This morning you will be collected from your San Jose hotel for your small group birding tour, travelling 3.5-hours northwards through beautiful Costa Rican mountain scenery towards the Arenal Volcano. This is one of the most active in Central America, with a perfect cone that on a clear day is visible from almost anywhere in the area.
Along the way we stop for birding, looking out for the Purple-throated mountain gem, the small endemic Coppery-headed emerald and Volcano hummimgbird in particular.
We then stop for an included lunch at the Cinchona Hummingbird Gallery and Feeders, which attract a wealth of local specialties and a host of tanagers, warblers and orioles. It is one of the best spots for hummingbirds and other middle elevation birds, with some endemic mountain species not seen anywhere else in the world. Every day hummingbirds found here include the Black bellied hummingbird, White-bellied mountaingem, Brown violetear and Green hermit. You can also hope to see the Violet sabre-wing, Green-crowned brilliant and Green thorntail.
From here you can also enjoy wonderful views of the active Poaz Volcano. The crater of this enormous stratovolcano measures over 1-mile (1.6 km) wide and over 1,000 ft (300 m) deep, making it the largest open volcano in the world.
Today you can also hope to see the Ochraceous wren, Crimson-collared tanager, Emerald tanager, Silver-throated tanager, White hawk, Prong-billed barbet, Red-headed barbet, American dipper, Silvery-fronted tapaculo, Paltry tyrannulet, Golden-bellied flycatcher, Golden-browed chlorophonia, Tawny-capped euphonia, Sooty-faced finch, Collared whitestart, Scarlet-thighed dacnis, Slaty flowerpiercer, Spangle-cheeked tanager, Black guan, Torrent tyrannulet and Emerald toucanet.
We then continue towards La Fortuna. Nearly 450 different species have been recorded in and around Arenal National Park, whose diverse habitats include tropical lowland rainforest, pre-montane forest of the Caribbean foothills and agricultural pastures. On arrival enjoy birding from roads around Arenal Volcano and the lake, as well as along trails in the national park.
Birds that are regularly seen here include the Purple gallinule, Red-billed pigeon, Short-billed pigeon, Blue ground dove, Olive-throated parakeet, White-crowned parrot, Striped cuckoo, Great Potoo, Bronzy hermit, White-necked jacobin, Green-breaster mango and Orange-bellied trogon. You can also hope to see the Yellow-throated toucan, Crested guan, Grey-headed chachalaca, Baltimore oriole, Clay-coloured thrush, Red-throated ant tanager, Lovely cotinga, Black-crested coquette, Yellow-eared toucanet, Bare-necked umbrellabird, Emerald tanager, Great curassow, Thicket antpitta, Ornate hawk-eagle and Fasciated tiger heron.
Other birds commonly reported in these forests include the Buff-fronted quail dove, Chiriqui quail dove, Band-tailed barbthroat, White-throated crake, Uniform crake, Spectacled owl, Rufous-winged woodpecker, Mealy amazon, Checker-throated antwren, Bicolored antbird, Spotted antbird, Chestnut-backed antbird, Dull-mantled antbird, Rufous piha, Ruddy-tailed flycatcher, Olive-striped flycatcher, Paltry tyrannulet, White-ringed flycatcher, Stripe-breasted wren, Song wren, Black-faced solitaire, Tawny-capped euphonia and Sootycapped bush tanager amongst others. Also keep an eye out for howler monkeys, sloths, anteaters, coati, racoons and other rainforest wildlife.
Later there is the option to relax at one of the many Hot Springs in the area (pay entrance fee locally).
Note: Accommodation and itineraries on group tours are sometimes subject to change for operational reasons. The hanging bridges trail is not suitable if you have a fear of heights.