Quetzal Season Birdwatching Tour in Curicancha Cloud Forest
Recommended by 92% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Monteverde, Costa Rica
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Go birdwatching in the Curi-Cancha Reserve in the Monteverde Cloud Forest on a half-day tour led by a naturalist guide and spot more than you would going alone. Look out for resplendent quetzals, silvery-fronted tapaculo, toucans, hummingbirds, and more—identify up to 60 species. Enjoy exploring the mountainous forest trails without the risk of getting lost. Monteverde-area transfers can be provided for an extra fee.
- Ideal for bird and nature enthusiasts as you'll see many species
- Includes the use of high-definition spotting scopes
- The half-day tour can easily fit into busy schedules
- Make your own way to the reserve or book a transfer if you prefer
What's Included
- Professional BirdWatcher naturalist tour guide
- optic gear
- 3 hours tour
- Entrance fee - Curicancha$25.00 per person
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 854R+HX, Provincia de Puntarenas, Monteverde, Costa Rica
Meeting Point: Curicancha Wildlife Refuge main front office, Monteverde. If arriving by car, park at the official parking area and meet at the reception. Address: 300 m NW of Monteverde Cheese Factory. GPS: 10.306859, -84.807602.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.What To Expect
Choose your desired departure time when booking, then make your own way to the Curi-Cancha Reserve or book a hotel transfer for an extra fee.
Follow trails through a habitat that supports a large proportion of Costa Rica’s bird species. You're likely to spot between 40 and 60 species. One highlight of the forest surrounding Monteverde is the chance to see the brilliant plumage of a resplendent quetzal, and your naturalist guide will help you spot the greatest possible range of tropical birds.
Other favorite birds include the blue-crowned motmot and the green-violetear hummingbird, whose metallic plumage can be spotted throughout Central America.
Following your time in the forest, this half-day tour concludes at the starting point or with a drop-off at your hotel, if booked.
Follow trails through a habitat that supports a large proportion of Costa Rica’s bird species. You're likely to spot between 40 and 60 species. One highlight of the forest surrounding Monteverde is the chance to see the brilliant plumage of a resplendent quetzal, and your naturalist guide will help you spot the greatest possible range of tropical birds.
Other favorite birds include the blue-crowned motmot and the green-violetear hummingbird, whose metallic plumage can be spotted throughout Central America.
Following your time in the forest, this half-day tour concludes at the starting point or with a drop-off at your hotel, if booked.
1
Curi-Cancha Reserve
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Michelle_N
Wow! What an amazing time we had at Curicancha! Our guide Olger was so wonderful, he taught us so much about his culture and the history of Monteverde all while listening to and showing us the birds of the forest! He shared the Spanish names for some of the birds we saw and even we we couldn’t see some birds he told us about their calls and showed us what they looked like in his book. He was kind, enthusiastic, and very fun. We had the most enjoyable and relaxing time.
Reviews
4.7
based on 99 reviews
mariamcdade, Apr 2026
Excellent experience, we went with positive thoughts but low expectations in terms of the wildlife (it is wild, rarely performs on cue) , but our guide, Olger, was amazing - we saw a mottled owl, capuchin and spider monkeys, a bell bird, a toucan, a hummingbird, a viper , and briefly , a quetzal!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you very much for your kind and thoughtful review, and for choosing Johnny Loves Nature Eco-Tours for your experience in the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
We truly appreciate your perspective—nature is indeed unpredictable, and every sighting is a special gift. We’re so glad that Olger was able to guide you through such a memorable experience and help you encounter an incredible variety of wildlife, including the Resplendent Quetzal, owls, monkeys, and more.
Our goal is always to offer an honest, respectful, and educational connection with the forest, guided by passionate local naturalists who know how to read the environment with patience and care.
Thank you again for your trust and for sharing your experience. To future guests, you are warmly welcome to join us with an open mind and a sense of curiosity—the cloud forest always has something unique to offer.
With sincere appreciation,
Johnny Loves Nature Eco-Tours Team
MATTEO_M, Feb 2026
The tour did not meet our expectations.
