderful wildlife spotting opportunities. The latter presents a spectacular way to see the country’s many nocturnal species up close, including impossibly cute two and three-toed sloths, sweet native kinkajou, meaning ‘honey bear’, tapirs, snakes and colour-changing frogs. Our Costa Rica Wildlife Experience is ideal for the adventurous traveller, discovering a plethora of wildlife in national parks and cloud forests.
See colourful-billed toucans, iguanas gathering on the coast and the wail of the aptly-named howler monkey, whose howl can travel three miles through the dense rainforest, in Manuel Antonio National Park, home to 184 and 109 bird and mammal species respectively. Our Birds & Beaches of Costa Rica itinerary spends two full days here exploring the Manuel Antonio region.
Or, take to the water on the Osa Peninsula, where scarlet macaws feed on rainforest trees and pumas and ocelots prowl through the dense greenery. Our Sarapiqui and the Osa Peninsula itinerary goes in search of the vast range of wildlife of these two areas as well as exploring the iconic Arenal Volcano. Take advantage of roadless Tortuguero, famous for the hundreds of sea turtles who come here to nest, and kayak through its national park, spotting jaguars, tapirs and manatees along the way. However you want to explore Costa Rica's wildlife, we can tailor-make a trip just for you.