Costa Rica Sampler Reviews

5 Rating 61 Reviews

Jan 18 - 29, 2026 | Costa Rica hosts an incredible range of habitats and birds along with very good infrastructure. If you have limited time or want a shorter birding tour, this tour takes in the birding highlights of the country. At each location we find new members of these Neotropical families – tanagers, trogons, toucans, parrots, hummingbirds, and much more!

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“This was an exceptional birding experience! Costa Ricas has a wide diversity of habitat niches due to variable elevations and marine exposures. One finds different collections of birds in different places. This sampler was an excellent introduction to CR birding and natural history. Our guide, Ernesto, was amazing, as he was quick to identify birds by sight and sound. The sampler tour gave us a great foundation for bird ID; we continued our birding adventures in CR for an additional 2 weeks (with 3 other guides). We were able to concentrate on new discoveries, but also recognize the 'old friends' that Ernesto had shared.”

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Posted 1 month ago

We’re delighted to hear that the tour provided such a strong introduction to Costa Rica’s incredible birding and diverse habitats. It’s wonderful that the experience gave you a solid foundation for your continued adventures. Ernesto will be especially pleased to hear your kind words—his skill in identifying birds by sight and sound truly makes a difference.

Posted 1 month ago

“Every thing about our trip was exceptional, from our Tour Guide Ernesto's knowlege about Costa Rica to his carrying attention to detail in making sure everyone was comfortable and happy with the birding experience. Truly, it was a trip of a lifetime. Kind Regards Dave & Joanne”

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Posted 1 month ago

Thank you for the wonderful five-star review. We’re thrilled to hear that Ernesto’s knowledge and attention to detail helped make your Costa Rica sampler truly exceptional. We are very fortunate to have Ernesto as one of our guides! We're honoured to know that we were able to play a part in your trip of a lifetime!

Posted 1 month ago

“The Costa Rica Sampler Tour was extremely well organized, with every detail carefully planned and smoothly executed. Ernesto was an excellent guide who was very professional, highly experienced, and incredibly knowledgeable. His passion for his work was clear throughout the trip, especially in the way he emphasized environmental awareness and conservation. The trip itself was very detailed and well structured, offering a great balance of activities and experiences without ever feeling overwhelming. Ernesto showed genuine care for both the group and the natural surroundings, which made the experience even more special. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone looking for a thoughtfully planned and memorable travel experience.”

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Posted 1 month ago

Thank you for your fantastic five-star review, Jessica —and for sharing such beautiful photos from your trip! What a treat to see your captures of the Quetzal, the Scarlet Macaw, and the charming little Motmot. We’re delighted to hear that you found the Costa Rica Sampler Tour so well organized, and that Ernesto made such a strong impression with his professionalism, knowledge, and passion for conservation.

Posted 1 month ago

“Our guides, Ernesto and Paz, and our driver/guide, Ricardo, were absolutely amazing. They got us on so many birds (nearly 300 species!) and made sure we were all well taken care of. The only recommendation I would make to others is that you should be in fairly good shape as some of the hikes and a couple of places we stayed required good physical fitness. Otherwise I would highly recommend this trip.”

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Posted 2 months ago

We’re delighted that Ernesto and Paz helped you connect with so many birds while ensuring you felt well cared for—Costa Rica truly is a birding paradise, and they make a wonderful team. Thank you as well for recognizing Ricardo’s excellent driving; his professionalism and care are often noted by our travellers. We appreciate you passing along helpful advice about the hikes—insights like yours are invaluable for future guests

Posted 1 month ago

“Exceeded my expectations. Our guides, Ernesto & Paz were fantastic: 11/10. Driver, Ricardo was also great and a valuable guide as well. The people (and the birds) really made this an amazing experience.”

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Posted 2 months ago

Thank you for your kind review, Heather! We’re delighted to hear that Ernesto, Paz, and Ricardo made your Costa Rica Sampler so memorable—an 11/10 is high praise indeed. It’s wonderful to know you enjoyed the exceptional birding and that the tour exceeded your expectations. We truly appreciate you sharing your experience!

Posted 1 month ago

“Our guides, Ernesto and Paz, were knowledgeable and always helpful. Their ability to spot and identify birds without binoculars was amazing in that most of us had trouble picking them out with binoculars. The accommodations were excellent, even in remote areas. The bus was comfortable. Although rained a lot in the mountains, we managed to get out between showers. It was a memorable and positive experience.”

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Posted 3 months ago

Thank you for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that Ernesto and Paz made such a positive impression—their skill in spotting and identifying birds is truly remarkable. It’s great to know you were comfortable throughout the tour and enjoyed the accommodations, even in more remote areas. While the mountain weather can be unpredictable, we’re glad you were still able to make the most of your time in the field. We’re so pleased the trip was a memorable and positive experience—thank you for sharing it with us!

Posted 1 month ago

“This was a good birding trip for beginners like me. I learned how to spot birds, how to identify them and many things about their behavior. This isn’t an easy trip with 5 hotels in 12 days but it gives a lot of options for viewing birds. Also one of the hotels has no heat or hot water so be prepared for that. Paz and Ernesto are patient, kind, and thoroughly knowledgeable about the area and the birds. They made the trip wonderful.”

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Posted 3 months ago

Thank you for your thoughtful review! We’re so glad the tour provided a rewarding introduction to birding and that you were able to build your skills in spotting and identifying birds, as well as learning more about their behaviour. You’re absolutely right that the itinerary is active and designed to maximize birding opportunities across a range of habitats. We appreciate you highlighting this for future travellers. It’s wonderful to hear that Paz and Ernesto made such a positive impact—they truly are patient, knowledgeable, and dedicated guides.

Posted 1 month ago

“First and foremost our guides Ernesto and Paz were so great and our driver Ricardo was maravilloso. The places we stayed were beautiful. The final lunch spot was sub-par though as it was undergoing renovations as we ate...chasing the birds off and cramming everyone into a tight space. Also they had a dog who kept chasing the birds off. And the food was sub-par. Only real complaint was the weather and our guides worked super hard to make the trip enjoyable despite that. Maybe a little more time in the dryer, warmer side to balance the higher chance of rain on the Caribbean side? And for our part we should have been better prepared for days of serious rain and colder temperatures. Overall enjoyed it immensely and sad when it was over.”

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Posted 3 months ago

We’re so glad to hear that Ernesto and Paz, along with Ricardo, made the trip memorable and that you enjoyed the beauty of the places and the effort of the guides despite the weather. We appreciate your constructive notes about the lunch spot and the naughty dog. We're grateful that this didn't negatively impact your experience overall, however we’ll pass this information along to the team for their consideration as we continually try to evolve and improve our tours. We truly appreciate your time and effort in submitting this review, and are grateful for the 5 stars, as well as the gorgeous photo!

Posted 1 month ago