Costa Rica Tails & Feathers Tour | Costa Rica Vacation

Tails & Feathers Tour - Combining bird watching with whale watching, these packages are designed to give you an incredible nature experience. You start in San Gerardo de Dota for some of the best birding in the world. You are in search of the elusive Resplendent Quetzal among others. The birding in the area highlands and cloud forests is amazing, you will take home photos and memories to cherish! From here you make your way to the coast to explore the busy migratory routes of several whale species, dolphins, & sea birds. For nature photography this is a great route to take.

In this example Tails & Feathers trip, we are using San Jose as the arrival & departure airport. Contact us to customize your own Tails & Feathers tour. – Start with our Costa Rica Vacation Builder and your dedicated travel planner will be in touch with you within 24 hours. Note: These are SAMPLE packages, we will customize your package to suit your interests, travel style, and budget.

Trip - Quick Review

Day 1 – Arrival – San Jose Airport

Transfer to Hotel
Check in Hotel – We will choose the best hotel for you based on your travel style and budget.

Day 2 – Heredia – San Gerardo de Dota – (B)

Private Transfer to San Gerardo de Dota
Check in Lodge –There are several wonderful lodges in the area, we will match you with the perfect lodge experience.

Day 3 – San Gerardo de Dota – (B)

Morning Birding Experience

Day 4 – San Gerardo de Dota – (B)

Highland Birding Experience

Day 5 – San Gerardo de Dota – Uvita/Dominical – (B)

Private Transfer to Dominical
Check in Hotel - We will choose the best hotel for you based on your travel style and budget. There are great hotels and lodges in the area.

Day 6 – Uvita/Dominical – (B)

Whale Watching Tour

Day 7 – Uvita/Dominical – (B)

Mangrove Kayaking or Sea Kayaking

Day 8 – Uvita/Dominical – Heredia – (B)

Private or Shared Shuttle to Transfer
Check in Hotel - There are many hotels near the airport, we will choose the best

Day 9 – Departure – (B)

Transfer to Hotel

Best Time of Year

For this sample package of San Gerardo de Dota & Uvita, the best months are January through August, and the beginning of December through Christmas. All of our packages can work any time of year once we customize it so there is really no bad time of year to visit.

Driest Months: January - April

Best Prices: - May - November

Months to Avoid: None

Packing List

Mountains - With the elevation, you have sunny warm/hot days with cooler evenings. Cargo shorts or comfortable clothing works for day time. If you are sensitive to cold, long sleeve shirts or a light jacket or sweater paired with long pants can be in order. Avoid denim, the material takes forever to dry in the tropics. You will want secure shoes for activities, and clothes appropriate to your tour schedule.

Cloud Forests - Cloud forests can be at a very high elevation. If your trip takes you into the clouds, prepare for wet weather and the temperature to drop at higher elevations. Rain gear is a must, nothing elaborate, a poncho will work well. You will want a light jacket and long pants, it can be windy and it is always damp.

Beaches - Our coasts are as you might expect, hot and humid. Pack as though you are heading to any beach destination. Shorts, bathing suits, towels, flip flops, and plenty sun block. The sun here on the equator is a lot stronger than you may be used to back home and you need to take that into account.

Highlands - If your trip takes you to places like Mount Chirripó, this is some of the most extreme weather we have here in Costa Rica. You will need close to winter gear for the drops in temperature at extreme elevations. daytime temperatures near Chirripó's summit range between 4–18˚C (40˚–65˚F). Nighttime temperatures can drop below 0˚C (32˚F)

Note: Because each of our trips are customized, they could take you to any number of areas with different packing recommendations. Once you have your trip plan worked out, ask your travel planner about what to pack specific to your customized adventure.

Included

All Transfers Listed unless noted otherwise
All Hotels Listed unless noted otherwise
All Tours Listed unless noted otherwise
Meals indicated daily as - (B,L,D)
All Hotel, Tour, & Transfer Taxes
24 Hour Trip Support – You can reach us 24 hours a day while you are in Costa Rica
Trip Monitoring – We re-confirm all reservations throughout the vacation to ensure a smooth trip
Trip Protection – If any part of your vacation was unsatisfactory, we will work to get you refunded
Quality Assurance – All of our service providers are fully licensed with the ICT and fully insured. Our travel partners have shown the highest levels of customer satisfaction and we pride ourselves on using only the best.

Day 1 – Arrival – San Jose Airport

Transfer to Hotel - With an early arrival flight and if you are up for it we can head out to your first destination on arrival. Each trip is customized to your travel style.
Check in Hotel –We will help you find the best hotel for your travel style and budget.

