juancar_d
★★★★★
Excepcional, en parte gracias al guía Jason , pasan las horas sin darte cuenta De lo ameno que es ......
Esquipulas · near Manuel Antonio · Costa Rica
Sunrise birding in the Esquipulas highland forest with an ICT-licensed guide, a Swarovski scope and a traditional Costa Rican breakfast in the forest.
Duration
5 hours
Start time
5:25 AM
Breakfast
Traditional gallo pinto included
Languages
English · Spanish
Species list
Included after tour
About this tour
As dawn breaks over the Esquipulas highland forest, the trees come alive with toucans, motmots, tanagers, hawks and hummingbirds. This off-the-beaten-path birding hotspot near Manuel Antonio offers remarkable diversity in complete tranquility – just you, your guide and the birds.
Your ICT-licensed birdwatching guide brings a Swarovski spotting scope, so you see every feather in detail and take home free 4K photos and videos, plus a personalized list of every species observed. A traditional Costa Rican breakfast in the forest is included.
Birding here is a morning activity – the forest goes quiet by midday. For a completely different set of species, add the Manuel Antonio night tour and see kinkajous, sloths and tree frogs that never show up in daylight.
18
years in the field
4K
photos & videos included
ICT
certified guides
Tour options
Same expert birding guide, same Swarovski scope. Join a small group or make it private.
Shared · Sunrise
A small group of up to 8 birders, a 5:25 AM start and breakfast in the forest.
Private · Your target species
Only your group (min 2 people), tailored to your target species, at your own pace with a flexible start time.
Prices are per person: adults 13+ pay the listed price, children 3–12 pay $10 less on every option (Group Birding $125, Private Birding $145) and infants 0–2 join free. Free cancellation up to 72 hours before the tour. From December 15 to January 15, bookings are non-refundable. Every booking includes a $2 donation per person to Kazan Karate for Kids.
READ REVIEWS FROM OUR PAST GUESTS
Reviews from Google and Tripadvisor.
Guest reviews for Esquipulas Birdwatching.
★★★★★
Excepcional, en parte gracias al guía Jason , pasan las horas sin darte cuenta De lo ameno que es ......
★★★★★
Absolutely highlight of my trip!! Jason was an unbelievable guide! Wd saw over 50 bird species and he kept track of all and sent to us after tour. He is sooo knowledgeable and was able to proactively look for special species. The utmost professional n expert in field. Don’t miss this one!!
★★★★★
Jason of Wáköö tours is the bomb! Both my son and I love bird watching, and were excited to come to Costa Rica to add to our life lists. Before we did Jason’s VIP birding tour we had added maybe sixty Costa Rican birds to our list over nine days, and we were happy with that. Jason’s expertise blew that out of the water! 80+ birds in in six hours. We would have been happy with 20 new species. The highlight of the expedition was the Black Hawk-Eagle and five other different birds of prey. Jason is a serious birder and loves birds just as much as we do. If you want to find those hard to see beautiful Costa Rican birds. Jason is your man. We also did Wáköö tours Rainmaker night tour, and had a blast seeing frogs, snakes, and other creatures of the nighttime rain forest. Jason was super knowledgeable of everything we found and answered any questions we had. I would highly recommend Jason and Wáköö Tours
★★★★★
This was one the highlight tours for me. I wouldn’t hesitate to go with Jason again to Esquipulas (and other areas) the next time I visit Costa Rica. Among other places we stopped at a (quite) hidden restaurant with a big garden. You’ll need ‘more eyes’ over there as there were so many birds at the same time (for example toucans, many different kinds of hummingbirds etc). It was quite easy to make pictures of these birds up close. It was well worth the money and a day well spent!
★★★★★
While staying for a few days i Manuel Antonio I took a privat guided birdwatching tour to Esquipulas with Jason Solano. He is a very good birdguide and a nice, relaxed and funny person. Esquipulas is a small countryside town located ca 16 km from Manuel Antonio. This rural area is considered to be the best spot for birding in the area of Manuel Antonio and Quepos. During our tour we had 78 species including white-crested coquette, white hawk and king vulture. We also had a nice breakfast with a beautiful view. If you are a birder and stay in Manuel Antonio or Quepos I advise you to go birding with Jason to Esquipulas. You won’t regret it.
★★★★★
If you’re interested in birds I’d highly recommend a trip to Esquipulas with Jason! We saw so many species during our half day tour, such as nesting macaws, motmots, manikins, trogons, toucans, aracaris and many more! The location is beautiful and rural and there is plenty of time to observe and capture your shot! When I return to Costa Rica this will be the first tour I book! Highly recommended!
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What the forest may reveal
Toucans, motmots, tanagers, hawks and hummingbirds fill the highland forest at first light. Your guide reads the calls and the canopy and brings each bird into the Swarovski scope so you see every feather in detail.
Before you go
After booking you receive a welcome message with your pickup point and time and everything to expect at dawn.
5:25 AM – sunrise birding, about 5 hours. Round-trip hotel transport is included; private tours can choose a flexible start.
A traditional Costa Rican breakfast (gallo pinto) is included on every option.
Your binoculars, comfortable walking shoes, a light jacket for the cool morning, camera and a reusable water bottle. Binoculars are not included.
After the tour, receive your free 4K photos and videos plus a personalized list of every species observed.
GUEST VIDEO REVIEWS
Meet a Wakoo Tours guest and hear their experience. The tour featured in each video is identified below.
Share your experience →Our Manuel Antonio birdwatching experience takes place in Esquipulas. Your ICT-licensed guide explores the highland forest with you, using a Swarovski spotting scope to bring the birds into clear view.
Toucans, motmots, tanagers, hawks and hummingbirds are among the birds featured on this tour. The gallery also includes the common potoo, golden-hooded tanager and white-necked jacobin. Wildlife sightings vary from one morning to another; a particular species is never guaranteed.
For recent observations in the Manuel Antonio area, read our Manuel Antonio Birding Report — October 22, 2026. The report provides recent bird records, not a guarantee of sightings on your tour.
The group tour starts at 5:25 AM and lasts about five hours. Private tours offer a flexible start time. After booking, you receive your pickup point and time in the welcome message.
Yes. Both group and private options include round-trip hotel transport and a traditional Costa Rican breakfast of gallo pinto in the forest.
Yes, bring your own binoculars; they are not included. Your guide brings a Swarovski spotting scope. Comfortable walking shoes, a light jacket, a camera and a reusable water bottle are also recommended.
Yes. Private Birding is for your own party, with a minimum of two people, a flexible start and a pace tailored to your target species. Group Birding welcomes a maximum of eight participants. Compare the group and private options.
Yes. The tour includes free 4K photos and videos, plus a personalized list of the species observed. You receive these after the tour.
Your guide uses a Swarovski spotting scope to bring birds into clear view. The tour includes 4K photos and videos, plus a personalized list of the species observed, shared after your visit. Bring your own binoculars for scanning the forest between scope stops.
Read our Manuel Antonio Birding Report — October 22, 2026 for observations reported in the area. These regional records are not a list of guaranteed sightings in Esquipulas. To plan your own morning, explore our group and private birdwatching tours.
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