Day 1 · San José
Arrival — San José
Arrive to San José, transfer to Hotel Bougainvillea. Introduction to the program by your local guide and welcome dinner.
Costa Rica · Photography Workshop
Costa Rica Wildlife & Bird Photography Workshop
Thirteen days across lowland rainforest, hides and highland cloud forest — from night macro to King Vulture blinds and Resplendent Quetzal mornings.
The expedition
What this journey is
A route through Costa Rica’s most productive photography locations: Arenal macro nights, the Boca Tapada hides, Sarapiquí lowlands, La Selva trails and the Talamanca highlands.
Groups of 2–8 photographers keep instruction personal and field conditions workable. Locations are scouted for light, species activity and photographic angles before the group arrives.
This is not a standard photo tour: lodging, meals, permits, transport and specialists are coordinated by VIVO so your attention stays on the camera.
Every day, location and session is planned around light, species activity and field access. Small group, complete logistics, photography first.
Field sessions led by professional wildlife photographers
Access to private reserves, hides and photography blinds
Multi-flash hummingbird and bats-in-flight setups included
Night macro sessions with a local herpetologist
All logistics handled — lodging, meals, permits and transport
Evening review and post-processing sessions
13Days on route
5Regions
2–8Photographers
0–3,000 mAltitude range
Day by day
The route
Every day is built around light, altitude and the sites that actually deliver photographs.
Day 2 · Arenal
Macro Photography — Arenal
Early departure to Arenal. First macro session with a local herpetologist — frogs, lizards and snakes. Introduction to the macro world by the leaders, followed by afternoon photography of local species.
- Red-eyed Tree Frog
- Poison dart frogs
- Pit vipers
Day 3 · Arenal
Advanced Macro & Hummingbirds
Second macro session to refine techniques and create new compositions with different lighting. Afternoon at Arenal Observatory for natural-light hummingbird photography on garden trails.
- Hummingbirds
- Glass frogs
Day 4 · Boca Tapada
Boca Tapada — Nest Nature Center & Bats
Transfer to Boca Tapada. Photography at Nest Nature Center with naturalist Juan Diego. Lunch included on-site. Evening bats-in-flight session with flash.
- Bats in flight
- Great Green Macaw
Day 5 · Boca Tapada
King Vultures & Hummingbird Strobes
Morning in a professionally designed bird blind — King Vultures landing for flight photos and portraits. Afternoon hummingbird session with strobes, then bats in flight again with a dinner break.
- King Vulture
- Hummingbirds
- Bats
Day 6 · Boca Tapada
Toucans, Euphonias & Honeycreepers
Morning dedicated to Toucan photography using optimal light. Then small birds in flight — Euphonias and Honeycreepers. Flexible afternoon for Toucans, parrots or more macro.
- Keel-billed Toucan
- Euphonias
- Honeycreepers
Day 7 · Sarapiquí
Sarapiquí — Macaws & Forest Trails
Transfer to Sarapiquí with a stop at Finca Dos Cadáveras — Scarlet Macaws in flight and White-faced Monkeys. Afternoon walk on Selva Verde Lodge trails for habitat photography.
- Scarlet Macaw
- White-faced Capuchin
Day 8 · Sarapiquí
White Bats, Basilisks & Sloths
Full day at a private garden — White Tent-making Bats, mimic insects, nightjars, basilisk lizards, sloths and more. An incredible diversity day.
- Honduran White Bat
- Basilisk
- Sloth
Day 9 · Talamanca
La Selva Research Station & Highlands
Morning at La Selva Research Station — birds and mammals in natural habitat on world-class trails. Afternoon transfer to the Talamanca highlands.
Day 10 · Talamanca
Resplendent Quetzal & Highland Hummingbirds
Early departure to search for the iconic Resplendent Quetzal. Return for breakfast, then a full hummingbird flash session in the highlands.
- Resplendent Quetzal
- Highland hummingbirds
Day 11 · San José
Second Quetzal Search & Return
Second Quetzal search at dawn. Late breakfast, checkout and transfer to San José with a lunch stop. Arrival at Hotel Bougainvillea. Farewell dinner — end of workshop.
