Description
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Costa Rica Bird Photography Workshop Tour Details
- Dates: March 11–20, 2027
- Length: 10 days and 9 nights
- Group size: 10 participants Only 6 spots left
- Skill level: All photography experience levels are welcome
- Arrival airport: Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)
- Arrival hotel: Hampton Inn near San José International Airport
- Tour leaders: Jeff and Angie Birmingham
- Local guide: A knowledgeable Costa Rican wildlife and photography guide
Costa Rica Photography Workshop Tour Itinerary
Day 1 – March 11
Arrival in Costa Rica
Welcome to Costa Rica!
Upon arrival at Juan Santamaría International Airport, our transportation will take you to the Hampton Inn near the San José International Airport.
Take the evening to settle in, organize your photography equipment, and prepare for the adventure ahead.
Included:
- Airport transfer
- Overnight accommodation at the Hampton Inn
Meals: Dinner not included
Day 2 – March 12
San José to Tárcoles
After an early breakfast, we will leave the San José area and begin our Costa Rican bird photography adventure.
Our first photography stop will focus on the fiery-billed aracari, one of Costa Rica’s most colorful and recognizable tropical birds. After lunch, we will meet a local naturalist and search for motmots, owls, trogons, and other wildlife.
This will be our first opportunity to photograph several of Costa Rica’s beautiful tropical bird species in their natural environment.
Photography opportunities may include:
- Fiery-billed aracaris
- Motmots
- Owls
- Trogons
- Tropical birds
- Costa Rican wildlife
Meals included: breakfast at hotel, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: Tárcoles Birding Lodge or similar
Day 3 – March 13
Tárcoles Boat Photography and Raptors in Flight
Today, we will focus entirely on bird and wildlife photography in the Tárcoles region.
We will begin with a sunrise boat tour, taking advantage of the beautiful early-morning light. This will also be our first dedicated raptors-in-flight photography session.
In the afternoon, we will return to the water and navigate through the mangrove habitat. With experience from the morning session, you will have another opportunity to practice tracking, focusing, and photographing raptors in flight.
The boat tours may also provide opportunities to photograph waterbirds, shorebirds, crocodiles, and other wildlife living along the river and mangroves.
Photography opportunities may include:
- Raptors in flight
- Mangrove birds
- Waterbirds
- Shorebirds
- Crocodiles
- River and mangrove landscapes
Meals included: breakfast at hotel, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: Tárcoles Birding Lodge or similar
Day 4 – March 14
Tárcoles to the Arenal Volcano Area
After breakfast, we will travel from Tárcoles to the Arenal Volcano region.
As we move into the middle elevations, the habitat and bird species will begin to change. We will stop along the way to photograph an entirely new variety of birds, including tanagers, woodpeckers, euphonias, and other colorful species.
The journey itself becomes part of the photography experience as we travel through Costa Rica’s changing landscapes and elevations.
Photography opportunities may include:
- Middle-elevation tanagers
- Woodpeckers
- Euphonias
- Tropical birds
- Costa Rican landscapes
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: Tilajari Hotel or similar
Day 5 – March 15
Caño Negro Wildlife Safari Boat Tour
Today we will explore the wildlife-rich Caño Negro region during a safari boat tour.
The Caño Negro River and surrounding wetlands support an incredible variety of birds and wildlife. As we travel along the river, we will watch for monkeys, caimans, lizards, iguanas, waterbirds, and other tropical species.
Photographing from the boat allows us to approach wildlife quietly while exploring areas that would otherwise be difficult to reach.
Photography opportunities may include:
- Tropical and aquatic birds
- Monkeys
- Caimans
- Iguanas
- Lizards
- Wetland wildlife
- River landscapes
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: Tilajari Hotel or similar
Day 6 – March 16
Arenal Volcano to Sarapiquí and Hummingbirds in Flight
Today we will travel from the Arenal Volcano region to Sarapiquí.
Along the way, we will visit Catarata del Toro, one of Costa Rica’s premier locations for photographing hummingbirds in flight. A specialized multi-flash setup will help us capture the movement, color, and remarkable wing detail of these tiny, fast-moving birds.
