Costa Rica | Tropical Rainforest Photography

Upon arrival into San José, proceed to clear Immigration & Customs and exit the airport secure area, where you will meet with your Holbrook representative for your transfer to the hotel. This afternoon, enjoy time on your own to explore the beautiful grounds of the hotel. Check-in starts at 3 pm. Tonight, attend an orientation to the program followed by dinner at the hotel.

Today, head north to the Caño Negro Wildlife Refuge. En route, stop at La Paz Waterfall Gardens to explore its many trails and stunning waterfalls, as well as a hummingbird garden and lush botanicals. The gardens provide a wonderful introduction to Costa Rica's flora, fauna, and scenic landscapes. Enjoy lunch at La Paz before continuing to one of the most important wetlands and biological areas of the country. Arriving at the lodge, check in and then continue birding on a walk around the grounds. This Ramsar wetland provides important habitat for thousands of migratory water birds including herons, storks, spoonbills, ibis, anhinga, ducks, and cormorants, as well as other wildlife like the emerald basilisk, giant anteaters, river turtles, and more. This is one of the best places to see the Nicaraguan Grackle, whose only Costa Rican habitat is Caño Negro and other marshy areas just south of Lake Nicaragua.

After a morning snack, head to the dock and board a boat for an early morning tour through the wetlands. An abundance of wildlife can be seen in this remote 22,000-acre tropical wetlands. Gliding along lagoons and canals, be on the lookout for some of the 350 species of birds found in the refuge, including a colony of Nicaraguan Grackle, egrets, anhingas, Roseate Spoonbills, and other waterfowl. It may also be possible to spot caimans, crocodiles, and monkeys. Return to the lodge for a full breakfast, and then head out on foot to photograph some more species around the lodge and surrounding areas. Have lunch at the lodge and rest for a little while before returning to the reserve for another boat safari. Caño Negro is also one of the nesting spots for the imposing Jabiru stork. Return to the hotel with time to freshen up and relax before dinner.

Check out of the hotel and start your journey to Selva Verde Lodge & Rainforest Reserve. Selva Verde Lodge is situated in the Caribbean lowlands, at elevations ranging from 180 to 220 feet. Established by the Holbrook family in 1985, the lodge is renowned for its commitment to ecological preservation and sustainability. This afternoon, enjoy free time for photography around the grounds, in search of some of the 300 bird species found here, including a variety of colorful hummingbirds, trogons and toucans. After dinner, venture out on a night walk to spot a variety of nocturnal life including the colorful red-eyed tree frog, a must in every photographer's collection.

Begin the day with optional birding around the Selva Verde grounds. Then visit Copearte - the home and gardens of the artist, photographer, birder, and nature-lover known as Cope - to photograph bats, owls, hummingbirds, and other wildlife. Return to the lodge for lunch. This afternoon, get some great photographs and learn about native amphibians at Frog's Heaven. Later enjoy time to spend time by the pool, look for avian visitors and butterflies in Selva Verde's botanical garden area, or take in the river views from the patio overlooking the Sarapiquí River.

This morning visit Dave and Dave's Costa Rica Nature Park for a two-hour visit to photograph hummingbirds and other wildlife along the river trail. Dave and Dave are a father and son duo that created a private reserve to protect more than 11 acres of rainforest along the Sarapiquí River and allow people great opportunities to see and photograph birds from two viewing platforms. Afterwards visit the Macaw Farm, a private initiative stared by Don Alvaro Otoya that has turned into a successful breeding center for the two species of Costa Rican macaws: Scarlet and Great Green. Habitat loss and poaching have threatened these amazing birds, nearly bringing them to the point of extinction in some places. As a result, the need for reintroduction into the wild is high, in particular for Great Green Macaws. Projects like Don Alvaro's have allowed local authorities to bring the populations back in some areas, and now macaws can be seen flying high where they were absent for decades. The macaws at Don Alvaro's are not caged, and fly free through the surrounding rainforest. Take advantage of the opportunities to capture amazing images of macaws in flight, with more controlled light than in the forest, while contributing to the effort of protecting and reintroducing the macaws back to their habitat.