We started walking inside the reserve 30 minutes later than the actual program and spent a lot of time apparently doing nothing. The guide did not explain to us that much about the birds, and had some difficulties in spotting them, so we walked around randomly. Overall, the reserve is not very big, does not offer beautiful landscapes as the cloud forest, and actually we did not see many birds; I think however that it would have probably been a better experience with a different guide. Very much expensive compared to the quality of the tour
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Dear Matteo,
Thank you for your honest feedback.
We are truly sorry the experience did not fully meet your expectations. The delayed start is not the standard we strive for, and we are reviewing our coordination process to ensure smoother departures for our guided tours in Monteverde.
Birdwatching in the Monteverde Cloud Forest is highly dependent on timing, weather conditions, and seasonal bird activity. Our tours are led by certified local naturalist guides specialized in bird identification by sight and sound, with a strong focus on interpretation, behavior, and habitat ecology. While sightings can vary, our goal is always to provide a professional and educational birdwatching experience.
We also understand that value perception is important. Entrance fees directly support conservation and the protection of Monteverde’s unique biodiversity.
We appreciate your comments, as they help us continue refining our birdwatching tours in Costa Rica.
Warm regards,
Johnny
Monteverde, Costa Rica
Michelle_N, Jan 2026
Wow! What an amazing time we had at Curicancha! Our guide Olger was so wonderful, he taught us so much about his culture and the history of Monteverde all while listening to and showing us the birds of the forest! He shared the Spanish names for some of the birds we saw and even we we couldn’t see some birds he told us about their calls and showed us what they looked like in his book. He was kind, enthusiastic, and very fun. We had the most enjoyable and relaxing time.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful experience at Curicancha Reserve in Monteverde. We are truly delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable and relaxing time on your guided nature and birdwatching tour.
Olger is a passionate local guide, and we are proud that he was able to share his deep knowledge of Monteverde’s history, culture, and cloud forest wildlife with you. Teaching guests about the birds of Costa Rica, their calls, behaviors, and even their Spanish names is something he genuinely loves, and your kind words reflect that dedication.
At Curicancha, our goal is to offer meaningful, educational, and immersive experiences led by knowledgeable local guides who connect visitors with nature in an authentic way. We are very happy to know that Olger’s enthusiasm, kindness, and expertise made your visit memorable.
Thank you for choosing our Monteverde guided tour and for recommending us. We truly appreciate your support and hope to welcome you again for another unforgettable experience in Costa Rica’s cloud forest.
Larissa_S, Jan 2026
Our guide was super passionate about birds and everything, we are not really experienced bird watchers ourself but we’re excited to see. We saw the Quetzel, toucans hummingbirds everywhere and then some! So awesome! Oh we also saw white faced monkeys! So cute
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you so much for your kind review! We’re truly grateful you chose our Curicancha Birdwatching Tour in Monteverde.
We’re especially happy to hear our guide’s passion helped make the experience enjoyable and easy to follow, even if you’re not an experienced birdwatcher. Seeing the Resplendent Quetzal, toucans, and so many hummingbirds in the Monteverde Cloud Forest is always a magical moment—and spotting white-faced capuchin monkeys is a wonderful bonus!
Thank you again for recommending this experience. We would love to welcome you back for another unforgettable Costa Rica wildlife tour in Monteverde. 🌿✨
viola_m, Dec 2025
Olger was an Amazing guide, professional and highly passionate about wildlife. Despite the weather was really bad we had such a good Memory. Thank you!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you very much for taking the time to share your experience with us.
We’re happy to hear that Olger’s professionalism and passion for wildlife helped make your tour a special memory, even with challenging weather conditions. Nature can be unpredictable, and we truly appreciate your positive attitude.
Thank you for joining us, and we hope to welcome you again in Monteverde in the future.
Chiara_S, Dec 2025
We had a really great and fun morning with Johnny. He loves his nature, and you can truly feel it. We would book again—thank you!
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re thrilled to hear that you had a great and fun morning with Johnny and appreciated his passion for nature. However, we understand that not all experiences may meet expectations. If there was anything that could have made your visit even better, please let us know. We value all feedback as it helps us improve our services, and we hope to welcome you back for another enjoyable experience in the future!
