Upon the arrival of all our photo travelers in Costa Rica, we gathered for our first introductory dinner in San Jose, where we outlined the tour’s expectations before heading off to recharge our camera batteries and get a restful night’s sleep. The next morning, under a brilliant sky, we set out from the city. With Wilson, our expert Costa Rican driving our minibus, we enjoyed a smooth ride as we ascended from the lush central valley. It quickly became clear that we had entered a true tropical paradise, traveling over the stunning central mountains and descending into the Caribbean lowlands.
Our first two lodges provided an incredible opportunity to photograph a rich variety of birdlife, from the vibrant honeycreepers to the boisterous macaws and the ever-present toucans—just a few of the species we were eager to capture through our lenses. A relaxed photography session in a vulture hide allowed us to take some remarkable in-flight shots of the striking king vultures as they arrived at the lodge’s feeding station, adding an unforgettable dimension to our experience.
Exploring the tropical lowlands offered a fantastic chance to capture some of the region’s most vividly colored reptiles and amphibians. Emerald basilisk lizards, plentiful and basking among the lush foliage, made for striking photographs. Under the careful supervision of a local handler, we were able to photograph a dazzling eyelash viper, a cryptic-patterned fer-de-lance, and a hog-nosed viper up close. The Caribbean lowlands also provided abundant opportunities to photograph the iconic red-eyed tree frogs, along with two species of poison dart frogs, adding to our collection of fascinating subjects.
Our lowland locations provided an excellent opportunity to photograph the antics of white-faced capuchin monkeys as they descended from the trees into the area while we were photographing scarlet and green macaws. Spider monkeys were also about and equally fun to spend time photographing.
After leaving the lowlands, we ascended to slightly higher elevations, where a greater variety of bird species awaited. For two days, we immersed ourselves in photographing hummingbirds and other tropical birds that frequented the lodge’s feeders and gardens. Among the many enchanting species, the elusive Lesson’s motmot stood out—emerging briefly from the underbrush to make a quiet appearance in the garden, offering a fleeting but rewarding photographic opportunity. A particular highlight was the chance to photograph the snowcap hummingbird. With patience, we spotted a vibrant male visiting a stand of verbena in the garden. Though his visit was brief, a few prepared photographers managed to capture striking images.
While here, we also took an afternoon to visit an area lake with an active egret rookery, where we found the photography of cattle egrets, great egrets, and cormorants rewarding. Along the lake, northern jacanas and purple gallinules foraged nearby, providing additional photographic subjects.
One of my favorite photo shoots at this location is our nighttime nectar bat set up, and this list did not disappoint. Once everyone was set up and in place, we let the cameras roll, and the bat activity began to pick up. Orange nectar bats and Pallas’s long-tongue bats came in great frequency, providing for some excellent photo action and some good nighttime fun. It’s incredible to have a chance to photograph these nocturnal denizens of the tropical forest.
Our next photographic destination took us to the highest point of our journey. Perched at 9,000 feet, our lodge placed us at the heart of a breathtaking tropical cloud forest. Here, our primary focus was the magnificent resplendent quetzal. With guidance from our local expert, we located a well-chosen nesting tree and spent three dedicated sessions observing and capturing images as the male and female alternated incubation duties.
Beyond the nest site, we had additional success photographing several quetzals as they visited a nearby avocado tree, skillfully plucking its tiny fruits. The lodge grounds proved to be a haven for bird photography, yielding some of our finest hummingbird shots and featuring other striking avian species—including the elegant long-tailed silky flycatcher and the vibrant golden-browed chlorophonia.
Always open to adding new shooting situations, our local guide was informed of an active emerald toucanet nest. Since we try to add new experiences to each trip, having the chance to photograph a toucanet was a bonus that added some excellent images to our stay in the cloud forest. After our two successful days in the cloud forest highlands, we descended into a nearby valley to our fifth lodge, situated among some of the most pristine tropical oak forests Costa Rica has to offer. Here, we successfully photographed a host of new species, including silver-throated and flame-colored tanagers, and striped-tailed hummingbirds.
After a restful night in the valley and a leisurely morning of photography, we packed up and made our way back to the hotel where our photographic journey began. Throughout our adventure, we encountered and captured images of a stunning array of wildlife, from vibrant birds to elusive snakes, frogs, and mammals—far more than I could mention in a single recounting.
Thanks to the expertise of our local guide, Wilson, and the support of Van Os tour leader Melissa Scott who joined us on the tour, we documented an impressive total of 130 bird species, 14 mammal species, and 13 different reptiles and amphibians. It was an immensely rewarding expedition, and I’m already eager to lead another group on this unforgettable experience next year.
