Costa Rica Wilderness Explorer

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From Quetzals to Capuchins, Discover a Wilder Side of Costa Rica
The natural marvels of Costa Rica are in a class all their own. And so is this trip, which reveals less-discovered realms of this globally acclaimed biodiversity hotspot. From a remote rain forest lodge on Costa Rica's southern Pacific coast near the Panama border to the misty slopes of the Talamanca Mountains, encounter an incredible profusion of flora and fauna in varied habitats. Keep watch for mammals, reptiles and tropical birds as we wander through jungle and cloud forest, and float a tropical river through a vast mangrove estuary. Learn about the land and its people, too: tour a fruit orchard, enjoy a home-cooked lunch on a family farm, and find inspiration in local conservation efforts that are restoring landscapes to their original native beauty. Costa Rica is full of wonders—discover them on a rare ecotourism adventure off the standard tourist track.
Nat Hab guest, Cerro de la Muerte Cloud Forest, Costa Rica.
Nat Hab guest, Cerro de la Muerte Cloud Forest, Costa Rica.
Nat Hab guests and Expedition Leader, Ballena Marine National Park, Costa Rica.
Nat Hab guests and Expedition Leader, Ballena Marine National Park, Costa Rica.
Keel-billed toucan, Tiskita Jungle Lodge, Punta Banco, Costa Rica.
Keel-billed toucan, Tiskita Jungle Lodge, Punta Banco, Costa Rica.
Nat Hab Expedition Leader and guests, Cerro de la Muerte Cloud Forest, Costa Rica.
Nat Hab Expedition Leader and guests, Cerro de la Muerte Cloud Forest, Costa Rica.
Private plane, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica.
Alex Arias
Private plane, Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica.
White-faced capuchin baby and mother, Sierpe Terraba Wetlands, Costa Rica.
White-faced capuchin baby and mother, Sierpe Terraba Wetlands, Costa Rica.
Red-legged honeycreeper, Arenal Volcano National Park, La Fortuna, Costa Rica.
Red-legged honeycreeper, Arenal Volcano National Park, La Fortuna, Costa Rica.
Nat Hab Expedition Leader and guests, Savegre River, Talamanca Mountains, Costa Rica.
Nat Hab Expedition Leader and guests, Savegre River, Talamanca Mountains, Costa Rica.
Granular poison frog, Tiskita Private Biological Reserve, Costa Rica.
Granular poison frog, Tiskita Private Biological Reserve, Costa Rica.
Mother sloth and baby, Tiskita Jungle Lodge, Punta Banco, Costa Rica.
Ben Hulsey
Mother sloth and baby, Tiskita Jungle Lodge, Punta Banco, Costa Rica.
Resplendant quetzal, Cerro de la Muerte Cloud Forest, Costa Rica.
Resplendant quetzal, Cerro de la Muerte Cloud Forest, Costa Rica.
Squirrel monkey, Tiskita Jungle Lodge, Punta Banco, Costa Rica.
Squirrel monkey, Tiskita Jungle Lodge, Punta Banco, Costa Rica.
Hotel Cristal Ballena, Uvita, Costa Rica.
Hotel Cristal Ballena, Uvita, Costa Rica.

Trip Highlights

Explore a Route Less Traveled

Led by top naturalist guides, discover Costa Rica’s less-visited south Pacific coast, an unspoiled region rarely seen by typical tourists—including a private boat cruise on Golfo Dulce

Enjoy Outstanding Wildlife Viewing

Float the Sierpe River to spy monkeys, crocodiles, iguanas and birds, and seek resplendent quetzals in the high cloud forests of the Talamanca Mountains

Stay at Secluded Ecolodges

Stay at remote ecolodges in Costa Rica's most tucked-away wild settings, where nature, intimacy, hospitality and local ambience prevail

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Experience Costa Rica
with Natural Habitat Adventures

Most Travelers Never See the Wildest Side of Costa Rica. With Us, You Will.

