
Cloudforest
Clouds rising from the forest after a sudden afternoon downpour near San Gerardo de Dota in Costa Rica
Clouds rising from the forest after a sudden afternoon downpour near San Gerardo de Dota in Costa Rica
Northern Emerald Toucanet, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Santa Elena, Costa Rica
Pure-banded Darthwhite, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena, Costa Rica
Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Santa Elena, Costa Rica
Large-footed Finches fighting, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Reserva Curi-Cancha, Monteverde, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Reserva Curi-Cancha, Monteverde, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Northern Emerald Toucanet, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Red fern frond, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Tarantula Hawk, Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena, Costa Rica
Santa Elena, Costa Rica
Santa Elena, Costa Rica
Reserva Curi-Cancha, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Northern Emerald Toucanet, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Northern Emerald Toucanet, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Flame-colored Tanager, Female, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Blue-grey Tanagers, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Reserva Curi-Cancha, Monteverde, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Reserva Curi-Cancha, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
A Lesser Violetear is sticking out its tongue in anticipation of a sweet in-flight refueling in San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Santa Elena, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Male Three-fingered Sloth, Hacienda Baru, Dominical, Costa Rica
A Black-throated Trogon keeps a watchful eye out from its nest in a hollow tree in Carara NP, Costa Rica
Villa Lapas, Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles estuary, Costa Rica
Yellow-throated Toucan, Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Sunset west of Dominical, Costa Rica
Carara NP, Costa Rica
Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Osprey, Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Green-black Poison Dart Frog, Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Yellow Mangrove Warbler, Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
An Hourglass Tree Frog sits on an hourglass shaped leave at Villa Lapas in Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Green and Black Poison Dart Frog, Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Carara NP, Costa Rica
Carara NP, Costa Rica
Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Villa Lapas, Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Hacienda Baru, Dominical, Costa Rica
White-faced Capuchin, Hacienda Baru, Dominical, Costa Rica
Carara NP, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Fishermen in the estuary of the Rio Grande de Tarcoles in Costa Rica
Estuary of the Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Clouds rising from the forest after a sudden afternoon downpour near San Gerardo de Dota in Costa Rica
Northern Emerald Toucanet, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Santa Elena, Costa Rica
Pure-banded Darthwhite, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena, Costa Rica
Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Santa Elena, Costa Rica
Large-footed Finches fighting, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Reserva Curi-Cancha, Monteverde, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Reserva Curi-Cancha, Monteverde, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Northern Emerald Toucanet, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Red fern frond, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Tarantula Hawk, Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena, Costa Rica
Santa Elena, Costa Rica
Santa Elena, Costa Rica
Reserva Curi-Cancha, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Northern Emerald Toucanet, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Northern Emerald Toucanet, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Flame-colored Tanager, Female, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Blue-grey Tanagers, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Reserva Curi-Cancha, Monteverde, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Reserva Curi-Cancha, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
A Lesser Violetear is sticking out its tongue in anticipation of a sweet in-flight refueling in San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Santa Elena, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica
Male Three-fingered Sloth, Hacienda Baru, Dominical, Costa Rica
A Black-throated Trogon keeps a watchful eye out from its nest in a hollow tree in Carara NP, Costa Rica
Villa Lapas, Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles estuary, Costa Rica
Yellow-throated Toucan, Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Sunset west of Dominical, Costa Rica
Carara NP, Costa Rica
Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Osprey, Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Green-black Poison Dart Frog, Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Yellow Mangrove Warbler, Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
An Hourglass Tree Frog sits on an hourglass shaped leave at Villa Lapas in Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Green and Black Poison Dart Frog, Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Carara NP, Costa Rica
Carara NP, Costa Rica
Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Villa Lapas, Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Pura Vida Gardens, Garabito, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Hacienda Baru, Dominical, Costa Rica
White-faced Capuchin, Hacienda Baru, Dominical, Costa Rica
Carara NP, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Fishermen in the estuary of the Rio Grande de Tarcoles in Costa Rica
Estuary of the Rio Grande de Tarcoles, Costa Rica
Monteverde/Santa Elena is a tourist hotspot that attracts a mixed crowd. Get up early to beat the crowds. Wildlife and birds hide well in the cloudforest. Curi-Cancha Reserve offers a good chance to see Resplendent Quetzal in spring - ask at the entrance where they are - no guide or tour needed
There is more to the Tarcoles River than crocodiles - go on the earliest possible tour for a calm and revarding nature experience. Bring a guide to make the most of Carara NP - and after nightfall explore the ponds at Villa Lapas on the quest for tiny treefrogs - many not larger than the tip of a finger
Turns out that Hacienda Barù is home to a number of sloths - both the 2-toed and 3-toed varieties. Likely a much better wildlife experience than Manuel Antonio NP which attracts bigger crowds. A local guide and binoculars/a long telephoto lens are an absolute must to see sloths as they stay mostly very high up in the trees
San Gerardo de Dota is a hotspot for birders and nature lovers. Hotels offer tours and feeders such as at Miriam’s Restaurant, Feathers next to the Hotel Savegre or Batsù Gardens bring in a constant stream of spectacular hummingbirds, tanagers, woodpeckers and more