Your day is free to participate in optional activities such as whitewater rafting, horseback riding, a chocolate tour, or a guided hike in the rainforest reserve across the river (arranged at reception upon arrival and paid on-site). You can also spend time by the pool, look for avian visitors and butterflies in Selva Verde's botanical garden area, or take in the river views from the patio overlooking the Sarapiquí River.

Early this morning, check out of the lodge and depart for San Gerardo de Dota. En route, stop at Nectar and Pollen Reserve where some interesting possibilities include the Snowcap, Long-tailed Tyrant, Cinnamon Woodpecker, White Hawk and others. Have lunch en route, and then check in at the hotel in San Gerardo de Dota, a small community in the Talamanca Mountains that sits at an elevation of about 7,220 feet. The forest surrounding the hotel is home to massive oaks, colorful plants, and an incredible variety of animal life: birds, insects, mammals, and amphibians. The famous valley is a paradise for birdwatchers, with more than 170 species recorded here. The crown jewel is the magnificent Resplendent Quetzal, which lives in the region year round. After settling in at the lodge, spend some time walking around the extensive gardens, where you may find resident Talamanca Hummingbird, Lesser Violetear, White-throated Mountain-gem, Volcano Hummingbird, and the tiny Scintillant Hummingbird. Fiery-throated Hummingbird and Violet Sabrewing are seasonally present, and even Flame-colored Tanager and Slaty Flowerpiercer come in for up-close views, offering excellent photo opportunities.

Spend the morning exploring the upper trails at Savegre in search of Resplendent Quetzal and some of the other species present here. Board 4x4 vehicles to travel up to the beginning of the trail system. The large centennial oaks of the forest are laden with lichens and mosses that contrast with the colorful bromeliads, adding to the striking atmosphere of this forest. Explore the trails in search of such specialties as Spotted Wood-Quail, Costa Rican Pygmy-Owl, Resplendent Quetzal, Collared Trogon, Buffy Tuftedcheek, Ruddy Treerunner, Ochraceous Pewee, Barred Becard, Wrenthrush, and Golden-browed Chlorophonia, just to name a few. After lunch, continue birding around the lodge and area trails. Dinner is at the lodge this evening.

After some early morning birding around the lodge, have breakfast and begin the journey to the Pacific Coast stopping at Cerro Buena Vista for beautiful landscape views. Other stops along the way will be La Georgina and Mirador del Valle. Arrive at the hotel in the evening in time for views of the sunset over the Pacific.

Spend the morning birding at the Hacienda Baru National Wildlife Reserve, where some of the species to find include Red-crowned Woodpecker, Thick-billed Euphonia and Black-hooded Antshrike. Return to the lodge for lunch then spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the beach at Parque Marino Ballena.

After breakfast, check out and begin the journey back to San José. En route, stop for a boat ride along the Tárcoles River, where you can spot both water and shore birds such as the Double-striped Thick-knee, Roseate Spoonbill, jacanas, and ducks. The Tárcoles River basin is one of the most important in the Pacific coastal region, virtually draining the entire western side of the Central Valley. The Tárcoles hosts an amazing diversity of wildlife along its banks and in the extensive mangrove areas near its estuary. As a result, the river is the perfect place to catch a glimpse of mangrove specialties such as the rare Rufous-necked Wood-rail, Mangrove Hummingbird, Pygmy Kingfisher, Panama Flycatcher, Mangrove Vireo, and Mangrove (Yellow) Warbler. But perhaps the most famous of all its inhabitants are the enormous crocodiles that live on its banks. These crocodiles have been studied by numerous local and foreign specialists to better understand their characteristics, habitat, and relationship with the land. After lunch nearby, continue to San Jose. Farewell dinner this evening.

Depart for the airport for your flight home. Check out is at 12 pm.