Tours / Costa Rica / May 2026
Completed 23 May – 1 June 2026
Caribbean lowlands to cloud forest, at the pace the birds set
10 days
9 nights
23 May – 1 June 2026
Dates
5 regions
80–2,200 m
The inaugural Framing Feathers tour. Ten days from the Caribbean lowlands to the Talamanca highlands, built around hides, feeders and patience.
This tour has run. What follows is the route as it happened and the frames that came back.
Every participant was sent the same survey afterwards. These are the results.
100%
said the tour met their expectations
Top rating, every response.
100%
would recommend it to a fellow photographer
Top rating, every response.
100%
would join another Framing Feathers tour
"Yes, absolutely."
5 / 5
for safety and for pre-trip preparation
Top rating, every response.
I cannot narrow it down to just one moment. Getting good shots of the male Quetzal after a two-day search and a very early morning drive was rewarding.
2026 participant
The multi-flash hummingbirds and macro sessions. I've never experienced that setup before.
2026 participant
It was great — you put a lot of time and energy into selecting great areas to capture the best photos.
2026 participant
Very good value for the cost, especially considering it was an all-inclusive price — all lodging, meals and transportation.
2026 participant
You adjusted the walking and hiking requirements very quickly after assessing everyone's abilities.
2026 participant
The moment the first toucan landed at the feeder.
2026 participant
The route is built out of kinds of country, not distances. Each holds birds the others do not. What separates them is not just elevation but the ecosystem that comes with it, and that governs the rest: which species, which light, what goes in the bag. Elevation is the part you can draw, so it is the spine of the page.
Central Valley, Alajuela Province
A gradual start after a long travel day. Landscaped grounds, a good variety of birds and flowers, and a chance to experiment with settings before setting out.
Arenal foothills, Alajuela Province
Rainforest trails and volcanic backdrops, with a walk on the Bogarín Trail for sloths, potoos and basilisks.
Northern lowlands, Alajuela Province
The centrepiece. Three vulture blinds, a hummingbird multi-flash setup, macro work, great green macaws along the road, and a night walk for caimans and red-eyed tree frogs.
Caribbean foothills, Limón Province
Foothill forest on the Caribbean slope, and a close encounter with a Baird's tapir and her calf the following morning.
Talamanca highlands, San José Province
The last of the photography stops, and the one everyone asked to keep. Secluded cloud forest, bird blinds, and a manager whose knowledge of the quetzal turned a two-day search into a result.
Central Valley, Alajuela Province
Back where it started, for one last night. Time to rest and repack before the flight home — and, for anyone not finished, the same grounds and the same birds that opened the trip.
Every frame carries its species, its place and its exposure.
What the days actually look like — hides, feeders, and a lot of waiting in good company.
Included
Not included
Physical demand
Gentle — no long hikes. Most photography happens within lodge grounds or a short walk from the vehicle, and the pace is set by the group rather than the schedule. If you are comfortable walking on uneven ground for short distances, you are ready.
Weather
Warm, humid lowlands; cool highland mornings; afternoon showers most days. Changing conditions often bring the best light.
Led by
Eric Patdu, Local Costa Rican guides. Travel between regions is by private vehicle.
Start and end
San José. Airport transfers are included; flights are not.
None of it is compulsory. This is what makes the difference between a good trip and a full memory card. Ask me if you're unsure — I'd rather advise beforehand than watch you wish you'd packed differently.
Bring
Worth considering
This tour has run. If it's the sort of thing you'd have wanted to be on, Costa Rica · May 2027 is the one that follows it.
Dates forming
Early May 2027 12–14 days Max 8 price to be set
RouteSanto Domingo de Heredia · San Gerardo de Dota · Turrialba · Sarapiquí · Boca Tapada · Caño Negro · Alajuela
A longer trip than the first one, with more regions on the route and a day of boat work on the water that the first one did not have.
