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Our Tours
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Page 2 of 5
Full Holiday Tour description
Unless you have opted for starting your holiday at Hotel Bougainvillea your tour will start with your collection from San José Airport
Day One - Two
 Savegre Mountain Lodge is the perfect place to experience the highlands of Costa Rica.
Here you will get personal attention and family hospitality from three generations of the Chacon family who have lived in this valley since 1955. The Chacons' interest in conservation and protection will be evident as you walk their extensive trail system through pristine oak forest. They have also set up the Quetzal Education and Research Center with the help of researchers from several countries. While at the lodge, hummingbird feeders will keep you entertained as well as other birds in the garden and along the river. Many consider this area to be the best location anywhere to see a large selection of Chiriqui Highland endemics - species found only in the highlands of Costa Rica and extreme western Panama. Savegre Mountain Lodge is located south of San Jose, 9 kms off the Pan American Highway, less than 2 hours by vehicle. It is nestled beside the Savegre River with montane oak forest as the backdrop.
The nearby Paramo habitat well above the lodge provides excellent birding for the Central American alpine species. Still a working farm, though not expanding, the surroundings of the lodge consist of apple and peach orchards, a small dairy farm, and a trout farm.
Climate: Savegre is located at an elevation of 7,200 feet in the Cerro de la Muerte region of the Cordillera de Talamanca. At this altitude the temperatures are typically mild in the daytime to down right chilly at night. Rooms are provided with a space heater or fireplace for those extra chilly nights.
Day Three - Four
 Our next destination of this birding tour will be Rancho Naturalista, via Providencia Road, where we will stay for 2 nights. Rancho Naturalista is SE of San Jose, 2½ hours by vehicle. Its location allows for birding day trips into the adjacent lowlands, middle elevations, and highlands thus providing an even greater diversity of habitats and wildlife. Rancho is considered to be one of the finest birding lodges in Central America. Rancho is known for its peaceful forest surroundings, comfortable well-kept rooms, excellent meals, family style atmosphere, knowledgeable resident birding guide(s), extensive trail system in pre-montane rainforest, banana and hummingbird feeders for the birds, bird bathing pools, and a bird list for the area of over 400 species. With all of that you can see why it is a favourite destination for birders and wildlife enthusiasts from around the world!
Climate: Rancho Naturalista is located at an elevation of 3,000 feet on the Caribbean slope allowing for mild temperatures in the day and perfect sleeping conditions at night. Rain can occur at anytime but it is expected in the afternoons from May to October, with a break sometime in July to mid August.
Day Five - Seven
 After leaving Rancho, we will travel north to the cloud forest reserve of Monteverde and La Quinta where we will spend the next 3 nights. The La Quinta Sarapiqui Country Inn is owned and operated by a Costa Rican couple, Leonardo and Beatriz Jenkins whose attention to meals, personal service, and YOUR tropical experience while there will be most evident and appreciated. La Quinta is located on the Sardinal River in the Caribbean lowlands of Costa Rica, less than 2 kms off the beaten track, 20 minutes west of Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui. It is approximately 25 minutes from the La Selva OTS Station and less than 2 hours from the San Jose airport. A nice selection of wildlife can be seen along the gallery forest next to the two adjoining rivers including the impressive Gray-necked Wood-Rail, several species of parrots and toucans, and the dancing White-collared Manakins on their lek. For many years now, a pair of Spectacled Owls have made this area their home.  During breakfast and lunch you can enjoy watching colorful tanagers and honeycreepers coming to the banana feeding tables as you dine. They have also started a reforestation program that will benefit the Great Green Macaws of tomorrow. From butterfly and frog gardens to a cultural museum, La Quinta has much to offer in helping inspire and educate its guests on the wonders of the tropical rainforest. Climate: Being in the lowlands, the La Selva area is consistently warm and humid. Weather patterns are less predictable here compared to the Pacific lowlands. You are also more likely to encounter unseasonably rainy periods even in the dry season. As with most warm and humid lowlands in the tropics, bird and wildlife activity is highest in the early morning and late afternoon.
Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. Mosquitoes can be a nuisance, especially after heavy rains!
Day Eight - Ten
 From La Quinta we head south for the famous Arenal Observatory Lodge. Arenal Observatory Lodge is located NW of San Jose at the base of Arenal Volcano. It is approximately 25 minutes west of the town of La Fortuna and a total of 3½ hours by car from the San Jose International Airport. Its location serves as an excellent stopover between the La Selva de Sarapiqui region and the Monteverde area. Set amidst a beautiful protected rainforest in the Caribbean foothills and with an overlooking active volcano, a visit to Arenal Observatory Lodge is recommended for many reasons. The lodge has lovely gardens complete with bird feeding tables, a very relaxing pool and Jacuzzi, an extensive trail system, a fine restaurant and an atmosphere that few other lodges can claim. We also believe it to be the best possible base for birding the Arenal area. Arenal Volcano is a perfect cinder cone and it is quite active. Eruptions of ash and gasses into the air are not uncommon and on a clear night you may  even see lava oozing out of the top. The spectacle of the volcano is worth a visit alone but when combined with the rainforest and the abundance of birds and other wildlife, you can see why this area is so special. Whether you are looking for great birding, a romantic getaway, or just to commune with nature on a higher level, you will find that this area and specifically this lodge can provide all of that and much more.
Climate: Located in the Caribbean foothills at 2,400 feet in elevation, you can expect mild temperatures with occasional warm temperatures in the middle of the day and very comfortable sleeping conditions at night. This area typically has a very unpredictable rain pattern and tropical down pours and drizzles can occur at anytime of year, even lasting for days. Clouds are a common sight in the area and can obscure the view of the volcano. However, with patience and luck, you should get good to spectacular views eventually.
Day Eleven - Thirteen
 Leaving our accommodation we will drive south to our 3 night stay at Punta Leona Beach Resort. Punta Leona is located right on the Pacific Ocean between Tarcoles and Jaco. The entrance road is well sign posted off the main road approximately 15 minutes south of Carara National Park. Punta Leona Beach Resort is a wonderful combination of white sand beaches, comfortable lodging, and good birding. Your day might start with a guided bird walk watching Scarlet Macaws, Chestnut-mandibled Toucans, Fiery-billed Aracaris, and White-faced Capuchin monkeys amongst other colorful smaller birds and Spiny-tailed Iguanas. After a nice breakfast you may want to take in some sun at one of the 3 private white sand beaches or cool off in one of the 4 swimming pools. You found that watching a group of White-throated Magpie-Jays during lunch very enjoyable as was the siesta in the air-conditioned room afterwards. Mid-afternoon finds you on the trails in Punta Leona's private rainforest reserve trying to track down the incessant gonging of a Three-wattled Bellbird high in the canopy. Slaty-tailed Trogon, Blue-crowned Motmot, Red-capped Manakin, and Bay-headed Tanager added a splash of color to the darkening forest before you headed back to freshen up for a nice dinner.
 Climate: It is consistently warm and humid in this area and the weather patterns closely follow the typical rain and dry season periods. It is unlikely that you would encounter rain in this area from Dec to mid April, Feb, March being the driest months. Bird and wildlife activity is highest in the early morning and late afternoon and you should take advantage of these cooler periods. A siesta in the middle of the day is often a good idea. Take drinking water on the trails to avoid dehydration. Mosquitoes are typically not prolific here unless after heavy rains, a few are always present.
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If you require further information please Contact Us or telephone: +34 616 891 359
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Costa Rica Bird Watching Tour