Gary_C, Dec 2025
Johnny was truly an exceptional guide, who is genuinely passionate, and knows about what he’s talking about. A genuine human being on top of all.
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Pura Vida Gary.
Scott_J, Jul 2025
Johnny from JohnnyLovesAdventure.com was an excellent guide. Very personable as well as knowledgeable as a guide, his eyes were sharp and his experience in Curi Cancha shows. He was a good English speaker and added a few words in German. He also used his ears and even nose to help point out various things. His tour was very democratic in that he asked if he could show us flowers and again he asked if we wanted to find a Quetzel specifically or keep generally looking. Well done.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Gracias
Sebastian_H, Jun 2025
We were very lucky to explore the Curi Cancha Park with an experienced and passionate tour guide – all to ourselves. Since there were no other participants, the tour felt especially personal and intense.
Our guide Johnny is a true adventurer with impressive knowledge of the local wildlife and plants. His enthusiasm for nature was infectious and made the experience truly enjoyable.
Thanks to his high-quality binoculars, we were able to observe many animals up close – including some we would never have spotted without him. We even managed to capture great photos and videos through the binoculars, giving us wonderful memories to take home.
We can absolutely recommend a tour with Johnny – perfect for anyone who loves nature and is looking for a truly special experience!
Pura vida, Johnny! 🌿
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you! Pura Vida
Esme_B, May 2025
Saw many birds, including violet sabre wing hummingbirds and a three wattle bell bird, plus nesting toucans. Johnny was great at finding the birds and making sure I could take time to look at them all and get photos.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hello,
Thank you very much for your wonderful review and for joining our birdwatching tour in Monteverde.
We’re delighted to hear that you were able to observe such special species as the Violet Sabrewing hummingbird, the Three-wattled Bellbird, and nesting toucans. These iconic cloud forest birds are some of the highlights of the region, and it’s always a pleasure to help our guests find and enjoy them in their natural habitat.
At Johnny Love’s Nature Eco-Tour, we focus on small-group, personalized birdwatching experiences led by a local naturalist guide, allowing you the time and space to observe, photograph, and truly appreciate the incredible birdlife of the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
Thank you again for your kind words and recommendation. We hope to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable birdwatching adventure in Monteverde, Costa Rica.
Warm regards,
Johnny Love’s Nature Eco-Tour
Monteverde Cloud Forest, Costa Rica
Pura Vida 🐦🌿
Alan_E, Feb 2025
Johnny is an excellent guide, and his love for birding and nature is contagious. Would strongly recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hello,
Thank you very much for your kind review and recommendation.
We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Quetzal Season Birdwatching Tour in the Curi-Cancha Cloud Forest. Sharing the beauty of Monteverde’s birdlife is our passion, and it’s wonderful to know that Johnny’s enthusiasm and love for nature made your experience even more special.
During the quetzal season, the Monteverde Cloud Forest becomes one of the best birdwatching destinations in Costa Rica, offering excellent opportunities to spot the Resplendent Quetzal and many other cloud forest species. At Johnny Love’s Nature Eco-Tour, we focus on small-group, personalized birdwatching experiences led by a local naturalist guide, with high-quality optics and plenty of time for observation and photography.
Thank you again for choosing our tour. We hope to welcome you back to Monteverde for another unforgettable birdwatching adventure.
Warm regards,
Johnny Love’s Nature Eco-Tour
Monteverde Cloud Forest, Costa Rica
Pura Vida 🐦🌿
We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Quetzal Season Birdwatching Tour in the Curi-Cancha Cloud Forest. Sharing the beauty of Monteverde’s birdlife is our passion, and it’s wonderful to know that Johnny’s enthusiasm and love for nature made your experience even more special.
During the quetzal season, the Monteverde Cloud Forest becomes one of the best birdwatching destinations in Costa Rica, offering excellent opportunities to spot the Resplendent Quetzal and many other cloud forest species. At Johnny Love’s Nature Eco-Tour, we focus on small-group, personalized birdwatching experiences led by a local naturalist guide, with high-quality optics and plenty of time for observation and photography.
Thank you again for choosing our tour. We hope to welcome you back to Monteverde for another unforgettable birdwatching adventure.
