Costa Rica | A Photographic Journey through Costa Rica with Stan Tekiela

Upon arrival at Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, meet your driver and travel to your hotel in the nearby suburb of Heredia. Nestled within beautiful tropical gardens, Hotel Bougainvillea offers a peaceful start to your journey with a chance to unwind and adjust to your surroundings. Enjoy dinner and a program orientation with your guide.

After breakfast, travel into the Talamanca Mountains to the misty cloud forest of Parque Nacional Los Quetzales. This area is a paradise for birdwatchers, with more than 250 species recorded here. The scenic 2-to-3-hour drive climbs in elevation, bringing you to the highlands of Paraíso Quetzal Lodge, where feeders are positioned for ideal photographic conditions. In the afternoon, photograph high-elevation hummingbirds like the Fiery-throated Hummingbird and Talamanca Hummingbird. Other highlighted species include the elegant Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, Flame-throated Warbler, and Collared Redstart.

Rise early for a guided walk into the cloud forest to search for the Resplendent Quetzal, one of Costa Rica's most iconic and elusive species. With guidance from expert local trackers, there are excellent chances of observing and photographing this spectacular bird, known for its flowing emerald tail and shimmering plumage. In the afternoon, return to the lodge's dedicated hummingbird photography setup for more creative shooting.

Following breakfast, depart for the Turrialba area and one of Costa Rica's most celebrated birding lodges: Rancho Naturalista. With more than 450 bird species recorded, Rancho Naturalista's reputation as a premier birding destination is well-earned. Upon arrival, have some time to explore the famous balcony hummingbird feeders and the rest of the grounds to photograph target species like the Snowcap, Violet Sabrewing, Black-crested Coquette, and Crowned Woodnymph - all set against the lush backdrop of the Caribbean pre-montane rainforest.

Today, get fully immersed into the abundant photography opportunities at Rancho Naturalista. Begin early at the moth light, a setup that attracts a fascinating mix of insectivorous birds drawn to the breakfast buffet of insects gathered overnight. Look for species such as woodcreepers, Red-throated Ant-Tanagers, and Plain Antvireo, which are often active at first light. Later in the morning, take a guided walk down the trails to the hummingbird pools, a quiet forest stream where birds come to bathe in the dappled morning light. Photograph delicate species like the Purple-crowned Fairy and Green Hermit as they flit in for quick dips. With luck, it may also be possible to spot skulking antbirds, such as the Spotted Antbird or Dusky Antbird, along the trail edges or at the nearby water overlook. With macro and landscape subjects like orchids, butterflies, and rainforest insects also in abundance, this is an ideal day to build a rich, varied rainforest portfolio. Spend the afternoon exploring more trails with your guide.

After an early morning bird walk and breakfast, travel for approximately 4 to 5 hours to the lush Northern lowlands near the Nicaraguan border to the area of Boca Tapada. Boca Tapada is located in the northernmost part of the lower basin of the San Carlos River and within the Maquenque Mixed Wildlife Refuge, a reserve aiming to protect endangered flora and fauna in one of the areas of Costa Rica most affected by deforestation and large-scale agriculture. Boca Tapada de San Carlos is home to a unique variety of tropical forests, rivers, lagoons, wetlands, and hundreds of species of plants and animals, like the endangered Great Green Macaws, manatees, jaguars, and much more. This is also a popular spot for birders in Costa Rica and hundreds of ornithologists visit it every year to photograph birds like the Scarlet Macaw, King Vulture, Keel-billed Toucan, Collared Aracari, and Red-headed Manakin. Upon arrival at Laguna del Lagarto Eco Lodge, enjoy the sightings of toucans and parrots right from the balcony. With luck, you may even begin photographing Keel-billed Toucans, Collared Aracaris, and Great Green Macaws before sunset.

