Costa Rica | Neotropical Point and Shoot Photography with Stephen Ingraham

Upon arrival in San José, you will be met and taken to Hotel Bougainvillea in Santo Domingo, a suburb of the capital. The hotel has 10 acres of botanical gardens, which host over 600 species of plants. More than 300 bird species have also been recorded here. Check-in begins at 3 pm.

This morning, meet for breakfast and an orientation in the hotel restaurant. Check out of the hotel and start your journey to Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve. En route, stop for lunch and bird photography at a café in Cinchona known for its many hummingbird and fruit feeders. Later, continue to Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve and check in. You will have the afternoon at leisure to explore your surroundings and capture your first of many photos in the rainforest. The lodge offers many covered walks, birding trails, and lookout points, with opportunities to see species such as the Keel-billed Toucan, Great Green Macaw, White-winged Becard, Sunbittern, Acadian Flycatcher, and Wood Thrush. Boots are available for use if the trails are muddy. Take an optional walk this evening to discover nocturnal frogs and insects.

Begin the day with early morning photography. After breakfast, spend the morning at Dave & Dave's Costa Rica Nature Park. Dave and Dave are a father-and-son duo who created a private reserve to protect more than 11 acres of rainforest along the Sarapiquí River and allow visitors great opportunities to see and photograph birds from two viewing platforms. Return to the lodge for lunch. This afternoon, visit Copearte - the home and studio of the artist, photographer, birder, and nature-lover known as Cope - for more photo opportunities.

Visit Pierella Ecological Garden this morning. The family-run gardens were originally planted with the goal of attracting butterflies and other insect pollinators, but over time they have flourished and become a haven for many bird species as well. After lunch at the gardens, visit Frog’s Heaven for the chance to photograph several species of frogs, plus reptiles and birds. Return to Selva Verde by early evening for a "pizza celebration" at the lodge’s La Terrazza Restaurant.

Early this morning, check out of the lodge and depart for San Gerardo de Dota. En route, stop at Nectar and Pollen Reserve where some interesting possibilities include the Snowcap, Long-tailed Tyrant, Cinnamon Woodpecker, White Hawk and others. Have lunch en route, and then check in at the hotel in San Gerardo de Dota, a small community in the Talamanca Mountains that sits at an elevation of about 7,220 feet. The forest surrounding the hotel is home to massive oaks, colorful plants, and an incredible variety of animal life: birds, insects, mammals, and amphibians. The famous valley is a paradise for birdwatchers, with more than 170 species recorded here. The crown jewel is the magnificent Resplendent Quetzal, which lives in the region year round.

Spend the morning in search of Resplendent Quetzal. Take a river walk, then on to Miriam's for lunch. This afternoon, visit Batsu or Feather Garden for photo opportunities.

After morning photography around the lodge, begin your journey back to Hotel Bougainvillea. En route, have lunch and time to photograph the hummingbirds at Paradiso del Quetzal. Upon arrival at the hotel, check in and take some time to freshen up and relax. Attend a farewell dinner this evening.

Transfer to the airport for flight home.