February 04 - San José

Arrival in San José, meet your guide and transfer to the hotel with time to explore the hotel’s lovely gardens this afternoon.

Overnight Hotel Bougainvillea

February 05 - Chilamate

Get started photographing this morning on the bountiful grounds surrounding the hotel. After breakfast depart for the Caribbean lowland rainforest with a stop en route at Quebrada Gonzalez in Braulio Carrillo National Park. Frequent bird sightings include the Black-crowned Antpitta, Snowcap Hummingbird, Lattice-tailed Trogon, White-crowned Manakin and the Bat Falcon. Arrive at Selva Verde in time for lunch. This afternoon take a hike in the reserve with your guide. Protecting 500 acres of rainforest, Selva Verde offers many covered walks, birding trails, and lookout points. Selva Verde provides opportunities to see species such as the Keel-billed Toucan, Great Green Macaw, White-winged Becard, Sunbittern, Acadian Flycatcher, and Wood Thrush. Boots are available for use if the trails are muddy. After dinner there is an optional night hike to discover nocturnal animals and insects.

Overnight Selva Verde Lodge

February 06 - Chilamate

After early morning birding and photography around the lodge, enjoy breakfast and then set out to explore the reserve again on a different trail. The Selva Verde Reserve is home to one of the largest almond trees in all of Central America, which provides habitat for the endangered Great Green Macaw. Return in time for lunch and afterwards, have some time to relax in your hammock outside your room or enjoy optional activities. In the late afternoon, spot birds and wildlife on a boat ride down the Sarapiquí River. Return to the lodge for evening refreshment at the Selvita Bar overlooking the Sarapiquí River before dinner.

Overnight Selva Verde Lodge

February 07 - Chilamate

This morning depart early for the Organization for Tropical Studies, La Selva Biological Station. La Selva is world renowned for scientific research on rainforest ecosystems and has been studying this forest for over 40 years. Be on the lookout for the Ornate Hawk Eagle, Crested Guan, Great Tinamou, Pied Puffbird and Spectacled Owl as possible sightings. Return to the lodge for lunch. In the afternoon you are free to participate in optional activities such as river rafting or horseback riding (arranged at reception after your arrival and paid on site), spending time by the pool or looking for avian visitors in Selva Verde’s Botanical Garden area. Later this afternoon enjoy a visit to a nearby farm for photographing macaws or take in the river views from the patio overlooking the Sarapiquí River.

Overnight Selva Verde Lodge

February 08 - Chilamate

Today we take an excursion to Bosque de Paz. The private reserve boasts 330 species- there might be an opportunity to see the Resplendent Quetzal, Scaled Antpitta, Black Guan, Emerald Toucanet, Three-wattled Bellbird, Zeledonia, Silvery-fronted Tapaculo, Black-faced Solitaire, American Dipper, Golden-browed Chlorophonia, and abundant hummingbirds. Return to Selva Verde for dinner this evening. Overnight Selva Verde Lodge

February 9 - San José

Early birding. After breakfast, depart for San José with a stop at a coffee plantation to take a tour and learn how the coffee bean has played important social, economic, and even political roles for the country.

Overnight Hotel Bougainvillea

February 10 - San José

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.