Spend the next two days in a photographer's paradise in the Northern lowlands. Laguna del Lagarto is located in the area of Santa Rita de Boca Tapada and is surrounded by its own reserve comprised of tropical rainforest and wetland habitats that are home to fascinating wildlife, including hundreds of bird species, caimans, and more. The lodge features dedicated blinds and canopy towers that provide unique angles on species like the King Vulture, Brown-hooded Parrot, Baltimore Oriole, and more, while its feeders attract a colorful mix of tanagers, oropendolas, woodpeckers, and honeycreepers. At night, explore bat photography with high-speed flash techniques, offering rare insights into the nocturnal behavior of these creatures. Between sessions, it may be possible to encounter red-eyed tree frogs, poison dart frogs, and a variety of butterflies.

Today, make the most of Laguna del Lagarto's natural perches and artfully arranged backgrounds to help create magazine-quality images straight from the camera. Between photography sessions, take advantage of the lodge's quiet floating dock, which affords visitors misty reflections and atmospheric compositions over the lagoon that are perfect for scenic shots or moody bird-in-habitat frames. After sunset, enjoy another evening of high-speed flash setups for bat photography and add a dynamic and unique element to your rainforest portfolio.

Begin today's journey traveling 2 to 3 hours south toward Bosque de Paz, a serene lodge and biological reserve located in the lush cloud and rainforests of the Cordillera Central of Costa Rica. Bosque de Paz is nestled in a natural biological corridor and is the perfect spot to marvel at the exuberant biodiversity of centennial trees loaded with orchids, bromeliads, mosses, and ferns, which are surrounded by impressive mountains, valleys, rivers, and waterfalls. Because of its fortunate location between Poás Volcano and Juan Castro Blanco National Park and the tireless work of the González-Sotela family toward reforesting and conserving the existing primary and secondary forests in its 1,235 acres, the reserve is home to around 300 of the more than 900 bird species in Costa Rica. Arrive in time for an afternoon photography session focused on hummingbirds like the Scintillant Hummingbird, Magenta-throated Woodstar, and Green Hermit. The lodge's gardens and trails are also frequented by agoutis and coatimundis, offering additional photography subjects.

Spend the next two days exploring Bosque de Paz. The reserve's various trails are easily accessible and feature all of the beautiful foliage found in the cloud forest, including wild orchids, ferns, and epiphytes-ideal for macro and landscape photography. At the lodge, the communal areas are perfect for relaxing, learning about the orchid collections here and the famous studies about them, and finding an interesting book from their library. On the amble terrace, enjoy abundant birding and photography opportunities, which can include sightings of species like the Resplendent Quetzal, Scaled Antpitta, Black Guan, Northern Emerald-Toucanet, Three-wattled Bellbird, Wrenthrush, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Black-faced Solitaire, American Dipper, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, and abundant hummingbirds. Feeders around the lodge attract a variety of highland hummingbirds including Purple-throated Mountain-gem and Stripe-tailed Hummingbird, while the forests are home to species like the Golden-browed Chlorophonia and Slate-throated Redstart. Spend time refining your photographic style and building a diverse portfolio of rainforest images.

As the day unfolds, venture into the forest trails to capture intimate macro shots of some of the lodge's botanical specialties, which include orchids, mosses, and other forest textures, while keeping your lens ready for mixed flocks of tanagers and barbets. Bosque de Paz's orchid garden and its research and conservation initiatives have led to scientific breakthroughs in the epiphytic plant field, including the discovery of several new species. The garden is home to around 230 species, including three that have been described as new to science and have now increased the species diversity for the flora of Costa Rica. In the afternoon, enjoy the feeder setups that offer chances to photograph species like the Northern Emerald-Toucanet and Red-headed Barbet. As dusk falls, go on a guided night walk that may reveal glass frogs or other nocturnal gems under the glow of your macro light. In the evening, have dinner and attend a farewell briefing.

After breakfast, travel to San José International Airport in time for afternoon departures. Please book flights for after 1 pm. One group transfer included. Additional transfers can be arranged at an additional cost. Take with you a memory card full of vibrant images and the inspiration that comes from exploring Costa Rica's most breathtaking ecosystems.