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Trip Report: Costa Rica - April 2023
Published May 26, 2023
Before I went to Costa Rica, I kept reading this statistic about the country’s biodiversity: Costa Rica has 0.03 percent of the world’s land mass yet it contains nearly 6 percent of the world’s biodiversity. It is an impressive stat, but was something hard to wrap my head around. How could 6 percent of the world’s wildlife live in such a small place?
I was interested to see what that really meant when I arrived in Costa Rica to lead three consecutive Backcountry Journeys trips. I was working with our excellent Guide Dennis Atencio Valverde, and we were excited to start our adventure.
Our first trip would be to the cloud forest to photograph the iconic Resplendent Quetzal, then we would continue to the Osa peninsula where we would find a variety of wildlife, and finally, we finished with a trip on the Caribbean side for boat-based safaris in Tortuguero National Park.
I was interested to see what that really meant when I arrived in Costa Rica to lead three consecutive Backcountry Journeys trips. I was working with our excellent Guide Dennis Atencio Valverde, and we were excited to start our adventure.
Our first trip would be to the cloud forest to photograph the iconic Resplendent Quetzal, then we would continue to the Osa peninsula where we would find a variety of wildlife, and finally, we finished with a trip on the Caribbean side for boat-based safaris in Tortuguero National Park.
Leaving bright and early, the quetzal group left the city behind and climbed up into the Talamanca Mountains where we would spend the next few days photographing a staggering amount of birds. I was really blown away by the beauty of these cloud forests. Steep hillsides teeming with lush vegetation made the perfect backdrop for our photos.
We spent our first afternoon photographing many species of hummingbirds as they darted from flower to flower. The group had a great time and we all came away with some nice images. This was a perfect warm-up for our main objective: the Resplendent quetzal.
The quetzal is a small bird that is found in southern Mexico and Central America. It has long been admired for its vibrant colors and long, flowing tail covers. The Maya and Aztec Indians of Central America considered the bird to be sacred and it was deeply tied into their traditions and beliefs.
We spent our first afternoon photographing many species of hummingbirds as they darted from flower to flower. The group had a great time and we all came away with some nice images. This was a perfect warm-up for our main objective: the Resplendent quetzal.
The quetzal is a small bird that is found in southern Mexico and Central America. It has long been admired for its vibrant colors and long, flowing tail covers. The Maya and Aztec Indians of Central America considered the bird to be sacred and it was deeply tied into their traditions and beliefs.
April is the nesting season for the quetzal, which provided us an opportunity to see the male and female bringing food to their chicks in the nest. This would also give us a chance to photograph a quetzal in flight, something we were all eager to do.
We left well before the sun was up and arrived at a known nest in the early dawn hours. We all hunkered down with lenses pointed at the nest. Over the next five hours, we watched and photographed as a male and female flew in and out of the nest bringing lizards, bugs, and fruits to their growing chicks. It was an amazing experience that none of us will soon forget.
We left well before the sun was up and arrived at a known nest in the early dawn hours. We all hunkered down with lenses pointed at the nest. Over the next five hours, we watched and photographed as a male and female flew in and out of the nest bringing lizards, bugs, and fruits to their growing chicks. It was an amazing experience that none of us will soon forget.
After our quetzal adventure, we returned to San Jose, said goodbye to some guests, and welcomed some new people for our Wildlife of Costa Rica trip. This would be the longest of the three trips and would cover various areas around the Osa Peninsula. The Osa is located on the Pacific side of Costa Rica and this relatively small area is home to half of all the species living in Costa Rica. It is also where Dennis lives, so we knew we would be in the right places at the right times. We were excited, to say the least.
When our flight landed in Puerto Jimenez we wasted no time and headed straight into a macro photography session. We spent time shooting snakes, frogs, and lizards in a variety of situations. It was a very memorable and productive experience.
From there we traveled to our eco-lodge that would be home for the next couple of nights. This lodge, set high above the Pacific Ocean, had some beautiful cabins and grounds. After lunch, we wandered around the grounds and it became immediately apparent to me that this was a wildlife hotspot. It was one of those places where you see one animal and follow it for a bit until you find another and another. Birds, monkeys, anteaters, coatis, lizards, etc, you name it, we saw it. This would become a theme of this trip.
The next morning, just after we sat down for breakfast, a pair of Scarlett macaws landed on a branch not far from us. We all jumped up and grabbed our cameras. After returning to the table, a Yellow-throated toucan appeared. Back up we went. We came back and were just about to order our food when we got word that there was a Tamandua (a species of anteater) wandering near one of the trails. For the third time that morning, we interrupted breakfast to photograph. It was a good problem to have and everyone was stoked on the shots they were making.
From there we traveled to our eco-lodge that would be home for the next couple of nights. This lodge, set high above the Pacific Ocean, had some beautiful cabins and grounds. After lunch, we wandered around the grounds and it became immediately apparent to me that this was a wildlife hotspot. It was one of those places where you see one animal and follow it for a bit until you find another and another. Birds, monkeys, anteaters, coatis, lizards, etc, you name it, we saw it. This would become a theme of this trip.
