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Embark on Your Exclusive Costa Rica Photo Expedition
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Hello Dawn, Gary, Julie, and Patzi!
Welcome to your tailor-made photography adventure with us here at Physis, right in the vibrant heart of Costa Rica!
I am beyond excited to guide you through a journey filled with lush landscapes, captivating wildlife, and the exotic flora that this tropical paradise has to offer.
As photographers, I know you have a discerning eye for beauty and a deep passion for capturing the very essence of nature. Costa Rica, with its unparalleled biodiversity and stunning vistas, is the perfect canvas for your photographic pursuits.
From the lush greenery of Sarapiquí to the tranquil waterways of Boca Tapada, every moment of this trip is a golden opportunity to capture the extraordinary.
Be it the intricate patterns of tropical plants, the vivid hues of exotic flowers, or the dynamic wildlife in their natural habitats, I can assure you, your cameras will be busy framing the unique and breathtaking sights of Costa Rica.
I’ve meticulously planned a series of photography tours and activities to ensure you make the most out of your time here, including private sessions and exclusive night tours to enhance your experience.
Your passion for photography and love for nature are about to embark on a journey of a lifetime. So, dive into the itinerary we’ve prepared just for you, and let’s get ready for an unforgettable photography adventure with Physis!
Expedition details
Trip details
- Arrival airport: SJO
- Departure airport: SJO
- 15 days
- 14 nights lodging
- Pro-photographer
- Tour leader
- Local guides
- + 15 photo sessions
- Difficult: Easy
- All levels are welcome!
- Free time
- Daily activities
- Certified lodges
- Breakfasts
- Lunches
- Dinners
- Welcome dinner
- Farewell dinner
- Experienced driver
- Private van
- Local insurances
- All local taxes
Photo gallery
Map
Day-by-day itinerary
From the moment you arrive at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO), every detail is expertly handled—so you can focus on capturing unforgettable images.
Morning/Afternoon
- Arrival at Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO)
- Private transfer to your hotel
Evening
- Welcome and orientation session
- Overnight in San José or the nearby area
Meals
- Welcome dinner (depends on your arrival time at the hotel)
After breakfast, you’ll begin your ascent into Costa Rica’s highlands. The scenic drive to San Gerardo de Dota takes approximately three hours, with shifting landscapes as you climb into the cool, mist-laced cloud forests.
En route, we’ll make a strategic stop at a prime birding location for a morning photo session—an excellent opportunity to photograph species active at lower elevations before transitioning into the highland ecosystem.
After a relaxing lunch, the afternoon is reserved for one of the most anticipated highlights of the expedition: photographing the resplendent quetzal. Adorned in shimmering emerald and crimson, this iconic bird is a symbol of Central America and a true gem for any wildlife photographer.
The evening is free to rest, download your images, and prepare for the next day’s sessions.
Photo Sessions & Activities
- Bird photography at lower elevations
- Afternoon session: resplendent quetzal
Meals
- Breakfast included
Overnight
- San Gerardo de Dota or surrounding areas
Today is dedicated to photographing highland bird species, particularly hummingbirds, flycatchers, tanagers, and woodpeckers.
The cool climate and moss-draped cloud forest provide an ideal setting for capturing fast movements and vibrant colors against soft, natural backdrops.
We’ll explore a variety of elevations and microhabitats to help diversify your portfolio and practice in different lighting conditions.
The day also includes time to review techniques for freezing motion and creatively using naturally diffused light.
Photo Sessions & Activities
- Hummingbird photography
- Highland bird photography (flycatchers, tanagers, woodpeckers)
Meals
- Breakfast included
Overnight
- San Gerardo de Dota or surrounding areas
After breakfast, you’ll depart the highlands and begin a scenic four-hour journey toward Costa Rica’s Caribbean lowlands.
As the elevation decreases, the environment shifts into lush tropical rainforest—an area celebrated for its exceptional biodiversity and rich photographic opportunities.
Along the way, we’ll stop for lunch at a well-known birdwatching spot.
It’s the perfect moment to stretch your legs, enjoy regional cuisine, and capture spontaneous images of lowland bird species in a relaxed setting.
Upon arrival in Sarapiquí, the afternoon is yours to rest, explore the lodge grounds, or prepare gear for the upcoming sessions.
Photo Sessions & Activities
- Bird photography (lowland species)
Meals
- Breakfast included
Overnight
- Sarapiquí area or surrounding areas
Sarapiquí offers a vibrant mosaic of habitats, making it one of the most rewarding regions in Costa Rica for wildlife photography.
