Birding tours in Costa Rica

Carlos made our 5 days in Costa Rica the best vacation experience my wife and I have ever had! He’s the best bird guide I’ve ever had, his skills finding and identifying birds were incredible and he even helped me use my camera better. He’s kind, funny and made us feel very welcome in his home country. It was our first time visiting another country outside the United States and Carlos made us feel like we were part of his family. He introduced us to local birders, artists and other wonderful people to make our experience memorable and rewarding.

I have traveled with many birding and wildlife guides over the years, and I can honestly say that Carlos is one of the best guides I have ever had. From the very beginning, Carlos impressed us not only with his incredible knowledge of Costa Rica’s birds and wildlife, but also with how much he genuinely cares about his clients. His goal is always simple: to give you the best possible experience. Every day he carefully adjusted our schedule based on the weather, lighting, bird activity, and our personal interests, always choosing the best locations and the best times to maximize our opportunities. As a bird photographer, I especially appreciated that Carlos understands photography as well as birding. He knows where the birds are, how they behave, where the light will be best, and how to position you for the strongest photographs. He was incredibly patient and never rushed us. If we wanted to spend more time photographing a species, he was more than happy to do so. Thanks to his experience and remarkable field skills, we were able to see and photograph nearly every target species we had hoped for. It was amazing to watch him consistently locate birds that most people would simply walk past. His knowledge of bird calls, habitats, and local conditions is truly impressive. Beyond being an outstanding guide, Carlos is simply a wonderful person. He is kind, professional, patient, thoughtful, and always positive. Spending more than a week together felt relaxed and enjoyable, and we always knew he was doing everything possible to make our trip successful. The itinerary was well designed, the accommodations were comfortable, and the entire trip was organized smoothly from start to finish. Every detail reflected Carlos’s dedication and passion for what he does. If you’re looking for someone who truly puts his clients first and wants you to have the very best birding and photography experience Costa Rica can offer, I recommend Carlos without hesitation. I would gladly travel with him again and hope to do so in the future.

First of all Carlos is an outstanding bird guide. Able to ID by call and has the required patience and tenacity to get a view. Didn’t miss a bird! I enjoyed a 12d private 1-2-1 tour so also benefited from Carlos’ easy company and flexible approach. We were able to deviate from itinerary to catch or try for any specific requests. Carlos extensive list of contacts across the different regions and experience helps. Loved the itinerary and lodge options, stayed at 6, enjoyed every one. The communications and logistics for booking were great. Super-easy. Happy to recommend and would travel with Carlos again!

In March 2026 I signed up for a birding tour with Carlos Jimenez Cruz covering the Caribbean Lowlands, Cloud Forest and Pacific Lowlands. It was my first time in Central America and I wanted to see a variety of birds, especially the endemics. Carlos put together an itinerary that included 312 species of birds, frogs, lizards, sloths, butterflies and other animals! We stayed in comfortable accommodations and had fantastic food along the way. Carlos is fluent in both English and Spanish and has an encyclopedic memory of the birds and other wildlife throughout Costa Rica. We often went birding in the morning and stopped for lunch at locations with active bird feeders. Of the many professional bird tours I have been on, this trip included far more owls and nocturnal birds than any other. In addition to seeing the birds I wanted to photograph them, and was not disappointed! Out of my 11,000 photos, many will go on my photography website. Carlos knows exactly where to go for the perfect photos, shy endemic species and amazing views. I believe he will design the perfect tour for anyone!

We had an incredible Wildlife tour of Costa Rica with our guide Kevin Martinez. The trip was well organized, with excellent accommodations, all meals included, comfortable transportation in a large van, and daily adventures. Kevin is an experienced and highly skilled guide. We saw at least 150 bird species, including the elusive Quetzal! We are not 'birders,' so we were somewhat inexperienced in the search for birds. But Kevin spotted and named everything for us, including insects butterflies, amphibians, reptiles and mammals. It was an unreal experience, going to four different geographic locations to experience the changing landscape of Costa Rica and resulting changes in wildlife. His knowledge of photography is excellent, too, so we were able to capture great photos. For meals, Kevin took us to local reputable restaurants. Each place had something special to offer - a gorgeous view, an array of hummingbird feeders, or large raised platforms for other birds. One restaurant offered a tasting platter of foods made from hearts of palm - a local dish that was new to us. Excellent! Accommodations at eco lodges were all lovely, with beautiful gardens and walking trails nearby. We have visited Costa Rica a few times, but have never had such an amazing experience - a private guided all-inclusive Nature tour in Costa Rica.