Costa Rica Sampler Reviews

5 Rating 58 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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“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 3 days 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 3 days ago

Thank you for the kind review, Heather. We’re thrilled to hear Ernesto, Paz, and Ricardo helped make your Costa Rica Sampler unforgettable, and that they merit an 11/10! We're very happy to hear that you had such a wonderful experience, and were able to thoroughly enjoy the fantastic birding that Costa Rica has to offer. Most especially we are so pleased to hear that our tour exceeded your expectations! We’ll be sure to pass along your thoughtful words to the team. We’d love to welcome you back for another birding adventure soon. Warm regards, Team Costa Rica Explorer Tours

Posted 1 day 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 1 month ago

Thank you for sharing your Costa Rica Sampler experience, Garry, and thank you for the 5 star review! We’re thrilled to hear that Ernesto and Paz were knowledgeable and helpful, and that the accommodations contributed to a memorable trip despite the rain. We're also happy to hear that you found the bus comfortable, and that it could provide a respite in the rain. We’ll pass along your kind words to the team. It’s wonderful that the overall experience left such a positive impression. We appreciate your feedback and look forward to welcoming you back for another adventure in the future. Warm regards, Team Eagle-Eye Tours

Posted 2 weeks 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 1 month ago

Thank you for sharing your Costa Rica Sampler experience, Wendy, and for the thoughtful 4-star review! We’re thrilled to hear that Paz and Ernesto were patient, kind, and knowledgeable, and that the trip offered a great introduction to birding despite the busy itinerary. Your notes about hotel comforts are appreciated, and we’ll be sure to pass along your feedback to help us continue improving. We’re glad the trip left you with wonderful memories, and that you found it suitable for new birders! Warm regards, Team Eagle-Eye Tours

Posted 2 weeks 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 1 month ago

Thank you for sharing your experience, Denise. 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! We hope to welcome you back with us for another adventure soon. Warm regards, Team Eagle-Eye Tours

Posted 2 weeks ago

“The tour guides were excellent. The locations picked were expected and good.”

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Posted 1 month ago

Thank you for sharing your kind words. We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the expertise and company of Ernesto and Paz. We hope that you enjoyed the varied terrain and topography on this itinerary, and trust that you were able to appreciate the variety and diversity of species which Costa Rica offers. It means a lot to us that you enjoyed the Costa Rica sampler! Thank you for the 5 star review, and we look forward to welcoming you back for another wonderful adventure in the future. Warm regards, Team Eagle-Eye Tours

Posted 2 weeks ago

“The EE Costa Rica sampler tour is a MUST for any dedicated birder. The worst part of this trip of a lifetime is that it ended after 11 awe-inspiring, bird-filled days (not to mention the stellar fauna and flora). I am very sorry to no longer find myself in amazing Costa Rica with our two outstanding guides, who were exceptionally knowledgeable, thoughtful, and considerate. I wish I could join in with the next CR sampler tour to experience each moment again. Birders and/or nature-lovers of any level will thoroughly benefit from this carefully planned EE tour.”

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Posted 1 month ago

Thank you Meredith! There is no better testimony than hearing that you'd love to join us on this tour again! Your warm words about your guides, Ernesto and Paz, are always welcome and we're thrilled that found them so considerate and knowledgeable. We also truly appreciate how you noted that this tour would benefit bird and nature lovers of any level! We often have questions about just this very thing, and so its wonderful to hear the opinion straight from one of our travellers. Thank you for travelling with us, and for your kind review. We look forward to being part of your travel plans in the future. Warm regards, Team Eagle-Eye Tours

Posted 2 weeks ago

“Wonderful tour with wonderful guides and clise to 320 wonderful birds”

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Posted 1 month ago

Thank you for sharing your Costa Rica Sampler experience, Emelie. We’re delighted that the guides provided wonderful knowledge and helped you enjoy close to 320 birds. It’s fantastic to hear the tour left you with such a positive impression. We’d love to welcome you back for more birding adventures in the future. Warm regards, Team Eagle-Eye Tours

Posted 1 month ago