LIFE BIRDS TOUR 15 day tour Call for price Group rates available Based on double occupancy Single supplement an additional $500 Tour Includes: 14 nights of lodging All meals from Dinner on day 1 - Breakfast on day 15 All Transportation in Country Professional Guide Resident Guides(certain locations) All Accommodations All Fee's and entrances (national parks, reserves, etc…) Dates: 2009 Jan. 3 - 17(FULL) Feb. 25 - Mar. 11, (FULL) Day 1 Arrival. Overnight in San Jose area. Day 2 Travel to Cerro de la Muerte. We will spend the morning exploring the misty highland cloud forest reserve at the Finca Mirador de Quetzales, where up to 20 pairs of quetzals have been seen. We will have lunch at the Albergue de Montana Savegre, nestled in a quaint highland valley nearby. Walking through the gardens and along the Savegre river, we can hope to see Flame-colored Tananger, Collared Trogon, Torrent Tyrannulet, Volcano hummingbird, and Gray-tailed Mountain Gem, to name a few. Return to San Jose. In the evening after a delicious diner, we will go over the birds, reptiles, mammals, and any other wildlife seen that day. Day 3 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 4 and 5 Spend the next two days 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 five 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 6Travel 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 7 and 8 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 Tananger, 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. Day 9 & 10 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. 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. Day 11 Travel to Selva Verde Lodge in the tropical lowlands of Sarapiqui, birdwatching along the way. After lunch, 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. Day 12 and 13 Spend the next two days 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 camar shy, so there will be ample photo opportunities. Peccaries (wild pigs), agoutis, coatis, sloths, and monkeys frequent the area. All of which makes for an unforgettable experience. Day 14 En route to Virgen del Socorro, 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. We will 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. *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. Tour includes all lodging and meals starting with lunch 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 guides specializing in birds and natural history; entrance fees to parks and reserves; and taxes. (Airport taxes ($26.00) and tips to local staff, guide and driver not included) Price based on double occupancy. Single supplement fee of $500 What sets us apart from other tours. Why Costa Rica is one of the worlds best birding and natural history destinations. Things to Know Policies and general information. In addition to our scheduled itineraries listed above we offer customized small-group birding tours with maximum time in the field, tours for the serious naturalist, as well as fun tours for the everyday nature lover. Call 1.888.205.6415 or email cotingatours@msn.com Our Tours    Our Team    Photo, Lists & Reports    Testimonial   Our Links