Costa Rica ........ 25th February to 9th March 2012

Neotropical Paradise

With its amazing contrast of habitats, marvellous scenic locations, exquisite birdlife, friendly people and small size, it is not difficult to see why Costa Rica attracts birdwatchers from all over the world. Costa Rica has a democratic government, no army and the highest literacy level in the region, making it a prosperous and stable country. There is a very positive attitude to national parks and wildlife reserves, with the highest percentage of land area devoted to these, of any country in the world. Rainforests, cloud forests, volcanoes, palm-fringed beaches, mangroves and estuaries hold such avian jewels as Scarlet Macaw, Resplendent Quetzal, Rufous Motmot, Sunbittern, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Lanceolated Monklet, Turquoise Cotinga, Northern Royal Flycatcher, Green Honeycreeper, Boat-billed Heron and Magnificent Frigatebird. Costa Rica is a real gem - and in relation to its size, has the highest avian diversity on earth. With all these attributes it is a must for birdwatchers, whatever their level of expertise!

Day 1: Depart UK to San José arriving in the evening. We will then transfer to our hotel.
Overnight - San José.

Day 2: Today we will visit the Cerro de la Muerte Highlands and the San Gerardo Valley in the Talamanca Mountains looking for high zone species including Large-footed Finch, Flame-throated Warbler, Long-tailed Silky-flycatcher, Volcano Junco and the fabulous Resplendent Quetzal.
Overnight - San Gerardo Valley, Talamanca Mts.

Days 3 - 5: On Day 3 we’ll head for the Pacific Coast, with emphasis on the wonderful Carara National Park and the Tarcoles Estuary. Carara reserve is an area of Pacific Coast lowland rainforest and is particularly famed for its population of Scarlet Macaws, but there are many more much sought-after species. These include Boat-billed Heron, Lesser Swallow-tailed Swift, Spectacled Owl, Baird’s & Violaceous Trogons, Pale-billed Woodpecker, Dot-winged Antwren, Black-faced Antthrush, Streak-chested Antpitta, Red-capped & Orange-collared Manakins and Red-legged Honeycreeper. The Tarcoles Estuary is superb for herons, waders, terns, Magnificent Frigatebirds, Black Skimmers as well as a number of mangrove specialities.
Overnights - Carara.

Days 6 & 7: On Day 6 we’ll drive to Hacienda Solimar Lodge in the Guanacaste Lowlands. Bordering the Palo Verde National Park, this 3,200-acre ranch has gallery forest, mangrove swamp and freshwater estuary. Birds here include Jabiru, Bare-throated Tiger-heron, American Pygmy Kingfisher, Lesser Ground-cuckoo, Collared Forest-Falcon, Snail Kite, Double-striped Thick-knee, Black-headed Trogon and Long-tailed Manakin. Among the mammals should be Mantled Howler Monkeys, White-nosed Coati and Nine-banded Armadillo.
Overnights - Hacienda Solimar Lodge.

Days 8 & 9: We’ll explore Monteverde and Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserves with their fantastic array of ferns, epiphytes and vines. Monteverde is probably the best known and most visited of all Costa Rica’s reserves. Santa Elena is at a slightly higher elevation and also has an excellent network of trails. The Cloud Forest offers another opportunity to look for Resplendent Quetzal and many other species including Three-wattled Bellbird, Black Guan, Orange-bellied Trogon, Blue-crowned Motmot, Azure-hooded Jay, Black-faced Solitaire, Violet Sabrewing, Prong-billed Barbet, Blue-throated Toucanet, Ruddy Treerunner, Red-faced Spinetail, Ochraceous Wren and Golden-browed Chlorophonia.
Overnights - Monteverde.

Day 10: Travel to Arenal Lodge for one night to experience the wondrous volcano and also some good birding.
Overnight - Arenal Observatory Lodge.

Days 11 - 13: We transfer to Selva Verde Lodge in the Caribbean Lowlands. During our stay we will explore the lodge grounds and have excursions to Braulio Carrillo, a beautiful rainforest with an extremely rich avifauna of over 300 species, and La Selva Biological Reserve, a protected area of 1600 hectares of pre-montane wet tropical forest. This research station is operated by the Organisation of Tropical Studies and the reserve is one of the best-studied areas of rainforest on Earth. Its fantastic diversity of wildlife includes 420 bird species, 500 species of butterflies and 400 species of ants! The fantastic array of avifauna and other wildlife species of the region includes White-throated Crake, Yellow-eared Toucanet, Spotted & Immaculate Antbirds, Lattice-tailed Trogon, White-throated Shrike Tanager, Emerald & Tawny-crested Tanagers, Squirrel Cuckoo, Black-throated Trogon, Broad-billed Motmot, Fasciated Antshrike, Keel-billed Toucan, Blue-and-Gold Tanager, Orange-billed Sparrow, Spider & White-faced Monkeys, Tayra and River Otter.
Overnights - Selva Verde.

Day 14: Morning birding, before returning to San José for our flight to the UK, where we arrive on Day 15.

Tour ref: AA1244

Cost: £3395
Deposit: £400
Single Room Supplement: £290

Leaders: Peter Dedicoat & Local Guides

Max. Group: 12 plus Leaders

Includes:
Economy class scheduled return flights (UK-San José-UK), accommodation based on twin occupancy, all meals, ground transportation in Costa Rica, entrance fees and services of leader and guides.

Excludes:
Travel insurance, drinks, departure tax and items of a personal nature.