The day begins with an early bird photography session, capturing iconic lowland species like toucans, tanagers, Montezuma oropendolas, and aracaris bathed in soft morning light. Later, we’ll venture into the forest on foot. This guided nature walk provides opportunities to photograph owls, Jesus Christ lizards, bullet ants, and various reptiles and amphibians in their natural environment.
In the afternoon, another bird photography session awaits, timed to take advantage of shifting light and increased bird activity as temperatures drop. Expect a dynamic day filled with both action shots and quiet, intimate encounters—set in a region teeming with life and photographic texture.
Photo Sessions & Activities
- Bird photography (morning and afternoon)
- Wildlife photography during guided forest walk
Meals
- Breakfast included
Overnight
- Sarapiquí or surrounding areas
Today shifts the focus to the intricate and often overlooked world of macro photography.
The morning begins with a visit to a biodiverse reserve teeming with butterflies, beetles, and other insects—ideal for practicing composition, depth of field, and lighting with colorful, fast-moving subjects.
Later, we’ll continue exploring the forest floor and understory in search of frogs, spiders, snakes, and other fascinating macro subjects. With patience and a sharp eye, you’ll capture close-up images that highlight the rainforest’s rich textures and hidden beauty.
This day invites you to slow down, refine your vision, and appreciate the silent drama of life at a smaller scale.
Photo Sessions & Activities
- Wildlife & macro photography (insects)
- Macro photography (frogs, snakes, and other forest floor species)
Meals
- Breakfast included
Overnight
- Sarapiquí or surrounding areas
The day begins with a final bird photography session in the lowlands—an early opportunity to capture species active in the soft morning light before departing Sarapiquí.
After breakfast, you’ll set off on a scenic journey to Boca Tapada, a remote region in northern Costa Rica renowned for its pristine rainforest, serene atmosphere, and exceptional wildlife viewing.
Upon arrival, the afternoon is yours to rest, explore the lodge grounds, or fine-tune your gear in preparation for the evening shoot.
After sunset, prepare for one of the tour’s most distinctive highlights: a multi-flash bat photography session. In this controlled environment, you’ll freeze bats mid-flight with remarkable sharpness and clarity—an exciting and technically rewarding experience that blends precision with creativity.
Photo Sessions & Activities
- Morning bird photography (lowland species)
- The evening session involves capturing bats in flight using a multi-flash setup. (flashes, triggers and stands are provided.)
Meals
- Breakfast included
Overnight
- Boca Tapada
Today we have 2 different photo sessions
- Morning: Bird photography session: Today, we’ll visit a venture run by a delightful Costa Rican family. On their property, you can photograph over 20 bird species, including woodpeckers, red-legged honeycreepers, toucans, tanagers, hummingbirds, and more.
- Then we will drive for about 2.5 hours to the beautiful and wild region of Boca Tapada, near the border with Nicaragua.
- Free afternoon. In the afternoon, you will do some photography at the hotel and in the surrounding area.
- Bats photo shoot at night: At 5:30 p.m. and for about 2 hours, we will have one of the most exciting and unique sessions. We will photograph flying bats at night.
- Lodging in Boca Tapada area
Today we have 2 different photo shoots.
- Morning: King Vulture. After breakfast, we dedicate this photo session to the King Vulture. The King Vulture, notable for its vibrant coloration, is one of the largest New World vultures, growing up to 2.5 feet tall and weighing around 8 pounds. This bird possesses one of the strongest beaks among American vultures, enabling it to open carcasses that others can’t, often eating first at a feeding site.
- Afternoon: Hummingbird Multiflash Session. Hummingbird Multiflash Photo Session and Macro Photography Session
- Free night
- Lodging in Boca Tapada area
- Breakfast is at the hotel at 8:00 a.m. Check-out
- We are going to take one of these tours: Yellow-throated toucan, Keel-billed toucan, Sunbittern, Royal Flight Flycatcher (to be confirmed depending on the behavior of the animals or weather conditions)
- Free night.
- Dinner at the hotel
- Lodging in Boca Tapada
- Breakfast is at the hotel at 8:00 a.m.
- Check-out
- After that, we will drive for more than 3 hours to the impressive and remote area of Caño Negro.
- We will have lunch on the road.
- Photo session at the hotel. Hotel de Campo Caño Negro is a charming eco-lodge located within the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge in Costa Rica. It offers a serene and immersive experience in nature, surrounded by lush tropical landscapes and abundant wildlife
- Free night.
