Strabo Photo Tour Collection

Costa Rica Tropical Adventure: Manuel Antonio, Monteverde & Arenal Volcano

Costa Rica remains a place rich in natural wonders and biodiversity, where you can still feel far from the maddening crowds. Bordered by the Caribbean and the Pacific, its coastline rises abruptly to volcanic mountains that run the length of the country. For millions of years, it has been a biological land bridge between North and South America, which has given it a unique natural history. In the same day, you can experience 12,000-foot mountains, cloud forests, lowland rain forests, mangrove swamps, palm-lined beaches, dry tropical forest, and savannah.

Travel with Tom and Pat Cory to appreciate its natural beauty from the red hot lava of Arenal Volcano, to the cool mist of Monteverde Cloud Forest, and the white sand beaches of the Pacific Coast at Manuel Antonio National Park. When the skies are clear and the lava is flowing, Arenal Volcano offers a thrilling light show accompanied by an earthshaking rumble. The group will enjoy a relaxing respite in natural springs heated by the volcano. Three evenings in Monteverde provide you with an opportunity to immerse yourselves in the cloud forest, exploring the walking trails amidst the biological wonders, crossing the amazing sky bridges, and photography from butterflies to amazing orchids. Moving on to the famous Manuel Antonio National Park, there are white sand beaches to relax and explore, or hiking trails where you will photograph three-toed sloths, white-faced monkeys, and perhaps the rare squirrel monkeys.

Costa Rica is being wisely protected in an excellent system of national parks and reserves that has won praise from conservationists around the world. There are more species of birds here than in all of North America, over 800 in a country only four times the size of Connecticut. Among its 237 species of mammals are three-toed sloths, four species of monkeys, giant anteaters, tapirs, peccaries, jaguars, and humpback whales. Reptiles and amphibians include the Strawberry Poison Dart Frog, all five genera of sea turtles, the endangered American Crocodile, and the Basilisk Lizard, which can actually run across water. There are more butterflies in Costa Rica than on the entire continent of Africa. The plant life is spectacular; there are more than 12,000 species of plants, including a dazzling variety of trees and orchids. Come explore the amazing natural wonders of Costa Rica with the Cory’s.

Itinerary

February 22: Home - San Jose

Our Costa Rican adventure begins today as you board your flight to San José, the country's capital city. We will stay overnight at the Bougainvillea Hotel, about fifteen minutes away from San José. The hotel offers excellent accommodations and superb service in a suburban village setting. Located amid coffee plantations, orchards, and is surrounded by colorful gardens. The rooms feature native woods, tiled bathrooms, and balconies offering marvelous views of the mountains or the city skyline. We will have a Welcome Dinner and Orientation. Overnight Bougainvillea Hotel. (D)

February 23 - February 24: Arenal Volcano

After breakfast we leave San Jose and make our way to the Arenal Volcano Area. The first adventure will be at INBio Park, a non-profit association formed to create greater awareness of the biodiversity of Costa Rica. The park is a wonderful introduction to the butterflies, frogs, reptiles, fish, wetlands, and flora and fauna of this diverse country.

Continue on to Arenal, a spectacular, cone-shaped volcano rising out of the flat San Carlos Plains. It is the most active volcano in the country and the frequent, loud booms can be heard as far away as Monteverde.

In the morning we will take an easy hike through the forest to La Fortuna Waterfall. It offers some of the most gorgeous scenery in all of Costa Rica. The 70-meter ribbon of water falls into a great swimming hole, surrounded by lush tropical forest, protected by the local conservation project. There will be free time this afternoon at the hotel, or explore more of the area with the local guide.

Late this afternoon we visit the Hidalgo Family Hot Springs, an exclusive retreat for those looking for a relaxing respite in natural springs heated by Arenal Volcano. Family owned and operated, the springs are surrounded by tropical foliage and set near an authentic ranch house complete with Costa Rican curiosities, such as a coffee grinder (pilot) and farming equipment. The four pools are landscaped with large, smooth river rock taken from the area and are large enough to offer plenty of room to spread out and find a private corner to relax among peaceful environs. The hot springs are not open to the public. Overnight Manoa Hotel. (B, L, D) both days

February 25 - February 27: Monteverde Cloud Forest

Departure this morning after breakfast as you make your way to Monteverde. To enter the cloud forest we travel by boat across Arenal Lake, with our coach and luggage meeting us on the other side. The Monteverde Cloud Forest is located in the Cordillera of Tilarán on the Costa Rican part of the Continental Divide, flowing down both Pacific and Atlantic slopes and it is one of Costa Rica’s most famous places. It is a world-class example of conservation by a local community. Originally a small forest reserve set aside by the Quakers who settled the area in the 50’s, to protect the watershed for their dairy industry, protected areas now cover nearly 30.000 hectares of private reserves, including the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, the Santa Elena Reserve and the Children’s Eternal Rainforest.

