COSTA RICA

Photo: Purple-throated Mountain-gem (Trevor Feltham).
*Single room supplement
Tour Destinations :
- Manuel Antonia National Park
- Carrara Biological Reserve
- Guanacaste National Park
- Palo Verde National Park
- Santa Elena Reserve
- Poas Volcano National Park
- Braulio Carrillow National Park
Tour Summary
Costa Rica
In six hours, it is possible to drive from the Carribean coast of Costa Rica, over the Central Highlands to the Pacific coast. In so doing, we would pass through all the major ecosystems in Central America.
By comparison, this Papyrus tour will seek to absorb the amazing natural wealth of this small country at its usual sensible pace where attention to detail, savouring the landscape and treading lightly, are as important as lists of records.
Not that one can fail to encounter a large number of bird species in this amazing country where over 800 species have been recorded in its 52,000 km2 (20,000 sq. miles) – two fifths the size of England. With a small population of about three million, the pressure on natural areas is less than in many parts of the world. The varied topography has endowed the country with a wonderful mosaic of habitats rangingfrom the sub-alpine Paramo above the tree line, through cloud forest, lowland tropical forest, dry savannah and freshwater marshes, to coastal mangroves.
Unlike many of its neighbours, Costa Rica’s democratic Government has preserved peace and stability since its independence in 1821. Particularly significant for the wildlife visitor is Costa Rica’s excellent record in protecting its environment, with 20% of its land area allocated as biological or forest reserves.
Whilst this tour will inevitably concentrate on birds, other aspects of natural history interest together with topography, agriculture and the customs and practices of the country will not be neglected.
Itinerary
Day 1 : The 2009 itinerary will be published soon.
Day 2 :
Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica