Day 1 - San Jose
Upon arrival in Costa Rica transfer to your hotel. Overnight Buena Vista (NO MLS)
|
Day 2 - Carara
After breakfast and orientation depart for Hotel Villa Lapas, located in the Central Pacific area. En route stop at Orotina Park to visit a well-known day roost of the Black-and-white Owl. Lunch is followed by a leisurely afternoon boat ride along the Tarcoles River. The Tarcoles River is famous for its abundance of crocodiles and over 50 species of migratory, resident, and coastal birds, including Roseate Spoonbills, Scarlet Macaws, and Crested Caracas. The river is a perfect spot to catch a glimpse of mangrove specialties such as the rare Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Mangrove Hummingbird, Pygmy Kingfisher, Panama Flycatcher, Mangrove Vireo, Mangrove (Yellow) Warbler, and Scrub Greenlet. Later take a guided night walk to observe owls. Overnight Villas Lapas (BLD)
|
Day 3 - Carara
Early morning bird walk before breakfast. Later visit Carara
National Park for the day, one of the birding hotspots of
Costa Rica. The park consists of transitional forest and is
home to many humid forest bird species which are only found in southwestern Costa Rica. Keep your eyes peeled for the Golden-naped Woodpecker, Baird’s Trogon, Orange-collared Manakin, and Riverside Wren. Before dinner at the lodge, watch for macaws from a nearby bridge. Overnight Villas Lapas (BLD)
|
Day 4 - Golfito
After an early morning bird walk and breakfast depart for the remote area of Golfito. En route, enjoy a guided walk along the trails of Hacienda Baru and see birds such as honeycreepers, toucans, petrels, jaegers, egrets, herons, whimbrels, sandpipers, plovers, and many more. Hacienda Baru consists of 815 acres of varied habitats, from wetlands and secondary rainforest in the lowlands to primary rainforest on the highland coastal ridge, attracting over 350 species of birds. Indigenous species include the Golden-naped Woodpecker, Fiery-billed Aracari, Black-hooded Antshrike, Baird’s Trogon, Riverside Wren, and the rare Black-cheeked Ant-tanager. In the afternoon check-in at the Esquinas Lodge before another guided bird walk in the rainforest. Overnight Esquinas Rainforest Lodge (BLD)
|
Day 5 - Golfito
Spend today exploring the thousands of acres of tropical
rainforest at Esquinas Lodge and the surrounding area.
Hidden in the jungle of Piedras Blancas National Park, a large number of Costa Rica’s finest bird species call this untouched wilderness home, including the Ruddy-breasted Seed-eater, Red-breasted Blackbird, Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Blue-crowned Manakin, and Thick-billed Euphonia. Sightings have even been noted of the rare Uniform Crake and Pearl Kite. Overnight Esquinas Rainforest Lodge (BLD)
|
Day 6 - San Vito
Begin with an early morning bird walk and breakfast before departing for the coastal mountain region of San Vito. Your next destination is Las Cruces Biological Station, a contiguous 632-acre forest reserve with over 7,000 species of plants attracting over 400 species of birds including hummingbirds, tanagers, warblers, and at least five species of trogons. Afternoon birding in the gardens to become acquainted with the area. After dinner at the station a guided night walk will provide the opportunity to spot nocturnal birds and mammals. Overnight Las Cruces Biological Station (BLD)
|
Day 7 - San Vito
After morning birding at Las Cruces spend the afternoon
at a nearby property in San Vito. This city is surrounded by
mountains and has a cool climate with marshes that are home to the Masked Duck and the Masked "Chiriqui" Yellowthroat. The wetlands of San Vito attract many species of water birds, including wild ducks, gallinules, and White-throated Crakes. Dinner at the station followed by a guided night walk. Overnight Las Cruces Biological Station (BLD)
|
Day 8 - San Gerardo De Dota
After one final early morning bird walk at Las Cruces your
journey continues at Cerro de la Muerte. Cerro de la Muerte, or "Mountain of Death," is an area located at the top of the Cordillera de Talamanca and famous for its diversity of endemic wildlife. Consisting of temperate forest and páramo habitats, the natural vegetation at Cerro de la Muerte attracts species such as the rare Red-fronted Parrotlet, Costa Rican Pygmy-owl, Dusky Nightjar, Fiery-throated, Volcano, and Scintillant Hummingbird, Gray-tailed Mountain-gem, Ruddy Treerunner, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Ochraceous Pewee, Silvery-throated Jay, and the magnificent
Resplendent Quetzal. Stop to admire these species and others at Cerro de la Muerte and La Georgina en route to Savegre Lodge. The afternoon will be spent birding at the lodge before dinner. Overnight Savegre Hotel Natural Reserve and Spa (BLD)
|
Day 9 - San Gerardo De Dota
Savegre Lodge is located in a small community in the
Talamanca Mountains and houses its own private biological reserve. The high elevation habitat of mostly oak forest and highland cloud forest attracts a huge variety of avifauna. Spend the morning birding along the local trails in the cloud forest before heading to Los Lagos in the afternoon in search of striking beauty of the Resplendent Quetzals. Dinner is followed by a guided night walk. Overnight Savegre Hotel Natural Reserve and Spa (BLD)
|
Day 10 - San Jose
The day begins with an early morning guided bird walk before breakfast and checkout at the lodge. Lunch will be provided during the transfer to San José and the afternoon free to explore. A farewell dinner will be served at a local restaurant in San José. Overnight Holiday Inn Express (BLD)
|
Day 11 - San Jose
After breakfast transfer to the international airport for your
flight home. (B)
|