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DETAILED DESCRIPTION:

B=breakfast, L=lunch, PL= pic-nic lunch D=dinner

Costa Rica trips:

Day 1. Arrival / San Jose

Arrival at airport, meet and greet by our representative who will be welcoming and give you an overview of your trip on the way to your hotel. Your guide will meet with you and your travel companions next morning at breakfast. Overnight at Hotel Casa Conde

Day 2. to Sarapiqui

Start out today towards the tropical lowlands of Sarapiqui, birdwatching along the way. We will stop along the way to spend the morning and lunch at the lovely Waterfall Gardens on the edge of the Braulio Carrillo National Park , where we will enjoy the extensive butterfly and hummingbird gardens. Up to 12 different species of jeweled hummingbirds visit the garden as well as a variety of colorful butterflies, including the giant blue Morpho. We will walk along the river, experiencing close-up views of 5 spectacular waterfalls. After lunch we walk through the serene river valley called Virgen del Socorro, where we may be lucky enough to see the Lanceolated Monklet.

This afternoon explore the wildlife-rich riparian zone along the banks of the Sarapiqui river. This lowland rain forest region at the base of the Caribbean slope is well-known for hosting the greatest diversity of tropical flora and fauna in the country. Here the Sunbittern, Black-faced Grosbeak, and Gray-necked Wood-Rail are a few of the inhabitants of the area. This is the most likely spot on the trip to see the Great Green Macaw, an endangered species that depends on the Dipteryx tree for feeding and nesting. This is one of the emergent trees commonly found in Sarapiqui. Also lurking in the forest are two- and three-toed sloths, 3 different species of monkeys, and peccaries. Overnight at Centro Neotropico Sarapiquis

Day 3. La Selva Biological Station

Spend the day at La Selva Biological Station run by the Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), clearly a highlight of the tour. The station is among the four most famous tropical research facilities in the world. We will see an outstanding abundance of wildlife. The station is home to more than 420 bird species, more than 500 species of butterflies, 55 species of snakes, and 120 species of mammals. A vast variety of different species of trees can be seen in the arboretum. This is the most likely place to make your tinamou dream come true. There are three species of Tinamou that inhabit La Selva. We will be looking for Rufous Motmot, Trogons, Caciques, Purple-throated Fruit Crow, and Snowy Cotinga, among many others. Animals here are not too shy, so there will be good chances for photo opportunities. Peccaries (wild pigs), agoutis, coatis, sloth, and monkeys frequent the area. All of which makes for an unforgettable experience.Overnight at Centro Neotropico Sarapiquis

Day 4 and 5. In Arenal Volcano area.

Travel to the Arenal Observatory Lodge, which offers breath-taking views of the thundering Arenal Volcano. It is one of Costa Rica´s active volcanoes, where we are sure to enjoy some fireworks. Great photo opportunities! The extensive trails at the lodge allow for tremendous opportunities to view the Crimson-collared Tanager, White Hawk, Brown-hooded Parrot, and the Golden-olive Woodpecker, along with an array of colorful hummingbirds, and three species of Toucans. One night, we will go owling in search of the Black-and-White Owl, Mottled Owl, and Striped Owl in the open fields, below the lodge. Overnight at Arenal Springs

Day 6. to the Central Pacific

Travel to Punta Leona Beach Resort where you will be surrounded by 750 acres of lush tropical rainforest, pristine white sand and gold sand beaches bordering the deep blue waters of the Pacific. We will explore the extensive private wildlife reserve at Punta Leona as you participate in a guided walk through both primary and secondary rain forest. The reserve is of great importance from a biological standpoint because it is one of the few remaining forests in the transitional life zone between the Dry Forest of the Northwest and the Rainforest of the Southwest. Punta Leona is home to the Scarlet Macaw, white-faced and howler monkeys, sloths, coati mundis, peccaries, blue morpho butterflies, iguanas and array of other fascinating flora and fauna. You will be amazed by the towering old growth trees and diversity of colorful birds that inhabit the area, including Manakins, Trogons and Parrots. Overnight at Punta Leona Beach Resort

Day 7. Carara National Park

Spend the day in the Carara National Park , a unique climatological zone where the ecosystem of the humid southern coastal region joins the dry climate of the northern Pacific area, becoming a rich meeting ground for species from both regions. We hope to find the Orange Collared Manakin, antbirds, up to five different species of Trogons, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, and even Royal Flycatchers. In the late afternoon, we will visit the nearby bridge overlooking the Tarcoles River , where Scarlet Macaws fly over daily. Here you will also be amazed by the gigantic crocodiles basking on the banks of the river. Overnight at Punta Leona Beach Resort

Day 8 and 9. Cloud forest

Travel to Bosque de Paz Cloud Forest Reserve, where we will spend these two nights at one of the most peaceful places on earth. Bosque de Paz, a 500-hectare (1200-acre) privately-owned Biological Preserve and lodge, acts as a natural biological corridor connecting the Poás Volcano National Park with the Juan Castro Blanco National Park . It is a spectacularly rich ecosystem because of its privileged location. It is located on the Continental Divide with altitudes ranging from 1400 to 2450 meters above sea level. Over 286 species of birds have been recorded in the reserve. We could hope to see the Black Guan, Chestnut-capped Brush-Finch, Scintillant Hummingbird, Black-faced Solitaire, Collard Trogon and Emerald Toucanet to name a few Overnight at Bosque de Paz Cloud Forest Reserve

Day 10. Departure day

Transport to the international airport in San Jose or extend your stay.

Important notice: Each morning we will be getting an early start to make the best of our time, and maximize our opportunities to see the most species of birds possible. As an optional outing, one night in each location, we will go owling. Each evening there will also be an optional meeting after dinner to go over the bird list.

This trip includes:
to/ from airport transfers,
all ground transportation,
9n lodging as described in itinerary,
meals as indicated in itinerary B,
breakfast; L, lunch; D, dinner.
Services of Naturalist bilingual guide,
additionally local guides sometimes,
entrance fees to national parks and reserves,
taxes of all included features.
based on double occupancy.

Costa Rica Trips