Subjects
What you photograph
Designed around a realistic set of subjects. Wild species are never guaranteed — we tell you the odds honestly.
Designed around
- Resplendent Quetzal
- King Vulture
- Great Green Macaw
- Keel-billed Toucan
- Hummingbirds (multi-flash and natural light)
- Red-eyed Tree Frog
Also possible — never promised
- Scarlet Macaw
- Honduran White Bat
- Glass frogs
- Poison dart frogs
- Silver-throated Tanager
- Sloths and basilisks
- Spectacled Caiman
- Pit vipers
Habitats on route
- Caribbean lowland rainforest — Boca Tapada and Sarapiquí
- Arenal volcanic rainforest and garden trails
- Talamanca highland cloud forest
- Riverbanks, wetland edges and forest research trails
Photographic opportunities
- Purpose-built hides for King Vulture and lowland birds
- Multi-flash hummingbird and bats-in-flight rigs
- Night macro with diffusion and lighting coaching
- Dawn quetzal sessions in soft mountain light
Where you sleep
Lodges on route
Properties are chosen for their position next to the day’s sites, not for their star rating.
Hotel Bougainvillea
2 nights on route
Selva Verde Lodge
Used on this route according to departure timing.
Remaining lodges are selected per departure according to route, availability and shooting hours. We confirm every property in writing in your proposal before you commit — we never list hotels we have not secured.
Who leads
Your team in the field
A VIVO photography lead plus local specialists who know each site season by season.
Expedition planning · Costa Rica field logistics
Elías Peña
Founder · Expedition Planner · Costa Rica Field Lead
Founder of VIVO Expeditions. Designs every workshop route, coordinates hotels, ground transport, permits and local specialists, and leads field sessions in Costa Rica. He is also the person travellers talk to before, during and after each workshop.
Bird photography · Wildlife photography coaching
Yeudy Hernández
Bird & Wildlife Photography Partner
Collaborating photography leader on selected international departures, focused on in-field coaching for bird and wildlife photography — multi-flash hummingbird setups, birds in flight and low-light forest work.
Conservation-first field practice · Wildlife photography
Denis Fernández
Photography & Conservation Partner
Collaborating partner on conservation-minded field practice and photography sessions in Costa Rica — ethical approach distances, habitat care and species behaviour reading.
Getting around
Licensed tourist transport, in and out of SJO
San José in, San José out
The workshop opens with an SJO airport pickup on day 1 and closes with the return transfer on the final day. Both are included on the program dates.
Everything in between moves in licensed tourist vehicles reserved for the group, with real space for tripods, long lenses and lighting gear instead of luggage stacked on knees.
Transfer days are paired with field time: Arenal to Boca Tapada, Boca Tapada to Sarapiquí with the Scarlet Macaw stop, and the day 9 climb from La Selva to the Talamanca highlands after the morning session.
International flights are not included. Transfers outside the program window, extra nights and private extensions are arranged by the same VIVO team on request.
In the field
How a day actually runs
Pre-dawn starts, controlled lighting setups and night sessions — the schedule follows the animals, not the restaurant.
Mornings begin before first light for the sessions that only work then: the King Vulture blind in Boca Tapada, toucans in early side-light, and the dawn quetzal search in the Talamanca highlands.
Midday is for multi-flash hummingbird work at established feeders and for reviewing files with the leaders — technique, diffusion and background control rather than a checklist of species.
Nights are part of the program, not an extra: bats in flight with flash in Boca Tapada and macro sessions in Arenal with a local herpetologist handling every subject ethically.
A local naturalist works alongside the VIVO photography lead at every site, so finding the animal and photographing it are two separate jobs handled by two people.
Before you fly
How to prepare
Nothing exotic is required — but humidity, night work and highland mornings all deserve planning.
Camera gear
A telephoto plus a macro lens covers the whole route. Flash matters as much as focal length here.
- 300–600 mm telephoto for hides, quetzal and macaws
- Macro lens (90–105 mm) for the Arenal night sessions
- Flash with diffuser — multi-flash rigs are provided at feeders
- Tripod for blinds and low-light forest work
- Rain covers and silica — rainforest is permanently humid
Fitness and pace
Most sessions are close to the vehicles or inside hides; a few trail days are longer.