For more than three decades we’ve been sharing Costa Rica's natural wonders with our guests. Over that time, we’ve gained an extensive knowledge of the country, enabling us to offer a whole slate of less-traveled nature experiences. Read more about what makes this Costa Rica adventure so distinctive:

  1. Visit the Less-Traveled Southern Pacific Coast
    This unconventional itinerary focuses on destinations farther from the standard tourist track, including Tiskita, a jungle lodge that's the best-kept secret in Costa Rica. Surrounded by tropical rain forest inside an 800-acre private biological reserve near the Panama border, it's an unspoiled place rarely seen by most Costa Rica visitors.
  2. Chartered Planes Maximize Time in Nature while Minimizing Rugged Drives
    We charter small planes to avoid TWO long drives on rough and winding roads. Fly directly from San Jose to remote Tiskita Jungle Lodge, and from Tiskita to Palmur Sur. Instead of time on the road, you'll spend your time in search of rain forest wildlife! Compare itineraries carefully: it's rare that anyone matches our combination of exclusivity and convenience, with a focus on less-traveled reserves.
  3. Small Groups Offer a Genuine Encounter with Nature 
    Unlike most tour operators, we limit our groups to just 10 guests. Whether you’re in the cloud forest, the rain forest or the coastal lowlands, you’ll have a more authentic nature experience without the chatter that bigger tour groups can't help but cause. We are able to focus on the sights and sounds of many animals and birds—such as the melodious call of the resplendent quetzal or the high-pitched chirps of white-faced capuchin monkeys—which are not afraid to stick around as we quietly approach.
  4. Explore Costa Rica's Most Pristine Cloud Forest Reserves
    While many travelers focus on the duly famous Monteverde region, we take you into the more remote, less-impacted cloud forests of Savegre Nature Reserve and Los Quetzales National Park—far from big crowds, where birding and wildlife viewing in a peaceful, quiet context offers a coveted experience for the Costa Rica nature traveler. 
  5. Cruise the Sierpe River on a Private Boat
    While many tour groups share space aboard sightseeing boats with other companies’ guests, we explore the vast mangrove ecosystem of the Sierpe River on a privately chartered boat with an expert local guide. On our uncrowded small boat, there's no jostling for views or photos—it's just us and the abundant wildlife.
  6. Stay at Remote Ecolodges & See More Wildlife
    Our accommodations, though highly regarded, aren't on the itineraries of most Costa Rica travelers. Secluded Tiskita Jungle Lodge is about as remote as you can get, located at the end of a dirt road on the hard-to-reach south Pacific coast. And in the cloud forests of the  Talamanca Range, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we are immersed in nature at Savegre Mountain Hotel. Along with a chance to see the resplendent quetzal, the Talamanca Mountains have one of the highest populations of endemic birds in the Americas.
  7. Our Top-End Vehicles Offer a Window Seat for Every Traveler
    Our comfortable mini buses are ultra-spacious, with high ceilings, large windows, a wide aisle and ample space between seats. And since we never fill our vehicles to capacity, you’re assured a window seat plus plenty of room to spread out. Our vehicles also offer the smoothest ride you’ll find over Costa Rica’s sometimes-rugged roads. 
  8. Your Nat Hab Expedition Leader is with You Throughout Your Entire Trip
    In Costa Rica, where spotting wildlife in the forest requires finely honed skills, top naturalist guides are of the utmost importance. Rather than using a single driver-guide as a trip escort, which many companies do, a highly trained Nat Hab Expedition Leader personally escorts your group from start to finish. Each is a Costa Rica specialist averaging 20 years of experience, with additional training and resources from WWF scientists. We also travel with a seasoned driver/assistant guide, enabling us to divide into even smaller groups for more intimate nature encounters. See Expedition Leader bios and traveler comments regarding the quality of our leaders.
  9. Our Quality-Value Guarantee Ensures Your Costa Rica Adventure Is Top-Notch
    When you travel with Natural Habitat Adventures, you receive our exclusive guarantee that clearly states that we will meet the high expectations we set forth in our promotional materials. To our knowledge, this is the most ambitious guarantee made by any adventure travel company. Read our important promise for yourself!
  10. Feel Good About Your Carbon-Neutral Journey
    We care deeply about our planet, as we know you do. When you travel with us, the carbon emissions from your trip are 100% offset—including your round-trip flights from home. Natural Habitat Adventures has been the world’s first carbon-neutral travel company since 2007.
  11. Natural Habitat Adventures is WWF’s Travel Partner
    Because of our commitment to environmentally friendly travel, as well as the exceptional quality of our small-group nature adventures, World Wildlife Fund, the world’s leading environmental conservation organization, has named Natural Habitat Adventures its worldwide travel partner—a designation that makes us exceedingly proud!

Read what travelers are saying about Costa Rica Wilderness Explorer:

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