More than seven middle-elevation hummingbird species may visit the photography area, including the magnificent violet sabrewing.
This will be an exciting opportunity to learn the timing, camera settings, and techniques used for high-speed hummingbird photography.
Photography opportunities may include:
- Hummingbirds in flight
- Violet sabrewings
- Middle-elevation hummingbirds
- Multi-flash bird photography
- Tropical forest scenery
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: La Isla Lodge or similar
Day 7 – March 17
Costa Rica: Frog, Snake, and Reptile Macro Photography
Today we will focus on the smaller—but no less spectacular—wildlife of Costa Rica.
During a carefully guided macro photography session, we will photograph some of Costa Rica’s most colorful and iconic frogs, snakes, amphibians, and reptiles.
This is an excellent opportunity to work on close-up composition, depth of field, lighting, focusing, and capturing the intricate textures and details that make Costa Rica’s rainforest wildlife so fascinating.
Photography opportunities may include:
- Colorful Costa Rican frogs
- Snakes
- Amphibians
- Reptiles
- Macro wildlife portraits
- Rainforest details
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: La Isla Lodge or similar
Day 8 – March 18
Sloth and Scarlet Macaw Photography
We will begin the morning with a special opportunity to photograph one of Costa Rica’s most beloved rainforest mammals—the sloth.
In the afternoon, we will visit a macaw sanctuary, where we will photograph these magnificent birds and enjoy a dedicated macaws-in-flight photography session.
Scarlet macaws are incredibly quick, colorful, and impressive in flight, making this one of the tour’s most exciting bird photography experiences.
Photography opportunities may include:
- Sloths
- Scarlet macaws
- Macaws in flight
- Tropical wildlife portraits
- Rainforest birds
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: La Isla Lodge or similar
Day 9 – March 19
Sarapiquí Bird Photography and Return to San José
We will spend our final morning photographing at La Hoja, an excellent location for Costa Rica’s lowland bird species.
Our targets may include colorful tanagers, parakeets, toucans, and other tropical birds. This final session gives us another opportunity to capture some of Costa Rica’s extraordinary wildlife before returning to the San José airport area.
We will spend our final night at the Hampton Inn near San José International Airport.
Photography opportunities may include:
- Lowland tanagers
- Parakeets
- Toucans
- Tropical birds
- Costa Rican wildlife
Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Lodging: Hampton Inn near San José International Airport
Day 10 – March 20
Departure Day
Transportation will be provided from the Hampton Inn to Juan Santamaría International Airport for your flight home.
You will leave Costa Rica with memory cards filled with photographs, new photography skills, and unforgettable memories from one of the most biodiverse countries in the world.
Included: Airport transfer
Photography Instruction
This Costa Rica photography workshop is designed for photographers of all experience levels.
Jeff and Angie will be available throughout the tour to help with:
- Camera settings
- Manual exposure
- Autofocus settings
- Birds-in-flight photography
- Hummingbird photography
- Boat-based wildlife photography
- Macro photography
- Low-light rainforest photography
- Composition and backgrounds
- Working from blinds, decks, and natural perches
- Reviewing images and improving your technique in the field
The goal is not only to help you return home with beautiful photographs but also to help you become a more confident and capable wildlife photographer.
Tour Pricing
Double Occupancy: $5750 Per Person
Your own private room throughout the tour.
Single Occupancy: Add $850
Deposit and Payment Schedule
A $1,500 deposit per person is required to reserve your place.
- Single-occupancy balance: per person $5,100
- Double-occupancy balance per person: $4,250
- Final payment due: November 11, 2026
- The final balance is due 120 days before departure.
Because this tour is limited to only 10 participants, reservations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Deposit & Cancellation Policy
At Jeff & Angie Photography, many of our workshops include arrangements such as lodging, transportation, permits, park access, boats, guides, and other services that require significant non-refundable commitments well in advance. Because of these factors, deposits are necessary to secure your spot. We highly recommend purchasing travel insurance for every workshop to protect your investment.
