World Class Travel & Tours

Nature & Wildlife Safari Photo Tour

Volcanoes, rain forests, monkeys, birds, butterflies, and much more.

Lectures, workshops, and in the field instruction on digital photography.

Learn photography in one of the most beautiful places on this planet.

Tour

The tour includes:

• Instruction on the use of digital cameras in the field and in daily workshops given by Don Cohen, photographer.
• Guided services throughout with a Costa Rican, bilingual, naturalist driver guide with transportation in an air-conditioned vehicle.
• Guided excursions with entrance fees to: Tortuguero National Park, La Paz Waterfall Gardens, Arenal National Park, Arenal Hanging Bridges, & Carara National Park.
• 8 nights accommodations including all applicable taxes - based on double occupancy. Single supplement is available.
• Meals included as indicated on the itinerary. B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, & D = Dinner.

Don Cohen, Photographer

For information on Don Cohen see his biography and view his web site which has numerous photographs illustrating the quality of his work. See also a description of the workshops presented on this tour.

Tour Itinerary

December 2, 2005

Arrival meet & greet and transfer from the international airport to your hotel near San Jose. Your travel vouchers will be given to you at this time. Your first night accommodations will be in Santo Domingo at the Hotel Bougainvillea or a similar hotel.

The Hotel Bougainvillea is a family owned and operated inn with 80 tastefully decorated rooms set in 12 acres of beautiful gardens. The restaurant offers continental cuisine in a wonderful dining room. Guests can stroll in the gardens, swim in the heated pool, enjoy a sauna or use the tennis courts.

December 3, 2005

Early morning pickup at your hotel for a scenic drive to the canals lining the Caribbean Sea, stopping for a typical breakfast along the way. At the docks, board a boat for the trip up the Tortuguero Canals through 31 miles (50 kilometers) of tropical rain forest. Late afternoon arrival at your hotel in Tortuguero. (BLD)

You will have 2 nights of accommodations in Tortuguero at the Mawamba Lodge or similar. The Mawamba Lodge is nestled in the lush rain forest on a sand bar between the Tortuguero Canals and the Caribbean Sea. Comfortable rooms with ceiling fans provide tranquil garden views. The lodge has a lovely pool surrounded by exotic gardens, nature trails to explore and a pristine beach in front.

December 4, 2005

Today there are 2 two-hour boating trips through the backwater canals and Tortuguero National Park with a local guide. On your own you may wish to hire a boat for additional exploration, or just hike along the beach or visit the village of Tortuguero. (BLD)

December 5, 2005

After breakfast depart Tortuguero by boat – travel north first to Barra de Colorado and then along the San Juan and Sarapiqui Rivers to Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui. A bus and driver will be waiting there to continue on to Arenal. Please note this is a rather long day but it avoids the domestic flight and problems with weight restrictions. It is a route that is less traveled so wildlife and photo opportunities along the way should be great. (BLD)

You will have 2 nights accommodation in Arenal at the Arenal Observatory Lodge or similar. The Arenal Observatory Lodge is located inside the Arenal National Park across a gorge from the volcano and surrounded by lush rainforest. The lodge offers comfortable rooms, a good restaurant, pool, and Jacuzzi. There will be a guided hike each morning.

December 6, 2005

This morning with your guide you will visit the Arenal Hanging Bridges, entrance fees included. The Hanging Bridges are a complex of 6 suspension bridges above the jungle canopy and almost 2 miles of brick & concrete trails through the lush rain forest. In the late afternoon you will visit the Ecothermales Hot Springs, where there are four hot spring pools to relax in amidst the calm and beauty of the humid tropical forest. Filled with clean hot spring mineral water heated from the volcano, you'll receive a natural massage from the small cascade of hot spring water. (BLD)

