This is the "Full Monte" of tours. It packs the best variety into one tour. Explore the coastal waterways of the Tortuguero. Walk the beach in search of the Green Turtle and the Hawksbill Turtle's nesting grounds. Explore the lush rainforest of La Selva Biological Station, the mystery of the Bosque de Paz cloud forest, the diverse tropical rainforest of the central pacific, the estuaries of Guanacaste's dry tropical forests and take in the beauty of Arenal Volcano.
Day 1: Arrival. Stay one night in San Jose area.
Day 2:Travel to Hotel Villa Lapa, situated at the edge of the Carara Biological Reserve on the banks of the Tarcoles River near the Pacific coast. We will stop along the way to look for Blue-winged Teals, Least Grebes, Northern Jacanas, Anhingas, and Cormorants. After lunch at the hotel, we will explore the bird-rich trails through the forest, and hope to see Scarlet Macaws and Tiger Herons, among many others.
Day 3: Spend the day in the Carara Biological Reserve, 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. This is truly one of the highlights of the tour, where we hope to find the Orange Collared Manakin dancing in their lek. This is a great location to spot antbirds, up to four different species of Trogons, Rufous-tailed Jacamar, and even Royal Flycatchers. In the early mornings, before entering the reserve, 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.
Day 4: Travel to Guanacaste to explore the tropical dry forests, marshlands, estuaries, and mangroves, characteristic to the northern Pacific region. This is an ideal place to see water birds, raptors, and other species found only in this zone. In the wetlands, we are likely to see Snail Kites, Wood Storks, Roseate Spoonbills, Boat-billed Herons, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Limpkins, and several species of Kingfishers. Walking through the semi-deciduous forest, we are likely to see Turquoise-browed Motmot, the Long-tailed Manakin, and several species of Parrots, Orioles, Cuckoos, Trogons, Jays, and Owls.
Day 5 and 6: Spend two nights at 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 Tananger, White Hawk, Brown-hooded Parrot, and the Golden-olive Woodpecker, along with an array of colorful hummingbirds, and three species of Tucans. 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.
Day 7 and 8: Travel to Bosque de Paz Cloud Forest Reserve, where we will spend the next 2 days at one of the most peace full places on earth. A small lodge located between Poas National Park and Juan Castro Blanco National Park. at 1400 meters elevation, in the middle of thousands of hectares of cloud forest. With a private preserve counting different trails ranging from 1 kilometer to 7.5 kilometers, adding up to 28.5 kilometers through old growth and second growth forest. Over 286 species of birds have been recorded in the reserve. We would hope to see the Resplendent Quetzal, Scaled Antpitta, Black Guan and Emerald Toucanet to name a few.
Day 9: Travel to Selva Verde Lodge in the tropical lowlands of Sarapiqui. Spend the afternoon exploring the wildlife-rich riparian zone along the banks of the Sarapiqui River. This rain forest region at the base of the Caribbean slope is well-known for hosting the greatest diversity of tropical flora and fauna. 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.
Day 10: En route to Virgen de Socorro, visit the hummingbird gallery at El Mirador, where at least seven species of hummingbirds can be seen. As we make our way up between the Braulio Carrio National Park and the Poas Volacano Park, we will pass spectacular waterfalls, excellent spots for viewing the Tropical Parula, the American Dipper, and the Torrent Tyranulet. Finally we will walk through the serene river valley called Virgen de Socorro, where we may be lucky enough to see the Lanceolated Monklet.
Day 11: 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 Roufous Motmot, Trogons, Caciques, Purple-throated Fruit Crow, and Snowy Cotinga, among many others. Animals here are not camera shy, so there will be ample photo opportunities. Peccaries (wild pig), agoutis, coatis, sloths, and monkeys frequent this area. All of which makes for an unforgettable day.
Day 12 and 13: Travel by boat to Tortuguero National Park on the Caribbean. Here we will explore the rich labyrinth of waterways which will afford us excellent wildlife viewing. The area boasts 320 bird species, including Tiger Herons, Agami Herons, White-fronted Nunbird, and all six species of Kingfishers belonging to the Americas. Along with birds, we may also see sloth, cayman, iguanas, poison-dart frogs, fresh-water turtles, basilisk lizards, the Honduran White tent-making bats, and three species of monkeys that frequent the banks. In the evening we will venture out along the beach to look for the Green Sea Turtles, who come up to nest June-October. July is known to be an excellent month to see the Green Sea Turtle, while rare, it is also possible to see the giant Leatherback Turtles and the Hawksbill turtles at this time.
Day 14: Return to San Jose for a farewell dinner and an overnight stay, to rest up for departing flights the next day.
Day 15: Breakfast before departing for the airport to return home.
Tour includes all lodging and meals starting with dinner on day 1 and ending with breakfast on day 15; all transportation in Costa Rica in a modern and spacious air-conditioned vehicle with clear glass windows ideal for wildlife viewing; full time private bi-lingual professional naturalist guide specializing in birds and natural history; entrance fees to parks, reserves, boat tours and transportation; and taxes (airport taxes and tips to local staff not included). Price based on double occupancy.