What Is Included
- Nine nights of lodging
- Hampton Inn near San José International Airport on the first and final nights
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- In-country ground transportation during the tour
- Airport transfers on scheduled arrival and departure days
- Two Tárcoles bird and wildlife photography boat tours
- Caño Negro wildlife safari boat tour
- Hummingbird multi-flash photography session
- Frog, snake, amphibian, and reptile macro-photography session
- Sloth photography session
- Scarlet macaw photography session
- Macaws-in-flight photography session
- Access to photography decks and blinds
- Use of specialized photography setups and natural perches
- Entrance fees for scheduled tour activities
- Local Costa Rican guide
- Photography instruction from Jeff and Angie Birmingham
- Pre-trip photography classes
- Access to available loaner photography equipment
- Luminar Neo editing software
What Is Not Included
- International airfare to and from Costa Rica
- Meals not specifically listed in the itinerary
- Alcoholic beverages
- Travel insurance
- Medical or evacuation insurance
- Passport expenses
- Baggage fees
- Laundry
- Personal purchases and expenses
- Gratuities for guides, drivers, lodge staff, and other service providers
- Transportation or activities outside the scheduled itinerary
Recommended Photography Equipment
Costa Rica offers everything from tiny hummingbirds and frogs to monkeys, sloths, macaws, and distant birds. A versatile selection of equipment will help you prepare for the variety of subjects and environments.
Recommended equipment includes:
- One or two camera bodies
- A telephoto zoom such as a 100–400mm, 200–600mm, or similar lens
- A 70–200mm or medium-range zoom
- A macro lens for frogs, reptiles, and rainforest details
- A wide-angle lens for landscapes and environmental photographs
- Teleconverters, if compatible with your equipment
- A sturdy tripod or monopod
- Extra camera batteries
- Battery chargers
- Multiple high-capacity memory cards
- Lens-cleaning supplies
- Rain protection for your camera and lens
- A water-resistant camera bag
- Laptop or tablet for downloading and reviewing photographs
- Portable backup drive
Loaner equipment may be available, but participants should request it in advance because quantities are limited.
Physical Activity and Weather
This tour includes early mornings, transportation between locations, boat rides, and time spent photographing outdoors in tropical conditions.
Participants should be comfortable:
- Entering and exiting small boats
- Walking on natural or uneven surfaces
- Carrying their own photography equipment
- Standing or sitting for extended photography sessions
- Photographing in warm, humid, or rainy conditions
Costa Rica’s tropical weather can change quickly. We strongly recommend lightweight rain gear, moisture-wicking clothing, sturdy footwear, insect repellent, and protection for your photography equipment.
Reserve Your Costa Rica Photography Adventure
Join Jeff and Angie for 10 unforgettable days of bird, wildlife, rainforest, and macro photography in Costa Rica.
This small-group Costa Rica photography tour offers new photographic possibilities every day, featuring raptors soaring above the Tárcoles mangroves, hummingbirds frozen in flight, and a variety of wildlife, including scarlet macaws, toucans, sloths, frogs, reptiles, monkeys, and caimans.
Only 6 participant spaces are available.
A $1,500 deposit per person reserves your place.
Angie Birmingham –
I attended a photography workshop with Jeff & Angie Photography, and it was an outstanding experience.
Angie is a wonderful instructor who’s always willing to help with any questions. Jeff is so knowledgeable about the gear/cameras; don’t worry about your setting 🙂
If you are looking to improve your photography skills, capture beautiful photos. Book a workshop with Jeff & Angie now! A 5-star experience!
Susanna J
Angie Birmingham –
Traveled to Costa Rica with Jeff and Angie, and the trip was great. I captured beautiful images, and both Jeff and Angie were always there to answer questions, problem-solve, and help with any camera settings etc. Will definitely be traveling with them again!
Carolyn N
Angie Birmingham –
The photography tour to Costa Rica was amazing! We saw so many different kinds of birds, traveled to different areas and terrain through the middle of the country, and tried some new arenas, shooting bats at night with strobes, catching hummingbirds in flight, finding the elusive quetzal, and so much more. The biggest difference on this tour versus others was the one-on-one level of instruction I received on setting up my camera to take advantage of all the bells and whistles, how to use my camera to get the best shots, how to catch birds in flight, tips on editing, and so much more. I learned so much this week and feel like my photography has gone to the next level.
Mary R