Strabo Photo Tour Collection

Costa Rica - Exotic Bird Photography in Monteverde and Guanacaste

A Photographic and Cultural Tour

One of the many faces of Guanacaste is a very alive and natural one. It is a nature lover’s paradise with shouting and roaring monkeys, hummingbirds and parrots, crocodiles, sea turtles, iguanas, beautiful natural beaches, and ten national parks. There are pristine rivers, volcanoes and important protected areas such the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano National Park, a refuge for birds and wildlife, featuring impressive vegetation, bubbling mud holes, refreshing river pools and waterfalls.

The itinerary also takes you to the La Ensenada Wildlife Refuge as well as Monteverde Cloud Forest. La Ensenada Lodge is a delightful surprise amidst a private wildlife refuge. With opportunities to photograph more than 140 species of land and water based birds, including white ibis, tricolored heron, purple gallinule, double-striped thick-knee, parrots, parakeets, bellbirds, trogons, and kingfishers. With luck, you might see a jabiru stork. Also in the region are crocodiles, coyotes, howler and white-faced monkeys, sloths, agoutis, and iguanas.

Also a working farm, Ensenada offers a chance to participate in Costa Rican farm life: cattle, horses, and various fruit crops, including watermelon. Explore refuge trails, visit a salt flat, (January to April see salt produced much the way indigenous peoples did it) go to a freshwater lagoon, and through the forest to a hilltop-view of the gulf at sundown. Boats carry guests on a two-hour island and mangrove tour to see roseate spoonbills, hawks, black-bellied whistling-ducks, and egrets.

Monteverde has become one of the country’s most famous places for nature lovers interested in exploring tropical rainforests growing among the clouds. It is a community renowned for its cultural history and its commitment to conservation. Home to three groups of interest, the Quaker community that moved from the United States as a group in 1950, the ex-patriot community, and the migrant Nicaraguan population that migrates to Costa Rica to work on the coffee plantations. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve is one of the ecologically richest and most diverse ecosystems on the planet. In 1950, a group of Quaker families moved from the United States to Costa Rica, where they felt they could live more in accordance with their pacifist philosophy. Their experiences gave rise to the great conservation focus found in this area. The forests are laden with epiphytic growth such as mosses, lichens, ferns, bromeliads, and orchids. Famous for its populations of the Resplendent Quetzal, Monteverde has almost become synonymous with this legendary bird.

Itinerary

March 13: Home – San José

Your Costa Rican adventure begins today as you board your flight to San Jose (SJO), Costa Rica. Upon arrival you will be transported to the hotel, approximately forty-five minutes from the airport. Your airline ticket will be a multi-city one, flying in to San Jose and home from Liberia (LIR).

We will stay at the lovely Bougainvillea Hotel, enjoying the gardens and a welcome dinner. This family-owned and operated hotel offers a welcoming atmosphere, from fresh cut flowers from its own gardens, to original paintings and sculptures by leading local artists. Massive beamed ceilings, wood paneling, and a fireplace, all contribute to the warm feeling of a country inn. Overnight Bougainvillea Hotel. (D)

March 14 - March 16: San José – Arenal Volcano

La Ensenada Wildlife Refuge
This morning the group will depart for Hacienda La Ensenada, a National Wildlife Refuge located on the Pacific Coast in the province of Puntarenas. It is an ideal place for naturalists, bird watchers, and nature lovers. The most important activities of the 800-acre ranch are cattle, horses, the production of salt and fruit (papaya and watermelon). The Refuge has developed a three step reforesting program.

Today more than thirty percent of the farm is covered by forests, which helps to maintain the natural habitat. The area is very important because it has one of the last primary and secondary forests of the northern Puntarenas province. Ensenada is an ideal place for naturalists, so get your cameras ready to catch the essence of this ranch: cattle and horses, the production of salt and fruit, birds and beautiful sunsets. The Salt marshes offer nature photographers a variety of landscapes and bird species.

You may take a morning boat tour into the mangroves of the Gulf of Nicoya. The mangroves offer those who love birds and photography many different species and variety of birds. The sunset from the top of the hill over the Gulf of Nicoya is spectacular. Given time we will also visit Hacienda Solimar, where we can observe jabiru storks, green and American pygmy kingfishers, hummingbirds, hawks, and owls. Overnight La Ensenada (B, L, D) all days.

