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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Ken Musgrave

Verified Reviewer

“Excellent guides, both from a birding viewpoint and also from looking after our welfare point of view. One member had a medical emergency which was handled very efficiently. The local guide, from memory Ernesto Carmen was incredible as a bird finder and identifier. We had over 350 species and a great variety of habitats. Accommodation was good, not all 5 star since you are in outdoor environments, although hotel in San Jose was excellent with a fine botanical garden. Be prepared for long days and lots of walking.”

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Posted 5 years ago

“This was our second Eagle-Eye tour to Costa Rica. This one had a different itinerary—and a different guide--but was even better than the first. Ernesto had an encyclopedic knowledge of CR birds. As a bonus, we visited his family’s coffee farm, plus he knew personally several of the local guides. Fluent in Spanish, in his home country, we could not have asked for more—I added several new birds to my life list. As well, he was patient and kind, with a good sense of humour. A great trip!”

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Posted 5 years ago

“I signed up for the trip with some trepidation since this was my first ever organised, guided birding tour. In short, I was used to organizing my own trips when travelling. I quickly learned the value of having knowledgeable, experienced and friendly guides when birding outside of one's own geographic location. Our lead Costa Rica guide was outstanding. The value he added went way beyond his in-depth knowledge about the birds we saw. He could also answer every question that I put to him concerning, the flora, geography and history of Costa Rica. I was also surprised how quickly our travel group bonded together. That may say something about most of us being Canadians. I also appreciated that each of the lodges we stayed at offered a unique location in a different ecosystem. This trip exceeded my expectations.”

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Posted 5 years ago

E W Carnegie

Verified Reviewer

“Spectacular”

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Posted 5 years ago

“This tour exceeded my expectations in every way. The accommodations were well chosen, the food great, and our guides Steve and Ernesto were knowledgeable and helpful. Every day we discovered an exciting variety of birds of every hue, and many could be found in the immediate vicinity of the lodges where we were staying, even before we had set out for each day's birdwatching further afield. I would heartily recommend this tour, which was my first with Eagle-Eye, and I have been on more tours with them since then.”

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Posted 5 years ago

“Not picking up and dropping off at the airport is a big negative versus Rockjumper which I have been happy to travel with 3 times since Costa Rica. Eventually adding the Spotless Saw Whet Owl would be significant. Nickel and dime charges for drinks at the farewell Dinner when wine is being provided is short sighted. Mahalo Stan Furtak”

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Posted 5 years ago

Paul Prappas

Verified Reviewer

“The old adage "You get what you pay for" holds true for this 10-day Eagle-eye birding tour of Costa Rica. These are not inexpensive trips, but they are worth every dollar spent. Not including air travel, the cost of this trip includes transportation, breakfasts, lunches and dinners, as well as accommodations at hotels that range in comfort and amenities, and chosen for their access to bird-rich areas. Having never been to Costa Rica before, it made sense to rely on professional guides who know the where the birds are. When it comes to finding birds in a country you don't know well, guides are invaluable. Both guides for Eagle-eye are Costa Rican by birth, and were professional, knowledgable, excellent at finding birds, and managed all aspects of the trip. That allowed us to focus on the birds and butterflies and learning about Costa Rica.”