Costa Rica Wilderness Explorer

You may only have one chance to visit Costa Rica, and Nat Hab Expedition Leader Jimmy Tosso knows just how to see it right. Marvel at Costa Rica’s rainforest in our video that shares the natural beauty of his country and his people.

Monkeys, hummingbirds, and frogs are just a small example of the immense variety of Costa Rica's wildlife. This video gives a taste of what a visit to this small, yet robust, country has to offer.  Find out what puts Costa Rica in a class of its own.

Orchids are among the most elegant plants on Earth, but how much do you know about them? Expedition Leader Melissa Silva unveils the hidden lives of orchids, from their astonishing diversity and adaptations to their vital ecological roles, rich cultural symbolism—even their culinary value. (Did you know orchids provide a key ingredient of the world's favorite ice cream flavor?) Discover how these fragile blooms have evolved to thrive around the world, including in Mexico, where Melissa guides our Kingdom of the Monarchs trips.

The natural marvels of Costa Rica are in a class all their own, from lush rainforests and volcanoes to pristine beaches and misty mountains filled with wildlife. Explore less-discovered realms of this biodiversity hotspot as Expedition Leader Alex Arias details our Natural Jewels of Costa Rica and Costa Rica Wilderness Explorer adventures. Discover the abundant wildlife we’re likely to encounter, such as toucans, tree frogs, tapir, sloths, squirrel monkeys and sea turtles. Get advice on what to pack, and check out some of the deluxe jungle ecolodges where we stay.

In 2015, a team led by Christine Figgener, Ph.D., encountered a sea turtle during a research trip in Costa Rica. The turtle had a 10–12 cm plastic straw lodged in its nostril. After the team removed it, the video of the rescue sparked a backlash against single-use plastics. In our latest Conservation Connect webinar, Chris speaks about the threats to these endangered reptiles, conservation initiatives to protect sea turtles, and how the viral rescue video gave her a platform to share ocean conservation priorities with the global community.