The next morning, just after we sat down for breakfast, a pair of Scarlett macaws landed on a branch not far from us. We all jumped up and grabbed our cameras. After returning to the table, a Yellow-throated toucan appeared. Back up we went. We came back and were just about to order our food when we got word that there was a Tamandua (a species of anteater) wandering near one of the trails. For the third time that morning, we interrupted breakfast to photograph. It was a good problem to have and everyone was stoked on the shots they were making.
Another highlight of our time on the Osa Peninsula was visiting the La Perica Sloth Gardens. This property naturally has many wild sloths that live on it and provide excellent photo opportunities. It is also run by our guide Dennis’ family, so that was a really cool experience to meet his family, eat his grandmother’s empanadas, and photograph several different sloths.
From there we moved north to a new lodge that would set us up for visiting the amazing Corcovado National Park. Corcovado is a massive national park protecting large swaths of primary forest and the animals that live there. It is one of the most biodiverse regions in the area.
When we visited, we had already seen quite a bit of wildlife so we were really focused on a few of the species we hadn’t seen yet. Photographing a Tapir was at the top of everyone’s list. Tapirs are a bizarre animal, they look like a pig with a small trunk but can be the size of a grizzly bear. Their closest living relatives are rhinos and horses.
We hiked and hiked the trails with no luck. We turned back, resigned to the fact that we weren’t going to see one. Dennis and I were at the rear of the group, quietly chatting when we heard a twig snap. Our heads turned to see a big dark creature disappear into the jungle. We got the group’s attention and quickly made our way to a clearing. Within seconds, a huge Tapir comes waddling out of the forest and poses for us. It was an amazing encounter. Dinner back at the lodge always tastes a little better when you have a full memory card.
When we visited, we had already seen quite a bit of wildlife so we were really focused on a few of the species we hadn’t seen yet. Photographing a Tapir was at the top of everyone’s list. Tapirs are a bizarre animal, they look like a pig with a small trunk but can be the size of a grizzly bear. Their closest living relatives are rhinos and horses.
We hiked and hiked the trails with no luck. We turned back, resigned to the fact that we weren’t going to see one. Dennis and I were at the rear of the group, quietly chatting when we heard a twig snap. Our heads turned to see a big dark creature disappear into the jungle. We got the group’s attention and quickly made our way to a clearing. Within seconds, a huge Tapir comes waddling out of the forest and poses for us. It was an amazing encounter. Dinner back at the lodge always tastes a little better when you have a full memory card.
Once more we were back in San Jose to drop off guests and pick up some new faces for the last of our three trips around Costa Rica. This time we would be flying to the Caribbean side of the country to visit Tortuguero National Park. Tortuguero is a wildlife-rich environment where the best way to penetrate into the forest is by boat through a series of rivers and canals.
We arrived early in the morning and after a delicious breakfast with fresh orange juice and coffee, we were off on our first boat safari. We were on the water for less than five minutes when our local guide stopped and talked to a couple of guys in a fishing boat. They told him they had just seen a sloth. We raced over to the location they described to find a beautiful sloth slowly moving around the branches in perfect light! What a great encounter to start our trip.
We arrived early in the morning and after a delicious breakfast with fresh orange juice and coffee, we were off on our first boat safari. We were on the water for less than five minutes when our local guide stopped and talked to a couple of guys in a fishing boat. They told him they had just seen a sloth. We raced over to the location they described to find a beautiful sloth slowly moving around the branches in perfect light! What a great encounter to start our trip.
The rest of the week followed suit. We ate like kings and photographed every species we could find. We had macro shoots with poison-dart frogs, portrait sessions with Howler monkeys, and photographed the different species of Kingfishers at seemingly every bend in the river. It was an incredibly productive trip with so many great photo opportunities.
When we returned one final time to the hustle and bustle of San Jose, I reflected on the three trips we had just completed. There were so many great things from the previous weeks. We had fantastic groups who were a pleasure to travel with and the food had been excellent at all of our stops. Most of all, it was a whirlwind of wildlife! A trip where I almost immediately lost count of all the species we saw (shout out to Peggy, whose diligent note-taking was much appreciated). It is crazy to think of everything we saw in such a short period of time, and even wilder to think of how many animals were still out there.
After all of our trips, I am still not sure I can really comprehend just how much biodiversity exists in Costa Rica. One thing is for certain, it is a wildlife photographer’s dream, and I cannot recommend these trips enough!
After all of our trips, I am still not sure I can really comprehend just how much biodiversity exists in Costa Rica. One thing is for certain, it is a wildlife photographer’s dream, and I cannot recommend these trips enough!
Learn more about our Costa Rica trips here!
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Each tour is bundled with lodging, meals, and transportation between workshops included, allowing you to focus on photography instead of the stress of traveling.
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BACKCOUNTRY JOURNEYS
"Backcountry Journeys offers guests the unique opportunity to explore our natural world from behind their own lens. We run a selection of hand-crafted Photo Tours, Workshops & Safaris connecting passionate people to exceptional experiences. Locations worldwide.
All Images & Content are property of Backcountry Journeys Photography Tours, Workshops & Safaris LLC - Copyright 2024
TRIP CATALOG
Download our Trip Catalog for detailed information on our many destinations for photography tours, workshops, and safaris.