March 17 - March 19: Monteverde Cloud Forest

We will make our way to Monteverde to capture the beauty of the cloud forests. Take pictures of Costa Rica micro-climates and ecosystems: from mangrove to cloud forests. The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve offers well developed and easily negotiable trails, accessing some of the most beautiful cloud forest, anywhere. Often shrouded in cloud blown in from the Atlantic Ocean, the forests of Monteverde are laden with epiphytic growth such as mosses, lichens, ferns, bromeliads, and orchids.

Skywalk is an unforgettable experience, allowing visitors to feel the sensation of walking among the clouds, while shooting toucans, trogons, howler monkeys, and other tree-dwelling mammals and reptiles, if lucky. At the butterfly garden enjoy different species, as well as a wide range of insects and arachnids in live exhibits. Finally, imagine yourself in a beautiful garden amongst one hundred beautiful hummingbirds flying cheerfully around you! That is what the incredible Hummingbird Garden has to offer you. More than fourteen species of hummingbirds will amaze you with their incredible aerial maneuvers and bright lively colors. There is also a lovely butterfly garden to enjoy. Definitively a photographer’s delight. Overnight Hotel Fonda Vela (B, L, D) all days.

March 20 - March 21: Guanacaste Region

Heading north to the Guanacaste Province, we will stop along the Corobici River. This is a very gentle river, in which we will have ample opportunity to observe wildlife along the shore - particularly monkeys, iguanas, and colorful birds - as it reaches the mangrove forests nearer the coast. The river is bordered by a tropical dry forest, with towering trees, and its inhabitants, Trogons, Ospreys, Parrots, Motmots, and seven different species of Herons, including the Boat-billed Heron.

Secluded in the picturesque mountains of the Rincón de la Vieja Volcano, Borinquen Mountain Resort & Spa is the perfect place to stay in Guanacaste. All rooms have independent decks or balconies with great mountain views and breathtaking sunsets. The climate couldn’t be better thanks to its proximity to the Rincon de la Vieja Volcano, one of the most remarkable National Parks in Costa Rica, that combines the Guanacaste dry and sunny weather with the fresh air of the mountains. Very early in the morning, we’ll walk the grounds looking for flowers, birds, insects, roosting bats, monkeys, and other things of interest.

Natural hot springs, rivers, natural pools, virgin forests, jungle waterfalls, thermal waters, vapor vents, sulfur springs, a volcanic crater, and a lake on the mountain summit are just some of the many natural attractions you will be able to photograph during your stay at the Hacienda. Follow the hiking paths and discover howler monkeys, rare species of birds, lizards, butterflies, and insects. An optional hike takes us to the magnificent Oropendola Waterfall. Located in a beautiful vegetated canyon, the emerald green water falls from 82 feet above as an impressive natural shower. The last afternoon will be free to explore the ranch and take advantage of the curative properties that have long been attributed to mineral rich waters and mud-pots. Overnight Borinquen Mountain Resort (B, L, D) both days.

March 22: Liberia - Home

This morning you will depart for the Liberia (LIR) Airport for flights home. (B)

Accommodations

Accommodations are clean, comfortable, pleasant, and in the heart of our phtographic locations.

Guides

Please contact us for more details.

Food & Drink

Costa Rican food is not spicy. Menus are usually simple, but the food is always good and plentiful. Breakfast menus are much like those in North America. Rice, meat, beans, and vegetables are usually served at lunch and dinners. Local cheeses are quite good. Delicious fruits and juices are in abundant supply.

Notes

Kathy Adams Clark is a professional nature photographer and owner of a stock agency representing fifteen photographers. Her work has been published in a variety of national and regional publications including National Geographic Books, The New York Times, and Sierra. Kathy teaches over fifty photography workshops and classes each year. Her work is seen each week in the “Nature” column in the Houston Chronicle and San Antonio Express News, written by her husband, Gary.

Kathy enjoys traveling with people new to photography as well as with folks with advanced skills. She has an ability to explain complicated photographic terms in an easily understood language. She likes to teach those hungry for new information, but also understands that photography can be a solitary task. Each person traveling with Kathy is treated as an individual, but the group always has fun. She is skilled in all makes of digital cameras. www.kathyadamsclark.com

Pricing Info

Tour land cost: $3,995 US Dollars based upon minimum of 6 paying participants. All our program prices are based on double occupancy unless noted in exceptions.

Single room supplement: $545; single rooms are subject to availability and are not guaranteed. We try to accommodate travelers who request single accommodations, as well as travelers who are looking for a roommate. If a single room is requested, or if we are unable to find a suitable roommate, you will be required to pay the supplement.

Note: The land costs on international tours is based upon current exchange rates. Although the rate has been relatively stable, should it change, there may need to be an adjustment in the land cost.

General Tour Info (includes, excludes and other details)