Your guide for every tour
Michael Jimenez — 20 years guiding Costa Rica
Born in the biodiverse Sarapiqui lowlands, fluent in English and Spanish, trained by renowned ornithologist Aron Sekerak. Michael guides every tour personally — small groups, target-species lists, and decades of local knowledge.
Plan your trip with Michael ↓
Exclusive Private Birding Tours in Costa Rica
150+ species possible in a single day. 900+ across Costa Rica's cloud forests, lowlands, and highlands. Target Resplendent Quetzal, Keel-billed Toucan, Three-wattled Bellbird, and a dozen hummingbird species — guided personally by a Sarapiquí-born naturalist with 20 years of field experience.
Personalized Attention & Small Group Experience
Our tours are limited to a maximum of five participants, ensuring personalized attention and an intimate birding experience.
🌿 Exclusive Birding Tours
Three flagship itineraries — every tour is custom-tailored to your target species and travel dates. Pricing varies with group size, season, and lodge selection. Day-tour prices assume pickup in the San José / Alajuela area — hotels farther out can add significantly to the cost, so include your hotel when you inquire.
7-Day Private Birding TourFlagship
from $2,800 /person- Day 1: Arrival in San José — transfer to a highland lodge
- Day 2–3: Paraíso del Quetzal — Resplendent Quetzal at the cloud forest edge
- Day 4–5: San Gerardo de Dota — talamanca endemics and high-altitude hummingbirds
- Day 6: Monteverde Cloud Forest — bellbirds, motmots, mixed flocks
- Day 7: Return to San José & departure
Limited to 5 guests. Tailored to your target species list.
Inquire about this tour →Private Day Birding — Poás + Doka + La PazMost Popular
from $200 /person- Sunrise at Poás Volcano — high-altitude tanagers, robins, sooty-capped chlorospingus
- Doka Coffee Plantation — coffee-process tour and shade-grown forest birding
- La Paz Waterfall Gardens — close-range hummingbirds, toucans, and trogons
- Return to your hotel by early evening
Perfect first day for arriving birders adjusting to altitude.
Inquire about this tour →Mirador Cinchona Half-DayQuick Win
from $100 /person- Morning departure from your San José / Alajuela hotel
- Mirador Cinchona feeders — three+ hummingbird species at arm's length
- Optional Cinchona waterfall stop for landscape photos
- Back to your hotel by lunch
Three of Costa Rica's most photogenic hummingbird species in one stop.
Inquire about this tour →🦜 Birds You Might Spot
Agami heron
Fasciated tiger heron
Violet sabrewing
🌄 Birdwatching Day Trips
Destinations for Daily Birdwatching Adventures
- Mirador Cinchona Private Birdwatching Tour
- Poás Volcano
- Pozo Azul
- La Selva
- Boat Tour at Sarapiqui
🎯 Target Species
Bring your life list. Here are the flagship species we routinely put in scope — and where to find them.
Resplendent Quetzal
Cloud forest, highlands
Keel-billed Toucan
Lowland rainforest, Sarapiquí
Scarlet Macaw
Pacific coast & Carara
Three-wattled Bellbird
Monteverde cloud forest
Volcano Hummingbird
Poás & Irazú slopes
Black-bellied Hummingbird
Mirador Cinchona feeders
Violet Sabrewing
Highland feeders & cloud forest
Turquoise-browed Motmot
Dry forest & gardens
Chestnut-mandibled Toucan
Sarapiquí lowlands
Sooty-capped Chlorospingus
High-altitude Talamanca
Fiery-throated Hummingbird
Páramo & high elevations
Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher
Highland edges
Tell us your top targets when you inquire — Michael builds the itinerary around them.
A Real Day in the Field
No staged stock photos — these are guests birding with Michael in Costa Rica's northern highlands.
One of our favorite birding destinations
A tranquil crater lake ringed by primary forest near Bajos del Toro — toucans, tanagers, and raptors over the water, far from the tour-bus crowds.
Scope, binoculars, and a guide who knows the calls
Just you and Michael — walking the back roads where the birds actually are, at your pace, with the gear to get everyone on the bird.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bird species can I expect to see in a single day?+
Most full-day birding tours produce 80–150 species, depending on season, location, and weather. Our 7-day itineraries routinely produce 250–400+ species, including most of Costa Rica's flagship targets.
What is the best time of year for birding in Costa Rica?+
Late December through April (dry season) offers the easiest logistics and excellent activity. However, the green season (May–November) brings breeding plumage, fewer crowds, and active courtship — many serious birders prefer it.
Can you accommodate bird photographers?+
Yes. Michael frequently guides photographers and adjusts pacing, vehicle positioning, and lodge selection for optimal light and predictable feeder/blind setups. Bring your longest lens — most cloud forest shots happen between 15 and 50 feet.
How large are the groups?+
Five guests maximum — usually just a couple or a small private group of friends. Michael guides every tour personally; you will never be handed off to a substitute.
Is the tour suitable for beginning birders?+
Absolutely. Many of our guests are beginners or partners of serious birders. Michael adjusts depth and pace to your level, and the Costa Rican avifauna is famously colorful and accessible.
What does the price include?+
Multi-day tours include private transportation, expert guiding, lodging at hand-picked nature lodges, all park entrance fees, and most meals. Multi-day pricing varies with group size, season, and lodge selection — request a custom quote.
Does my hotel location affect the price?+
Yes. Day-tour prices are based on pickup in the San José / Alajuela area. We happily pick up farther afield, but extra distance — and San José traffic — adds drive time and cost, sometimes substantially for hotels well outside the Central Valley. Tell us where you're staying and your quote will show the real door-to-door price before you book.
🦜 Plan Your Costa Rican Birding Adventure
Tell us your target species and travel window. Michael replies within 24 hours with a custom itinerary and quote.