Day 2 – Heredia – San Gerardo de Dota – (B)

Private Transfer to San Gerardo de Dota - The drive is scenic, notice the drop in temperatures as you get further into the cloud forests.
Check in Lodge –There are many lodges in San Gerardo de Dota that cater to birding, we will help you find the best lodge for your dream trip.

Day 3 – San Gerardo de Dota – (B)

Morning Birding Tour - San Gerardo de Dota offers excellent opportunities for bird watching. More than 170 bird species have been identified in the area so far, including Tanagers, Black Guans, Flycatchers, Hummingbirds (Colibri), Trogons, Emerald Toucanet and Sparrows, among many others. Naturalist guides are experts in finding hard to find species, prepare for a birding experience of a lifetime!

Day 4 – San Gerardo de Dota – (B)

Highland Birding Tour - The “Paramo” is a unique highland area that develops in altitudes higher than 3,000 meters above sea level (9,840 feet approx.); an ecosystem that develops in the summits with its singular flora and fauna. In Costa Rica, the Paramo is located mainly along the Talamanca Mountain Range, especially Cerro de la Muerte, Chirripo, Kamuk, Buena Vista and Cerro Vueltas. This tour will take you to the Paramo at Cerro de la Muerte, at an altitude of 3,300 meters above sea level (10,800 ft) to discover, with your tour guide, the variety of birds and plants that reside here.

Day 5 – San Gerardo de Dota – Uvita/Dominical – (B)

Private Transfer to Dominical - Out of the mountains and down to our beautiful Pacific coastline, your adventure continues!
Check in Hotel/Lodge - There are several hotels in the Dominical/Uvita area we can show you, we will choose a hotel to match your travel style and budget

Day 6 – Uvita/Dominical – (B)

Whale Watching Tour - This is the best option to see the most of the Marino Ballena National Park. The tour departs from Punta Uvita Beach and visits the famous Punta Uvita Whale Tale, Isla Ballena, Tres Hermanas Islets and Ventana sea caves. During the tour we search for humpback and pilot whales as well as spinner, bottle nose, and spotted dolphins, which are residents to the Uvita coast. When granted the opportunity, you might see and hear the humpback whales and observe the acrobatic displays of the dolphins. We also visit the coral and rock reefs to snorkel and observe the wonderful marine life at Punta Uvita, Isla Ballena and Tres Hermanas. During the visits to Isla Ballena and Tres Hermanas observe the diversity of pelagic birds.

Day 7 –Uvita/Dominical – (B)

Mangrove Kayaking - If you want to see something uniquely different, full of beauty, nature, and wildlife, this is the tour for you! The Mangrove ecosystem is filled with life and riveting beauty. Immerse yourself into this amazing tropical environment by Kayak or Stand Up Paddle Board. As we drive up to the Matapalo Mangroves, we take our time to stop to see all the incredible wildlife that might greet us along the way. Then, as we get into the mellow waters, the guide takes you slowly through the enchanting estuaries, where you can see and learn about the plants and animals that live there. The river is very calm, allowing an amateur paddler to enjoy the water, without getting tired or scared. Our knowledgeable guides will take you to explore lush estuaries and ever-changing rivers, taking you away from the hot sun and dusty roads. The birds and animals thrive in this sanctuary, so this tour is great for Bird Watchers. Birds Galore!! Herons, Hawks, Ospreys, Falcons, Kingfishers, Shore Birds, Crabs, Monkeys, Sloths, Raccoons, Anteaters, Bats, Lizards, Crocs, Snakes, Otters, Amazing Trees

Day 8 – Uvita/Dominical – Heredia – (B)

Private or Shared Shuttle to Transfer - A late afternoon private transfer or afternoon shared shuttle are both available to get you into position for departure.
Check in Hotel – We will choose an airport hotel that fits your style.

Day 9 – Departure – (B)

Transfer to Airport

Note: Cost of any of our customized Costa Rica travel packages or experiences depends on the hotels, tours, and transfers chosen during the planning process. Depending on your budget, we will fine-tune the trip so you can afford the travel experience you are looking for at the price you want. Contact us today and your dedicated travel planner will be in touch within 24 hours.

Covid-19 Travel Update - For those wanting to travel but stay away from crowds as much as possible we can make the entire trip private. Private transfers, private tours and guides, this limits exposure to other travelers while you are here. Let your travel planner know if you are interested in this extra level of safety. Private itineraries also give a more in depth experience, having the guides all to yourself gives you more time to learn about our amazing country.

Tails and Feathers – Birding & Whale Watching