Date: 7/8/26 4:28 am From: Ted Levin <tedlevin1966...> Subject: [VTBIRD] Costa Rica 2027
*Costa Rica Natural History and Birding Adventure:*
* April 10 – 19, 2027*
*Arenal Volcano Extension April 19 - 22, 2027*
*Away from tourist centers: 300 bird species in 12 days, crocodiles,
red-eyed tree frogs, toads the size of sneakers, tapirs, anteaters, and 4
species of monkeys. Neotropical otters. Coatimundis. Tayra. Kinkajou. We’ll
visit cloud forests, old-growth jungles, the timberline, both the Caribbean
and Pacific coasts, and take boat rides down remote rivers along the
southern Pacific coast.*
*Costa Rica Premium Birding and Wildlife Nature Expedition*
This carefully designed birding and wildlife journey is far more than a
standard nature vacation. It is a serious tropical birding expedition
designed for dedicated birders, wildlife photographers, and nature
enthusiasts seeking access to some of the world's richest ecosystems.
From sea level to 12,000 feet, our itinerary covers Costa Rica’s most
productive birding regions, including *Rancho Naturalista in Turrialba*,
the *cloud forests of San Gerardo de Dota*, *Corcovado* and *Puerto Jiménez
in the biologically intense Osa Conservation Area,* the *Central Pacific
region around Tarcoles*, and the *volcanic landscapes of Arenal*.
These locations were selected not simply for comfort or convenience, but
for habitat diversity and birding potential. During a single journey,
participants will experience *Caribbean foothill rainforest*, *cloud forest*
, *Pacific lowland* *forest*, *freshwater wetlands*, *mangroves*, *transitional
forest*, and *primary tropical rainforest*, each with its own distinct
wildlife community and birdlife.
Depending on weather, season, and group pace, our expeditions regularly
produce between 300 and 350 bird species. Among them are many of Costa
Rica’s most sought-after tropical birds, including:
Resplendent Quetzal, scarlet Macaw. Multiple species of toucans and
trogons, motmots, manakins, antbirds, hummingbirds, tanagers, hawks, owls,
cotingas, jacamars, puffbirds, woodcreepers, among other tropical
specialties.
One of the greatest strengths of this program is our collaboration with
highly experienced local birders and naturalist guides throughout the
country. At key destinations we work with specialists who know their
ecosystems intimately and understand the habits, calls, and seasonal
movements of local target species. This greatly increases both the quality
of the experience and the likelihood of exceptional sightings.
Our expeditions regularly produce remarkable encounters with tropical
wildlife, including sloths, four species of monkeys, tapirs, coatimundis,
kinkajou, agoutis, collared peccary, basilisks (two species), iguanas
(three species), poison-dart frogs, red-eyed tree frogs, American
crocodile, spectacled caiman, eyelash viper, scorpion-eating snake, coral
ground snake, fer-de-lance, and a remarkable diversity of tropical
butterflies and moths
Costa Rica remains one of the world’s premier destinations for combined
birding and wildlife observation due to its extraordinary biodiversity,
accessibility, political stability, and long-standing commitment to
conservation.
*The tour price includes*:
1) Professional guiding throughout the expedition
2) Specialized local birding guides
3) All transportation during the tour
4) All hotels and lodges
5) All meals
6) Entrance logistics for included destinations
Carefully planned natural history/birding routes and habitat transitions
This is a premium birding experience designed for travelers who value
expertise, biodiversity, efficiency, comfort, and meaningful access to
world-class tropical ecosystems.
For dedicated birders, photographers, and wildlife travelers, a
multi-region expedition of this type offers exceptional value compared to
many international birding programs.
*Ted Levin*
As a lifelong naturalist and Yankee fan, Ted follows a trail blazed by John
Burroughs and John Muir, neither of whom paid much attention to baseball.
Ted’s work has appeared in Houghton Mifflin’s *The* *Best American Sports
Writing, Audubon*,* Sierra, Sports Illustrated, National Wildlife, OnEarth,
National Geographic Traveler, National Geographic Books, Yankee, The New
York Times*, *Newsday*, *The Boston Globe, The Chicago Sun-Times, The
Guardian, and The Daily Telegraph, *among other publications and
anthologies. For twenty-four years, he was a regular commentator on Vermont
Public Radio, and occasionally on NPR. Ted’s books include *Backtracking:
The Way of a Naturalist *(1987), *Blood Brook: A Naturalist’s Home
Ground *(1992),
and *Liquid Land: A Journey Through the Florida Everglades* (2003), among
other works of nonfiction. I received the Burroughs Medal in 2004, the
highest literary honor awarded to an American nature writer. E. O. Wilson
called *America’s Snake: The Rise and Fall of the Timber Rattlesnake *(2016)* a
beautifully written book *[that] *demonstrates just how good nature
literature can be*. Ted's most recent book, *The Promise of Sunrise:
Finding Solace in a Broken World*, was published in 2026. This will be
Ted's tenth trip to Costa Rica, including hosting Vermont Public's Citizens
of the World Tour in 2010.
Together with our Costa Rican team and local specialists throughout the
country, this collaboration creates an immersive field expedition centered
on biodiversity, conservation, and meaningful tropical natural history
observation.
*Gil Calvo*
Costa Rican naturalist guide Gil Calvo has spent more than 30 years
exploring and guiding across Costa Rica's diverse ecosystems, developing
extensive experience in tropical birding, wildlife observation, natural
history, and expedition logistics. He is widely appreciated for his ability
to locate and interpret tropical wildlife in the field, often transforming
an ordinary walk into a rich natural history experience filled with
unexpected discoveries.
Known for his sharp field skills (and humor), deep knowledge of Costa
Rica’s habitats, and passion for tropical biodiversity, Gil specializes in
immersive nature experiences that combine serious birding with broader
wildlife observation and rainforest ecology.
Over the years, Gil has guided birders, photographers, families,
researchers, naturalists, and high school students through Costa Rica’s
most biologically rich regions. His long-standing friendship and 25-year
collaboration with Ted Levin create a uniquely personal and professionally
organized experience that combines local expertise, conservation awareness,
natural history interpretation, and access to some of the finest birding
and most beautiful locations in Central America
