Includes the following: Full board (Starting with breakfast on Day 2 and ending with breakfast on Day 9), 8 nights of accommodations, Full time transportation in a modern air-conditioned vehicle with Full-time English/Spanish speaking Professional Naturalist guide/driver, round trip flights San Jose -Tortuguero, entrances and tours as specified below, 2 airport transfers (Day 1, Day 9)

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Owling excursions will be available one night at each location weather permitting. Meals are pre-arranged. All rooms are comfortable, clean and have en suite bathrooms.

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*Entrances & Tours included: four 2-hour private guided tours to the Canals of Tortugero National Park and surrounding waterways (including 2-day entrances to the Tortuguero National Park; 1 visit to the Monteverde Reserve; 1 visit to the Bat Jungle in Monteverde; 1 visit to the Monteverde Butterfly Garden; 1 visit to Selvatura Canopy bridges in Monteverde; 1 visit to the Sky Adventures Canopy bridges in Arenal; 1 visit to Carara National Park, one 2-hour boat tour on the Tarcoles River.

 

Day 1: Arrive in San Jose where you will be warmly welcomed by your guide/chauffer and escorted back to your hotel. Spend the afternoon relaxing by the poolside or taking a walk in the lovely gardens to recuperate from your day of travel. (Overnight: Hotel Buena Vista)

 

Day 2 & 3: Travel by plane via Sansa Airlines to Tortuguero on the Caribbean coast. Here we will explore the rich labyrinth of waterways which will offer us excellent wildlife viewing. The area boasts 320 bird species, including Tiger Herons, Agami Herons, White-fronted Nunbird, and all six species of Kingfishers belonging to the Americas. Along with birds, we may also see sloth, caiman, iguanas, poison-dart frogs, fresh-water turtles, basilisk lizards, the Honduran White tent-making bats, and three species of monkeys that frequent the banks. You have four 2-hour private boat tours of the wildlife canals included while here. (Overnight: Laguna Lodge. BLD at Laguna Lodge) Baggage allowance for flights are below. Any extra luggage can be stored free of charge at the Hotel Buena Vista and collected on Feb. 22.

 

Day 4 & 5: Travel by plane via Sansa Airlines back to San Jose airport, then travel by ground transport along with your guide to Arenal. Spend two nights at the Arenal Observatory Lodge, which offers breath- taking views of the jungle-covered Arenal Volcano. This is a birding and wildlife hotspot, and the stunning natural beauty will astound you. The extensive trails at the lodge allow for tremendous opportunities to view the Crimson-collared Tanagers, White Hawk, Brown- hooded Parrot, and the Golden-olive Woodpecker, along with an array of colorful hummingbirds, and three species of Toucans. One night, we will go owling in search of the Black-and-White Owl, Mottled Owl, and Striped Owl in the open fields, below the lodge weather-permitting. (Overnight: Arenal Observatory Lodge. Feb. 22: B at Laguna Lodge, L&D at Arenal Observatory Lodge; Feb. 23: BLD at Arenal Observatory Lodge)

 

Day 6 & 7: Travel to the famous Monteverde cloud forest region, where we will spend the next two days exploring the Monteverde cloudforest Reserve and surrounding areas. At an altitude ranging from 1400 to1700 meters above sea level, this cool climate is home to more than 350 species of birds. You will be dazzled by a variety of jeweled hummingbirds. Blue-crowned Motmot, White-eared Ground- Sparrow, White-naped Brush-Finch and Blue-throated Toucanet can seen in the area. In the surrounding area and in the reserves we also will be looking out for the Resplendent Quetzal, Three-wattled Bellbird, as well as Spotted Barbtail, Streak-breasted Treehunter, Ruddy Treerunner, Lineated Foliage-gleaner, Slaty-backed Nightingale-Thrush, Immaculate Antbird, Azure-hooded Jay to name a few. While in the area you have the following tours included: 1 visit to the Bat Jungle in Monteverde after lunch in the late afternoon; 1 visit to the Monteverde Reserve Feb. 25 ater breakfast; ; 1 visit to Selvatura Canopy bridges in Monteverde Feb. 25 after lunch; 1 visit to the Monteverde Butterfly Garden Feb. 26 after breakfast. (Overnight Hotel Fonda Vela. BLD at Fonda Vela Hotel)

 

Day 8: Spend the morning in the Monteverde area (you have a visit to the Butterfly gardens after breakfast). After lunch travel back to the San Jose area for an over night stay at the lovely Hotel Bougainvillea. (Overnight Hotel Bougainvillea. B at Fonda Vela, L en route, D at the Hotel Bougainvillea)

 

Day 9: Breakfast at the Hotel Bougavainvillea (buffet from 6:30-9:00 am, prior to 6:30 muffins, bananas and coffee available at reception). Transfer to the airport for departing flights.

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Important notes and conditions:

*Meals are pre-arranged and pre-paid so if clients want to make changes to the schedule that result in missing a pre-arranged meal, there will be no refund and the clients will assume the additional cost of the missed meal elsewhere for themselves and the guide.

*All included tours are optional but they are pre-paid and there will be no refund for un-used tours.

*Any additional airport transfers on arrival or departure day have an additional charge of $45 per transfer.

*Airport exit taxes are not included and are approximately $30 per person

*Tips to guides and hotel staff not included (Tipping is customary and merit-based in Costa Rica. General tipping guidelines can be provided upon request)

*Alcoholic beverages and costs of a personal nature are not included

*International airfare not included

*Payment method is by bank wire deposit or by check. Please add 4% to the price for payments by credit card to cover the processing costs.

*A $400 non-refundable deposit per guest is due upon booking to secure your space.

*Full payment is due 90 days prior to arrival (cancellation received 65 days or less prior to arrival receives no refund, so we highly recommend acquiring travel insurance that covers trip cancellation and trip interruption, as well as covering your valuable equipment (computers, cameras, optics, etc.)