Costa Rica wildlife photography tour 13th March 2012

About Costa Rica

Costa Rica covers 0.03% of the world’s surface but is home to some 6% of the world’s plants and animals, this more than the whole of Europe or North America. You will have the opportunity to develop your photography skills whilst looking for some of the country’s emblematic animals such as Red-eyed Tree Frogs, Blue Morpho Butterflies, Two and Three Toed Sloths and Resplendent Quetzals to name a few. You will also have the opportunity to see the diverse ecosystems and natural wonders of the country including flooded forests and active volcanoes. Formed millions of years ago, Costa Rica bridged the gap between North and South America. As Jaguars and Sloths were amongst animals travelling north, Coyotes and Opossums were amongst the ones travelling south. They met on this newly formed land-bridge and settled there. Seismic and volcanic activity shaped the land forming mountains and dividing the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, the result was the creation a multitude of different ecosystems and microclimates offering habitats to over 9000 types of plants, including 1500 types orchids, 850 species of birds, 200 species of mammals, 2000 species of butterfly (about 10% of the world’s species), 200 species of reptiles and 150 species of amphibian.

Our Tour

The tour starts in the Central Valley, where coffee plantations and pastures dot the landscape. From here you will head up to Poas Volcano where plumes of smoke gently rise out of the pastel blue-green crater lake – one of the most acidic lakes in the world. Continuing on your journey you will find yourself in the cloud forest area of Bosque de Paz, a private reserve with a strong conservation focus and fantastic bird watching and orchid gardens. Descending towards the Caribbean coast you will make your way through banana plantations and onto the canals of Tortuguero’s flooded forests. Meandering your way through these waterways gives ample wildlife viewing opportunities including Sloths, Jacanas, Basilisks (aka Jesus Christ Lizards), Toucans and various others. Leaving the canals behind you head south along the coast until the village of Cahuita. Finally you will head back inland, making a stop in Sarapiqui where you will experience the forest after hours during a night walk and visit La Selva Biological Reserve, one of the most important sites in the world for research on tropical rainforest. John Wright and a local naturalist guide will accompany you throughout this tour. Each evening you will have the opportunity of John giving you a gentle critique on your day's work. For this tour we have formed a partnership with Steppes Travel in order to draw on their huge experience of travel in this area. All bookings will be made directly with them, but initial contact should be made with Photographers on Safari.

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1. Sunday 13 March: San Jose

This evening you will meet John Wright and the rest of the group in San Jose. Overnight at the Britannia

Day 2. Monday 14 March: Poas Volcano-Bosque de Paz

This morning you will leave San Jose early and head past coffee plantations on the way to Poas Volcano. Poas is an active volcano in the central valley not far from San Jose. The volcano which is just over 2700m high has three craters. The main crater has a lake of a pale blue-green colour which changes with the mineral content of the water. Sprouting from it is a geyser 200m tall releasing acidic steam over the dwarf cloud forest which surrounds it. Though often shrouded in mist, the lake’s striking colours are often revealed by a simple gust of wind. Later you will continue to the far side of Poas National Park to the private Bosque de Paz reserve which will be home for the next two nights. Bosque de Paz is a private biological reserve which serves a corridor between the Poas and Juan Castro Blanco National Parks. This 1000 hectares reserve has one of the richest ecosystems in the area and is dedicated to conservation, research and education. Overnight in Bosque de Paz (B, D)

Day 3. Tuesday 15 March: Bosque de Paz

Today you will spend the day exploring the reserve which is known for its fantastic orchid gardens and birdlife. Amongst the 300-odd bird species in the area is the Resplendent Quetzal with its incredibly long tail feathers. March is a particularly good time to look for these birds as it is their mating season. Overnight at Bosque de Paz (B, L, D)

Day 4. Wednesday 16 March: Bosque de Paz

Today is another day to wander the gardens and 22kms of trails around Bosque de Paz. Other than Quetzals and countless types of orchids there are numerous species of humming birds, Three-wattled Bellbirds, toucanets, Ornate Hawk-Eagles, coatis, iguanas, agoutis, pacas and various other creatures to photograph. Overnight at Bosque de Paz (B, L, D)

Day 5. Thursday 17 March: Tortuguero

Today you will leave the cloud forest behind and head towards the lowlands. Passing vast banana plantations on the way you may see the banana runners dragging large bunches behind them along wires which criss-cross the plantations. Arriving in Caño Blanco you will transfer to a boat and start heading deep into the canals of Tortuguero. After lunch at the lodge you will visit the small village including information on its history and culture and on the conservation of marine-turtles, flora and fauna in general. Tortuguero National Park covers 312km2 of wetlands in the north Caribbean of Costa Rica. Its eleven habitats are home to over 300 species of birds, 110 species of reptile, 60 species of mammal, 57 species of amphibians, and 30 species of fresh water fish including the Gar considered to be a living fossil. The beaches of Tortuguero are also a major turtle nesting site for four species of marine turtles. Overnight at Manatus (B, L, D)

Day 6. Friday 18 March: Tortuguero

This morning you will head out by private boat along the canals to look for some of the animals of Tortuguero including Basilisk Lizards (AKA Jesus Christ Lizards as they run on water), caiman, iguana, River Turtle, Three-toed Sloths, Howler, Spider and Capuchin Monkeys, jacanas, toucans, and numerous other species. After lunch you will head back out on the canals on a shared boat for another safari. Overnight at Manatus (B, L, D)