Warm regards,
Johnny Love’s Nature Eco-Tour
Monteverde Cloud Forest, Costa Rica
Pura Vida 🐦🌿
Heather_K, Feb 2025
Johnny is a friendly, thoughtful tour guide and his enthusiasm for birds and nature is infectious, can’t recommend him enough. The 4 of us had a private tour and we saw both male and female resplendent quetzals, among other birds and insects, he was able to locate them by their calls, and called them in return! He has deep knowledge about the environment in general, and he has a great, open sense of humor and personality.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Muchas gracias
Margot_M, Feb 2025
Excellent guide who was very engaging and knowledgeable. Was very good at finding birds and identifying them and making sure everyone could get a sighting through the scope.
Response from Host, Feb 2025
Gracias
Ruth_H, Jan 2025
Johnny is great we did 2 tours with him. The depth of his knowledge is crazy! It was impressive at how good he was at finding animals! We would have not seen anything if we went with out him. He also helped us all by taking photos on our phones through the binoculars.
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Pura vida Roman fue todo un gusto atenderle caballero
William_I, Jan 2025
Our guide Johnny, was very knowledgeable and very friendly. You can descover more about him at Johnnylovesnature.com
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Pura Vida
Joan_M, Jan 2025
Jonny was a great guide and a great conversationalist. He pointed out animals, birds plants. We learned some amazing things.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hello,
Thank you very much for your kind review and for sharing your experience with us.
We’re happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour with Johnny and that you were able to learn about the animals, birds, and plants of the Monteverde Cloud Forest. Sharing knowledge and creating meaningful connections with nature is at the heart of what we do.
At Johnny Love’s Nature Eco-Tour, we focus on small-group, personalized experiences led by passionate local naturalist guides, offering educational and memorable wildlife encounters in one of Costa Rica’s most iconic cloud forest destinations.
Thank you again for your visit and recommendation. We hope to welcome you back soon for another nature adventure in Monteverde.
Warm regards,
Johnny Love’s Nature Eco-Tour
Monteverde Cloud Forest, Costa Rica
Pura Vida 🌿🐦
Alexandra_O, Dec 2024
We had an absolutely fantastic time on the birdwatching tour at the CuriCancha Reserve with Johnny as our guide. We can 1000% recommend him! His keen eye is unmatched – he spotted even the rarest birds effortlessly. Not only is he incredibly knowledgeable, but he also has a great sense of humor and charm, making the experience so much fun. We laughed a lot and learned even more. Johnny is truly the best guide you could ask for! 1000% recommended – trust us, you won’t regret it!
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you!
Kimberly_V, Nov 2024
I had Kevin as my guide and he was very good and experienced. He spoke English well and asked what I most hoped to see. I had a good time walking around the reserve and was happy to see toucans several times (although no quetzel, alas).
I take a star off because the tour was advertised as a 3-hour tour (although the small print said 2.5 hours), but it was exactly 2 hours. I didn't mind that so much, but it is not accurate advertising.
Response from Host, Nov 2024
Gracias me gusto mucho ser su guía. Pura vida
Vyacheslav_F, Aug 2024
Excellent tour, the guide was very knowledgable and engaging. We spotted amazing wildlife including hummingbirds, coatis, and capuchin monkeys. The guide also told us about the history of Monteverde and other interesting facts. Thank you for a wonderful experience!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hello,
Thank you very much for your kind review and for joining our Quetzal Season Birdwatching Tour in the Curi-Cancha Cloud Forest.
We’re delighted to hear that you had a great experience and enjoyed both the wildlife sightings and the stories about the history of Monteverde. Encounters with hummingbirds, coatis, and white-faced capuchin monkeys are always exciting, and they truly reflect the incredible biodiversity of the Monteverde cloud forest.
At Johnny Love’s Nature Eco-Tour, we specialize in small-group birdwatching and naturalist tours in Monteverde, led by knowledgeable local guides who combine wildlife observation with cultural and ecological interpretation. Our goal is to offer a professional, educational, and memorable experience in one of Costa Rica’s most iconic cloud forest destinations.