- La Selva and Sarapiquí trail mornings are the most active days
- Blind and feeder sessions are seated and undemanding
- Expect several pre-dawn starts and two night sessions
- Tell us in advance about mobility, respiratory or cardiac conditions
Clothing and field kit
- Layers for 30 °C lowlands and cold highland mornings
- Waterproof jacket and quick-dry trousers
- Waterproof boots with grip for muddy trails
- Headlamp with red mode for night macro and bat sessions
- Insect repellent for the Caribbean lowlands
Documents and health
- Passport valid at least six months beyond travel
- Travel and equipment insurance are strongly recommended, not included
- No vaccine is required for Costa Rica for most nationalities
- Bring personal medication in original packaging
Once your dates are agreed we send a written briefing for this exact route — gear list, season notes, ethical field practice and the flight timings that fit the day 1 SJO pickup and the final-day transfer.
From the field
Photographs from this route
Real frames from the sites in this itinerary — no stock, no AI imagery.
All photographs © VIVO Expeditions and its guides. Shown for reference only; conditions vary by season.
Investment
Investment
International flights, travel and equipment insurance, alcoholic beverages, tips and personal items are never included. Single rooms are available at a supplement where the property allows it.
Quoted per departure
This workshop is quoted per departure: the cost depends on group size, room configuration and the lodges available for your dates. We quote the full thirteen days — lodging, all meals, licensed transport, guides and specialists, reserve entrances, hide access and the multi-flash setups — in a written proposal, with no charge and no card details when you send the form.
Scope
What the fee covers
Included
- All meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
- Licensed tourist transport with permits
- Selected lodging throughout the route
- Professional guides at every location
- Macro photography equipment and setups
- Multi-flash hummingbird and bat-flight setups
- Bird blind access (King Vultures, toucans)
- Species identification for every session
- Water and refreshments daily
Not included
- International flights
- Travel and equipment insurance
- Visas, vaccines and personal documents
- Alcoholic beverages
- Personal expenses, tips and extras
Optional add-ons
- Extra hotel nights before or after the workshop
- Private birding or macro day in La Fortuna
- Private vehicle upgrade for camera gear
- Post-trip editing review session
On request
- Airport transfers outside the program window
- Non-photographer companion program
- Custom dates for private groups
- Boca Tapada or Manuel Antonio extensions
Terms
Booking and policies
Multi-day workshops follow VIVO’s workshop terms — written proposal first, deposit to hold the place, and clear deadlines for the balance.
Request, then written proposal
Sending the form charges nothing. We confirm dates, lodges, hides and specialists, then send a written proposal with the exact route and cost. Your place is only held once the deposit is received.
Deposit and balance
- 30% deposit confirms your place on the departure
- Full balance is due 90 days before the start date
- Bank transfer or card; card payments carry the processing fee
Cancellation
Deposits secure lodges, hides and specialists months in advance, so cancellation terms are set out in full in your written proposal before any payment is made. Transferring your place to another photographer is possible where lodges allow it.
Insurance, species and route changes
- Travel insurance covering medical care and trip interruption is strongly recommended
- No wild species is ever guaranteed, including birds at feeding stations and hides
- Weather, road or reserve conditions may reorder days; the site list stays equivalent
Request — no charge
Request Availability
This is a request, not a booking. Nothing is charged now: we review dates, lodges, guides and group size, then send you a written proposal with the exact route and cost.
- No charge and no card details required
- Written proposal with lodges, guides and inclusions
- Answered directly by Elías, who coordinates the expedition
Is my request a confirmed booking?
No. Every workshop starts as a request. We review dates, season and availability and reply with a written proposal. Nothing is charged when you send the form.
What experience level is required?
Beginner to advanced. Sessions are coached individually, so a beginner and an advanced photographer can shoot the same setup with different guidance.
How large is the group?
2 to 8 photographers. Larger groups only by prior arrangement, and never in hides where space is limited.
Are wildlife sightings guaranteed?
No. We plan season, sites and timing to maximise opportunities and we work with ethical field practice — but wild species are never guaranteed.
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