The 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, orchids-even small trees. Famous for its populations of Resplendent Quetzal, Monteverde has almost become synonymous with this legendary bird. Other cloud forest denizens include the Black-faced Solitaire, Golden-browed Chlorophonia and Black Guan. Visitation is limited to 150 persons at one time (distributed on various trails) allowing for a very private connection with the forest.

In Monteverde there are 6 different life zones. There are over 100 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, 120 species of amphibians and reptiles, and 2,500 species of plants (among them 420 different kinds of orchids), as well as tens of thousands of insect species.

The Skywalk is a series of suspension bridges spanning forested valleys in the cloud forest. Accessible to almost everyone Skywalk gives visitors a bird’s-eye view of this spectacular habitat. Trails along the forest floor to each bridge complete the panorama. Fascinating in its own right, the Skywalk is also a shining example of community-based ecotourism, inspired, designed, built by hand and operated by just a few, dedicated local people.

The group will also visit the Monteverde Hummingbird Garden and Butterfly Farm. These gardens focus on education and research of species native to the Monteverde area. There are more than fourteen species of hummingbirds and twenty species of butterflies, all with bright lively colors, waiting to be photographed. Overnight Sapo Dorado Hotel. (b, l, d) all days

February 28 - March 1: Manuel Antonio National park

After breakfast, depart for the Quepos area including Manuel Antonio National Park. This beautiful park is the perfect combination of warm Pacific waters and rainforest that grows right down to the three white sand beaches. Nature trails take you along the beach strand and over a forested, rocky promontory. Because of its relatively small size and isolation by surrounding ocean and plantations, it is probably one of the easiest places in Costa Rica to see wildlife, particularly sloths, coatimundis, agoutis, White-faced Monkeys and the tiny Squirrel Monkey.

The El Parador Hotel is one of the most exclusive retreats in the Manuel Antonio area and one of few hotels with access to the calm waters off Biesanz Beach, an excellent place to snorkel. The 80-room hotel is spread over 12 acres of a densely forested peninsula called Punta Quepos, and offers staggering panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean from the main building. Located just three miles from the entrance to Manuel Antonio National Park, El Parador boasts an attractive Spanish Mediterranean design, with many amenities such as swimming pool, Jacuzzi, sauna, restaurants, and library. Overnight El Parador (b, l, d) both days

March 2: Quepos/San Jose

This morning will be at leisure to enjoy your last morning by the ocean, and then depart to San Jose area, with various stops along the way. A farewell dinner will be at the hotel. Overnight Corteza Amarilla Hotel (b, l, d)

March 3: San Jose/Home

After breakfast depart for the Juan Santamaría International Airport to take your flight back home. (b)

Accommodations

Accommodations are clean, comfortable and pleasant, and close to our photographic locations. All bedrooms are ensuite.

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

Your Tour Leaders: Tom & Pat Cory welcome enthusiastic photographers of all skill levels on their tours. While their emphasis is on the creative aspects of photography, they are happy to help you with any technical-artistic concerns that you may have. They typically offer short instructional programs as well as portfolio reviews on request. What they really enjoy is helping you one-on-one in the field, giving you as much--or as little--instruction as you need. Costa Rica provides wonderful opportunities to concentrate on Macro photography, from flora and fauna, to various birdlife. Tom & Pat believe that workshops should be enjoyable educational experiences that not only emphasize photography, but also allow the time and opportunity to learn about the history, and culture of each location. They enjoy having participants who work in mediums besides photography, non-participating partners, and others who can enjoy spending extended periods of time in a single location. While there are specific itineraries, they allow time for "unscheduled" stops for opportunities found along the way.

Tom & Pat have been leading workshops and fieldtrips for over fifteen years. They have published several books on photography including their ever-popular instructional book, Notes from the Field, now in its sixth printing. Pat has recently produced a nature video DVD with hammer dulcimer musician Dan Landrum entitled Visions of Nature. They welcome photographers using film and digital cameras, as well as video.

Pricing Info

Tour land cost: $3,895 US Dollars based upon minimum of 10 paying participants. There is a small group surcharge of $300 if 5-9 paying participants. All our program prices are based on double occupancy unless noted in exceptions.

Single room supplement: $695; 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)