Thank you again for your visit and recommendation. We hope to welcome you back soon for another unforgettable birdwatching adventure in Monteverde.
Warm regards,
Johnny Love’s Nature Eco-Tour
Monteverde Cloud Forest, Costa Rica
Pura Vida 🐦🌿
katharine_k, Aug 2024
This was definitely a highlight of our trip! Johnny was so nice, funny, and knowledgeable about the birds and plants. We saw everything we wanted to and more! Would definitely recommend to anyone looking for some amazing birdwatching and a fun, informative tour!!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Hello,
Thank you very much for your fantastic review and for joining our Quetzal Season Birdwatching Tour in the Curi-Cancha Cloud Forest.
We’re truly happy to hear that the tour was a highlight of your trip to Monteverde. It’s wonderful to know that you enjoyed the experience, the bird sightings, and the time spent learning about the birds and plants of the cloud forest.
The Curi-Cancha Reserve is one of the best birdwatching locations in Monteverde, especially during the quetzal season, when visitors have great opportunities to observe the Resplendent Quetzal along with many other iconic cloud forest species. At Johnny Love’s Nature Eco-Tour, we focus on small-group, guided birdwatching experiences led by a passionate local naturalist, offering excellent wildlife viewing, photography opportunities, and in-depth interpretation of the ecosystem.
Thank you again for your recommendation. We hope to welcome you back to Monteverde for another unforgettable birdwatching adventure in Costa Rica.
Warm regards,
Johnny Love’s Nature Eco-Tour
Monteverde Cloud Forest, Costa Rica
Pura Vida 🐦🌿
Sara_P, Aug 2024
Fantastic bird watching for the whole family. Our guide, Johnny loves nature, was excellent and enthusiastic about finding birds and other animals, educating us on the many unique aspects of each and their habitat. He was also very fun to hang out with for 3 hours. Highly recommend!!
Response from Host, Aug 2024
Fue un honor y un gusto tener la oprtunidad de ser su guia en su visita a Monteverde. Gracias
Reuben_V, Jun 2024
Very knowledgeable and personable guide with extensive knowledge of local wildlife and many great local stories. Would highly recommend!
Response from Host, Jun 2024
Gracias
Dara_W, Apr 2024
Johnny was such a fun guide - my partner and I really enjoyed the tour and learned a lot about the flora & fauna of Curicancha. Johnny also provided great recommendations for the wider area and went above and beyond to make sure we had the best time possible in Monteverde. We’ll definitely book another tour next time we visit!
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you!!! Pura vida
Laura_N, Feb 2024
Rafael had his spotting scope and showed us birds we had never seen before. He was personable and customized our tour to what we did and did not want to see.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Gracias Pura Vida!
Marvin_G, Jan 2024
Johnny was an exceptional guide. Very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. He went the extra mile to show us as many interesting birds and animals as he could.
Ellen_W, Dec 2023
Our guide, Johnny, was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We saw many hummingbirds and were able to get some stunning photos. Other birds such as toucans could be heard, but we didn't see them. The quetzels were also no-shows, but sighting them isn't guaranteed.
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Gracias! Pura vida
Keith_P, Oct 2023
Johnny was great. Very knowledgeable and friendly. We had to wait for heavy rain before entering the park and it was fine with him. Highly recommended.
Piyush_G, Oct 2023
We were absolutely blown away by the sheer knowledge and passion Johnny had for wildlife! Our time with Johnny was definitely the most memorable- thanks to his amazing sense of humor, zest for life and willingness to impart his knowledge/ helping us see the most of natural life in monteverde!
Stuart_Y, Jun 2023
Johnny was clearly very knowledgeable as well as entraining. He clearly knew a lot. About the flora and fauna.
He delivered us several toucan viewings as well as hummingbirds, woodpeckers and a few coatimundi as well.
He was a little late to the appointment but communicated well and we had our full two hours in the forest.
Response from Host, Jun 2023
pura vida!
MARTIN_M, Mar 2023
After a bad start (we were not picked up for the tour, due to tour operator’s problems,) and an amicable agreement, we ended with very good tour seeing many birds and animals. An entertaining guide and good supply of creatures ensured an enjoyable experience.
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up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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