- Dinner at the hotel
- Lodging in Caño Negro
Today we will have two boat tours
- In the morning, we will be able to take advantage of the dawn light and the activity of many birds, crocodiles, monkeys, and lizards, among others. This tour starts at 6:00 am.
- We will return to the hotel to rest and have breakfast.
- Lunch at the hotel or a local restaurant.
- At 3:00 p.m. we begin the afternoon tour. We will visit the observation tower and navigate the river again to take advantage of the afternoon light and watch the sunset.
- Lodging in Caño Negro
- After breakfast (8:00 am), we will drive to Arenal Volcano National Park (around 3 hours)
- The Arenal Volcano is one of the country’s most famous volcanoes. Arenal is an active stratovolcano in northwestern Costa Rica. Its 1,633 meter (5,358-foot) volcanic cone strikes an imposing figure on the landscape.
- Bird photography session at the hotel. Arenal Observatory Lodge is a hotspot for birdwatching in Costa Rica, with more than 500 species of birds noted so far in the property
- Free night
- Dinner at the hotel
- Lodging in Arenal Area
- Breakfast is at the hotel at 8:00 am.
- Morning: We will visit one of the trails of Arenal Volcano. Arenal is Costa Rica’s best-known volcano. It’s a stratovolcano—a large, symmetrical volcano that’s built upon layers of ash, rock and lava – and at 5,437 feet (1,657 meters), it stands high above the rest of the countryside.
- Afternoon: The visit takes you to the Danta Waterfall, one of the most popular attractions in the 350-ha nature reserve at Arenal Observatory Lodge & Trails. The waterfall is surrounded by a primary tropical forest and a cool mist. The thunderous sound caused by the fall of water creates a magical and relaxing atmosphere in the place. The Danta waterfall, approximately 6 meters high, makes a small pool that invites you to cool off in its waters.
- Free night.
- Dinner at the hotel
- Lodging in Arenal Area
- Breakfast: 8:30 a.m. at the hotel.
- Check-out: After breakfast.
- Drive to Cinchona: Depart for Cinchona, near Poas Volcano. The drive will take over 3 hours.
- Lunch and Sightseeing: Stop at a famous restaurant for lunch. Take pictures of birds, two beautiful waterfalls (La Paz and San Fernando), and the scenic landscapes.
- Drive to Alajuela: Continue driving for one more hour to the city of Alajuela.
- Airport Transfer: Transfer to the International Airport.
- Departure Details:
- Departure Date: May 24, 2025
- Airline: Air France AF 431
- Departure Time: 19:00
- Airport Arrival Time: 15:00 for check-in.
- End of Services
Signature photography tours
What are signature photography tours?
At Physis Photo Tours, our Signature Photography Tours are the flagship experiences that define who we are and what we do best. Each one is a carefully crafted, private, and photography-focused session designed to give you unparalleled access to Costa Rica’s most extraordinary wildlife, landscapes, and habitats. These tours carry our personal stamp—expert guiding, exclusive locations, and specialized setups—ensuring you return home with images and memories you simply can’t get anywhere else.
Resplendent Quetzal
King & Black Vultures
Macro Photography (Snakes & Frogs)
Bats multiflash at night
Bird photography sessions
Hummingbirds multiflash
Destinations
San Gerardo de Dota
Sarapiqui
Boca Tapada
Caño Negro
Bird photography sessions
Hummingbirds multiflash
Services
- Exclusive and private travel itinerary for you
- 14 nights of lodging
- Physis’s certified hotels and lodges
- Standard, superior, or deluxe rooms (double occupancy)
- Private bathroom
- Daily breakfasts at the hotels
- Lunches at the hotels or local restaurants
- Dinners at the hotels
- Welcome dinner
- Farewell dinner
- Professional photographer and expedition leader with years of experience
- Private van
- Experienced driver
- Experienced, certified, and area-specific guides for birds, wildlife, bird and nature photography
- +15 photography shoots, tours, and activities.
- Private ground transportation for 14 days
- Transfer-in
- Transfer-out
- All entrance fees (National parks, reserves, refuges, etc)
- 1 room for the guide
- 1 room for the driver
- Daily meals for the guide
- Daily meals for the driver
- All local insurances
- All local taxes
- Airfare to/from Costa Rica
- Visa (If it’s required)
- Medical insurance
- Travel Insurance
- Tips and gratuities (local guides, driver, and expedition leader)
- Alcoholic beverages (wine, beer, cocktails, etc) and beverages not included on the menu.
- Hotel services (laundry, room service, etc)
- Personal services (spa, massage, etc)