Wildlife Tours to Costa Rica COSTA RICA
Photo: Purple-throated Mountain-gem (Trevor Feltham).
| Tour Ref. | Days | Dates | Party Size |
Cost |
Leader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CR1/10 | 16 | Sunday 28th February to Monday 15th March 2010 | 10 plus leader | £3345 (*£425) | TBA |
*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 : Flight from London to San Jose. Overnight San Jose.
Day 2 : Visit Cerro de la Muerte for Quetzel and endemics, and Skutch Farm for more general birdwatching in the extensive grounds.. Overnightt Villas Rio Mar at San Isidro.
Day 3 : Visit Hacienda Baru Private Reserve for grasslands, ponds, woodland and the coast, a variety of habitats which will guarantee a long bird list. Anteater and White-throated Capuchin Monkey can be seen here. Overnight Villas Rio Mar.
Day 4 : Travel along the Pacific coast to Manuel Antonio N.P. for woodland birds; also waders, ducks, boobies etc. on the coast. Overnight Villas Lapas.
Day 5 : Continue further along the Pacific coast to Carrara Biological Reserve for excellent woodland bird watching and the Rio Tarcoles estuary for coastal birds, crocodiles and Iguanas. Overnight Villas Lapas.
Day 6 : Early morning in Carrara. Then continue to Guanacaste N.P. with 300 plus bird species, White-tailed Deer, Puma, Jaguar and Tapir. Some of the mammals are very illusive. Overnight La Pacifica.
Days 7, 8 & 9 : Visit Palo Verde on day 7 and Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserves on days 8 and 9. These areas offer superb bird watching with vultures, kites, hawks, jays, ovenbirds, warblers, parrots and many others. There are outstanding species too including Sun Bittern and Keel-billed Toucan.
Mammals could include Two-toed Sloth, Mantled Howler Monkey, White-nosed Coati and Variegated Squirrel. There is also a butterfly farm here. Overnight El Establo.
Day 10 : Journey to Santa Elena Forest Reserve an area of mixed hardwoods and a different selection of bird species. Overnight Hotel Torremolina, San Jose.
Days 11 & 12 : Visit the Poas Volcano on day 11, viewing the crater from the 2,440m high crater rim. Explore the surrounding area for some of its interesting bird species. On Day 12 visit the La Selva Biological Station operated by the Organisation for Tropical Studies. Within the 1,500 ha grounds the bird life is profilic with 850 species recorded as well as five of the six species of cats, peccaries, agoutis,coatis,sloths and Howler and Spider Monkeys. Overnight La Quinta de Sarapiqui.
Day 13 : In the morning leave for Braulio Carrillo Forest N.P. which is contiguous with La Selva. Concentrating on the middle and lower level forest will produce a large number of hummingbirds, trogons, parrots, flycatchers, woodpeckers warblers and tanagers. Overnight Finca Chacon.
Day 14 : A full day in the Finca Chacon area where some of the special birds to be seen should include King Vulture, Semi-plumbeous Hawk, Plumbeous Kite, and Crimson-fronted and Olive-throated Parakeets. Armadillo also occurs here. Overnight Hotel Torremolina, San Jose.
Day 15 : Transfer to the airport in the morning for the flight to London.
Day 16 : Arrive in London in the early morning.
NB: This itinerary provides a good insight into the activities on the tours. Changes to these activities may occur but these will always be due to matters beyond our control or in the interests of improving the tour.