December 7, 2005

This morning you will hike with your guide in the Arenal Volcano National Park, entrance fees included. This hike takes you for a close-up exploration of recent lava flows which left a 50 feet (15 meters) deep path of lava through the rainforest. After your hike, you will depart Arenal for a scenic drive to you hotel on Jaco Beach (approximately a 4 hour drive). (BL)

You will have 2 nights of accommodation on Jaco Beach at Hotel Club Del Mar or similar. Hotel Club Del Mar is nestled on a quite cove on the Pacific coast, surrounded by mature gardens at the south end of Jaco Beach . A tropical rainforest serves as a backdrop, and gentle waves tumble to a safe beach. Two hundred ninety-five feet (90 meters) of beach front provide safe swimming, canoeing, body surfing, and boogie boarding. Located just steps from the surf is a tropical swimming pool with a social area that is surrounded by Costa Rican flora and fauna, a lap area, and a separate kiddies' area for children and grandchildren. Towering mature trees provide shade, and a gentle ocean breeze ensures a perfect temperature for an afternoon nap. All rooms and casitas were furnished by award winning interior decorators.

December 8, 2005

Today with your guide you will enjoy a hike in the Carara National Park, entrance fees included. The Carara has a transitional climate and contains flora and fauna from both the hot dry northwest, and the rainy region of the southwest. Carara's habitat includes marshes, primary and secondary forests, and is home to parrots, parakeets, toucan, trogons, Scarlet Macaws, and three species of monkeys. (BL)

December 9, 2005

Today you Depart the Central Pacific Coast for San Jose, stopping en route at the artisan town of Sarchi. Sarchi is a shopper’s paradise, and you will have a chance to visit local woodworkers and craftsmen. You will also visit the Oxcart Wheel Factory where you can watch the artists in action painting the colorful painted oxcarts, a traditional symbol of Costa Rica .

You will continue to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens, entrance fee & lunch included. At La Paz you will have an opportunity to see magnificent waterfalls from viewing platforms and a Butterfly Observatory. You will enjoy lunch in the terrace dinning room.

You will then continue on to your hotel in Alajuela. This evening enjoy a farewell dinner with your group for you last night in Costa Rica. (BLD)

You will have 1 nights accommodation at the Xandari Plantation or similar. Xandari Plantation consists of 19 spacious villas on a 40 acre coffee and fruit plantation overlooking Costa Rica 's Central Valley. The villas, private terraces, furniture and gardens are designed with great attention to detail, and each villa is adorned with original works of art. All villas have a private view terrace, a walled-in sun area, a bar kitchen, and either a king bed or two full beds. Over 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) of scenic trails through coffee and fruit orchards lead into a lush natural tropical setting with a year-round river and beautiful waterfalls. Fruits, vegetables and herbs from the plantation's gardens complement Xandari's health-conscious specialty dishes.

December 10, 2005

You will be picked up at your hotel for the departure transfer for your International flight 3 hours before your scheduled flight time. Without a doubt you will want to go back to Costa Rica. (CB)

Tour cost

Estimated Rates for Services in Costa Rica are $2275 per person double occupancy based on a minimum group size of 10. The single room supplement is $400 per person. Airfare is extra. To book the photo tour a deposit of $250 is required. The final payment is due 75 days prior to travel.

Included in this rate: Instruction on the use of digital cameras and workshops given by Don Cohen, a professional photographer. Transportation and services of a professional bilingual naturalist driver/guide, National Park entrance fees and activities included as listed. Accommodations as indicated based on standard rooms, double occupancy including all applicable taxes. Meals included as indicated where B = breakfast, L = lunch, D = dinner.

Not included in this rate : Costa Rica airport departure tax ($26.00 USD subject to change), meals not specified in the itinerary, alcoholic beverages, personal equipment, extras in hotels (i.e. laundry, phone calls, room service), gratuities, items not specifically indicated in the itinerary.

For more information and to book this tour contact us.

For more general information on Costa Rica go here.

All photos, with the exception of those of Don Cohen, by Sunny Breeding. We sell prints and slides.

Acknowledgments.

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