Costa Rica Rainforest

Trip Report for Tom Bol Photo Workshops

The Osa Peninsula

The Rainforest on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica is teeming with wildlife. We launched our 2026 workshop with a monkey safari, photographing 4 species of monkeys in a day.

For our first species of the morning we found a troop of White-faced Capuchin Monkeys (on the right), who were very curious about our group and approached us over and over. We ended the day with a napping troop of Spider Monkeys, too sleepy to move away from us.

It was a great day of monkey photography!

A Squirrel Monkey eating a banana flower

A female Howler Monkey with a passenger on board

Plenty of monkey business with this teenage Spider Monkey

Macaws and Toucans

The Osa Peninsula has more Scarlet Macaws then anywhere else in the world. Fortunately, they love the grounds of our hotel because of all the Beach Almond Trees on the property - one of their favorite foods.

This time of year, the macaws are nesting and travel in pairs. We heard them every day and photographed them in several locations. We also found a nesting pair of Yellow-throated Toucans that did not shy away from our big glass.

A pair of Scarlet Macaws phtographed at slow shutter speeds

Melissa and Brian enjoying the rainforest

An adult Yellow-throated Toucan

Golfo Dulce Tour

The Botanika Resort is located right near the turquoise blue water of the Golfo Dulce. Last year we added a new tour where we photograph dolphins, explore an estuary with shorebirds and seek out Scarlet Macaws in flight.

We had terrific luck this year. Two types of dolphins approached our boat. A small group of Bottlenose Dolphins greeted us as we headed out on the tour, swimming very close to our boat (cover photo). Later in the tour, a larger school of Spotted Dolphin joined the boats to surf in our wake.

Dolphins checking out our boats in the Golfo Ducle

Richard using his 600 f4 on the boat

Large stands of Coconut Palms on the shores of the Golfo Dulce

Macro Photography

Our macro photography session with reptiles and amphibians is one of the most popular shoots of the workshop. We visited the Finca La Tarde where a local captures 10 species of frogs, lizards and snakes for our group to photograph.

We use colorful flowers for some of the species and keep to more natural leaves and logs for others. Our group used macro lenses, zoom lenses and even cell phones for the shoot.

Photographing snakes from further back

Red-eyed tree frog clinging to a crimson heliconia stalk

Catherine using her cell phone to get really close

Sloths and Anteaters

On the final day of our tour we visited La Perica Sloth Garden and photographed both Two-toed and Three-toed Sloths. The highlight for everyone was photographing a baby Two-Toed Sloth with it's mother.

It was a spectacular year for both mammal and bird sightings this year in the Costa Rica Rainforest.

Wendy hand holding her Nikon Z8

Third year in a row photographing Tamadua Anteaters

Perfect tour for non-photographer spouses and friends

Want to join us in Costa Rica for a photo workshop? We have space in 2027 (just 2 spaces) and 2028. By popular demand we are adding a second macro session with Glass Frogs and a butterfly/hummingbird garden. Perfect for those who have been there before and want to come back again.

Thank you to all the photographers who joined us this year in the Costa Rica Rainforest. A big thanks to the incredible staff at Botanika and Crocodile Bay for the support, especially Eduardo the Photo Bomber, our lead guide.

Check out our other Upcoming Workshops

www.tombolphotoworkshops.com

CREATED BY

Cree Bol

Credits:

Tom Bol and Cree Bol