Day 7. Saturday 19 March: Cahuita

This morning you transfer by boat back out of Tortuguero and continue by road along the coast to the village of Cahuita, Costa Rica’s Calypso capital. The afternoon is free to for you to stroll down to the beach, visit part of Cahuita National Park, or just relax by the pool at the hotel. It’s not uncommon for various animals such sloths, monkeys, frogs or birds to stroll right into the gardens of your hotel. Cahuita is a small village at the heart of Costa Rica’s Caribbean culture. English patois can be heard in the streets with greetings of Wappen (What’s Happening?) from the Afro-Caribbeans who live in the area. The staple foods of rice and beans have a local twist being cooked with coconut and reggae blasts from the local bar. Overnight at Suizo Loco (B)

Day 8. Sunday 20 March: Cahuita

This morning you will head into Cahuita National Park which starts just on the edge of the village. The trail which dips in and out of the forest follows the beach and crosses a number of creeks along the way. Basilisk Lizards and crabs scuttle along the trail whilst White-Faced Capuchin and Howler Monkeys peer down from the branches and dolphins play in the waters off shore. You will be picked up at the far end of the park and return to Cahuita. Cahuita National Park was initially created to protect the reef which starts a short distance off shore. The park encompasses different habitats in its 22,400 hectares of ocean and 1,067 hectares of land. The name comes from local indigenous words Kawe (meaning mahogany) and Ta (meaning point). Overnight at Suizo Loco (B)

Day 9. Monday 21 March: Sarapiqui

Today you leave the Caribbean Sea behind and head back inland to Sarapiqui. This evening you will visit the Tirimbina Rainforest Centre dedicated to education, scientific research and ecotourism. Here you will hike along the reserve’s trails exploring the rainforest at night when most species come to life. The focus will be on nocturnal animals including insects, frogs, kinkajous, sloths, porcupines and others. Overnight at Selva Verde Lodge (B)

Day 10. Tuesday 22 March: Sarapiqui / OTS / San Jose

Today you will spend the day at the Organisation for Tropical Studies’ La Selva Biological Reserve. You will hike the trails of this private reserve learning about the natural history of the flora and fauna and getting a glimpse at some of the leading-edge research which takes place here. In the late afternoon you will return to San Jose for your last night on tour. La Selva Biological Reserve covers 1,600 hectares of tropical wet forest and disturbed lands in the lowlands and lower montane areas. It was originally established as a farm dedicated to the experimentation of mixed plantations and was bought over by the OTS in 1968. Today Over 240 scientific papers are published yearly from research conducted on this site. Overnight at Hotel Britannia (B, L)

Day 11. Wednesday 23 March: Tour ends

Today the tour ends and you will take your return flight home. Alternatively, you have the option of extending your time in Costa Rica (at extra cost) by visiting La Paz Waterfall Gardens located one hour from San Jose airport. John Wright will accompany you on this extension. See next paragraph for details.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens -Optional Extension

La Paz Waterfall Gardens is not dissimilar to an English animal park. All the exhibits are captive which is in complete contrast to the main tour. It may not be to everybody's taste, but it will allow you to get top quality photographs of many species that may prove very difficult in the wild. Their website indicates that many subjects can be photographed in natural surroundings with no fences or glass between you. See extracts below; Our on site laboratory is a breeding ground for over 25 species of butterflies in Costa Rica. It offers an interesting perspective into the stages of development of the most colourful species in Costa Rica. With over 4,000 of the flighty creatures in the butterfly conservatory at any one time, guests will be delighted by a possible butterfly kiss, or two. The spacious glass and acrylic design of our Butterfly Observatory allows our guests and day visitors the opportunity to enjoy the butterflies no matter what the weather outside. Our laboratory allows guests to see the butterflies up close as they emerge from their chrysalis or in larva stages of their growth.
Toucans, Wild Turkeys, Scarlet Macaws, Grosbeaks, Tanagers and more fly freely in our Bird Aviary. Visitors will find some of the best bird watching in Costa Rica inside the aviary as well as outside in the forest and at our feeders. The mountain zone where the park is located is a migration corridor for hundreds of species of birds of Costa Rica as they migrate to various altitudes in search of blooming fruit trees. We are also in a zone where many species of birds migrate north and south through our forest.
Without a doubt this is the best bird watching tour near San José. Our Hummingbird Garden attracts some 26 different species of hummingbirds from Costa Rica, more species than any other in Costa Rica and quite possibly the world. Approximately 57 different hummingbirds have been reportedly seen in Costa Rica and it is possible to see over 40% of them here. Because you can stand just inches away from the feeders, and because our hummingbirds have no fear of humans, our hummingbird garden is one of the best places in the world to photograph hummingbirds close up.
The best place to see frogs in Costa Rica is our free range Ranarium or frog exhibit where the frogs roam freely throughout our landscaped enclosure. Because you are not looking at them through glass it is the perfect environment for taking photos of the frogs. The Leaf Frog has been promoted and marketed as the mascot of the tropical rainforest. It roams free in this exhibit and is probably your best chance of grabbing a stunning shot similar to those that appear in many books and brochures.

Dates and Costs

13 March to 23 March 2012 £2475*

Prices are per person in twin-share accommodation excluding international flights. *Please note that this price is based on 8 people travelling and is subject to currency fluctuations and availability of all services, written confirmation and Steppes Travels terms and conditions.
This safari has been postponed until 2013 due to me having keyhole surgery on both of my knees in Feb 2012.

Included items;

All accommodation as per the itinerary, all transport as per the itinerary, all excursions as per the itinerary, all meals whilst at Bosque de Paz and Tortuguero, Breakfast everywhere else. The services of a private driver, a naturalist guide and of Photographer John Wright.

Excluded items;

International flights (which Steppes can arrange for you), visas, vaccinations, travel insurance, meals not indicated in detailed itinerary above, alcoholic drinks, tips and gratuities and optional pre and post tour extensions.